Patent ID: 6116459
Filing Date: 2000-09-12
Classification: A47J

Abstract:
Apparatus for removing a topmost paper article having substantially vertical side walls from a nested stack of such articles, said apparatus comprising:an open-topped container for the stack;a lid configured to close the open top of said container, said lid having at least one opening therethrough;a pair of tabs extending through said at least one opening, said tabs having upper ends and pivotally connected to said lid so that the tab upper ends can pivot toward one another from an initial position in which the tab upper ends are biased away from one another;a spring extending between said tabs, said spring configured to bias the upper ends of said tabs away from one another so that said tabs are maintained in the initial position;a pair of elongate members, one of said members depending from one of said tabs, the other of said members depending from the other of said tabs, said members each having a lower end, wherein said members are configured so that the lower ends move to an engaged position relative to the paper article when the upper ends of said tabs are moved against the spring; andat least two contact elements for contacting the article, at least one of said at least two contact elements coupled to the lower end of each of said elongate members, said at least two contact elements configured to contact the substantially vertical side walls of the topmost article when said member lower ends are in the engaged position.