US2294689A - Vending cabinet - Google Patents

Description

Sept. l, 1942.

. C. L. OREILLY VENDING CABINET Filed May 10, 1939 '7 Sheets-Sheet l- ATTORNEY.

Sept. l, 1942. I c. l.. oRl-:ILLY 2,294,689

VENDING CABINET Filed May 10, 1959 l '7 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. v Charles L OPez'd] Sept.

c. l.. QREILLY VENDING CABINET Filed May l0, 1959 '7 Sheets-Sheet 4 ENTOR ezllly INV Charles 0 Sept. l, 1942.

C. L. OREILLY VENDING CABINET Filed May 10, 1939 7 Sheets-Sheet 5 ATTORNEY.

sept; 1, 1942.

c. L. ofRElL'LY VENDING CABINET Filed May 10, 1939 7 Sheets-Sheet 6 1NvENToR Char/es L. Uwe-ily BY ATTORNEY Sept. l, 1942.

C.-u L. O REILLY VENDING CABINET n Filed May 10, 1939 minis 7 Sheets-Sheet 7 ENTOR. Chaxdes .L 0 .illy

Patented Sept. 1, 1942 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE VENDINGCABINET Charles L. OReilly, New York, N. Y.

Application May 10, 1939, Serial No. 272,834

14 Claims. (,Cl. S12-152) This invention relates to cabinets for displaying various articles for sale and to coin controlled vending cabinets, and more particularly to a combination cabinet having both display shelves, racks or compartments for articles7 served by an attendant and automatic coin controlled dispensing compartments.

'Ihe main object of the invention is to provide a combination sectional cabinet structure capable of use either as a' display and sales cabinet served by an attendant, or as a full automatic coin controlled vending cabinet, or as a .combination of both for simultaneous use.

In carrying the objects of the invention into effect it is essential to provide a cabinet structure having a minimum length and depth so as to occupy a minimum floor area for a cabinet of given capacity. It is also essential that end and rear walls be provided for the structure to enclose the stock not exposed for sale, and to prevent access to and tampering with the coin controlled vending mechanism both while the cabinet is used as a full automatic vendor and when used as a manually serviced sales cabinet. That is,

when for instance, the cabinet is used as a full rminimum floor area there can be no waste space between the cabinet sections and between the sections and the end and rear walls, and the sections must be readily reversible upon a common base whose area is no greater than the combined area of the several cabinet sections.

To meet this condition I have devised a vending cabinet consisting of a plurality of reversible double sections mounted on a base, and enclosed by rear and end panels, the latter being hinged to the rear panel and provided with locking means. These double sections are divided vertically longitudinally of the cabinet to provide on one face a complement oi stock carriers with a corresponding complement of automatic coin controlled dispensing mechanisms, andon the opposite face a series of display racks of uniform length and depth for manually serviced stock, and which racks without removal or displacement of the stock are extensible for proper display and ready access to the articles carried thereby and capable of retraction to occupy a minimum space of uniform depth when not in use. Each such cabinet section to permit reversal to bring either side into operative position is mounted on the base for rotation and for lateral movement away from the rear panel at diverging angles relative to each other to afford suii'icient clearance between the sections and between the sections and the rear panel to permit rotation without interference, and after rotation the sections are movable laterally at converging angles relative to each other to reset them in close proximity to each other and to the rear panel. The end panels are opened preparatory to shifting the positions of the cabinet sections, and when returned to the normal position the end panels are closed and locked thereby completely enclosing the stock carried on the inner face of each section against access thereto and preventing access to the automatic vending mechanism when not in use.

In practice any number of reversible sections may be provided for a cabinet, but in order to permit reversal of the sections within a minimum space, the sections must be capable of lateral movement both away from the rear panel and at more or less diverging angles relatively to each other. Thus, for instance, if two sections are employed, one section may be arranged to move perpendicular to the rear panel and the other at a diverging angle to provide clearance for reversing, or both may be arranged to move away from the rear panel at diverging angles relatively to each other and the rear panel. For a three section cabinet only the end sections would need to be moved outward at diverging angles relative to the rear panel and the intermediate section perpendicular to the rear panel. In a four section cabinet the end sections would be moved outward at similar diverging angles and the two intermediate sections would be moved at a lesser diverging angle, and for a live section cabinet the center and end sections would move outward in a manner similar to a three section cabinet and the two intermediate sections would move outward at lesser diverging angles than the end sections in the manner of the four section cabinet. The degree of movement outward from the rear panel and the degree of angular movement of the sections relatively to each other in each case would only be suiiicient to provide the necessary clearance between adjacent sections to permit rotation on the base compartment for reversing the working positions.

The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is an elevation in perspective of the cabinet set for use as a full automatic coin controlled vending cabinet with the display racks for service by an attendant in the retracted and concealed position.

Figure 2, an elevation in perspective of the cabinet converted into a display and sales cabinet for service by an attendant with the automatic vending sections in the concealed position.

Figure 3, a vertical cross-section cn the line 3 3 of Figure 1 showing the automatic vending sections in operative position and the relative retracted and concealed position of the displayr rack sections.

Figure 4, a vertical cross-section on the line 4 4 of Figure 2 showing the cabinet sections reversed from the position of Figure 3 with the display racks in extended position.

Figure 5, a horizontal longitudinal section on the line 5 5 of Figure 1.

Figure', a` horizontal sectional view similar to Figure 5 but showing the end panels opened and the cabinet sections drawn forward preparatory to reversing their positions.

Figure 7, a horizontal sectional view similar to Figures 5 and 6 but showing the cabinet sections reversed-from the position of Figure 5 and one end section still in the forward position to show the nal movement of such section into position, and the display racks still in the retracted position.

Figure 8, an enlarged vertical cross-section on the line 8 8 of Figure 5.

Figure 9, an enlarged vertical cross-section on the line 9 9 of Figure 6.

Figure 10, a vertical section on the line I0 I9 of Figure 8.

Figures 11 and 12, enlarged sectional andT face views, respectively, of a form of `locking device for securing the end panels after the cabinet sections are set in either position.

Figure 13, an elevation of a display rack panel looking from the left of Figure 4 with the racks omitted to `show the hinged Asupporting leaves for the racks folded inward preparatory to retracting the racks to the position shown in Figure 3.

Figure 14, a top plan view of the parts .shown in Figure 13 and showing in dotted lines the swing of the hinged supporting leaves for the racks.

Figure 15, an enlarged vertical section showing details of the display racks, and

Figure 16, a cross-section on .the line I6 I6 of Figure 15.

Referring to the drawings, it will be understood that the specific structural details and particular type of automatic vending mechanism and display racks are unimportant, since various arrangements of` display racks and various types of coin controlled vending mechanisms may be employed without departing from the objects of the present invention.

In Figures 1 and 2, which illustrate the complete combination cabinet adjusted, respectively, for automatic coin controlled vending and manually serviced vending, I indicates a base consisting of three storage compartments having side panels 2, partitions 3 (Figure 6), base top 4 (Figure 8), doors 5, and rear panel 6 (Figures 3 and 4). The rear panel preferably extends the entire height of the cabinet and to which is rigidly secured the cabinet top enclosure 1 as seen in Figures 3 and 4, and having end panels 8 (Figure 5) hinged thereto and which panels extend from base top 4 to cabinet top 1.

The vending sections of the cabinet, as above stated, may be of any desired number, three sections being shown, and in Figure 1 the automatic coin controlled fronts 9 are shown in operative position, and in Figure 2 the manually serviced fronts I0 are Ishown in operative position. Each' section 9 I0 constitutes a unit in itself and comprises for automatic vending a set of article stacks II, Figure 3, with a coin controlled mechanism I2 for each stack I I for effecting the discharge of articles from the stacks onto delivery chute I3. The stacks are supported by brackets I5 within metal frames I4 which are mounted on base plates IS and within which frames the coin controlled mechanisms I2 and delivery chutes I3 are also supported as seen in Figures 3 and 8. Upon the opposite side of frame I4 of eachl section is'` supported a. series of display racks I1, I1a, I1b and I1. These racks are preferably made of sheet metal open at the top and having a back wall I8end walls-I9 and bottom 20, Figures 15 and 16, the upper edge of. the back wall being bent over as at 2| to provide a stiffening rib, and the end walls being bent inward to a right angle as at 22 to form a .supporting Islide flange, Figure 16. Across each end wall is secured an angle plate 23 extending from the rear wall to a point near the front edge of the end wall and spaced from the slide flange 22. Attached to the underside of bottoms 20 of racks I1, I1a and I1b are a pair' of slide plates 24, Figures 15 and 16, extending approximately the width of bottom 2) and which plates have a sliding fit between flanges 22 and 23 of the rack below as seen in Figure 16. Each slide plate 24 has a downwardly projecting lug 25 against which the rib 2I of the lower rack abuts to limit the forward movement with respect to the rack above as seen in the dotted line position of Figure 15. The uppermost rack I1 is held in xed position by screws 2B upon the back wall of frame I4, and the intermediate racks I1a and I1b are provided with a pair of stops 21 bolted to the back wall of the rack to engage the back wall of the next lower rack to limit the forward and rearward movements with respect to each other as seen in Figure l5. The end walls I9 of each rack are bent inward to a right angle I9a at the front edge, Figure '7, and the front edges of bottoms 20 are bent upward to a right angle 2tu as seen in Figures 2 and 15, and on each end wall I9 is secured an angle plate 28, Figure 15, which with the flanges I9a and 20a on the end walls and kzigttom form retaining slots for glass front plates Thus, from the foregoing description of the racks, it will be seen that the lower racks are suspended one from lanother and from the top rack by slide anges 22 and 24 and are capable of being slid forward and backward with respect to each other as seen in Figures 3 and 4. To provide additional support for the racks, especially when loaded, a pair of stepped supporting leaves 30 are hinged to the frame I4 .by long hinges indicated at 3I, and which leaves when swung outward as seen in Figures 4 and 14 place the steps 3l)a under and in contact with the slide :plates 24 of racks I1, I1a and I1b and the front edges 3l)b will press against the rear walls I8 of racks I1a, I1b and I1. Thus the steps of the leaves 30 help to support the weight of racks I1, I1l and I1b and hold racks IIa, I1b and I1c against backward movement upon their slide members and against vibration. The supporting leaves when the display racks are to be retracted preparatory to reversing the cabinet sections are closed inward as seen in Figures 13 and 14 and then the racks may be slid inward one under another as seen in Figure 3.

The base board or plate I6 of each reversible section S-IU has attached to its underside la metal Iplate 32, Figure 8, which plate 'may -be either square as shown in dotted lines in Figures and 6, or of any other shape, and secured to base plate I5 by screws 33. Plate 32 is seated -for rotation on a slide plate 34 which has parallel bevelled edges having a sliding t between bevelled guide strips 35 and slide rest 3S which are secured together and to the slide base-plate 31 by screws 38, Figure l0, and base 31 is secured upon cabinet base top 4 by screws 39. The cabinet sections are rotatably held on slides 34 by pivot bolts 40. The slide members 34-35--36 and slide base 31 are mounted on cabinet base top 4 in angular relation to each other and to the rear panel 6 as seen in Figures 5, 6 'and '7. In this illustration of a three section cabinet the slides for the end sections are set at a forty-ve degree angle relative to the slide for the middle section which is set perpendicular to the rear panel. When the number of sections are varied the degree of angular relation of the slides will be varied as above indicated, and in each case the corners of the obliquely set slides will be cham-fered to t within the limits of the cabinet base top 4 as seen in Figures 5 and 6. The fore and aft movements of the slide plates 34 are limited by stops 4I secured to the underside of the slide plates and a pair of stops 42 secured to the upperside of slide bases 31, Figure 9. Each slide plate 34 is locked in the retracted position by a locking pin 44 which enters a hole 43 in slide 34, Figures 8, 9 'and 10.

The locking pins 44 for the slides 34 have a sliding t in bushings 45 inserted through the base top 4 and each pin is provided with a stirrup 46, Figure 10, within which slides the oblique section of the locking pin operating rod 41. These rods slide in bearings 48 secured to the underside of base top 4, Figure 8, and a buier 49 at the forward end of each rod abuts against the inside of a door 5. Each rod 41 is fprovided with a cam slot 50 through which passes Ia pin 5I -carried by stirrup 45, and each rod has connected thereto a spring 52 which tends to draw the rod forward from the position of Figure 8 to the position of Figure 9, and in which movement the cam slot acting on pin 5| draws the locking .pin 44 downward to release the slide 34 and permit lateral movement being ini-parted tothe slide and cabinet section preparatory to rotating the section for reversal of its operative position. In the locked position of slide 34 the locking pin 44 is held in bolt-hole 43 by cam slot 50 against the pull of spring I52 by the locked door 5 which engages the buffer 49 as seen in Figure 8. To release the slide, door 5 must be unlocked and allowed to open, whereupon the spring will pull the rod 41 forward to withdraw slide bolt 44. When the lcabinet sections are reversed and shifted back to the normal position as above described, that is, when slide stop 4I engages the rear stop 42, the slide bolt 44 will be free to enter the bolt-hole 43 when rod 41 is pushed back against the pull of its spring by the :closure of the door 5 acting against buier 49.

In the three section cabinet, the cabinet base will for convenience be divided into three compartments as shown in Figures 1 and 2 and a key operated lock 53 will be provided for the middle compartment. The end compartments may also be provided with key operated locks but :preferably will =be locked from the inside by bolts 54 set in partitions 3 to engage keepers 55 on the inside of the doors as shown in Figures 5 and 6.

The end panels 8 when closed are locked from the inside to the frames I4 of the end cabinet sections, Figure 5, by swivelled keys 54 mounted on panels 8 by plates 55, Figures 11 and 12, the keys being turned to pass through slots 56 in the `frames I 4 and turned at right angles to lock the end panels to the frames. 'I'hese keys are located on panels 8 to .project in front of article stacks II as seen in Figure 3 and are accessible for operation by opening the front panels 51 of the end )cabinet sections which are spaced out from the stacks II, and which panels are locked by key operated locks indicated at 58. When the cabinet sections are reversed to bring the manually serviced racks in Iposition as shown in Figure 4, the locking keys 54 will project in front of the frames I4 and when the keys are turned to locking position will engage the end walls of the upper xed racks I1 as seen in Figures 2, 4 and 7.

Front panels 51 are spaced from stacks II for the purpose of permitting light from lamps 59 at the top of the cabinet, Figures 3 and 4, to be projected down through openings 60 in frames I4, Figure 5, into a display compartment for 9a extending in front of the stacks II, Figure 1, in which samples of the articles carried in each sta'ck II are displayed. These panels 51 may be entirely of glass in a metal frame with the upper section opaque to shut the article stacks I I from view and the lower section adjacent the display Icorripartments Ila will be :clear glass to expose the articles placed therein to the View olf purchasers. When the cabinet sections are set to .place the manually serviced articles carried by racks I1 in servicing position as seen in Figures 2 and 4,

the light Lfrom lamps 59 will lbe thrown on the .articles displayed in the racks when fully eX- tended as in Figure 4.

It will be observed that when the cabinet sections are set in operative position for automatic vending as in Figure 1, the manually serviced rack sections are concealed and positioned in close proximity to the rear and end panels of the cabinet as seen in Figure 5. To reverse the sections, the right and left iront panels 51 are rst unlocked to give access to keys 54 and permit unlocking of the end panels 8. When these panels are unlocked and opened, the front panels 51 are closed again and locked. Then the middle storage compartment door 5 is unlocked to permit unlocking of the end doors 5. The opening of these doors permitsthe automatic unlocking of the three cabinet section slides 34 through the pull of springs 52.. The cabinet sections may now be drawn forward on the cabinet base I as above described to the positions indicated in Figure 6 in which movement thev end sections are shifted diagonally relative to the center section on the obliquely positioned slides, the outward and diagonal movements of the three sec'- tions being only suiiicient to permit the corners of the cabinet sections to clear each other and the rear panel as the cabinet sections are rotated in either direction on the slides to reverse the operative positions. In Figure 6 one section is shown in the partly reversed position in dotted lines to illustrate the clearance for the corners of the cabinet sections. When fully rotated the cabinet sections are moved back on their slide bases toward the rear panel 6 as shown in Figure 7 where the sections are shown reversed from the automatic vending position of Figure to the manually servicing position. When all three sections are fully back in position the end panels 8 are closed and locked by turning the keys 54, front panels 51 are closed and locked, and then the compartment doors 5 are closed and locked thereby shifting the locking pins 44 to lock the slides and cabinet sections against withdrawal. When the cabinet sections are fully set and locked in the position of Figure 7, the display racks I1 are drawn forward into display position as shown in Figures 2 and 4 and the hinged supporting leaves are swung outward to support the racks and hold them against backward movement. While the cabinet sections are above described as reversible to present the same front as in Figures 1 and 2, it will be understood that the fronts may be varied by presenting a combination of coin controlled and manually serviced fronts. Thus, in the three section cabinet, the end sections may be set to present the coin controlled fronts and the middle section the manually serviced front, or any desired variations of such combination. In either case the operation of unlocking the sections, shifting the sections laterally and reversing them on their bases, shifting laterally back to normal position, and relooking the sections will be the same as above described.

It will be understood that while the combination cabinet is described and illustrated in the drawings as having all sections reversible, one or more sections may be in fixed operative position and others rotatable to bring different fronts into operative alignment. For instance, in a three section cabinet the middle section may be fixed or allowed to remain stationary on the base and have only one operative front or side, while the end sections may have two operative fronts and mounted for lateral movement and rotation on the base to bring either front into operative position on a common front. It will also be understood that while the cabinet sections are illustrated in Figures l and 2 as having the operative fronts in a straight line, the important point is, that when set, the several sections will be in close alignment to present a common operative front. It will also be understood that other changes in shape and alignment and manner of mounting the cabinet sections upon the base may be made While still maintaining the features of reversibility of the sections, close alignment and common operative front without departing from the spirit of my invention.

What I claim is:

1. In a cabinet of the class described, the combination of a base member, a plurality of cabinet sections mounted thereon in close alignment to present a common operative front, each cabinet section having a plurality of operative fronts, means whereby said sections are rotatably mounted on said base member to permit presentation of different sides of said sections to the operative front for access thereto, a panel for covering the sides of the cabinet sections opposite the common front. and end panels for covering the outside ends of the aligned sections.

2. In a cabinet of the class described, the combination of a base member, a plurality of cabinet sections mounted thereon in close alignment to present a continuous cabinet front, each cabinet section having a plurality of operative fronts, means whereby said sections are rotatably mounted on said base member topermit .presentation of different sides of said sections to. the operative front, a xed rear panel on the base member extending the entire height and Width of the aligned cabinet sections, a fixed top panel extending over said sections, and movable end panels for covering the outside ends of the aligned sections.

3. In a cabinet as defined in claim 1, a locking mechanism for the cabinet sections for locking the sections in the operative position.

4. In a cabinet as dened in claim 1, a locking mechanism for the cabinet sections comprising a locking pin for each section and means for moving the pins into and out of locking position.

5. In a cabinet of the class described, the combination of a base member, a plurality of cabinet sections, and slide members on the base on `which said sections are mounted for lateral and rotary movement relative to said base member to permit presentation of different sides of said cabinet sections to a common front in closealignment.

6. In a cabinet as defined in claim 5, a locking mechanism for locking the slide members in the normal position and locking the cabinet sections in the operative position.

7. In a cabinet as defined in claim 5, individual locking means for each slide member for locking same in the normal position and locking the cabinet sections in the operative position.

8. In a cabinet of the class described, the cornbination of a base member, a plurality of cabinet sections having two oppositely facing operative fronts, a coin controlled vending and delivery mechanism on one front and a set of display racks for manually serviced vending on the other front, slide members on the base on which said sections are mounted for lateral and rotary movement relative to said base member to permit presentation of either front of the several cabinet sections to the operative position, a rear panel for covering the rear fronts of the cabinet sections, and end panels for covering the outside ends of the aligned sections.

9. In a cabinet of the class described, the combination of a base member, a plurality of cabinet sections each having several operative fronts and set relative to said base in close alignment to present a common operative front, and means mounted on said base member for supporting and guiding said cabinet sections whereby one or more of said sections may be moved laterally for rotation relatively to each other to present different combinations of cabinet section fronts in close alignment on such common operative front.

10. In a cabinet of the class described, the combination of a base member, a plurality of approximately fiat-sided cabinet sections having tWo opposite operative fronts and arranged relative to said base in close alignment to present a common operative front, and means mounted on said base member for supporting and guiding said cabinety sections, and whereby one or more of said cabinet sections may have a movement imported thereto to separate, reverse and re-set the cabinet sections in close alignment to present a different operative front.

11. In a cabinet of the class described, the combination of a common base member, reversible cabinet sections having opposite operative fronts, either of which fronts may be presented on a common operative front, a rear panel in close proximity to and covering the inoperative fronts of the cabinet sections, and means mounted on said base for supporting and guiding the reversible cabinet sections, and whereby said sections may be moved laterally relative to said rear panel and rotated relatively to each other to present diierent combinations of cabinet section fronts on the operative front with all sections in close alignment on said operative front.

12. In a, cabinet of the class described, the combination of a common base member, a plurality of movable supporting members on said base member, a cabinet section having several operative fronts rotatably mounted on each of said supporting members, said supporting members being so positioned on the base member that the cabinet sections in the normal operative position are held in close alignment on a common operative front, and means for guiding said supporting members for movement in definite angular relation to each other, whereby upon movement of said supporting members the close alignment of the cabinet sections is broken and the sections freed for rotation to present different fronts on the common operative front when returned to the normal operative position.

13. In a cabinet of the class described, the combination of a common base member, a rear panel extending upward therefrom, a plurality of movable supporting members on said base member, a cabinet section havingseveral operative fronts rotatably mounted on each of said supporting members, said supporting members being so positioned on the base member that the cabinet sections in the normal operative position are held in close proximity to the rear panel and in close alignment on a common operative front, and means for guiding said supporting members for movement outward from the rear panel and obliquely relative to each other to provide clearance between the cabinet sections for rotation to present different fronts on the common operative front when returned to the normal operative position.

14. In a cabinet of the calss described, the combination of a common base member, a rear panel extending upward therefrom, three aligned movable supporting members on said base member, the middle supporting member being set for movement perpendicular to the rear panel and the end members being set for movement obliquely to the rear panel, a cabinet section having several operative fronts rotatably mounted on each of said supporting members, said supporting members being so positioned on the base member that the cabinet sections in the normal operative position are held in close proximity to the rear panel and in close alignment on a common operative front, and means for guiding said supporting members for movement outward from the rear panel to provide clearance between said panel and the cabinet sections for rotation.

CHARLES L. OREILLY.

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