U.S. patent number 3,693,673 [Application Number 05/099,545] was granted by the patent office on 1972-09-26 for delivery of flowable materials into containers.
Invention is credited to John E. Oates.
United States Patent |
3,693,673 |
Oates |
September 26, 1972 |
DELIVERY OF FLOWABLE MATERIALS INTO CONTAINERS
Abstract
Means for quickly delivering predetermined quantities of
semiliquid or flowable materials into a large number of similar
containers. Particularly advantageous for use in schools,
hospitals, cafeterias and the like, especially when numerous meals
are to be served in a short time. May be employed in the packing
industry as well. Serves to obviate the tedious and time-consuming
manual operations of filling conventional paper cups and similar
containers one at a time.
Inventors: |
Oates; John E. (Clayton,
MO) |
Family
ID: |
22275521 |
Appl.
No.: |
05/099,545 |
Filed: |
December 18, 1970 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
141/237;
141/376 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B65B
39/00 (20130101) |
Current International
Class: |
B65B
39/00 (20060101); B65b 001/04 (); B65b
003/04 () |
Field of
Search: |
;141/125,237,238-248 |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Foreign Patent Documents
Primary Examiner: Bell, Jr.; Houston S.
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. In combination with a therebelow positioned carton supporting
therein a plurality of similar containers, means for delivering a
determined portion of flowable material into each of the
containers, said means comprising:
a tray supported above said containers, said tray including a
bottom wall, opposed side walls and an end wall;
a plurality of material delivery openings formed in the bottom
wall, each opening being in vertical alignment with one of the
therebelow containers and merging into a shallow funnel-shaped
surrounding flange that depends below said bottom wall;
a downwardly inclined slideway integral therewith formed on the
bottom wall at the end thereof opposite said end wall of the
tray;
means whereby the disposition of said tray may be varied in
accordance with the height of the therebelow containers;
a peripheral flange portion integral therewith projecting laterally
from the top of said side walls and said end wall;
and a manually operable blade assembly for propelling a batch of
flowable material across the delivery openings from said end wall
of the tray to the slideway thereof, said assembly comprising a
scraper blade surmounted by a round rod, the opposite ends of said
rod being adapted to ride along the top surfaces of the opposed
side wall portions of said peripheral flange.
2. The combination recited in claim 1, and an outwardly extending
annular flange portion forming the terminal end of each
funnel-shaped flange.
3. The combination recited in claim 1, wherein the means whereby
the disposition of the tray may be varied in accordance with the
height of the therebelow containers comprise four similar
adjustable leg assemblies, one assembly being provided adjacent
each of the four corner portion of said tray.
Description
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The primary objective of this invention is to provide a filler tray
and a cooperative scraper blade adapted in use to deliver
determined portions of a batch of flowable material into each of a
therebelow positioned plurality of containers. The bottom wall of
the tray has formed therein a plurality of filler openings, sized
in accordance with the open upper ends of the containers. Each of
the openings is surrounded by a depending funnel-shaped or inwardly
tapered flange adapted to extend into the open upper end of a
container, whereby when the scraper blade is manually drawn across
said bottom wall, similar portions of the batch therein are fed
into each of the containers.
Preferably, the delivery openings are formed in equally spaced
longitudinal and transverse rows, and the containers below would be
positioned in approximate alignment therewith. At one end, the
bottom wall of the tray terminates in a downwardly inclined
slideway or chute that serves to deliver excess materials to a
therebelow pan or other container, for reentry into the tray. Waste
of materials is thus obviated. Preferably fabricated of stainless
steel, the tray and blade may be cleansed quickly after use.
Although primarily advantageous for controlling portions of
flowable foods such as salads, cottage cheese, mashed potatoes,
creamed corn or spinach, puddings and so on, the invention may
obviously also be employed for apportioning cake and muffin
batters, cream pie fillings and the like.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Currently, at many schools, government-sponsored luncheons are
being served to the children. Usually, the meals include one or two
items of flowable foods to be served in containers that are placed
on each plate, as is understood. Particularly when a great number
of children are to be served, the spoon-filling of such containers,
one at a time, is a tedious procedure. By employment of the simple
means provided by the present invention, a plurality of (for
example 18) containers, may each be charged with an approximately
identical portion of food in a relatively few seconds.
The invention is illustrated on a sheet of drawings that
accompanies this specification. Objects and advantages not
specifically noted above, will be apparent or pointed out in the
detailed description that will follow with reference to said
drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is a top plan view of a typical tray and scraper blade
assembly for attaining the objectives of the present invention;
FIG. 2 is a side elevational view partly in section, of FIG. 1;
FIG. 3 is a front elevation of said assembly;
FIG. 4 is an enlarged fragmentary transverse section taken on the
line 4--4 of FIG. 2, this view additionally illustrating the tray
in use;
FIG. 5 is an enlarged fragmentary longitudinal section taken on the
line 5--5 of FIG. 1;
FIG. 6 is an end elevational view of the scraper blade per se;
FIG. 7 is a fragmentary sectional view illustrating a
modification;
FIG. 8 is a side elevational view of a modified tray;
FIG. 9 is a reduced top plan view of a conventional shallow open
carton charged with a plurality of empty containers;
FIG. 10 is a side elevational view, partly in section, of FIG.
9;
FIG. 11 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view illustrating use
of the FIG. 8 tray; and
FIG. 12 is a view similar to FIG. 4, illustrating the adjustability
of the invention and the reason for the modification shown in FIG.
7.
DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
The typical tray and cooperative scraper blade assembly of the
invention is generally designated 16, and includes a rectangular
tray 18 and a manually operable scraper blade 20. The tray 16 is
comprised of a bottom wall 22, opposed side walls 24, and a front
end wall 26. These walls terminate at the top in a laterally
projecting peripheral flange portion 28. The bottom wall 22 merges
into and terminates in a downwardly inclined chute or slideway
portion 30, best seen in FIG. 5.
Formed in the tray bottom wall is a plurality of delivery openings
32, each opening merging into a shallow funnel-shaped surrounding
flange 34 that depends below said wall. The openings 32 are formed
in equally spaced longitudinal and transverse rows as shown.
Leg assemblies 36 are provided adjacent the four corner portions of
the tray 18, whereby said tray may be horizontally positioned at
various heights above a supporting surface such as the table top T
fragmentarily shown in FIGS. 4 and 12.
Each of the assemblies 36 includes a support bar 38 rigidly
attached to the tray 18, and a leg bar 40 that terminates in an
outwardly extending foot segment 42. These bars are adjustable
relatively to one another by any suitable means, such as a threaded
stud 44 secured adjacent the lower end of the bar 38, an elongated
slot 46 in the leg bar 40 through which the stud extends, and a
thumbnut 48.
The blade assembly 20 comprises a rectangular scraper portion 50
that is surmounted by a round rod portion 52. The width of the
blade portion is somewhat less than the distance between the inner
surfaces of the side walls 24, and as best seen in FIG. 5, the
height thereof approximates the distance between the opposed top
surfaces of the tray flange portion 28 and the upper surface of the
bottom wall 22. The bar is at least coextensive with the side walls
24, and preferably as shown in FIGS. 1 and 3, extends beyond the
flange portion 28, whereby when the scraper is in use, its end
portions 54 ride along the opposed top surfaces of said flange
portion.
A modified form of funnel-shaped flange 56 surrounding a bottom
wall opening 32 is illustrated in FIGS. 7 and 12. In this
construction, the flange 56 terminates in an outwardly extending
annular flange portion 58 for a purpose to be described below.
The tray 18 shown in FIGS. 8 and 11 is similar to that shown in
FIG. 1 to 5, but is not equipped with the adjustable leg assemblies
36 for reasons to be explained hereinafter.
In FIGS. 9 and 10, a typical master tray or carton 60 is shown to
include a bottom wall 62, opposed side walls 64, and opposed end
walls 66. Cartons of this character are commercially available in
large quantities, are usually of cardboard or plastic and in
accordance with prescribed specifications, as is understood.
Thus in the instant case, the cartons 60 would be dimensioned to
rather snugly surround and support a plurality of conventional cups
or containers C, arranged in a pattern corresponding to that of the
delivery openings 32 of a certain tray 18, as should be clearly
understood from an inspection of the drawings.
PERTINENT OBSERVATIONS
It is to be understood that no claim is made to the cartons 60 nor
to the containers C. Such containers are conventional and may be
purchased in various prescribed dimensions on the market. The
cartons may likewise be made according to specification and
purchased in ordered quantities, the container-supporting area of
them being dimensioned so as to hold the containers in an
appropriate pattern governed by the delivery openings in the tray.
The leg assemblies 36 detailed in FIGS. 4 and 12, may be adjusted
to accommodate containers of different heights.
The opposed side portions of the flange 28 serve as slideways for
the end portions 54 of the rod 52, so that in manipulations of the
blade assembly 20 from left to right (as viewed in the drawings),
the bottom edge of the scraper blade 50 rides along the top surface
of the tray bottom wall 22. Thus, an approximately identical
quantity of material will be delivered via each opening 32 to the
therebelow container C. Furthermore, the flange 28 provides handle
means for raising the tray following completion of a filling
operation, and for lowering it into position over another carton 60
of empty containers C.
One of the features of the invention of course, is the fact that,
for example in school luncheon programs, a multiplicity of
containers C may be quickly processed in advance of meal-serving
time. The flange extension 58 shown in FIGS. 7 and 12 is designed
primarily for filling containers that are to have lids applied
thereto. As should be apparent, each extension 58 serves to provide
sufficient unfilled space for entry of the depressed central
portion of a conventional lid.
USE
Although it is believed that the manner of using the invention
should be apparent from the foregoing description and an inspection
of the drawings, a further brief explanation is given.
Obviously, the batch of flowable material to be apportioned would
be deposited into the forward or left hand end area of the tray 18,
with the blade assembly 20 in the dotted line position suggested in
FIG. 11. Thereupon the assembly 20 would be manipulated to the
right, as indicated by the broken line arrow, until the blade had
passed over all of the delivery openings 32 and onto the upper end
of the slideway 30. Surplus or excess material would gravitate or
be scraped into a suitable pan (not shown) resting on the table top
T, then redeposited in the tray along with the next batch of
material. Should the initially deposited batch of material be of
insufficient volume to fill all of the containers, it could quickly
be replenished when such condition becomes evident.
With respect to the FIGS. 4 and 12 disposition of the tray in use,
it will of course be obvious that each of the four leg assemblies
36 would be adjusted in identical fashion.
With respect to the FIG. 8 disposition of the tray 18 in use, said
tray would simply be supported on the upper edge or rim of the
carton 60.
In view of the foregoing description and the drawings, it is
believed that a comprehensive presentation of the invention and its
features has been given without further elaboration. It should of
course be understood that the illustrated structural details may be
modified somewhat without departing from the main concepts of the
present invention.
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