GB2028480A

GB2028480A - Refrigerators

Info

Publication number: GB2028480A
Application number: GB7833810A
Authority: GB
Original assignee: Guinness Son & Co Ltd; Watney Mann & Truman Brewers L
Current assignee: Guinness Son & Co Ltd; Watney Mann & Truman Brewers L
Priority date: 1979-09-28
Filing date: 1978-08-18
Publication date: 1980-03-05
Also published as: GB2028480B

Abstract

A refrigerated storage unit for cooling bottled beverage 9 or other packages comprises at least one support and delivery means, e.g. an inclined ramp 8, for sequentially feeding by gravity the packages from a first position to the rear of the unit to a second unloading position adjacent an upstanding front opening 16, the packages being cooled by air circulated over a heat exchanger in a chamber 23 by a blower 22. Each ramp is positioned in a drawer 2 withdrawable from the front of the unit. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION A Package Storage Unit This invention relates to a package storage unit. More particularly the invention concerns a storage unit by which individual packages of, for example, bottled, cartoned or canned beverage (or other consumable produce) are intended to be cooled to a temperature below ambient prior to removal of the packages from the storage unit and their contents being served.

According to the present invention there is provided a package storage unit comprising a cabinet having an upstanding front opening; support means onto which packages for storage within a chamber of the cabinet can be introduced sequentially at a first position remote from the front opening; air cooling means and means for circulating air cooled thereby over the packages in the chamber, and delivery means for feeding the packages from said first position to a second position in said chamber adjacent to the front opening and from which second position the packages are removable from the cabinet through the front opening and wherein said delivery means feeds the packages to the second position in substantially the same sequence as that in which they are introduced to the first position.

The storage unit of the present invention was primarily developed for the storage and preparation by cooling of bottled beverage such as beer, stout or lager prior to the beverage being dispensed in a bar or other commercial environment. The conventional technique for cooling bottled beverages in a bar outlet is by use of a so-called "cold shelf", this is usually displayed behind a bar counter and is in the form of a trough, the floor and walls of which are refrigerated. The bottles are loaded in an upstanding condition in the cold shelf so that the beverages are cooled by direct contact of the bottle with the floor, and possibly the sides, of the trough.This form of cooling has the disadvantage that there is a relatively small area of contact between each bottle and the trough and often the bottles extend upwardly from the top of the trough so that unless the bottles are retained for long periods in the cold shelf only the lowermost regions of the beverages tend to be cooled. There is also the difficulty that in a commercial environment a frequent exchange of bottles on the cold shelf is to be expected so that only a very short cooling period is likely to be available for each bottle, consequently if the beverages are to have an opportunity to be adequately cooled the poor heat transfer between the bases of the bottles and the floor of the trough requires the cold shelf to function at very low temperatures with the result that frost and ice formation can be severe.The aforementioned problem of poor heat transfer is alleviated in the present invention as a result of the flow of cold circulating air over the whole of each bottle within the chamber of the storage unit; by totally immersing each bottle in the cold air flow it is possible to achieve efficient heat transfer such that it avoids the formation of frost and ice within the storage unit. Furthermore, since the contents of the bottles can be cooled as a whole and substantially uniformly, the rate of cooling can be greater than in the aforementioned cold shelf cooling technique.

A further problem which is encountered in cold shelf storage is that there is a natural tendency to use the first available bottles at the front of the cold shelf and to re-stock the shelf by merely reloading the front of the shelf with fresh bottles.

This means that, in general, bottles at the rear of the shelf can be subjected to considerable cooling periods and thereby overcooled and frosted-up while those at the front of the shelf may be removed prematurely for serving shortly after being put into cold storage and possibly without adequate time elapsing for the contents to be effectively cooled; in other words the conventional cold shelf suffers from the disadvantage known as "last in, first out".This disadvantage is alleviated in the Applicants invention by the facility to introduce the bottles sequentially into the cabinet at a position remote from the front opening through which they are intended to be removed and then delivering the bottles towards the front opening for removal in the same sequence as that in which they were introduced (so that the bottle which is removed through the front opening is that which has spent a maximum period in the cooled chamber and the principle of "first in-first out" is followed.

For economy and simplicity of construction the delivery means for feeding the bottles or other packages from the first position to the second position is preferably a gravity feed arrangement.

For such gravity feed the support means is conveniently in the form of a ramp which is inclined from the first position to the second position and down which the packages slide to the second position. To ensure that the first infirst out principle is observed some form of guide means will usually be provided in the chamber to retain the packages in one or more longitudinally extending arrays or rows along which they are delivered sequentially to the second position. For efficient utilisation of storage space several packages may be available in the second position adjacent to the front opening so that any one of such packages can be selected from the second position for removal from the storage unit.With this latter feature in mind the guide means will likely comprise a laterally spaced array of upstanding partition members between each adjacent pair of which packages are fed sequentially in a discrete row from the first position to the second position. Consequently the guide means and aforementioned ramp can effectively form one or more chutes (which are preferably straight) down which the packages are slidably displaced in one or more rows from the first position to the second position.

The position in which the packages are loaded onto the support means will usually be located towards the rear of the storage unit or (for reasons which will become apparent hereinafter) is capable of being located towards the rear of the storage unit. The packages will generally be lowered onto the support means in the first position and to achieve this the cabinet can be provided with an openable top, for example, a hinged flap, which permits access for introducing the packages downwardly onto the support means. This latter form of construction may however be inconvenient in a commercial environment where it is likely that the top of the cabinet will be used as a working surface.It is therefore preferred that the support means is in the form of a shelf which is withdrawable from the chamber in the cabinet for the purpose of introducing the packages onto the support means with the shelf in its withdrawn position.

Constructions are possible in which the shelf can be withdrawn from the rear of the cabinet sufficiently for packages to be introduced into the first position prior to the shelf again being inserted into the cabinet for removal of the packages through the front opening. However, in a bar environment this latter construction is unlikely to prove convenient since the rear of the cabinet will likely be inaccessible due to its abutment against an adjacent upstanding wall or bar fitting. Preferably therefore the shelf comprises part of a drawer unit having an upstanding front wall in which is located the front opening; this drawer unit is intended to be withdrawn through the front of the cabinet sufficient for the packages to be introduced onto the shelf in the first position which latter position will, when the drawer is closed, be located at or towards the rear of the storage unit.

Since the packages are intended to be removed through the front opening of the storage unit it is possible that attempts will be made to load the storage unit through the front opening and this is of course contrary to the "first in-first out" principle if such packages are then removed through the front opening.To alleviate this problem interference means can be provided which forms an obstacle if an attempt is made to introduce packages to the second position through the front opening; in addition, or alternatively, interference means can be provided which hinders displacement of packages in a direction from the second position to the first position so that if a package is located in the second position through the front opening an obstacle is presented to such package which hinders it from being displaced towards the first position and thereby vacating the second position for a further package to be introduced through the front opening. The interference means is preferably in the form of pivotally mounted cams or flaps which serve as one-way gates.These gates are appropriately biased to be displaceable against their biasing by the packages when such packages are being removed from the second position through the front opening or are being fed from the first position towards the second position but, in their biased condition, the gates hinder the insertion of packages through the front opening or present an obstacle to the displacement of packages over the support means in a direction from the second position to the first position.

To ensure ready access to bottles or other packages in the second position it is desirable that the front opening is not closable by a window, door, flap or the like which, in a bar environment, is susceptible to damage and decreases the rate at which the packages can be served from the storage unit. With a permanent front opening in the storage unit it is preferred that the circulating cooled air is directed within the chamber to provide an air curtain which extends substantially over the front opening. This air curtain alleviates the transfer of ambient air from outside the cabinet, through the front opening, to mix with the cooled air within the chamber and will assist, together with such packages as are located in the second position adjacent to the front opening, in forming a barrier which retains the cold air within the chamber.It will however be appreciated that the front opening can be closable by a shutter, curtain, window or the like and in such case it is preferred that the aforementioned air curtain is provided.

The storage unit can have its own refrigeration device over which air is passed (conveniently by a fan blower) for cooling and circulation through the chamber. It is preferred however that the storage unit has an air cooler in the form of a heat exchanger which is cooled by fluid flow from a remotely located refrigeration device which latter device conveniently serves to cool heat exchangers of two or more storage units as may be available in a commercial environment.

One embodiment of a storage unit primarily intended for bottles and constructed in accordance with the present invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying illustrative drawings, in which: Figure lisa side elevation in section of the storage unit which is in the form of a double tiered module; Figure 2 is a front elevation of the unit in part section taken on the line A-A of Figure 1; Figure 3 is a front perspective view of the unit and illustrates the manner in which bottles are introduced thereto for storage; and Figure 4 diagrammatically illustrates a modification in the form of an intereference arrangement which is available for the unit to alleviate the likelihood of bottles being incorrectly introduced for storage.

The unit as illustrated was primarily developed for the storage of bottles containing beer, stout, lager, soft drink or other beverage which is desirably cooled below ambient temperature prior to consumption. The unit was also conceived as an aid to facilitate and promote bar sales of the bottles beverage by ensuring that all of the contents of the bottles would be cooled efficiently, that such bottles would likely be stored within the unit for a period within which they would have the opportunity to be cooled to the required temperature, and that the cooled bottles would be readily available for serving.

The storage unit has a double tier of upper and lower drawer units 2 and 3 within which the bottles are to be accommodated. The drawer units are respectively longitudinally slidable on horizontal telescopic slides 4 relative to a free standing cabinet 5 and between a closed (bottle dispensing) position in which the drawer unit is substantially wholly enclosed within the cabinet 5 (as illustrated by the position of the drawer unit 2 in Figure 1) and an open (bottle loading) position in which the major part, or the whole, of the drawer unit is withdrawn from the cabinet 5 (as illustrated by the position of the drawer unit 3 in Figure 1). In their closed positions the drawer units 2 and 3 are respectively housed in discrete upper and lower chambers 6 and 7 in the cabinet 5.

The drawer units are of identical construction and each comprises a base or shelf 8 on which bottles 9 are intended to stand. Extending vertically from the shelf 8 are longitudinally spaced front and rear walls 10 and 11 respectively. Interconnecting the walls 10 and 11 are two laterally spaced and opposed side walls 12 to which are secured the telescopic slides 4.

Vertically spaced from and overlying the shelf 8 is a cover plate 13; this plate 13 is optional but if fitted extends between the front and rear walls and the opposed side walls of the drawer unit. As will be seen from the upper drawer unit 2 in Figure 1, the front walls 10 extend outwardly in a vertical plane to form flanges 14 which conveniently abut against the front 1 5 of the cabinet to determine maximum entry of the drawer units into their respective chambers.

Provided in the front wall 10 of each drawer unit above the level of the shelf 8 is a rectangular opening 1 6 which extends substantially between the side walls 1 2 and it is through this front opening 1 6 that the bottles 9 are intended to be withdrawn for serving.

The storage unit is intended to chill the bottled beverages to a temperature below ambient and this is achieved by the circulation of cooled air through the chambers 6 and 7 and over the bottles 9 on the respective shelves 8. The cooling system will be described hereinafter; however to ensure a maximum period is available for the cooling of each bottle within the storage unit, each of the drawer units 2 and 3 has been constructed so that it is intended a bottle which is first introduced onto the shelf 8 will be the bottle which is first available to be removed from the drawer unit through the front opening 1 6 (that is the principle of first in-first out applied whereby of all of the bottles which are stored on a shelf, the bottle which is presented for removal though the front opening 1 6 is that which has been the longest in cold storage within the unit). To provide this "first in-first out" facility each drawer unit 2 and 3 is constructed so that the bottles for storage are intended to be introduced sequentially onto the shelf 8 at a position towards the rear of the drawer unit (adjacent to the rear wall 11) and means is provided within the drawer unit for feeding the bottles from this position, and in the same sequence as that in which they were introduced, to a further position adjacent to the front wall 10 at which further position they are available for removal through the front opening 1 6.Introduction of the bottles 9 onto the shelf 8 is achieved by withdrawing the drawer unit from the cabinet 5 and into its open position (see the drawer unit 3 in Figure 1) and lowering the bottles in an upstanding condition onto the shelf 8. The guide plate 13 is optionally provided to ensure that the bottles are loaded only towards the rear of the shelf and for this the plate 1 3 has apertures 1 7 through which the bottles are lowered onto the shelf.To ensure that the bottles which are lowered onto the shelf 8 at the rear thereof are delivered to a position adjacent to the front opening 16, the shelf 8 is in the form of a ramp which inclines downwardly from the rear wall 11 to the front wall 1 0. As the bottles are introduced onto the ramp 8 they are gravity fed to slide down the ramp until they reach the position adjacent to the front wall 10 (or alternatively abut a preceding bottle in the array). For conventionally sized and shaped beverage bottles (and also cylindrical cans) we have found that an angle of inclination of 100 for the ramp 8 will provide effective gravity feed.

It is desirable that the bottles are delivered to their removal position adjacent to the front wall 10 in an orderly array whereby the first in-first out principle is maintained since an orderly array of bottles behind the front wall 10 can provide an aesthetically pleasing appearance as illustrated in Figure 3. To achieve delivery of the bottles in an orderly array to the position at which they are removed from the shelf 8, longitudinally extending and laterally spaced upstanding guides 1 8 are provided on the shelf 8 between each adjacent pair of which a straight row of bottles 9 is to be formed.The guides 1 8 and ramp 8 effectively form an array of straight longitudinally extending and parallel chutes down which the rows of bottles (one row of bottles in each chute) progress sequentially from the rear of the drawer unit (at which the bottles were introduced into their respective chutes) to the front of the drawer unit adjacent to the rear of the front wall 10 (where the leading bottle of the row in each chute is available to be withdrawn through the front opening 16 as shown in Figure 3). It will be apparent that the number of chutes which can be formed within the storage unit can be varied according to the width of the unit and the dimensions of the particular bottles which are intended to be stored, for example, each drawer of the unit 1 as illustrated in Figure 2 is intended to accommodate five longitudinally extending rows of bottles whereas each drawer of the unit as illustrated in Figure 3 accommodates four longitudinally extending rows of bottles. It will also be noted from Figure 3 that four apertures 1 7 are provided in the guide plate 13. These apertures 1 7 respectively overlie the four chutes on the shelf 8 at positions where bottles are intended to be introduced into the four intended rows.

The shelves 8 are preferably of open framework or grid-like structure to permit adequate air circulation around the bottles. An open framework structure also permits the possibility of ensuring that bottles or other packages below a predetermined size cannot be efficiently stored within the unit since they may fall through the shelf 8. In the illustrated embodiment the shelf 8 is formed by a laterally spaced array of longitudinally extending and substantially parallel bars secured between cross members carried by the front and rear walls 10 and 11 of the drawer unit; the bars will usually be of stainless steel, plated or plastics coated to provide desired frictional characteristics for gravity feed of the bottles down the ramp.The guides 1 8 are also in the form of longitudinally extending bars which form relatively shallow sides to the chutes within which the rows of bottles are confined; it will be appreciated however that the guides 1 8 can be in the form of upstanding plates of considerably greater depth than the guides provided by the bars 1 8 as illustrated.

From Figure 1 it will be seen that to remove the leading bottle 9 of a row of such bottles from the storage unit it is necessary to insert a hand through the front opening 16, grasp the bottle and lift it from the shelf 8 within the drawer unit until the base of the bottle is raised sufficiently for the bottle to be withdrawn, base first, through the opening 1 6. By reversing this procedure it is possible for bottles to be introduced onto the shelf 8 through the front opening 9 which is of course contrary to the first in-first out principle if it is intended that such bottles are to be withdrawn through the front opening 1 6.

Although loading bottles onto the shelf 8 through the front opening 1 6 is far less convenient than merely opening the drawer unit and then loading bottles through the intended rear entry positions, the storage unit as above described and illustrated can be modified to make it even less convenient and impractical to load bottles onto the shelf through the front opening 1 6.In one such modification (not shown) there can be provided on the front wall 10 and along the lower edge of the front opening 1 6 a laterally extending array of pivoted flaps or gates which are spring or resiliently loaded into an upstanding position and arranged so that they are readily displaced against their spring loading to permit removal of a bottle through the front opening 16 but interfere with any attempts which are made to insert bottles through the front opening 1 6 onto the shelf 8 (where the flaps or gates must first be manually displaced from their upstanding position in order to provide sufficient clearance to insert the bottle through the front opening).In a further such modification the shelf 8 (see Figure 4) is provided with a longitudinally extending array of cams 1 9 which are pivoted with respect to the shelf and are spring or resiliently loaded to a biased position in which angular portions 20 of the cams project above the shelf 8. These angular portions 20 present in their biased position, a saw-toothed profile which extends down the ramp (a similar longitudinally extending array of cams 19 would be provided for each row of bottles on the shelf).The cams i 9 effectively provide non-return gates and permit bottles 9 to slide down the ramp 8 towards the front wall 10 of the drawer unit by being pivoted, by the weight of the bottles, against their spring biasing out of the path of the advancing bottles (as shown by the cam 1 9 at the righthand end of the array in Figure 4).However, if a cam 19 is not depressed by the weight of a bottle thereon it will be seen from Figure 4 that the angular portions 20 of the cams will interfere with any attempt at slidably displacing the bottles 9 in a direction from the front opening 1 6 up the ramp; since this reverse displacement of botgles 9 is necessary in order to achieve loading of the shelf through the front opening 1 6 it is again far more convenient for the bottles to be loaded in the intended manner through the rear of the open drawer unit.

To cool the bottles stored within the unit, air is drawn from a passage 21 by an electrically operated tangential fan 22 and blown through a heat exchange chamber or passage 23 within which is located a heat exchanger (not shown).

Cooled air emerging from the passage 23 flows upwardly through passages 24 and 25 which are conveniently moulded or otherwise incorporated in a rear wall 26 of the cabinet. The passage 24 communicates with ducting 27 which extends across the top of the chamber 7 and passage 25 communicates with ducting 28 which extends across the top of the chamber 6. The ducting 27 and 28 is provided with downwardly extending outlets through which the cooled air is directed into the respective chambers 6 and 7 and over the bottles 9 on their respective shelves 8. It is preferred that the outlets from the ducting 27 and 28 are arranged immediately above the respective chutes in which the rows of bottles are formed so that the cooled air from the ducting is directed immediately onto the bottles.The guide plates 13, when fitted, will be provided with appropriately located apertures to allow air from the overlying ducts to flow directly over the bottles. To direct cooled air from the ducting 28 downwardly over the bottles 9 baffles 28a can be provided which extend downwardly from the guide plate 13 (if fitted to the drawer unit) between adjacent rows of bottles on the shelf 8.

Similar baffles can be provided for the drawer unit 3. Since it is not essential for the drawer units to have top plates 13, in the absence of such plates the baffles 28a can be carried by (for example integrally moulded with) the upper wall or ceiling of the chamber within which the respective drawer unit is-received; in this latter event adequate clearance will be provided to ensure that the rear wall 11 can be withdrawn from the cabinet whithout interference by the baffles. After passing through the chamber 6 the air is received by ducting 29 at the bottom of the chamber and carried thereby to a downwardly extending passage 30 (which is incorporated in the rear wall 26 of the cabinet) and into the passage 21 at the bottom of the unit where it is recirculated.

Similarly air flowing through the chamber 7 is received by ducting 31 located at the bottom of that chamber and carried thereby to a passage 32 which communicates with the passage 21 from which the air is recilculated. Drip trays 33 and 34 are provided at the bottom of the chambers 6 and 7 respectively to catch droppings from the drawer units. These drip trays rest immediately above the ducting 29 and 31 and consequently inlets to this ducting will usually be positioned adjacent to the upstanding side walls of the chamber and clear of the drip trays.

A particular feature of the invention is the convenience with which bottles can be removed through the front opening 1 6 without first having to remove or open covers, lids or doors as with conventional cooler storage units. Although the walls of the cabinet 5 will be appropriately thermally insulated, the front opening 16 will be a convenient route for heat transfer between the chambers 6 and 7 and, for example, the bar surroundings.To alleviate heat transfer by this route the ducts 27 and 28 are arranged to provide air curtains in the drawer units 2 and 3 which are directed downwardly over the respective front openings 1 6. More particularly, the ducting 28 has a slotted outlet 35 which extends laterally over the width of the front opening 1 6 in the drawer unit 2 and directs a curtain of cooled air downwardly over the inner side of the front wall 10 to be received by a slotted inlet 36 in the ducting 29. The ducting 27 similarly is provided with a slotted outlet 37 through which air is downwardly directed to form the curtain over the front opening 1 6 in the drawer unit 3 prior to such air entering a slotted inlet 38 in the ducting 31.It will be appreciated from Figure 1 that although the air curtains are maintained for so long as the fan 22 is operative, these air curtains extend over the front openings to the chambers 6 and 7 and are therefore only effective over the front openings 1 6 of the drawer units while such units are closed.

The heat exchanger within the chamber 23 is conveniently cooled from a refrigeration unit (not shown) positioned remotely from the storage unit, for example cooling can be effected by flow of cooiant such as brine from the refrigeration unit through passage 39 to the heat exchanger. In a bar or other commercial environments it is likely that several storage units 1 will be available, possibly in side-by-side relationship as shown at 1 and 1 A in Figure 2. Where there are two or more storage units a single refrigeration unit can be provided which is common to all of the storage units, the latter typically being connected with the refrigeration unit in series or parallel relationship.

The storage unit will usually be provided with thermostatic control-either-for the unit as a whole or for individual control of the air temperature within each of the chambers 6 and 7; thermostatic control can, for example, determine the operation of fan 22, the opening and closing of valves which may be provided to control flow of air to the passages 24 and 25 or the flow of coolant from the refrigeration unit to the heat exchanger. A control panel 39 for the storage unit is conveniently located in a base portion of the unit which portion can also accommodate the fan 22, passages 21 and 23, the heat exchanger and such mechanical and electrical components as are required for operating the unit and conveniently is withdrawable from the front of the cabinet 5 (together with the components which it accommodates) to facilitate servicing.

If required drain outlets (not shown) can be provided in the floor of the chambers 6 and 7 through which, for example, condensate can be run off from the unit.

Claims

1. A package storage unit comprising a cabinet having an upstanding front opening; support means onto which packages for storage within a chamber of the cabinet can be introduced sequentially at a first position remote from the front opening; air cooling means and means for circulating air cooled thereby over the packages in the chamber, and delivery means for feeding the packages from said first position to a second position in said chamber adjacent to the front opening and from which second position the packages are removable from the cabinet through the front opening and wherein said delivery means feeds the packages to the second position in substantially the same sequence as that in which they are introduced to the first position.

2. A storage unit as claimed in Claim 1 in which said delivery means is provided by gravity feed of the packages on the support means from the first to the second positions.

3. A storage unit as claimed in Claim 2 in which the support means comprises a ramp which is inclined from the first position to the second position so that the packages are gravity fed to the second position by sliding movement down the ramp.

4. A storage unit as claimed in any one of the preceding claims in which guide means is provided in the chamber for retaining the packages in at least one longitudinally extending array between said first and second positions and the delivery means feeds said packages sequentially in the or each said array to the second position.

5. A storage unit as claimed in Claim 4 in which the guide means comprises laterally spaced upstanding partition members between which the packages are fed to the second position.

6. A storage unit as claimed in either Claim 4 or Claim 5 when appendant to Claim 3 in which the guide means and ramp form at least one substantially straight chute down which the packages are displaced sequentially as one or more rows from the first position to the second position.

7. A storage unit as claimed in any one of the preceding claims in which the first position at which packages are introduced onto the support means is located or locatable at or towards the rear of the storage unit.

8. A storage unit as claimed in any one of the preceding claims in which the support means is in the form of a shelf in the chamber, said shelf being withdrawable from the chamber for introducing packages at said first position.

9. A storage unit as claimed in Claim 8 in which the shelf carries the guide means and the delivery means.

10. A storage unit as claimed in either Claim 8 or Claim 9 in which the shelf comprises part of a drawer unit having an upstanding front wall within which is located the front opening, said drawer unit being withdrawable through the front of the cabinet to a position at which packages are intended to be introduced onto the shelf.

11. A storage unit as claimed in any one of the preceding claims in which interference means is provided which restrains packages from being introduced to the second position through the front opening.

12. A storage unit as claimed in Claim 11 in which the interference means comprises at least one flap member pivotally mounted adjacent to the front opening and which is biased to a position in which it overlies the front opening to hinder the introduction of packages through the front opening to the second position and which is capable of manual displacement against its biasing to permit removal of a package from the second position through the opening.

13. A storage unit as claimed in any one of the preceding claims in which interference means or further such means is provided which hinders displacement of packages in a direction from the second position to the first position.

14. A storage unit as claimed in Claim 13 in which the interference means or further such means comprises at least one cam member which is biased to a condition in which it interferes with displacement of a package in a direction from the second position to the first position and which cam member is displaceable from its said condition and against its biasing to permit displacement of the packages in a direction from said first position to said second position.

15. A storage unit as claimed in any one of the preceding claims in which the circulating cooled air is directed to provide an air curtain which extends substantially over the front opening.

1 6. A storage unit as claimed in any one of the preceding claims in which the cooled air is circulated by a blower and ducting is provided within the cabinet from which air is directed downwardly over packages in the chamber.

17. A storage unit as claimed in any one of the preceding claims in which packages are intended to be introduced into said first position by lowering of the packages into that position and means is provided which inhibits the packages from being lowered onto the support means at a position other than said first position.

18. A storage unit as claimed in Claim 17 in which a substantially horizontally extending plate is provided with overlies the support means other than at said first position and said plate prevents packages from being lowered onto the support means at a position other than said first position.

19. A storage unit as claimed in Claim 4 or in any one of Claims 5 to 18 when appendant to Claim 4 wherein the guide means retain the packages in substantially parallel and adjacent rows so that the packages in each row are delivered sequentially from the first position to the second position.

20. A storage unit as claimed in Claim 19 in which downwardly extending baffles are provided between adjacent rows of the packages to direct air over the packages.

21. A storage unit as claimed in any of the preceding claims in which the air cooling means comprises a heat exchanger which is intended to form part of a fluid cooling system having fluid refrigeration means remote from the storage unit.

22. A package storage unit as claimed in any one of the preceding claims in combination with bottles stored in the cabinet, said bottles being in an upstanding condition on the support means and being displaced from the first position to the second position in at least two rows determined by guide means whereby a substantially horizontal array of bottles equivalent in number to the number of rows is provided in the second position to be visible, and available for removal, through the front opening.

22. A package storage unit substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying illustrative drawings.

23. A package storage unit as claimed in any one of the preceding claims in combination with bottles stored in the cabinet, said bottles being in an upstanding condition on the support means and being displaced from the first position to the second position in at least two rows determined by guide means whereby a substantially horizontal array of bottles equivalent in number to the number of rows is provided in the second position to be visible, and available for removal, through the front opening.

New Claims or Amendments to Claims filed on 17 Sep. 79.

Superseded all Claims.

New or Amended Claims:

1. A package storage unit comprising a cabinet including a drawer unit having an upstanding front wall within which is located a front opening, said drawer unit being withdrawable through the front of the cabinet to a position at which packages are intended to be introduced to a support means; support means onto which packages for storage within a chamber of the cabinet can be introduced sequentially at a first position remote from the front opening; air cooling means and means for circulating air cooled thereby over the packages in the chamber; and delivery means for feeding the packages from said first position to a second position in said chamber adjacent to the front opening and from which second position the packages are removable from the cabinet through the front opening and wherein said delivery means feeds the packages to the second position in substantially the same sequence as that in which they are introduced into the first position.

2. A storage unit as claimed in Claim 1 in which said delivery means is provided by gravity feed of the packages on the support means from the first to the second positions,

10. A storage unit as claimed in any one of the preceding claims in which inteference means is provided which restrains packages from being introduced to the second position through the front opening.

11. A storage unit as claimed in Claim 10 in which the interference means comprises at least one flap member pivotally mounted adjacent to the front opening and which is biased to a position in which it overlies the front opening to hinder the introduction of packages through the front opening to the second position and which is capable of manual displacement against its biasing to permit removal of a package from the second position through the opening.

12. A storage unit as claimed in any one of the preceding claims in which interference means or further such means is, provided which hinders displacement of packages in a direction from the second position to the first position.

13. A storage unit as claimed in Claim 12 in which the interference means or further such means comprises at least one cam member which is biased to a condition in which it interferes with displacement of a package in a direction from the second position to the first position and which cam member is displaceable from its said condition and against its biasing to permit displacement of the packages in a direction from said first position to said second position.

14. A storage unit as claimed in any one of the preceding claims in which the circulating cooled air is directed to provide an air curtain which extends substantially over the front opening, 1 5. A storage unit as claimed in any one of the preceding claims in which the cooled air is circulated by a blower and ducting is provided within the cabinet from which air is directed downwardly over packages in the chamber.

16. A storage unit as claimed in any one of the preceding claims in which packages are intended to be introduced into said first position by lowering of the packages into that position and means is provided which inhibits the packages from being lowered onto the support means at a position other than said first position.

17. A storage unit as claimed in Claim 16 in which a substantially horizontally extending plate is provided which overlies the support means other than at said first position and said plate prevents packages from being lowered onto the support means at a position other than said first position.

18. A storage unit as claimed in Claim 4 or in any one of Claims 5 to 1 7 when appendant to Claim 4 wherein the guide means retain the packages in substantially parallel and adjacent rows so that the packages in each row are delivered sequentially from the first position to the second position.

19. A storage unit as claimed in Claim 1 8 in which downwardly extending baffles are provided between adjacent rows of the packages to direct air over the packages.

20. A storage unit as claimed in any one of the preceding claims in which the air cooling means comprises a heat exchanger which is intended to form part of a fluid cooling system having fluid refrigeration means remote from the storage unit.

21. A package storage unit substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying illustrative drawings.