US3684131A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Merchandising machine with size-adjustable compartments
Assignee: Rowe International Inc
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Filing: 1970-04-22
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Granted: 1972-08-15
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Expires: 1990-04-22
Abstract
Abstract The merchandising machine disclosed is of the type in which one or more of a plurality of doors are released for opening on receipt of proper credit to allow access to one storage compartment normally closed by its door. The doors are electrically and mechanically interlocked, so that opening of one door disables the remaining doors from opening. In such machines interchangeable modules are provided whereby storage compartments and doors of interchangeable height may be utilized. Correspondingly sized door locking and release mechanism mounting panels are provided for each module. In this way, a machine can be changed to vend a smaller number of large items, or larger number of small items by modifying the shelf compartment sizes as desired and inserting door control panels of corresponding sizes.
Inventors
- 👤 Albert Kurimsky
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-05 07:26
CPC Classifications
G; G07; G07F; G07F9/00; G07F9/10; G07F11/00; G07F11/46; G07F11/58
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 12
Claim 1
Independent Claim
155 words
A merchandising machine including in combination, a generally channel-shaped member, a plurality of partitions, manually operable means for selectively assembling said partitions in said members at various locations to divide said channel shaped member into a plurality of merchandise compartments, at least two of said compartments being of different size, a cabinet, a plurality of doors on said cabinet, said doors having sizes corresponding to the sizes of the respective compartments, means mounting said member in said cabinet for movement to a position at which said compartments respectively register with said doors, a plurality of releasable locking units associated with the respective doors and means mounting said locking units on said cabinet in association with said doors and for detachment without damage to the parts of said machine to permit the sizes of compartments along said member and the sizes of the associated doors to be changed without damage to the parts of said machine.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
155 words
A merchandising machine including in combination, a generally channel-shaped member, a plurality of partitions, manually operable means for selectively assembling said partitions in said members at various locations to divide said channel shaped member into a plurality of merchandise compartments, at least two of said compartments being of different size, a cabinet, a plurality of doors on said cabinet, said doors having sizes corresponding to the sizes of the respective compartments, means mounting said member in said cabinet for movement to a position at which said compartments respectively register with said doors, a plurality of releasable locking units associated with the respective doors and means mounting said locking units on said cabinet in association with said doors and for detachment without damage to the parts of said machine to permit the sizes of compartments along said member and the sizes of the associated doors to be changed without damage to the parts of said machine.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
134 words
A machine as in claim 1 in which said doors are mounted for sliding movement in a generally vertical plane from a closed position to an open position, each of said locking units comprising a locking member mounted for movement around a generally vertical axis, first interengageable means on said door and on said locking member for rotating said member, a locking element, means mounting said locking element for movement between a locking position and a released position, second interengageable means on said locking element and on said locking member for limiting the rotary movement of said locking member in response to movement of said door in the locking position of said element and reset means common to all of said locking units for restoring elements from said second positions to said first positions.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
119 words
A machine as in claim 1 including a series of interlock bars associated with the respective locking units, and means mounting said doors for sliding movement between closed positions and open positions, each of said locking units comprising a locking member mounted for movement on said cabinet, interengageable means on said door and on said locking member for moving the member in response to movement of said door from closed to open position, means on said locking member moving between adjacent interlock bars in response to movement of the locking member, and means for limiting the overall movement of the interlock bars to that resulting from movement of one of said locking members between a pair of adjacent bars.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
151 words
A machine as in claim 1 in which said channel member is generally vertically disposed and in which each of said locking units and its associated door is a module comprising a mounting plate having a height approximating that of the compartment with which it is associated, respective upper and lower track forming elements carried by said plate for mounting said door for movement between an open position generally in registry with said plate and a closed position out of registry with said plate, releasable locking mechanism on said plate for normally holding said door in said closed position, means forming a generally vertically extending opening in the front of said cabinet and means mounting said plate in said cabinet adjacent said opening at a location at which said door extends across said opening the closed position thereof for detachment from said cabinet without damage to the parts of the machine.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
95 words
A machine as in claim 1 in which each of said locking units comprises a movable element adapted to move between a first position in the locking condition of said unit and a second position in the released condition of said unit, said machine including a reset bar common to all of said units, and means on said bar at positions therealong corresponding to all possible locations of said partitions adapted to engage said movable members to move said members from said second positions to said first positions in response to actuation of said bar.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
51 words
A machine as in claim 5 in which said locking element is a lever, and in which said reset means comprises pins on said levers and a reset bar formed with a plurality of windows along the length thereof for receiviNg said pins, said windows being spaced correspondingly to said locations.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
35 words
A machine as in claim 1 in which said manually operable means comprise first elements on said partitions and second elements on said member at closely spaced locations therealong for selectively receiving said first elements.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
43 words
A machine as in claim 7 in which said first elements comprise tabs at the rear edges of said partitions and in which said second elements comprise means forming slots at spaced locations along the portion of said member between the channel sides.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
121 words
A machine as in claim 7 in which said manually operable means comprises interengageable means comprising first elements including first lugs at the rear edge of each partition and second lugs at the side edges of each partition adjacent to the front edge thereof and rearwardly extending fingers at the sides of the front edge of each partition and second elements including means forming closely spaced first slots in the portion of said member between said sides for receiving said first lugs and means forming closely spaced slots in the sides of said member adjacent the front edges thereof for receiving said second lugs and means forming closely spaced brackets in said sides adjacent the front edges for receiving said fingers.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
51 words
A machine as in claim 7 in which said first elements comprise rearwardly extending fingers at the sides of the front edges of said partitions and in which said second elements comprise means forming brackets in the sides of said member adjacent to the front edges thereof for receiving said fingers.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
54 words
A machine as in claim 10 in which said first elements further comprise means forming lugs on the side edges of the partitions adjacent to the front edge and in which said second elements further comprise means forming openings in the sides of said member adjacent the front edges thereof for receiving said lugs.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1975-08-15 | 1976-02-14 | 1976-08-15 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1979-08-15 | 1980-02-14 | 1980-08-15 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1983-08-15 | 1984-02-14 | 1984-08-15 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |