Portable dispensing apparatus

Dispensing – Outlet element in one wall – rod actuator through container...

Reexamination Certificate

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Details

C222S470000, C222S518000, C222S540000

Reexamination Certificate

active

06315174

ABSTRACT:

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
THIS INVENTION relates to a portable dispensing apparatus.
The repairing of “divots” in the playing surface of a golf course, made by golfers while playing the game of golf, is both labour intensive and time consuming. Golf course greens staff often use expensive and/or labour intensive methods such as scooping a growing material, usually sand, from buckets, bags and vehicles. By means of a spade or by hand, the sand is then deposited into and around divots formed in the playing surface. Certain golf clubs require golfers to carry sand bags with them and to fill divots caused by them in the playing surface of the golf course. Such sand bags are both cumbersome and messy and the sand obtained from sand bins which are provided at such courses is often soggy and difficult to handle. Furthermore, research has shown that in spite of golfers carrying sand bags on golf courses at golf clubs which require them to do so, the sand bags often are not filled for the reasons set out hereinabove.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is thus an object of the present invention to ameliorate many of the problems associated with the repairing of divots made by golfers in the playing surface of a golf course.
According to the invention there is provided a portable dispensing apparatus for dispensing a particulate material, which comprises
a container for containing the particulate material, the container having an outlet defined in an operative lower region thereof, through which particulate material contained in the container can be dispensed, under the force of gravity, therefrom;
a handle formation by which the container can be carried in a configuration in which particulate material can be dispensed, under the force of gravity, therefrom; and
a valve arrangement including a valve member located in a configuration in which it is displaceable between a first position, in which it blocks the outlet of the container, and a second position, in which the outlet is open and it permits dispensing of the particulate material, under the force of gravity, from the container, and a displacement mechanism for displacing the valve member between its first and second positions.
The dispensing apparatus, in accordance with the invention, may be adapted particularly for use in repairing divots made by golfers in grass playing surfaces of golf courses and, as such, the container of the dispensing apparatus is adapted particularly to contain a particulate growing material such as sand and the valve arrangement permits the growing material to be dispensed, under the force of gravity, from the container via the outlet into a divot in a grass surface to be repaired.
A particular embodiment of the invention provides for the displacement mechanism of the valve arrangement and the handle assembly to be operatively linked and for the handle formation to be displaceably located with respect to the container in a configuration in which, by displacement with respect to the container, the displacement mechanism is acted upon for displacing the valve member between its first and second positions. More particularly, the handle formation may be displaceable with respect to the container between first and second positions which coincide respectively with the first and second positions of the valve member of the valve arrangement.
A preferred embodiment of the invention provides for the handle formation to include a gripping handle secured to an inverted cup formation, the cup formation fitting slidably over the operative top region of the container to permit the required displacement of the handle formation with respect to the container. The inverted cup formation may carry an actuating member that acts on the displacement mechanism of the valve arrangement for displacing the valve member between its first and second positions by the displacement of the handle formation.
Accordingly, the dispensing apparatus may include urging means for urging the handle formation into a position in which the valve member of the valve arrangement is disposed in its first position, thus providing for the displacement of the handle formation from its first position to its second position against the urging force of the urging means. The urging means typically is a suitable spring.
Still further according to the invention, the displacement mechanism may include an elongate rod which has one end connected to the valve member of the valve arrangement, the rod extending from the valve member through the container to a location in the operative upper region of the container where its opposite end can be acted upon by the displacement of the handle formation with respect to the container. The dispensing apparatus may include a guide tube that extends through the container and within which the elongate rod of the displacement mechanism is slidably displaceable. The dispensing apparatus also may include further urging means for urging the elongate rod into a position in which the valve member is disposed in its first position, the urging means typically comprising a suitable spring.
Still further according to the invention, the container of the dispensing apparatus may include a base skirt that extends from the opposite lower end thereof to a location beyond the outlet of the container in a configuration in which, by placing the free end of the skirt on the ground, the handle formation is displaceable with respect to the container by bearing down on the handle formation.
The container of the dispensing apparatus also may include a filler opening for filling a particulate material to be dispensed into the container.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING
Further features of a portable dispensing apparatus, in accordance with the invention, are described hereinafter, by way of a non-limiting example of the invention, with reference to and as illustrated in the accompanying diagrammatic drawing which depicts a schematic cross-sectional side view of a portable dispensing apparatus, in accordance with the invention.


REFERENCES:
patent: 568150 (1896-09-01), Williams
patent: 1222245 (1917-04-01), Schmoller
patent: 1439259 (1922-12-01), Pasnik
patent: 1611681 (1926-12-01), Schling
patent: 1749853 (1930-03-01), Smith
patent: 1965919 (1934-07-01), Bieger et al.
patent: 2123606 (1938-07-01), Latocha
patent: 2600131 (1952-06-01), Schwarm et al.
patent: 2656071 (1953-10-01), Smith
patent: 2733839 (1956-02-01), Blum
patent: 4286737 (1981-09-01), Gallant

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