GB1209239A - Apparatus for dispensing articles - Google Patents

Abstract

1,209,239. Dispensing articles. CAPTAIN INTERNATIONAL INDUSTRIES Ltd. 18 Sept., 1968 [21 June, 1968], No. 44242/68. Heading A4T. An article dispensing apparatus comprises a plurality of vertically aligned shelves 13, each mounted on a rod 16 for rotational movement from a horizontal article-supporting position to a vertical non-supporting position, each shelf being latched horizontally by a pin 22 extending laterally therefrom received in a partition aperture 25. A control bar 40 provided with an actuating arm 41 for each shelf initially has its lowermost arm 41C supported on pin 22 of the lowermost shelf 13C, its next arm 41B spaced a distance H above its pin 22 and the nth arm 41 spaced a distance (n - 1)H above its pin. During the first cycle, bar 40 oscillates and arm 41C pushes a flange 14 on the shelf 13C against a spring (20, Fig. 1), so that pin 22 is released and the shelf 13C falls to its vertical position (see Fig. 3). Bar 40 then drops down till arm 41B rests on its pin 22, and shelf 13B is released during the next cycle. After the top shelf 13A is released, bar 40 falls until a portion 44 thereof engages a stop 51. For dispensing tall articles, one or more of the intermediate shelves may initially be vertical (see Fig. 4), and after releasing the lowermost shelf, the bar drops down till one of its arms rests upon the pin of the next higher shelf that happens to be in the horizontal position. Bar 40 is oscillated by a solenoid switch 47 which moves a clamp 46 mounted on and offset portion 45 of the bar, horizontally, and a return spring 50 is provided. Between each pair of shelves is a deflector arrangement comprising integral rear and side deflectors 30, 31. The rear deflector 30 extends above the shelf below when the latter is vertical to prevent articles falling from a shelf above from hitting a lower shelf or shelves; the side deflectors 31 prevent articles falling from a shelf above from hitting the actuating arms 41 associated with the lower shelves, and the arms 41 from engaging articles on the shelves during horizontal movement of the arms on oscillation of bar 40.