Helical coil dispensing machine apparatus

Improved support apparatus for an elongate helical coil of the type used for dispensing articles from dispensing machines, said coil being generally rigid, having first and second longitudinally spaced ends, and being rotatable about its longitudinal axis, comprising:

• a. a shelf member defining an upper shelf surface;
• b. an upright side panel projecting generally vertically upward from said shelf surface and longitudinally extending therealong in a direction generally perpendicular to one edge of said shelf surface;
• and
• c. a coil support member projecting generally vertically upward from said shelf surface with a portion of said coil support member being configured to define an elongate ramp surface disposed above said shelf surface and obliquely inclined to said shelf surface in the longitudinal direction of said coil, said ramp surface being disposed generally parallel to and spaced apart from said side panel at a distance less than the outer diameter of a helical coil to be supported by said support apparatus;
• whereby said ramp surface and said side panels are cooperatively operable to support the helical coil therebetween only adjacent a first end of the coil, such that the lower surface of said coil is disposed above and spaced apart from said shelf surface.

Improved support apparatus for rotatably mounting an elongate semi-rigid helical coil, of the type used for dispensing articles from a dispensing machine, above a shelf surface having a front edge, comprising:

• a. a first elongate coil support member characterized by a base portion configured for mounting in resting engagement upon a shelf surface and defining a first planar upper surface disposed to lie above and generally parallel to the shelf surface adjacent to only the front edge thereof, said first upper surface being terminated at first and second longitudinally opposed ends thereof, wherein said first end of said first support member defines a first ramp surface forming an inclined continuum in the longitudinal direction of said first coil support member between the shelf surface and said first upper surface;
• b. a second elongate coil support member characterized by a base portion configured for mounting in resting engagement upon the shelf surface adjacent to only the front edge thereof and defining a second planar upper surface disposed to lie above and generally parallel to the shelf surface, said second upper surface being terminated at first and second longitudinally opposed ends thereof, wherein said first end of said second support member defines a second ramp surface forming an inclined continuum in the longitudinal direction of said second coil support member between the shelf surface and said second upper surface, and wherein the longitudinal length of said second support member is less than that of said first support member;
• and
• c. means for fixedly connecting said first and said second coil support members in spaced, generally parallel relationship to one another such that said first and said second ramp surfaces lie generally in the same plane, whereby said first and said second coil support members are spaced apart from one another to cooperatively support a helical coil on and between said first and said second upper surfaces such that the lower surface of the supported coil is disposed to lie above and spaced apart from the shelf surface.

In a dispensing machine of the type having a plurality of dispensing units mounted in generally parallel relationship to one another on a dispensing tray of the machine, wherein the tray defines an upper shelf surface and has a front edge at which items are dispensed from the dispensing units, wherein at least one of the dispensing units includes an elongate semi-rigid helical dispensing coil having longitudinally disposed first and second ends defining an internal cylindrical zone therebetween and means for selectively rotating the coil about its longitudinal axis, wherein the rotation means includes a rotatable output shaft mounted for coaxial alignment with the helical coil, the invention being characterized by improved mounting apparatus for the helical dispensing coil, comprising:

• a. a cross-bracket member attached to the first end of the dispensing coil, having a portion thereof disposed across the diameter of the coil;
• b. a cross-bracket holding member mounted to the rotatable shaft for rotation therewith, configured to cooperatively matingly engage said cross-bracket member for detachably rotatably mounting in quick-release manner the first end of the coil for rotation thereof about its longitudinal axis, such that the lower surface of the front end of the coil is mounted above and slightly spaced apart from the upper shelf surface of the tray;
• and
• c. support means mounted on the tray adjacent the front edge thereof for rotatably supporting said coil adjacent only said second end thereof, said support means slidably supportingly engaging the outer circumference of the coil such that the lower surface of the coil is disposed above and slightly spaced apart from the shelf surface, and in a manner enabling unimpeded dispensing of items from the second end of the coil at the front edge of the tray, wherein said internal cylindrical zone is free of obstruction along the longitudinal length of said coil wherein said forwardly disposed support means further comprises first and second support ramp members mounted adjacent the front edge of the tray and extending rearwardly therefrom in a spaced apart generally parallel manner, each of said first and second ramp members being characterized by front and rear portions wherein said rear portions of said first and second ramp members are angularly inclined from said shelf surface upwardly in the longitudinal direction of the front edge of the tray, to upper coil support surfaces of each of said first and second ramp members, and wherein said front portion of said first ramp member is disposed to project outwardly from the front edge of the tray and forward of said front portion of said second ramp member said first and second support members being configured to supportingly engage the coil only along a short length thereof adjacent said second end of said coils.

In a dispensing machine of the type having a plurality of dispensing units mounted in generally parallel relationship to one another on a dispensing tray of the machine, wherein the tray defines an upper shelf surface and has a front edge at which items are dispensed from the dispensing units, wherein at least one of the dispensing units includes an elongate semi-rigid helical dispensing coil having longitudinally disposed first and second ends defining an internal cylinderical zone therebetween and means for selectively rotating the coil about its longitudinal axis, wherein the rotation means includes a rotatable output shaft mounted for coaxial alignment with the helical coil, the invention being characterized by improved mounting apparatus for the helical dispensing coil, comprising:

• a. a cross-bracket member attached to the first end of the dispensing coil, having a portion thereof disposed across the diameter of the coil;
• b. a cross-bracket holding member mounted to the rotatable shaft for rotation therewith, configured to cooperatively matingly engage said cross-bracket member for detachably rotatably mounting in quick-release manner the first end of the coil for rotation thereof about its longitudinal axis, such that the lower surface of the front end of the coil is mounted above and slightly spaced apart from the upper shelf surface of the tray;
• and
• c. support means mounted on the tray adjacent the front edge thereof for rotatably supporting said coil adjacent only said second end thereof, said support means slidably supportingly engaging the outer circumference of the coil such that the lower surface of the coil is disposed above and slightly spaced apart from the shelf surface, and in a manner enabling unimpeded dispensing of items from the second end of the coil at the front edge of the tray, wherein said internal cylindrical zone is free of obstruction along the longitudinal length of said coil, wherein said forwardly disposed support means comprises an upright side panel projecting generally vertically upward from the tray shelf surface and longitudinally extending therealong in a direction generally perpendicular to the front edge of the tray;
• and a coil support member projecting generally vertically upward from the shelf surface with a portion of said coil support member being configured to define an elongate ramp surface disposed above the shelf surface and obliquely inclined in the longitudinal direction of said coil support member thereof, said ramp surface being disposed generally parallel to and spaced apart from said side panel at a distance less than the outer diameter of the helical coil, whereby said ramp surface and side panel cooperatively support the helical coil therebetween such that the lower surface of the coil is disposed above and spaced aparat from the shelf surface.