The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Dec. 23, 1980
Filed:
Oct. 27, 1978
Douglas G Lennartson, Coon Rapids, MN (US);
Gross-Given Manufacturing Company, Saint Paul, MN (US);
Abstract
A helical coil vending machine includes a housing having a plurality of shelves thereon. Each shelf includes a plurality of elongated helical coils of a first size received in dispensing channels having a nominal width. This invention relates to an auxiliary dispensing unit which can be received in selected ones of the dispensing channels. The auxiliary dispensing unit includes a replacable insert member or trough receivable in the dispensing channel to decrease its cross-sectional width. The first sized coil in this channel is then replaced by a second and smaller coil which is received inside the insert member. The auxiliary dispensing unit is suited for receiving relatively thin articles such as gum and mint packages therebetween for vending such articles using a helical coil mechanism.