Storage means for pellet dispenser

Claim 2

A pellet storage and dispensing device comprising a storage unit including a bowl adapted to store pellets and having an outlet for discharging pellets from said bowl, a pair of auxiliary pellet storage bins each adapted to contain an auxiliary supply of pellets for replenishing pellets in said bowl, means mounting each of said bins adjacent said bowl, each of said bins having a hinged closure normally retaining its auxiliary supply of pellets within the bin, and closure operating means including a pair of rotatable wheels each having an abutment member thereon with the abutment members of the wheels in angular relation and respectively engageable with said closures to sequentially open said bins in response to rotation thereof in a given direction.

Claim 3

The device of claim 1 wherein each of said wheels includes another abutment member angularly related to the first named abutment member thereon, and each of said abutment members of one of said wheels being angularly related to each of the abutment members of the other wheel so that only one of said closures can be opened at a time.

Claim 4

The device of claim 2 further including a frame supporting said bowl and said bins above said bowl, a tab at one end of each of said closures, one said abutment member on one of said wheels being engageable with the tab of one of the said bins to open the closure of that bin and discharge the pellets therein into said bowl, one of said abutments on the other of said wheels being engageable with the tab of the other of said bins to open the closure of that bin and discharge the pellets therein into said bowl.

Claim 5

The device of claim 3 wherein each of said bins has a peripheral flange with a groove therein, the tab of each bin extending through the groove.

Claim 6

The device of claim 3 wherein the abutment members of each of said wheels are spaced 180* apart, and the wheels are related with each abutment member of one wheel being angularly spaced 90* from each of the abutment members on the other wheel.

Claim 7

The device of claim 1 wherein said bins are mounted with the closure of each bin being pivotal away from the other bin.

Claim 8

The device of claim 5 further including an actuator for engaging said abutment members at different times for rotating said wheels, and wherein engagement of one abutment member of one wheel effects engagement of the other abutment member of that wheel with the closure of one of said bins to open that bin.

Claim 9

A medicament pellet storage and dispensing device comprising a storage unit including a frame, a bowl connected to said frame and adapted to store pellets and have pellets dispensed therefrom, first and second like auxiliary storage bins each adapted to contain an auxiliary supply of pellets for replenishing pellets in said bowl, each of said storage bins having a cLosure lid having a rear side hinged to the side wall of the bin and a forward side pivotal about the hinged rear side to open the bin, said bins being mounted on said frame above said bowl with said lids at the bottom for respectively supporting the auxiliary supplies of pellets and with the forward sides of said bins adjacent each other so that the lid of each bin pivots downwardly and away from the other bin, and closure operating means including an actuating member mounted on said frame including first and second abutment members engageable respectively with said lids for opening said bins, said abutment members being in fixed spaced relation with each other such that a first predetermined actuating movement of said actuating member opens only the lid of said first storage bin to discharge the auxiliary supply of pellets therein into said bowl and a second predetermined actuating movement of said actuating member opens the lid of said second storage bin to discharge the auxiliary supply of pellets therein into said bowl, and operating means for driving said actuating member sequentially through said first and second predetermined actuating movements.

Claim 10

A medicament pellet storage and dispensing device comprising a storage unit including a frame, a bowl connected to said frame and adapted to store pellets and have pellets dispensed therefrom, first and second like auxiliary storage bins each adapted to contain an auxiliary supply of pellets for replenishing pellets in said bowl, each of said storage bins having a cLosure lid having a rear side hinged to the side wall of the bin and a forward side pivotal about the hinged rear side to open the bin, said bins being mounted on said frame above said bowl with said lids at the bottom for respectively supporting the auxiliary supplies of pellets and with the forward sides of said bins adjacent each other so that the lid of each bin pivots downwardly and away from the other bin, and closure operating means including an actuating member mounted on said frame including first and second abutment members engageable respectively with said lids for opening said bins, said abutment members being in fixed spaced relation with each other such that a first predetermined actuating movement of said actuating member opens only the lid of said first storage bin to discharge the auxiliary supply of pellets therein into said bowl and a second predetermined actuating movement of said actuating member opens the lid of said second storage bin to discharge the auxiliary supply of pellets therein into said bowl, and operating means for driving said actuating member sequentially through said first and second predetermined actuating movements.

Claim 11

The device of claim 8 wherein each of said abutment members comprises a wheel having a pair of radially outwardly extending lugs disposed 180* apart, said wheels being in fixed relation with each lug on one wheel being disposed 90* from each lug on the other wheel.

Claim 12

The device of claim 9 further including an operating member including a crank rotatable about its axis, a link pivotally connected at one end to said crank off center from said axis, means biasing said link toward said storage bins, a horizontally extending drive member connected to said link adjacent the other end thereof and engageable with each of said lugs upon rotation of said crank.

Claim 13

The device of claim 10 further including a stationary cam member mounted adjacent said link, and a roller mounted to said link intermediate said ends and engageable with said cam member to hold said drive member in spaced relation from all of said lugs when said crank is in a predetermined position.