US2786607A - Dispensing apparatus - Google Patents

Description

March 26, 1957 B. T. MOORE ET AL 2,786,607

DISPENSING APPARATUS Filed Nov. 22, 1954 Fig.1..

INVENTORS BENJAMIN T MOO/7E1 ROBE/P7 T Ma ALL/5' 75/? United States Patent DISPENSING APPARATUS Benjamin T. M iie na Rob ei't'T. McAllister, Oakland, Calif.

Application November 22, 1954, Serial No. 470,186 3Claiins. 01122 -183 This invention relates to devices for storing'and dis pensing flowable material, and is more particularly directed towards apparatus of this character adapted for receiving and dispensing the contents of a can of coffee or the like.

Heretofore, numerous dispensers have been provided which were adapted to receive a can or container in which a liquid or fiowable granular material was placed whereby the material could be poured from the dispenser into any other suitable container or cooking vessel. Whiles'uchdispensers have been widely used for a number of diiiere'nt purposes, there are certain inherent disadvantages and shortcomings in the prior art dispensers which renders them incapable of properlyperforming their functions under till-conditions of operation.

Accordingly, it is an object of thep'resent invention to provide a dispenser which is adapted to receive a can of jco'ffee or the like, from which {the coffee maybe readily poured, and which will seal coffee grounds from excessive oxidation when the dispenseris inits inoperative-'01 stered'wndifion I I .Ano ther object' of our inventio s-gte provide a penser (if the 'cnarac'terne'sc'r'ita in which novel measuring means are incorporated with the pouring spout, and in which such measuring means constitutes the seal for the dispenser.

A further object of the invention is to provide a dispenser of the aforesaid character in which the can containing the coffee or other fiowable material may be readily placed into and removed from the dispenser with a minimum of effort, and yet in which the can, after being placed in operative position, is firmly sealed wtih the dispenser.

Yet another object of the invention is to provide a dispenser of the aforementioned character in which means are provided for insuring that the material initially stored in the can which is placed in the dispenser will return to the can after inverting of the dispenser as in pouring out the can contents.

A further object of our invention is to provide a dispenser of the character described in which the sealing of the can to the dispenser is insured notwithstanding any irregularities on the upper lip or head of the can.

A still further object of our invention is to provide a dispenser which may be selectively used for receiving a can as hereinabove mentioned or which may be alternately used for receiving and holding the contents of the can.

The invention possesses other objects and features of advantage, some of which, with the foregoing, will be set forth in the following description of the preferred form of the invention which is illustrated in the drawing accompanying and forming part of the specification. It is to be understood, however, that variations in the showing made by the said drawing and description may be adopted within the scope of the invention as set forth in the claims.

Referring to said drawing: 1

Figure 1 is a side elevational view, mostly in section,

, 601 Patented Mai. 26, 1957 '2 of a dispenser constructed in accordance with the teachings ofthe present invention.

Figure 2 is a cross-sectional viewtaken substantially in the plane indicated by the line 2-2 of Figure 1.

With reference to the drawing, it will be noted that the dispenser of ourinvention preferably includes a cylindrical body portion 6 and a concave head portion 7 which may be formed integrally with the body 6. The diameter of the body is such that when a can 8 is placed therein, an annular; space 9 will be provided between the outer walls of thecan and the inner peripheral surface of the body. Th iSf Of c0urse, will permit-readyinsertion and removal of the can from; the dispenser. For reasons of economy, the body 6 and head 7 maybe molded from one of the thermosettingplastics or otherwise integrally formed, but it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that the head 7 could be removably attached to the body without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention. I V I The lower-end of the body 6 is providedfwith external threads 12 which are adapted to receive the threads .13 of a lower cap member 14. The cap is provided with a base 16tand an annular collar 17 in which the threads are formed. As will be seen, the threads 12 and 13 may be engaged so-as to secure the cap to the body while still providing a space 1? bet-ween the lower end 21 of the body and the opposed confronting surface 22 of the cap base. The reason for this spacing will be presently deb d-,. .4 o. V Adjacent the upper end of the body 6 at substantially the juncture thereof with the head 7, we provide a seal- ;in'g means in .theform of ,a gasket 24. Preferably, .the gasket is provided with agflatlower surface 26, an .upstanr'ling vertical wall portion 27 and an upwardly and outwardly directed tapered portion; 28. As will; be understood, the length fof the flat portion 2-6ythat is; thej; annular width of the gasket is such as to insure engagement with the upper bead 31 of a can when the can is placed in the dispenser. Likewise, by constructing the gasket out of a resilient material such as rubber or the like, the can may still be forced upwardly into engagement with the surface 26 for substantially the entire length of the bead 31 notwithstanding any small irregularities or deformation appearing therein. Thus, the can may be inserted in the container or dispenser until the upper end 31 engages the gasket 24. By screwing the lower cap 14, the can will be forced upwardly into tight sealing engagement with the gasket while the space 19 permits the lower end portion of the can 8 to extend downwardly below the lower end 21 of the cylindrical body 6. Thus, notwithstanding the seal between the cap, can and gasket, when the lower cap is threadedly removed, the lower end of the can may be grasped by the fingers of the user and readily withdrawn from the dispenser.

Means are provided for effecting removal of the can contents upon inversion of the dispenser. As here shown, adjacent one side of the head 7 we provide an opening in the head which is designated by the numeral 36. Extending outwardly and upwardly from such opening there is a tapered spout 37 having an outlet 38. Therefore, it will be apparent that when the dispenser is inverted or tilted such as by grasping the manually engageable handle 39, the contents of the can may flow into the space 41 between the upper end of the can and the concave inner peripheral surface of the head, and through the openings 36 and 38 into any desired place.

When the dispenser and its contents is merely being stored, it is necessary that the contents of can 8 be sealed against undue exposure to the air, moisture and the like. We therefore provide a plug or seal for the opening 38 and as a novel feature of our invention, it will be 'of difiiculty and spoilage of such material.

arsaeor c 3 noted, that this seal means is in the form of a cup 42 having a bottom 43 and side walls 44. The side walls 44 are tapered so that the cup may be readily placed on the tapered spout 37 so as to seal the opening 38. Preferably, the taper on the spout 37 is greater than the taper on the cup 42 so that by wedgiug the latter on the spout a firm seal is obtained therebetween. When the cup is removed, the contents of the dispenser may be poured directly into the cup and a predetermined quantity of the cofiee or other material in the can 8 may be readily obtained. In this manner, we achieve a two-fold function in providing a ready source of measuring as well as providing a proper air seal for the interior of the dispenser.

' When the dispenser is inverted, it will be understood that the contents thereof will flowinto the space 41 and upon placing the dispenser in'the normal position indi- "cated in the drawing, the gasket 24, if constructed ofa more conventional annular form would trap some of the contents on the upper surface'of such gasket. To avoid such a possibility, the tapered portion 28 'of the gasket will properly direct any contents which would normally 'remain thereon back into the can upon placing of the dispenser in its inoperative or vertical position. This will thoroughly prevent an accumulation of stale prodnets on the gasket when subsequent cans are introduced into the dispenser.

From the foregoing description, it will be appreciated that while the dispenser of the present invention is simple in construction and operation, it will fulfil a longneeded want in permitting the proper sealing, storing and disparsing of a flowable granular material with a minimum Further more, it will be readily appreciated that instead of placing a can of material in the dispenser, the contents of the can may be poured directly into the dispenser when the latter is in an inverted position by'merely removing the lower cap 14. By replacing this cap, once again the cofiee or other material will be held in the dispenser and ready for removal upon inverting of the dispenser and pouring out through the spout 37.

. 4 What is claimed is: l. A dispenser comprising a cylindrical body having an upper closure provided with an opening therethrough,

a lower cap having an annular wall extending upwardly from a base portion, means on the inner surface of said annular wall engageable with an outer lower edge portion of said body for releasably securing said cap to said body, a resilient annular gasket disposed on the inner surface of said body adjacent said upper closure against which the upper head of a can may be positioned, said lower cap being arranged to engage the lower rim of said can and urge the same upwardly into engagement with said gasket, means defining a pouring spout extending outwardly from said upper [closure opening, said spout having an outer surface tapering from a maximum cross-sectional area adjacent said opening to a minimum cross-sectional area at the open end thereof, and a readily removable closure member for said spout comprising a cup-shaped member having outwardly divergent walls arranged to engage the outer portions of said spout for sealing said opening.

2. Apparatus as set forth in claim 1 in which the taper on said cup-like member is'less than the taper on said spout.

3. Apparatus as set forth in claim 1 in which said gasket is provided with an upwardly and outwardly directed taper adjacent the upper surface thereof and extending to said upper closure whereby the contents of a can placed in said dispenser will flow inwardly and downwardly upon placing 'of the dispenser in an upright position.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 998,533 King July 18, 1911 1,188,132 Anderson June 20, 1916 1,351,331 Herschmann Aug. 31, 1920 1,935,969 Witherspoon Nov. 21, 1933 2,297,945 Cornelius Oct. 6, 1942 2,689,669 Ericson Sept. 21, 1954

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