US3155442A

US3155442A - Display arrangement for vending machines

Info

Publication number: US3155442A
Application number: US254222A
Authority: US
Inventors: James T Schuller
Original assignee: Universal Match Corp
Current assignee: Universal Match Corp
Priority date: 1963-01-28
Filing date: 1963-01-28
Publication date: 1964-11-03
Anticipated expiration: 1981-11-03

Description

Nov. 3, 1964 J. T. SCHULLER DISPLAY ARRANGEMENT FOR VENDING MACHINES Filed Jan. 28, 1963 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 l ll l I I FIG.I.

Nov. 3, 1964 J. T. SCHULLER DISPLAY ARRANGEMENT FOR VENDING MACHINES Filed Jan. 28, 1963 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 United States Patent 3,155,442 DEPLAYARRAWSEMENT FGR VENDlNG MACEIENES James T. Schuiler, St. Anns, Mm, assignor, by mesne assignments, to Universal Match (Iorporation, Ferguson, Mm, a corporation of Delaware Filed Jan. 28, 1963, Ser. No. 254,222 Claims. (Cl. 312-138) This invention relates to a display arrangement for vending machines, and more particularly to such an arrangement for holding candy bars or other items in place in di play compartments behind the display window of the door of a vending machine.

Among the several objects of the invention may be noted the provision of a display arrangement of the class described adapted to hold an item in a desired display position during and after movement of the apparatus containing the display; the provision of means whereby the item is prevented from being dislodged from a proper display position to a position against the display window, for example, during jarring or other movements of a vending machine; the provision of a display arrangement such as described which is adapted to be utilized in vending machines having adjustable display compartments;

and the provision of such as arrangement which is simple and economical in construction. tures will be in part apparent and in part pointed out hereinafter.

The invention accordingly comprises the constructions hereinafter described, the scope of theinvention being indicated in the following claims.

In the accompanying drawings, in which one of various possible embodiments of the invention is illustrated,

FIG. 1 is a view in front elevation of a vending machine employing the invention;

FIG. 2 is a left side view of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary view of portion of FIG. 1, parts being removed for clarity;

FIG. 4 is a vertical section on line 4-4 of FIG. 3; and

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary section taken on line 55' of FIG. 4.

Corresponding reference characters indicate corresponding parts throughout the several views of the drawings.

In conventional vending machines, the kinds of candy or other items vended are normally disclosed by displaying one of each kind of item in a display window, each item being in generally the same vertical plane with the handle to be pulled for obtaining that particular kind of item. The displayed items are mounted on a display assembly behind a display window. The display assembly and window normally form part of a door which may be opened for refilling the vending machine. The conventional display includes a generally L-shaped support and a plurality of partitions dividing the support into a plurality of item receiving compartments of fixed widths. l-leretofore, items not fitting the compartment widths tended to fall over to one side of the compartment upon vibration or jarring of the vending machines, especially if the items were long and narrow, or the items would pivot forward into contact with the display window upon closing the display assembly after rearrangement or changing the items displayed. An attempt has been made to remedy this diificulty by threading a continuous elastic member through holes in the back panel of conventional display assemblies so that a portion of the elastic member was located on this display face of the panel in each compartment. Thus one elastic member held in place items in several compartments and, if broken, aifected several items. .Moreover, it made cleaning difficult. In addition, the partitions may be laterally adjustable for varying the width of the compartments and in such constructions,

Other objects and feaconventional elastic members interfere with the adjustments. The present invention obviates these difiiculties.

Referring now to FIG. 1 of the drawings, a vending machine in which the display assembly of this invention is used is indicated at 1. The vending machine has a conventional front door unit 3 vertically hinged to a main body 5 at 7 and adapted to swing open for'access to the inside of the door and main unit. The door 3 includes, among other things, a display window 9 behind which is mounted a display assembly 11, (see also FIG. 4) for holding items, such as candy bars or the like, in a display position.

The display assembly 11 is shown in more complete detail in FIGS. 3 and 4. it has a back panel 13 extending on the inside across thewidth of the door. This panel has two side supports, one of which is shown in FIGS. 3-5. It will be understood that the other is identical and that therefore a description of one suffices for both. At each end of the panel 13 is a flanged end wall 14-. Each end wall 14 has a bracket 15 afiixed to its lower end. Each bracket has an end, forked as at 18, rotatably carried on a pin 17. Each pin 17 is afiixed to the adjacent end wall 16 of the door. Thus the panel 13 and parts supported by it may be applied to and removed from the pins 17 and may also be swung thereon.

A channel bar 19 is connected to and extends transversely across the door between the display. window 9 and the upper portion of assembly '11. The display assembly being pivotally mounted on studs 17 permits the assembly to be pivoted in the direction of arrow A so that the display items become easily accessible for changing the display. The display assembly 11 is held in a closed position by a latch 21 pivotally mounted on a pin 23 which is located approximately in the center'of the upper portion of the assembly 11. Latch 21 is adapted to engage a finger 25 extending down from the channel 19. A torsion spring 27 biases latch 21 toward latching position.

Extending forward from the lower ends of the end walls 14 of the panel 13 are two arms 29. A spacer support 31 is connected, as by spot welds for example, to the arms 29 and to the flanges of end walls 14. Support 31 is formed to provide a lip 33, a seat 35, a back 37 and a ridge 39. Lip 33 engages the display window 9. Seat 35 engages arms 29, and back 37 engages the flanged end walls 14. Seat 35 and ridge 39 are provided with a plurality of

slots

41 and 43, respectively, for. receiving

tongues

45 and 47 of partitions 49. Tongues 45 have pins 50 for locking the partitions in the respective slots 41. Compartments 52 are thus formed between adjacent partitions 49. Each partition 49 can be placed in any one of three positions to vary the width of the adjacent compartments for receiving items of different Widths.

Items on display are maintained in a display position regardless of jarring of the vending machine or the closing of the display assembly or door by an L-shaped item holder 51 having a seat 53 and back 55. An elastic member 57, such as a rubber band, is adapted to encircle the back 55 and an item I placed against it (see dotted line indications of items I in FIGS. 3 and 4). Aholder 51 is placed in each compartment in generally nesting relationship with the support 31, i.e., the seat 53 rests on the seat of the support and back 55 rests via band 57 against the inclined back portion of the support. The seat 53, resting on the seat 35 of the support, prevents pivotal movement of the holder, thereby preventing pivotal movement of the item into contact with the display window 9 or against one of the partitions 49. The lip 33 prevents the holder from sliding forward on the seat of the support.

It will thus be seen that the holders permit the items to be displayed without danger of falling over or otherwise being moved from their display position. More- 7 3 over, the holders, including the bands 57, can be easily removed when the vending machine is being cleaned and hence do not interfere with the cleaning process.

In view of the above, it will be seen that the several objects of the invention are achieved and other advantageous results attained.

As various changes could be made in the above constructions without departing from the scope of the invention, it is intended that all matter contained in the above description or shown in the accompanying drawings shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

What is claimed is:

1. A display assembly for a vending machine of the type having a door movable from a closed to an open position, the door having a display window for items to be displayed, said assembly comprising panel means pivotally connected at its lower end to the door and adapted for movement from a closed position at the inside of the door to an open position, means releasably latching the panel means in a closed position, a plurality of partitions connected to said panel means adapted to form a plurality of compartments visible through the display window, said panel means having a seat portion and a back portion, and a holder for an item in each compartment, said holder having a seat resting on said seat portion and a back extending upwardly along said back portion to prevent pivotal movement of the respective holder relative to said panel means, each of said holders being adapted to have an item placed against its back portion and held in a display position.

2. A display assembly as set forth in claim 1 wherein said holder is L-shaped, and said panel means further includes a lip extending upwardly from the seat portion adjacent the forward portion thereof to prevent forward movement of said holder.

3. A display assembly for candy items or the like in a vending machine of the type having a door movable from a closed to an open position, the door having a display window, said assembly comprising a back panel pivotally connected at its lower end to the door on the inside of the door and adapted for pivotal movement from a closed position to an open position, means releasably latching the panel in a closed position, a support connected to said panel, said support having a lip adapted to engage the display window, a seat extending rearwardly from said lip, a back extending upwardly from said seat, and a ridge at the upper edge of said back, said ridge and seat having a plurality of slots therein, a plurality of partitions extending between said slots in said ridge and said slots in said seat to form item-receiving compartments visible through the display window, and item hoiders in each compartment, each item holder having a seat resting on the seat of said support and a back extending upwardly along the back of said support to prevent pivotal movement of the respective holder relative to said support, the forward edge of the seat of each holder being adjacent said lip, each of said holders being adapted to have an elastic band placed around its back and an'item placed adjacent its back for holding the item in a display position.

4. A display assembly as set forth in claim 3 wherein the combination of the seat and back of said support is L-shaped and each of said holders is L-shaped, each of said holders being in generally nesting relationship with the seat and back of said support.

5. In a display assembly having a generally L-shaped item support, partitions on said support dividing it into a plurality of item receiving compartments, and means for maintaining each item in a display position in its compartment; said means comprising a plurality of generally L-shaped holders in generally nesting relationship with said item support, one of said holders being in each of said compartments, and a plurality of elastic members, at least one for each holder, adapted to surround the respective holder and also an item placed on the respective holder, for maintaining the respective item in a display position.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,363,542 Meyer Nov. 28, 1944 2,430,637 Dimling Aug. 30, 1949 2,597,435 Bjoro May 20, 1952 2,825,488 Nelson Mar. 4, 1958 2,960,373 Caruso Nov. 15, 1960 3,033,631 Katz May 8, 1962 FOREIGN PATENTS 872,764 Great Britain July 12, 1961

Claims

3. A DISPLAY ASSEMBLY FOR CANDY ITEMS OR THE LIKE IN A VENDING MACHINE OF THE TYPE HAVING A DOOR MOVABLE FROM A CLOSED TO AN OPEN POSITION, THE DOOR HAVING A DISPLAY WINDOW, SAID ASSEMBLY COMPRISING A BACK PANEL PIVOTALLY CONNECTED AT ITS LOWER END TO THE DOOR ON THE INSIDE OF THE DOOR AND ADAPTED FOR PIVOTAL MOVEMENT FROM A CLOSED POSITION TO AN OPEN POSITION, MEANS RELEASABLY LATCHING THE PANEL IN A CLOSED POSITION, A SUPPORT CONNECTED TO SAID PANEL, SAID SUPPORT HAVING A LIP ADAPTED TO ENGAGE THE DISPLAY WINDOW, A SEAT EXTENDING REARWARDLY FROM SAID LIP, A BACK EXTENDING UPWARDLY FROM SAID SEAT, AND A RIDGE AT THE UPPER EDGE OF SAID BACK, SAID RIDGE AND SEAT HAVING A PLURALITY OF SLOTS THEREIN, A PLURALITY OF PARTITIONS EXTENDING BETWEEN SAID SLOTS IN SAID RIDGE AND SAID SLOTS IN SAID SEAT TO FORM ITEM-RECEIVING COMPARTMENTS VISIBLE THROUGH THE DISPLAY WINDOW, AND ITEM HOLDERS IN EACH COMPARTMENT, EACH ITEM HOLDER HAVING A SEAT RESTING ON THE SEAT OF SAID SUPPORT AND A BACK EXTENDING UPWARDLY ALONG THE BACK OF SAID SUPPORT TO PREVENT PIVOTAL MOVEMENT OF THE RESPECTIVE HOLDER RELATIVE TO SAID SUPPORT, THE FORWARD EDGE OF THE SEAT OF EACH HOLDER BEING ADJACENT SAID LIP, EACH OF SAID HOLDERS BEING ADAPTED TO HAVE AN ELASTIC BAND PLACED AROUND ITS BACK AND AN ITEM PLACED ADJACENT ITS BACK FOR HOLDING THE ITEM IN A DISPLAY POSITION.