Apparatus for storing and dispensing stacked articles
First Claim
1. Apparatus for storing and dispensing stacked articles, comprising:
- a frame adapted to accommodate a plurality of stacked articles;
a platform situated in said frame adapted to support the stack of articles, said platform having upper and lower surfaces and four corner regions; and
means coupled to said platform for positioning the platform such that the uppermost article in the stack is positioned at a predetermined height and automatically elevating said platform and stack supported thereby upon removal of the uppermost article until the next article beneath it reaches said predetermined height, said positioning and elevating means including a drum rotatably mounted on said platform, a torsion spring situated over said drum, said torsion spring having a first end affixed to said platform and a second end fixed to said rotatable drum, first pulley means fixed to a first end of said drum, second pulley means fixed to a second end of said drum, a first pair of cable means, each having a first end affixed to said first pulley means, a second end adapted to be affixed to a respective upper region of said frame and a length portion engaging a respective corner region of said platform, and a second pair of cable means each having a first end affixed to said second pulley means, a second end adapted to be fixed to a respective upper region of said frame and a length portion engaging a respective corner region of said platform.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Apparatus for storing and dispensing stacked articles, such as cases of wine stacked one upon the other, includes a frame in which a platform is situated on which the stack of articles is supported. The platform is coupled to a mechanism which is positioned under the weight of the stack so that the uppermost article is presented at a predetermined height for automatically elevating the platform and stack supported thereby upon removal of the uppermost article whereby the next article beneath it automatically comes into position at that predetermined height. The mechanism comprises a torsion spring one end of which is attached to the platform and the other end of which is connected to a drum which is mounted to the underside of the support platform. Each lateral end of the drum has a pulley region around which a pair of cables are wound, each cable having a free end which is attached to an upper end of the frame of the apparatus and supports along its length a respective corner of the support platform.
152 Citations
16 Claims
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1. Apparatus for storing and dispensing stacked articles, comprising:
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a frame adapted to accommodate a plurality of stacked articles; a platform situated in said frame adapted to support the stack of articles, said platform having upper and lower surfaces and four corner regions; and means coupled to said platform for positioning the platform such that the uppermost article in the stack is positioned at a predetermined height and automatically elevating said platform and stack supported thereby upon removal of the uppermost article until the next article beneath it reaches said predetermined height, said positioning and elevating means including a drum rotatably mounted on said platform, a torsion spring situated over said drum, said torsion spring having a first end affixed to said platform and a second end fixed to said rotatable drum, first pulley means fixed to a first end of said drum, second pulley means fixed to a second end of said drum, a first pair of cable means, each having a first end affixed to said first pulley means, a second end adapted to be affixed to a respective upper region of said frame and a length portion engaging a respective corner region of said platform, and a second pair of cable means each having a first end affixed to said second pulley means, a second end adapted to be fixed to a respective upper region of said frame and a length portion engaging a respective corner region of said platform. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. Apparatus for storing and dispensing stacked articles, comprising:
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a frame adapted to accommodate a plurality of stacked articles; a platform situated in said frame adapted to support the stack of articles, said platform having upper and lower surfaces and four corner regions; and means coupled to said platform for positioning the platform such that the uppermost article in the stack is positioned at a predetermined height and automatically elevating said platform and stack supported thereby upon removal of the uppermost article until the next article beneath it reaches said predetermined height, said positioning and elevating means including a drum rotatably mounted on said platform, a torsion spring situated over said drum, said torsion spring having a first end affixed to said platform and a second end fixed to said rotatable drum, first pulley means fixed to a first end of said drum, second pulley means fixed to a second end of said drum, a first pair of cable means, each having a first end affixed to said first pulley means, a second end adapted to be affixed to a respective upper region of said frame and a length portion engaging a respective corner region of said platform, and a second pair of cable means each having a first end affixed to said second pulley means, a second end adapted to be fixed to a respective upper region of said frame and a length portion engaging a respective corner region of said platform; wherein each article of said stack includes a plurality of separately removable units, and said apparatus further including means for preventing elevation of said platform upon removal of less than all of said units from said article; wherein said elevation preventing means include detent means coupled to the drum for sensing torque differentials. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15)
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16. Apparatus for storing and dispensing stacked articles, comprising:
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a frame adapted to accommodate a plurality of stacked articles; a platform situated in said frame adapted to support the stack of articles, said platform having upper and lower surfaces and four corner regions; and means coupled to said platform for positioning the platform such that the uppermost article in the stack is positioned at a predetermined height and automatically elevating said platform and stack supported thereby upon removal of the uppermost article until the next article beneath it reaches said predetermined height, said positioning and elevating means including a drum rotatably mounted on said platform, a torsion spring situated over said drum, said torsion spring having a first end affixed to said platform and a second end fixed to said rotatable drum, first pulley means fixed to a first end of said drum, second pulley means fixed to a second end of said drum, a first pair of cable means, each having a first end affixed to said first pulley means, a second end adapted to be affixed to a respective upper region of said frame and a length portion engaging a respective corner region of said platform, and a second pair of cable means each having a first end affixed to said second pulley means, a second end adapted to be fixed to a respective upper region of said frame and a length portion engaging a respective corner region of said platform; wherein each article of said stack includes a plurality of separately removable units, and said apparatus further including means for preventing elevation of said platform upon removal of less than all of said units from said article; wherein said elevation preventing means includes means for sensing torque differentials.
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Specification