Coffee dispenser

Claim 1

A dispenser for dispensing a measured volume of granular material, the dispenser comprising: a supply container for containing the granular material; a plate fixed at the bottom of the supply container and having a dispensing opening; a pair of horizontally disposed slide rails fixed to a bottom surface of the plate on opposite sides of the dispensing opening, the slide rails and the bottom surface of the plate together defining a horizontally disposed slide track underlying the supply container, the slide rails extending in front of a front edge of the plate to form a guiding path into the slide track; slide closure means mounted in the slide track and positioned to slide along the bottom surface of the plate in surface to surface contact therewith; spring means for normally holding the slide closure means in closed position underlying the dispensing opening; a separate measuring cup member for insertion into and movement along the slide track, the measuring cup member having a handle on the outer end thereof, a pair of laterally extending flange elements on the sides thereof adapted to be received in the slide track and to position the top edges of the measuring cup member in sliding coplanar engagement with the bottom surface of the plate when the measuring cup member is inserted into the slide track, and a bumper element on the inner end thereof for engaging the slide closure means and moving the slide closure means to an open position when the measuring cup member is inserted into and moved along the slide track; a base for receiving and holding the supply container at the bottom thereof, the base having an opening through which a granular material may pass, wherein the plate is fixed at the bottom of the base and the dispensing opening corresponds at least in part to the opening in the base; a housing for containing the base, the plate, the slide rails, the slide closure means, and the spring means; a removable front panel connected to the housing and having an opening therein through which the measuring cup member may be inserted, the removable front panel being connected to the plate and the slide rails whereby the base, the plate, the slide rails, the slide closure means, and the spring means are removed from within the housing when the front panel is removed from the housing; and stop means for positively defining the open position of the slide closure means to position the measuring cup member under the dispensing opening to receive granular material from the supply container.