Product dispensing and storage device
AssigneeNational Superior Vending, Inc.
InventorCharles H. Lee
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An improved mechanical product dispensing and storage device for storing and dispensing rollable products such as canned beverages or other cylindrical or spherical products is disclosed. The products to be dispensed are stored on a feed path and roll toward a discharge end of the feed path. Located near the discharge end is a dispensing mechanism comprising of a rotatable shaft extending in the direction of and positioned at an angle to the feed path. Extending from the shaft are a pair of asymmetrical cams which rotate with the shaft to operate a pair of spring loaded separator doors used to control the dispensing of the products. A self-locking mechanism prevents the operation of the dispensing device when empty.
Claims13
A product dispensing and storage device for storing and dispensing rollable articles, comprising:
- article supporting means for rollably supporting a plurality of said articles, said article supporting means having a receiving end and a discharging end for dispensing said articles;
- shaft means rotatable through a plurality of rotational positions, said shaft means being located proximate to said discharging end;
- a primary cam member having an asymmetrical circumference responsive to the rotation of said shaft means;
- a secondary cam member having an asymmetrical circumference responsive to the rotation of said shaft means;
- a primary separator member adjacent to said discharging end for restraining articles on said article supporting means, said primary separator member having primary cam member engaging means so that when said primary cam member rotates in response to the rotation of said shaft means said primary separator member moves in relation to said article supporting means to restrain or release said article through said discharging end;
- and
- a secondary separator member for restraining articles on said storage means spaced from said primary separator member in a direction away form said discharging end, said secondary separator member having secondary cam member engaging means for engaging said secondary cam member so that when said secondary cam member rotates in response to the rotation of said shaft means said secondary separator member moves in relation to said article supporting means to restrain or release a next to be dispensed article adjacent to said article to be discharged.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.