Abstract: An apparatus and method for illuminating portions of a vending machine includes an internal light source that is used to generate light inside a housing defining the vending machine. A user interface including such things as a money or token receiver, selection buttons, and coin return, has an external surface that can be operated by a customer or a vendee. Light from the light source is transmitted from inside the housing to outside the housing and unto selected portions of the user interface. This can be accomplished by using windows or other light conduits to provide illumination of the external face of the user interface to assist in user operation at night and especially in places that do not include a lot external lighting.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for maximizing the amount and selection of vendable items from a bucket-type vending machine includes a main access door over an access opening to buckets of the machine. One or more shields are positioned below the access opening but can be selectibly interlocked with the door so that when the access door uncovers the access opening, any of the shields can be raised to cover any or all of the access opening. This arrangement allows each bucket to be subdivided into separate buckets. The selectable shields therefore can close off from access any of the sections of the bucket which are not selected by a customer thereby allowing use of one main access door to facilitate the increased amount and number of selections available from each bucket of the bucket-type vending machine.

Abstract: A vending machine with an anti-condensation product viewing window. The product viewing window has two window sections. The first window section is typically a wall or portion of a wall of the product storage chamber. A second window section is spaced outwardly a distance from the first window section to form the face of the viewing window. An illumination device is placed between the first and second window section. The heat from the illumination device prevents a build up of condensation on the window sections. Substantially sealing the two window sections further reduces the condensation build up. One or more small openings in the sealings between the two window sections into a cooler area allow for the escape of any moisture which does accumulate between the two window sections. The illumination device can also be used to illuminate the products to be vended, back light a sign on the machine or both.

Abstract: A vending machine with an improved sealing holding bin drawer for removing dispensed products. Products are dispensed from a housing chamber which is maintained at a temperature colder than the environment in which the vending machine operates into a holding bin. The holding bin has a first opening allowing the products from the housing chamber to enter. The holding bin has a second opening covered by a door allowing the user to remove dispensed products from the holding bin. A sealing hood selectively covers and seals the first opening between the holding bin and housing chamber. The door and the sealing hood are operably connected such that the sealing hood covers the first hole when the door is opened. The connection is accomplished utilizing a pin and cam slot arrangement. The holding bin can also have an attached storage bin and can be placed on rollers such that it slides out of the vending machine like a drawer.

Abstract: An imposed shelf arrangement for vending tubular products such as cans and the like comprising a tray having a base, a rear panel and a pair of side panels or dividers forming a longitudinally disposed product feed trough having a width equal substantially to twice the length of a tubular product; a helix disposed centrally within said feed trough and adapted to receive a plurality of tubualr products between the convolutions thereof in a staggered relationship whereby the inner end of each tubular product is adapted to be disposed along the longitudinal axis of said trough; and a drive unit at the rear of the base for rotating said helix whereby to advance said tubular products one by one to the front edge of said base to drop to a delivery position.

Abstract: A dispensing machine having a cabinet; an endless, upright conveyor mounted within the cabinet and having an elliptical-type shape with opposed vertical stretches; a dispensing station formed on a housing for the cabinet and disposed adjacent one of the vertical stretches of the conveyor; a plurality of product carriers each of which has support devices formed on opposite ends thereof; a plurality of arms, each arm mounting a carrier on the conveyor and enabling movement of the carriers in succession past the station; a stabilizer unit rotatably connected to each mounting arm and having a follower, the stabilizer unit adapted to receive the support devices; and a pair of horizontally offset elliptical-type guidepaths with vertical stretches extended parallel the vertical stretches of the conveyor. The dispensing machine comprises further a carrier sensing device mounted on the cabinet for interacting with a cost identification unit mounted on each carrier.

Abstract: An article dispensing machine (10) comprising a cabinet (12) containing a plurality of upstanding columns (14),(15),(16) each of which includes a first serpentine track unit (17) having an upper article receiving end (19) and a lower article dispensing end (21), the first track unit (17) having serpentine track sections overlying each other in contiguous relationship, a second track unit (22) including an upper serpentine section (23) disposed above the first track unit (17) and including also a rear substantially straight, vertically disposed track section (26) connected to the lower end of the upper section (23) and disposed behind said first track unit (17) and having a lower article dispensing end (27), and article dispensing control units (28),(29) at the lower dispensing ends of said first and second track units, each control unit selectively pushing and lifting an article (18),(18') to be dispensed for aiding the release thereof.

Abstract: In a vending machine shelf arrangement, wherein a combined helix unit and drive unit are vertically slidably mounted within a vertical slot formed in a rear panel mounted on the base of the shelf, an assembly for preventing accidental axial separation of a helix unit from a drive unit which includes a first disc element mounted at the rear end of the helix unit adjacent the rear panel and frictionally gripping a drive connection of the helix unit with the drive unit, and a second lip element upstanding on the shelf base and also adjacent the rear panel, the disc element interposed between the lip element and the rear panel thereby preventing normal separation of the helix unit from the drive unit.

Abstract: Articles such as cans vertically stacked on a serpentine shelf (30) and on a longitudinally inclined shelf (33) at the lower end thereof are dispensed one at a time by a motor driven article release mechanism (24). A single can is dispensed for each user actuation of the release mechanism (24). A pair of longitudinally and arcuately spaced fingers (72), (73) are mounted for rotation as a unit as a part of the mechanism (24), and extend at right angles to the longitudinal axis of the cans in the section. The lowermost finger (72) is normally in can-blocking position and the upper finger (73) is normally in a non-can-blocking position. Upon actuation of the mechanism, the fingers are rotated sequentially from their normal positions to a second position, where a lowermost can (C') is released and the next adjacent can (C") held in place, to their normal positions where the next adjacent can (C") moves by gravity down against the lowermost finger (72).

Abstract: Dispensing shelves for cabinet-type vending machines having a plurality of different sized helical feeder coils all on the same level for advancing articles interposed between the convolutions of the coils to a delivery opening. The width of the troughs holding the coils is variable on the same shelf level and the placement of the helical feeder coil within a trough is variable. The shelf is of either a sheet metal or a molded, high-density plastic type material. Drive units for the helical coils are removably mounted for operation without fastening devices and are adjustably laterally mounted within a single trough. A unique shelf support rail unit maintains the shelf side panels of the vending machine against lateral movement and bending. Further, a unique door closure member maintains the shelves in their vending positions at all times when the door is closed.

Abstract: An electric water heater (10) for a vending unit has an elongated cylindrical housing (11) defining a water heating chamber divided lengthwise into a large inlet subchamber (24) and a small outlet subchamber (27) by a panel (26) extending the entire length of the heating chamber and supported by the arms (32, 33) of a lengthwise disposed U-shaped thickened embossment (14) integrally formed with the inner surface of the housing, with the U-shaped embossment (14) and panel (26) defining the outlet subchamber (27). Cold water enters the inlet subchamber (24) under control of a float valve unit (17) and is heated to a predetermined temperature by an electric heater (19) therein. The heated water then flows through a restricted opening (31) in the panel (26) into the outlet subchamber (27) for discharge from a fluid outlet (13). The smaller outlet subchamber (27) restricts convection action therewithin such that the hot water stored therein retains its heat longer than that stored in the inlet subchamber (24).

Abstract: A vending machine (20) comprises a housing (21) and a pair of product vending shelf units (24, 26) mounted within the housing (21) in vertically stacked relation. Each shelf unit has a front end higher than the rear end thereof. A product selection mechanism (29) is mounted within the housing (21) for actuation of each of the shelf units (24,26) to vend a product (90) forwardly therefrom in response to a customer selection. An anti-theft product delivery drawer assembly (31) is mounted below the lower shelf (26) within the housing (21) and receives the vended product in an inner stored position, and exposes the product for retrieval by the customer upon the customer pulling the drawer outwardly, a drawer cover plate (153) slidable outwardly over the drawer (151) as the drawer is pulled outwardly for preventing access to the interior of the vending machine.

Abstract: A vending machine (21) door closure mechanism (20) for providing pivotal movement of the door (52) from a closed position for vending purposes to an open position of approximately 100.degree.-110.degree.

Abstract: A dispensing apparatus having a tray for holding a plurality of containers to be dispensed and having an elevated shelf for receiving containers which is inclined to cause such containers to move towards the front end of the tray. A stop is disposed at the front of the tray for contacting an intermediate portion of the frontmost one of the containers for preventing the containers from being dispensed until such operation is desired. An ejector is operatively attached to the front of the tray for selectively pushing the frontmost one of the containers over the top of the stop and then resetting itself such that the next frontmost container will be ready to be dispensed when desired.

Abstract: Apparatus for dispensing newspapers, one at a time, having a frame with a wheel assembly movably attached thereto is provided for having wheels in contact with a stack of newspapers. The wheels have one-way bearings such that when the wheel assembly is pulled in a first direction, the wheels will not rotate and thereby frictionally engage a newspaper in contact therewith, thereby pulling the newspaper with the wheels. When the wheel assembly is pushed back in a second direction, opposite to the first direction, then the wheels are allowed to rotate against the next newspaper to be dispensed, to assume a ready position for the next operation. An assist mechanism is also provided for assisting the frictional engagement of a newspaper by the wheels and such assist mechanism has an adjustable feature for use with thin papers in one position thereof, or thick papers in another position thereof.

Abstract: A vending machine has a frame comprising a newspaper holding compartment with a spring hinged door and a housing for a mechanical control system secured to the top of the holding compartment. A vending member is secured to the door and operably engaged with the control mechanism. The control mechanism includes a lever biased to a locking position with respect to the vending member. A lever holding rod is secured to the lever and has an "up", or unlocked, position wherein the lever does not lock the vending member, and a "down", or locked, position wherein the vending member is locked in position. A coin operated mechanism has an output shaft and cam which rotate in response to the insertion of a low price coinage amount to a first position, and a high price coinage amount to a second position. A second cam is mounted for free rotation on the coin mechanism shaft and is gravity biased to follow the first cam.

Abstract: Product storing and dispensing apparatus for the improved handling of products such as gum and mints is provided and especially suited for use in multi-product, selective vending machines of types that store and dispense a variety of products from compartmented drawers, which must be withdrawn for practical reloading with products. The improved apparatus conserves space and minimizes the weight of the structure to be moved during loading by substituting for the conventional drawer unit a lower assembly that carries the operating mechanism for selective product dispensing and may remain within the machine during loading and an upper assembly that merely receives products, is shiftably mounted on the lower assembly and alone need be withdrawn during loading.