Automatic vending machine for delivering containers having edible product therein

US4232798A · kind A · utility

Assignee

• THE KROGER CO. · US

Inventors

• Richard L. Hammel · Lima, US
• Robert H. Schaefer · Cambridge, US
• Frederick N. Lancia · Columbus, US
• William A. Wolfe · West Milton, US
• Leonard F. Dearth · Columbus, US
• Stephen L. Benton · Gahanna, US
• H. Richard Homan · Westerville, US
• Arthur P. Bruce · Columbus, US

Key dates

• Filing date: Mar 29, 1978
• Grant date: Nov 11, 1980
• Expiry date: Mar 29, 1998

Classification

• Technology area (CPC G): Physics
• CPC primary: G07F13/10
• WIPO field: Control
• WIPO sector: Instruments

Abstract

An automatic vending machine for delivering soft ice cream or the like to ice cream cones or other containers. A pivotally mounted arm receives a cone and then moves to a product-dispensing station. The product is dispensed into the cone until a weight-responsive structure associated with the arm senses the predetermined weight of the product and stops delivery of the product to the cone. Then the arm is moved so that it deposits the cone in a delivery chamber and then is moved out of the delivery chamber back to a position to receive another cone. Mechanical latch structures are provided for latching the door to the delivery chamber in closed position until the arm has been completely withdrawn from the delivery chamber and a rod connects the arm to the latch for effecting unlatching of the door in response to movement of the arm so that the door is unlatched after the movement of the arm out of the delivery chamber. The door includes a structure for resetting the latch to latch the door after opening movement of the door and removal of the product-filled container from the delivery chamber so that the door is latched shut and remains latched until the next movement of the arm out…