Dispenser with metering system

Claim 1

A dispenser for storing and dispensing a plurality of stacked articles, having a metering system for determining the amount of articles remaining in said dispenser which comprises in combination: a. an elongated hollow tubular member for containment of said stacked articles, said tubular member having an open end thereof; b. spring means located within said tubular member for urging said articles through the open end thereof; c. deformable stopping means adjacent to the open end of said tubular member for restraining and temporarily preventing the passing of said articles through the open end thereof and for permitting the removal of the uppermost stacked article from said tubular member; d. an external indexed tape means rotatably supported about a pulley means at each end and connected to the movable end portion of said spring means for metering the movement of the end portion of said spring means, said pulley means at each end having stationary axes, said tape means including a movable tape having externally visible calibrated indices thereon, said indices corresponding exactly to the number of stacked articles within said tubular member; and e. reference means adjacent to a portion of said indexed tape for gauging the position of the tape with respect to said indices and thus for gauging the amount of stacked articles within said tubular member.