Merchandising machine shelf supporting structure

Abstract

A merchandising machine shelf supporting structure in which respective left and right hand cabinet panel supported lower guide rails receive rollers mounted at the rear of the shelf and in which left and right hand shelf supported upper guide rails receive cabinet panel carried rollers mounted adjacent to the front of the cabinet. As the shelf is moved manually from a housed or home position at which shelf carried plugs engage cabinet carried sockets the rollers and rails support the cabinet so that the force required to withdraw the shelf is relatively low. As the shelf approaches its intermediate position at which the shelf is to be loaded, pins on the shelf engage stops at the front ends of the lower guide rails and the shelf is permitted to pivot to a position at which the shelf rollers are received in recesses formed by elements secured to lower guide rails. After loading the shelf may easily be returned to its home position. As it approaches its home position detenting portions of the upper guide rails act on the upper rollers to ensure that the shelf moves fully into its home position in which the shelf carried plugs engage in the cabinet carried sockets. The lower rail upper retainer flange terminates at a location to the rear of the rail stop to permit the shelf carried stop pins to be lifted over the stop and then to permit the shelf rollers to be moved upwardly to the openings between the stops and the terminal of the lower guide rail upper flange for complete removal of the shelf from the machine.