Bulk dispenser for comestibles

摘要

A bulk dispenser (10) having particular application for dispensing ready-to-eat cereals is disclosed generally including a stand (12), a dispenser unit (14) and a storage bin (16). A door assembly (74) is pivotally mounted to the dispenser unit (14) and includes a counterweight (80) fixed to and for biasing a door (76) to its closed position closing the discharge opening of the dispenser unit (14). The door (76) is moved from its closed position by pushing against the arcuate portion (92) of a pusher tongue (88). The free end of the pusher tongue (88) moves through an arcuate groove (98) formed in the base (94) of the stand (12) when the door (76) pivots about its axis. The bottom (22) of the storage bin (16) has a curvilinear shape to prevent bridging of the cereal over its lower aperture (26) preventing passage of the cereal into the dispensing unit (14). The cereal is dispensed by the rotation of an auger (54) including a flight (62) of the continuous screw type and having an outer periphery of a decreasing diameter and engaging a trough (52) of the discharge unit (14) sloping downward from the horizontal from the discharge opening to the rear wall (40). Excessive forward flowing of the cereal to the bowl is thus prevented while reducing the amount of product fines generated by working the bulk dispenser (10).