Abstract: An automatic vending machine for delivering stackable containers having edible product therein. A container discharge station--especially for cones--is provided with at least one stack of containers disposed in a position vertically above an arm for clampingly engaging the containers and movement of the containers below a product dispensing nozzle and into a delivery chamber. The cones are dropped one at a time from the one or more stacks through an opening in a plate into operative engagement with the arm. A guide structure is located vertically between the at least one container stack and the arm, guiding the dropping of the containers into association with the arm so that the containers will not be misaligned or inverted during dropping and will be positively guided into operative association with the arm.

Abstract: An automatic vending machine for delivering soft ice cream or the like to ice cream cones or other containers. A pivotally mounted arm receives a cone and then moves to a product-dispensing station. The product is dispensed into the cone until a weight-responsive structure associated with the arm senses the predetermined weight of the product and stops delivery of the product to the cone. Then the arm is moved so that it deposits the cone in a delivery chamber and then is moved out of the delivery chamber back to a position to receive another cone. Mechanical latch structures are provided for latching the door to the delivery chamber in closed position until the arm has been completely withdrawn from the delivery chamber and a rod connects the arm to the latch for effecting unlatching of the door in response to movement of the arm so that the door is unlatched after the movement of the arm out of the delivery chamber.