Liquid container dispensing apparatus
First Claim
1. A liquid container dispensing apparatus comprising:
- a storage unit having a top wall, side walls, back wall, and bottom wall;
a storage rack securely disposed inside of said storage unit and having a plurality of compartments each of which includes a plurality of shelves vertically arranged, each of said shelves having a front end and a back end and being inclined downwardly from said front end to said back end, further said back ends being spaced from said back wall to form dispensing chutes to allow liquid containers to pass therein, said discharge chutes being defined by said back wall and further being angled downwardly and forwardly below said storage rack said storage rack comprises a plurality of spaced-apart vertically-oriented partitions having sides, said partitions immediately adjacent to one another forming respective said compartments; and
means for dispensing liquid containers from said storage unit, said dispensing means including a plurality of lever members one for each compartment, each of said lever members being pivotally mounted upon a fulcrum member and having a back end and a front end and ramp portions, said back ends of said lever members being disposed inside said storage unit and said front ends of said lever members being exposed outside of said storage unit, said dispensing means further including a plurality of linkage members one for each of said lever members, each of said linkage members having a front end and a back end and a ramp adapted to allow liquid containers to move thereupon, said back ends of said linkage members 34 being elevated relative to said front ends of said linkage members 34 which are pivotally attached to said lever members, said back ends of said linkage members adapted to substantially prevent liquid containers from freely falling out of said storage unit, said dispensing means further including a plurality of catch members disposed at said back ends of said lever members for preventing next-in-line liquid containers advancement while first-in-line liquid containers are being dispensed from said storage unit.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A liquid container dispensing apparatus having a storage unit, a storage rack including tiered shelves and separated compartments with the shelves terminating short of the back wall of the storage unit and being inclined downwardly from the front to the rear, lever members for each compartment with each lever member being pivotally mounted upon a fulcrum member which is disposed upon the bottom wall, catch members extending downwardly from the back ends of the lever members to prevent advancement of the next-in-line liquid containers as the first-in-line liquid containers are being dispensed with the lever members, and linkage members connected to the lever members to facilitate the dispensing of the liquid containers along the lever members and also to prevent freely falling of the first-in-line liquid containers.
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Citations
12 Claims
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1. A liquid container dispensing apparatus comprising:
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a storage unit having a top wall, side walls, back wall, and bottom wall; a storage rack securely disposed inside of said storage unit and having a plurality of compartments each of which includes a plurality of shelves vertically arranged, each of said shelves having a front end and a back end and being inclined downwardly from said front end to said back end, further said back ends being spaced from said back wall to form dispensing chutes to allow liquid containers to pass therein, said discharge chutes being defined by said back wall and further being angled downwardly and forwardly below said storage rack said storage rack comprises a plurality of spaced-apart vertically-oriented partitions having sides, said partitions immediately adjacent to one another forming respective said compartments; and means for dispensing liquid containers from said storage unit, said dispensing means including a plurality of lever members one for each compartment, each of said lever members being pivotally mounted upon a fulcrum member and having a back end and a front end and ramp portions, said back ends of said lever members being disposed inside said storage unit and said front ends of said lever members being exposed outside of said storage unit, said dispensing means further including a plurality of linkage members one for each of said lever members, each of said linkage members having a front end and a back end and a ramp adapted to allow liquid containers to move thereupon, said back ends of said linkage members 34 being elevated relative to said front ends of said linkage members 34 which are pivotally attached to said lever members, said back ends of said linkage members adapted to substantially prevent liquid containers from freely falling out of said storage unit, said dispensing means further including a plurality of catch members disposed at said back ends of said lever members for preventing next-in-line liquid containers advancement while first-in-line liquid containers are being dispensed from said storage unit. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. A liquid container dispensing apparatus comprising:
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a storage unit having a top wall, side walls, back wall, and bottom wall; a storage rack securely disposed inside of said storage unit and having a plurality of compartments each of which includes a plurality of shelves vertically arranged, each of said shelves having a front end and a back end and being inclined downwardly from said front end to said back end, further said back ends being spaced from said back wall to form dispensing chutes to allow liquid containers to pass therein, said discharge chutes being defined by said back wall and further being angled downwardly and forwardly below said storage rack and means for dispensing liquid containers from said storage unit, said dispensing means including a plurality of lever members one for each compartment, each of said lever members being pivotally mounted upon a fulcrum member and having a back end and a front end and ramp portions, said back ends of said lever members being disposed inside said storage unit and said front ends of said lever members being exposed outside of said storage unit, said dispensing means further including a plurality of linkage members one for each of said lever members, each of said linkage members having a front end and a back end and a ramp adapted to allow liquid containers to move thereupon, said back ends of said linkage members 34 being elevated relative to said front ends of said linkage members 34 which are pivotally attached to said lever members, said back ends of said linkage members adapted to substantially prevent liquid containers from freely falling out of said storage unit, said dispensing means further including a plurality of catch members disposed at said back ends of said lever members for preventing next-in-line liquid containers advancement while first-in-line liquid containers are being dispensed from said storage unit wherein each of said lever members includes a pair of elongate L-shaped members spaced-apart and facing one another with portions of said pair of elongate L-shaped members forming said ramp portions and being generally coplanar with one another.
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Specification