US2682357A - Device for dispensing measured quantifies of products - Google Patents

Description

June 29, 1954v A. B'oGosslAN DEVICE FO-R DISPENSING MEASURED QUANTITIES OF PRODUCTS Filed July 22, 1950 \fa5 es 2a 2e @e Blf/57 ATTORN INVENTOR HRMEN BOG OSSIHN Patented June 29,V 1954 OFFICE DEVICE FOR DISPENSING MEASURED QUANTITIES F PRODUCTS ArmenBogossian, Brooklyn, N. Y.

Application July 22, 1950, Serial No. 175,415

2 Claims.

This invention relates to devices adapted to dispense products of diierent types and kinds in predetermined measured quantities in the use thereof. More particularly, the invention deals with a device of this kind having an adjustable receiver and measuring device, so that the quantities of a product being dispensed may be varied from time to time, thus adapting a single device to different uses.' The novel features of the invention will be best understood from the following description, when taken together with the accompanying drawing, in which certain embodiments of the invention are disclosed and, in which, the separate parts are designated by suitable reference characters in each of the views and, in which:

Fig. 1 is a front sectional view of a device made according to my invention, showing the parts in the normal position, wherein the measuring and dispensing cup is held against displacement from the casing of the device.

Fig. 2 is a partial section on the line 2--2 of Fig. 1, illustrating the method of attaching the device to a supporting surface.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged section on the line 3-3 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 4.- is a section on the line 4--4 of Fig. 1 with part of the construction shown in elevation; and

Fig. 5 is a perspective View of the measuring and dispensing cup detached.

In illustrating one adaptation and use of my invention, I have shown in Fig. 1 an oblong rectangular casing or container I0, the back wall II of which has a pair of conical wedge-forming members I2 which are freely insertable and removable from a wedge bracket I3, which can be secured to a suitable supporting surface I4, as by screws I5.

Detachable with respect to the upper open end of the casing I0 is a cover I6 having an inwardly set downwardly extending peripheral flange I'I, grooved as seen at I8, to receive a sealing ring I9. This construction will provide a tight closure and may be utilized to form a more or less air-tight seal for the compartment of the casing.

The bottom wall 2| of thecasing or the corn partment 20 is tapered downwardly from both sides and end walls to a central flat bottom wall portion 22 which has on opposed sides raised substantially prong-like package openers 23. The flat central wall portion 22 has a pairof opposed discharge openings 24 and a central rectangular aperture 25 for receiving a rectangular pin end 26 of a disc 21. The pin end 26 is flared over, as seen at 28, in securing the disc 21 to the bottom wall. The disc 21 has an enlarged hub portion 29 which seats upon the lower surface of the iiat wall portion 22 to space the upper surface 30 of the disc 21 from said wall 2 2 to provide an annular valve chamber, in which a disc valve 3| is rotatably mounted.

The disc 21 has .apertures 32 which register with the apertures 24 of the bottom wall 22. Secured to the bottom wall 22 is a stop pin 33 which operates in an elongated aperture 34 in the disc valve 3|, note Fig. 3. This construction checks movement of the valve 3| in both directions. The valve 3| has a pair of opposed apertures 35 which register with the apertures 24 and 32 in the normal position of the device, as seen in Fig. 1, and shown in full lines in Fig. 3.

The valve 3| has, in the peripheral edge thereof, grooves or recesses 36, note Fig. 3, adapted to receive inwardly projecting tongue or key members 31 at the upper discharge end 38 of a measuring and dispensing cup 39, note Fig. 5. The disc 21 has, on front and rear portions of the periphery thereof, downwardly flared grooves 4|), note Figs. 3 and 4, which facilitate free insertion of the key members 31 into the recesses 36 of the valve 3l when said recesses 36 are in registering position with the grooves 40. However, in Figs. 1 and 3 of the drawing, the cup 39 is shown in its assembled position with the casing, preparatory to receiving a discharge of the contents of the casing and prior to removal of the cup, as and when desired. In other words, when the cup 39 is in its normal attached position, all of the apertures 24, 35, and 32 are in registering alinement and the contents of the casing IIJ is free to pass into the cup 39. For removal of the cup, the cup is rotated to bring the key members 31 in registering position with the recesses 40, note Fig. 3,

at which time, the cup is free to be moved downwardly.

In this rotation of the cup, the valve 3| is correspondingly rotated to bring the apertures 35 into the dotted line position shown in Fig. 3, thus closing communication between the apertures 24 and the apertures 32.

It will be understood, at this time, that a plain cup of a predetermined dimension or size can be utilized in connection with the device and its size will govern the measured quantity of material to be dispensed. In this connection, it will also be apparent that the size of the container I0 will be made in proportion to the amount of material to be dispensed into the measuring cup. In some instances, the complete device may be sold with several cups of different sizes, all having the same key members. However, in the accompanying drawing, I have shown a cup in which its measuring capacity may be varied.

The cup 39 comprises an elongated cylinder, closed at one end by a detachable and rotatable knob 4I, preferably made slightly conical in form and knurled on its outer surface to facilitate rotation, as is indicated in Fig. 5 of the drawing. The knob II has a reduced portion 42 which fits snugly into the lower portion of the cup cylinder and this reduced portion has an annular groove 3 43 to receive a screw 44, thus facilitating free rotation of the knob, while retaining the same against displacement from the cup cylinder. The lower portion of the knob is preferably hollow, as seen at 45, and the central portion oi the knob has a threaded bore, as at. 46. In operative engagement with the bore 46 is a feed screw 41, to the upper end of which is fixed a disc-type plunger 48, the periphery of which has a suitable packing ring 49 to seal the plunger 48 within the bore of the cup 39. The adjustment of the plunger 48 is such that the plunger can be brought into close proximity to the lower surface of the disc 21, so that the. minimum measurement deposited into the cup would be the capacity of the two apertures 32, and thus, the size of these apertures can be governed accordingly. On the other hand, the plunger i6 can be moved into engagement with the upper surface of the knob 4I in providing the fullest measured capacity of the cup 39. It will be understood that adjustments of the plunger 43 are cared for when the cup is detached, as in Fig. 5, and, if necessary, pressure of the nngerA of a hand may be applied to the plunger i9 to retain the same against rotation in making the different adjustments or any other means could be provided for this purpose.

By constructing the cup unit 39 in the manner described, it will be apparent that, by detaching the screw 44, the entire adjustment assemblage can be removed from the cup for cleaning whenever desired. This operation would probably be most practical as and when the device might be used for different purposes, or for measurement of different products.

In some uses, the product to be dispensed can simply be disposed in the casing I9 and the cover I6 applied to close and seal the compartment 20, whereas, inA other cases, such for example las in dispensing packaged goods, the package itself may be provided with a suitable perforation in an end wall thereof and the package itself inserted into the compartment 29, with the cover removed, and, in some instances, the prongs 23 may be utilized to rupture the perforated end of the package to automatically open the same so that the contents of the package can be dispensed directly into the apertures 24.

Devices of the kind under consideration can be utilized for measuring such products as soap powders and the like, as well as in dispensing any type of material, wherein it is desirable to measure predetermined quantities which are to be used and, in dealing with smaller measurements, it is particularly of interest to note that the devices can be utilized to measure teaspoons or portions of teaspoons and/or tablespoon quantities of products used in baking or generally in the preparation of foods.

To give one illustration of a home or domestic use of the device, let us say that it is utilized for dispensing pre-ground coiee. In the average home, where there are a predetermined number of individuals at each meal, where coffee is served, requiring let us say the preparation of four cups of coffee at each meal, then the cup unit can be adjusted to dispense a properly measured ground coffee suitable for preparation of four cups of coiee. Then all that would be necessary to do would be to remove the cup unit which will then contain the necessary quantity for producing four cups of coffee, the coiiee would be deposited into the coiee receptacle and,

4 after which, the cup unit would be re-attached. Here the importance of a sealed cover can be understood, in that the coffee housed in the container can be kept in a fresh state. From the foregoing, it will be understood that the necessity of measuring-out four individual measures of coffee is dispensed with.

With this thought in mind, it will be quite apparent that a number or series of these units might be readily used for the dispensing of such products as are commonly used from day to day in the preparation of food in the home, restaurants or similar establishments.

Having fully described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A dispensing device of the character described, comprising a box-shaped container open at the top and having a discharge aperture in the bottom wall, means rotatably mounted on the bottom wall` controlling said discharge aperture, a cup into which material arranged in the container is adapted to pass, said cup-and means having interengaging portions, whereby the cup is utilized to move said means into open and closed positions, a member for supporting said cup against displacement from the container when said means is in open position, and means comprising a rotatable knob at the bottom of the cup and a member adjustable in the cup by said knob for controlling the measurement of the quantity of material deposited therein.

2. In dispensing devices of the character described, a measuring cup,.said cup comprising an elongated cylinder, a knob closing one end of the cylinder, means mounting said knob for rotation with respect to said cylinder, said means comprising means for preventing movement, in an axial direction, of said knob with respect to said cylinder, said knob having a central threaded bore, a plunger arranged in the cylinder, an elongated screw shaft, said plunger being iixed to one end of said shaft, said shaft being in operative engagement with the threaded bore of said knob in controlling adjustment of the plunger in said cylinder by rotation of said knob, the other end of the cylinder being open, and means at the open end of the cylinder for coupling said cup with a dispenser.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 182,675 Johnson Sept. 26, 1876 795,676 Ammen July 25, 1905 928,561 Swain July 20, 1909 984,839 Neiman Feb. 21, 1911 1,226,722 Sullivan May 22', 1917 1,362,731 Altenberg Dec. 21, 1920 1,679,511 Ward Aug. 7, 1928 1,770,576 Leather Ju1y 15, 1930 1,822,557 Beattcn Sept. 8, 1931 1,938,147 Leather Dec. 5, 1933 1,997,337 Taurman Apr. 16, 1935 2,013,328 WSWell Sept. 3, 1935 2,070,206 I-Iudson Feb. 9, 1937 2,199,877 Cervera May 7, 1940 2,263,592 Hothersall Jan. 6, 1942 2,361,432 Stacy Oct. 31, 1944 2,634,026 Yuan Apr. 7, 1953 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 331,093 Italy Oct. 29, 1935

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