Claims
- 1. An article vendor comprising:
- a cabinet having a front, rear and sides with a delivery opening in the front at a delivery level;
- a plurality of article dispensers in the cabinet above the delivery level each adapted to hold a row of articles to be vended extending in rear-to-front direction;
- the forward ends of the dispensers being spaced rearward from the front of the cabinet so that there is a passage between the front of the cabinet and the forward ends of the dispensers;
- each dispenser comprising means for feeding the respective row of articles forward and discharging the forward article off the forward end of the dispenser;
- said dispensers being arranged in tiers one above another with the dispensers in each tier located in side-by-side relationship;
- the front of the cabinet being windowed for viewing at least the forward articles on the dispensers;
- an elevator movable up and down in said passage, said elevator being adapted to occupy a lowered article delivery position at said delivery level for access by a purchaser to an article on the elevator via said delivery opening and being movable to a position at the level of any of said tiers for receiving an article from a dispenser of that tier;
- selector means operable by a purchaser for selecting any one of the dispensers for dispensing the forward article therefrom;
- means controlled by said selector means for moving the elevator to the level of the tier which includes the selected dispenser;
- and means controlled by the selector means for operating the selected dispenser to discharge the forward article therefrom on to the elevator when the elevator is moved to the level of the tier which includes the selected dispenser;
- the elevator then being lowered to its article delivery position so that the purchaser may obtain the selected article from the elevator via said delivery opening;
- the elevator comprising a tray for receiving the article discharged from a dispenser, the tray being movable up and down in said passage, and also movable rearward in said passage under control of said selector means from a forward position for up and down movement in said passage to a rearward position on reaching the level of the tier including the selected dispenser for receiving the article discharged from the selected dispenser.
- 2. An article vendor as set forth in claim 1 wherein said elevator moving means comprises means for raising the elevator from its article delivery position to the level of the tier which includes the selected dispenser and wherein said vendor has a series of controls for said elevator moving means, one for each tier, spaced vertically at intervals corresponding to the vertical spacing of the tiers and operable by said tray.
- 3. An article vendor as set forth in claim 2 wherein each of said controls comprises an elevator stop switch, and wherein the tray carries means for actuating the stop switch of a selected control when the tray is in its rearward position.
- 4. An article vendor as set forth in claim 3 wherein each of said controls comprises means for maintaining the tray in its forward position for causing the stop switch actuating means on the tray to by-pass the control without actuating the stop switch of the control, said selector means being operable to disable the by-pass means of the control for the tier which includes the selected dispenser to enable movement of the tray to its rearward position for actuation of the stop switch of that control as the elevator reaches that tier.
- 5. An article vendor as set forth in claim 4 wherein each by-pass means comprises a gate, each control comprises means for latching the gate in a by-pass position, and said switch-actuating means on the tray is movable over the gates.
- 6. An article vendor as set forth in claim 5 wherein each of said controls includes a solenoid for releasing the latching means, and the selector means is operable to actuate the solenoid of the control for the tier which includes the selected dispenser to release the gate of that control to enable movement of the tray to its rearward position for actuation of the stop switch of that control as the elevator reaches that tier.
- 7. An article vendor as set forth in claim 2 wherein the means for effecting operation of the selected dispenser comprises a series of dispenser operators on the tray, one for each column, and means operable by said selector means upon making a selection for actuating the dispenser operator for that column which includes the selected dispenser, said dispenser operator being operable to start the selected dispenser when the elevator is raised to the level of the tier which includes the selected dispenser and the tray moves to its rearward position.
- 8. An article vendor as set forth in claim 7 wherein the means for actuating the dispenser operators comprises a series of controls, one for each operator, mounted in the cabinet in stationary relationship with respect to the elevator, each control including a solenoid, the selector means being operable to actuate the control solenoid corresponding to the column including the selected dispenser.
- 9. An article vendor as set forth in claim 8 wherein each dispenser operator is carried by the tray for movement relative to the tray between a retracted position and an operative position, each dispenser operator, when in its operative position, being adapted to operate a selected dispenser upon rearward movement of the tray.
- 10. An article vendor as set forth in claim 9 having a drive for each dispenser including a clutch for each dispenser, each dispenser operator being operable when in its operative position to effect engagement of the clutch of the selected dispenser upon rearward movement of the tray.
- 11. An article vendor comprising:
- a cabinet having a front, rear and sides with a delivery opening in the front at a delivery level;
- a plurality of article dispensers in the cabinet above the delivery level each adapted to hold a row of articles to be vended extending in rear-to-front direction;
- the forward ends of the dispensers being spaced rearward from the front of the cabinet so that there is a passage between the front of the cabinet and the forward ends of the dispensers;
- each dispenser comprising means for feeding the respective row of articles forward and discharging the forward article off the forward end of the dispenser;
- said dispensers being arranged in tiers one above another with the dispensers in each tier located in side-by-side relationship;
- the front of the cabinet being windowed for viewing at least the forward articles on the dispensers;
- an elevator movable up and down in said passage, said elevator being adapted to occupy a lowered article delivery position at said delivery level for access by a purchaser to an article on the elevator via said delivery opening and being movable to a position at the level of any of said tiers for receiving an article from a dispenser of that tier;
- selector means operable by a purchaser for selecting any one of the dispensers for dispensing the forward article therefrom;
- means controlled by said selector means for moving the elevator to the level of the tier which includes the selected dispenser;
- and means controlled by the selector means for operating the selected dispenser to discharge the forward article therefrom on to the elevator when the elevator is moved to the level of the tier which includes the selected dispenser;
- the elevator then being lowered to its article delivery position so that the purchaser may obtain the selected article from the elevator via said delivery opening;
- each dispenser comprising an endless conveyor having a generally horizontal upper reach carrying said row of articles spaced at intervals along its length, and means for driving each conveyor to index its said upper reach forward through an interval corresponding to the spacing of the articles for discharging the forward article on to the elevator and advancing the remainder of the articles one interval;
- the elevator comprising a tray for receiving the article discharged from a selected conveyor, the tray being movable up and down in said passage and also movable rearward in said passage under control of said selector means from a forward position for up and down movement in said passage to a rearward position on reaching the level of the tier including the selected conveyor for receiving the article discharged from the upper reach of the selected conveyor.
- 12. An article vendor comprising:
- a cabinet having a front, rear and sides with a delivery opening in the front at a delivery level;
- a plurality of article dispensers in the cabinet each adapted to hold a row of articles to be vended extending in rear-to-front direction;
- said dispensers being arranged in tiers one above another with a plurality of dispensers in each tier located in side-by-side relationship in the tier;
- the forward ends of the dispensers being spaced rearward from the front of the cabinet so that there is a passage between the front of the cabinet and the forward ends of the dispensers;
- each dispenser comprising means for feeding the respective row of articles forward and discharging the forward article off the forward end of the dispenser;
- a plurality of drive means in each tier, one for each dispenser in each tier, each drive means being connected to the feeding means of the respective dispenser;
- the front of the cabinet being windowed for viewing at least the forward articles on the dispensers;
- an elevator movable up and down in said passage, said elevator being adapted to occupy an article delivery position at said delivery level for access by a purchaser to an article on the elevator via said delivery opening and being movable to a position at the level of any of said tiers for receiving an article from a dispenser of that tier;
- said elevator extending throughout the width of the tiers for receiving an article from any dispenser of any tier when at the level of that tier;
- selector means operable by a purchaser for selecting any one of the dispensers for dispensing the forward article therefrom;
- means controlled by said selector means for moving the elevator to the level of the tier which includes the selected dispenser;
- means controlled by the selector means for operating the drive means of the selected dispenser to drive the feeding means of the selected dispenser to discharge the forward article therefrom on to the elevator when the elevator is moved to the level of the tier which includes the selected dispenser;
- the elevator then being moved to its article delivery position so that the purchaser may obtain the selected article from the elevator via said delivery opening;
- the delivery opening being below the lowermost tier and the elevator moving means comprising means for raising the elevator from its article delivery position at the level of the delivery opening below the lowermost tier to the level of the tier which includes the selected dispenser;
- said vendor having a series of controls for said elevator moving means, one for each tier, spaced vertically at intervals corresponding to the vertical spacing of the tiers and operable by the elevator;
- each of said controls comprising an elevator stop switch, the elevator carrying means for actuating the stop switch of the control for the tier which includes the selected dispenser;
- wherein each of said controls comprises means for causing the stop switch actuating means on the elevator to by-pass the control without actuating the stop switch of the control, said selector means being operable to disable the by-pass means of the control for the tier which includes the selected dispenser, whereby the stop switch actuating means actuates the stop switch of that control as the elevator reaches that tier.
- 13. An article vendor as set forth in claim 12 wherein the elevator comprises a member movable rearward from a forward position under control of the by-pass means to a switch-actuating position.
- 14. An article vendor as set forth in claim 13 wherein each by-pass means comprises a gate, each control comprises means for latching the gate in a by-pass position, and said member carries means movable over the gates.
- 15. An article vendor as set forth in claim 14 wherein each of said controls includes a solenoid for releasing the latching means, and the selector means is operable to actuate the solenoid of the control for the tier which includes the selected dispenser.
- 16. An article vendor comprising:
- a cabinet having a front, rear and sides with a delivery opening in the front at a delivery level;
- a plurality of article dispensers in the cabinet above the delivery level each adapted to hold a row of articles to be vended extending in rear-to-front direction;
- the forward ends of the dispensers being spaced rearward from the front of the cabinet so that there is a passage between the front of the cabinet and the forward ends of the dispensers;
- each dispenser comprising means for feeding the respective row of articles forward and discharging the forward article off the forward end of the dispenser;
- said dispensers being arranged in tiers one above another with the dispensers in each tier located in side-by-side relationship;
- the front of the cabinet being windowed for viewing at least the forward articles on the dispensers;
- an elevator movable up and down in said passage, said elevator being adapted to occupy a lowered article delivery position at said delivery level for access by a purchaser to an article on the elevator via said delivery opening and being movable to a position at the level of any of said tiers for receiving an article from a dispenser of that tier;
- selector means operable by a purchaser for selecting any one of the dispensers for dispensing the forward article therefrom;
- means controlled by said selector means for moving the elevator to the level of the tier which includes the selected dispenser;
- and means controlled by the selector means for operating the selected dispenser to discharge the forward article therefrom on to the elevator when the elevator is moved to the level of the tier which includes the selected dispenser;
- the elevator then being lowered to its article delivery position so that the purchaser may obtain the selected article from the elevator via said delivery opening;
- the means for effecting operation of the selected dispenser comprising a series of dispenser operators on the elevator, one for each column, and means operable by said selector means upon making a selection for actuating the dispenser operator for that column which includes the selected dispenser, said dispenser operator being operable to start the selected dispenser when the elevator is raised to the level of the tier which includes the selected dispenser;
- the means for activating the dispenser operators comprising a series of controls, one for each operator, mounted in the cabinet in stationary relationship with respect to the elevator;
- the elevator comprising a member movable rearward from a forward position under control of the selector means, and said dispenser operators being carried by said member and movable relative to said member between a retracted position and an operative position, each dispenser operator, when in its operative position, being adapted to operate a selected dispenser upon rearward movement of said member.
- 17. An article vendor as set forth in claim 16 having a drive for the dispensers including a clutch for each dispenser, each dispenser operator being operable when in its operative position to engage the clutch of the selected dispenser.
- 18. An article vendor comprising:
- a cabinet having a front, rear and sides with a delivery opening in the front at a delivery level;
- a plurality of article dispensers in the cabinet each adapted to hold a row of articles to be vended extending in rear-to-front direction;
- said dispensers being arranged in tiers one above another with a plurality of dispensers in each tier located in side-by-side relationship in the tier;
- the forward ends of the dispensers being spaced rearward from the front of the cabinet so that there is a passage between the front of the cabinet and the forward ends of the dispensers;
- each dispenser comprising means for feeding the respective row of articles forward and discharging the forward article off the forward end of the dispenser;
- a plurality of drive means in each tier, one for each dispenser in each tier, each drive means being connected to the feeding means of the respective dispenser;
- the front of the cabinet being windowed for viewing at least the forward articles on the dispenser;
- an elevator movable up and down in said passage, said elevator being adapted to occupy an article delivery position at said delivery level for access by a purchaser to an article on the elevator via said delivery opening and being movable to a position at the level of any of said tiers for receiving an article from a dispenser of that tier;
- said elevator extending through the width of the tiers for receiving an article from any dispenser of any tier when at the level of that tier;
- selector means operable by a purchaser for selecting any one of the dispensers for dispensing the forward article therefrom;
- means controlled by said selector means for moving the elevator to the level of the tier which includes the selected dispenser;
- and means controlled by the selector means for operating the drive means of the selected dispenser to drive the feeding means of the selected dispenser to discharge the forward article therefrom on to the elevator when the elevator is moved to the level of the tier which includes the selected dispenser;
- the elevator then being moved to its article delivery position so that the purchaser may obtain the selected article from the elevator via said delivery opening;
- each dispenser comprising an endless conveyor having an upper reach carrying said row of articles spaced at intervals along its length, each of said drive means being connected to drive a respective conveyor and being adapted to index the upper reach of said conveyor forward through an interval corresponding to the spacing of the articles for discharging the forward article on to the elevator and advancing the remainder of the articles one interval;
- said conveyor having dividers spaced at said intervals on the outside thereof all along its length, said drive means indexing the conveyor forward a distance equal to the spacing of the dividers; and
- means for maintaining the dividers in position extending up from the upper reach of the conveyor as they travel forward with the upper reach, and for holding them toward the conveyor as they return rearward.
- 19. An article vendor comprising:
- a cabinet having a front, rear and sides with a delivery opening in the front at a delivery level;
- a plurality of article dispensers in the cabinet each adapted to hold a row of articles to be vended extending in rear-to-front direction;
- said dispensers being arranged in tiers one above another with a plurality of dispensers in each tier located in side-by-side relationship in the tier;
- the forward ends of the dispensers being spaced rearward from the front of the cabinet so that there is a passage between the front of the cabinet and the forward ends of the dispensers;
- each dispenser comprising means for feeding the respective row of articles forward and discharging the forward article off the forward end of the dispenser;
- a plurality of drive means in each tier, one for each dispenser in each tier, each drive means being connected to the feeding means of the respective dispenser;
- the front of the cabinet being windowed for viewing at least the forward articles on the dispensers;
- an elevator movable up and down in said passage, said elevator being adapted to occupy an article delivery position at said delivery level for access by a purchaser to an article on the elevator via said delivery opening and being movable to a position at the level of any of said tiers for receiving an article from a dispenser of that tier;
- said elevator extending throughout the width of the tiers for receiving an article from any dispenser of any tier when at the level of that tier;
- selector means operable by a purchaser for selecting any one of the dispensers for dispensing the forward article therefrom;
- means controlled by said selector means for moving the elevator to the level of the tier which includes the selected dispenser;
- and means controlled by the selector means for operating the drive means of the selected dispenser to drive the feeding means of the selected dispenser to discharge the forward article therefrom on to the elevator when the elevator is moved to the level of the tier which includes the selected dispenser;
- the elevator then being moved to its article delivery position so that the purchaser may obtain the selected article from the elevator via said delivery opening;
- each dispenser comprising an endless conveyor having an upper reach carrying said row of articles spaced at intervals along its length, each of said drive means being connected to drive a respective conveyor and being adapted to index the upper reach of said conveyor forward through an interval corresponding to the spacing of the articles for discharging the forward article on to the elevator and advancing the remainder of the articles one interval;
- each conveyor comprising a series of plates connected together end-to-end to form an endless belt, each plate being formed of plastic and having grooves extending transversely thereof from one side to the other forming integral transverse hinges at the grooves and subdividing the plate into panels between the hinges with the plate adapted to flex at the hinges, each plate having complementary end members formed for interconnection of one end of each plate with the complementary end of the next plate in the series.
- 20. An article vendor as set forth in claim 19 wherein the complementary members are formed for a snap fit of one end of each plate with the complementary end of the next plate.
- 21. An article vendor as set forth in claim 19 wherein each conveyor has sprockets around which the endless belt is trained, said sprockets having grooves spaced at equal intervals therearound, and the plates having integral formations on the inside faces thereof spaced at equal intervals along the length thereof and engageable in the grooves of the sprockets.
- 22. An article vendor as set forth in claim 19 wherein each conveyor has dividers at the interconnected ends of the plates.
- 23. An article vendor comprising:
- a cabinet having a front, rear and sides with a delivery opening in the front at a delivery level;
- a plurality of article dispensers in the cabinet each adapted to hold a row of articles to be vended extending in rear-to-front direction;
- said dispensers being arranged in tiers one above another with a plurality of dispensers in each tier located in side-by-side relationship in the tier, each dispenser in each tier being individually operable independently of the other dispensers in the tier;
- the forward ends of the dispensers being spaced rearward from the front of the cabinet so that there is a passage between the front of the cabinet and the forward ends of the dispensers;
- each dispenser comprising means for feeding the respective row of articles forward and discharging the forward article off the forward end of the dispenser;
- a plurality of drive means in each tier, one for each dispenser in each tier, each drive means being connected to the feeding means of the respective dispenser;
- the front of the cabinet being windowed for viewing at least the forward articles on the dispensers;
- an elevator movable up and down in said passage, said elevator being adapted to occupy an article delivery position at said delivery level for access by a purchaser to an article on the elevator via said delivery opening and being movable to a position at the level of any of said tiers for receiving an article from a dispenser of that tier;
- said elevator extending throughout the width of the tiers for receiving an article from any dispenser of any tier when at the level of that tier;
- selector means operable by a purchaser for selecting any one of the dispensers for dispensing the forward article therefrom;
- first means conditioned by said selector means for controlling the movement of the elevator to effect movement of the elevator to the level of the tier which includes the selected dispenser;
- and second means conditioned by the selector means for controlling operation of the drive means for the dispensers to start the drive means of the selected dispenser driving the feeding means of the selected dispenser forward to discharge the forward article therefrom on to the elevator when the elevator reaches a position in proximity to the tier which includes the selected dispenser;
- the elevator then being moved to its article delivery position so that the purchaser may obtain the selected article from the elevator via said delivery opening.
- 24. An article vendor as set forth in claim 23 wherein each dispenser comprises an endless conveyor having an upper reach carrying said row of articles spaced at intervals along its length, each of said drive means being connected to drive a respective conveyor and being adapted to index the upper reach of said conveyor forward through an interval corresponding to the spacing of the articles for discharging the forward article on to the elevator and advancing the remainder of the articles one interval.
- 25. An article vendor as set forth in claim 24 wherein said conveyor has dividers spaced at said intervals on the outside thereof all along its length, said drive means indexing the conveyor forward a distance equal to the spacing of the dividers.
- 26. An article vendor as set forth in claim 25 wherein the drive means comprises a gear train including change gear means for establishing the conveyor index distance as the distance between dividers.
- 27. An article vendor as set forth in claim 23 wherein the delivery opening is below the lowermost tier and the elevator moving means comprises means for raising the elevator from its article delivery position at the level of the delivery opening below the lowermost tier to the level of the tier which includes the selected dispenser and wherein said vendor has a series of controls for said elevator moving means, one for each tier, spaced vertically at intervals corresponding to the vertical spacing of the tiers and operable by the elevator.
- 28. A vendor as set forth in claim 23 having means for effecting operation in unison of the drive means for at least one pair of two side-by-side dispensers in at least one tier.
- 29. A vendor as set forth in claim 23 having means for setting the apparatus for operation in unison of the drive means for at least one pair of two side-by-side dispensers in at least one tier in response to operation of the selector means for either dispenser of said pair, so that articles wider than one dispenser may be vended via said pair.
- 30. An article vendor comprising:
- a cabinet having a front, rear and sides with a delivery opening in the front at a delivery level;
- a plurality of article dispensers in the cabinet each adapted to hold a row of articles to be vended extending in rear-to-front direction;
- said dispensers being arranged in tiers one above another with a plurality of dispensers in each tier located in side-by-side relationship in the tier;
- the forward ends of the dispensers being spaced rearward from the front of the cabinet so that there is a passage between the front of the cabinet and the forward ends of the dispensers;
- each dispenser comprising means for feeding the respective row of articles forward and discharging the forward article off the forward end of the dispenser;
- a plurality of drive means in each tier, one for each dispenser in each tier, each drive means being connected to the feeding means of the respective dispenser;
- the front of the cabinet being windowed for viewing at least the forward articles on the dispensers;
- an elevator movable up and down in said passage, said elevator being adapted to occupy an article delivery position at said delivery level for access by a purchaser to an article on the elevator via said delivery opening and being movable to a position at the level of any of said tiers for receiving an article from a dispenser of that tier;
- said elevator extending throughout the width of the tiers for receiving an article from any dispenser of any tier when at the level of that tier;
- selector means operable by a purchaser for selecting any one of the dispensers for dispensing the forward article therefrom;
- means controlled by said selector means for moving the elevator to the level of the tier which includes the selected dispenser;
- and means controlled by the selector means for operating the drive means of the selected dispenser to drive the feeding means of the selected dispenser to discharge the forward article therefrom on to the elevator when the elevator is moved to the level of the tier which includes the selected dispenser;
- the elevator then being moved to its article delivery position so that the purchaser may obtain the selected article from the elevator via said delivery opening;
- said dispensers being further arranged in vertical columns with the dispensers in each column located one above another, the means for operating the drive means of the selected dispenser to drive the feeding means of the selected dispenser comprising a series of operators on the elevator, one for each column, and means operable by said selector means upon making a selection for actuating the operator for that column which includes the selected dispenser, each operator being operable to operate the drive means of the selected dispenser when the elevator is moved to the level of the tier which includes the selected dispenser.
- 31. An article vendor as set forth in claim 30 wherein the means for activating the said operators comprises a series of controls, one for each operator, mounted in the cabinet in stationary relationship with respect to the elevator.
- 32. An article vendor comprising:
- an enclosure having a front with a delivery opening in the front at a delivery level;
- a plurality of article dispensers in the enclosure each adapted to hold a row of articles to be dispensed extending in rear-to-front direction;
- said dispensers being arranged in tiers one above another with a plurality of the dispensers in each tier located in side-by-side relationship in the tier, each dispenser in each tier being individually operable independently of the other dispensers in the tier;
- the forward ends of the dispensers being spaced rearward from the front of the enclosure so that there is a passage between the front and the forward ends of the dispensers;
- each dispenser comprising means for feeding the respective row of articles forward and discharging the forward article off the forward end of the dispenser;
- a plurality of drive means in each tier, one for each dispenser in each tier, each drive means being connected to the feeding means of the respective dispenser;
- an elevator movable up and down in said passage, said elevator being adapted to occupy an article delivery position at said delivery level for access to an article on the elevator via said delivery opening and being movable to a position at the level of any of said tiers for receiving an article from a dispenser of that tier;
- said elevator extending throughout the width of the tiers for receiving an article from any dispenser of any tier when at the level of that tier;
- selector means for selecting any one of the dispensers for dispensing the forward article therefrom;
- first means conditioned by said selector means for controlling the movement of the elevator to effect movement of the elevator to the level of the tier which includes the selected dispenser;
- and second means conditioned by the selector means for controlling operation of the drive means for the dispensers to start the drive means of the selected dispenser driving the feeding means of the selected dispenser forward to discharge the forward article therefrom on to the elevator when the elevator reaches a position in proximity to the tier which includes the selected dispenser;
- the elevator then being moved to its article delivery position so that the selected article may be obtained from the elevator via said delivery opening.
- 33. An article vendor comprising:
- an enclosure having a front with a delivery opening in the front at a delivery station;
- a plurality of article dispensers in the enclosure each adapted to hold a row of articles to be vended extending to rear-to-front direction;
- said dispensers being arranged in tiers one above another with the dispensers in each tier located in side-by-side relationship in the tier, each dispenser in each tier being individually operable independently of the other dispensers in the tier;
- the forward ends of the dispensers being spaced rearward from the front of the enclosure so that there is a passage between the front and the forward ends of the dispensers;
- each dispenser comprising means for feeding the respective row of articles forward and discharging the forward article off the forward end of the dispenser;
- an elevator movable up and down in said passage, said elevator being movable to a position at the level of any of said tiers for receiving an article from any dispenser of that tier and then movable to a position for delivery of the article to a purchaser via said delivery opening;
- said elevator extending throughout the width of the tiers for receiving an article from any dispenser of any tier when at the level of that tier;
- selector means operable by a purchaser for selecting any one of the dispensers for dispensing the forward article therefrom;
- first means controlled by said selector means for moving the elevator to the level of the tier which includes the selected dispenser comprising a vertical series of stops, one for each tier, spaced vertically at intervals corresponding to the vertical spacing of the tiers, each stop being movable from a retracted position clear of the elevator, for movement of the elevator to a tier including a selected dispenser, to a stop position wherein it is engageable by the elevator to bring the elevator to a stop at the level of the respective tier, and means for moving the stops to their stop position as the elevator approaches the level of a tier including a selected dispenser whereby the stop corresponding to that tier will bring the elevator to a stop at the level of that tier;
- second means controlled by said selector means for operating the selected dispenser to discharge the forward article therefrom on to the elevator when the elevator is moved to the level of the tier which includes the selected dispenser;
- the elevator then being moved to its article delivery position for delivery of the article to the purchaser;
- the elevator having means for engaging a stop to bring the elevator to a stop, and said first means controlled by the selector means controlling said means for moving the stops to move them to their stop position before said stop-engaging means on the elevator reaches the level of the stop for the tier including a selected dispenser and after said stop-engaging means passes the level of the stop for the preceding tier.
- 34. An article vendor as set forth in claim 33 wherein the elevator comprises a tray for receiving the article discharged from a dispenser, the tray being movable up and down in said passage and also movable rearward in said passage from a forward position for up-and-down movement in said passage to a rearward position as it reaches the level of a tier including a selected dispenser for receiving the article discharged from the selected dispenser.
- 35. An article vendor as set forth in claim 34 wherein the tray is movable to its rearward position as it reaches the level of a tier including a selected dispenser by the engagement of the stop-engaging means on the elevator with the stop for that tier and continued movement of the elevator, and wherein the vendor has means against which the elevator jams upon said continued movement of the elevator for a limited distance.
- 36. An article vendor as set forth in claim 35 having a drive including a slip clutch for the elevator.
- 37. An article vendor as set forth in claim 33 wherein said delivery opening is below the level of the lowermost tier, wherein the article delivery position of the elevator is at the level of the delivery opening, wherein the elevator normally occupies its article delivery position and travels up to a tier including a selected dispenser from its said article delivery position, and wherein said means for moving the stops is operable to move them to their stop position before said stop-engaging means, in travelling up with the elevator, reaches the level of the stop for the tier including the selected dispenser and after said stop-engaging means travels up past the level of the stop for the next tier below.
- 38. An article vendor as set forth in claim 37 wherein the elevator comprises a tray for receiving the article discharging from a dispenser, wherein the means for moving the elevator comprises drive means movable up and down in the enclosure, wherein means is provided pivotally mounting the tray on said drive means for swinging of the tray from a forward position for up-and-down movement in said passage to a rearward position as it reaches the level of a tier including a selected dispenser for receiving the article discharged from the selected dispenser, said stop-engaging means being so mounted relative to the tray and said pivotal mounting means as to cause swinging of the tray to its said rearward position after the stop-engaging means has engaged a stop and the pivotal mounting means continues in upward movement by said drive means, and wherein the vendor has means against which the tray jams upon said continued upward movement of the tray for a limited distance.
- 39. An article vendor as set forth in claim 38 having a drive for said drive means including a slip clutch for slip in the drive when the tray has swung to its rearward position.
- 40. An article vendor as set forth in claim 39 having means for stopping said drive in response to stopping of said drive means when the tray has swung to its rearward position.
- 41. An article vendor comprising:
- an enclosure having a front and a delivery station at the front;
- a plurality of article dispensers in the enclosure each adapted to hold a row of articles to be vended extending in rear-to-front direction;
- the forward ends of the dispensers being spaced rearward from the front of the enclosure so that there is a passage between the front and the forward ends of the dispensers;
- each dispenser comprising means for feeding the respective row of articles forward and discharging the forward article off the forward end of the dispenser;
- article transfer means movable in the passage to a position for receiving an article from any one of the dispensers and to a position at the delivery station for delivery of the article to a purchaser;
- selector means operable by a purchaser for selecting any one of the dispensers for dispensing the forward article therefrom;
- means controlled by the selector means for moving the transfer means to a position for receiving an article from a selected dispenser;
- means for operating the selected dispenser to discharge the forward article therefrom on to the transfer means when the transfer means is moved to the position for receiving an article from the selected dispenser, the transfer means when being moved to the delivery station;
- means for sensing the presence of an article on the transfer means, in the position of the article as delivered to the transfer means, when the transfer means is at the delivery station; and
- means for disabling the selector means from effecting movement of the transfer means away from the delivery station in response to said sensing means sensing the presence of an article on the transfer means at the delivery station when the transfer means reaches the delivery station,
- whereby the selector means is rendered ineffective to move the transfer means to a position for receiving another article and the transfer means remains at the delivery station as long as an article remains on the transfer means.
- 42. An article vendor comprising:
- an enclosure having a front with a delivery opening in the front at a delivery station;
- a plurality of article dispensers in the enclosures each adapted to hold a row of articles to be vended extending in rear-to-front direction;
- said dispensers being arranged in tiers one above another with the dispensers in each tier located in side-by-side relationship in the tier, each dispenser in each tier being individually operable independently of the other dispersers in the tier;
- the forward ends of the dispensers being spaced rearward from the front of the enclosure so that there is a passage between the front and the forward ends of the dispensers;
- each dispenser comprising means for feeding the respective row of articles forward and discharging the forward article off the forward end of the dispenser;
- an elevator movable up and down in said passage, said elevator being movable to a position at the level of any of said tiers for receiving an article from any dispenser of that tier and then movable to a position for delivery of the article to a purchaser via said delivery opening;
- said elevator extending throughout the width of the tiers for receiving an article from any dispenser of any tier when at the level of that tier;
- selector means operable by a purchaser for selecting any one of the dispensers for dispensing the forward article therefrom;
- first means controlled by said selector means for moving the elevator to the level of the tier which includes the selected dispenser;
- second means controlled by said selector means for operating the selected dispenser to discharge the forward article therefrom on to the elevator when the elevator is moved to the level of the tier which includes the selected dispenser;
- the elevator then being moved to its article delivery position for delivery of the article to the purchaser;
- means for sensing the presence of an article on the elevator, in the position of the article as delivered to the elevator, when the elevator is in its article delivery position; and
- means for disabling the selector means from effecting movement of the elevator in response to said sensing means sensing the presence of an article on the elevator when the elevator reaches said article delivery position,
- whereby the selector means is rendered ineffective to move the elevator to a position for receiving another article and remains in article delivery position as long as an article remains on the elevator.
- 43. An article vendor comprising:
- a cabinet having a front, rear and sides with a delivery opening in the front at a delivery level;
- a plurality of article dispensers in the cabinet above the delivery level each adapted to hold a row of articles to be dispensed extending in rear-to-front direction;
- said dispensers being arranged in columns located in side-by-side relationship and with the dispensers in each column located one above another, whereby each dispenser has a vertical co-ordinate and a horizontal co-ordinate, each dispenser being individually operable independently of the other dispensers;
- the forward ends of the dispensers being spaced rearward from the front of the cabinet so that there is a passage between the front and the forward ends of the dispensers;
- each dispenser comprising means for feeding the respective row of articles forward and discharging the forward article off the forward end of the dispenser;
- a plurality of drive means, one for each dispenser, each drive means being connected to the feeding means of the respective dispenser;
- the delivery opening extending across the front of the cabinet generally throughout the width of the columns at a level below the lowermost dispensers;
- the front of the cabinet being windowed above the delivery opening for viewing at least the forward articles on the dispensers;
- an elevator movable up and down in said passage, said elevator being movable to a position corresponding to the vertical co-ordinate of any of said dispensers for receiving an article therefrom, and then movable to a position at the delivery level for delivery of the article;
- said elevator extending generally throughout the width of the columns for receiving an article from any dispenser when the elevator is in the position corresponding to the vertical co-ordinate of said dispenser, the article coming on to the elevator at a position corresponding to the horizontal co-ordinate of said dispenser and in a vertical plane between the ends of the delivery opening, the elevator holding the article without moving it laterally relative to the cabinet, the elevator carrying the article on the elevator down in said plane to the delivery level at the delivery opening with the article visible through the windowed front of the cabinet in the course of its downward movement;
- selector means for selecting any one of the dispensers for dispensing the forward article therefrom;
- vertical co-ordinate control means controlled by said selector means for controlling operation of the elevator to move the elevator to a position corresponding to the vertical co-ordinate of a selected dispenser;
- control means controlled by said selector means for controlling operation of the drive means for the dispensers to operate the drive means of the selected dispenser for driving the feeding means of the selected dispenser forward to discharge the forward article therefrom on to the elevator when the elevator is in the position corresponding to the vertical co-ordinate of the selected dispenser, and
- means operable in timed relation to said control means for effecting downward movement of the elevator to the delivery level for delivery of the article, with said downward movement starting immediately upon discharge of said forward article on to the elevator.
- 44. An article vendor as set forth in claim 43 wherein said means controlled by the selector means for controlling operation of the drive means for the dispensers comprises horizontal co-ordinate control means operable by the selector means on making a selection to program in the horizontal co-ordinate of the selected dispenser for operation of the drive means of the selected dispenser for driving the feeding means of the selected dispenser to discharge the forward article therefrom on to the elevator when the elevator is in the position corresponding to the vertical co-ordinate of the selected dispenser.
- 45. An article vendor as set forth in claim 44, wherein the dispensers are arranged in tiers one above another with a plurality of dispensers in each tier located in side-by-side relationship in the tier, and wherein, with regard to at least one pair of two side-by-side dispensers in at least one tier, auxiliary means is provided for effecting individual operation of each dispenser of said pair without operating the other, and, alternatively, effecting operation in unison of both dispensers of said pair, so that articles wider than one dispenser may be vended via said pair, said control means controlled by the selector means comprising a control circuit and said auxiliary means comprising switch means in said circuit movable between a first position for effecting said individual operation of each dispenser of said pair and a second position for effecting operation in unison of both dispensers of said pair.
- 46. An article vendor as set forth in claim 45 wherein, with said switch means in its said second position for said operation in unison of both dispensers of said pair, the selector means for either dispenser of said pair may be operated.
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION
This application is a continuation-in-part of our copending U.S. application Ser. No. 577,297, filed May 4, 1975, now abandoned.
US Referenced Citations (11)
Foreign Referenced Citations (1)
Number |
Date |
Country |
1,000,605 |
Aug 1965 |
GBX |
Continuation in Parts (1)
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Number |
Date |
Country |
Parent |
577297 |
May 1975 |
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