Vending module having a selectable configuration and a wire hook adaptor
AssigneeTrans-World Manufacturing Corporation
InventorsRonald J. Spezial, William Prendergast
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A standard retailing case having a back panel with a plurality of support holes therein and with vertical dividers and the horizontal shelves having hooks which interlock with the support holes is further provided with an adaptor. The adaptor is provided with the hooks that enable it to be connected to the back panel of the case and along a front panel of the adaptor with a plurality of circular holes that receive conventional wire hooks which are suitable for hanging thereon retail merchandise having hang holes which allow the merchandise to be hung on the wire hooks.
Claims18
An interface adaptor for enabling mounting of wire hooks in a back panel of an article-supporting case, said wire hooks being of the type which are suitable to be mounted solely in wire hook mounted holes of predetermined size and spacing, said back panel being of the type which lacks said wire hook mounting holes and having instead back panel mounting openings each of which is formed of a main hook opening and a centering slot which depends downwardly from said main hook opening, said interface adaptor comprising:
- a planar front plate having a plurality of said wire hook mounting holes for insertion of the wire hooks thereinto;
- back panel hook means for connecting said interface adaptor to said back panel of said case, said hook means comprising a plurality of hooks each of which includes a top plate, a lip which depends downwardly from said top and a web located generally centrally with respect to said top and said lip, said web being receivable in the slot of the back panel mounting openings;
- and
- spacer and connecting means for connecting said back panel hook means to said front plate and for spacing said hook means from said front plate to provide a space between said back panel and said front plate, the wire hooks being supported exclusively by said front plate and being partially disposed in the space between the back panel and the front plate.
A vending display and dispensing case, comprising:
- a plurality of wire hooks, each of said wire hooks having a stem for hanging an article thereon, an upwardly-bent prong means disposed at a mounting end of said stem, and an anchor disposed adjacent said prong means, said prong means being especially suitable for being inserted into peg-board-style support holes which are sized to fit said upwardly-bent prong means;
- a back panel having a plurality of attachment means spacedly disposed over said back panel, said attachment means being suitable for securing shelving accessories to said back panel, said attachment means being of the type which are unsuitable for receiving and directly supporting said wire hooks;
- and
- at least one wire-hook-to-back panel interface adaptor, said interface adaptor including a front plate having a plurality of said peg-board-style support holes which are suitable for supporting said wire hooks therein, said front plate having a front face and a rear face and said prong means being anchored against said rear face and said anchor being supported against said front face of said front plate, said interface adaptor further including back plane hook means connected to said front plate and effective for securing said adaptor to said back panel at said attachment means of said back panel, and means for spacing said back panel from said front plate of said adaptor to provide a space between said front plate and said back panel for said prong means.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.