초록

A rear-to-front spiral vendor having special provision for vending items such as bags of snack products, e.g., bags of potato chips, without hang-up of the items against the front window of the cabinet of the vendor.

대표청구항 ▼

In a vendor comprising a cabinet having a front door, at least one shelf in the cabinet, the forward end of the shelf being spaced rearward from the door to provide a drop space, a helix on the shelf extending in rear-to-front direction with respect to the cabinet and adapted to receive items to be

In a vendor comprising a cabinet having a front door, at least one shelf in the cabinet, the forward end of the shelf being spaced rearward from the door to provide a drop space, a helix on the shelf extending in rear-to-front direction with respect to the cabinet and adapted to receive items to be vended between its convolutions, the items being wider than the diameter of the helix, the helix being interiorly unobstructed so that the items may be received between its convolutions extending across the helix from one side thereof to the other, the door having a window for viewing the forwardmost item, means for rotating the helix to advance the items toward the forward end of the shelf and discharge the forwardmost item off the forward end of the shelf to drop down in said drop space, and guides extending in rear-to-front direction on the shelf at opposite sides of the helix defining a path of travel for said items, the improvement comprising the provision of a formation for the forward end of the shelf including a notch at the forward end of the shelf and a forwardly projecting ledge at one side of the notch, the notch being open at the forward end of the shelf and extending rearwardly from the forward end of the shelf, and being offset toward one side of the path of travel of the items defined by said quides, the ledge being offset toward the other side of said path, the helix at its forward end extending over the notch and having an at-rest position wherein its forwardmost convolutions has a lower portion extending over the notch to support the forwardmost item at one side thereof above the notch with the other side of the item supported on said ledge, said lower portion rotating in the direction for withdrawal from under said item when said helix is rotated to discharge said forwardmost item.