Automatic vending machine for delivering containers having edible product therein

An automatic vending machine for delivering containers having edible product therein comprising a container discharge station for discharging containers one at a time into operative association with an arm pivotally mounted to the machine for rotation about a first, generally vertical axis;

• said arm having an end thereof having container-holding means for receiving and holding containers adapted to have edible product delivered thereto and to be vended, and including spring biased releasable clamping means including lever means movable between a first and second position for releasing said clamping means;
• a container filling station for filling a container held by said container-holding means with edible product;
• a delivery chamber having first and second alternately opened and closed first and second doors, respectively, said first door blocking access to said delivery chamber from exterior of the machine, and said second door blocking access from said delivery chamber to said arm;
• abutment means positioned so that said lever means is engageable with said abutment means when said container holding means is within said delivery chamber;
• and receiving means so positioned in said delivery chamber to receive each product filled container being vended after it is released from said container-holding means;
• wherein the improvement comprises:
• means pivotally mounting said arm for rotation about a second, generally horizontal axis and product weight-responsive means associated with said arm for terminating delivery of product to a container at said container filling station after a predetermined weight of product has been delivered to the container at said container filling station;
• mechanical latching means for latching said first door in closed position until said arm container-holding means has been completely withdrawn from said delivery chamber after receipt of a product-filled container by said delivery chamber, and rod means operatively connected to said arm and said latch means for effecting unlatching of said first door in response to movement of said arm, so that said first door is unlatched by said rod means after movement of said arm out of said delivery chamber;
• and
• wherein said first door includes means associated therewith for resetting said latching means to latch said first door after opening movement of said first door and removal of the container from said delivery chamber so that said first door is latched shut during movement of said arm from the container discharge station to the container filling station to the delivery chamber.