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:
Jul. 24, 2001
Filed:
May. 02, 2000
Gerald J. Podgorny, St. Louis, MO (US);
Leonard A. Ficken, Manchester, MO (US);
Frank W. Krockenberger, St. Louis, MO (US);
Crane Co., Stamford, CT (US);
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 means in the cabinet above the bin for dispensing merchandise to the bin, the dispenser adapted to be mounted behind the bin, below the dispensing means. 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 including a plurality of parts configurable to adjust the width of a top portion of the ejector for engagement with and ejecting articles. The straight portion of the magazines is formed with side walls that can be positioned at predetermined locations in the magazines so as to adjust for different lengths of articles to be vended therefrom.