US2515904A - Chip dispenser - Google Patents

Description

July 18, 1950 I B. D. SMITH CHIP DISPENSER Filed Dec. 28, 1944 JWw f A TTORNEYS Patented July 18, 1950 2,515,904 g 1 cine DISPENSER members D'YSmitln Atlanta, Ga., assignor to a Nelson J. Jewett; Arlington County, Va. I Application atents 28, 1944, Serial No. 570,157

l 1 "5 claims.

This invention relates to devices for dispensing chips, and particularly in games wherein counters of varying denominations and colors com; prise a stack foreach player, f v

In the prior art mechanicalineans have'been provided for ejecting partially'from each stack a certain desirednumber of counters so that the banker might remove "counted stack flfrom the various compartments, however, such arrangements are vslow and tedious, and oneobie'ct of this inventiontis toprovide a simple mechanism for depositing in front of anyo'r, all players a complete stack of counter chips of varying denomination by a single movement oithefhand.

Even during the deal this action is so natural and quick that the play is hardlyinterrupted.

Another object of this invention is to furnish such a dispenser so simplec and cheap that its cost is no more than that olfan ordinary holding rack for chips. its preierredfiorm it it? would be madeoi two plastic parts easily molded.

A single coilspring is added to these but isnot an essentiallpart. v 1 '1 My invention is illustrated in the jacco npanying drawings in which like parts throughout. I

FigureIisa'pIanvieWL, Y V

Figure 2 is a vertical sectiontaken along the line 2-2 of Figure l s-howing the chip holders expanded for delivery of chips.

Figure 3 is a detail section with one of the arts raised above the position shown in Figure '2.

Figure 4 is a detail section along the line 4-4 of Figure 1. c g r Figure 5 is a detail bottom plan view showing an auxiliary spring member with the parts somewhat enlarged in scale.

The chipdispenser asshowr in; Figure 1 comprises four compartments forchips'such a blue, red and two whitestacks. Arcuatewa'lls l0 confine loosely the stacked array, and near the bottom alongacommon horizontal plane are molded projecting lugs H and I2, which are spaced from the bottom ofthe containerja height corresponding to the thickness of the number of chips to be dispensed at each actuation. In the normal -molded position of the parts these lugs lie within the diameter ofthe chips-and, asshown; between the roundededges oiEthe 1iifth and sixthchip as positioned in Figure-2.

To enclose the stacks of chips four pairs :of

arcua'te walls ID are shown, the walls .iofseach pair merging into a rib l3;the'inward edgsfof which ribs are free of each other and are grouped around a central space. To hold the ribs l3 in letters refer to like assembly the ribs l3 are joined at their upp r inner ends by a, plate member l4 forming arcuat'e flanges over the angle between the ribs, and which merge into the upper ends of the ribs at the point of junction of the arcuatewalls H11 To receive an actuatingfplunger l5,a central opening I6 is formed in the plate l4 The ribs [3 areshown as fqrmedwith cam members H, which normally stand 1 within the central space in, position spaced apart less than the diameter of the opening it and less than the" diameter of theplunger. To coact with thefcams llthe plunger is formed with'a frusto conical camper;- tion It which normally stands'inthe position shown in Figure 3, with relation to the cams l1. To enable the suspension of the device with "its load of chips when the knob IQ of the plunger is grasped and lifted' 'the end of the plunger shown asiQrmedWith'a' disk headZ ll desirably rounded or'beveled at the lower outer portion of its periphery. "The external diameter of 'the head 20 is no larger than the diameter o'f the plunger l5 and hence will pass-freely through the opening 1 6, for assembly of the parts', and

the head 2o=w111 separate the ribs l3 and snap to position as shown in'Figure 3, p r t n, tacks ofthipsam placed' in each spacepartly surrounded by the arcuate walls H), which stacks 'willbe supported by the lugs II and I2; "The device carrying the chips mayth'en be placed on the 'table before each person desiring chips and the plunger 15' pressed to the position of 'Fi'gureZ, thus spreadingtlie lower ends of the ribs I3 and arcuate wallsl'll with distortion" Of the Walls. 'Whi'i S0" s'piad the stacks of 'chips' are released by the 'lugs 'and fall tothe table. Pressure on the plunger being released the cam surfaces "and 20 wi11"return 'the plunger to the position illustrated in Figure 3, and "the lifting of the device awayiromWhe deposited chi'ps" as indicated in Figure iwill assist the return to normal. Such 'return will cause the wedge shaped lugs II and l2 to'fdi'oe themselves' between twochips in each stack and "res'uIt'in the lifting of the stacks away fron'i the dispensed chips, wher'i'thedevice is'lifted.

To'assist'theresilience of theflanges M in returningthe' ribs I 3 to normallyparallehposition a spring may be provided. dorms- 'end -a resilient rectangle or springwire'il 'formed in"- tegrallyandhaving its ends flin'serted' iii-a recess 23 is shown. This spring member seats behind" shoulders 24 in the": ribs I 3 provided :as indicated clearly in Figure 2. The faces of these shoulders are desirably rounded as shown.

Formed as shown each side of the rectangle of the spring becomes an individual spring resisting outward deformation.

In operation, in flexing outwardly n ninety degree radii, the lugs l2 do not in themselves tend to release a stack but the lugs II in outward travel enlarge the diametral opening sufficiently that",th e chips.:may drop through to: the table top as-showln in 'Eigure 2. This flexing is manually operated by the knob I9 which, upon being depressed, utilizes the tapered cam pore tion I8 to thrust outwardly the cams ll integrally cast on the ribs l3. This action is accomplished naturally when: the. container. rests on the table top in front of a; playen"and':.-the:

knob I9 is forced downwardly,

When the knob is raisedto liftthe chip" container, then the cams I! immediately return: in.'

and: sixth. chip from: the bottom in the form shown, and.furthenliitin brings the container clear of" the" fiyebottomchips. as illustrated in Figure- 4. This.actioniscommonto allcompartments: and twenty. desired: chips. of. varyingv I dewalls extending toward each other to provide nomination may thus betdeposited'in frontofl'the requesting; player. It. is readily seen thatthe motion of-Jifting the: container by the knob, moving 1 it. in front of aplayer, lowering tothe. table p. a by" continued downpushionthe..knob dis.-

pensing, ofthe chips: is all a quick and-inatural 5 movements of the hand. the container is broughtback-by the banker. its natural condition ;is with the -knob upland-za 'voidi space: below the chipsfrom the, lugs I; I. and t2 downwards Plastics have a; slight coldhow and lose. their iifl'exibility under distortion, hence-the use of: the spring Eli-shown. enlarged .in-Fig-ure.5-.-. It holdsvth'e .bottomi portions ot the; device in. their inward positions. and? prevents.- the rupture-ct the top flangesectiomby' any-accidental strain: Its-square 'It-is readilyse'en that another number of com partmentsr'other than four: may bevdesigned aroundi the: centralknob witiioutdeparting" from theiscopesofimyinvention Minor" changesmay. be made? the: physical embodiments of" the inventiorr' within the scope oh the appended claims: without departing; from the spirit ofthe inventiom I-clainr: l. ,Ima: chin dispenseroiri combination"? asplurality-pi wallsrs'tanding in mositlonsi radiating from a common: axis; their. inner edges spaced fi'om said: axis to provide? a central: passage; a common" frame member securedtto the'uppenen'ds ofisaidai walls and. formed. with a central: openiin'g" to -said passageyv the outer" edges! of" each" of said wallsbifurcat'edeand each." branch thereof constituting. an: arcuaiiei'extension; arcuate eactensionsiofi adjacent walls at least 5 partially errchip enclosing chambers; lugs projecting from said. walls into-said chambers at points spaced from the bottom of said chambers to support stacks of chips in said chambers; resilient plate means" uniting the top ends of said radiating wallsn-and formed, with a central opening to said central space; and means reciprocable in said spaceengagingmeans on the inner. edges ofsaid radiating walls. to cause separation of the lug carrying. portions. of said wallsv and carried lugs to release sai'd"stacks.;,. saidLl'ugs re-ent'ering said stacks. upon. release'of' said means to separate a predeterminedTnumber'of chips from each. stack. 3.1m. a. dispenser in combination: side walls formedTto. looselyv guide and confine a stack of. chips; constricting. lugs. carried by said side wallsfor normally choking the passage provided bysaidside wallsat'a predetermined height from its bottom; and means. operable. independently. ofLthe chipsior causing motion. of one. lugc'arryingportion. oiisaid'walls relative to. another thereof to causaseparatio'n of said. lugs to per.- mit. .the.lcwermost1 chips. of the stack of chips to: drop to thexbottomiofl the. passage.

l. In a. dispenser... in. combination: side walls proyidi'nga chip. passage to loosely, guide andconfi ne a stack of chips.;,. passage constricting. lugs. carriedby. saidlsidewall's at a predeterminedheight. from. the bottom of the passage, adapted'to alternately support chips. in the. passage. and. allow the chips. to.- drop. therein. upon distortion-.. of. said. side walls. with consequent separation of'the lugs and meansexterion ofthe side walls and acting independently of the chips tocause. S1lCh-diStOEtiOIlz of; the side walls.

5.. In a. chip. dispensen. in combination: a plw rality of assembledicontainers for stacks of chips comprising arcuateside wailsproviding chippassages. for. loosely confining. and guiding said stacks.;. anoperating knob; sets. of passage constricting lugs carried by said walls at a predetermined height. from.v the bottom of each. for chokingsaid passages; and'wedge. means operable by said knob for moving. at least. one of each set of lugs... to..cause.separation of the lugs. of each setto. permit; chips to pass between the sauna.

BLEANCHARD D. SMITH.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are: of record" in the me. 05-. thispatent;

STATES PATENTS Hunter. NOV; 18, 1947

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