Modular vending machine having trap door ejection mechanism

Claim 2

A modular vending machine for utilization in automatically vending prepackaged articles, said machine comprising a plurality of compartments, each of said compartments amenable to receiving a module containing a plurality of articles for vending, sequentially arranged from the front to the back of said modules, dispensing means in each of said modules for dispensing a selected one of said articles responsive to a purchaser operating controls on said machine, said dispensing means including a trap door at the front bottom of each of said modules, said trap door having a normal horizontal position, said modules comprising top, bottom, back and side walls to provide a cave-like receptacle having an open front, top and bottom lip means at said open front, for retaining said articles in said modules notwithstanding any force applied to said articles for forcing the articles toward said open front, said front bottom lip cooperating with said trap door in a normal horizontal position for retaining the articles in said modules, and said trap door having an open position inclined to the horizontal position wherein said bottom lip is removed from its retaining position to enable said articles to be forced from said modules.

Claim 3

The modular vending machine of claim 1 wherein force means are provided for forcing said articles in each of said modules towards the front of said module.

Claim 4

The modular vending machine of claim 2 wherein said force means comprises a back plate contiguous to the back most article in said module, and spring means applied against said back plate to push said back plate toward the front of said module and consequently force said articles toward the front of said module.

Claim 5

The modular vending machine of claim 3 wherein said module comprises top, bottom, back and side walls to provide a cave-like receptacle having an open front, top lip means at the top of said open front and bottom lip means at the bottom of said open front for retaining said articles in said module notwithstanding the force applied to said articles forcing them toward said opening.

Claim 6

The modular vending machine of claim 3 wherein said vending machine comprises a transparent front door enabling a potential vendee to view the front article of each of said modules, space between said front door and said modules, receptacle means at the bottom of said machine whereby when one of said articles is dispensed from a module it drops through the space between said transparent front door and said modules into said receptacle where it is accessible to the vendee.

Claim 7

A modular vending machine for utilization in automatically vending prepackaged articles, said machine comprising a plurality of compartments, each of said compartments amenable to receiving a module containing a plurality of articles for vending that are sequentially arranged from the front to the back of said modules, dispensing means in each of said modules for dispensing a selected one of said articles responsive to the operation of controls on said machine, force means providing for forcing said articles in each of said modules toward the front of said modules, said force means comprising a back plate contiguous to the backmost article in said modules, spring means applied agaiNst said back plate to push said back plate toward the front of said module and to consequently force said articles toward the front of said modules, said modules comprising top, bottom, back and side walls to provide a cave-like receptacle having an open front, top lip means at the top of said open front, bottom lip means at the bottom of said open front, said top lip means and bottom lip means acting to retain said articles in said modules notwithstanding the force applied to said articles, said vending machine comprising a transparent front door enabling a potential purchaser to view the front article of each of said modules, a space between said front door and each of said modules, receptacle means at the bottom of said machine whereby when one of said articles is dispensed from a module it drops through the space between said front door and the modules into said receptacle where it is accessible to the purchaser, said dispensing means including a trap door in the front bottom of each of said modules, said trap door having a normal horizontal position wherein said front bottom lip aids in retaining said articles in said modules, and said trap door having an open position inclined to said horizontal position wherein said bottom lip is removed from its retaining position to enable said articles to be forced from said modules and to drop through said space into said receptacle.

Claim 8

A modular vending machine for utilization in automatically vending prepackaged articles, said machine comprising a plurality of compartments, each of said compartments amenable to receiving a module containing a plurality of articles for vending that are sequentially arranged from the front to the back of said modules, dispensing means in each of said modules for dispensing a selected one of said articles responsive to the operation of controls on said machine, force means providing for forcing said articles in each of said modules toward the front of said modules, said force means comprising a back plate contiguous to the backmost article in said modules, spring means applied agaiNst said back plate to push said back plate toward the front of said module and to consequently force said articles toward the front of said modules, said modules comprising top, bottom, back and side walls to provide a cave-like receptacle having an open front, top lip means at the top of said open front, bottom lip means at the bottom of said open front, said top lip means and bottom lip means acting to retain said articles in said modules notwithstanding the force applied to said articles, said vending machine comprising a transparent front door enabling a potential purchaser to view the front article of each of said modules, a space between said front door and each of said modules, receptacle means at the bottom of said machine whereby when one of said articles is dispensed from a module it drops through the space between said front door and the modules into said receptacle where it is accessible to the purchaser, said dispensing means including a trap door in the front bottom of each of said modules, said trap door having a normal horizontal position wherein said front bottom lip aids in retaining said articles in said modules, and said trap door having an open position inclined to said horizontal position wherein said bottom lip is removed from its retaining position to enable said articles to be forced from said modules and to drop through said space into said receptacle.

Claim 9

The modular vending machine of claim 6 wherein means are provided for assuring that only a single article is dispensed per operation.

Claim 10

The modular vending machine of claim 7 wherein means are provided for operating said trap door from said normal horizontal position to said open position responsive to the operation of the controls by the vendee.

Claim 11

The modular vending machine of claim 8 wherein said means for operating said trap door comprises solenoid means.

Claim 12

The modular vending machine of claim 9 wherein means are provided for electrically coupling said modules to the electrical system of said machine.

Claim 13

The modular vending machine of claim 10 wherein said trap door is hinged to the bottom of said module with a hinge pin, hinge spring means for retaining said trap door in said normal horizontal position, slot means on said trap door, and ejector means for assuring that the dispensed articles pass over the lip on said door when said door is in the open position.

Claim 14

The modular vending machine of claim 11 wherein said ejection means comprises ejector springs attached to the bottom of said module, slots in said trap door to enable said ejector springs to come into contact with said articles when said articles are being forced from said module responsive to said door being actuated to said open position.

Claim 15

The modular vending machine of claim 12 wherein said means for dispensing only a single article per operation comprises bale rod means, said bale rod means comprising an inverted U-shaped rod pivoted onto said trap door means, said bale rod surrounding said front most article when said door is in said normal horizontal position and having the top of said inverted U-shaped rod contiguous to the top of said article, means on the side of said module to limit the travel of said bale rod whereby when said door is operated to the open position, said bale rod exerts a downward force on said front most article to assure that it does not stick to the next article adjacent thereto, and said bale being held in position for also exerting a retaining force on said new front most article while said door is in the open position.

Claim 16

The modular vending machine of claim 13 wherein means are provided for exerting a special pushing force at the bottom of said front most article during the opening of said door.

Claim 17

The modular vending machine of claim 14 wherein said last named means comprises control spring means, said control springs being substantially C-shaped having the front end thereof attached to the bottom of saiD door, and slot means at the front bottom of said module to enable the back of said control spring to pass therethrough while said door is opening and exert a force on the bottom of said articles being sold.