Automatic vending machines

Claim 1

IN AN AUTOMATIC VENDING MACHINE HAVING A HOUSING WITH A BOTTOM OPENING FOR DISPENSING BOTTLES STACKED IN SAID HOUSING, IN COMBINATION, A COOLING UNIT IN SAID HOUSING LOCATED AT A LEVEL ABOVE SAID OPENING, STRIP MEANS POSITIONED WITH LATERAL CLEARANCE IN SAID HOUSING AND FORMING AT LEAST ONE LOOPED DOWNWARDLY SLOPING TRACK FOR SAID BOTTLES EXTENDING TOWARD SAID OPENING AND ENVELOPING SAID COOLING UNIT ON THREE SIDES IN A VERTICAL PLANE, CIRCULATION MEANS FOR DIRECTING COLD AIR FROM SAID COOLING UNIT TOWARD THE BOTTOM END OF SAID TRACK ADJACENT SAID OPENING, AND RELEASABLE STOP MEANS FOR SAID BOTTLES AT THE BOTTOM END OF SAID TRACK ADAPTED TO PERMIT THE PASSAGE OF ONE BOTTLE AT A TIME THROUGH SAID OPENING, SAID STRIP MEANS BEING PROVIDED WITH A DOWNWARDLY SLOPING TERMINAL PORTION FOR SUPPORTING THE LOWERMOST BOTTLES AHEAD OF SAID STOP MEANS, SAID TERMINAL PORTION HAVING A PROFILED SURFACE WITH SUBSTANTIALLY HORIZONTAL PORTIONS AND DOWNWARDLY INCLINED PORTIONS ALTERNATING ALONG THE TRACK, SAID STOP MEANS BEING POSITIONED TO MAINTAIN SAID LOWERMOST BOTTLES POISED ON SAID DOWNWARDLY INCLINED PORTIONS BETWEEN SUCCESSIVE PASSAGES OF BOTTLES THROUGH SAID OPENING.