Dispensing machine having multiple dual helix conveyors

Claim 2

An article dispensing unit comprising: a support having an article-receiving surface; a pair of elongated, side-by-side, simultaneously rotatable, helical article conveyors above said surface and each terminating adjacent one margin of the support, the convolutions of respective conveyors winding in opposite directions relatively along corresponding axes of rotation thereof and located in cooperative relationship defining a series of article-receiving spaces between respective stretches thereof aligned transversely of the conveyors and with the end extremities thereof adjacent said one margin of the support being located in dispositions wherein each is essentially a mirror image position of the other whereby articles received in the spaces rest on said surface of the support and slide therealong during operation of the conveyors; and power means operably coupled to the conveyors for simultaneously rotating the latter in opposite directions through respective arcuate increments sufficient to effect successive discharge of the articles from said one margin of the support upon successive operations of the conveyors, said power means including a rotatable clutch member provided with an actuator thereon mounted for rotation therewith, a rotatable component carried by the support within the path of travel of the actuator for rotation thereby during rotation of the clutch member, and gear means on the support between said component and the conveyors for rotating the latter in opposite directions in response to rotation of the component in one direction by the actuator, said support and conveyors thereon being shiftable relative to the clutch member for facilitating reloading of the articlereceiving spaces.

Claim 3

A unit as set forth in claim 1, wherein each of said conveyors comprises an elongated coil supported by said surface of the support, and said power means is connected to the ends of the coils remote from said one margin of the support leaving the opposite ends of the coils free.

Claim 4

A unit as set forth in claim 1, wherein said end extremities of the conveyors are each located in proximal relationship to said surface of the support when the conveyors are in their normal standby positions.

Claim 5

A unit as set forth in claim 3, wherein said power means includes control means operative to effect rotation of each of the conveyors through 360* during each cycle of operation of the power means.

Claim 6

A unit as set forth in claim 1, wherein said support includes a pair of upright sides projecting upwardly from said surface of the support outboard of respective conveyors, and guide means carried by each of the sides and engageable with respective conveyors for maintaining the latter in generally parallel relationship.

Claim 7

A unit as set forth in claim 5, wherein each of said conveyors comprises an elongated coil, said power means being connected to the ends of the coils remote from said one margin of the support leaving the opposite ends thereof free, and said guide means includes an elongated member extending longitudinally of each coil in proximal relationship to the portions thereof adjacent respective sides.

Claim 8

A unit as set forth in claim 5, wherein each of said conveyors comprises an elongated coil and wherein an elongated spacer bar is provided within each of the coils in longitudinally extending relationship therewithin, said bars being disposed to maintain the articles equidistant from said sides.

Claim 9

A unit as set forth in claim 1, wherein said conveyors are located in horizontally spaced relationship, there being an elongated sold-out indicator extending longitudinally of the conveyors in the space therebetween spring means connected to the indicator normally maintaining the same above the surface of the support, and sensing means associated with said indicator means for sensing movement of the indicator from a position adjacent said surface of the support under the weight of one or more articles thereon, to a position above the support surface upon depletion of all of the articles initially carried thereby.

Claim 10

A unit as set forth in claim 1, wherein each of said conveyors comprises an elongated coil and a rotatable cylindrical element remote from said one margin of the support, the end of each coil proximal to a respective element being would therearound for rotation therewith leaving the opposite end of the coil free.

Claim 11

A unit as set forth in Claim 1, wherein is provided guideways slidably carrying the support for horizontal movement toward and away from the clutch member, and means for releasably locking the support in the normal disposition thereof with said component located to be engaged by the actuator on said clutch member.

Claim 12

An article dispensing unit comprising: a plurality of elongated, generally parallel article supports each provided with a discharge margin at one end thereof; rotatable article delivery means carried by each support for effecting discharge of articles successively from a corresponding support over said margin thereof in response to successive operations of the respective delivery means; a generally cylindrical, rotatable clutch member for each delivery means adjacent the end thereof remote from said margin thereof; an actuator shiftably carried by each clutch member for rotation therewith and movable from a standby to an operated position; means operably associated with each actuator for selectively shifting the latter from the standby to the operated position thereof; a rotatable component carried by each support in disposition to be rotated by the actuator of the clutch member associated with a respective delivery means when the corresponding actuator is in the operated position thereof; means intercoupling each delivery means with a respective component for operation thereby; and drive means for simultaneously rotating all of the clutch members upon selective shifting of one of the actuators to an operated position by the operating means therefor, said drive means being operable to rotate the clutch members through arcs sufficient to cause the component engaged by the operated actuator to be rotated through an arc to rotate the associated delivery means to an extent to effect delivery of an article from said margin of the respective support, said drive means including a cable wound around the periphery of each clutch member and extending to the next adjacent clutch member, a prime mover operably joined to the cable for shifting the latter to rotate all of the clutch members, a shiftable element to the opposite ends of which the cable is connected for movement of the cable as the element is shifted, and a drive assembly operably coupled to said element for shifting the latter first in one direction and then in the opposite direction to return the clutch members to their initial positions.

Claim 13

An article dispensing unit comprising: a plurality of elongated, generally parallel article supports each provided with a discharge margin at one end thereof; rotatable article delivery means carried by each support for effecting discharge of articles successively from a corresponding support over said margin thereof in response to successive operations of the respective delivery means; a generally cylindrical, rotatable clutch member for each delivery means adjacent the end thereof remote from said margin thereof; an actuator shiftably carried by each clutch member for rotation therewith and movable from a standby to an operated position; means operably associated with each actuator for selectively shifting the latter from the standby to the operated position thereof; a rotatable component carried by each support in disposition to be rotated by the actuator of the clutch member associated with a respective delivery means when the corresponding actuator is in the operated position thereof; means intercoupling each delivery means with a respective component for operation thereby; and drive means for simultaneously rotating all of the clutch members upon selective shifting of one of the actuators to an operated position by the operating means therefor, said drive means being operable to rotate the clutch members through arcs sufficient to cause the component engaged by the operated actuator to be rotated through an arc to rotate the associated delivery means to an extent to effect delivery of an article from said margin of the respective support, said drive means including a cable wound around the periphery of each clutch member and extending to the next adjacent clutch member, a prime mover operably joined to the cable for shifting the latter to rotate all of the clutch members, a shiftable element to the opposite ends of which the cable is connected for movement of the cable as the element is shifted, and a drive assembly operably coupled to said element for shifting the latter first in one direction and then in the opposite direction to return the clutch members to their initial positions.

Claim 14

A unit as set forth in claim 11, wherein is provided actuator return means adjacent each clutch member engageable with an associated actuator in its operated position for returning the same to the standby position thereof as the clutch members are returned to their initial positions by said drive assembly.

Claim 15

An article dispensing unit comprising: a plurality of elongated, generally parallel article supports each provided with a discharge margin at one end thereof; rotatable article delivery means carried by each support for effecting discharge of articles successively from a corresponding support over said margin thereof in response to successive operations of the respective delivery means; a rotatable clutch member for each delivery means adjacent the end thereof remote from said margin thereof; an actuator shiftably carried by each clutch member for rotation therewith and movable from a standby to an operated position; means operably associated with each actuator for selectively shifting the latter from the standby to the operated position thereof; a rotatable component carried by each support in disposition to be rotated by the actuator of the clutch member associated with a respective delivery means when the corresponding actuator is in the operated position thereof; means intercoupling each delivery means with a respective component for operation thereby; and drive means for simultaneously rotating all of the clutch members upon selective shifting of one of the actuators to an operated position by the operating means therefor, said drive means being operable to rotate the clutch members through arcs sufficient to cause the component engaged by the operated actuator to be rotated through an arc to rotate the associated delivery means to an extent to effect delivery of an article from said margin of the respective support, each of said actuators being mounted for pivoting movement on a respective clutch member and has a cam arm projecting therefrom toward an associated support for engaging the rotatable component thereon, there being toggle spring means between each clutch member and a respective actuator for biasing the latter toward one of the other of the positions thereof.

Claim 16

An article dispensing unit comprising: a plurality of elongated, generally parallel article supports each provided with a discharge margin at one end thereof; rotatable article delivery means carried by each support for effecting discharge of articles successively from a corresponding support over said margin thereof in response to successive operations of the respective delivery means; a rotatable clutch member for each delivery means adjacent the end thereof remote from said margin thereof; an actuator shiftably carried by each clutch member for rotation therewith and movable from a standby to an operated position; means operably associated with each actuator for selectively shifting the latter from the standby to the operated position thereof; a rotatable component carried by each support in disposition to be rotated by the actuator of the clutch member associated with a respective delivery means when the corresponding actuator is in the operated position thereof; means intercoupling each delivery means with a respective component for operation thereby; and drive means for simultaneously rotating all of the clutch members upon selective shifting of one of the actuators to an operated position by the operating means therefor, said drive means being operable to rotate the clutch members through arcs sufficient to cause the component engaged by the operated actuator to be rotated through an arc to rotate the associated delivery means to an extent to effect delivery of an article from said margin of the respective support, each of said actuators being mounted for pivoting movement on a respective clutch member and has a cam arm projecting therefrom toward an associated support for engaging the rotatable component thereon, there being toggle spring means between each clutch member and a respective actuator for biasing the latter toward one of the other of the positions thereof.

Claim 17

A unit as set forth in claim 13, wherein said means for shifting each actuator comprises a solenoid provided with an armature located to engage a corresponding actuator and shift the latter from the standby position thereof to said actuated position upon energization of the respective solenoid.

Claim 18

A unit as set forth in claim 13, wherein is provided a series of said supports arranged in vertical and horizontal rows, said clutch members being mounted for rotation about horizontally and vertically spaced, parallel axes, and said drive means including a plurality of cables, each connected to one row of clutch members for rotating the latter, all of the cables being joined to a common drive assembly for operation thereby to effect simultaneous rotation of all of the clutch members.