Cup dispensing apparatus

A cup dispenser for containing and individually releasing cups for dispensing a product from a vending machine, said dispenser comprising:

• a. housing means for housing a plurality of cups provided in nested relationship in plural tubular stacks, each of said cups having a base and including an outwardly extending rim at its upper edge, one of said stacks being a dispensing stack positioned at a dispensing column having a dispensing column opening, and the remaining stacks being supply stacks;
• b. dispensing means for supporting said dispensing stack and for sequentially separating single cups from the bottom of said dispensing stack to permit each of the separated cups to drop from the dispensing means;
• c. advancing means for selectively advancing at least one of said supply stacks to the dispensing column when the initial dispensing stack is exhausted;
• and
• d. support means selectively interposable below said dispensing opening for receiving and supporting each said supply stack after it has been advanced to the dispensing column and the lowermost cups have fallen partially through said dispensing column opening, said support means operative to support the lowermost cup of the dispensing stack at its base so that its outwardly extending rim is above said dispensing means, whereby the impact of the falling dispensing stack as it falls into the dispensing column opening is borne by the base of the lowermost cup to thereby avoid damage to the rim of that cup.