Latching mechanism for dispenser apparatus
AssigneeWaterbury Companies, Inc.
InventorRussell A. Marcy
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A dispenser including a casing formed by a body member and a closure member. A stationary latching element is carried by a container for a consumable within the body member and a movable latching element is carried by the closure member. A key is received through the closure member to interact with the movable latching element to move the same from a latching to a nonlatching disposition. The dispenser is of the type adapted for dispensing the consumable and the latching mechanism prevents access to the enclosed space to all individuals, excepting those authorized access.
Claims10
Dispenser apparatus for repeated use in dispensing a consumable through an outlet opening, said dispenser apparatus including a casing having a body member both for supporting a container for said consumable and enclosing said container within a space, and a closure member mounted on said body member to close said space preventing access to said consumable;
- means mounting said closure member for movement between an open position to permit replenishment of said consumable and a closed position;
- latching means for latching said closure member in said closed position to prevent substantially unauthorized access to said space, said latching means including a stationary latching element carried by one of said body member and container, a movable latching element carried by said closure member, said movable latching element including a base, a hub extending from said base, a rim likewise extending from said base and spaced outwardly of said hub to define a recess therebetween, at least one projection within said recess at said base, an ear extending from said base, means for mounting said movable latching element to said closure member, means for biasing said movable latching element to a first position, means carried by said mounting means for supporting one end of said biasing means whose other end is supported by said ear, and a nose extending from said base to cooperatively interact with said stationary latching element for latching said closure member when said movable latching element is in said first position;
- said mounting means also supporting said movable latching element for movement from said first position;
- and a key having an operative portion to be received in said recess, said operative portion having a slot equal in number and spaced apart in accordance with the spacing of each said projection, each said projection being received in a slot to engage said key and movable latching element whereby movement of said movable latching element in opposition to said biasing means in following movement of said key results in movement of said movable latching element from said first position toward a second position for release of said cooperative interaction between latching elements.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.