US2435177A

US2435177A - Article dispensing device

Info

Publication number: US2435177A
Application number: US549146A
Authority: US
Inventors: William S Connell; Paul F Boettcher; Carl M Holmen
Original assignee: Bastian Blessing Co
Current assignee: Bastian Blessing Co
Priority date: 1944-08-12
Filing date: 1944-08-12
Publication date: 1948-01-27
Anticipated expiration: 1965-01-27

Description

Jan- 27, 1948. w. s. coNNELL Erm. 2,435,177

RTICLE'- DISPENSING DEVICE Filed Aug. 12'. 1944 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Jan- 27, 1948- w. s. coNNELL Erm. 2,435,177

ARTICLE DISPENSING DEVICE Filed Aug. l2, 1944 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 Patented Jan. 27, 1948 ARTICLE DISPENSING DEVICE William S. Connell, Norwood Park Township, Cook County, Ill.; and Paul F. Boettcher and Carl M. Holmen, Grand Haven, Mich., assignors to The Bastian-Blessing Company, Chicago, Ill., a corporation of Illinois Application August 12, 1944, Serial No. 549,146

14 Claims.

The present invention relates to an improved dispensing apparatus generally operated or released for manual operation by a coin controlled mechanism to dispense articles one at a time, particularly bottles such as those used in handling soft drinks for public consumption.

Although the invention can be used equally well for dispensing uncarbonated drinks. it is particularly useful in dispensing bottled carbonated drinks since one of the features of the invention is the handling of a bottle with a minimum amount of agitation to the contents.

Not only does the invention handle a bottle with a minimum amount of agitation of the contents, but the invention is further characterized by a construction and arrangement of parts in which an unusually large number of bottles are handled with a minimum amount of danger of damage to the bottles, it being easy .to place the bottles inv their stored position ready for dispensing and at no time are the bottles handled violently during the dispensing operations.

In considering these advantages and objects of the invention, it will be appreciated by those who have had occasion to open carbonated beverage bottles that much of the carbonation of the' drink is lost and sometimes part of the drink itself by the ebullition which occurs or is caused by handling a bottle violently enough to agitate the contents of the bottle prior to opening. This is particularly true where the drink has a-great deal of sweetening in it or is supercharged with carbonated water to give the drink a dry taste.

Most bottles dispensed by a machine are opened by the purchaser at the machine with a cap lifter provided for that purpose. The lifter is fastened tothe machineover a waste cap receptacle. The capped end of the bottle is inserted under the lifter and the body of the bottle forced downwardly. The position of the bottle prior to being forced downwardly is an upwardly inclined one as held by the hand, and one of the objects of the present invention isy to deliver the bottle in approximately that position without prior agitation and for convenience in handling the bottle from the moment that itis made available by the dispensing apparatus. In delivering the bottle in this position with the least amount of agitation, the bottles are stored in vertical rows already disposed in this relative position from which the bottles may be slid axially along a short inclined path to their delivered position.

A further object of the present invention is to provide an improved construction and arrangement by which the bottles thus disposed may be 2 supported in large quantities around the periphery of a drum ,which can be step rotated to dis.- pense the bottles one by one as controlled by a coin release mechanism.

A further object ofthe present invention is to drop the' bottles one by one from the bottom of each vertical row with the least amount of violence or danger of breakage to the remaining bottles.

Another object of the invention is to utilize the general contour of bottles in handling vertically stacked bottles.

A further object of the invention resides in the elimination of the danger of breaking or chipping bottles which is incurred with conventional dispensing devices where the bottles-have to be inserted at the top of the drum and lowered into place. With the present invention the replenishing bottles are inserted directly into the stacking channel in an upright position at the level immediately above the uppermost bottle in the channel and then tilted inwardly to lie in an inclined position.

A further feature of the invention resides in combining the advantages of a gravity delivery with the space saving accomplished by disposing the necks of the bottles inwardly where the geometric circumference narrows with a reduced radius and with the wide bottoms disposed outwardly where the geometric circumference of the drum is much greater.

The invention is further characterized by an improved device of the class described by which the bottles are dispensed one after the other from the bottom of the rows of vertically stored bottles in which the-older bottles are dispensed before replenishing bottles are reached.

These being among the objects, further objects will become apparent from the claims, the drawings and the description relating to the drawings.

In the drawings: A,

Fig. 1 is a front elevational view of a bottle dispensing apparatus embodying a preferred form of the invention.

Fig. 2 is a vertical section taken upon the line 2-2 in Fig. 1.

Fig, 3 is a portion of the section shown in Fig. 2 enlarged to illustrate the manner in which the lowermost bottle is separated from the stack of bottles above it and released at'the dispensing or discharge point.

Fig. 4 is a horizontal section taken through the cabinet illustrated in Fig. 1 with the section line through the dispensing drum stepped from the top to the bottom thereof to show the sectional contour of the dispensing drum at different levels.

Fig. 5 is a perspective view illustrating the manner in which bottles remaining in the stack are lowered into position to bring the next bottle into dispensing position after the lowermost bottle has been discharged. i

Before referring to the detalls of construction,

it will be noted that the general construction is one in which a refrigerated cabinet Iii has a drum II mounted therein for rotation about a vertical axis upon a shaft I2. The periphery of the drum I I is divided into a plurality of vertically disposed slideways in which bottles I3 are stacked in an inclined position with their bottoms disposed outwardly and their tops inwardly at a slant of approximately a 35 angle. The bottles I3 are dispensed one at a time from the bottom of the stacks through a discharge opening I4 as the drum I I is rotated and indexed by an intermittent drive controlled by a coin release mechanism I5. The lowermost bottle in each row is brought successively into discharge position and released, while the bottles above the previously discharged bottle are lowered into place by a ramp mechanism I6. Y

As each bottle is discharged, it moves bottom first outwardly into the discharge opening I4 merely by sliding lengthwise a very short dis tance and without changing its relative inclined position. From the discharge opening the bottle can be picked up by hand. The contents of the bottle during the process are not agitated to any substantial degree from the time that the bottle leaves its position on the drum and the time that it has its neck inserted into the cap lifter 9.

The drum II comprises a top spider I1 and lower plate I8, (Fig. 2) with a cylindrical member serving as an interconnecting spacer at the center and channel members 24 radially disposed about the member 20 secured at the top to the spider I1 and at the bottom to the plate I8.

The cylindrical member 20 is either formed of a casting, an extrusion or of corrugated sheet metal to provide therein circumferentially spaced vertically disposed grooves 2| which receive the tops 22 of the bottles I3 therein in guided relationship so that the tops of the bottles will slide down the cylindrical member when free to do so. The cylindrical member may be mounted in any suitable manner upon the spider and plate as by recesses 23 in which the ends of the cylindrical member 20 are received and held in indexed re1a` tonship therewith so that the spider .and plate are located in predetermined positions with respect to the grooves 2|.

The channel members 24 are shaped in cross section somewhat like a fanciful numeral 2" in which the topY 25 is adapted to engage the bottom j of the bottle to prevent it from moving radially outwardly and the bottom 26 serves to space the bottles circumferentially around the drum. The top 25 will be referred to as the retaining edge while the bottom 2G as the spacer. As shown, the two are parts of one member but it will be appreciated that they can be provided in two separate members.

Between the retaining edge 25 of one channel member 24 and the edge 21 gf the spacer 26 of the next adjacent channel member is enough room to receive a bottle therethrough when the bottle is disposed in a vertical position. With this arrangement. vertically disposed bottles are inserted between the channel members ata'point slightly lateral to the true radius of their testing 4 v position until the side of the bottle is brought into engagement with the reaining edge of the channel member. The top of the bottle is then leaned inwardly to an inclined position in which the cap on the bottle engages in the corresponding groove 2| upon the cylindrical member 20. In this position the end 21 of the spacer 26 locks the bottle against displacement except in a vertical direction, thereby permitting it to slide up and down. 'I'he spacing between the retaining edge 25 and the groove 2| is such that the bottle is held in a position of.approximately 35 angle. Thus the bottles can be inserted at any place along the channel 24 and tilted into position with a minimum amount of danger of breakage and th' spacing between the retaining edge 25 and the groove 2| can beA predetermined in relationship to the size of the bottle to be dispensed so that the invention can be arranged whereby any bottle hav' ing a bottom, sides and neck can be handled by such a dispensing device constructed to handle a particular bottle. The 35 angle is not critical since it Amay be and preferably is less where the bottle .will slide out of position under its own weight when free to do so.

The upper ends of the channel members 24 are cut away as at 28 to secure maximum filling of the drum. The cutaways serve as an indication that the drum is full when the tops of the bottle stacks have`reached that level. The remaining portion of the upper ends of the channel members are received in suitable sockets (not shown in detail) in the top spider I1 inside the axially disposed flange 30 provided on the spider I1, and the flange 30 is reinforced with a ring 3l having outwardly directed gear teeth 32 cut thereon (Fig. 4) to engage the teeth on the drive gear 33.

When disposed at 35 or less, the outward thrust of the bottles against the retaining edge 25 of thechannel member 24 is not great, most of the weight of the bottles being directed vertically. However, to carry the outward thrust that is exerted at the bottom of the bottle, the channel members 24 are shaped so that they will not yield appreciably under this effort.

At the lower ends the channel members are cut away on the retaining edge 25 as at 34 up to a certain height to leave the spacer portion 26 to extend downwardly to be secured to the plate I8 in a suitable shake-proof engagement as hereinafter described with reference to bolts 31, this' lower end of the spacer can be straight or curved inwardly, depending upon the fitting of the parts that is required to accommodate any particular bottle size for which the device is built to handle. Raised portions 35 may be provided upon the face 39 of the plate I8 to serve asguides or dividers receiving the bottles therebetween prior to discharge. However, as shown in Fig. 5, it is preferred to provide both the dividers 35 and also the extending lower portions of the spacer 26 by which the bottles are guided all the way from the top t0 and in position immediately above the plate I8, recesses 36 being provided in the front faces 'of the dividers 35 to receive the lower ends of the spacers 26 as held in place by bolts 31. The upper face of the plate I8 otherwise may be of any contour desired although it is preferred for purposes of convenience in handling the bottles that it be inclined also at a 45 angle.

The bottles do not normally rest against the face of the plate in the preferred form but rather the lowermost bottle has its lower bottom edge received in a cradle' 38 formed on top of a. lever 40 that is pivotally mounted as at 4| at the periphery of the plate i8. Below the pivot 4I the lever 40 is provided with a weight 42 and by reference to Fig. 5 it will be seen thatthe eifectlve supporting center `of the cradle 38 is disposed to one side of the pivot 4| with the weight 42 disposed upon the other side of. the pivot 4I. The cradle 38 supports the base of the bottle above the face of the plate I8 as shown in Fig. 3.

A trip 43 is provided for the lever 48 and when the trip 43 engages the lower side of the lever 48 it moves the weight 42 further to one side of the pivot 4|. With this movement the cradle 38 has an action which lowers the bottle as well as releases it. The lowerrnost bottle then drops against the face 39 of the plate I8. As the bottle is lowered a platform 41 supported on the cabinet l by brackets 41a catches the bottles above it and thereby frees the lowered bottle from the weight of the bottles above it so that it slides longitudinally through the discharge opening i4 immediately after it is released by the cradle 38.

By way of assisting the bottle to slide smoothly when the lever 40 is tripped, a faring member 44 is secured to the face 39 of the .plate I8 with fingers 45 thereon curving upwardly and inwardly in the grooves 2l so as to serve as a guide for the cap of each bottle to prevent the cap from being torn loose in its movement or the neck of the bottle striking any portion of the mechanism which might cause it to chip or break. In aeeommodating the engagement of the platform 41 between the two lowerrnost bottles for the purpose mentioned, the shape or contour of the bottles themselves is utilized. The two lowermost bottles .are cocked with respect to each other so that the belly of the bottom bottle supports the bottles above it and the upperside of the bottom bottle and the one above it are angularly separated as at 46 to receive the platform 41 between them. 'I'he platform enters the space 4B just prior to the tripping of the lever 40.

In cooking the two lowermost bottles to provide the space 46, the lower corner of the bottom bottle is disposed inwardly from a vertical projection of its preceding position in the rack with the neck of the bottle resting higher in its respective channel 2| than it otherwise would have occupied. This relationship is shown in Fig. 3 and is attained when the bottle is moved into position upon the cradle 38 after the preciding bottle has been discharged from the cradle. The platform 41 has a wing 48 thereon that directs the bottom of the bottle inwardly when it moves o of the platform 41 and into its new position on the cradle 38 as it is lowered into place by a ramp member 50 secured to the ramp I6 (Fig. 3). The edge of the adjacent spacer 2B guides the bottle downwardly in line with the cradle 38`while the wing 48 directs the bottle inwardly enough to catch in the cradle 38 as the bottle is lowered by the lowering ramp 5B which ramp eases the bottle, and the weight of all the bottles above it, downwardly into the new position upon the cradle 38.

The ramp 5D is pivoted at its upper end to the platform 41 to move upwardly to a horizontal position if upon occasion such is desired. Otherwise, the ramp 5l) is held rigidly in position on the platform 41 by a stop mechanism 50a (Fig. 3) to carry the weight of the bottles as the bottom bottle slides down the ramp and gradually tilts with a rolling motion along its belly to separate as at 48 under the influence of the channel 2| and the wing 48 as the lower bottom edgemoves slightly inward to catch upon the cradle 38.

6 The platform 41, the ramp Il and the wing 48 are rigidly supported with respect to the cabinet I0 and as shown in Fig. 5 are shapedand constructed to cooperate with the drum when rotated in a clockwise directionas viewed in pian. Furthermore. the pivotal arrangement of the cradle 38 in relationship to the weight 42 is `such that its operation to'release and discharge a bottle takes place with the drum moved clockwise as viewed in plan. However, it will be appreciated that a reversal construction of these elements could be provided in event the drum was rotated in the opposite direction.

The trip 43 is also mounted upon the cabinet and comprises a slide bolt located at a predetermined point to engage the lever 48 at a certain time in the sequence of operations so that the discharge of the bottle is accomplished in rela tionship to the rotation of the drum at that point a when the bottom of the bottle registers with the discharge opening i4.

The drum is mounted for rotation upon the shaft l2 by means of frictionless bearings and the shaft in turn is rigidly supported at its upper end by a bracket 5I secured to the top 52 of the cabinet l0 and at its lower end upon a three legged support one angle bar leg 53 of which is shown in Fig. 3 bar 53 secured to brackets 54 that are fastened to the sides 5S of the cabinet I0. The upper frictionless bearing 5B is a radial thrust bearing whose puter race is received in a socket 51 provided for that purpose in the spider |1 and the lower frictionless bearing `58 is an end thrust bearing whose outer race is carried in a socket 60 provided for that purpose in the `plate I8.

As already mentioned, rotation of the drum is had in clockwise direction and is accomplished by means' of the drive gear 33. The gear 33 is driven through a chain 8| from a manually operated gear $2 connected to a reeiprocable handle 63 through a coin release mechanism so that when ever the proper coin is placed in the coin detector, full movement of the handle 63 will operate to rotate the drum on. its back stroke a sufcient distance to bring about the discharge of the next bottle therein. The arrangement is tion of the drum is prevented by suitable means carried by the gear 33 such as a ratchet (not shown).

Below the bar i3 a blower 84 is provided which draws air down through cylinder 20 and forces it outwardly over the refrigerating coils 65 below the plate I8 to the outside portions of the cabinet l 0. The refrigerated air is then forced upwardly through and over the bottles to be drawn back into the cylinder 2|) for recirculation to cool the bottles. The plate i8 isthus formed for this purpose and the space between the plate I8 and the blower which is taken up by the bar 53 is confined by a sleeve 15 preferably formed integrally with the bar to reenforce it and to maintain this stream of circulation of the refrigeration air so bottles are subjected to the cooling air at its lowest temperature, and suitable bellies to accomplish this may be provided such as the baille 59 directing the cool air against the bottles.

The coils 65 are cooled by a condenser and to the precooling compartment. The body of the cabinet otherwise is made of inner and outerA layers ot sheet metal, or the like, and lled with insulation in a conventional manner.

Access is had to the drum to ll it through a opening 68 closed by a door arrangement 10 located at the front which arrangement comprises a double door; namely, an outer decorative shell 1| which covers the coin controlled mechanism and carries the discharge opening I4 having a rubber bumper 12 where it cushions the outward movement of a discharged bottle, and an inner insulated door 13 which provides access directly to the drum. With this arrangement thecoin control mechanism is made available for repair or maintenance without losing the temperature in the cabinet l Whereas if it is necessary to service the drum as by replenishing it with bottles, access can be had through the inner door 13. The opening 68 and door 13 are restricted to a width barely sulcient to expose only two stacks of bottles at a time and since the bottles are loaded at the level at which they will rest. the height of the opening 68 can be confined to that barely necessary to place the topmost bottle in place. This greatly strengthens the cabinet over conventional cabinets with large door sizes and also conserves refrigeration.

After-the dispensing apparatus is installed and the refrigeration started, the two doors 1| and 13 are opened and the trip pin 43 removed from operation. From a supply of charged bottles on hand, the channel 24 or slideway on the drum nearest the opening can be filled clear to the top by quickly inserting each bottle vertically and 'leaning it inwardly. This shortens the iilling time, speeds up servicing and increases the number of machines that can be serviced in a working day as limited only by the agility of the operator. When one row is lled, the drum is pulled to rotate clockwise. The lowermost bottle under these circumstances is the one resting upon the cradle 38 and this bottle passes under the platform 41, raises the ramp 0, the ramp 50 sliding between the two lowermost bottles as the drum is rotated. The second slideway is then charged with bottles and each successive slideway thereafter until the drum` is completely filled.

Thereafter the trip pin 43 is installed in its operative position and the doors are closed, the handle 63 when. no coins are present being free to move backand forth and pass through the opening provided for itsmovexnent in the outer door 1l 'Thereafter when the purchase price of one or more coins is inserted in the coin detector, movement of the lever will cause the drum to rotate to it next index point during which rotation the pin 43 will engage the lever 40 and move it in a direction to permit lowering the lowermost bottle .slightly-and permitting the bottle immediately above it to come to rest vupon the platform 41 after which further movement of the lever 40 releases the ylowermost bottle to allow it to drop off of the drum and into the chute leading to the discharge opening I4 through a normally closed door 49 which prevents dissipation of the cold air from the cabinet. Upon the second and all subsequent operations of the dispenser, the ramp ill lowers the bottle resting on the platform 41 to its position on the cradle 38 as has already been described in which the spacer member 2S guides the bcttle downwardly as it is eased by the ramp 50 and directed inwardly by the wing 48 into position on the cradle 38.

-The wing 48 preferably does not engage the bottom of the bottle but only the outermost portion of the bottle as the bottle leaves the control ofthe retaining edge on the channel member 24'.' Thus the construction is such, including the pivotal mounting of the ramp 50, that the drum Il can be released for clockwiseprotation during loading operations without discharging bottlesv Whenever the trip pin 43 is moved from its operative position. Consequently, once the doors are openedto provide access to the drum for loading,

the dispenser can be converted for loading and placed back into operation merely by moving the trip pin 43. Although the trip pin is slldably mounted -for manual movement into and out of its operating position, the pin can be moved automatically if desired where the doors permit cooperation betweenthem for that purpose. In

l such an arrangement the trip pin can be a slide bolt which is urged to its release position by a spring (Fig. 3) but held in its operative position by the outer door when the outer door is closed.

Consequently, from the description of the apparatus and its operation, it will be apparent that a dispensing apparatus is provided which can be loaded as fast as bottles can be handled by the service man and that the conversion of the apparatus forV loading purposes as distinguished from dispensing purposes is reduced to a single adjustment which can be accomplished manually, or automatically if desired. Y Furthermore, the bottles when dispensed are handled with a minimum of agitation of the contents with a compact device be appreciated that a power drive can be substituted for the manual drive represented if l automatic operation is desired.

Consequently, having thus described the invention and a certain embodiment thereof, it will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art how the various objects are attained and that various changes can be made to accommodate articles of different sizes including bottled milk, uncarbonated beverage bottles and other articles very easily without departing from the. spirit o the invention, the scope of which is commensurate with the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A bottle dispensing device including a drum having vertically disposed elements around the periphery of the drum, said elements being spaced fromA one another to deneslideways for a. series of bottles in each of them and being provided with means for obstructing outward radial movement of the bottles in the slideways, means cooperating with the obstructing means to support the bottles in inclined positions one above another there being suicient space lbetween adjacent elements to insert the bottles vertically into the slideways prior to tilting them to their inclined position, a cradle meansfor supporting 2. A bottle dispensing device including a drum having vertically disposed elements around the periphery of the drum, said elements being spaced from one another to dene slideways for stacks of bottles in each of them and being provided with laterally extending portions obstructing outward radial movement of the bottles in the'slideways, means cooperating with the por-A tions to support the bottles in inclined positions one above' another there being suiilcient space between adjacent elements to insert the bottles vertically into the slideways prior to tilting them to their inclined position, cradle means for supporting the bottom bottle at an acute angle to those above it and against axial displacement below said portions, means for releasing the cradle as the drum is rotated as the bottom bottle approaches a discharge point, and means for supporting the bottles above the bottom bottle as said discharge point is approached.

3. A bottle dispensing device including a drum having vertically disposed elements around the periphery of the drum-said elements being spaced from one another to denne slideways :for the bottles in each of them and being provided with portions obstructing outward radial movement of the bottles in the slideways, means cooperating with the portions to support the bottles-in inclined positions one above another with suflicient space between adjacent portions to insert the bottles vertically into the slideways prior to tilting them to their inclined pition, a plate at the bottom of the drum having an incline under the influence of which a bottle thereon will slide oir when free to do so, a cradle means and cupped raised portions carried on the plate for supporting the bottom bottle above the plate and atl an acute angle to the bottles above it, said cradle holding the bottom bottle against axial displacement below said rst named portions, means for removing the cradle as the drum is rotated from contact with the bottom bottle to allow the bottom bottle to lower onto a chute as the bottle approaches a discharge point, and means for supporting the bottles above the bottom bottle when said bottom bottle is lowered against said chute.'

holding the bottom bottle in a position of greater incline from which the bottle will slide lengthwise under its own weight when free to do so, a releasable stop ior'preventing the bottom bottles sliding lengthwise, and means for transferring a bottle from said slideway means to said supporting structure when said slideway means is moved relative to said structure.

5. In an article dispensing apparatus, slideway means for supporting bottles in an inclined position therein one above the other, releasable means for supporting the bottom bottle in a position of greater inclination from which the bottom bottle will slide lengthwise under its own weight when free to do so, means for tripping the releasable means to release said bottle at a discharge point, and means whereby the discharged bottle may be replaced with one from the slideway including a platform suporting the upper bottles in the slideway while the lowermost bottle is discharged moving in a straight line along the long axis of the article and a ramp carrying the replacement bottle to a resting position on said releasable means when said' last means and said `iirst means are moved with respect to one another.

6. In an article dispensing apparatus, slideway means for supporting bottles therein in aninclined position one above the other, cradle means for supporting the lowermost bottle in a position of steeper inclination than that 'of the other bottles in the slideways from which position the lowermost bottle would slide lengthwise under its own weight when free to do so and in which position there is space provided between the two low;

ermost botles in the slideways. means received in said space for supporting all the bottles above the bottom bottle when said bottom bottle is ldepth less than the height of the article to be. dispensedwhereby the articles are supported one above each other in an inclined position, means for supporting the lowerlnost article prior to discharge thereof in a position of greater inclination to provide a space between the articles at one end, and support means received in said space between the articles to carry the weightof bottles thereabove when the bottle therebelow is discharged as the drum is rotated.

8. In an article dispensing apparatus, a drum having a plurality of channels therein of a radial depth less than the height of the article to be dispensed whereby the articles are supported one aboveeach other in an inclined position, cradle means for supporting thelowermost article prior to discharge thereof in a position of greater inclination to provide a space between the articles at one end, support means received in said space between the articles to carry the weight of bottles thereabove when the bottle therebelow is discharged, including a pivotally mounted ramp vfor permitting lowering of the next bottle onto the cradle means following the discharge of the preceding bottle thereon as the drum is rotated.

9. In a device for dispensing elongated articles, a drum having vertically disposed channel members dening slidewaysvwhose maximum dimension is less than the maximum length of the articles to support the article in an inclined position, said channel members being shaped and spaced from one another to provide openings between them throughout their length wide enough to receive said articles sidewise therethrough,

`and means for supporting the lowermost article in each slideway in weight supporting relationship for discharge at the bottom of said sldeways.

10. In a device for dispensing soft drink bottles, a drum having vertically disposed channel members including vertical elements having laterally extending retaining edges Aat the periphery 'of the drum with spacers disposed inwardly thereof and a central element providing a vertically disposed groove, said elements dening slideways whose radial width is less than the length of the bottles whereby the bottles are supported in an inclined position, said elements being spaced to provide openings between them throughout their length wide enough to receive the bottles sidewise therethrough when the bottles are handled in vertical position, and releasabie means for supporting the bottom bottle in weight' supporting K vertical slideways of a radial depth less than the height oi an article to be dispensed whereby the articles in the slideways are disposed in an inclined position, a cradle carried by and rotatable with the drum for supporting the lowermost article at an acute angle with respect to the article in the slideway immediately above it to provide a space between them at their outer ends, means carried by the cabinet for tripping said cradle to release the lowermost article whereby the article slides from the drum of its own weight, means for receiving an article sliding from the drum to deliver it outside of the cabinet in substantially the same inclined position, and means carried by the cabinet for supporting the articles in the slideway above the article being discharged at the time the article is discharged.

12. An article dispensing device comprising a cabinet having refrigerated compartment therein, a drum mounted in said compartment for rotation about a vertical axis, a plurality of elements having laterally extending edges and spaced around the periphery of the drum defining slideways of a radial depthV less than the height of the article to be dispensed, said cabinet having an opening at one side of the drum, a closure for said opening, a coin control mechanism for rotating and indexing the drum with respect to said openingand, means for releasing the lowermost article in each slideway as the drum is successively indexed to bringl successive slideways opposite the discharge opening.

13. A bottle dispensing apparatus including side by side relationship to advance them successively to a point of discharge, means for supportingthe nrst bottle to be discharged at an acute angle with respect to the next bottle to it to provide a space between the bottles at their bases, means for releasing the ilrst bottle to permit it to be discharged at the point of discharge. and means receivable in said space to retain the remaining bottles in cooperation with the discharge means while the first bottle is being discharged and to permit the advance oi said next bottle onto said supporting means after the rst bottle is discharged.`

14. In an article dispensing apparatus, slideways for supporting bottles therein one above the other in side by side relationship, a support means for supporting a plurality of bottles in for holding the bottom 4bottle in av position disposed at an acute angle to the upper bottles above it and at an angle of incline greater than the angle in which said upper bottles are dis- .posed with respect to the horizon, at which angle the bottom bottle will slide lengthwise under its own weight when free to do so, a releasable stop at the lower of the two ends of the bottom bottle preventing the bottom bottle from sliding lengthwise, and a ramp for lowering a bottle onto said support when the slideways are moved relative to said ramp.

WILLIAM s. coNNELn PAUL F. BoE'rTcHER.

CARL M. HOLMEN.

REFERENCES CITED l The following references are of record in the ille of this patent:

Um'rnn STATES PATENTS