Dispenser

Claim 2

A dispenser for receiving a stack of nested cups and for dispensing the cups one at a time, said cups having a rim at the top edge thereof of a predetermined diameter, said dispenser comprising an elongated housing having a hollow interior to receive the stack of nested cups and having an axis extending longitudinally of said housing, cup retaining means including a plurality of bristles disposed in said hollow interior of said housing adjacent the bottom thereof and projecting radially inwardly and defining at the inner ends thereof an opening having a diameter smaller than the diameter of said cup rim so that the bristles project to engage said cup rims and support the stack of nested cups, said inner ends of bristles being arranged substantially circumferentially disposed about the longitudinal axis of said housing means and being sufficiently stiff to support said stack of cups by engaging the rims of each of the lowermost cups of the stack and resilient to snap in the space of the adjacent cups when a bottom cup is removed from the stack, and guide means in said housing operatively associated with said bristles to maintain said stack substantially centered on said longitudinal axis so that said individual cups are centered for dispensing movement.

Claim 3

A dispenser in accordance with claim 1 in which said bristles are formed in groups spaced about the interior of said housing and in which said guide means includes longitudinally extending guide ribs disposed in the spaces between said bristol groups.

Claim 4

A dispenser in accordance with claim 2 in which said longitudinally extending guide ribs are integrally formed on said housing and project radially inward toward the longitudinal axis of said housing.

Claim 5

A dispenser in accordance with claim 3 in which said guide ribs are integrally attached to said housing adjacent the bottom thereof and extend upwardly and inwardly therefrom to define a seat in the housing, and in which said cup retaining means includes a retaining strip to which said bristles are fastened, said retaining strip being seated in said seat between said guide ribs and said housing wall.

Claim 6

A dispenser for receiving a stack of nested cups and for dispensing the cups one at a time, the cups having a rim at the top edge thereof with a predetermined diameter, said dispenser comprising an elongated housing having a hollow interior to receive the stack of nested cups and having an axis extending longitudinally of said housing, said housing having an opening at the lower end thereof through which cups may be discharged, cup retaining means including a plurality of bristles disposed in said hollow interior of said housing adjacent the said lower end, said bristles projecting radially inwardly and defining at the ends thereof a surface having a diameter smaller than the diameter of said cup rim so that the bristles project to engage said cup rims and support the stack of nested cups, said bristles being formed in groups spaced angularly about the interior of said housing and being sufficiently stiff to support said stack of cups by engaging the rims of each of the lowermost cups of the stack and sufficiently resilient to snap in the space between adjacent cups when the bottom cup is removed from the stack, and a series of guide ribs integrally formed in said housing and spaced angularly about said housing and projecting radially inward to define a surface having an internal diameter slightly larger than said outer diameter of said rims of said cups, said groups of bristles projecting inwardly into spaces intermediate sAid guide ribs for engagement with said cups so that cups being tilted relative to said longitudinal axis may engage said guide ribs to remain substantially in alignment with said longitudinal axis of said housing.

Claim 7

A dispenser for receiving a stack of nested cups and for dispensing the cups one at a time, the cups having a rim at the top edge thereof with a predetermined diameter, said dispenser comprising an elongated housing having a hollow interior to receive the stack of nested cups and having an axis extending longitudinally of said housing, said housing having an opening at the lower end thereof through which cups may be discharged, cup retaining means including a plurality of bristles disposed in said hollow interior of said housing adjacent the said lower end, said bristles projecting radially inwardly and defining at the ends thereof a surface having a diameter smaller than the diameter of said cup rim so that the bristles project to engage said cup rims and support the stack of nested cups, said bristles being formed in groups spaced angularly about the interior of said housing and being sufficiently stiff to support said stack of cups by engaging the rims of each of the lowermost cups of the stack and sufficiently resilient to snap in the space between adjacent cups when the bottom cup is removed from the stack, and a series of guide ribs integrally formed in said housing and spaced angularly about said housing and projecting radially inward to define a surface having an internal diameter slightly larger than said outer diameter of said rims of said cups, said groups of bristles projecting inwardly into spaces intermediate sAid guide ribs for engagement with said cups so that cups being tilted relative to said longitudinal axis may engage said guide ribs to remain substantially in alignment with said longitudinal axis of said housing.

Claim 8

A dispenser in accordance with claim 5 in which means are provided to join said guide ribs to said housing at a position located downwardly from said bristles and in which said guide ribs project upwardly and inwardly from said means to said guide surface having an internal diameter slightly larger than said diameter of cup rims.