Patents Assigned to Vulcan Spring & Mfg. Co.
  • Illuminated merchandise dispenser
    Patent number: 9167914
    Abstract: A merchandise dispenser is provided and has a product display tray with a bottom portion for supporting and guiding a rank of product items. The merchandise dispenser also has a spring assembly for advancing the product items forward on the bottom portion. The spring assembly includes a pre-stressed spiral tape having a top surface extending from a mounting end portion thereof and a plurality of light emitting diodes carried in spaced relation on a predetermined length of the top surface of the tape for upwardly illuminating product items when disposed in the product display tray.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 22, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 27, 2015
    Assignee: Vulcan Spring & Mfg. Co.
    Inventors: Alexander Rankin, VI, Robert Gustafson
  • Variable force spring tapes and method of manufacture
    Patent number: 9038272
    Abstract: A spring tape suitable for use in spring motor applications where reactive torque varies with rotational deflection. An elongate elastic element is advanced lengthwise and is laser cut into longitudinally complementary shapes which are separated and subsequently pre-stressed into rolls which are cut to length for assembly into a spring motor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 31, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 26, 2015
    Assignee: Vulcan Spring & Mfg. Co.
    Inventor: Alexander Rankin, VI
  • Illuminated Merchandise Dispenser
    Publication number: 20140353265
    Abstract: A merchandise dispenser is provided and has a product display tray with a bottom portion for supporting and guiding a rank of product items. The merchandise dispenser also has a spring assembly for advancing the product items forward on the bottom portion. The spring assembly includes a pre-stressed spiral tape having a top surface extending from a mounting end portion thereof and a plurality of light emitting diodes carried in spaced relation on a predetermined length of the top surface of the tape for upwardly illuminating product items when disposed in the product display tray.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 22, 2014
    Publication date: December 4, 2014
    Applicant: Vulcan Spring & Mfg. Co.
    Inventors: Alexander Rankin, VI, Robert Gustafson
  • Printed springs and method of manufacture
    Patent number: 5743428
    Abstract: A spring to operate a merchandise dispenser used for storing and dispensing a plurality of like items of merchandise. The dispenser utilizes a metal spring having indicia imprinted or engraved thereon to provide both a biasing force to the merchandise and inventory information. A method is provided for producing a metal spring having indicia printed in ink or paint.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 6, 1997
    Date of Patent: April 28, 1998
    Assignee: Vulcan Spring & Mfg. Co.
    Inventor: Alexander Rankin, VI
  • Method of manufacturing printed springs
    Patent number: 5649363
    Abstract: A spring to operate a merchandise dispenser used for storing and dispensing a plurality of like items of merchandise. The dispenser utilizes a metal spring having indicia imprinted or engraved thereon to provide both a biasing force to the merchandise and inventory information. A method is provided for producing a metal spring having indicia printed in ink or paint.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 1995
    Date of Patent: July 22, 1997
    Assignee: Vulcan Spring & Mfg. Co.
    Inventor: Alexander Rankin, VI