Merchandising aid

Claim 2

A merchandising aid for moving articles forward to an advance position as articles are removed therefrom comprising: a. a support; b. an article conveyor means adapted to support a row of articles thereon; c. means on the support mounting said conveyor means for movement of said article conveyor in sequence to an advanced position; d. flexible resilient power means operatively connected to said conveyor means for moving same toward said advanced position; e. retarder means operatively connected to said conveyor means for limiting the rate of advancing movement thereof; f. means actuated by an article in said advanced position and operative to stop advancing movement of said conveyor means.

Claim 3

A merchandising aid as set forth in claim 1 wherein the means actuated by the article to stop advancing movement of the conveyor means includes: a. an abutment member movably mounted on the support and having a portion extending into the path of the advancing movement of the articles to be engaged by the leading article as it nears the advanced position; b. a friction brake; c. means operatively connecting the abutment member with the friction brake to actuate the brake when moved by an advancing article to its advanced position.

Claim 4

a friction brake;

Claim 5

a friction brake;

Claim 6

means engaging the tube intermediate said ends and substantially constricting same restricting flow of fluid from one end portion to the other end portion which flow governs the speed of the conveyor; f. means actuated by an article in said advanced position and operative to stop advancing movement of said conveyor means.

Claim 7

means engaging the tube intermediate said ends and substantially constricting same restricting flow of fluid from one end portion to the other end portion which flow governs the speed of the conveyor; f. means actuated by an article in said advanced position and operative to stop advancing movement of said conveyor means.

Claim 8

an elongate flexible tube having closed ends and being filled with fluid, said tube having a reverse bend engaging said arcuate surface, said tube being under tension whereby the portion engaging the arcuate surface is flattened transversely substantially constricting the tube at the reverse bend and thereby restricting flow of fluid from one end portion of the tube through the flattened portion to the other end portion;

Claim 9

an elongate flexible tube having closed ends and being filled with fluid, said tube having a reverse bend engaging said arcuate surface, said tube being under tension whereby the portion engaging the arcuate surface is flattened transversely substantially constricting the tube at the reverse bend and thereby restricting flow of fluid from one end portion of the tube through the flattened portion to the other end portion;

Claim 10

A merchandising aid for moving articles forward to an advanced position as articles are removed therefrom comprising: a. a support; b. an article conveyor means adapted to support a row of articles thereon; c. means on the support mounting said conveyor means, for movement of articles in sequence to an advanced position; d. power means operatively connected to said conveyor means for moving same toward said advanced position; e. retarder means operatively connected to said conveyor means for limiting the rate of advancing movement thereof, said retarder means including;

Claim 11

A merchandising aid for moving articles forward to an advanced position as articles are removed therefrom comprising: a. a support; b. an article conveyor means adapted to support a row of articles thereon; c. means on the support mounting said conveyor means, for movement of articles in sequence to an advanced position; d. power means operatively connected to said conveyor means for moving same toward said advanced position; e. retarder means operatively connected to said conveyor means for limiting the rate of advancing movement thereof, said retarder means including;

Claim 12

means operatively connecting the abutment member with the friction brake to actuate the brake when moved by an advancing article to its advanced position; g. said abutment member is a lever pivotedly mounted on the support and normally disposed toward advancing articles and having a portion extending above the conveyor means for engagement by such articles; h. said friction brake is a lever means mounted on the support having a brake shoe engageable with the flattened portion of the tube in response to movement of the abutment member by an article to prevent passage of fluid past the flattened portion of the tube.

Claim 13

means operatively connecting the abutment member with the friction brake to actuate the brake when moved by an advancing article to its advanced position; g. said abutment member is a lever pivotedly mounted on the support and normally disposed toward advancing articles and having a portion extending above the conveyor means for engagement by such articles; h. said friction brake is a lever means mounted on the support having a brake shoe engageable with the flattened portion of the tube in response to movement of the abutment member by an article to prevent passage of fluid past the flattened portion of the tube.

Claim 14

means connecting the closed ends of the tube relative to said conveyor means whereby advancing movement of the conveyor is permitted in response to movement of the tube over said arcuate surface which movement is in response to the power means acting on the conveyor means and the tension on the tube whereby a limited quantity of fluid passes through the flattened portion of the tube permitting a corresponding movement of the tube and conveyor; f. means actuated by an article in said advanced position and operative to stop advancing movement of said conveyor means.

Claim 15

means connecting the closed ends of the tube relative to said conveyor means whereby advancing movement of the conveyor is permitted in response to movement of the tube over said arcuate surface which movement is in response to the power means acting on the conveyor means and the tension on the tube whereby a limited quantity of fluid passes through the flattened portion of the tube permitting a corresponding movement of the tube and conveyor; f. means actuated by an article in said advanced position and operative to stop advancing movement of said conveyor means.

Claim 16

A merchandising aid as set forth in claim 3 wherein: a. said arcuate surface is on a pulley rotatably mounted on the support; b. a roller member is mounted on the support near the advanced position of articles, said roller and pulley being on parallel axes; c. the conveyor means is a flexible strip having an intermediate portion engaged with said roller and first and second ends extending toward the pulley; d. the connection of the tube ends relative to the conveyor means being a connection of a leading closed end of the tube to a trailing end of the conveyor means and a connection of the trailing end of the tube to a leading end of the conveyor means.

Claim 17

A merchandising aid as set forth in claim 4 wherein: a. said power means is an elongate resilient member having one end fixed relative to the support and the other end operatively connected to the leading end of the conveyor means.

Claim 18

A merchandising aid as set forth in claim 5 wherein: a. said conveyor means and said tube are combined to form a continuous belt-like structure wherein the leading end of the conveyor is in the lower run and when in fully loaded position the trailing end of the conveyor means is near the pulley in the upper run and the row of articles rest on said upper run of the conveyor means; b. a support member is mounted on the support between the conveyor runs laterally outwardly to form a cover for the lower run, power means and the support thereunder.

Claim 19

A merchandising aid as set forth in claim 3 and including: a. means operatively connected relatively to said conveyor means to adjust the tension on the flexible tube and the constriction thereof to adjust the rate of advancing movement of the conveyor means.

Claim 20

A merchandising aid as set forth in claim 7 wherein the means actuated by an article in said advanced position includes: a. a platform in the path of articles moved to said advanced position and adapted to receive such articles thereon, said platform being moved in response to weight of an article thereon; b. means operative in response to said movement of the platform for braking the conveyor means and stop same.

Claim 21

In an article conveyor a speed governor comprising: a. an elongate flexible conveyor member having first and second ends; b. an elongate tube having first and second closed ends and filled with fluid with said first closed end connected to said first end of said conveyor member and said second closed end connected relative to said second end of said conveyor member; c. an arcuate surface, said tube having a substantially reverse bend engaging a portion of said arcuate surface, said tube being partially flattened in a line transverse of said tube at said reverse bend; d. power means operatively connected to said conveyor member urging advancing movement thereof; e. means acting on the other end of said tube and cooperating with said power means to apply a force on the tube portion engaging said arcuate surface to substantially flatten same and restrict the flow of fluid through said tube portion, said tube moving over said arcuate surface and said conveyor member advancing at a rate governed by the flow of fluid through said flattened tube portion toward said one end of said tube.

Claim 22

In an article conveyor a speed governor comprising: a. an elongate flexible conveyor member having first and second ends; b. an elongate tube having first and second closed ends and filled with fluid with said first closed end connected to said first end of said conveyor member and said second closed end connected relative to said second end of said conveyor member; c. an arcuate surface, said tube having a substantially reverse bend engaging a portion of said arcuate surface, said tube being partially flattened in a line transverse of said tube at said reverse bend; d. power means operatively connected to said conveyor member urging advancing movement thereof; e. means acting on the other end of said tube and cooperating with said power means to apply a force on the tube portion engaging said arcuate surface to substantially flatten same and restrict the flow of fluid through said tube portion, said tube moving over said arcuate surface and said conveyor member advancing at a rate governed by the flow of fluid through said flattened tube portion toward said one end of said tube.

Claim 23

In an article conveyor as set forth in claim 9 wherein: a. said arcuate surface is a pulley; b. brake means having a portion engageable with said tube at the reverse bend thereof and operable to apply force on the tube wall to squeeze same between the brake member and the pulley to stop flow of fluid therethrough.

Claim 24

A merchandising aid comprising: a. a shelf for supporting merchandise for display and sale; b. a movable strip extending transversely of the shelf and supporting a series of merchandise items thereon for advance of said items from the back to the front relative the shelf; c. power means connected to said strip for continually urging advancing movement thereof; d. an abutment means engageable by a forward item on the strip when in fully advanced position; e. brake means operable in response to the abutment means being free of merchandise engagement to release the strip for movement and operable in response to the abutment means being engaged by an advanced item of merchandise to prevent movement of the strip; f. a retarder means connected to the strip and limiting the rate of advancing movement of the strip.

Claim 25

A merchandising aid comprising: a. a shelf for supporting merchandise for display and sale; b. a movable strip extending transversely of the shelf and supporting a series of merchandise items thereon for advance of said items from the back to the front relative the shelf; c. power means connected to said strip for continually urging advancing movement thereof; d. an abutment means engageable by a forward item on the strip when in fully advanced position; e. brake means operable in response to the abutment means being free of merchandise engagement to release the strip for movement and operable in response to the abutment means being engaged by an advanced item of merchandise to prevent movement of the strip; f. a retarder means connected to the strip and limiting the rate of advancing movement of the strip.

Claim 26

A merchandising aid as set forth in claim 11 wherein said means actuated by the article in said advanced position includes: a. means acting on said tube to stop flow of fluid through the constricted portion, said stoppage of flow locking the conveyor means against movement.

Claim 27

A merchandise aid for moving articles forward to an advanced position as articles are removed therefrom comprising: a. a support; b. an article conveyor means adapted to support a row of articles thereon; means on the support mounting said conveyor means, for movement of articles in sequence to an advanced position; d. power means operatively connected to said conveyor means for moving same toward said advanced position; e. retarder means operatively connected to said conveyor means for limiting the rate of advancing movement thereof, said retarder means including:

Claim 28

A merchandise aid for moving articles forward to an advanced position as articles are removed therefrom comprising: a. a support; b. an article conveyor means adapted to support a row of articles thereon; means on the support mounting said conveyor means, for movement of articles in sequence to an advanced position; d. power means operatively connected to said conveyor means for moving same toward said advanced position; e. retarder means operatively connected to said conveyor means for limiting the rate of advancing movement thereof, said retarder means including:

Claim 29

A merchandising aid for moving articles forward to an advanced position as articles are removed therefrom comprising: a. a support; b. an article conveyor means adapted to support a row of articles thereon; c. means on the support mounting said conveyor means, for movement of articles in sequence to an advanced position; d. power means operatively connected to said conveyor means for moving same toward said advanced position; e. retarder means operatively connected to said conveyor means for limiting the rate of advancing movement thereof; f. means actuated by an article in said advanced position and operative to stop advancing movement of said conveyor means, and including:

Claim 30

A merchandising aid for moving articles forward to an advanced position as articles are removed therefrom comprising: a. a support; b. an article conveyor means adapted to support a row of articles thereon; c. means on the support mounting said conveyor means, for movement of articles in sequence to an advanced position; d. power means operatively connected to said conveyor means for moving same toward said advanced position; e. retarder means operatively connected to said conveyor means for limiting the rate of advancing movement thereof; f. means actuated by an article in said advanced position and operative to stop advancing movement of said conveyor means, and including: