Abstract: A countertop snack vendor in which a drum having a plurality of groups of circumferentially spaced article-receiving compartments is mounted within a cabinet for rotary movement around a generally horizontal axis with the groups disposed respectively behind normally locked elongated transparent doors, each of which spans a plurality of compartments of its associated group to afford a potential customer a view of a large number of articles. Each door is freed upon the deposit of money in the vendor for limited movement from a normally closed position to an open position at which a single compartment of the associated group is accessible.

Abstract: A merchandising machine of the type in which a merchandise carrier comprising a plurality of levels of compartments, each adapted to receive merchandise, is mounted within a cabinet for movement as a unit around a vertical axis with the compartment levels at heights corresponding to respective cabinet access openings closed by normally locked doors. Respective controls corresponding to the levels are adapted to be set alternatively to cause the levels to operate in a first-in, first-out mode or in a shopper mode. In the first-in, first-out mode, upon actuation of the selection button corresponding to the level, the carrier is driven until the next full compartment of the level is behind its associated door and then stops. In the shopper mode, the selecting button corresponding to the level causes the carrier to be driven until any desired compartment of that level is behind its associated door.

Abstract: An all-purpose merchandiser for vending articles of merchandise, such as platters of food, desserts and the like, having a wide variety of shapes and sizes in which a generally circular merchandise carrier having a plurality of storage levels each of which is divided into a plurality of compartments having transparent walls and bases is mounted for movement around a vertical axis to carry the compartments past a cabinet door window and past a plurality of transparent access doors disposed for sliding movement in superposed relationship on the cabinet door. The dimensions of the windows and the doors and the transparency of compartment walls and bases afford a potential customer with a view of more than half the compartments on the carrier without moving the carrier so that he is able to determine the presence of articles therein. Preferably the windows and the doors are in planes extending slightly rearwardly from the midpoint of the cabinet door.

Abstract: An improved drive system for a merchandising machine having a plurality of removable modules each including an upper and a lower rotary merchandise carrier adapted to be driven successively to position the compartments thereof adjacent to an escrow mechanism actuated in response to movement of the carrier first to release an article and then to receive an article from a compartment positioned adjacent thereto, each unit having a product pusher adapted to be moved into a positioned compartment positively to force an article out of the compartment to the escrow mechanism, said drive system including a plurality of sliders mounted on the modules adjacent to the respective carriers for vertical reciprocating movement to carry a drag link having a pawl thereon along a path defined by cam and follower means successivly to step the carrier through a distance equal to the extent of one compartment and then to operate said pusher.

Abstract: A merchandising machine made up of a plurality of generally vertical panels extending from adjacent to the top of the cabinet to a location adjacent to the cabinet delivery opening and each of which panels supports upper and lower generally circular merchandise supply carriers having a plurality of radially extending article storage compartments and each of which carriers is adapted to be driven in the course of a cycle of operation of the machine to position a compartment to deliver its article to an escrow assembly adapted to be actuated to deliver an article from a display surface positioned behind a window in the cabinet to the delivery mechanism at the delivery opening. Each carrier is provided with an ejector adapted to be moved into the compartment positioned adjacent to the escrow assembly positively to move an article from the compartment to the display surface. A lock is provided for locking the delivery door of the delivery mechanism closed during a cycle of operation of the machine.

Abstract: A vending apparatus includes a plurality of divider members each adapted to advance and discharge individual articles disposed upon a shelf by means of a feeder assembly including a driveable element having advancing means engaging the dividers. Upon actuation, the feeder assembly advances all dividers carried thereby until that divider immediately behind the forwardmost article reaches a discharge point at which time switch means are operated by that divider to cease actuation of the feeder assembly.

Abstract: A vending apparatus for packaged articles includes a cabinet having a plurality of windows each having a delivery compartment aligned with a multi-package storage compartment. Motor driven feeder means disposed adjacent each storage compartment carries a variable number of divider elements to contain, advance and sequentially discharge single articles from the storage compartment to the delivery compartment. A plurality of switches sense and regulate the opening and closing of any one of the doors, the activation of the associated feeder means and the presence or absence of articles in the storage compartment while a shiftable gate assembly activated by operation of each door prevents access to articles within the storage compartment. By a modification the forwardmost article may be retained for display either in the front of the storage compartment or within the delivery compartment.

Abstract: A merchandising machine of the type in which a merchandise carrier comprising a plurality of levels of compartments, each adapted to receive merchandise, is mounted within a cabinet for movement as a unit around a vertical axis with the compartment levels at heights corresponding to respective cabinet access openings closed by normally locked doors. Respective controls corresponding to the levels are adapted to be set alternatively to cause the levels to operate in a first-in, first-out mode or in a shopper mode. In the first-in, first-out mode, upon actuation of the selection button corresponding to the level, the carrier is driven until the next full compartment of the level is behind its associated door and then stops. In the shopper mode, the selecting button corresponding to the level causes the carrier to be driven until any desired compartment of that level is behind its associated door.