US2903158A - Dispensing apparatus - Google Patents

Description

J. E. HOWARD, JR

DISPENSING APPARATUS Sept. 8, 1959 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed March 2, 1956 J. E. HOWARD, JR

DISPENSING APPARATUS Sept. 8, 1959 Filed March 2, 1956 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Sept. 8, 1959 J. E. HOWARD, JR 2,903,153

DISPENSING APPARATUS Y Filed March 2, 1956 s Shets-Sheet 3 INVENTOR JA 5 E.HARDJR.

1 ATTRNEY United States Patent DISPENSING APPARATUS James E. Howard, Jr., Feeding Hills, Mass, assignor to Westinghouse Electric Corporation, East Pittsburgh, Pa., a corporation of Pennsylvania Application March 2, 1956, Serial No. 569,071

Claims. (Cl. 221-261) This invention relates to dispensing apparatus and more particularly to a device for dispensing bottled beverages or the like.

This invention is an improvement upon that class of vending machines wherein bottles of liquid beverage are stored in stacked relationship in a supply magazine and are released therefrom individually in response to actuation of a coin-controlled releasing mechanism.

It is the principal object of this invention to provide improved means for releasing the lowermost bottle from a magazine containing stacked bottles.

It is a further object of this invention to provide a bottle releasing mechanism which is reliable, inexpensive to construct and capable of gently handling the bottles with a minimum of bumping or jarring to prevent damage to the bottles and disturbance of their contents.

This invention is particularly applicable to vending machines wherein the bottles are stored in stacked relationship with their axes in a near horizontal position and in which the lowermost bottle only is supported by a releasing mechanism; the remaining bottles in the stack resting on and gaining support from the lowermost bottle. In the mechanism hereinafter described, the lowermost bottle is supported by stationary means at its neck end, while the bottom or butt end of this bottle rests on a movable releasing means. Dispensing is accomplished by movement of the releasable means which supports the butt end of the lowermost bottle. The neck end of the lowermost bottle tilts on and eventually slides off the stationary supporting means during the dispensing operation. In accordance with this invention novel means are provided for supporting the next lowermost bottle during the period in which the lowermost bottle is released and for preventing interference between the neck ends of the two lowermost bottles during this dispensing operation.

The principal feature of the invention resides in means for promoting lateral displacement of the neck end of the lowermost bottle with respect to the neck end of the next lowermost bottle to permit the neck end of the lowermost bottle to move on its stationary supporting means with a tilting action without interfering or colliding with the neck of the next lowermost bottle. This displacement of the lowermost bottle prompts a uniformly smooth dispensing action by the vending apparatus.

These and other objects and features of the invention are effected by this invention as will be apparent from the following detailed description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings which illustrate three forms of the invention and in which:

Fig. 1 is a front elevation view of a single stack dispensing magazine employing this invention and in which the upper portion of the magazine has been omitted to simplify the drawing;

Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view taken approximately through the center of the magazine illustrated in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 2 but showing the bottles and the dispensing mechanism in adifferent position in the vending cycle from that shown in Figs. 1 and 2;

Fig. 4 is a vertical sectional view from the rear of the dispensing magazine and taken along the line IV-IV of Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is a front elevation view of a bottle dispensing magazine employing a modification of this invention;

Fig. 6 is a side elevation view of the magazine illustrated in Fig. 5

Fig. 7 is a vertical sectional view of the magazine of Fig. 6 illustrating the bottles and the dispensing mechanism in another position in the vending sequence;

Fig. 8 is a sectional view from the rear of the magazine and taken along the line VIII-VIII of Fig. 7;

Fig. 9 is a vertical sectional view taken as indicated by the line IXIX of Fig. 10 and illustrating the lower portion of a bottle dispensing magazine employing a further modification of the invention;

Fig. 10 is a horizontal sectional view of the dispensing magazine illustrated in Fig. 9, the view being taken as indicated by the line X--X in Fig. 9

Fig. 11 is a vertical sectional view of the magazine illustrated in Fig. 9, the view being taken as indicated by the line XI-XI in Fig. 9;

Fig. 12 is a view similar to Fig. 9 but showing the bottles and the dispensing mechanism in a different position in the vending cycle; and v Fig. 13 is a vertical sectional view of the magazine taken as indicated by the line XIII-XIII in Fig. 12.

Referring to the drawings and more particularly to Figs. 1 through 4 which illustrate the first embodiment of the invention, the numeral 11 indicates generally a magazine for storing a plurality of bottles 12 in stacked relationship. The bottles, with the exception of the lowermost bottle, are confined in the vertical stack with all of their axes aligned substantially in a single vertical plane by front and rear guide portions of the magazine 11 indicated by the numerals 13 and 14, respectively. The front guide 13 comprises a pair of sheet metal wall members 16 each having a flanged forward portion 17 extending toward the opposite wall member and partially closing off the front of the space between the wall members 16 to prevent bottles from accidentally sliding forward and out of the magazine. The magazine front guide members 16 extend downwardly to form supporting legs 18 for the front edge of the magazine. The spacing of the front guide members 16 is such as to loosely confine the bottom or butt end of the bottles 12 therebetween.

' The rear guide 14 has a channeled or U-shaped cross section adapted to loosely receive the top or neck end of the bottles 12 and, as shown in Fig. 1, is preferably displaced to one side of the center of the space between the front guide members 16.

The rear guide 14 terminates a short distance above a stationary support member 19 which is a novel and important element of this invention. The stationary support 19 is carried by a portion 21 of the magazine structure 11 having side walls 22 which are spaced a greater distance apart than the side walls of the rear guide 14. (See Fig. 4.) This enlarged portion 21 of the magazine also has an end wall 23 spaced rearwardly of the rear wall of rear guide 14 as shown in Figs. 2 and 3. This portion 21 of the magazine is attached to and supports the rear guide 14 and is, in turn, supported by a rear leg member 24. Also, as shown in Figs. 2 and 3, the portion 21 of the magazine 11 is provided with a sloping bottom Wall 26 which is aligned with, and attached to, one end of a sloping chute 27 adapted to receive and guide released bottles toward the front of the magazine 11.

The bottom or butt end of the lowermost bottle 12 is supported by releasable means consisting essentially of a cam shaped disc 28 having a cutout portion 29. The disc 28 is secured to a rotatable shaft 31 journalled in openings provided therefor in the front guide members 16. Suitable means are provided for driving the shaft 31 to rotate the disc 28, which means may comprise an electric motor 32-shown vmounted7on-oneof the guide members 16. Coin-controlled means, though not shown, are normally provided for controlling energization of the electricmotor 32 to causeithe mechanism to undergo a dispensing operation.

At the start of a dispensing operation for a single stack magazine as illustrated, the disc 28 is in the position illustrated in Fig. 2 in which the butt end of=the lowermost-bottle 12 rests in the cutout portion 29 of the disc. This may talso be considered a position of rest: which the dispensing mechanismnssumes between dispensing-operations. The neck end "of the 'lowermostbottle 12 rests on the stationary support member 19. It will be noted that the stationary-support 19: has an inclined portion 33:.disposed directly beneath the rear magazine guide-14 and a horizontal portion 34-idisplaced from beneath the rear; guide 14and adjacent the opposite Wall 22 of the enlarged magazine portion 21. This inclined portion 33 of the stationary support 19 promotes lateral displacement ofthe neck end of the lowermost bottle 12 with respect to the next lowermost bottle, which is in the position shown in Fig. 2 with the neck end thereof confined in the rear guide member 14. This displacement ofthe 'neck end of the lowermost bottle 12 resultsin an angular displacement of the axis of the lowermost bottle inasmuch -as the-butt end of-the lowermost bottle is confined between thefront guide members 16. The. front guide members -16 maintain the :butt end of the lower- ;most bottle in substantial vertical alignment with the remaining-bottles in the'stack and center'this end :of the lowermost bottle over the :disc 28. notwithstanding the displacement of the neck end of the bottle.

. Figs. 3 and 4 illustrate the action of the dispensing mechanism in releasing a bottlefrom'themagazine 11. As viewed in Fig. 3 the disc 28 is rotated in a clockwise direction (indicated by the arrow), which lowers the cutout portion 29 of the disc which supports thcbuttend of the lowermost bottle, and eventually the disc is moved to the positionshown in Fig. 3 in which the butt end-of the. lowermost bottle is releasedand falls by gravity onto the sloping chute 27. :The butt'end of the bottle next abovethat being vended is supported by a-solid portion of 'theidisc. 28 whichwis moved thereunder as thedisc rotates.

1 As the butt end of the lowermost bottle isreleased, the neck thereof tilts on the stationarysupport 19. Because the neck end of the lowermost bottle is displaced'laterally fromtheneck of the next lowermost bottlefthe lowermost bottle is freeto tilt on and eventually-slide-oif of the "stationary support '19 without interference with' 'the neck end of the next lowermost bottle.

Aswan-beseen in Figs. 3 and 4 of the drawing, the only-contact :between the lowermost bottle andthe next lowermost bottle, when the lowermost bottle is -released, islin a region spaced from theneck ends of the bottles. This region of contact is also spaced-forward of the stationary support 19 (to the left of support 19v as viewed inFig. 3). -Thus, as the lowermost'bottletilts on support 19 the neck end of the next lowermost bottle'is gently lowered out of rear guide member 14 and'the neck ends of these bottles move alongside one anotherwithout interfering with each others movement. As the lowermost bottle descends by gravity down the chute 27 to aposition where it is accessibleto the customer, the neck-of the next bottle" descends the'slopingportion 33 ofthe-stationary support '19 and is laterally displaced 'as itcomes to rest on'the horizontal portion 34 of the stationary support 19. Rotation of the disc 28 continues until it reaches'the-positionshown in Fig. 2 in which'the butt end of the bottle-is lowered intothe notchz29-and the mechanism is conditionedfor the next-dispensing operation.

4 Second embodiment Figs. 5 through 8 of the drawings illustrate a modified vending magazine 41 utilizing the basic principles of this invention but having certain distinguishing features from the embodiment of the invention previously described.

The modified vending-.magazine 41 supports therein a plurality of bottles 42 in stacked relationship. Like the first embodiment ofthe invention, the bottles 42 are confined. between frontand rear guides, designated 43 and. 44 respectively, :of the vending magazine '41. The front guide 43 consists of a pairof wall members 46 which loosely confine the lower or butt end of the bottles 42 and have *opposed flanges 47 at the 'front 'thereof to prevent forward'movement of the bottles 42. The rear guide 44 of the magazine has a channel shaped cross section for loosely confining the neck ends of the bottles 42 and, in this embodiment of the invention, is centered with respect to the space between the front gu'ide members 46 as shown in Fig. 8. The space between the-"front guide flanges 47 and the rear wall of the rear guide 44 is slightlyless than the height of the bottles being dispensed to cause the bottles torest in the magazine with their axes inclined to the horizontal. This inclined storageof the bottles 42 has the advantage of keeping -the contents of the-bottles out of contact with the bottle-cap or crown used to' close the top ofthe bottle. This -per- 'mits the bottles to be left in' the machine for extended periods of time without fear-of contamination of the bottle contents through contact with the bottle crown.

As in the case of'the first embodiment of the invention, the bottles 42 are stacked one on the other -and-rest upon the-lowermost bottle, which is supported'at its neck end by 'astationary support 48 spaced beneath the rear guide portion 44 of the magazine. The bottom or butt end-of the-lowermost bottle 42 rests on a releasable supporting means-consisting principally of a rotatable starwheel-49. *The starwheel 49 is secured to ashaft 51 which is journalled in lower leg portions 52-.of the front guide members 47. An electric motor 53 mounted on one of the gui'de'members 46 is connected to shaft 51and provides the power to rotate the stearwheel 49.

During the dispensing operation, the starwheel 49 is rotated clockwise as'indicated bythe arrow and fingers 54 of the starwheel 49 lower and release the butt end of the lowermost bottle while the neck end ofthis bottle tilts on-and eventually slides oft of the stationary support 48. Fig. 6 of the drawing illustrates'the positions of the bottles 42 andthe starwheel'dispensing member 49 as a bottle isjust being released from'the stack. In this figure'the'lowerm'ost bottle is just sliding off of one 'of the fingers 54 of'the starwheel 49 whilethe butt end of the next 1 lowermost bottle 'is supported by another finger 54 otthe starwheel 49'and a pair of flange shaped shelf'members '56 disposed on eithersideof the'starwheel 49. The shelf members 56 are attached tothe guide members 46 'andare'dispos'ed slightly above the axis of rotation of starwheel 49.

In "accordance with this invention the magazine' tl is constructed 'in such a manner as to promote lateral displacement of the neck of'the lowermost bottle with respect to the neck of the next lowermost bottle'to prevent interference betweenthe necks of these bottles during vending of the lowermost bottle. For this purpose the rear or bottle neck guiding portion of the magazine 41 has an enlarged or widened portion57 above the stationary support 48 andbeneath the lower end of the rear guide channel 44. .This widened portion '57 is defined by a pair of side walls '58 which are spaced apart a distance greater than twice the width of the neck end ofthe bottlesbeing dispensed. The enlarged portion 57 -is-defined' at the rear by a rear-wall 59 having a re'arwardly' protruding portion 61 adjacent the stationary support 48 to-permit rearward movement of .the bottles 42 asgthey are moved by 'the starwheel 49.

. lowermost bottle.

The drawings illustrate the manner in which the enlarged portion 57 of the magazine 41 promotes lateral displacement of the neck end of the lowermost bottle with respect to the neck end of the next lowermost bottle. When the lowermost bottle has its neck end resting on the stationary support 48, the neck end of the next bottle above is positioned beneath the lower end of the channel shaped rear guide 44 and, therefore, is free to move to either side. Chance misalignment between the axes of the lowermost bottle and the next lowermost bottle tend to cause one of these bottles to move laterally in one direction, while the other moves in the opposite direction. The spaced walls 58 of the enlarged portion 57 of the magazine permit the next lowermost bottle to roll or slide on the lowermost bottle until the neck ends of the two bottles are out of vertical alignment an amount sufficient to permit the lowermost bottle to tilt on the stationary support 48 without the neck ends of the bottles colliding. The central location of the rear guide 44 permits the bottles emerging from the lower end of this member to move either to the right or to the left depending upon the position of the bottle next below. The neck ends of the bottles descending into the enlarged portion 57 of the magazine guide are thereby displaced alternately to the right and then to the left with the neck of the lowermost bottle always being displaced from the neck of the next As in the first embodiment of the invention, the region of contact between the lowermost bottle and the next lowermost bottle is spaced from the neck ends of the bottles and is forward of the stationary support 48; Thus, as the lowermost bottle tilts on support 48, the neck end of the next lowermost bottle is gently lowered onto support 48.

If, for any reason, it is desired that the neck of the lowermost bottle always be displaced to a particular side in magazine portion 57 as in the embodiment of the invention shown in Figs. 1 to 4, the rear guide 44 may, of course, be offset from the center of the magazine toward the side opposite that to which the lowermost bottle is to be moved.

The released bottle 42 falls onto a sloping chute 62 positioned at the bottom end of the magazine and is carried to a forward portion of the magazine where it is accessible to the customer. The rear or high end of the chute 62 is attached to and supported 'by a rear leg member'63 which also is attached to and supports the rear guide portions 44 and 57 of the magazine 41.

Third embodiment Sheet three of the drawings, containing Figs. 9 through 13, illustrate a further embodiment of the invention which will also be described with reference to a single stack magazine identified generally by the reference numeral 71.

This embodiment, like the two embodiments previously described, employs a magazine, and a dispensing mechanism for the magazine which promotes lateral displacement of the neck end of the lowermost bottle to prevent interference between the bottle being dispensed and the bottle next above in the stack. This third embodiment, however, includes a further improvement over the first two embodiments in that provision is made for keeping the lowermost bottle completely out of contact with the next to the lowermost bottle as the former is released from the magazine. In other words, in the two previous embodiments, the neck ends of the lowermost and next to the lowermost bottles were in contact with one another as the lowermost bottle was released. In this third or improved embodiment of Figs. 9 to 13 the next to the lowermost bottle is actually supported independently of the lowermost bottle and completely out of contact therewith while the lowermost bottle is being released. The manner in which this improved action is accomplished will be apparent from the following description of this third embodiment.

The magazine 71 is adapted to contain bottles 72 in vertical stacked relationship with the bottles being confined between front and rear channel-shaped guides designated, respectively, 73 and 74. The rear guide 74, being shaped to receive the neck ends of the bottles, is smaller than the front guide 73 and is preferably offset from the centerline of the front guide 73 as shown in Figs. 10 and 11. The guides 73 and 74 permit the bottles to gravitate into the lower or dispensing region of the magazine, the confines of which are defined by two side Walls 75 and an end wall 76. The side walls 75 are spaced apart a distance greater than twice the diameter of the cap ends of the bottles to: permit lateral displacement of the neck end of the lowermost bottle. The rear guide 74 terminates at the upper edge of one of the side walls 75 and is secured thereto.

Disposed within the dispensing region of the magazine 71 are a stationary support 77 and a releasable supporting means, such as the rotatable starwheel 78, which support the bottles 72 within the magazine. The starwheel 78 is carried by a shaft 79 journalled in an extension of side walls of the front guide 73 and is driven by a power unit, such as a geared motor indicated at 81. The bottom or butt ends of the bottles 72 descending from the magazine front guide 73 are supported by the several fingers 8th of the starwheel 78.

The stationary support 77 extends between the dispensing region sidewalls 75 and consists of a rod-like member having one end 82 attached to the upper portion of the sidewall 75 which is adjacent the rear guide 74. As can be seen in Figs. 9 and 11 of the drawing, this end 82 of the stationary support is disposed slightly below the lower edge 33 of the rear guide 74 and forward (toward the front guide portion 73) of the guide 74 in a position beneath the shoulder portion of the bottles 72 within the guides 73 and 7d. The stationary support 77 has a sloping portion 84 extending downwardly and rearwardly from its upper end 82 into a horizontal portion 85 adjacent its other end 86 which is joined to the other sidewall 75. As will be explained more fully hereinafter, the lower horizontal portion 85 of the stationary support 77 is adapted to support the neck end of a bottle 72 in a position disposed laterally from beneath the neck end of another bottle within the rear guide 74, and the sloping portion 84 of this support guides the neck end of the bottle over into this displaced position.

Figs. 9 through 11 show the positions of the elements of the dispensing mechanism and the bottles 72 within the magazine "ll as a bottle is being released. Referring to Fig. 9, the starwheel 78 has rotated to a position in which the butt end of the lowermost bottle 72 is sliding off one of its fingers 8%. The neck end of this lowermost bottle is resting on the horizontal portion 85 of the stationary support 77 and tilts and slides thereon as the butt end of the bottle falls free. A chute 87 directs the released bottle forward and out of the magazine.

It will be noted that, as in the previously described embodiments, the neck end of the bottle being dispensed (the lowermost bottle 72 of Figs. 9 through 11) is laterally displaced from the neck end of the bottle next above in the magazine. This displacement prevents interference between the neck ends of these two bottles as the lowermost bottle tilts on and slides off the stationary support 77.

To insure freedom of movement of the bottle being released, the next bottle above is independently supported completely out of contact with the lowermost bottle as it is leaving the magazine. Referring to Figs. 9 and 11, note that, with the butt endof the next to the lowermost bottle supported as shown by one finger of starwheel 78 while the butt end of the lowermost bottle is sliding off another finger of the starwheel, the

7 cap end of the next to the lowermost bottle is within the' confines-of the lowerend of channeled rear guide /4, and- 'an intermediate shoulder portion of the next tothe lowermost bottle rests on the uppermost end portion 82 'of the stationary support. The sloping portion 84 of the stationary support immediately adjacent the upper end 82015 the support tends to promote a lateral displacement 'of'the neck end of a bottle descending thereover. Lateral motion of a bottle in the position of the next to the lowermost bottle in Figs. 9 to ll is prevented, however, because the cap end of the bottle is restrained by the rear guide 74. The neck end of this next to the lowermost bottle -is supported then by virtue of its being wedged between'the upper end dl of the stationary support which contacts a shoulder portion of the bottle at a point indicated'by the arrow A, and the lower edge 83 of the fear g'uide 74 which'contacts the bottle near its cap-at the point indicated by the arrow B.

Con'sider now-the releasing of this next bottle from its wedged position on the upper end of the stationary support 77. Rotation of the starwheel '78, in a clockwise direction from the position shown in Fig. 9 lowers the butt end of the bottle. Simultaneously,'the point of contact between the starwheel finger 8t) and this bottle shifts to a position nearer the middle of the bottle. This combined action of downward tilting ofthe butt end of the bottle and shifting of its point of support-closer to its center of gravity causes the bottle to slide on thesupportingl finger 8d toward the front of the magazine'(to the left as viewed in Fig. 9) until its butt end encounters the'n'ext finger 80 of the starwheel 78. This places the bottle-in the position occupied by the lowermost bottle shown in full lines in Fig. 12.

' iIt will be noted that each bottle '72 is tapered in the shoulder portion contacted by the upper end 82 of the stationary support, with the diameter of the bottle becoming progressively smaller toward its cap end. This is. acharacteristic feature of soft beverage bottles. The slightaxial shift (toward the front of the magazine) of the bottle resting on the stationary support upper end 82 in moving from the position it occupies in Fig. 9 to the position shown in Fig. 12 presents to the stationary support, at contact point A, a reduced shoulder diameter such as to permit the neck end of this bottle to pass between thecontact points A and B on, respectively, the stationary support '77 and the rear guide '74. This reduction in bottle diameter at contactpoint A is illustrated in Fig. 13 (a sectionai view through contact point A) in which there is superimposed upon the section through the lower bottle a dot and dash outline corresponding to a similar section through the same bottle in the position shown in Figs. 9 through 11. The lowermost bottle in @full lines in Fig. 12 is just being released from atop the upper end 82 of the stationary support and, with-continued rotation of the starwheel '73, will descend the sloping portion 84 of the stationary support, eventually coming to-rest with its neck end supported on the horizontal portion 85 of the stationary support and its butt end supported by a finger 8% of the starwheel 78 in the position indicated by the lowermost dot and dash line bottle in Fig. 12.

The' sloping portion 34 of the stationary support 77 extends diagonally toward the rear of the magazine, thus providing contact with decreasing shoulder and neck diameters of the bottle descending the stationary support to prevent the bottle from wedging against the lower edge 83 of rear guide 74 once it has been released therefrom.

The lowermost bottle then has its neck end resting on the horizontal portion 85 of the stationary support 77 and displaced laterally from beneath the neck of the next bottle above. In this position, it may be released from the magazine by further rotation of the starwheel 78 as described above.

' "Thisinvention has been described by reference only to the essentials of a dispensing magazine structure. "It is to be understood, however, that the' magazine would normally' be' disposedwithinc a =Iefriger ated *and insulated cabinet designed to chill the drinks priorto 'their being dispensed. *Suitable coin-contr ol meanswould likewise be associated with the cabinet=for controlling energization of the electric motors/52 and 53'to permit the .vending mechanism of eitherembodiment'to undergo a dispensingoperation only after the customer has inserted into thecabinet the proper coin orcoins.

-The invent-ion has also been described only with reference=to single'stack dispensing magazines. it is apparent, however, that the invention is equally applicable tomagazines-having a plurality of side-by-side bottle stacks. 'ID.'=SllCh --applications the releasable support means for the' butt ends of the bottles *for each bottle stack, that'is, the-vending- 'disc 28 0f the first-embodiment and the starwheels 49 and78 ofthe-s'econdiand'third embodiments,-would=be mounted on a single drive shaft-and would employ asingledriving means, such as a motor. By mounting the releasable support means on the :common drive 'shaftin such a manner that the releasable means for eachtstack is angularly displaced from the releasable means of-tthe other stacks, sequential vending from 'the-stacks=can be obtained. Since sequential vending fromapluralityof stacks in a vending machine is well known and well understood by those skilled. in this art, no: detail :description thereof is. deemed necessary here. Itisimentioned .only'to make it clear that this in vention is applicable .to such :arrangement.

It'is, of course, evident thatsuitable manually actuated drive .means could be substituted for the electric motors 3.2, 53 *or.81 if .this typefof operation is desired.

From theforegoing it will beapparent that this invention provides a novel and .inexpensivemechanism for releasing bottles :from a magazine in which they arestored in stacked relationship.

While several .forms of'the invention have beenv described, it is to be understood thattchanges'and modifica- .tions other than thosespecifically referred to may be made therein without departing from the vscope of the invention as defined by the appende'drclaims.

What is'claimed is:

l. In bottle dispensing apparatus, the combination of a magazine for holding a'zplurality of bottles in stacked r lationship with the axes of-all but the lowermost of said bottles warranged substantially in a'single vertical plane, said magazineincluding guide portions for maintaining the butt'ends of all of said bottles in substantially vertical alignment, releasable means for supporting the butt end of the lowermost bottle in said magazine, stationary means Fforsupporting the neck end of the lowermost bottle in said magazine, said stationary means having an inclined portion adapted to angularly displace the axis ofthe lowermost bottle with respect to the axis of the next lowermost bottle whereby the neck of the lowermost bottle is-laterally displaced'from the neck of the next lowermost bottle.

2. In bottlevdispensing apparatus, the combination of a. magazine for holding a plurality of bottles in stacked relationship, said magazine :including a pair of guide members for'the butt ends of the bottles and adapted to maintain the butt .end of thelowerm'ost bottle in substantial-vertical alignment with'the butt end of the next lowermost bottle, said magazine including another pair of-guide members for confining the neckends of all but the lowermost bottle substantially in vertical alignment, stationary means for supporting the neck end vof the lowermost bottle, said stationary supporting means having atleast a portion thereof extending laterally from beneath the neck :end .of the nextlowermost bottle for permitting lateral displacement vof the neck end of the lowermost bottle with respect to the neck end of the next lowermost bottle, and a releasable support for the butt endof the lowermost bottle, said releasable support being vertically aligned with the butt ends of said lowermost and next lowermost bottles, the construction and arrangement being such that the neck end of the lowermost bottle is free to pivot on the stationary supporting means without interference with the neck of the next lowermost bottle.

3. In bottle dispensing apparatus, the combination of a magazine for holding a plurality of bottles in vertical stacked relationship, said magazine including portions on each side of the butt ends of said bottles for confining the butt ends of all of said bottles substantially in vertical alignment, said magazine including portions on each side of the neck ends of said bottles for confining the neck ends of all but the lowermost bottle substantially in vertical alignment, stationary means for supporting the neck end of the lowermost bottle, said stationary supporting means having at least a portion thereof extending laterally from beneath the neck end of the next lowermost bottle for permitting lateral displacement of the neck end of the lowermost bottle with respect to the neck end of the next lowermost bottle, and releasable means disposed beneath and aligned with the butt ends of the bottles in said magazine for supporting the butt end of the lowermost bottle, the construction and arrangement being such that the neck end of the lowermost bottle is free to pivot on the stationary supporting means without interference with the neck of the next lowermost bottle when the butt end of the lowermost bottle is released.

'4. In bottle dispensing apparatus, the combination of a magazine for storing bottles in stacked relationship, said magazine including a pair of guide members for the butt ends of the bottles and adapted to maintain the butt end of the lowermost bottle in substantial vertical alignment with the butt end of the next lowermost bottle, said magazine including another pair of guide members for confining the neck ends of all but the lowermost bottle substantially in vertical alignment, means for releasably supporting the butt end of the lowermost bottle in the stack, stationary means for supporting the neck end of said lowermost bottle, said stationary supporting means having an inclined portion adapted to guide the neck end of the lowermost bottle laterally from beneath the neck end of the next lowermost bottle in the stack whereby the neck end of the lowermost bottle is free to slide oif said stationary support without interference from the neck end of the next lowermost bottle when the butt end of the lowermost bottle is released, and means for impeding movement of a bottle along the inclined portion of said stationary supporting means to prevent the next lowermost bottle from descending said inclined portion as the lowermost bottle is being dispensed.

5. In bottle dispensing apparatus, the combination of a magazine for storing bottles in stacked relationship, said magazine including a pair of guide members for the butt ends of the bottles and adapted to maintain the butt end of the lowermost bottle in substantial vertical alignment with the 'butt end of the next lowermost bottle, said magazine including another pair of guide members for confining the neck ends of all but the lowermost bottle substantially in vertical alignment, means for reieasably supporting the butt end of the lowermost bottle in the stack, stationary means for supporting the neck end of said lowermost bottle, said stationary supporting means having an inclined portion adapted to guide the neck end of the lowermost bottle laterally from beneath the neck end of the next lowermost bottle in the stack whereby the neck end of the lowermost bottle is free to slide 011? said stationary supporting means without interference from the neck end of the next lowermost bottle when the butt end of the lowermost bottle is released, means for impeding movement of a bottle along the inclined portion of said stationary supporting means to prevent the next lowermost bottle from descending said inclined portion as the lowermost bottle is being dispensed, and means responsive to movement of the next lowermost bottle by said releasable supporting for causing said next bottle to be released by said impeding means and descend the inclined portion of said stationary supporting means after the lowermost bottle is released.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,710,621 Henderson Apr. 23, 1929 1,974,277 Johnson Sept. 18, 1934 2,563,204 Andrews Aug. 7, -1 2,693,300 Childers et a1. Nov. 2, 1954

Images