Ice cream cone automatic vending machine

US4241847A · kind A · utility

Inventors

• 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: Dec 30, 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 stackable containers having edible product therein. A container discharge station--especially for cones--is provided with at least one stack of containers disposed in a position vertically above an arm for clampingly engaging the containers and movement of the containers below a product dispensing nozzle and into a delivery chamber. The cones are dropped one at a time from the one or more stacks through an opening in a plate into operative engagement with the arm. A guide structure is located vertically between the at least one container stack and the arm, guiding the dropping of the containers into association with the arm so that the containers will not be misaligned or inverted during dropping and will be positively guided into operative association with the arm. The guide structure includes a generally tubular member disposed below the plate and a chute disposed vertically below the tubular member and having a primary container-guiding portion thereof extending downwardly from the tubular member at an obtuse angle with respect to the vertical.