Toner loading apparatus

Claim 1

In a xerographic copying machine having instrumentalities for making xerographic copies of original documents, one of said instrumentalities being a toner developing apparatus which utilizes dry toner stored in a supply container, apparatus for periodically loading toner into said supply container, said apparatus comprising: A. a bottle having a neck adjacent one end thereof and defining a dispensing opening from said bottle; B. a frangible sealing member secured to said neck and normally sealing said dispensing opening; C. cutting means rotatably mounted on said copying machine adjacent said supply container, said cutting means comprising a member extending substantially across said dispensing opening and having an upwardly projecting piercing point and being mounted for rotation about a substantially central vertical axis of said member; D. first and second cooperating connecting means respectively mounted on said copying machine adjacent said supply container and on said bottle adjacent said neck for removably connecting said bottle to said copying machine in a position such that said piercing point pierces said sealing member and said dispensing opening is disposed adjacent said supply container; and E. first and second actuating means mounted respectively on said copying machine and said neck of said bottle and interconnected between said cutting means and said bottle for causing rotation of said cutting means relative to said bottle in response to rotation of said bottle so that said cutting means cuts said sealing member around substantially the periphery of said neck to expose said dispensing opening, thereby allowing toner in said bottle to flow by gravity through said dispensing opening and into said supply container.