[0001] This invention relates to dispensers for flowable particulate solid materials, for
example peanuts.
[0002] UK Patent Specification 414517 (Reid and Bannister) discloses a coin-operated peanut
dispenser which has a base containing a coin-freed dispensing and measuring mechanism
and, on top of the base, a container for peanuts. The container has a lower opening,
for the passage to the base of peanuts to be dispensed, and an upper opening closed
by a lid which is secured to the base by a tension spring passing through a support
tube which extends inside the container from the base to the cap.
[0003] For use in dispensing peanuts, the container of this dispenser is charged with peanuts
through its upper opening which is afterwards closed by the cap which is secured to
the container by attachment of a hook at the upper end of the spring cap.
[0004] The dispenser described above has the disadvantage that its container requires periodic
cleaning and, when empty, must be re-charged with peanuts through its upper opening.
These and other disadvantages make the dispenser not well-suited to present-day marketing
and vending practices and with a view to overcoming these disadvantages, the present
invention provides a dispenser for solid flowable particulate material, for example
peanuts, the dispenser comprising a container for the material and a base containing
a mechanism, preferably a coin- or token-freed mechanism, for dispensing through an
outlet in the base a measured amount of the material supplied from the container to
an inlet of the base, the base and the container having co-operating means whereby
the base and container can be releasably secured together with an opening in the lower
end of the container in communication with the inlet of the base, the base having
means adjacent its inlet for breakage of a breakable closure element closing the opening
of the container prior to the container being fitted to the base.
[0005] The invention also provides a container for use in the dispenser of the preceding
paragraph, the container being charged with solid flowable particulate material, for
example peanuts, and having its opening closed by a breakable closure element which
can be broken by the breakage means of the base of said dispenser.
[0006] With this arrangement, the container sealed by the closure element can be supplied
already charged with material. The containers are conveniently charged to a predetermined
weight on automated packaging machinery.
[0007] The container can then be quickly and easily secured to the base and, when empty,
replaced by a fresh, charged and sealed container.
[0008] The container is conveniently of plastics material and is advantageously intended
to be thrown away after discharge of its contents.
[0009] The securement means may take any convenient form, for example screw threads or bayonet
formations on an upstanding cylindrical wall on the base and a dependent cylindrical
skirt on the container.
[0010] The closure element may be of, for example, plastics, paper or metal foil and, advantageously,
is protected prior to fitting of the container to the base by a covering cap of, for
example, tough plastics material, which is in snap-fit engagement with the container
in the region of its opening.
[0011] Preferably, the breakage means of the base comprise an upstanding cutting edge on
the base member, the edge advantageously being positioned to be just inwardly of the
periphery of the container opening. Instead, or in addition, a further upstanding
cutting edge can be located adjacent the inlet of the base.
[0012] The co-operation of the base and container when the latter is fitted to the former
is such that the broken closure element is removed from the region of the base inlet,
in order to allow material to flow from the container to the base.
[0013] An embodiment of the invention will now be described by way of example with reference
to the drawings, in which:
Figure 1 is a front elevational view of a peanut dispenser, a central region being
shown in section, and
Figure 2 is a top plan view of the base of the dispenser of Figure 1.
[0014] The dispenser shown in the drawings has a base 10 and a peanut container 12 which
is formed from transparent lightweight plastics material and is generally spherical
in shape.
[0015] The base 10 has feet 13 and, further, an outlet 14 and discharge chute 15 for peanuts.
The base 10 contains a coin-freed dispensing and measuring mechanism which is not
described here in detail. A suitable mechanism is disclosed in UK Specification 414517
referred to above. The mechanism includes a manually-operable actuating lever 16,
slidable in a slot 17, and a coin slot 18 (see Figure 2).
[0016] On its top surface, the base 10 has an upstanding cylindrical wall 20 which is screw-threaded
on its inner surface. Within the wall 20, there is an outlet 22 opening of the base
10, through which peanuts are fed to the dispensing and measuring mechanism in the
base. Also within the wall 20 but spaced just radially inwardly therefrom is an annular
knife edge 24, the purpose of which will be described below. Similarly, a further
annular knife edge 26 is upstanding around the inlet opening 22.
[0017] The container 12 of the dispenser has a circular discharge opening 28, around which
a circular dependent skirt 30 extends. The skirt 30 has on its outer surface a screw
thread which is complementary to the screw thread on the inner surface of the wall
20 of the base 10. The discharge opening 28 is closed by a circular sheet of metal
foil prior to the container being secured to the base, the foil sheet being secured
around its periphery to the circular end face of the skirt 30. If desired, the foil
sheet can be protected by a removable plastics cap which engages with the skirt 30
with a snap-fit.
[0018] Prior to use of the dispenser, the sealed container 12 charged with peanuts is fitted
onto the base by removal of any protective cap and then by screwing the threads together.
During this coupling process, the knife edge 24 fractures the foil sheet just inwardly
of the periphery of the discharge opening, whilst the further knife edge 26 produces
a further hole in the foil sheet which is thus displaced from the region of the inlet
opening 22 of the base. The container is now ready for the peanuts in the container
12 to be dispensed through the base 10 by operation of the mechanism therein. When
the contents of the container are exhausted, the container is removed from the base
and replaced by a new charged container. The old container can then be discarded.
[0019] In modified embodiments, in the container is not generally-spherical but is of a
cylindrical, frustoconical, or any other shape.
[0020] In further modified embodiments, the knife edges 24, 26 are replaced by other means
for breaking and clearing-away the closure element of the container.
1. A dispenser for solid flowable particulate material, comprising a container for
the material and a base containing a mechanism for dispensing through an outlet in
the base a measured amount of the material supplied from the container to an inlet
of the base, the base and the container having co-operating means whereby the base
and container can be releasably secured together with an opening in the lower end
of the container in communication with the inlet of the base, the base having means
adjacent its inlet for breakage of the breakable closure element closing the opening
of the container prior to the container being fitted to the base.
2. A dispenser according to claim 1, in which the mechanism is a coin- or token-freed
mechanism.
3. A dispenser according to claim 1 or 2, in which the securement means comprise co-operating
formations on an upstanding cylindrical wall on the base and a dependent cylindrical
skirt on the container.
4. A dispenser according to any preceding claim, in which the breakage means of the
base comprise an upstanding cutting edge on the base member.
5. A dispenser according to claim 4, in which the breakage means comprise a said cutting
edge positioned just inwardly of the periphery of the container opening.
6. A dispenser according to claim 4 or 5, in which the breakage means comprise a said
cutting edge located adjacent the inlet of the base.
7. A dispenser according to any preceding claim, in which the co-operation of the
base and container when the latter is fitted to the former is such that the broken
closure element is removed from the region of the base inlet.
8. A container for use in dispenser according to any preceding claim, the container
being charged with solid flowable particulate material, and having its opening closed
by a breakable closure element which can be broken by the breakage means of the base
of a said dispenser.
9. A container according to claim 8 and of plastics material.
10. A container according to claim 8 or 9, having a removable cap protecting the closure
element.
11. A container according to any of claims 8 to 11 and charged with peanuts.