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US 4,047,637 AGranted
Paper clip dispenser
AssigneeMinnesota Mining and Manufacturing Company
InventorsJerome A. Grunstad, Richard G. Eischens
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A dispenser for magnetizable articles such as pins or paper clips. The dispenser has inner and outer concentric, slotted cylinders, the first cylinder being rotatable within the outer cylinder for dispensing articles through the slots. A pair of spaced magnets establishes a magnetic field which intersects the path of the dispensed articles for suspending the articles in the field without the aid of mechanical supports.
Claims6
A dispenser for magnetizable articles, comprising:
- a stationary cylindrical outer shell having an inner surface, the shell having an axial slot formed therein for passage of the articles;
- a cylindrical article container rotatably mounted within the shell, the container having at least one axial slot therein for receiving an article and moving the article along the inner surface of the shell to deliver the articles to the shell slot for dispensing therefrom upon rotation of the container;
- and
- magnetic means establishing a magnetic field intersecting the paths of the dispensed articles for terminating the fall of the dispensed articles and suspending the articles.
1 more element
A dispenser for magnetizable articles, comprising:
- a base;
- a cylindrical shell affixed to the base, the shell having an axial slot for passage of the articles;
- a cylindrical article container concentric with and rotatably mounted within the shell, the container having a side wall and end walls and having a knob extending from at least one end wall for rotating the container within the shell and having at least one axial slot for passage of the articles to deliver the articles one at a time to the shell slot for dispensing therefrom upon rotation of the container;
- and
- a pair of spaced magnets affixed to said base proximate the end points of the shell slot, the magnets providing a magnetic field in the space therebetween for intersecting the paths of the dispensed articles and suspending the articles in the space.
2 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.