VENDING MACHINE

• US 3,780,909 A
• Filed: 08/04/1971
• Issued: 12/25/1973
• Est. Priority Date: 08/04/1971
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Stephen I. Horvath, William H. Callahan
• Original Assignee: Stephen I. Horvath, William H. Callahan
• Inventors: Callahan, William H., Horvath, Stephen I.
• Primary Examiner(s): Coleman, Samuel F.
• Application Number:
  US05/168,843
• Time in Patent Office: 874 Days
• Field of Search: 198/180,179 221/76-86,218,219,129
• US Class Current: 221/85
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 11/58 the articles being supported on or by endless belts or like conveyors

Abstract

A vending machine for vending packaged products having a product compartment, a plurality of delivery arms located in the product compartment, each including a movable endless chain having a plurality of pairs of package retention elements, the elements of each pair coacting to releasably retain an individual package to be vended.

Claims

1. In a vending machine for vending packaged products having at least one delivery arm for retaining and dispensing packages, said delivery arm comprising:

a. an elongated member carried by said vending machine and having at least two laterally spaced rollers mounted thereon;

b. an endless chain mounted on said rollers and adapted to be rotated for vending packaged products;

c. said chain defining a plurality of pairs of retention elements, each having adjacent clamping surfaces for releasably retaining a package to be vended and being operable to release said package upon rotation of the chain about one of said rollers; and

d. one of said elements of each pair of retention elements including a pivotally supported member defining said clamping surface and biasing means urging said member in a direction toward the adjacent clamping surface of the other element.

2. An apparatus therefore as claimed in claim 1 wherein said elongated members therefore includes an elongated channel defining a drive end and a delivery end, said endless chain is rotatably supported by said channel intermediate said ends with a portion of said pairs of retention elements underlying said channel, each of said pairs of elements underlying said channels are disposed to coact to releasably retain a package to be vended, and wherein said mechanism is operable to advance said portion of said chain including said pairs of elements underlying said channel toward said delivery end to terminate said coaction.

3. An apparatus therefor as claimed in claim 2 wherein said channel further defines a pair of opposed facing guide tracks extending longitudinally thereof and wherein said portion of said chain including said pairs of retention elements underlying said channel are slidably supported within said guide tracks.

4. An apparatus therefor as claimed in claim 2 wherein said channel defines at least one stripping surface adjacent said delivery end engageable with said package to be vended upon advancement of said chain toward said delivery end.

5. An apparatus therefor as claimed in claim 1 wherein the elements of each said pairs of elements are formed upon adjacent links of said chain.

6. In a vending machine for vending packaged products, an improved dispensing unit comprising:

a. an elongated member rotatably mounting an endless chain;

b. said endless chain having means for defining opposing pairs of retention elements with coacting surfaces for releasably retaining a packaged product and adapted to terminate said coaction to effect dispensing of said packaged product;

c. one of said surfaces being formed by a resiliently biased member carried by an associated retention element and urged against the coacting surface of the other element; and

d. said surface formed by said biased member forming an outwardly opening angle with the other surface for guiding said packages into said retention elements and for facilitating the reloading of the dispensing units with packages to be dispensed.