Gravity feed dispenser
AssigneeRTC Industries, Inc.
InventorStephen N. Hardy
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A gravity feed system for a merchandise dispenser such as a refrigerated cooler. This includes a plurality of downwardly inclined track assemblies that support a row of bottles by its neck flanges. The forwardmost bottle is prevented from exiting its track by a stop member. The stop member includes an opening whereby when the bottle is tilted toward the horizontal it can be removed from its track. The stop member also includes an arrangement for preventing tilting of the bottle when in its forwardmost position.
Claims15
A gravity feed merchandise dispensing system comprising a track support means, at least one longitudinally extending track assembly secured to said support means having front and rear ends, each track assembly including a pair of transversely spaced apart rails for supporting a row of similar bottles each having a closure secured thereto and an annular flange on the neck of the bottle with the underside of each bottle neck flange engaging and supported by the rails for movement relative to said rails, said track support means retaining the track in a downwardly inclined direction toward the front end of the track so the suspended bottles are gravity fed to the front end of the track as the lead bottle in a track is successively unloaded, the front end of each track assembly includes a stop means for said bottle closure and an opening having height and width dimensions whereby the closure will be prevented from exiting said opening when supported by said track assembly, but can be removed from said track through said opening when tilted with respect to said track assembly.
A track assembly including a pair of transversely spaced apart rails for supporting a row of similar bottles each having a closure secured thereto and an annular flange on the neck of the bottle with the underside of each bottle neck flange engaging and supported by the rails for movement relative to said rails, track support means for retaining the track in a downwardly inclined direction toward the front end of the track so the suspended bottles are gravity fed to the front end of the track as the lead bottle in a track is successively unloaded, the front end of each track assembly includes a stop means for said bottle closure and an opening having height and width dimensions whereby the closure will be prevented from exiting said opening when supported by said track assembly, but can be removed from said track through said opening when tilted with respect to said track assembly.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.