GB2109342A

GB2109342A - Dispensing apparatus

Info

Publication number: GB2109342A
Application number: GB08227369A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Kerry John Rothwell
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1981-09-25
Filing date: 1982-09-24
Publication date: 1983-06-02
Also published as: AU8871182A

Abstract

Dispensing apparatus for dispensing metered quantities of a product, such as peanuts, for a storage hopper (16) having a discharge aperture (18) at its lower end. The dispensing assembly includes a hollow container (23, 35) having an inlet opening (26, 42) which in a first position of the container is aligned with the discharge aperture (18) of the hopper (16) to receive products from the hopper. The container (23, 35) is selectively movable to a second position where the inlet opening (26, 42) is moved out of alignment with the aperture (18) so that products collected in the container can be discharged. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Improvements to dispensing apparatus THIS INVENTION relates to improvements to dispensing apparatus and in particular to apparatus for dispensing metered quantities of particulate, granular or other discrete articles or products from a storage area.

Many apparatus are presently known for dispensing products from a storage area. In some cases individual items such as packets of cigarettes or cans of drinks are stored in a magazine in a stacked attitude and dispensed individually on insertion of a coin into the apparatus. In other cases, articles are dispensed from an apparatus by lever mechanisms operable to open gates or the like to allow the passage of articles from a storage area to a dispensing area.

The present invention aims to provide dispensing apparatus for dispensing metered quantities of a particular product from a storage area. The apparatus of the present invention is particularly suitable for the dispensing of foodstuffs such as sweets, peanuts, popcorn or other similar articles. In one embodiment, the apparatus of the present invention is adapted for dispensing heated peanuts from a hopper assembly or the like. It is an object of the invention to provide such apparatus which will be reliable and efficient in operation. Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following description.

With the above and other objects in view, this invention resides broadly in a dispensing apparatus for dispensing metered quantities of a product from a storage area, such apparatus including hopper means for storing said products, a metering assembly operably associated with said hopper means and adapted in a first attitude to collect a metered quantity of said product from said hopper means and being movable to a second attitude wherein said metered quantity of said product is discharged from said metering assembly.

In order that the invention may be more readily understood and put into practical effect, reference will now be made to the accompanying drawings which illustrate the invention and wherein: Figure 1 is a perspective view of a typical dispensing apparatus according to the present invention; Figure 2 is an exploded part cut away perspective view of the dispensing assembly of the apparatue illustrated in Fig. 1; Figure 3 is a sectional view of the dispenser assembly illustrated in Fig. 2; Figures 4 and 5 are respective sectional side and end elevational views of a preferred dispensing drum for use in the dispensing assembly; and Figure 6 is a perspective view of an alternative dispensing assembly for use in the dispensing apparatus.

Referring to Fig. 1, there is illustrated dispensing apparatus 10 according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention including an external cabinet 11 which is arranged to support a dispensing assembly 1 2 which is adapted to be actuated on insertion of a coin into a slot 1 3 whereby metered quantities of product stored in the hopper apparatus are dispensed through an outlet chute 1 4.

In this embodiment, the upper portion of the apparatus 10 includes a box-like structure 1 5 which may be formed of perspex or other transparent material and which is adapted to be disposed above a storage hopper 1 6 of the dispensing assembly whereby the contents of the hopper may be easily visible. As well as being attractive to potential customers, this arrangement will also indicate when the contents of the hopper 1 6 have fallen to a low level which will provide an indication that refilling is required.

As more clearly illustrated in Figs. 2 and 3 the hopper 1 6 of the dispensing assembly has inclined side walls 1 7 which converge dowmwardly towards an outlet aperture 1 8 through which the contents of the hopper 1 6 may be discharged by gravity. In this embodiment, the hopper 1 6 is formed as an aluminium casting and includes tubular sections 1 9 on opposite side walls 1 7 and formed integrally therewith for receiving respective heating elements whereby the products in the hopper 16, say peanuts, may be heated.Discharge from the hopper 1 6 through the aperture 1 8 is controlled by a metering assembly 20 which in this embodiment, includes a hollow housing 21 disposed beneath the storage hopper 1 6 and which defines a cylindrical chamber 22 therein which communicates with the aperture 1 8. The chamber 22 is adapted to receive a hollow dispensing drum 23 and is open at each end so that the drum 23 may be inserted thereinto or withdrawn therefrom.

Furthermore, the drum 23 is so sized that the outer arcuate surface thereof is adapted to be in bearing contact with the inner arcuate walls of the chamber 22 so that the drum 23 is fully supported in the chamber 22 and rotatable relative thereto. A discharge aperture 24 extends through the wall of the chamber 22 on the lower side thereof and is aligned with the aperture 18. Furthermore the aperture 24 communicates with a discharge duct 25 formed integrally with the housing 21 and which is aligned with a rearward extension of the outlet chute 14. The drum 23 has an aperture 26 in its outer circumferential wall which is adapted to be selectively aligned with the hopper aperture 1 8 for filling of the interior of drum 23 and the outlet aperture 24 for discharge of the drum 23.

In use and as shown in Fig. 3 the drum 23 is disposed within the chamber 22 and is coupled to an electric motor 27 via a shaft 28. The shaft 28 is preferably a two part shaft, one part being attached to the motor 27 and the other part to the drum 23 and being detachably coupled at 29 to enable the drum 23 to be withdrawn from the cylindrical chamber 22. In its filling attitude aperture 26 is aligned with the aperture 1 8 leading into the hopper whereby a quantity of the products in the hopper 1 6 are fed by gravity through the aligned apertures 1 9 and 26 into the interior of the drum 23.

As more clearly illustrated in Figs. 4 and 5, the capacity of the drum is preferably adapted to be varied by the use of a plate member 30 which extends chordlike with the interior of the drum and which may be variably positioned to vary the size of the product receiving cavity 31. Preferably, the plate member 30 is supported at opposite ends by one end wall of the drum 23 and an intermediate disc like member 32.

When the electric motor 27 is actuated on insertion of a coin into the apparatus, the shaft 28 will be caused to rotate thus causing a corresponding rotation of the drum 23 with the cylindrical chamber 22. Rotation of the drum 23 will cause the aperture 26 to move out of register with the hopper discharge aperture 1 9 and move into alignment with the outlet aperture 24. At the same time the hopper aperture 1 8 will have been closed by the arcuate wall of the drum 23. Rotation of the drum 23 will than momentarily cease to enable the products collected in the drum 23 to be discharged to the duct 24 and then into the rearward extension of the outlet chute 1 4 for passage to a bag, cardboard bucket or like container placed under the chute 14.The motor then recommences its rotation to return the drum 23 to the position illustrated in Fig.

3, whereupon the drum will again collect a metered quantity of products from the hopper for dispensing on the next actuation of the motor. The close mating contact of the drum 23 with the arcuate walls of the chamber 20 will ensure that jamming will be prevented as during initial rotation of the drum, the trailing edge 33 of the aperture 26 will co-operate with the leading edge 34 of the aperture 1 8 to shear off any meterial projecting out of the drum 23.

Referring now to Fig. 6, there is illustrated an alternate form of metering assembly for use in the dispensing apparatus according to the present invention. In this embodiment, the metering assembly 35 includes a hollow boxlike housing 36 adapted to be associated with a hopper of the type illustrated in Figs. 2 and 3. The housing 36 is open at its upper end and is provided with an aperture 37 in its lower wall 38 offset relative to the hopper opening 1 8. A rectangular metering container 39 is neatly received within the housing 36 and is reciprocal longitudinally thereof.For this purpose a longitudinal slot 40 is provided in one side wall of the housing 36 and an actuating member 41 extends through the slot and is connected to the metering container 39 so that movement of the actuating member will cause corresponding movement of the container 39 within the housing 36.

Preferably the member 41 is actuated by a solenoid type of actuator.

The container 39 is open at its upper end 42 and its lower end 43 and includes a pair of opposite side flanges 44 the purpose of which will hereinafter become apparent. In the position illustrated in Fig. 6 the lower open end 43 of the container 39 is closed by the lower wall 38 of the housing 36, whilst the upper open end 42 is aligned with the hopper discharge aperture 1 8 so that the metering container 39 will receive products from the hopper.

On actuation of the member 41, the metering container 39 will slide longitudinally relative to the housing 36 so that the lower opening 43 in the container 39 is moved into register with the opening 37 in the lower wall 38 of the housing 36, so that the contents of the container 39 will be discharged. At the same time, one flange 44 of the container 39 will be moved across the hopper opening 1 8 to close the latter and prevent discharge of products therefrom until the container 39 is again moved back to its initial position wherein the open upper end 42 is in register with the hopper opening 1 8 to receive products therethrough.

While the above has been given by way of illustrative example only it will of course be realised that all such modifications and variations as would be apparent to persons skilled in the art are deemed to fall within the broad scope and ambit of the invention as is defined in the appended claims.

Claims

1. Dispensing apparatus for dispensing metered quantities of a product from a storage area, said apparatus including hopper means for storing said products, a metering assembly operably associated with said hopper means and adapted in a first attitude to collect a metered quantity of said product from said hopper means and being movable to a second attitude wherein said metered quantity of said product is discharged from said metering assembly.

2. Dispensing apparatus according to Claim 1, wherein said hopper means includes a discharge aperture and said metenflg assembly includes a container means having an opening thereinto, said opening, in said first attitude, being in register with said hopper aperture for collection of said products and being disposed out of register with said opening in said second attitude.

3. Dispensing apparatus according to Claim 2, wherein said metering assembly further includes housing means adjacent said hopper aperture and communicating therewith and wherein said container means is disposed within said housing means and slidable therein between said first and second attitudes.

4. Dispensing apparatus according to Claim 3, wherein said housing means defines a cylindrical chamber communicating with said hopper aperture and wherein said container means comprises a hollow drum nestingly received within said chamber.

5. Dispensing apparatus according to Claim 4, wherein said container opening comprises an opening in the side wall of said drum and wherein said drum is rotatable from said first attitude wherein said opening is aligned with said hopper aperture to said second attitude wherein said hopper aperture is closed and wherein said products are discharged from said drum opening.

6. Dispensing apparatus according to Claim 5, wherein said drum opening in said second attitude is in register with a further aperture in said chamber through which said products are discharged.

7. Dispensing apparatus according to any one of Claims 4 to 6, wherein said drum includes an internal wall member adapted to be selectively adjustable to vary the product receiving capacity of said drum.

8. Dispensing apparatus according to any one of Claims 1 to 3, wherein said container means has an inlet opening and an outlet opening and wherein said housing means includes a discharge aperture, said inlet opening of said container means in said first attitude being in register with said hopper aperture and said housing aperture being closed, and said outlet opening in said second attitude being in register with said hopper discharge aperture and said hopper aperture being closed.

9. Dispensing apparatus for dispensing metered quantities of a product from a storage area substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to Figs. 1 to 5 of the accompanying drawings.

1 0. Dispensing apparatus for dispensing metered quantities of a product from a storage area substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to Fig. 6 of the accompanying drawings.