Wall-mountable vending machine support bracket and assembly

• US 8,272,492 B1
• Filed: 01/07/2008
• Issued: 09/25/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 05/19/2006
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Kil Jae Chang
• Original Assignee: Kil Jae Chang
• Inventors: Chang, Kil Jae
• Primary Examiner(s): BEAUCHAINE, MARK J
• Application Number:
  US12/006,890
• Time in Patent Office: 1,723 Days
• Field of Search: 194/350, 221/154, 221/282, 221/283, 221/285, 221/286, 222/180, 248/671, 248/536, 248/124.1, 248/218.4, 248/231.91, 248/310, 52/35, 52/365, 312/245, 312/351.1
• US Class Current: 194/350
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 11/44 in which magazines the articles are stored in bulk
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 5/02 actuated mechanically by coins, e.g. by a single coin
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 9/10 Casings or parts thereof, e.g. with means for heating or cooling

Abstract

A wall-mountable support bracket for supporting a vending machine on a vertical wall includes a load-bearing main member and a top member coupled to the main member to be movable between engaged and disengaged positions relative to the top of the vending machine. The main member is in the form of a one-piece unitary metal plate bent into a substantially fixed angular shape in which the main member is capable of supporting the vending machine on the vertical wall. First apertures in a back portion of the main member receive first fasteners to fixedly attach the main member to the vertical wall. Second apertures in the back portion and a bottom portion of the main member and holes in a bottom and side of a base of the vending machine receive second fasteners to fixedly attached the vending machine to the main member.

Claims

1. A wall-mounted vending machine assembly, comprising:

(a) a vending machine having

(i) a housing with a base removably mounted to said housing,

(ii) a globe mounted on said housing and extending thereabove for holding multiple items,

(iii) a coin-operated item dispensing mechanism mounted in said housing below said globe and being actuatable in response to deposit of at least one coin to transfer and dispense an item from said globe to an exterior location on said housing,

(iv) a top cover removably mounted on an upper end of said globe,

(v) an elongated assembly rod extending longitudinally and vertically through said housing between said top cover and said base of said housing where a lower end of the rod is secured to said housing base, and

(vi) a key-actuated lock device releasably secured to an upper end of said rod and mated with said top cover so as to retain said globe between said top cover and said housing, said base of said housing being provided with a plurality of holes in a bottom and rear side of said base being disposed in a transverse relation to one another; and

(b) a wall-mounted support bracket including

(i) a load-bearing main member in the form of a one-piece unitary metal plate bent into a substantially fixed angular shape in which said main member is capable of supporting a vending machine on a vertical wall, said main member having a back portion, a bottom portion extending in a transverse relation to said back portion, a first plurality of apertures defined in said back portion, and a second plurality of apertures defined in said back and bottom portions;

(ii) a first plurality of fasteners inserted through said first plurality of apertures in said back portion of said main member thereby fixedly attaching said back portion of said main member and said first plurality of fasteners to the vertical wall and thereby firmly holding said back portion of said main member against the wall;

(iii) a second plurality of fasteners inserted from inside of said base of said housing into said holes defined in said transversely-disposed bottom and rear side of said base of said housing of said vending machine and therefrom fixedly inserted into said second plurality of apertures in said back and bottom portions of said main member of said support bracket thereby fixedly attaching said transversely-disposed bottom and rear sides of said base of said vending machine and said second plurality of fasteners to said back and bottom portions of said main member of said support bracket thereby holding and retaining said base of said vending machine against said back portion and upon said bottom portion of said main member such that said base remains fixedly attached to said support bracket even after said vending machine is taken apart starting with removal of said key-actuated lock device from said top cover and rod, next removal of said top cover and globe from said housing, and, last, removal of said housing and rod from said base, all without affecting the retention of said base of said vending machine fixedly attached against said back portion and upon said bottom portion of said main member; and

(iv) a top member coupled to said main member so as to be movable between engaged and disengaged conditions relative to said top cover, rod and key-actuated lock device of said vending machine without affecting the retention of said base of said housing of said the vending machine fixedly attached against said back portion and upon said bottom portion of said main member.

2. The assembly of claim 1 wherein said back portion of said main member is of generally straight planar flat configuration allowing its positioning co-extensively along a rear side of said vending machine.

3. The assembly of claim 1 wherein said bottom portion of said main member is of generally straight planar flat configuration allowing its positioning in an underlying relation along a bottom of said base of said vending machine.

4. The assembly of claim 1 wherein said back and bottom portions of said main member are substantially uniform in thickness and width.

5. The assembly of claim 1 wherein said back and bottom portions of said main member are rigidly interconnected by a corner portion located at an angular bend in said metal plate such that said back and bottom portions extend from said corner portion in a substantially right angular relationship to one another with said back portion having a substantially greater length than said bottom portion.