Timed cigarette dispenser

Abstract

Abstract A timed cigarette dispenser is disclosed which is operable to eject cigarettes one at a time at predetermined time intervals. The dispenser comprises a case having a compartment for containing a quantity of cigarettes. A tubular ejector is rotatingly mounted on the case for ejecting one cigarette from the compartment and blocking the passage of the others. The ejector is operatively connected, via a trip wire, to a slide which is transversely movable across the top of the casing. The manual movement of the slider is controlled by a timing mechanism which functions to periodically release the slider for ejection purposes. The slider is also operatively connected to a ratchet which is utilized as an automatic counter of the periodic time intervals. The rachet preferably contains twenty teeth about its periphery for providing twenty time interval counts for one revolution of the rachet. The rachet also includes a cam lever mounted thereon which is adapted to trigger a locking mechanism for opening a cover to the case. The cam lever functions to unlock the case after each revolution of the rachet, which is twenty time intervals, to enable the compartment to receive a new supply of cigarettes. The slider is also integrally connected to a gear rack which is longitudinally slidable to engage an input gear of the timing mechanism for winding purposes. A time sequence cam is mounted adjacent the gear rack to adjustably limit the travel of the gear rack, thereby limiting the amount the timing mechanism can be wound.

Inventors

• 👤 K Wertz

Bibliographic Details