초록 ▼

A coin-operated multi-product vending machine which may vend products such as small candies, gumballs, peanuts, cashews, M & M\s and the like has one or more stand-alone, interchangeable product compartments which may easily be filled with product and installed on the vending machine. The vending ma

A coin-operated multi-product vending machine which may vend products such as small candies, gumballs, peanuts, cashews, M & M\s and the like has one or more stand-alone, interchangeable product compartments which may easily be filled with product and installed on the vending machine. The vending machine is also provided with means for discharging the product from the product compartments in a controlled manner with out crushing or otherwise damaging the product. A security cover is also provided which when installed interlocks with the product compartments and other components of the vending machine to prevent removal.

대표청구항 ▼

A product vending machine comprising a generally rectangular dispenser housing defining at least one top opening and at least one front opening; a rotatable handle having a generally horizontal axis of rotation mounted to the front of said housing adjacent to each front opening; a product chute moun

A product vending machine comprising a generally rectangular dispenser housing defining at least one top opening and at least one front opening; a rotatable handle having a generally horizontal axis of rotation mounted to the front of said housing adjacent to each front opening; a product chute mounted inside said housing communicating between each of said at least one top openings and each of said front openings; a product compartment removably engaged over each of said top openings, said product compartment defining an opening in the bottom thereof which compartment bottom opening communicates with said chute when said compartment is engaged over said top housing opening; a proportionator joined to said product compartment and positioned between said compartment bottom opening and said chute, for discharging a discrete quantity of said product from said compartment into said chute, said proportionator being operably engaged with said handle and which proportionator acts as a cap over the product compartment bottom opening during transport; means for preventing crushing of or damage to said product when discharged; security means which, when installed on said machine, interlocks the compartments, chute and housing such that none of these components may be removed from the vending machine without removal of the security means; wherein the security means comprises a security cover having integrally formed thereon a plurality of pins which engage the back of the housing as well as the bottom of the compartment, through openings provided in the housing and the compartment, respectively; integrally formed on the cover is a plurality of flaps which engage the chute when the cover is placed on the vending machine; and whereby as a result of this arrangement, the compartments and chutes employed cannot be removed from the vending machine without first removing the cover thereby improving the tamper resistance of the vending machine while still allowing for the easy interchange and/or replacement of compartments.