Stack storage and lifter device

Claim 2

In a stack storage and lifter device comprising an upwardly extending housing having a top opening, a platform within the housing, a compression spring disposed beneath the platform for urging the platform upwardly and an adjustment means for adjusting to accommodate stacks of different weight/height ratio, the improvement whereIn said adjustment means comprises an expansible and contractible assembly secured at a reference point to the upper end of a flexible tension member, said assembly carried upon the top of said spring and disposed in supporting relation below said platform, a portion of said assembly expansible upward relative to said reference point to raise said platform while another portion of said assembly is expansible in dependent motion downward relative to said reference point to force the top of said spring downward, said flexible tension member having its lower end secured to an anchor to limit said reference point to a predetermined upper position when said device is empty, expansion upward and downward of said respective portions having the simultaneous effect of lifting the platform and preloading said spring, and corresponding contraction of said portions having the simultaneous effect of lowering the platform and removing preload from said spring.

Claim 3

The stack storage device of claim 1 wherein said assembly comprises telescopic elements defining said portions connected for dependent motion relative to said reference point.

Claim 4

The stack storage device of claim 2 wherein said reference point is defined by a hollow upwardly extending member having external threads of one hand and internal threads of the opposite hand, one of said telescopic elements being threaded to the exterior and the other to the interior of said member and means to cause relative rotation between said member and said elements to cause said expansion.

Claim 5

The stack storage device of claim 3 wherein said element which is threaded to the exterior of said member is adapted to change the height of the platform and is secured against rotation relative to said platform, said platform being restrained by the housing from rotation, said reference point defining member being rotatable relative to said tension member without changing its heightwise relation thereto, said element which is threaded to the interior of said member adapted to load the spring and being secured against rotation relative to said spring, and the lower end of said spring being restrained by the housing from rotation.

Claim 6

The stack storage device of claim 4 wherein said platform and said housing are of similar rectangular form restraining relative rotation.

Claim 7

The stack storage device of claim 1 wherein said assembly comprises lever means pivoted near said reference point to move with a component in the vertical direction from a collapsed position lying generally horizontally near said reference point to an expanded position with lever portions displaced upwardly above and downward below said reference point.

Claim 8

The stack storage device of claim 1 wherein said housing and platform are of similar rectangular form and are tilted as a unit by a small acute angle from the vertical causing a stack of round dishware therewithin to tilt and contact one side of said housing for guiding and providing hand access at places apart from said contact for articles below the top opening of said housing.

Claim 9

The stack storage device of claim 1 wherein said housing is of tubular form for a single stack of a predetermined range of sizes of round dishware and wherein said tubular housing is of approximately square cross section with a side dimension slightly exceeding the diameter of the largest size in said range of dishware, corner regions of said housing providing access for the hand to reach units of dishware below the opening of the housing.

Claim 10

A tubular dispenser for progressively dispensing units of round dishware conveniently from a single stack, comprising an upwardly extending tubular housing having wall portions defining a cross-section larger than said units of ware and a top opening, a platform within the tubular housing, a compression spring having a spring rate generally corresponding to the nominal weight/height ratio of said units of ware for urging the platform upwardly, an adjustment means for adjusting to accommodate Stacks of units of weight/height ratio varying within a predetermined range from said nominal ratio, the dispenser constructed to cause guiding of said stack along a said wall portion, providing open space between the stack and other wall portions for access of the hand to reach units of dishware below the opening of the tubular housing and wherein said platform is constrained to travel at a small acute angle to the vertical causing said stack of dishware to slidingly contact said wall portion and maintain said room for access of the hand.

Claim 11

A tubular dispenser for progressively dispensing units of round dishware conveniently from a single stack, comprising an upwardly extending tubular housing having wall portions defining a cross-section larger than said units of ware and a top opening, a platform within the tubular housing, a compression spring having a spring rate generally corresponding to the nominal weight/height ratio of said units of ware for urging the platform upwardly, an adjustment means for adjusting to accommodate Stacks of units of weight/height ratio varying within a predetermined range from said nominal ratio, the dispenser constructed to cause guiding of said stack along a said wall portion, providing open space between the stack and other wall portions for access of the hand to reach units of dishware below the opening of the tubular housing and wherein said platform is constrained to travel at a small acute angle to the vertical causing said stack of dishware to slidingly contact said wall portion and maintain said room for access of the hand.

Claim 12

The tubular dispenser of claim 9 wherein said housing and platform are tilted as a unit at said small acute angle to the vertical.

Claim 13

In a dispenser for progressively dispensing units of dishware conveniently from a stack, comprising an upwardly extending housing having a top opening, a platform within the housing, a spring for urging the platform upwardly and an adjustment means for adjusting to accommodate stacks of different weight/height ratio, the improvement wherein said housing tilts at a small acute angle to the vertical and said platform is constrained to travel at a similar angle thereby to cause said stack of dishware to slidingly contact one side of said housing, thereby to contribute stability to the stack.

Claim 14

In a dispenser for progressively dispensing units of dishware conveniently from a stack, comprising an upwardly extending housing having a top opening, a platform within the housing, a spring for urging the platform upwardly and an adjustment means for adjusting to accommodate stacks of different weight/height ratio, the improvement wherein said housing tilts at a small acute angle to the vertical and said platform is constrained to travel at a similar angle thereby to cause said stack of dishware to slidingly contact one side of said housing, thereby to contribute stability to the stack.

Claim 15

The dispenser of claim 11 wherein said one side of said housing extends above the top opening of said housing, disposed to guide units at the top of the stack while exposing them to users.

Claim 16

The dispenser of claim 11 having a wall portion for heat transferring-sliding contact with the edges of units of said stack, and a temperature modifying means for modifying the temperature of said wall portion and thereby through conduction the temperature of said dishware.

Claim 17

The tubular dispenser of claim 13 wherein said wall portion extends above the top opening of said housing, disposed to guide units at the top of the stack while exposing them to users and maintaining them at desired temperature.

Claim 18

In a dispenser for progressively dispensing units of dishware conveniently from a stack, comprising an upwardly extending housing having a top opening, a platform within the housing, a spring for urging the platform upwardly and an adjustment means for adjusting to accommodate stacks of different weight/height ratio, the improvement wherein said housing has a wall portion for heat transferring-sliding contact with the edges of units of said stack, and a temperature modifying means for modifying the temperature of said wall portion and thereby through conduction the temperature of said dishware,wherein said housing is defined in part by a planar metal wall portion, a planar heating device disposed in heat-transferring relation along the exterior of said wall portion, a dishware protective coating disposed along the interior of said wall portion and the parts of the dispenser arranged to cause a stack of dishware to press edge-wise against said coating and receive heat therethrough and wherein said wall portion defines a part of a generally rectangular housing, said housing and said elevator tilting at a small angle to the vertical in the direction of said wall portion thereby to cause said stack to slidably contact said coating and receive heat therethrough, corner regions of said housing providing access for the hand to reach units of dishware below the opening of the housing.

Claim 19

In a dispenser for progressively dispensing units of dishware conveniently from a stack, comprising an upwardly extending housing having a top opening, a platform within the housing, a spring for urging the platform upwardly and an adjustment means for adjusting to accommodate stacks of different weight/height ratio, the improvement wherein said housing has a wall portion for heat transferring-sliding contact with the edges of units of said stack, and a temperature modifying means for modifying the temperature of said wall portion and thereby through conduction the temperature of said dishware,wherein said housing is defined in part by a planar metal wall portion, a planar heating device disposed in heat-transferring relation along the exterior of said wall portion, a dishware protective coating disposed along the interior of said wall portion and the parts of the dispenser arranged to cause a stack of dishware to press edge-wise against said coating and receive heat therethrough and wherein said wall portion defines a part of a generally rectangular housing, said housing and said elevator tilting at a small angle to the vertical in the direction of said wall portion thereby to cause said stack to slidably contact said coating and receive heat therethrough, corner regions of said housing providing access for the hand to reach units of dishware below the opening of the housing.

Claim 20

A dispenser for progressively dispensing units of round dishware from a single stack of like-sized units, comprising an upwardly extending housing having a top opening, a platform within the housing, and a platform-supporting compression spring, positioned below said platform and having a spring rate generally corresponding to the nominal weight/height ratio of said units of dishware for moving the platform upwardly in a compensating manner as dishware are removed, characterized in that the dispenser is constructed to dispense dishware of various diameters over a predetermined size range, the dispenser constructeD to cause engagement of a stack of dishware units edgewise against a guiding wall portion of said housing no matter whether said stack comprises units of the smallest or largest size in said range, and said housing having a cross section larger in a given location than the largest size of said range, providing a hand access opening along the side of the stack, enabling the first unit in the stack to be grasped even when lying below the top of the housing.

Claim 21

A dispenser for progressively dispensing units of round dishware from a single stack of like-sized units, comprising an upwardly extending housing having a top opening, a platform within the housing, and a platform-supporting compression spring, positioned below said platform and having a spring rate generally corresponding to the nominal weight/height ratio of said units of dishware for moving the platform upwardly in a compensating manner as dishware are removed, characterized in that the dispenser is constructed to dispense dishware of various diameters over a predetermined size range, the dispenser constructeD to cause engagement of a stack of dishware units edgewise against a guiding wall portion of said housing no matter whether said stack comprises units of the smallest or largest size in said range, and said housing having a cross section larger in a given location than the largest size of said range, providing a hand access opening along the side of the stack, enabling the first unit in the stack to be grasped even when lying below the top of the housing.

Claim 22

The dispenser of claim 16 characterized in that said housing is of approximately square cross section with a side dimension slightly exceeding the diameter of the largest size of said range of dishware sizes accommodated by said dispenser, corner regions of said housing providing said hand access.

Claim 23

The dispenser of claim 16 characterized in that said guiding wall portion is set at a slight acute angle to the vertical, against which the edges of said stack rest, and said platform is adapted to move along a similarly angled axis, parallel to said wall portion.

Claim 24

The dispenser according to claim 18 characterized in that said housing and platform are of similar rectangular form and are tilted as a unit by said small acute angle from the vertical causing a stack of round dishware therewithin to tilt and contact one side of said housing for guiding and providing hand access at places apart from said contact for articles below the top opening of said housing.

Claim 25

The dispenser according to claim 16 characterized in that said side wall portion extends above the top opening of said housing to guide units at the top of the stack while exposing them to users.

Claim 26

The dispenser according to claim 16, characterized in that said wall portion makes heat transferring-sliding contact with the edges of dishware in said stack, and a temperature modifying means associated with said wall portion for modifying the temperature of said wall portion and thereby through conduction the temperature of said dishware.

Claim 27

The dispenser according to claim 16, characterized in that said wall portion is planar and a planar heating device lies in heat-transferring relation to the exterior of said wall portion, a dishware protective coating disposed along the interior of said wall portion and the parts of the dispenser arranged to cause a stack of dishware to press edgewise against said coating and receive heat therethrough.