US3677439A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Carton dispensers having plural cam denesters
Assignee: United Industrial Syndicate Inc
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Filing: 1970-07-30
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Granted: 1972-07-18
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Expires: 1990-07-30
Abstract
Abstract Dispensers are disclosed for a stack of nested articles of a type having marginal portions by which they may be supported and which are spaced so that the ends of supported members having cam surfaces may be inserted between them to force them apart. The dispensers are discussed with particular reference to open egg cartons with the marginal portions being the ends of the hinge connection between their covers and bottoms. The dispensers have first and second members at both of its sides and means, in preferred embodiments vertically reciprocable cam plates, operable to actuate the members so that the ends of the first and second members alternately support the stack of articles. The ends of the second members are spaced from the ends of the first members by a distance such that the ends of the second members may be entered between the marginal portions of two articles when the stack is supported by the ends of the first members. The second member ends have cam surfaces operable, in one embodiment, to free the lowermost article, as they move into article supporting positions, if the lowermost article adheres to the bottom of the stack when the first member ends are retracted. In a preferred embodiment, the first member ends include cam surfaces and the second member ends are operative at least to increase the distance between the articles between which they are entered so that the first member ends may also be entered therebetween as the first member ends approach their stack supporting positions so that both members cooperate in ejecting articles. The member operating means provide for the operative position of the first member ends following the movement of the second member ends into their operative positions thereby to cooperate therewith in article ejection. Desirably, the dispenser has resiliently yieldable fingers arranged to receive and support articles whether freed by the second members or by the combined effort of the two sets of members and then be forced therefrom by the cam surfaces of the first members after predetermined travel.
Inventors
- 👤 Delbert B Bosworth
- 👤 Ernest E Goodridge
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-06 09:51
CPC Classifications
B; B65; B65G; B65G59/00; B65G59/10; B65G59/105; B65G59/101
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 27
Claim 1
Independent Claim
269 words
A dispenser for ejecting nested articles from a stack, the articles being of a type having marginal portions by which they may be supported and which are spaced so that ends of supporting members may be inserted between them from opposite sides of the stack to force them apart if they adhere one to another, said dispenser comprising a hopper for a stack of said articles, and assemblies, one for each side of said hopper, each assembly including first supporting members movable into and out of positions within the hopper in which their proximate ends support the stack, second supporting members movable into and out of positions within the hopper in which their proximate ends support the stack, the proximate ends of the second members being spaced from the ends of the first members and shaped and dimensioned to enter between the marginal portions of two articles when the stack is supported by the first member ends, the supporting ends of the second members including cam portions operable to force said articles apart, vertical slideways, one at each side of the hopper and means vertically reciprocal within the slideways to actuate said first and second members so that they are alternately in support of the stack with the cam portions operative as the end portions of the second member advance into their stack-supporting positions, the actuating means of each assembly including vertically extending cam tracks, one for each supporting member, each sup-porting member having a cam follower in engagement with the appropriate track, and together with said assemblies providing transversely aligned slideways for said first and second supporting members.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
269 words
A dispenser for ejecting nested articles from a stack, the articles being of a type having marginal portions by which they may be supported and which are spaced so that ends of supporting members may be inserted between them from opposite sides of the stack to force them apart if they adhere one to another, said dispenser comprising a hopper for a stack of said articles, and assemblies, one for each side of said hopper, each assembly including first supporting members movable into and out of positions within the hopper in which their proximate ends support the stack, second supporting members movable into and out of positions within the hopper in which their proximate ends support the stack, the proximate ends of the second members being spaced from the ends of the first members and shaped and dimensioned to enter between the marginal portions of two articles when the stack is supported by the first member ends, the supporting ends of the second members including cam portions operable to force said articles apart, vertical slideways, one at each side of the hopper and means vertically reciprocal within the slideways to actuate said first and second members so that they are alternately in support of the stack with the cam portions operative as the end portions of the second member advance into their stack-supporting positions, the actuating means of each assembly including vertically extending cam tracks, one for each supporting member, each sup-porting member having a cam follower in engagement with the appropriate track, and together with said assemblies providing transversely aligned slideways for said first and second supporting members.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
22 words
The dispenser of claim 1 in which the actuating means are cam plates, each having an appropriate one of the cam tracks.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
67 words
The dispenser of claim 1 in which the cartons are either of the type having locking flaps hinged to their bottoms or of the type having locking flaps hinged to their covers and the hopper includes a spacer detachably attachable to either the front or the rear of the hopper to enable the hinge axis of both types of cartons to occupy the same vertical, transverse plane.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
40 words
the dispenser of claim 1 in which there is a support projecting from each hopper side, each assembly is mounted on a support for movement towards or away from the hopper to vary the stack-supporting position of the supporting members.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
61 words
The dispenser of claim 4 in which each assembly is slidable horizontally with reference to its support and each support includes an arm pivoted thereto with one end connected to the supported assembly and has an arcuate series of holes traversed by the other arm end, said other arm including a member releasably seated in a selected one of said holes.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
60 words
The dispenser of claim 4 in which the open cartons present a notch between their bottoms and their covers at each end of their hinge and there is a notch entering guide at both sides of the hopper extending therein vertically above the path of the slides, and each guide is a part of the appropriate one of the assemblies.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
47 words
The dispenser of claim 1 in which the proximate ends of the cam tracks in control of the first members effect their operative position in both the upper and lower position of the vertically reciprocable means and their inoperative positions at an intermediate position of said means.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
66 words
The dispenser of claim 7 in which each assembly includes a finger underlying the ends of the first supporting members in a position to receive and support a carton dropping when the ends of the first members are retracted in a position to be engaged and forced dowNwardly by the cam surfaces thereof, and resilient means yieldably holding each finger in said receiving and supporting position.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
38 words
The dispenser of claim 1 in which the proximate ends of the second supporting members also include a laterally disposed shoulder engageable with one of the carton walls that are joined by the hinge to stabilize that carton.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
37 words
The dispenser of claim 1 in which each assembly comprises side structures, means interconnecting the side structures adjacent each corner to provide a vertical slideway for the vertically reciprocable means and the horizontal slideways for the slides.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
28 words
The dispenser of claim 1 in which the vertically reciprocable means include a separate plate for each cam track and the supporting members are confined between the plates.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
19 words
The dispenser of claim 11 in which the supporting members of each assembly are supported in a side-by-side relationship.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
23 words
The dispenser of claim 11 in which the supporting members of each assembly are arranged one above the other for relative sliding movement.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
68 words
The dispenser of claim 2 in which each assembly comprises a pair of side members, means interconnecting the side members adjacent each corner of said member to provide the vertical slideways for the actuating means and the horizontal slideways for the supporting members, the interconnecting means spacing the vertical slideways from the side members and from each other, the two cam plates confining the supporting members between them.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
26 words
The dispenser of claim 14 in which the interconnecting means include three spacers, the middle spacer defining with each of the other spacers the vertical slideways.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
29 words
The dispenser of claim 15 in which the upper middle spacer of each assembly that is at the inner end thereof includes a guide extending vertically within the hopper.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
42 words
The dispenser of claim 14 in which there is a support projecting from each hopper side and provided with horizontal slots through which the interconnecting members extend, and means to lock each assembly to its support in a selected position relative thereto.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
271 words
A dispenser for depositing such stacked articles as egg cartons one-by-one on a conveyor, said dispenser comprising a hopper for holding a stack of articles over the conveyor, transverse slideways opening into the hopper through both sides thereof, slides in said slideways, two slides on each side of the hopper and reciprocable into and out of positions in which their ends are in a stack-supporting position within the hopper, the ends of one corresponding pair of slides being spaced above the ends of the other pair of corresponding slides by a distance such that marginal portions of a carton can be received between them, and means to reciprocate said slides so that first the lowermost ends and then the uppermost ends are in support of the stack with the lowermost ends withdrawn during such reciprocation to release the lowermost carton while the uppermost ends are in their stack-supporting positions and the uppermost ends withdrawn while the lowermost ends are in their stack-supporting positions, each of the uppermost ends having a downwardly and outwardly inclined shoulder operable at least partially to dislodge the lowermost carton if it adheres to the bottom of the stack when the lowermost ends are withdrawn, and a third slide at least at one side of the hopper and including a transverse head engageable with the carton directly above the uppermost slide ends, said third slide and the slideway including that end including portions interengageable to prevent third slide movement or to cause outward movement of the third slide therewith, and resilient means yieldably urging said third slide into a position in which its head engages said carton.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
271 words
A dispenser for depositing such stacked articles as egg cartons one-by-one on a conveyor, said dispenser comprising a hopper for holding a stack of articles over the conveyor, transverse slideways opening into the hopper through both sides thereof, slides in said slideways, two slides on each side of the hopper and reciprocable into and out of positions in which their ends are in a stack-supporting position within the hopper, the ends of one corresponding pair of slides being spaced above the ends of the other pair of corresponding slides by a distance such that marginal portions of a carton can be received between them, and means to reciprocate said slides so that first the lowermost ends and then the uppermost ends are in support of the stack with the lowermost ends withdrawn during such reciprocation to release the lowermost carton while the uppermost ends are in their stack-supporting positions and the uppermost ends withdrawn while the lowermost ends are in their stack-supporting positions, each of the uppermost ends having a downwardly and outwardly inclined shoulder operable at least partially to dislodge the lowermost carton if it adheres to the bottom of the stack when the lowermost ends are withdrawn, and a third slide at least at one side of the hopper and including a transverse head engageable with the carton directly above the uppermost slide ends, said third slide and the slideway including that end including portions interengageable to prevent third slide movement or to cause outward movement of the third slide therewith, and resilient means yieldably urging said third slide into a position in which its head engages said carton.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
266 words
A dispenser for ejecting nested articles from a stack, the articles being of a type having marginal portions by which they may be supported and which are spaced so that ends of supporting members may be inserted between them from oppOsite sides of the stack to force them apart if they adhere one to another, said dispenser comprising a hopper for a stack of said articles, first supporting members movable linearly into and out of positions within the hopper in which their proximate ends support the stack, said proximate ends including subjacent cam portions, second supporting members movable linearly into and out of position within the hopper in which their proximate ends support the stack, the proximate ends of the second members being spaced from the ends of the first member and shaped and dimensioned to enter between the marginal portions of two articles when the stack is supported by the first member ends, the supporting ends of the second members including cam portions operable at least to so increase the space between said two articles that the proximate ends of the first member may also be entered between them, and means to actuate said first and second members so that they are alternately in support of the stack and include positions of the second member in which their ends are entered between the two articles to at least increase the space between them and positions of the first members in which their proximate ends are also entered therebetween if said two articles are then adhering, one to the other, then to force them completely apart.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
266 words
A dispenser for ejecting nested articles from a stack, the articles being of a type having marginal portions by which they may be supported and which are spaced so that ends of supporting members may be inserted between them from oppOsite sides of the stack to force them apart if they adhere one to another, said dispenser comprising a hopper for a stack of said articles, first supporting members movable linearly into and out of positions within the hopper in which their proximate ends support the stack, said proximate ends including subjacent cam portions, second supporting members movable linearly into and out of position within the hopper in which their proximate ends support the stack, the proximate ends of the second members being spaced from the ends of the first member and shaped and dimensioned to enter between the marginal portions of two articles when the stack is supported by the first member ends, the supporting ends of the second members including cam portions operable at least to so increase the space between said two articles that the proximate ends of the first member may also be entered between them, and means to actuate said first and second members so that they are alternately in support of the stack and include positions of the second member in which their ends are entered between the two articles to at least increase the space between them and positions of the first members in which their proximate ends are also entered therebetween if said two articles are then adhering, one to the other, then to force them completely apart.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
84 words
The dispenser of claim 19 and resiliently yieldable means at each side of the hopper operable to catch an article if it drops freely from the bottom of the stack when the ends of the first members are withdrawn and hold the caught article in the path thereof when their proximate ends are again advanced beyond the positions in which they have forced the articles apart then to be engaged by their cam portions and forced downwardly causing the yieldable means to release it.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
51 words
The dispenser of claim 19 in which the supporting members and actuating means at each side of the hopper are assemblies adjustable relative thereto to vary the extent to which the ends of both the first and second members enter the hopper and the yieldable means are carried by the assemblies.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
32 words
The dispenser of claim 20 in which the yieldable means comprise pivotable fingers, one for each assembly, and springs, one for each finger and yieldably urging it into a substantially horizontal position.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
359 words
A dispenser for ejecting nested articles from a stack and depositing them on a conveyor, the articles being of a type having marginal portions by which they may be supported and which are spaced so that ends of supporting members may be inserted between them from opposite sides of the stack to force them apart if they adhere one to another, each article also having a centrally located, downwardly opening, transverse channel and the conveyor having spaced flights that are to engage the leading wall of the channels, said dispenser comprising a hopper for a stack of said articles, first supporting members movable into and out of positions within the hopper in which their proximate ends support the stack, said proximate ends including subjacent cam portions, second supporting members movable into and out of position within the hopper in which their proximate ends support the stack, the proximate ends of the second members being spaced from the ends of the first member and shaped and dimensioned to enter between the marginal portions of two articles when the stack is supported by the first member ends, the supporting ends of the second members including cam portions operable at least to so increase the space between said two articles that the proximate ends of the first member may also be entered between them, means to actuate said first and second members so that they are alternately in support of the stack and include positions of the second member in which their ends are entered between the two articles to at least increase the space between them and positions of the first members in which their proximate ends are also entered therebetween if said two articles are then adhering, oNe to the other, then to force them completely apart, and a transversely hinged, forwardly extending plate underlying the rear portion of the hopper, said hopper including marginal portions maintaining the leading edge of the plate in a position to be engaged and raised by said flights, said plate otherwise holding the part of the article rearwardly of the channel in a raised position thus providing that the flights engage said leading wall.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
359 words
A dispenser for ejecting nested articles from a stack and depositing them on a conveyor, the articles being of a type having marginal portions by which they may be supported and which are spaced so that ends of supporting members may be inserted between them from opposite sides of the stack to force them apart if they adhere one to another, each article also having a centrally located, downwardly opening, transverse channel and the conveyor having spaced flights that are to engage the leading wall of the channels, said dispenser comprising a hopper for a stack of said articles, first supporting members movable into and out of positions within the hopper in which their proximate ends support the stack, said proximate ends including subjacent cam portions, second supporting members movable into and out of position within the hopper in which their proximate ends support the stack, the proximate ends of the second members being spaced from the ends of the first member and shaped and dimensioned to enter between the marginal portions of two articles when the stack is supported by the first member ends, the supporting ends of the second members including cam portions operable at least to so increase the space between said two articles that the proximate ends of the first member may also be entered between them, means to actuate said first and second members so that they are alternately in support of the stack and include positions of the second member in which their ends are entered between the two articles to at least increase the space between them and positions of the first members in which their proximate ends are also entered therebetween if said two articles are then adhering, oNe to the other, then to force them completely apart, and a transversely hinged, forwardly extending plate underlying the rear portion of the hopper, said hopper including marginal portions maintaining the leading edge of the plate in a position to be engaged and raised by said flights, said plate otherwise holding the part of the article rearwardly of the channel in a raised position thus providing that the flights engage said leading wall.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US3341072A
Cited
US3468455A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1975-07-18 | 1976-01-17 | 1976-07-18 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1979-07-18 | 1980-01-17 | 1980-07-18 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1983-07-18 | 1984-01-17 | 1984-07-18 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |