Auxiliary article dispenser for vending machines

Abstract

An auxiliary dispenser for a merchandise vending machine of the type comprising a cabinet, a delivery bin at the front of the cabinet, near the bottom, and a merchandise dispensing apparatus in the cabinet above the bin for dispensing merchandise to the bin, the dispenser adapted to be mounted behind the bin, below the dispensing apparatus. The dispenser comprises a bank of at least one generally inverted-J shaped magazine for holding articles. The bank is preferably pivotally mounted at its upper end to pivot upwardly to facilitate filling. Each magazine has a generally vertically extending straight portion and a forwardly extending curved dispensing portion. A spring-biased guide member urges articles in the magazine upwardly toward the curved dispensing portion, the guide member can be releasably locked at the end of the magazine to facilitate filling. An ejector member is mounted for reciprocal motion generally transverse to the magazine to push an article upwardly out an opening in the top of the magazine. The ejector member is connected with a linkage to an eccentric drive member on a motor to reciprocate. The ejector member may be provided with a gripping surface to pull articles displaced when another article is ejected back into the magazine.