Fawn Engineering Corporation

The Vendo Company

William G Gillett

Elmer B Offutt

LeRoy D Gore

Edward Babich

George F Roberts

Product storing and dispensing apparatus for the improved handling of products such as gum and mints is provided and especially suited for use in multi-product, selective vending machines of types that store and dispense a variety of products from compartmented drawers, which must be withdrawn for practical reloading with products. The improved apparatus conserves space and minimizes the weight of the structure to be moved during loading by substituting for the conventional drawer unit a lower assembly that carries the operating mechanism for selective product dispensing and may remain within the machine during loading and an upper assembly that merely receives products, is shiftably mounted on the lower assembly and alone need be withdrawn during loading. The loading operation is further improved by eliminating the conventional, overhanging, product hold-down flanges along the sides of the product compartments and substituting therefor a hinged, plate-like cover that is also rearwardly and forwardly shiftable to facilitate reliable latching and unlatching thereof. Loading is still further enhanced by a construction providing automatic removal of product pusher forces during withdrawal of the upper assembly for loading and automatic restoration thereof when the upper assembly is moved back into its normal operating position. Selective product ejector mechanisms of a new and simplified construction especially adapted for employment with the upper and lower assembly arrangement of the improved apparatus are also incorporated in the latter.

Product storing and dispensing apparatus

An improved dispensing drawer is provided for article dispensing machines, especially those of the so-called 'helix vendor' type, which is slideably removable from the front of the dispensing machine and includes at least one article receiving cartridge removably secured within the drawer for efficient loading, storage and release of articles to be dispensed therefrom. The cartridge is removable and replaceable after being loaded with articles from the front of the machine and does not require removal of the drawer for access thereto. An opening in the rear end of the cartridge permits rapid carton-like loading of articles therein when removed from the drawer for replenishment of the dispensing machine by a serviceman. A swingable, article engaging element mounted in the front of the drawer adjacent a pair of opposed lateral openings in the front end of the cartridge is actuated through a coupling forming a part of the drawer assembly by a power drive provided in the machine and operably coupleable with the drawer at the rear of the latter. When actuated, such element swings through one opposed opening in the cartridge adjacent its front extremity to contact an article and force the same through an opposed second opening, thereby dispensing the article.

Growing community of inventors

Kansas City, KS, United States of America

William G Gillett