Apparatus for dispensing particulate condiments

A device for dispensing particulate condiments, comprising:

• a transfer plate having an aliquoting reservoir, the reservoir having a transfer opening;
• a condiment hopper assembly mounted for translation on the transfer plate and including a condiment hopper having a bottom opening registrable with the transfer opening;
• and
• moveable valve means automatically responsive to the position of the hopper with respect to the transfer opening for controlling the dispensing of condiments from the reservoir, said valve means having first and second closed positions and an open position intermediate said first and second closed positions.

A device for dispensing particulate condiments, comprising:

• a transfer plate having a plurality of aliquoting reservoirs arranged in a plurality of dispensing rows, each reservoir having a transfer opening;
• a condiment hopper assembly including a plurality of substantially cylindrical condiment hoppers, each hopper having a bottom opening registrable with at least one of the transfer openings;
• and
• valve means including a gating tray slidably mounted beneath the transfer plate for controlling the dispensing of condiments from the reservoir, the tray having coupling means responsive to the position of the hopper assembly so that the gating tray slides through a complete cycle of opening and closing operation in response to unidirectional translation of the hopper.

A method for dispensing particulate condiments comprising the steps of:

• loading particulate condiments into a hopper translatably mounted above a transfer plate, the plate defining a reservoir having a transfer opening registrable with a bottom opening of the hopper;
• translating the hopper with respect to the plate so that the bottom opening successively passes into, then out of, register with a transfer opening;
• automatically closing a dispensing aperture of the reservoir while the bottom opening is at least partially in register with the transfer opening:
• and
• automatically opening the dispensing aperture while the bottom opening is entirely out of register with the transfer opening, whereby a pre-determined aliquot of condiments is dispensed from the reservoir.

A method for dispensing particulate condiments, comprising the steps of:

• providing a transfer plate having an aliquoting reservoir defining a transfer opening, and also providing a condiment hopper having a bottom opening substantially larger than the transfer opening;
• loading particulate condiments into the hopper;
• positioning the hopper for translational motion above and in contact with the transfer plate;
• translating the hopper with respect to the plate so that the bottom opening successively passes into, then out of registration with the transfer opening, and simultaneously coalescing the condiments toward a center of the transfer opening by pushing the condiments across the transfer plate with a curved, vertical surface of the hopper;
• closing a dispensing aperture of the reservoir while the bottom opening is at least partially in register with the transfer opening;
• and,
• opening the dispensing aperture while the bottom opening is out of register with the transfer opening, whereby a pro-determined aliquot of condiments is dispensed from the reservoir.