US3912124A - Single copy newsstand vendor - Google Patents

Abstract

A single copy newspaper vendor is disclosed for vending newspapers, magazines and other publications having varying thicknesses. The papers are top loaded and are held in successive vertical alignment on a reciprocating inclined shelf. The inclined shelf slopes downwardly to a vending point at the bottom of the shelf juxtaposed to the front of the vendor. Papers are stacked on the reciprocating shelf between a window at the front of the vendor (where the paper may be viewed) upwardly to a free floating compactor at the upper end of the inclined reciprocating shelf. The lower end of the inclined reciprocating shelf includes a rising lip vendor which rises when and as the shelf reciprocates rearwardly. In operation, a coin released lever arm is rotatably actuated by the customer. This rotating arm actuates both the shelf rearward reciprocation as well as the rising lip vendor. The shelf reciprocates rearwardly and upwardly responsive typically to a pinion driving a rack, the pinion being rotated by the lever arm. Rearward reciprocation of the shelf defines a forward vending interval at the front of the machine to permit room for a paper to fall downwardly to a vending path. The lip, at the front lower edge of the reciprocating shelf, rises upon rearward shelf reciprocation, typically following a lever actuated cam movement. This rising lip vendor moves into the interstitial area between the front paper being vended and the remainder of the papers supported on the reciprocating inclined shelf. The pressure on the forwardmost paper from the remainder of the stack on the inclined ramp is removed and the front vended paper freely falls typically through a tamperproof door in the vending path. Simultaneously, the reciprocating shelf and free floating compactor serve to compact the unvended newspapers to preserve the stack in a substantially uniform and upright vending disposition.

Description

United. States Patent [191 Pinkerton 1 SINGLE COPY NEWSSTAND VENDOR Dale Famsworth Pinkerton, 1365 Manzanita Drive, Millbrae, Calif. 94030 221 Filed: on. 21, 1974 [21] Appl. No.: 516,717

[76] Inventor:

[52] US. Cl. 221/298; 221/281 [51] Int. Cl. G01F 11/28 [58] Field of Search 221/289, 292, 293, 251, 221/298 [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,250,432 5/1966 Green et al. 221/289 3,749,281 7/1973 Stovers et a1. 221/298 I Primary Examiner-Stanley H. Tollberg Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Townsend and Townsend [451 Oct. 14, 1975 stacked on the reciprocating shelf between a window at the front of the vendor (where the paper may be viewed) upwardly to a free floating compactor at the upper end of the inclined reciprocating shelf. The lower end of the inclined reciprocating shelf includes a rising lip vendor which rises when and as the shelf reciprocates rearwardly. In operation, a coin released lever arm is rotatably actuated by the customer. This rotating arm actuates both the shelf rearward reciprocation as well as the rising lip vendor. The shelf reciprocates rearwardly and upwardly responsive typically to a pinion driving a rack, the pinion being rotated by the lever arm. Rearward reciprocation of the shelf defines a forward vending interval at the front of the machine to permit room for a paper to fall downwardly to a vending path. The lip, at the front lower edge of the reciprocating shelf, rises upon rearward shelf reciprocation, typically following a lever actuated cam movement. This rising lip vendor moves into the interstitial area between the front paper being vended and the remainder of the papers supported on the reciprocating inclined shelf. The pressure on the forwardmost paper from the remainder of the stack on the inclined ramp is removed and the front vended paper freely falls typically through a tamperproof door in the vending path. Simultaneously, the reciprocating shelf and free floating compactor serve to compact the unvended newspapers to preserve the stack in a substantially uniform and upright vending disposition.

9 Claims, 6 Drawing Figures US. Patent Oct. 14, 1975 Sheet 1 of3 3,912,124

Sheet 2 of 3 3,912,12

US. Patent Oc t. 14, 1975 US. Patent Oct. 14, 1975 Sheet 3 of 3 3,912,124

FIG 4 SINGLE COPY NEWSSTAND VENDOR This invention relates to newspaper racks and more particularly to a single copy newspaper vendor.

SUMMARY OF THE PRIORART Single copy newspaper vendors are known. l-leretofore, most vendors have been unable to successfully cope with the varying thicknesses of newspapers, magazines and other publications being vended. This has been because of the non-uniformthickness of stacks of such publications.

Newspapers and similar publications vary in thickness in two discrete ways. First, varying editions of such publications have varying thicknesses. For example, the vended thickness of Sunday newspapers is substantial whereas the weekly editions have smaller thicknesses. Similarly, and more importantly, -day-to-day editions vary in thickness dependent upon paper content. Second, a stack of papers placed in a vending alignment are always thicker at their folded edges. The result is that'the one folded side of a stack of newspapers in a vending rack has a considerable thickness; the opposite unfolded and loose leaf side of the stack of newspapers has a lesser thickness.

The attempts of the prior art to procure single copy newspaper vending are numerous and have been complicated by the non-uniform thickness of newspapers. Such machines may be generalized as to their construction, and grouped as to the difficulties which have rendered such prior art machines unsatisfactory.

Newspaper vendors having an inclined ramp with papers vertically stacked on the inclined ramp are known. Typically, the papers lean angularly backward to a rear support at the upper end of the inclined ramp. The papers typically are unsupported at the forward edge of the rack near the vending path. Papers are successively vended by being passed over a lip mechanism at the forward lower end of the ramp. See for example R. H. Summerfield U.S. Pat. No. 2,510,197 and the F. Smith U.S. Pat. No. 1,324,415.

These machines have difficulty in that the nonuniformlythick papers do not move uniformly down the ramp to the vending point. Moreover, the papers fall out of their upright disposition. Additionally, the leading papers are often pushed over and fall forward over the vending lip at the lower end of the ramp. The result is that the machine can jam and that more than one paper can be vended at a time, the whole purpose of the single copy vending apparatus being commonly defeated.

Additionally, there is a group of machines that rely on the constant thickness of the newspapers (which, as a practical matter, does not occur). Such machines include a constant thickness slot at the vending point of the machine (see M. T. Ashe U.S. Pat. No. 1,702,925). Some of these machines include apparatus which advances uniformly a stack of newspapers from the rear of the stack (see J. J. Marrs U.S. Pat. No. 1,057,971; E. E. Clift U.S. Pat. No. 3,104,781; L. S. Watlington U.S. Pat. No. 2,968,422; and, J. D. Chesnut et al. U.S. Pat. No. 1,600,623). Finally, machines in this class have constantly spaced and typically rotating fingers which dispense papers. (See P. Wesser US. Pat. No. 953,451 and W. C. Rice U.S. Pat. No. 2,220,175.)

Such machines fail completely where precise interstitial adjustment between the stacked newspapers does not correspond to the interstitial adjustment of either the slot, the advance of the stack from the rear, or the fingers. Since precise conformance to the non-uniform average thickness of such papers is required, correspondent precise adjustment of such machines is required. Typically, such precise adjustment cannot be accommodated by personnel who must rapidly load such newspaper racks while on a closely timed newspaper route for the delivery of newspapers.

Another class of vending machines has included sharp pointed cams or needles which successively vend newspapers. An example of such machines includes E. M. Kaltenbach U.S. Pat. No. 2,263,040 and J. G. Schofield U.S. Pat. No. 1,882,261.

Machines with vending needles or sharp pointed cams frequently fail. Typically, where the resistance of the newsprint varies widely due to its moisture content, such cams can slide over and tear the newspaper instead of affecting the desired vending. Moreover, such needles and cams often dispense torn papers and otherwise jam the machine. Moreover, while sharp needles or cams can be utilized in a printing plant where they have regular sequential operation and direct mechanical supervision of a skilled mechanic, such sharp needles or cams cannot be relied upon to operate unattended and unsupervised in the interior of a remote irregularly operating vending machine.

More recently, single copy vending of newspapers has been attempted by placing the bottom folded arcuate portions of daily newspapers in successive troughs carried on a conveyor. An example of-such a conveying newspaper rack apparatus is shown in the T. S. Marczak et a1. U.S. Pat. No. 3,425,596.

Such conveyor type machines require too long a period to load. Each newspaper must be placed at each conveyor station individually. Moreover, the bottoms of newspapers must be separated by a space equal to the space of the edition of greatest thickness to be vended. The result is that a limited number of papers may be maintained in one machine at any given time.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION A single copy newspaper vendor is disclosed for vending newspapers, magazines and other publications having varying thicknesses. The papers are top loaded and are held in successive vertical alignment on a reciprocating inclined shelf. The inclined shelf slopes downwardly to a vending point at the bottom of the shelf juxtaposed to the front of the vendor. Papers are stacked on the reciprocating shelf between a window at the front of the vendor (where the paper may be viewed) upwardly to a free floating compactor at the upper end of the inclined reciprocating shelf. The lower end of the inclined reciprocating shelf includes a rising lip vendor which rises when and as the shelf reciprocates rearwardly. In operation, a coin released lever arm is rotatably actuated by the customer. This rotating arm actuates both the shelf rearward reciprocation as well as the rising lip vendor. The shelf reciprocates rearwardly and upwardly responsive typically to a pinion driving a rack, the pinion being rotated by the lever arm. Rearward reciprocation of the shelf defines a forward vending interval at the front of the machine to permit room for a paper to fall downwardly to a vending path. The lip, at the front lower edge of the reciprocating shelf, rises upon rearward shelf reciprocation, typically following a lever actuated cam movement. This rising lip vendor moves into the interstitial area between the front paper being vended and the remainder of the papers supported on the reciprocating inclined shelf. The pressure on the forwardmost paper from the remainder of the stack on the inclined ramp is removed and the front vended paper freely falls typically through a tamper-proof door in the vending path. Simultaneously, the reciprocating shelf and free floating compactor serve to compact the unvended newspapers to preserve the stack in a substantially uniform and upright vending disposition.

OTHER OBJECTS AND ADVANTAGES OF THE INVENTION An object of this invention is to disclose an inclined ramp newspaper vendor in which the inclined ramp or shelf reciprocates as the papers are vended. Shelf reciprocation occurs towards and away from a forward vendor wall against which the papers rest.

An advantage of this reciprocating shelf is that the papers are moved rearwardly with the shelf upon reciprocation. The forwardmost paper is provided with an open vending interval between the front of the machine and the shelf. Vending of the forward paper through free fall of the vended edition results.

A further advantage of the reciprocating shelf of this invention is that the newspapers to be vended are shoved immediately adjacent a window at the front of the vendor. The paper seen is the paper vended.

An advantage of the reciprocating shelf of this invention is that it utilizes the coefficient of friction of the group of unvended newspapers sliding over the reciprocating shelf. Upon rearward reciprocation of the shelf, the friction forces between the newspaper and inclined shelf assist in moving the entirety of the unvended newspapers rearwardly so that the forwardmost paper can be vended.

A further object of this invention is a rising lip vendor in combination with a reciprocating shelf. According to this aspect of the invention, all papers save and except the vended paper are moved rearwardly upon the rise of a lip at the lower forward portion of the reciprocating shelf.

An advantage of this rising lip vendor is that the weight of the remainder of the stack is removed from the newspaper to be vended. The newspaper to be vended can freely fall.

A further advantage is that the rising lip in combination with the reciprocating shelf has a wide range of movement to penetrate into the interstitial spatial interval between the vended newspaper and the remainder of the newspapers in the stack. Such penetration can occur anywhere from the center line of the newspaper being vended to the interface between the newspaper vended and the paper immediately following. An advantage of this aspect of the invention is that a wide range of newspaper thicknesses can all be vended at one machine setting. Small changes in thicknesses of editions does not require correspondent small changes in the machine settings.

A further object of this invention is to disclose a free floating packer which rides on the inclined ramp to hold the newspapers in an upright disposition.

An advantage of the free floating packer is that it can conform to the non-regularity of thickness of stacked newspapers. Typically, the packer is slanted and angularly more distant from the vending portion of the machine due to the increased thickness of the upstanding stack of newspapers at their folded edges.

An advantage of this free floating packer is that during vending, the papers are continuously and remotely packed uniformly by the reciprocating movement of the shelf and the free floating compactor at the back of the stack. The papers do not tend to fold over. Moreover, the front paper or paper being vended is presented at the front of the machine with a substantially uniform thickness and alignment where it may be easily vended.

A further advantage of the free floating packing mechanism of this invention is that its mechanical connection is simplified. It is only necessary that the packer, according to this invention, slide freely over the inclined shelf and be gravity biased towards the dispensing portion of the newspaper machine.

Yet another object of this invention is to disclose a tamper-proof chute. According to this aspect, the paper vended is released downwardly into a chute. The chute has extending transverse of it a pivoting door. The newspaper slides by the bottom of the door where it may be grasped by the customer. At the same time, the door obstructs any upward access to the unvended newspapers, preventing tampering.

Other objects, features and advantages of this invention will become more apparent after referring to the following specification and attached drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the vendor of this appparatus showing the top open for overhead loading;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view broken away showing the lever arm actuated rack and pinion mechanism for actuating the reciprocating shelf as well as moving the rising lip vendor cam;

FIGS. 3 and 4 are cartoon sequences illustrating the vending of a newspaper;

FIG. 5 is an overhead view illustrating the free floating packing mechanism for urging the papers downwardly to their vending point; and,

FIG. 6 is a side elevation of an alternate embodiment of this invention.

Referring to FIG. 1, the vending apparatus of this invention is illustrated in perspective. Specifically, a front panel 14, two side panels and 16, and a rear panel 17 make up the four sides of the vendor. An angularly inclined top 19, with downwardly extending peripheral lip 20, folds downwardly and over the top to provide a weathertight interior against the elements.

Side 14 includes at the front thereof a wire reinforced plexiglass window 22. As will hereinafter become more apparent, papers to be vended are pressed against window 22. In this position, the paper being vended is viewed immediately before it is vended.

In operation of the vendor, lever arm is rotated clockwise and rearwardly after release of a rotating coin interlock 27. Lever arm 25 rotates at least one pinion 29 and moves at least one rack 30 and reciprocating shelf 32 rearwardly. The forward or leading lower edge of shelf 32 defines between wall 14 and the forward edge of shelf 32 a vending interval. The paper to be vended falls through the vending interval into a vending path 35 and, by a pivotal damper 37 and out vending slot 40 where the vended paper may be grasped by the customer.

Having set forth the general parameters of this invention, its operation in detail may now be discussed. First, the reciprocation of the shelf 32 will be discussed in detail with reference to FIG. 2. Thereafter, and with respect to the cartoon series of FIGS. 3 and 4, the vending of an individual newspaper will be described. Finally, and with respect to FIG. 5, the function of the free floating packing mechanism will be set forth.

Referring to FIG. 2, arm is illustrated before rota tion. Specifically, and through deposit ofa coin in the rotating coin control interlock 27, leverarm 25 can rotate shaft 42. Rotating coin control interlock 27 can be of the type described in Terry US. Pat. No. 2,925,898. Shaft 42, in turn, here causes paired pinions 29 and 31 to rotate. These pinions engage paired respective racks and 33 on either side of reciprocating, shelf 32.

The reciprocating shelf 32 is held interior of the cabinet between side walls 15, 16. Typically, U -shaped angles 47, 49 hold shelf 32 therebetween. Rotation of pinions 29, 31 causes the respective racks 30, 33to move backwardly and forwardly responsive to the backward and forward movement of the lever arm 25. Cor respondent backward and forward movement of the reciprocating shelf 32 results.

Before passing on to the cartoon series of FIGS. 3 and 4, it is important to understand that rotating shelf 42 also includes at points thereon cams a, 50b and 500. As will hereinafter become apparent, these respective cams rotate with shaft 42 and cause the rising lip vendor at the forward edge of the reciprocating shelf to permit only the leading newspaper to be vended.

. Referring to FIG. 3, the stacking of a group of newspapers can be understood. Specifically, a stack of newspapers A is placed in the machine. The newspapers sit between wire reinforced plexiglass window 22 in forward wall 14 at the forward end of the upright stack, and a free floating packer 64 at the rearward end of the upright stack. The papers rest at their rounded and folded bottoms 66 on the reciprocating shelf 32.

Likewise, the free floating packer 64, having its substantially vertical member 68 and its inclined bottom 69, rides on the inclined surface of the reciprocating shelf 32. Typically, the packing mechanism 64 rides on downwardly exposed ball bearings 70 so that the stack of newspapers is urged forwardly.

The risinglip vendor 60 is preferably fabricated from a strip or strips of spring steel. It includes a vertical lip and an attached arcuate portion 72 extending rearwardly to a point of attachment 74 to the undersurface of reciprocating shelf 74. As can be seen, strip 72 passes immediately over cam 50a on shaft 42. Upward rotation of the pear-shaped cam 50a from the disposition shown in FIG. 3 to the disposition shown in FIG. 4 causes the rising lip vendor 60 to move upwardly at the lower and vending end of the reciprocating shelf 32.

Assume that a coin is placed in the rotating coin release mechanism 27. Further assume that a customer has rotated lever arm 25 rearwardly.

Upon such rearward motion, two distinct mechanical functions will occur. First, the shelf 32 will reciprocate upwardly and rearwardly to define at the lower edge thereof a vending interval. This vending interval will occur in the space between theifront panel 14 and the lower leading edge of the reciprocating shelf 32.

Simultaneously with such reciprocating rearward movement, pear-shaped camiS Oa will turn as shaft 42 rotates. The cam will contact the arcuate surface 72 of the rising lip vendor 60. This will cause the vendor to move upwardly.

Referring to the cartoon series of first FIG. 3, and thereafter FIG. 4, the vending of a newspaper can be easily understood. Specifically, as the reciprocating shelf 32 moves away from the front 14 to define a vending interval, the rising lip vendor 60 will move upwardly. During such upward movement, the rising lip vendor 60 will penetrate into the interstitial area between the leading lower newspaper to be vended and the next following paper. At that point of penetration, all papers except the paper to be vended will be urged rearwardly against the free floating packing mechanism 64.

It will be immediately recognized that the pressure from the paper to be vended will be released, at least in the area adjacent to reciprocating shelf 32. Additionally, and through rollers 76 immediately above the fiberglass reinforced window 22, the leading newspaper will be urged to freely fall. The leading newspaper will thus fall into the vending path 35.

Once the leading newspaper has been vended, the gravitational weight of shelf 32 and the stack of newspapers A, together with the packing mechanism 64, will gravitationally urge handle 25 to return to its original position through the respective racks and pinions. The papers will all move forward and return from the disposition of FIG. 4 to the disposition illustrated in FIG. 3, the only exception being that an edition of the stack of newspapers will have been vended. 7

Should some machine adjustment for variable thickness of the publications be necessary, it can be easily made. Typically the initial position of pinions 29, 31 will be spaced more to the rear on the respective racks 30, 33. This can be done by lifting the shelf rearwardly or forwardly dependent upon either the increasing thickness or decreasing thickness of the publications respectively.

Once the vended newspaper A falls to the vending path 35, it will strike a vending damper 37. Damper 37 is urged by a spring 78 towards the rear wall 80 of the vending path. The weight of the passing paper will cause damper 37 to move forwardly and permit the papers to pass out of the vending aperture 40 to the customer.

It should be apparent that damper 37 will obstruct those who wish to reach inwardly and upwardly of the vendor to tamper with papers yet to be vended. Damper 37 thus obstructs the upward access into the vending apparatus.

Referring to FIG. 5, the advantage of the free floating packing mechanism 64 of this invention can be understood. Speciflcally, it will be seen that the packing mechanism 64 supported on base 69 rides over the upper surface of the inclined reciprocating shelf 32 at four ball bearings 70. The free floating packing mechanism 64 is free to ride over the surface of the reciprocating shelf 32.

Consider the case of the vertically aligned newspapers shown in the plan view of FIG. 5. These newspapers along their loose folded edges 92 have a greater thickness than they do along their leaf and non-folded edges 94. The result is that the stack of newspapers is thicker along edges 92 than it is along edges 94.

The free floating packing mechanism 64 is free to accommodate to such variations of edge thicknesses. Specifically, the free floating packing mechanism will typically angularly cant with respect to the forward wall 14. As newspapers are vended and this respective angular cant changes, the free floating packing mechanism 64 will be free to simultaneously ride down the inclined reciprocating shelf while, at the same time, changing its angular alignment to conform to the varying thickness of the papers A.

Besides this tendency to conforming to the varying thicknesses of papers, the free floating packing mechanism of this invention has several advantages which may not be immediately apparent. First, this free floating mechanism has a tendency to pack the unvended newspapers in an even and upright disposition. It has been found that in combination with the reciprocating shelf, the newspapers are uniformly and vertically aligned despite wide variations in the thicknesses of their edges 92, 94.

Second, it has been found preferable to tilt the lower edge of member 68 forwardly and to allow the upper end of member 68 to extend slightly rearwardly at an angle of approximately to 10. The free floating packer thus exerts maximum force at the lower folded edges 66 of the vended newspapers and packs the upper edges more loosely. This not only urges the papers forwardly with proper alignment and force, but additionally provides a lesser force at the upper portions of the newspaper against the front of the cabinet 14 and the wire reinforced plexiglass window 22. When the papers are moved rearwardly as shown in FIG. 4, the vended paper is free to drop.

Finally, it is possible to inscribe at the forward leading edge of the free floating packing mechanism 64 the inscription SOLD OUT" or its equivalent. When no papers are left in the vending machine, the free floating packing mechanism 64 presents juxtaposed to the wire reinforced plexiglass window 22 an inscription clearly indicating that the machine is sold out.

It will be realized by those skilled in the art that a number of modifications can be made to this invention. One such modification is illustrated in FIG. 6 showing the use of cable mechanisms in place of the rack and pinion mechanisms for the reciprocating movement of the shelf.

Referring to FIG. 6, reciprocating shelf 32 has attached thereto a downwardly extending car 90. Ear 90 has lever arm 25 and shaft 42 journaled thereto.

Shaft 42 has wound there around a cable 94. Cable 94 winds from a clockwise position around shaft 42 downwardly and forward to a pulley 96 and thence rearwardly to a pulley 98 upwardly to cable clamp 100. A second run of cable 102 passes from a clockwise wind around shaft 42 to a pulley 104 and thence upwardly to cable clamp 100.

When handle 25 is rotated clockwise, shaft 42 turns. Shaft 42, in turning, unwinds cable 94 and winds cable 102. The shaft mechanism therefore moves towards rear wall 17 and away from front wall 14. Reciprocation of the shelf 32 through movement of the ears 90, mounting shaft 42, results.

When handle 25 is released, the handle will move counterclockwise. Cable 102 will be unwound with cable 94 being wound. Forward movement of the reciprocating shelf 32 will result.

It will be realized that the handle 25 and shaft 42 will reciprocate with the shelf 32. Therefore, it is necessary to cut an elongate slot (not shown) in the side 16 of the cabinet. Moreover, it can be seen that the two cables 102 and 94 result in a substantially tamper proof device. It is not possible to reciprocate shelf 32 through manipulation of the handle 25 in the plane of movement of the reciprocating shelf 32. This is because shaft 42 is rigidly held in place between the forward run of cable 94 and the rearward run of cable 102.

It will be appreciated that this invention will admit of a number of modifications. For example, the rotating coin mechanism 27, here shown as preferable with the invention, can be substituted with other coin mechanisms. Moreover, differing mechanisms can be used for either providing reciprocation to shelf 32 or actuating the cam movement of the rising lip vendor 60. For example, a cam mechanism affixed to the sidewalls l5, 16 could cause the rising lip vendor to move upwardly upon rearward movement of the reciprocating shelf 32. Attachment of a rotatable cam 50a to the rotating shaft 42 is not absolutely required. Moreover, it is not required that shelf 32 be inclined. It could just as well be level with papers being advanced from the rear of the shelf 32 to the vending point by a conventional compactor. Likewise, other modifications can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of this invention.

I claim:

1. A single copy newspaper vendor for vending a stack of vertically upright publications, said vendor comprising: a front panel having the leading edition of said stack of vertically upright publications juxtaposed thereto; a shelf mounted for reciprocation towards and away from said front panel having a publication supporting surface for supporting the edge of said publications; means for reciprocating said shelf towards and away from said front panel to define in the reciprocated position away from said front panel a vending interval; a lip mounted to the lower forward end of said inclined reciprocating shelf for upward and downward reciprocation with respect to the publication supporting surface of said shelf; and, means for upward reciprocation of said lip above the publication supporting surface of said reciprocating shelf vending interval upon rearward reciprocation of said shelf to move into the interstitial area between the front edition of said stack to dispense an edition of said upright publications through said vending interval and retain the remainder of the publications supported on said reciprocating shelf.

2. The invention of claim 1 and including first and second sidewalls having said stack of vertically upright publications held there between.

3. The invention of claim 2 and wherein said means for reciprocating said shelf towards and away from said front panel includes racks attached to said reciprocating shelf and a handle actuated pinion engaging said rack.

4. The invention of claim 1 and wherein said means for upward reciprocation of said lip includes a cam for moving said lip upwardly upon rearward reciprocation of said shelf.

5. In a single copy newspaper vendor having a front panel, and inclined shelf and a defined vending interval between said inclined shelf and said front panel, the improvement in said inclined shelf comprising: means mounting said inclined shelf with respect to said front panel for reciprocation towards and away from said front panel, said inclined shelf sloping downwardly to said vending interval; means for reciprocating said shelf towards and away from said front panel to define said into the interstitial area between the front edition of said stack to dispense one edition of said upright publications through said vending interval and retain the remainder of said publications supported on said reciprocating inclined shelf.

6. The invention of claim and including a free floating packer riding on said inclined shelf toward said vending interval for holding said stack of vertically upright publications between said front panel and said free floating packer.

7. The invention of claim 5 and including a window in said front panel at the point of juxtaposition of said upright publication thereto.

8. The invention of claim 5 and wherein said means for reciprocating said shelf towards and away from said front panel includes a rotatable shaft attached to said reciprocating shelf; a cable attached to a panel of said vendor-at one end and would about said shaft at the other end; and, means for rotating said shaft to move said shelf toward and away from said front panel.

9. The invention of claim 1 and wherein said shelf is inclined, said inclined shelf sloping downwardly to a vending point at the bottom of said shelf juxtaposed to said front panel.

Claims (9)

1. A single copy newspaper vendor for vending a stack of vertically upright publications, said vendor comprising: a front panel having the leading edition of said stack of vertically upright publications juxtaposed thereto; a shelf mounted for reciprocation towards and away from said front panel having a publication supporting surface for supporting the edge of said publications; means for reciprocating said shelf towards and away from said front panel to define in the reciprocated position away from said front panel a vending interval; a lip mounted to the lower Forward end of said inclined reciprocating shelf for upward and downward reciprocation with respect to the publication supporting surface of said shelf; and, means for upward reciprocation of said lip above the publication supporting surface of said reciprocating shelf vending interval upon rearward reciprocation of said shelf to move into the interstitial area between the front edition of said stack to dispense an edition of said upright publications through said vending interval and retain the remainder of the publications supported on said reciprocating shelf.

2. The invention of claim 1 and including first and second sidewalls having said stack of vertically upright publications held there between.

3. The invention of claim 2 and wherein said means for reciprocating said shelf towards and away from said front panel includes racks attached to said reciprocating shelf and a handle actuated pinion engaging said rack.

4. The invention of claim 1 and wherein said means for upward reciprocation of said lip includes a cam for moving said lip upwardly upon rearward reciprocation of said shelf.

5. In a single copy newspaper vendor having a front panel, and inclined shelf and a defined vending interval between said inclined shelf and said front panel, the improvement in said inclined shelf comprising: means mounting said inclined shelf with respect to said front panel for reciprocation towards and away from said front panel, said inclined shelf sloping downwardly to said vending interval; means for reciprocating said shelf towards and away from said front panel to define said vending interval in the reciprocated position away from said front panel; a lip mounted to the lower forward end of said inclined reciprocating shelf for upward and downward reciprocation with respect to said publication supporting surface on the top of said shelf; and, means for upward reciprocation of said lip above said publication supporting surface of said reciprocating shelf upon rearward reciprocating of said shelf to move into the interstitial area between the front edition of said stack to dispense one edition of said upright publications through said vending interval and retain the remainder of said publications supported on said reciprocating inclined shelf.

6. The invention of claim 5 and including a free floating packer riding on said inclined shelf toward said vending interval for holding said stack of vertically upright publications between said front panel and said free floating packer.

7. The invention of claim 5 and including a window in said front panel at the point of juxtaposition of said upright publication thereto.

8. The invention of claim 5 and wherein said means for reciprocating said shelf towards and away from said front panel includes a rotatable shaft attached to said reciprocating shelf; a cable attached to a panel of said vendor at one end and would about said shaft at the other end; and, means for rotating said shaft to move said shelf toward and away from said front panel.

9. The invention of claim 1 and wherein said shelf is inclined, said inclined shelf sloping downwardly to a vending point at the bottom of said shelf juxtaposed to said front panel.

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