Abstract: A machine for dispensing containers such as bottles and cans which are supported in an upright position includes a vending rack in which the can or bottles are supported. The vending rack is rotatable about a vertical axis at least 180° to enable the back of the vending rack to be rotated to a position in which the back of the vending rack is located adjacent the front of the machine to facilitate loading of containers to be vended in the vending rack. The containers can be vended in a first in first out fashion.

Abstract: A vending machine for vending a plurality of bottles each of which are supported in an upright position only at a top portion of each of the bottles include a planar dispensing rack having a plurality of elongated slots therein for storing and dispensing bottles. The elongated slots each include a pair of substantially parallel spaced apart side walls which are spaced apart a distance less than a diameter of the top portion of the bottle to be supported in the slots. The side walls of each of the slots terminate in an opening at one end of each of the slots which opening has a diameter larger than the diameter of the top portion of the bottles supported by the slots to enable bottles which move from the slot to the opening to drop through the opening from the planar dispensing rack to a dispensing station. A gating member is provided to control movement of the bottles from each of the slots to the opening to effect movement of a bottle from the dispensing rack to the dispensing station.

Abstract: A vending machine for vending a plurality of cans includes a storage means for storing plurality of cans to be vended, an article dispensing rod which is both pivotable and moveable in a vertical direction to control the movement of cans from the storage means to a dispensing station. A coin mechanism is provided having an output shaft operatively connected to the dispensing rod to effect both vertical movement of the dispensing rod and pivotable movement thereof. The movement of the dispensing rod by the output shaft of the coin mechanism enables the dispensing rod to control the movement of cans from the storage means to the dispensing station where the cans can be received by a user of the vending machine. A lockout mechanism is provided to prevent actuation of the coin mechanism and the dispensing rod when there are no cans present to be vended in the can storage means.