Stackable locking display and dispensing structure

• US 5,399,005 A
• Filed: 09/07/1993
• Issued: 03/21/1995
• Est. Priority Date: 09/07/1993
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Betty Schafer
• Original Assignee: Schafer Systems, Inc.
• Inventors: Schafer, Christopher E.
• Primary Examiner(s): Chen, Jose V.
• Assistant Examiner(s): WHITE, RODNEY BARNETT
• Application Number:
  US08/117,450
• Time in Patent Office: 560 Days
• Field of Search: 312/34.4, 312/107, 312/109, 312/111, 206/509, 220/23.6, 226/196, 242/615.2
• US Class Current: 312/107
• CPC Class Codes: G07B 3/04 from a stack

Abstract

A structure for the display and dispensing of tickets whereby top and bottom units are demountably attachable in a stackable arrangement. Each unit is of box-like configuration having a floor, a roof, a pair of sidewalls and an open rear end. A door is pivotally attached at a lower portion of the rear end and semi-permanently attachable in an opposite upper portion of the rear end of the unit to serve as a rear wall for the unit when in a closed position. The bottom unit has a front flange on the bottom portion of the front wall extending downward and rearward into a cavity in the top portion of the front wall to provide a forwardly extending lip portion engageable by the front flange of the top unit when the units are in a stacked relationship. The top unit also has a rear flange on its lower rear portion that extends through at least one opening in the roof of the bottom unit. The rear flange extends downwardly and rearwardly such that it may be engaged by a forwardly extending flange on the upper end of the door of the top unit when such door is in a closed position to lock the two units together in a semi-permanent relationship.

Claims

1. A stackable locking display and dispensing structure comprising:

(a) a base unit of box-like configuration having a floor, a roof, a pair of sidewalls and an open rear end, said roof having a rear edge with at least one opening;

(b) a base unit door pivotally attached at a lower portion of the rear end of said base unit and semi-permanently attachable at an opposite upper portion of the rear end of said base unit to serve as a rear wall for said base unit when in a closed position;

(c) a top unit of box-like configuration having a floor, a roof, a pair of sidewalls, a front end and an open rear end identical in shape and size to the base unit;

(d) a top unit door pivotally attached at a lower portion of the rear end of said top unit and semi-permanently attachable at an opposite upper portion of the rear end of said top unit to serve as a rear wall for said top unit when in a closed position;

(e) means for demountably attaching said top unit in association with the base unit in a stackable arrangement, said means including;

(1) first engagement means on the lower front portion of said top unit and an upper portion of said front wall of said base unit that coact to limit the movement of said units with respect to one another;

(2) second engagement means on the lower rear portion of said top unit and the upper end of said base unit door that coact when said base unit door is in a closed position to lock said units together semi-permanently; and

(f) said second engagement means including;

(1) a rear flange on the lower rear portion of said top unit that is positioned through said least one opening in the roof of said base unit and having a lower end portion extending outwardly to the rear of said top unit; and

(2) a forwardly extending flange on the upper end of said base unit door for engaging and overlying the lower end portion of the rear flange of said top unit when said base unit door is in a closed position.

2. A display and dispensing structure according to claim 1 wherein said first engagement means includes:

(a) a front flange on one of the top unit and bottom unit and extending toward the other of said units; and

(b) a cavity in the front wall of one of said base unit or top unit to provide a forwardly extending lip portion engageable by said front flange.

3. A display and dispensing structure according to claim 1 that further includes:

(a) said doors of each of said base unit and said top unit have a horizontally aligned exit means having a top edge extending outwardly from an outer surface of said doors and opposite sidewall whereby tickets may be dispensed from said structure;

(b) two slotted posts, each fixedly attached to one of the sidewalls of the exit means in a horizontal position extending inwardly toward the opposite sidewall; and

(c) a roller slidably mounted on each of the slotted posts, said roller having an axial throughbore with two portions, a first portion of the bore length having a diameter in close tolerance with the slotted post and a second portion of the bore length having a diameter somewhat larger than the first diameter to increase the resiliency of said roller with respect to said exit means to avoid damage to tickets dispensed through said exit means.

4. A stackable locking display and dispensing structure comprising:

(a) a base unit of box-like configuration having a floor, a roof, a pair of sidewalls, a front end and an open rear end, said roof having a rear edge with at least one recessed portion;

(b) a base unit door pivotally attached at a lower portion of the rear end of said base unit and semi-permanently attached at an opposite upper portion of the rear end of said base unit to serve as a rear wall for said base unit when in a closed position;

said door having an upper end with a frontwardly extending flange;

(c) an upper portion of said front wall having a cavity to provide a frontwardly extending lip portion;

(d) a top unit of box-like configuration having a floor, a roof, a pair of sidewalls, a front end and an open rear end identical in shape and size to the base unit;

(e) a top unit door pivotally attached at a lower portion of the rear end of said top unit and semi-permanently attached at an opposite upper portion of the rear end of said top unit to serve as a rear wall for said top unit when in a closed position;

said door having an upper end with a frontwardly extending flange;

(f) a front flange extending downwardly from the lower front portion of said top unit;

(g) at least one rear flange having a lower end portion extending outwardly from the lower rear portion of said top unit; and

(h) said top and base units are demountably attachable by placement of the top unit in association with the base unit so that said front flange of the top unit fits into said cavity of said base unit to engage said cavity lip, and said rear flange of said top unit extends through the recessed portion of said base unit roof so that when said base unit door is in a closed position, the flange of said door overlaps the outwardly extending end of said top unit rear flange and thereby semi-permanently secures said units together.

5. A structure according to claim 4, in which additional units identical to the top unit may be joined together stackably, each of said additional units being mounted atop the previous unit via the floor of the additional unit and the roof of the previous unit by way of said front and rear flanges.

6. A structure according to claim 4 that further includes:

(a) said doors of each of said base unit and said top unit have a horizontally aligned exit means having a top edge extending outwardly from an outer surface of said doors;

(b) two slotted posts, each fixedly attached to one of the sidewalls of said exit means slot in a horizontal position extending inwardly toward the other side; and

(c) a roller slidably mounted on each of the slotted posts, said roller having an axial throughbore with a first portion of the length of the bore having a diameter in close tolerance with the slotted post and a second portion of the length of the bore having a diameter somewhat larger than the first diameter to increase the resiliency of said roller.