Abstract: A vending machine includes a cabinet, a first merchandise carrying member disposed within said cabinet having a plurality of vertically aligned conveyor racks and a vertically extending elevator disposed within the cabinet. The elevator has a movable bucket. The machine also includes a second merchandise carrying member disposed within the cabinet, disposed under the plurality of conveyor racks and including at least one serpentine rack. A conveyor mechanism is disposed under the at least one serpentine rack for receiving merchandise from the at least one serpentine rack and for carrying this same merchandise to the bucket of the elevator.

Abstract: The brewing apparatus includes a vertically movable cylinder with an open top and bottom, a piston mounted for reciprocation down into such cylinder and a heated liquid supply discharging brewing liquid into the open top of the cylinder. A brewing cavity is horizontally reciprocable beneath the cylinder between a brewing position and a rest position. A ground beverage material supply delivers material into the brewing cavity when the cavity is disposed at a material supplying position located intermediate the brewing position and the rest position. A second heated liquid supply discharges liquid into the brewing cavity while the cavity is disposed at the material supplying position with an electromagnetic valve controlling the second liquid supply operation. The reciprocably mounted piston may be provided with an air pressure release to release compressed air from within the vertically movable cylinder.