Dispensers for powdered foods which incorporate a receptacle for the powder, a levelling means for levelling of the receptacle and a counter operated by the levelling means are known from GB 2331979, EP 1058097 and EP 1164363 for example. All these dispensers are either awkward to operate and/or unreliable, and/or impracticable or expensive to manufacture.

In many examples of the prior art the levelling means must be pushed forward and backward on the handle. In some, the levelling means is hingedly mounted on the handle. One major improvement of the present invention lies in the fact that the levelling means is pivotally mounted on the handle with the counting wheel mounted on the same axis. Through this simple expedient the applicant has achieved a measuring dispenser which has a minimum number of parts and is therefore so simple to construct, preferably with all parts being plastics mouldings, that the dispenser can be made cheaply enough to give away as a promotional article with, say, every tin of powdered babies'milk.

The present invention provides a dispenser for powdered or granular material comprising: an open topped receptacle for the material mounted on a handle; a manually operated arm mounted on the handle for movement about a pivot axis between a retracted position and a forward position during which movement it sweeps across the top of the receptacle to level the material contained therein; and a counting wheel mounted for rotation about the pivot axis; the arrangement being such that each movement of the arm from its retracted position to its forward position indexes the counting wheel by one step so that the number of sweeps carried out by the arm can be read off the counting wheel by the user.

A preferred embodiment of the present invention provides a dispenser for powdered or granular material comprising: an open topped receptacle for the material mounted on a handle; a manually operated arm mounted on the handle for movement about a pivot axis between a retracted position and a forward position during which movement it sweeps across the top of the receptacle to level the material contained therein; a spring coupled to the arm and acting to return the arm to its retracted position; and a counting wheel mounted for rotation about the pivot axis and coupled to the arm through a ratchet mechanism such that the counting wheel is rotated about the pivot axis with the arm as the arm moves from its retracted position to its forward position but is held against rotation as the arm returns to its retracted position; the arrangement being such that each movement of the arm from its retracted position to its forward position indexes the counting wheel by one step so that the number of sweeps carried out by the arm can be read off the counting wheel by the user.

Embodiments of the invention are described below with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 is a side view of the dispenser; Figure 2 is a plan view of the dispenser; Figure 3 is the other side view of the dispenser; Figure 4 is an underplan view of the dispenser; Figure 5 is a plan view of a handle component of the dispenser; Figure 6 is a side view of the handle component; Figure 7 is a side view of an operating arm of the dispenser; Figure 8 is a plan view of the operating arm; Figure 9 is a plan view of a spring component of the dispenser; Figure 10 is a side view of the spring component; Figure 11 is a front view of a counting wheel of the dispenser; Figure 12 is a side view of the counting wheel; and Figure 13 is a perspective view of the rear of the counting wheel.

The dispenser 1 shown in the drawings is made from four components, each moulded from polypropropylene or other suitable plastics material. The components are: a handle component 2, an operating arm 3, a spring component 4 and a counting wheel 5.

With reference to the drawings, it can be seen that the handle component 2 comprises a handle 6 and an open topped receptacle 7 mounted on the handle. Holes 8 are provided at the bottom of the receptacle. These break any vacuum created in the receptacle and assist in emptying it of powdered material. The handle is formed from an elongate web 9 with a downturned wall running around substantially the entire periphery of the web.

The wall is gently curved in some parts 10 but has steeper parts 11 nearer to the receptacle 7.

The operating arm 3 is formed by an elongate blade 12 which is fixedly mounted on a stub axle 13 through which the operating arm is joumalled on the handle for movement about a pivot axis 14 between a retracted position, as shown in the drawings, and a forward position during which movement it sweeps across the top of the receptacle to level the material contained therein. An opening 15 in the handle provides a rotary bearing for the stub axle. A pair of small posts 16 upstanding on the handle limit the pivotal movement of the arm by engaging the blade 12. The blade 12 has a forward portion 17 and a rearward portion 18. One or both of the portions 17 and 18 can be manually engaged by the user to operate the arm 3 and ribs 19 are provided on the blade to enhance its grip.

The pivot axis 14 is located quite near to the receptacle and preferably the distance of the pivot axis from the below edge of the receptacle is only about 20-25% of the length of the handle. During each movement from its retracted position to its forward position, the arm pivots through about 40°.

The somewhat guitar shaped spring component 4 comprises an elongate leaf spring 20 which is fixed at one end to a plate 21. The plate is formed with a raised cylinder 22, which receives the stub axle 13 of the operating arm as a snap fit therein to prevent relative axial movement. Relative rotary movement is prevented by a key 23 in the cylinder engaging with a key way 24 in the stub axle. Thus, when assembled, the operating arm 3 and spring component 4 are fixed to one another and pivot together about the pivot axis. The free end of the spring 20 carries two enlargements 25 which co-operate with two posts 26 on the underside of the handle to couple that end of the spring to the handle. The spring is thus coupled to the operating arm 3 via the plate 2, and acts to return the arm to its retracted position. Wings 27 on the plate 21 limit the pivotal movement of the plate by bearing up against the wall parts 10 of the handle.

Thus the posts 16 may not be required.

The counting wheel 5 is mounted for rotation about the pivot axis 14 and is coupled to the arm 3 through a ratchet mechanism such that the counting wheel is rotated about the pivot axis with the arm 3 as the arm moves from its retracted position to its forward position but is held against rotation as the arm returns to its retracted position under the action of the spring 20. The counting wheel has a first face 28 on which sequential numerals (0-8 as shown but more could be provided) are arranged spaced circumferentially therearound. On the opposite face 29, the counting wheel carries a first ring of ratchet teeth 30 and a second ring of ratchet teeth 31 separated by a cylindrical wall 32. The counting wheel is journalled on the stub axle and held between the web 8 of the handle and the plate 21. A resilient tooth 33 carried on the plate 21 forms a first pawl which engages the first ring of ratchet teeth 30 on the counting wheel to rotate the counting wheel with the arm as it moves from its retracted position to its forward position. A second resilient tooth 34 carried on the handle forms a second pawl which engages the second ring of ratchet teeth 31 to prevent rotation of the counting wheel with the arm as it returns to its retracted position under the action of the spring 20. Each movement of the arm from its retracted position to its forward position indexes the counting wheel 5 by one step so that the number of sweeps carried out by the arm can be read off the counting wheel by the user. To facilitate this, the handle is formed with a window 35 in which the numerals on the counting wheel appear sequentially as the wheel is indexed in rotation by the arm. The numeral appearing in the window is visible at all times.

A cut-away portion of the handle provides an opening 36 through which a part of the periphery 37 of the counting wheel is exposed so that it can be manually rotated (in the forward sense only) for zeroing the counter. The first face of the counting wheel is knurled on its periphery for this purpose.. A re-entrant wall part 38 of the handle is formed adjacent to the opening 36 and carries the second tooth 34.

To operate the dispenser, the user overfills the receptacle 7 with the required material by scooping it from a container. The operating arm 3 is then operated manually to sweep closely across the open top of the receptacle to its forward position. The arm is then returned to its retracted position by the spring 20. During both the forward and return movements, the forward portion 17 of the blade 12 of the operating arm acts to wipe away excess material protruding above the rim of the receptacle 7. The measured quantity of material is then tipped out of the receptacle and the process repeated until the required number of doses have been measured. At any time, the number of doses which have been measured can be read off the counting wheel through the window 35.

When measuring is complete, the user rotates the counting wheel by hand so that the numeral 0 is shown in the window 35 and the dispenser is then ready for use again.

As shown, the receptacle 7 is integrally formed with the handle 6 but it could be detachably mounted. In this case, several differently sized receptacles could be provided for measuring different quantities of material.

The dispenser is constructed such that the components can be assembled together without gluing or the use of screws etc. As previously mentioned, the arm and the spring component snap together with the handle and the counting wheel held therebetween.

The dispenser can be easily operated by both left and right handed people.