Instant coffee dispenser

Claim 1

A dispenser for use in the home, office, or the like, comprising: a. housing means including a pair of storage chambers for containing coffee or the like in one chamber, and sugar, powdered milk or the like in the other chamber, each chamber provided with a discharge funnel terminating in an opening, b. said housing means includes: 1. a vertical partition wall forming said chambers, 2. said discharge funnel includes a pair of bottom walls in substantially parallel spaced relationship to said partition wall, each having a transversely extending aperture therein, 3. a pair of spaced apart side walls, 4. a pair of spaced apart end walls, 5. a pair of inwardly disposed spaced apart inclined side walls connected to said side walls at one end thereof forming part of said discharge funnel, 6. a pair of inwardly disposed spaced apart inclined end walls connected to said end walls at one end thereof forming part of said discharge funnel, 7. a pair of bottom side walls connected at one end thereof to said inclined side walls, and 8. a pair of bottom end walls connected at one end thereof to said inclined end walls, said bottom end walls and said bottom side walls forming the funnel bottom with said partition wall extending vertically therethrough for forming the funnel openings, c. a stand coupled to said housing means for retaining said dispenser on a support surface and maintaining each said opening elevated above the support surface so that a cup may be placed beneath the openings, d. valve means operatively associated with each of said openings for communicating with and dispensing a selected amount from each of said chambers, said valve means including a valve member individually and rotatably mounted with respect to each said opening, said valve member including a front end and a spherically curved depression for receiving therein a measured amount of material which is dispensed from said opening upon rotation of said valve member, e. each said valve member has a circular cross-section extending through one of said apertures with said front end mounted in abutting relationship to said partition wall, an annular recess in each said valve member with said funnel wall extending in said recess to maintain said valve member in lateral fixed relationship to the funnel opening, and a valve seat provided adjacent each said funnel opening for receiving one said valve member therein for angular rotation thereof, f. gripping means coupled to one end of each of said valve members and adapted to be gripped by the user of the dispenser for individual rotation of each valve member for dispensing material from each said chamber, g. said gripping means being in axial alignment with each said valve member and including an enlarged head to facilitate gripping by a user of the dispenser, said valve members being in axial alignment with each other, h. cover means removably secured to said housing means to permit access to said storage chambers. i. viewing means operatively associated with said housing means to permit a viewing therein to determine the amount of material remaining in each of said chambers, and j. calibration means associated with said valve means and said housing means to permit the user to gauge the degree of rotation of each valve member in order to dispense a selected quantity of material from each said chamber.