US3896967A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Article handling apparatus and method
Assignee: Individual
•
Filing: 1973-02-12
•
Granted: 1975-07-29
•
Expires: 1993-02-12
Abstract
Abstract One or a pair of tablets may be dispensed in a single operation from a dispenser having a container with a pair of parallel troughs for holding a series of the tablets. A retainer or receiver is pivotally mounted on a body of the container and has a pair of recesses, one at each of open ends of the troughs, each recess for receiving one tablet from the associated trough. The receiver is pivoted for discharging one or both of the tablets from the recesses. As the receiver is relatively rapidly rotated a resilient member carried by the receiver between the recesses flips the tablets in one of the troughs away from the receiver to avoid jamming of the receiver or damaging the tablets. If the retainer or receiver is rotated slowly, the resilient member is stopped by a tablet in the container, to avoid operation by a small child.
Inventors
- 👤 John J Doolittle
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-03 23:16
CPC Classifications
B; B65; B65D; B65D83/00; B65D83/04; B65D83/0409; B65D2215/00; B65D2583/00; B65D2583/04; B65D2583/0404; B65D2583/0422
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 11
Claim 1
Independent Claim
101 words
Article handling apparatus comprising, first means including a supply area for articles, a receiver having first and second receiving locations, one for receiving each of two of said articles from the supply area, means mounting said receiver for movement between a first position for receiving one of said articles from the supply area and a second position, and yieldable means on said receiver between said receiving locations for moving another of said articles in said supply area and adjacent said receiver, in a direction generally away from the receiver responsive to the receiver moving toward at least one of said positions.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
101 words
Article handling apparatus comprising, first means including a supply area for articles, a receiver having first and second receiving locations, one for receiving each of two of said articles from the supply area, means mounting said receiver for movement between a first position for receiving one of said articles from the supply area and a second position, and yieldable means on said receiver between said receiving locations for moving another of said articles in said supply area and adjacent said receiver, in a direction generally away from the receiver responsive to the receiver moving toward at least one of said positions.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
79 words
Apparatus as set forth in claim 1 in which said supply area comprises first and second supply locations for supplying said articles to said first and second receiving locations, respectively, the mounting means mounts said receiver for movement of said second receiving location passed said first supply location, and said yieldable means is positioned for deflecting the article at said first supply location away from said second receiving location as said second receiving location passes said first supply location.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
38 words
Apparatus as set forth in claim 2 in which said yieldable means is disposed for flipping the article at said first supply location in a direction away from said receiver responsive to the receiver moving between said positions.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
35 words
Apparatus as set forth in claim 3 in which said receiving locations are recesses in said receiver, and said mounting means pivotally mounts said receiver for pivotal movement of said recesses by said supply locations.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
112 words
Apparatus as set forth in claim 4 in which said first means further includes a body and said supply area includes first and second channels in said body for holding a plurality of said articles and said first and second channels having open ends at said first and second supply locations, respectively, said mounting means pivotally mounts said receiver on said body, and said yieldable means is a resiliently yieldable member disposed on said receiver between said recesses for engaging the adjacent one of said articles in said first channel and flipping the articles in said first channel away from said second recess as the second recess moves by said second channel.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
64 words
Apparatus as set forth in claim 5 for dispensing in a single operation a plurality of said articles in the form of tablets or the like, and in which said body is generally rectangular and said channels are parallel to each other, each for holding a series of said tablets for movement toward said receiver, said channels being covered for retaining the tablets therein.
Claim 8
Independent Claim
98 words
A method of handling a plurality of articles from a supply to a receiver having first and second articles receiving portions, one for receiving each of a pair of articles from the supply, and between the receiving portions a yieldable member, comprising the steps of moving the receiver past the articles, and flipping an article in the supply of articles and adjacent the receiver away from the receiver as the receiver moves past the supply of articles by engaging the last said article with the yieldable member responsive to movement of the receiver past the last said article.
Claim 9
Independent Claim
98 words
A method of handling a plurality of articles from a supply to a receiver having first and second articles receiving portions, one for receiving each of a pair of articles from the supply, and between the receiving portions a yieldable member, comprising the steps of moving the receiver past the articles, and flipping an article in the supply of articles and adjacent the receiver away from the receiver as the receiver moves past the supply of articles by engaging the last said article with the yieldable member responsive to movement of the receiver past the last said article.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
45 words
A method as set forth in claim 7 in which the articles are in a plurality of groups, and in which the step of flipping the articles comprises flipping the articles in one of the groups as the yieldable member passes the last said group.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
78 words
A method as set forth in claim 8 in which the yieldable member is resilient, and there are first and second ones of saId groups and the articles are in series abutting relationship in each of said groups, the first and second receiving portions associated with the first and second groups, respectively, and in which the step of flipping the articles comprises flipping the articles in the first group as the second receiving portion passes the first group.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1978-07-28 | 1979-01-27 | 1979-07-29 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1982-07-28 | 1983-01-27 | 1983-07-29 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1986-07-28 | 1987-01-27 | 1987-07-29 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |