Bowl and lid dispenser

Claim 2

A bowl dispenser assembly comprising a housing open at one end, a spring coil disposed in said housing, an article supporting plate resting on said coil, a plurality of raised, elongated ribs formed on and extending along inside walls of said housing, said plate defining slots opening toward said walls, said ribs projecting into said slots to form rails along which said plate can be raised and lowered, a housing cover disposed over the open end of said housing and defining a circular opening through which a stack of bowls supported by said plate may extend, and at least three nibs of generally elliptical cross-section stationarily attached to and projecting downwardly from a ceiling of said housing cover around and below said opening and projecting inwardly of the periphery of said opening sufficiently to interfere with a top rim of a top one of said bowls to confine said bowls and maintain said coil in compression against said plate.

Claim 3

The dispenser of claim 1 wherein said housing is rectangular in cross-section.

Claim 4

The dispenser of claim 2 wherein said plate is rectangular in shape.

Claim 5

The dispenser of claim 2 wherein said plate contains a raised, circular wall on one broad surface thereof providing a form around which the upper end of said coil is disposed.

Claim 6

The dispenser of claim 3 wherein said plate defines a first pair of said slots opening toward a first inside wall of said housing and a second pair of said slots opening toward a second inside wall of said housing opposed to said first inside wall, each of said inside walls containing a pair of said ribs.

Claim 7

A bowl and lid dispenser comprising a rectangular-shaped housing, open at an upper end thereof, a pair of spring coils disposed beside one another in said housing, a pair of flat, rectangular article supporting plates resting on the upper end of each of said coils and defining a raised circular wall on the bottom surfaces of each said plate around which the upper end of each of said coil extends, each of said plates containing two pairs of slots, a first of said pairs of slots opening toward one broad inside wall of said housing and a second pair of said slots opening toward the other broad inside wall of said housing opposite said one inside wall, a series of raised, elongated ribs extending vertically along each of said inside walls and projecting into each of said slots to form a series of rails along which said plates may be raised and lowered independently of one another, a housing cover disposed over the upper end of said housing and defining a pair of circular openings through a ceiling thereof through which stacks of bowls and bowl lids supported on said plates may extend, means for securely fastening said housing cover to said housing with fasteners, a first series of three elongated nibs projecting downwardly from said ceiling toward the upper end of said housing and disposed around a first one of said openings in said housing cover, each of said first series containing a curved surface facing inwardly toward said first opening and conforming to the periphery of said first opening to provide a guide for a stack of lids supported by a plate under said first opening to extend vertically through said first opening without interference, a lid cover forming a generally semi-cylindrical housing attached to said housing cover and defining an opening in the side thereof through which the top one of said lids in said lid stack may be removed by hand, and a second series of three elongated nibs projecting downwardly from said ceiling toward the upper end of said housing and disposed around a second one of said openings in said housing cover, each of said second series being of generally elliptical cross-section and extending inwardly of said second opening for interfering with the rim of said bowls to compress them against the article supporting plate and coil below said second opening.

Claim 8

A bowl and lid dispenser comprising a rectangular-shaped housing, open at an upper end thereof, a pair of spring coils disposed beside one another in said housing, a pair of flat, rectangular article supporting plates resting on the upper end of each of said coils and defining a raised circular wall on the bottom surfaces of each said plate around which the upper end of each of said coil extends, each of said plates containing two pairs of slots, a first of said pairs of slots opening toward one broad inside wall of said housing and a second pair of said slots opening toward the other broad inside wall of said housing opposite said one inside wall, a series of raised, elongated ribs extending vertically along each of said inside walls and projecting into each of said slots to form a series of rails along which said plates may be raised and lowered independently of one another, a housing cover disposed over the upper end of said housing and defining a pair of circular openings through a ceiling thereof through which stacks of bowls and bowl lids supported on said plates may extend, means for securely fastening said housing cover to said housing with fasteners, a first series of three elongated nibs projecting downwardly from said ceiling toward the upper end of said housing and disposed around a first one of said openings in said housing cover, each of said first series containing a curved surface facing inwardly toward said first opening and conforming to the periphery of said first opening to provide a guide for a stack of lids supported by a plate under said first opening to extend vertically through said first opening without interference, a lid cover forming a generally semi-cylindrical housing attached to said housing cover and defining an opening in the side thereof through which the top one of said lids in said lid stack may be removed by hand, and a second series of three elongated nibs projecting downwardly from said ceiling toward the upper end of said housing and disposed around a second one of said openings in said housing cover, each of said second series being of generally elliptical cross-section and extending inwardly of said second opening for interfering with the rim of said bowls to compress them against the article supporting plate and coil below said second opening.

Claim 9

A lid dispenser comprising a housing open at one end, a spring coil disposed in said housing, an article supporting plate resting on said coil, a plurality of raised, elongated ribs formed on and extending along inside walls of said housing, said plate defining slots opening toward said walls, said ribs projecting into said slots to form rails along which said plate can be raised and lowered, a housing cover disposed over the open end of said housing and defining a circular opening through which a stack of lids supported by said plate may extend, at least three projections extending downwardly from said housing cover and disposed equidistant from one another around said opening, said projections having a surface facing toward the centerline of said opening which are curved to conform to the periphery of said opening to form a guide for the movement of said lids through said opening, and a lid cover attached to said housing cover having a generally semi-circular cap spaced above said opening to confine said lids against said plate and spring and having an open side through which the top one of said lids may be drawn by hand out of said cap.

Claim 10

A lid dispenser comprising a housing open at one end, a spring coil disposed in said housing, an article supporting plate resting on said coil, a plurality of raised, elongated ribs formed on and extending along inside walls of said housing, said plate defining slots opening toward said walls, said ribs projecting into said slots to form rails along which said plate can be raised and lowered, a housing cover disposed over the open end of said housing and defining a circular opening through which a stack of lids supported by said plate may extend, at least three projections extending downwardly from said housing cover and disposed equidistant from one another around said opening, said projections having a surface facing toward the centerline of said opening which are curved to conform to the periphery of said opening to form a guide for the movement of said lids through said opening, and a lid cover attached to said housing cover having a generally semi-circular cap spaced above said opening to confine said lids against said plate and spring and having an open side through which the top one of said lids may be drawn by hand out of said cap.

Claim 11

The lid dispenser of claim 7 wherein said lid cover comprises a triangular shaped base attached to said housing cover, said cap being attached to said base.