Expanded capacity vend basket for a vending machine

#The present invention relates to a refrigerated automatic vending machine for bottles or cans. More specifically, the present invention relates to an improvement in vend baskets therefor so as to expand their capacity while preventing the vended article from becoming jammed or misaligned as well as insuring that only one article at a time reaches the dispensing port.

#Coin operated automatic vending machines for bottles and cans having one or more vend baskets which include a roll-off ramp which is inclined toward a pivoted dispensing lid at the front of a refrigerated chest or housing are well known. One such vending machine is described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,235,351, entitled, "Merchandise Dispensing Device For A Vending Machine", which issued to R. Kolbl, et al. on Nov. 25, 1980. One of the features disclosed in that patent is a sheet metal guide which is located directly above the sensing lid which forms a stop and insures that the articles do not jam or become misaligned and that only one article at a time reaches the dispensing device. Moreover, two or more rows of cylindrical articles are uniformly arranged on an inclined roll-off ramp which forms a continuous surface.

#Furthermore, in U.S. Pat. No. 4,576,272, entitled, "Counter Top Or Wall Mounted Vending Machine", which issued to A. R. Morgan, Jr., et al. on Mar. 18, 1986, there is disclosed a coin operated vending machine for bottles and cans of a moderate capacity including a plurality of side-by-side vend chutes which feed the articles to be vended to a respective cradle type dispensing lid located on the front wall of the vending machine. Each vend chute, moreover, is configured in the form of a serpentine basket having a rearward slanting upper shelf and a forward slanting lower shelf which support cans in a multiple tiered arrangement. Cans are guided from the upper shelf to the lower shelf by means of a passagewawy adjacent a rear wall which has an upper curved portion. In the process of rolling to a dispensing lid, an empty space arises inevitably between the lower and upper ramps or shelves. Such an empty space is undesirable if a relatively high holding capacity of the basket is desired.

#The objects of the present invention and the attendant advantages thereof will become more readily apparent by reference to the following drawings wherein like numerals refer to like parts, and wherein:

#FIG. 1 is an elevational view of an automatic vending machine which is adapted to be utilized in connection with the present invention;

#FIG. 2 is a top plan view of the vending machine of FIG. 1;

#Referring now to the drawings and more particularly to FIGS. 1 and 2, there is disclosed an automatic vending machine of the type disclosed in the above referenced U.S. Pat. No. 4,576,272, Morgan, Jr., et al. The vending machine is configured in the form of a cabinet or chest whose top cover 1, after opening a lock, can be folded upward on hinged brackets 3. A cover plate 4 is disposed in the topcover 1 and is provided with a coin slot 5.

#Externally on the back wall of the automatic vending machine there is mounted a condenser of a cooling unit. The compressor 8 of the cooling unit is located adjacent the condenser 7.

#The chest has a front wall 9 and a door 10. In the front wall 9 are inset three outwardly pivotal dispensing lids 11, 12, and 13, including respective cradle assemblies, not shown. To these are attached placards indicating various product varieties. In the lower portion of the door 10 there is located a coin return opening and lies roughly beneath the coin slot 5 located in the cover plate 4. Behind the front wall 10 is a cooler compartment 15 which is shown in FIG. 3. The cooler compartment is thermally insulated on all sides. On the inside of the back wall 6 is an evaporator 18 of the cooling unit and on the floor of the cooling compartment 15 there is provided a drip pan 19.