Patent US3729243A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US3729243A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Merchandising cabinet
Assignee: Crane Co
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Filing: 1971-06-07
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Granted: 1973-04-24
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Expires: 1991-06-07
Abstract
Abstract A merchandising cabinet, e.g., an ice cream dipping cabinet, having a transparent window means and a curved transparent lid closing the upper front and top of the cabinet and permitting the contents of the cabinet to be viewed by both the customer and the server with the lid opened or closed. The window means extends the length of the cabinet and comprises a front window extending upwardly at the upper front of the cabinet and a top window extending back from the top of the front window to a position above and forward of the top of the back cabinet wall providing an opening for access to the containers by the server. The curved transparent lid is slidably mounted on curved track means at its ends for sliding movement between a closed position in which the lid blocks the opening and an open position in which a customer may view the containers through the window means and the lid.
Inventors
- 👤 D Musgrave
- 👤 P Mcclain
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-25 17:58
CPC Classifications
A; A47; A47F; A47F3/00; A47F3/04; A47F3/0404; A47F3/0426; A47F3/043
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 11
Claim 1
Independent Claim
311 words
A merchandising cabinet, particularly for containers of ice cream to be hand dipped, having a front wall, a back wall, and end walls, said walls being thermally insulated and defining a compartment for the containers, said end walls having upper portions extending upwardly above the upper edges of the front and back walls, fixed window means extending endwise between the upper portions of the end walls at the front of the cabinet and extending upwardly from the upper edge of the front wall and back in the direction of the back wall and having its upper rear edge spaced above the level of and forward of the top of the back wall to provide an opening for access to the compartment from the back of the cabinet, and means for closing said opening comprising at least one transparent curved lid, and curved track means supporting the lid at its end and guiding the lid for arcuate sliding movement between a closed position in which the lid extends forward and upward on an arc from the top of the back wall to a point below and adjacent the upper rear edge of said window means and an open position in which the lid extends forward and downward on an arc from a point below and adjacent the upper rear edge of the window to a point adjacent the front of the cabinet in back of and below said window means, whereby a customer standing at the front of the cabinet may view the containers through the window means when the lid is Closed and through the window means and the lid when the lid is open, the curved track means at each end of the lid consisting of a single track only so that the lid is adapted to be removed by lifting it and moving it rearward out of the cabinet.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
311 words
A merchandising cabinet, particularly for containers of ice cream to be hand dipped, having a front wall, a back wall, and end walls, said walls being thermally insulated and defining a compartment for the containers, said end walls having upper portions extending upwardly above the upper edges of the front and back walls, fixed window means extending endwise between the upper portions of the end walls at the front of the cabinet and extending upwardly from the upper edge of the front wall and back in the direction of the back wall and having its upper rear edge spaced above the level of and forward of the top of the back wall to provide an opening for access to the compartment from the back of the cabinet, and means for closing said opening comprising at least one transparent curved lid, and curved track means supporting the lid at its end and guiding the lid for arcuate sliding movement between a closed position in which the lid extends forward and upward on an arc from the top of the back wall to a point below and adjacent the upper rear edge of said window means and an open position in which the lid extends forward and downward on an arc from a point below and adjacent the upper rear edge of the window to a point adjacent the front of the cabinet in back of and below said window means, whereby a customer standing at the front of the cabinet may view the containers through the window means when the lid is Closed and through the window means and the lid when the lid is open, the curved track means at each end of the lid consisting of a single track only so that the lid is adapted to be removed by lifting it and moving it rearward out of the cabinet.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
100 words
A merchandising cabinet as set forth in claim 1 having means providing a seal between the front portion of the lid and the upper rear edge of the window means when the lid is closed, and means providing a seal between the rear of the lid and the top of the back wall when the lid is closed, the front seal means comprising a flexible resilient sealing lip extending endwise of the cabinet adjacent the upper rear edge of the window means resiliently engaging the upper surface of the lid, the latter being in sliding sealing engagement with the lip.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
46 words
A merchandising cabinet as set forth in claim 1 having means for releasably retaining the lid on said track means, said retaining means including means on the lid extending underneath said track means and being retractable from underneath said track means when the lid is opened.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
62 words
A merchandising cabinet as set forth in claim 3 wherein said lid-retaining means comprises a pair of lock plates projecting inwardly from said track means, and a pair of lock bolts carried by the lid at its rear edge and below the lid movable between a locking position extending underneath the lock plates and a retracted position clear of the lock plates.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
115 words
A merchandising cabinet as set forth in claim 1, wherein said window means comprises a first window pane extending up from the top of said front wall and a second window pane extending back from the top of the first pane, having a fluorescent lamp housing extending between the end walls at the top thereof and located in a plane intermediate the front and back walls, the top pane extending back to said lamp housing, and having means providing a seal between the lamp housing and the front portion of the lid, and means providing a seal between the rear of the lid and the top of the back wall when the lid is closed.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
39 words
A merchandising cabinet as set forth in claim 5 wherein said front seal means comprises a flexible resilient sealing lip extending lengthwise of said lamp housing and downwardly therefrom, the lid being in sliding sealing engagement with the lip.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
70 words
A merchandising cabinet as set forth in claim 5 wherein the rear seal means comprises a resilient sealing and bumper member at the rear edge of the lid engageable with the upper edge of the back wall when the lid is closed, and having a handle extending up from the rear of the lid engageable with a bumper on the rear of the lamp housing when the lid is opened.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
67 words
A merchandising cabinet as set forth in claim 7 having a molded plastic insert for the top of the cabinet comprising end panels which are disposed on the inside of the end walls and portions extending between the end panels capping the front and back walls, said end panels being formed with arcuate ledges, and each said track comprising a rail on the respective said arcuate ledge.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
41 words
A merchandising cabinet as set forth in claim 8 having two lids side-by-side, the inner ends of the lids being slidable on curved rails on a bridge extending forward from the back wall at the center of length of the cabinet.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
63 words
A merchandising cabinet as set forth in claim 9 having means for releasably retaining each lid on its respective rails comprising lock plates on the ledges and bridge and locking bolt means carried by each lid at its rear edge and below the lid movable between an extended locking position underneath the lock plates and a retracted position clear of the lock plates.
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) | 1976-04-23 | 1976-10-23 | 1977-04-24 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1980-04-23 | 1980-10-23 | 1981-04-24 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1984-04-23 | 1984-10-23 | 1985-04-24 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |