Pellet dispensers

Abstract

A pellet dispenser has an egg-shaped housing containing a generally oval diaphragm ( 24 ) separating an upper pellet reservoir portion ( 12 ) from a lower discharge portion ( 14 ) having a discharge opening ( 8 ). Lateral pressure can be applied to the diaphragm ( 24 ) by a button ( 20 ) in the side of the housing to cause the diaphragm ( 24 ) to bow. The diaphragm ( 24 ) has a central aperture ( 32 ) and carries on opposite sides of the aperture a pair of half cylindrical arms ( 4, 36 ) defining a channel ( 38 ) from the aperture ( 32 ) to the opening ( 8 ). A pair of mating doors ( 10 ) closing the opening ( 8 ) are carried at the distal ends of the arms ( 34, 36 ). When the diaphragm ( 24 ) is squeezed the distal ends of the arms ( 34, 36 ) separate to open the doors ( 10 ). A pair of rods ( 42 ) are attached to the diaphragm ( 24 ) only at their opposite ends. The intermediate portions of the rods ( 42 ), which normally lie adjacent opposite sides of the apertures, bow inwardly when the diaphragm ( 24 ) is squeezed, towards each other, to obstruct the passage of pellets from the reservoir through the aperture ( 32 ).

1 . A pellet dispenser comprising a reservoir for storing pellets, an opening through which pellets can be discharged, a channel leading from the reservoir to the opening and a mechanism for controlling the discharge of pellets from the reservoir via the channel and through the opening in discrete batches of at least one pellet, the mechanism comprising a resilient and flexible laminar member, operation means for flexing the laminar member to vary its arcuate profile, arm means mounted at a discrete location on the laminar member and carrying a shutter so positioned as to move into and out of a position in which it can obstruct the passage of pellets from the channel through the opening in response to a change in arcuate profile of the laminar member, and obstruction means mounted at another discrete location on the laminar member so positioned as to move into and out of a position in which it can obstruct the passage of pellets from the reservoir to the channel in response to a change in arcuate profile of the laminar member, the obstruction means not obstructing the passage of pellets when the shutter means obstructs the passage of pellets and vice versa.  
     
     
         2 . A dispenser according to  claim 1 , wherein the laminar member defines an aperture for admitting pellets from the reservoir to the passage.  
     
     
         3 . A dispenser according to  claim 1  or to  claim 2 , wherein the arm means comprises a pair of half cylindrical portions each having one axial end rigid with the laminar member at respective discrete locations, the distal ends of the cylindrical portions carrying complementary shutter portions defining said shutter, whereby changes in arcuate profile of said laminar member causes the distal ends of said cylindrical portions to move from a first position in which they engage one another and hold the shutter portions in a position in which they close said opening to a second position in which they lie spaced apart and hold said shutter portions in a position in which they substantially clear said opening.  
     
     
         4 . A dispenser according to  claim 3 , wherein said one end of each said cylindrical portion is rigid with said laminar member only over an arc which subtends an angle of less than 90° C.  
     
     
         5 . A dispenser according to  claim 3  or to  claim 4 , wherein said cylindrical portions defines said channel.  
     
     
         6 . A dispenser according to  claim 5  as dependent upon  claim 2 , wherein the aperture and channel have substantially the same diameter and are coaxially aligned.  
     
     
         7 . A dispenser according to any preceding claim, comprising a generally egg-shaped two part housing having a first part generally defining the reservoir and a second containing the said mechanism.  
     
     
         8 . A dispenser according to  claim 7 , wherein one edge of the laminar member is located in an internal groove in one side of the second part and has another edge engaged by a push button located in a button opening on the opposite side of the second part.  
     
     
         9 . A dispenser according to  claim 8 , wherein a portion of the perimeter of the button is hingedly connected to the second part at position adjacent a periphery of the button opening.  
     
     
         10 . A dispenser according to  claim 9 , wherein the hinged connection is effected by a living hinge.  
     
     
         11 . A dispenser according to any preceding claim, wherein the obstruction means comprise a pair of normally generally parallel spaced elongate members secured at opposite ends of the laminar member and extending an opposite side of the path of pellets from the reservoir to the channel, the positions of the opposite ends of the elongate members on the laminar member being such that when the laminar member experiences a change in arcuate profile, the ends move towards each other to cause the intermediate portions of the two elongate members to bow towards each other into said path to obstruct the passage of pellets there along.  
     
     
         12 . A dispenser according to any one of  claims 1  to  10 , wherein the obstruction means comprises, at least one projection mounted in said laminar member at a location spaced from said channel and extending towards said channel, abutment means for engaging an intermediate portion on said projection whereby when the laminar member experiences a change in profile, said projection is displaced to engage said abutment means and then by cam action causes the distal end of the projection to extend into said channel and obstruct the further passage of pellets there along.  
     
     
         13 . A pellet dispenser comprising a housing containing a flexible resilient laminar member separating the housing into first and second compartments, the first compartment defining a reservoir for storing pellets there, second compartment having a discharge opening for discharging pellets, the laminar member defining an aperture through which pellets can pass from the first to the second compartments, and being free to flex and change its arcuate profile in response to lateral pressure, a pair of arms mounted on the laminar member on opposite sides of the aperture to extend towards the opening, each arm carrying a door, the doors closing the opening when the laminar member adopts a first arcuate profile and moving away from the opening when the laminar member adopts a second arcuate profile, an obstruction mounted on the laminar member and movable between a first position in which it obstructs the passage of pellets through the aperture from one compartment to the other when the laminar member adopts the second arcuate profile and a second position in which it does not obstruct the passage of pellets from the first to the second compartment through the opening when the laminar member adopts the first arcuate profile.  
     
     
         14 . A dispenser according to  claim 13 , wherein the housing has a side aperture in a side thereof to expose the laminar member to enable said lateral pressure to be applied thereto.  
     
     
         15 . A dispenser according to  claim 14 , including a push button hingedly connected to the rim of the side aperture and through which pressure can be applied to said laminar member.  
     
     
         16 . A pellet dispenser comprising a reservoir for storing pellets, an opening through which pellets can be discharged, a channel leading from the reservoir to the opening and a mechanism for controlling the discharge of pellets from the reservoir via the channel and through the opening in discrete batches of at least one pellet, the mechanism comprising a two part laminar member in which the two parts are hingedly interconnected, operation means for acting on the laminar member to vary the angular relationship between the two parts, arm means mounted at a discrete location on the laminar member and carrying a shutter so positioned as to move into and out of a position in which it can obstruct the passage of pellets from the channel through the opening in response to a change angular relationship between the two parts of the laminar member, and obstruction means mounted at another discrete location on the laminar member so positioned as to move into and out of a position in which it can obstruct the passage of pellets from the reservoir to the channel in response to a change in the relationship between the two parts of the laminar member, the obstruction means not obstructing the passage of pellets when the shutter means obstructs the passage of pellets and vice versa.  
     
     
         17 . A dispenser according to  claim 1 , including means for limiting the range of angular relationships between the two parts.