Single-stop shopping facility kit

• US 4,169,521 A
• Filed: 03/03/1978
• Issued: 10/02/1979
• Est. Priority Date: 08/23/1976
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Michael M. Vayda Jr
• Original Assignee: Michael M. Vayda Jr
• Inventors: Vayda, Michael M. Jr.
• Primary Examiner(s): Reger, Duane A.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Eisenzopf, Reinhard J.
• Application Number:
  US05/882,982
• Time in Patent Office: 578 Days
• Field of Search: 186/1 C, 141/98
• US Class Current: 186/36
• CPC Class Codes: E04H 3/04 Restaurants or shops having arrangements for self-service
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 7/00 Mechanisms actuated by objects other than coins to free or to actuate vending, hiring, coin or paper currency dispensing or refunding apparatus

Abstract

A drive-in, single-stop shopping facility for simultaneously vending numerous retail products and fuel to a customer positioned at a fixed purchase station, e.g., a stationary automobile. A method for simultaneously vending retail products and fuel to such a customer. A kit for converting existing gas station buildings into drive-in, single stop shopping facilities of the type described.

Claims

1. A kit for conversion of an automobile service station into a drive-in, single-stop shopping facility for vending retail products and fuel to customers seated in first and second automobiles, said kit having component parts capable of being assembled in the field at a service station having means for housing the retail products and personnel for said facility and first and second dispensing means operable by a ramp attendant for respectively delivering fuel to said first and second automobiles, said kit comprising the combination of:

(a) first and second purchase selection means adapted to be mounted at said service station so as to be operable by said customers respectively seated in said first and second automobiles, each of said purchase selection means including;

means for informing the customer of the selection of fuel and retail products for sale at the facility;

means for communicating the customer'"'"'s fuel purchase selection to said ramp attendant; and

means for communicating the customer'"'"'s retail product selections to a cashier and order clerk within said housing means;

(b) first and second payment means adapted to be mounted at said service station so as to be operable by said customers respectively seated in said first and second automobiles and by said cashier, each of said payment means including means for the customer to pay for the total cost of the customer'"'"'s retail product and fuel order;

(c) means adapted to be mounted on said housing means so as to be operable by said order clerk for passing the customer'"'"'s respective retail product orders from within said housing means to the outside thereof for delivery to the customers'"'"' automobiles;

means (a) through (c) being adapted to be operatively associated so that, when said kit is assembled in the field to convert a service station to said facility, both customer'"'"'s respective retail product and fuel purchases can be accomplished independently of each other and during the same time frame, whereby customers respectively seated in said first and second automobiles can be served retail products and fuel at the facility at the same time.

2. The invention of claim 1 further comprising first and second means adapted to be mounted between said housing means and said first and second automobiles for conveying a retail product order to said automobiles.

3. The invention of claim 1 wherein the first purchase selection means and the first payment means comprise a first console unit and wherein the second purchase selection means and the second payment means comprise a second console unit.

4. The invention of claim 3 wherein said first and second purchase selection and payment means include a control console means for said cashier to facilitate ordering and payment.

5. The invention of claim 4 wherein said kit further includes a console means for said order clerk to facilitate assembly of said retail product order.

6. The invention of claim 4 wherein said kit has a first conveying means adapted for mounting between said first console unit and said control console and a second conveying means adapted for mounting between said second console unit and said control console.