Cover Dispenser

Abstract

An improved apparatus having a single rotating roller for maintaining and individually dispensing a disc-shaped article from a stack of said discs.

Description

This invention relates to an improved apparatus for individually and separately dispensing a disc-shaped article.

Known machines for individually dispensing disc-shaped articles, for example lids for containers, from an article stack or reservoir comprises many forms. In one form, the disc-shaped article and the surface of the object that receives the article are brought together along converging planes, so that the junction of the planes, the article, and the object are in contacting relation. More specifically, the objects are conveyed under an inclined chute on which the articles are held in overhanging relation in the path of travel of the objects. As the objects pass under the chute, their leading edge engages the exposed skirt of the article and pulls it free of the chute. Subsequently, the skirt is pressed over the container in encircling relation and the process is accomplished. To insure that the articles do not leave the chute until engaged by an object, they are releasably held between stops contacting the edges of the lids. The adjustment of the stops is critical, inasmuch as they have to frictionally retain the cap on the chute, and yet release the article when engaged by a container. Another known machine has a plurality of rollers on which an edge of the disc-shaped articles contact. The rollers rotate thereby rotating the contacting articles. Means in contact with the article stack move the articles longitudinally along the rotating rollers to a position at which dispensing means causes an individual article to be ejected from the article stack. This type of machine comprises a large number of moving parts that are subject to malfunction and breakage, are expensive and difficult to construct, and require considerable labor expenditures to properly adjust and maintain for uniform operation.

It is therefore an object of this invention to provide an improved apparatus for individually, separately dispensing disc-shaped articles. Another object of this invention is to provide an improved apparatus of the above described type that is of more simple construction, is more easily adjusted, comprises fewer moving parts, and requires little supervision and maintenance. Yet another object of this invention is to provide an apparatus of the above described type that functions with reduced power requirements. Other aspects, objects, and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from a study of the disclosure, the appended claims, and the drawing.

The drawing comprises three figures of the apparatus of this invention with a plurality of disc-shaped articles resting thereupon. FIG. 1 is a diagrammatic front view of the apparatus of this invention. FIG. 2 is a diagrammatic plan view of the apparatus shown in FIG. 1. FIG. 3 is a diagrammatic sectional view taken along lines III-III of FIG. 2.

Referring to FIG. 1, the improved apparatus has a frame 2 with spaced-apart first and second sidewalls 4, 6. A power source 8 is associated with the frame 2 and connected to a roller 10. The roller 10 has a longitudinal axis, first and second ends 12, 14, and extends between the sidewalls 4, 6 of the frame 2. The roller is operably connected to the power source 8 and rotatably attached at the first and second ends 12, 14 to the respective sidewalls 4, 6 for rotation about the longitudinal axis by the power source 8.

Referring to FIG. 2, a stabilizing rod 16 with first and second ends 18, 20 is attached to and extends between the spaced-apart respective sidewalls 4, 6 of the frame 2. The roller 10 (better seen in FIG. 3) is positioned at a lower elevation than the stabilizing rod 16, laterally spaced therefrom, and is substantially parallel to said rod 16. A guiding rod 22 having first and second ends 24, 26 is attached at the first end 24 to the first sidewall 4, extends substantially parallel relative to the roller 10 toward the second sidewall 6, and terminates at the second end 26 at a location spaced from the second sidewall 6 a distance in the range of between one to less than two times the thickness of a single disc 27 that is dispensed by the apparatus. The guiding rod 22 is at a higher elevation and is spaced a lateral distance from the roller 10 in an opposed direction from said roller 10 relative to the lateral displacement of the stabilizing rod 16.

The guiding rod 22, roller 10, and stabilizing rod 16 are spaced relative to one another and to a disc-shaped object 27 such that the guiding rod 22 and roller 10 contact a circumferential edge of a disc 27 positioned thereon and support said disc 27 as the stabilizing rod 16 contacts the edge and maintains said disc 27 against lateral movement in a direction from the roller 10 toward the stabilizing rod 16. For the stabilizing rod 16 to function with maximum capabilities to prevent the above described lateral movement of the disc 27, it is preferred that the stabilizing rod 16 be within a horizontal plane passing through the center of a disc that is operably positioned upon the roller 10 and the guiding rod 22. The lateral and vertical displacement of the guiding rod 22 relative to the roller 10 is also dependent upon the diameter of the disc 27 to be dispensed by the apparatus.

For discharging a disc 27 from the roller 10 and between the second sidewall 6 and the second end 26 of the guiding rod 22, it is preferred that said roller 10 and guiding rod 22 be relatively positioned such that a downwardly extending vertical plane passing through the center of a disc 27 separates the roller 10 and the guiding rod 22 and is laterally spaced from the guiding rod 22 a greater distance than said plane is spaced from the roller 10 and an angle as measured from the center of the disc 27 from the roller 10 to the guiding rod 22 is less than 90.degree.. By so positioning roller 10 and the guiding rod 22 relative to the disc 27 resting thereupon, the guiding rod 22 supports a portion of the weight of each disc 27, provides greater flexibility in loading a plurality of stacked disc 27 upon the roller 10 and guiding bar 22, and maintains the moving discs 27 against lateral movement in a direction from the roller 10 towards the guiding rod 22. In order to assure that movement of the discs 27 in contact with the guiding rod 22 in response to rotation of the roller 10 do not cause said discs 27 to roll over the guiding bar 22 and from the apparatus, it is preferred that the roller 10 rotates the disc 27 in a direction from the roller 10 toward the guiding rod 22. Frictional forces exerted on the discs 27 by the guiding rod 22, when rotating the disc as described above, also causes the discs 27 to be urged toward the roller 10 thereby tending to prevent vertical movement of the discs 27 relative to the roller 10, excessive wear on or damage to the discs 27, and increases the force of contact between the discs 27 and the roller 10. To further reduce the possibilities of wear, fraying, or damage to the discs 27, especially in situations wherein the discs are rotating in contact with the guiding and stabilizing rods 22 and 16 at high velocities, it is preferred that each rod have a longitudinal axis and be rotatable about their respective longitudinal axis in response to movement of a disc 27 in contact therewith.

A ramp 28 having an upper surface 30 is preferably positioned between a second sidewall 6 and the second end 26 of the guiding rod 22 and attached to the second sidewall 6 of the frame 2 at the lower elevation than a disc 27 resting upon the roller 10 and extends downwardly therefrom. By so providing a ramp 28 constructed and positioned as described above, discs 27 discharging from the roller 10 are uniformly dispensed for subsequent operation.

In order to control the rate of dispensing discs 27 and timing gate can be installed in the pathway of a disc discharging from the apparatus. Movement of the stack of discs toward the second sidewall can be caused by the configuration of the portion of the disc 27 contacting the rotating roller 10, inclination of the roller 10 and associated guiding 22 and stabilizing 16 rods, spring means and the like.

In the operation of this invention, a stack of disc-shaped articles 27 are vertically positioned in contact with the roller 10, guiding bar 22, and stabilizing bar 16. Although this operation can be conducted by hand, it is preferred that separate disc stacks be automatically so positioned. The power source 8 rotates the roller 10 which causes the contacting disc 27 to rotate and move toward the second sidewall 6. During movement of the disc 27 from the first sidewall 4 toward the second sidewall 6, lateral movement of the disc 27 relative to the roller 10 is prevented by the guiding rod 22 and stabilizing rod 16 being positioned on opposed sides of the disc 27. Upon arrival of a disc 27 at a position adjacent the second sidewall 6 and the ramp 28, rotational forces exerted on the disc 27 by the roller 10 and gravity causes the disc 27 to pass between the second end 26 of the guiding rod 22 and the second sidewall 6, move downwardly along the ramp 28 and from the apparatus. Since the space between the second end 26 of the guiding rod 22 and the second sidewall 6 is less than the thickness of two discs 27, the discs are thereby individually and separately dispensed therefrom. Other modifications and alterations of this invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art from the foregoing discussions and accompanying drawing, and it should be understood that this invention is not to be unduly limited thereto.

Claims

What I claim is:

1. An improved apparatus for maintaining and individually dispensing a plurality of articles having a power source, a frame with spaced-apart sidewalls, and a stabilizing rod with first and second ends attached to and extending between the respective sidewalls of the frame for contacting and maintaining a plurality of disc-shaped articles against lateral movement in a direction from a roller toward the stabilizing rod, the improvement comprising:

a single roller having a longitudinal axis, first and second ends, and extending between the sidewalls of the frame and being at a lower elevation than the stabilizing rod is connected to the power source and rotatably attached at the first and second ends to the respective sidewalls for contacting a circumferential edge of a plurality of articles and supporting and rotating said articles; and

a guiding rod having first and second ends and being at a higher elevation and laterally spaced a distance from the roller in an opposed direction from the roller relative to the stabilizing rod and in contact with and at a lower elevation than a portion of a disc-shaped article resting upon the roller is attached at the first end to the first sidewall, extends substantially parallel relative to the roller toward the second sidewall, and terminates at the second end at a location spaced from the second sidewall a distance in the range of between one to less than two times the thickness of a single disc for contacting and supporting a plurality of disc-shaped articles moving in contact with the roller, guiding the articles toward the second sidewall, preventing lateral movement of the articles from the roller toward the guiding rod, and releasing individual articles for lateral movement by the roller to a location spaced from the apparatus.

2. An apparatus, as set forth in claim 1, wherein a downwardly extending vertical plane passing through the centerline of a disc supported by the roller and guiding rod separates the roller and guiding rod and is laterally spaced from the guiding rod a greater distance than said plane is spaced from the roller and an angle as measured from the center of the disc from the roller to the guiding rod is less than 90.degree..

3. An apparatus, as set forth in claim 2, wherein the stabilizing rod is within a horizontal plane passing through the centerline of the disc.

4. An apparatus, as set forth in claim 1, wherein the roller rotates the disc in a direction from the roller toward the guiding rod.

5. An apparatus, as set forth in claim 1, including a ramp having an upper surface positioned between the second sidewall and the second end of the guiding rod is attached to the second sidewall of the frame at a lower elevation than a disc resting upon the roller and extends downwardly therefrom.

6. An apparatus, as set forth in claim 1, wherein the guiding and stabilizing rods each have a longitudinal axis and are rotatable about their respective longitudinal axis in response to movement of a disc in contact therewith.