1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to devices for measuring and dispensing granular materials. Particularly, the invention relates to such devices which are suitable for hand-held dispensing and which are provided with means for adjustably varying the quantity dispensed.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Prior art devices of the type concerned have utilized a multi-compartment measuring chamber which is reciprocated between fill and dispense positions, with adjustment means which selects the numbers of compartments to be filled. Advantageously, in hand-held units, the multi-compartment measuring chamber is reciprocated about an axis, as in U.S. Pat. No. 2,002,039.
My aforesaid patent application discloses an improvement over U.S. Pat. No. 2,002,039 wherein a multi-compartment measuring chamber is fixed at the outlet from the material container, filling and dispensing is accomplished by reciprocating closure members across the tops and bottoms of the compartments about an axis, and selection of the number of compartments to be filled and dispensed is effected by controlling the extent of movement of the closure members. Advantages of this construction over that of U.S. Pat. No. 2,002,039 include no movement of the filled compartments for dispensing, reduction of material dusting and consequent jamming, and ease of operation. However, the construction of the patent application, like that of the patent, has a disadvantage when it is desired to provide numerous adjustments of dispensed quantities varying in small increments, since the minimum cross-section of such compartments which will fill and dispense satisfactorily restricts adjustment increments to minimum quantities which may be too high, and the minimum thickness of the individual compartment walls, added to the minimum cross-section of the compartments, limits the number of compartments which can be provided, due to space considerations.
U.S. Pat. No. 1,090,764 discloses a dispenser construction in which a single compartment fixed at the container outlet is adjustable in size by a movable block, and is dispensed by reciprocating closure members with respect to the compartment. While the structure of this patent does not have the aforesaid disadvantage, its reciprocation and adjustment arrangements are not at all suitable for a hand-held dispenser.