US3554364A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Control and cup-pushing assembly for dispensers
Assignee: Individual
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Filing: 1968-06-12
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Granted: 1971-01-12
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Expires: 1988-06-12
Abstract
Abstract A dispenser having an assembly which pushes a cup along a given path and which controls the operation of the dispenser. A guide means guides a cup for movement along a given path and a pusher means is moved by a moving means to engage and push the cup along this path. As the cup approaches the end of the path a displacing means coacts with the pusher to displace it from a cup-gripping position to a nongripping position where it will release the cup, and it is in this latter nongripping position that the moving means acts on the pusher means to retract it back away from the cup. Control switches are located along the path of movement of part of the moving means, and the latter part of the moving means carries a switch-actuating member for actuating the control switches simultaneously with the pushing of the cup.
Inventors
- 👤 Curtis Lane
- 👤 Leon Greenstein
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-31 06:26
CPC Classifications
G; G07; G07F; G07F13/00; G07F13/10
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 16
Claim 1
Independent Claim
252 words
In a dispenser, guide means for guiding a tapered cup for movement along a given path from a predetermined starting position to a predetermined eNd position, swingable pusher means for pushing said cup along said guide means from said starting position to said end position, said pusher means having a gripping position gripping the cup to prevent displacement of the cup and pusher means one with respect to the other along said path while said pusher means is in said gripping position thereof, and said pusher means having a release position for releasing the cup upon retraction of said pusher means away from the cup along said path, moving means coacting with said pusher means for advancing the latter from said starting to said end position along said path to push the cup from said starting to said end position, and said moving means coacting with said pusher means for retracting the latter back from said end position to said starting position after the cup has been pushed by said pusher means to said end position, and displacing means situated in the region of said end position of said cup for swinging said pusher means as it approaches said end position from said gripping position to said release position to situate said pusher means in its release position when said cup reaches said end position, so that upon retraction of said pusher means by said moving means said pusher means will release the cup which will thus remain at said end position.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
252 words
In a dispenser, guide means for guiding a tapered cup for movement along a given path from a predetermined starting position to a predetermined eNd position, swingable pusher means for pushing said cup along said guide means from said starting position to said end position, said pusher means having a gripping position gripping the cup to prevent displacement of the cup and pusher means one with respect to the other along said path while said pusher means is in said gripping position thereof, and said pusher means having a release position for releasing the cup upon retraction of said pusher means away from the cup along said path, moving means coacting with said pusher means for advancing the latter from said starting to said end position along said path to push the cup from said starting to said end position, and said moving means coacting with said pusher means for retracting the latter back from said end position to said starting position after the cup has been pushed by said pusher means to said end position, and displacing means situated in the region of said end position of said cup for swinging said pusher means as it approaches said end position from said gripping position to said release position to situate said pusher means in its release position when said cup reaches said end position, so that upon retraction of said pusher means by said moving means said pusher means will release the cup which will thus remain at said end position.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
69 words
The combination of claim 1 and wherein said pusher means includes a substantially U-shaped member extending in its gripping position around the cup through an angular distance sufficient to hold the cup and prevent separation of the cup from said U-shaped member, said U-shaped member in its release position extending around the cup through an angular distance insufficient to prevent retraction of said pusher means away from the cup.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
109 words
The combination of claim 2 and wherein said U-shaped pusher member has a pair of free ends which in the gripping position of said pusher means are situated beyond and at the elevation of a portion of the cup whose diameter is greater than the distance between said free ends of said U-shaped member, so that the cup and pusher means cannot be separated from each other, while in said release position said free ends of said U-shaped member are located at a lower portion of the cup at an elevation where the maximum diameter thereof is less than the distance between said free ends of said U-shaped member.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
162 words
The combination of claim 3 and wherein said pusher means includes an elongated rod extending transversely of said path and carrying said U-shaped member at a trailing side of the cup, a said moving means carrying said rod and supporting the latter for free swinging movement about its axis, and said pusher means including a lever fixed to and extending from said rod and normally assuming a position where said U-shaped member extends partly around a cup and grips the latter, and said displacing means coacting with said lever as said moving means displaces said pusher means to the region of said end position of said cup for turning said lever and swinging said rod about its axis to a location where the free ends of said U-shaped member are tilted with said U-shaped member downwardly along said cup to a location where the distance between said free ends is sufficiently great to clear the cup during retraction of said pusher means.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
37 words
The combination of claim 4 and wherein a weight is carried by said lever for normally maintaining the latter in a vertical position with said U-shaped member situated substantially in a horizontal plane in its gripping position.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
63 words
The combination of claim 5 and wherein said displacing means includes a stationary camming bar situated at the region of said end position of said cup and engaging said lever for tilting the latter and turning said rod as said pusher means continues to advance toward said end position so that said displacing means automatically tilts said U-shaped member to its release position.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
147 words
The combination of claim 5 and wherein said guide means includes a paiR of elongated guide bars spaced from and parallel to each other and extending along said path of movement for engaging and slideably supporting the bottom end of a cup, said rod and U-shaped member of said pusher means being situated over said bars of said guide means, and said lever extending from said rod downwardly between said guide bars to a location lower than the latter where said weight is located, and said displacing means including a transverse camming bar carried by said bars of said guide means and extending across the space therebetween in the region of said end position of said cup so that said camming bar will engage said lever to tilt the latter and said U-shaped member therewith as said moving means advances said pusher means to said end position.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
120 words
The combination of claim 1 and wherein said moving means includes a carriage and guide rails coacting with said carriage for guiding the latter for movement back and forth along said path, said carriage carrying said pusher means and having a wall formed with an elongated slot passing therethrough, an endless chain and a pair of sprockets coacting therewith, and a motion-transmitting member carried by said chain and extending through said slot for moving along the latter while advancing with one run of said chain during movement of said carriage to displace said pusher means from said starting to said end position and along another run of said chain during retraction of said pusher means back to said starting position.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
41 words
The combination of claim 8 and wherein a plurality of control switches are situated along the path of movement of said carriage, and switch-actuating means carried by said carriage for movement therewith to actuate said switches during movement of said carriage.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
59 words
The combination of claim 1 and wherein said moving means includes a carriage and rails guiding said carriage for movement, and fastening means removably fastening said pusher means to said carriage for movement therewith, so that by way of said fastening means a pusher means of one size can be exchanged for a pusher means of a different size.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
61 words
The combination of claim 10 and wherein said fastening means includes at least one pair of headed pins located one above the other and carried by said carriage, and a bracket carrying said pusher means and formed with an elongated open ended slot narrower than heads of said pins for receiving shanks thereof to removably mount said bracket on said carriage.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
143 words
In a dispenser, a control switch having a one-way switch-operating member movable in one direction for operating the switch and in an opposed direction without operating the switch, a carriage and guide rails coacting with said carriage to support the latter for movement, said carriage carrying a switch-actuating member for moving the latter along a path in which said switch-operating member of said switch is located, and drive means coacting with said carriage for moving the latter back and forth to displace said switch-actuating member back and forth along said path so that in one direction of said switch-actuating member it will engage and move said switch-operating member in said one direction to actuate the switch while in the opposed direction of movement of said carriage and switch-actuating member the switch-operating member will be moved in said opposed direction without operating the switch.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
143 words
In a dispenser, a control switch having a one-way switch-operating member movable in one direction for operating the switch and in an opposed direction without operating the switch, a carriage and guide rails coacting with said carriage to support the latter for movement, said carriage carrying a switch-actuating member for moving the latter along a path in which said switch-operating member of said switch is located, and drive means coacting with said carriage for moving the latter back and forth to displace said switch-actuating member back and forth along said path so that in one direction of said switch-actuating member it will engage and move said switch-operating member in said one direction to actuate the switch while in the opposed direction of movement of said carriage and switch-actuating member the switch-operating member will be moved in said opposed direction without operating the switch.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
100 words
The combination of claim 12 and wherein a plurality of said switches with one-way switch-operating members are respectively displaced from each other and situated along the path of movement of said switch-actuating member. 14 The combination of claim 12 and wherein said carriage has a wall formed with an elongated slot extending therethrough transversely at the path of movement of said carriage along said rails, and said drive means including an endless chain, sprockets driving the latter, and a motion-transmitting member fixed to said chain and extending therefrom through said slot to transmit movement of sAid chain to said carriage.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
61 words
The combination of claim 14 and wherein a guide means for guiding a cup along a path parallel and adjacent the path of movement of said switch-actuating member is situated adjacent said carriage, and pusher means carried by said carriage at substantially the elevation of said switch-actuating member for pushing a cup along said guide means during movement of said carriage.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US3104767A
Cited
US2112621A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1974-01-11 | 1974-07-13 | 1975-01-12 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1978-01-11 | 1978-07-13 | 1979-01-12 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1982-01-11 | 1982-07-13 | 1983-01-12 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |