Mounting and display stand for a plurality of vending machines

Claim 1

A MOUNTING AND DISPLAY STAND FOR A PLURALITY OF VENDING MACHINES, COMPRISING: A BASE MEMBER; A MAIN VERTICAL SUPPORT MEMBER EXTENDING UPWARDLY FROM SAID BASE MEMBER AND SECURED THERETO AT ITS LOWER EXTREMITY; AT LEAST TWO VERTICALLY SUPERIMPOSED AND VERTICALLY SPACED SUBSTANTIALLY HORIZONTAL SHELF MEMBERS FOR A PLURALITY OF VENDING MACHINES INCLUDING A LOWER SHELF MEMBER FOR A PLURALITY OF VENDING MACHINES, AND SECURED TO SAID VERTICAL SUPPORT MEMBER AT A LOWER LOCATION, AND AN UPPER SHELF MEMBER VERTICALLY SPACED ABOVE AND SUPERIMPOSED WITH RESPECT TO SAID LOWER SHELF MEMBER AND RELEASABLY AND VERTICALLY ADJUSTABLY SECURED TO SAID MAIN VERTICAL SUPPORT MEMBER AT AN UPPER LOCATION; A COVER MEMBER ADAPTED TO BE POSITIONED IN TOP ABUTMENT WITH A PLURALITY OF VENDING MACHINES WHEN THEIR BOTTOMS ARE SUPPORTED ON SAID UPPER SHELF MEMBER; AND VERTICAL TIE ROD MEANS HAVING A BUTTOM END PORTION SECURED TO SAID LOWERMOST SHELF MEMBER AND HAVING A TOP END PORTION LOCKABLY SECURABLE TO SAID COVER MEMBER FOR LOCKING A PLURALITY OF VENDING MACHINES BETWEEN SAID COVER MEMBER AND SAID UPPER SHELF MEMBER AND BETWEEN SAID UPPER SHELF MEMBER AND SAID LOWER SHELF MEMBER IN A NON-REMOVABLE MANNER; SAID LOWER SHELF MEMBER BEING PROVIDED WITH AT LEAST ONE UPWARDLY FACING POSITIONING AND REGISTRATION ENGAGEMENT ELEMENT FOR EACH VENDING MACHINE ADAPTED TO BE RECEIVED THEREOVER AND ENGAGINGLY COOPERABLE WITH A CORRESPONDING POSITIONING AND REGISTRATION ENGAGEMENT ELEMENT ADAPTED TO BE CARRIED BY A BOTTOM PORTION OF A VENDING MACHINE WHEN ENGAGED THEREWITH FOR POSITIVE POSITIONING AND REGISTRATION PURPOSES; SAID UPPER SHELF MEMBER BEING PROVIDED WITH AT LEAST ONE UPWARDLY AND DOWNWARDLY FACING POSITIONING AND REGISTRATION ENGAGEMENT ELEMENT FOR EACH PAIR OF VENDING MACHINES ADAPTED TO BE RECEIVED IN VERTICALLY SUPERIMPOSED RELATIONSHIP THEREOVER AND THEREUNDER BY SAID UPPER SHELF MEMBER AND ON SAID LOWER SHELF MEMBER, RESPECTIVELY, AND ENGAGINGLY COOPERABLE WITH A CORRESPONDING POSITIONING AND REGISTRATION ENGAGEMENT ELEMENT ADAPTED TO BE CARRIED BY THE CORRESPONDING BOTTOM AND TOP PORTIONS OF THE CORRESPONDING UPPER AND LOWER VERTICALLY SUPERIMPOSED VENDING MACHINES AND IN VERTICAL ENGAGEMENT THEREWITH FOR POSITIVE POSITIONING AND REGISTRATION PURPOSES; SAID COVER MEMBER BEING PROVIDED WITH AT LEAST ONE DOWNWARDLY FACING POSITIONING AND REGISTRATION ENGAGEMENT ELEMENT FOR EACH VENDING MACHINE ADAPTED TO BE POSITIONED THEREUNDER AND CARRIED BY SAID UPPER SHELF MEMBER AND ENGAGINGLY COOPERABLE WITH A CORRESPONDING POSITIONING AND REGISTRATION ENGAGEMENT ELEMENT ADAPTED TO BE CARRIED BY A TOP PORTION OF A VENDING MACHINE IN UNDERLYING ENGAGEMENT THEREWITH FOR POSITIVE POSITIONING AND REGISTRATION PURPOSES, EACH ENGAGEABLE PAIR OF SAID POSITIONING AND REGISTRATION ENGAGEMENT ELEMENTS COMPRISING MEANS FOR POSITIVELY POSITIONING AND MAINTAINING REGISTRATION OF THE PLURALITY OF VENDING MACHINES IN CERTAIN PREDETERMINED RELATIONSHIPS WITH RESPECT TO SAID LOWER SHELF MEMBER, SAID UPPER SHELF MEMBER, AND SAID COVER MEMBER.