Patents by Inventor Leonard P. Falk

Leonard P. Falk has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 5730316
    Abstract: A multiple product merchandising machine having a cylindrical drum mounted within a cabinet and having a plurality of compartments of varying size which pass by at least one access door. The access door is mounted in the cabinet for sliding movement to allow access to a compartment aligned with the access door. The door is motorized so that it will open and close automatically once activated by slight movement of its handle. The size of the compartment aligned with the door when it is opened is known by the control circuit and the motor moves the door only far enough to allow access by a customer to that compartment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 15, 1995
    Date of Patent: March 24, 1998
    Assignee: Crane Company
    Inventor: Leonard P. Falk
  • Patent number: 5360134
    Abstract: A multiple-product merchandising machine having a cylindrical drum mounted within a cabinet. The drum is divided into a plurality of horizontal shelves each of which is divided by a plurality of vertical walls into separate compartments from which the product can be dispensed. These compartments can be brought into alignment with access doors associated with each level and the doors, which are normally maintained locked, can be opened upon the insertion of adequate currancy in the machine to remove the product. The access door locking system prevents more than one door from being opened at one time. The drum is rotatable in either direction by a reversible motor. A viewing area is provided in the front of the machine which allows a prospective customer to see the product as it passes by. The drum is divided into sections with opaque walls which prevent viewing from the viewing area of more than half of the compartments on a shelf when the drum is in its rest position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 12, 1993
    Date of Patent: November 1, 1994
    Assignee: Unidynamics Corporation
    Inventors: Leonard P. Falk, Paul K. Griner
  • Patent number: 5285926
    Abstract: A multiple-product merchandising machine having a cylindrical drum mounted within a cabinet. The drum is divided into a plurality of horizontal shelves each of which is divided by a plurality of vertical walls into separate compartments from which the product can be dispensed. These compartments can be brought into allignment with access doors associated with each level and the doors, which are normally maintained locked, can be opened upon the insertion of adequate currancy in the machine to remove the product. The access door locking system prevents more than one door from being opened at one time. The drum is rotatable in either direction by a reversible motor. A viewing area is provided in the front of the machine which allows a prospective customer to see the product as it passes by. The drum is divided into sections with opaque walls which prevent viewing from the viewing area of more than half of the compartments on a shelf when the drum is in its rest position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 13, 1992
    Date of Patent: February 15, 1994
    Assignee: Unidynamics Corporation
    Inventors: Leonard P. Falk, Paul K. Griner
  • Patent number: 5169027
    Abstract: A multiple-product merchandising machine having a cylindrical drum mounted within a cabinet. The drum is divided into a plurality of horizontal shelves each of which is divided by a plurality of vertical walls into separate compartments from which the product can be dispensed. These compartments can be brought into alignment with access doors associated with each level and the doors, which are normally maintained locked, can be opened upon the insertion of adequate currancy in the machine to remove the product. The access door locking system prevents more than one door from being opened at one time. The drum is rotatable in either direction by a reversible motor. A viewing area is provided in the front of the machine which allows a prospective customer to see the product as it passes by. The drum is divided into sections with opaque walls which prevent viewing from the viewing area of more than half of the compartment on a shelf when the drum is in its rest position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 16, 1991
    Date of Patent: December 8, 1992
    Assignee: Unidynamics Corporation
    Inventors: Leonard P. Falk, Paul K. Griner
  • Patent number: 5048717
    Abstract: A multiple-product merchandizing machine having a cylindrical drum mounted within a cabinet. The drum is divided into a plurality of horizontal shelves each of which is divided by a plurality of vertical walls into separate compartments from which the product can be dispensed. These compartments can be brought into alignment with access doors associated with each level and the doors, which are normally maintained locked, can be opened upon the insertion of adequate currancy in the machine to remove the product. The access door locking system prevents more than one door from being opened at one time. The drum is rotatable in either direction by a reversible motor. A viewing area is provided in the front of the machine which allows a prospective customer to see the product as it passes by. The drum is divided into sections with opaque walls which prevent viewing from the viewing areas of more than half of the compartments on a shelf when the drum is in its rest position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 16, 1990
    Date of Patent: September 17, 1991
    Assignee: UniDynamics Corporation
    Inventors: Leonard P. Falk, Paul K. Griner
  • Patent number: 4927051
    Abstract: A multiple-product merchandising machine having a cylindrical drum mounted within a cabinet. The drum is divided into a plurality of horizontal shelves each of which is divided by a plurality of vertical walls into separate compartments from which the product can be dispensed. These compartments can be brought into alignment with access doors associated with each level and the doors, which are normally maintained locked, can be opened upon the insertion of adequate currency in the machine to remove the product. The access door locking system prevents more than one door from being opened at one time. The drum is rotatable in either direction by a reversible motor. A viewing area is provided in the front of the machine which allows a prospective customer to see the product as it passes by. The drum is divided into sections with opaque walls which prevent viewing from the viewing area of more than half of the compartments on a shelf when the drum is in its rest position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 26, 1987
    Date of Patent: May 22, 1990
    Assignee: UniDynamics Corporation
    Inventors: Leonard P. Falk, Paul K. Griner
  • Patent number: 4831841
    Abstract: A cooling system for a food storage and merchandising machine having a rotatable drum mounted inside a cabinet, the drum having a plurality of axially spaced shelves divided by partitions into a plurality of food storage compartments, comprising a hollow center column extending axially through the drum and through the centers of the shelves, the column having a sidewall defining an air passageway, the sidewall having a plurality of vents therein communicating with each of the food storage compartments. The system further comprises a refrigeration system for cooling air, and a blower for introducing cooled air into one end of the air passageway. The other end of the air passageway is closed so that substantially all of the air provided to the passageway passes through the vents.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 20, 1988
    Date of Patent: May 23, 1989
    Assignee: UniDynamics Corporation
    Inventor: Leonard P. Falk
  • Patent number: 4600121
    Abstract: An article vendor comprising a cabinet having a front and a rear and left and right sides, front and rear banks of article holding magazines with each bank having a plurality of the magazines arranged in banks with the magazines extending horizontally one above another from adjacent one side of the cabinet to adjacent the other, each magazine being adapted to hold articles to be vended in a first horizontal row for being dispensed from the left end of the magazine and in the second horizontal row for being dispensed from the right end of the magazine, each magazine in the front bank being constructed for ejection of articles at the left and right ends thereof toward the front and each magazine in the rear bank being constructed for ejection of articles at the left and right ends thereof towards the rear.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 9, 1984
    Date of Patent: July 15, 1986
    Assignee: UniDynamics Corporation
    Inventors: Leonard P. Falk, Robert L. Stadler
  • Patent number: 4108333
    Abstract: An article vendor, particularly for food products such as sandwiches, salads, lunch platters and dessert items, wherein the articles are stocked on endless belt conveyors extending in rear-to-front direction in a cabinet having a front window for merchandising display of the articles. The conveyors are arranged in tiers one above another and side by side in each tier, and the vendor includes an elevator movable up and down at the front of the conveyors for receiving an article from any one (or more) of the conveyors and transporting it to a delivery station. Upon selection by a purchaser of an article on a particular conveyor, the elevator is raised to the level of the tier which includes the selected conveyor, and that conveyor is indexed forward one step to dispense the forward article therefrom on to the elevator, after which the elevator is lowered to the delivery station.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 14, 1976
    Date of Patent: August 22, 1978
    Assignee: UMC Industries, Inc.
    Inventors: Leonard P. Falk, Robert L. Stadler, James R. Alford