Divided shelf structure for helix type product dispensing machines

Claim 1

In product dispensing apparatus: means including a product shelf and a pair of normally upright, spaced-apart sidewall structures on said shelf defining a toploading product compartment between said structures and above said shelf, said shelf having a product discharge end at the normally forwardmost limit of the Compartment; a normally upright divider within said compartment extending rearwardly from said discharge end and substantially coextensive in length with said wall structure, separating the compartment into a pair of horizontal sections on opposite sides of the divider; a helical product feeder having an elongated element encircling said divider in spaced relationship to and along the length of the latter and having a terminus adjacent said discharge end, said feeder having a plurality of spaced-apart convolutions defining a series of product-receiving spaces therebetween extending along opposite sides of said divider; drive means for rotating said feeder in a direction to advance products within said spaces of the sections in unison toward said discharge end and to dispense the products alternately from said sections off said discharge end during rotation of the feeder; and an ejector on the final convolution of said feeder before said terminus thereof for pushing the leading products of said sections alternately off said discharge end during rotation of the feeder, said ejector including an elongated arcuate web extending along said final convolution in concentric relationship therewith, having substantially the same radius as said final convolution, and being generally radially spaced from said divider for clearing the latter during rotation of the feeder, said web having a curved, product-engaging edge progressively departing from the stretch of the convolution to which it is affixed as said terminus is approached and having a point of maximum departure approximately 180* from said terminus, said drive means being operable to rotate said feeder 180* during each actuation of the drive means, and said feeder being disposed to position said maximum departure point of the ejector at the bottom of one section adjacent said shelf upon the completion of one 180* cycle and at the top of the other section spaced above said shelf upon the completion of the next 180* cycle.