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:
Aug. 01, 1995
Filed:
Dec. 20, 1993
Jerry L Landers, Sellersburg, IN (US);
Thomas J Pfiefer, Louisville, KY (US);
Harvey R Brandon, Louisville, KY (US);
SerVend International, Inc., Sellersburg, IN (US);
Abstract
A pivoted ice dispensing chute is pushed rearward to lift a door lock, lift a door and contact a microswitch for starting an ice dispensing mechanism. Release of the chute allows the chute to swing forward, opening the microswitch and stopping the ice dispensing mechanism, and allowing the door to drop downward and the lock to drop downward below the door. In its downward position, the door is adjacent the back of the chute to prevent lifting of the door and unwanted movement of ice through the chute. The chute is generally rectangular in planform, with a sloping back, sides and a rounded front. The top of the chute and the bottom of the chute are open. The back of the chute has a rib with a lateral extension which operates the microswitch. The rib lifts the door lock and lifts the door. A push plate bracket is relocatable on the chute to rest on the front of the chute for pushing with a hand and to be positioned beneath a lower end of the back of the chute to be pushed with a cup or with a hand that holds a cup. The chute, the door, the lock and the microswitch are mounted on two brackets which are mounted on a face of an ice dispenser near an ice dispensing opening. The chute is supported on pins at the distal ends of the bracket, which extend through sides of the chute near the front.