US2145563A - Dispensing device - Google Patents

Description

kim. 31, 193.9. A. L. WATSON l ,455

DISPENSING DEVICE I 4 Filed Oct. 14, 1937.

" lNvENTOR Anl/v 1 /NGE@ WATSON /JM Mm ATTORNEYS Patented Jan. 31, 1939 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFCE DISPEN SING DEVICE Ann Linger Watson, New Orleans, La. Application October 14, 1937, Serial No. 168,874

Claims.

This invention relates to dispensing devices and more particularly to dispensing devices which are automatic or self-vending in the sense that as the purchaser or clerk takes out one article an- 5 other is advanced to take its place. In this way there is always presented to the view of the purchaser or clerk an article to 'be sold.

It is a well known fact that in grocery, drug and hardware stores and the like, the articles to be sold are on display on shelves, counters, display racks, stands or tables. Like articles such as loaves of bread, jars, cans or other packages are usually placed in rows extending transversely across the shelves, counters, display racks, stands or tables, in such a fashion that when the first article is removed another article of the same kind is directly back of it. However, the article which remains on the shelf is some distance back of the front edge, the distance depending on the thickness of the package removed. Of course, after the second, third, fourth, etc., articles are removed the article which stands behind them is in each instance a further distance from the front edge of the shelf. The further back from the front edge of the shelf the article is, the less easily it can be seen by the customer and thus it losses in its advertising value. This is especially true of articles on the higher shelves because of the angle of vision. In a great many retail stores the goods for sale are displayed in such a manner that the.purchaser can pick up the article he wants. This is especially true of grocery stores where the customer is in the habit of himself collecting the articles he wishes to 35 purchase. If the article to be sold is some distance back from the front edge of the shelf it not only is not easily seen by the customer or clerk but is often out of reach.

It can be readily understood that after a number of different articles have been removed from the shelves of a store for sale, the neat appearance of the store has been destroyed because the articles are not uniformly spaced from the front edge of the shelves or counters. This fact has been well recognized by storekeepers, who from time to time during the days business remedy it by moving forwardly on the shelves and counters all the rows of articles from which articles o1 50 packages have been removed. This often tends to interfere with the serving of other customers and entails a lot of extra work. Even though the rows of articles are moved forwardly on the display shelves from time to time during the day, yet as each separate article is removed between those times the neat appearance of the store is destroyed that much.

The object of this invention is to remedy these defects and provide an apparatus into which a number of like loaves of bread, jars, bottles, cans or packages may be placed in a row. The appa ratus containing the row of like articles is then placed on a store shelf, display rack, stand, table or counter and it is such that When the article nearest the edge of the shelf, display rack, stand, table or counter is removed, the whole row is automatically moved forwardly so that the remaining articles are each advanced one position. In this way there is always presented at the edge of the shelf, display rack, stand, table or counter in a uniform manner, an article for display and ready for removal until all the articles or packages in the dispensing device are removed. Then the display device may be refilled.

In the drawing:

Fig. 1 is a perspective View of my display device in loaded or extended condition looking from front to rear.

The dotted rectangle represents a loaf of bread in the forward compartment.

Fig. 2 is also a perspective View but the dispensing apparatus is in an empty or closed condition.

Fig. 3 is a longitudinal cross-section taken on line 3-3 of Fig. 2.

In the drawing l is a container or base portion within which the collapsible compartments 3, li, 5, 6 and l move and are guided. Flanges 2 help to guide and limit the movement of the said collapsible compartments.

When the collapsible compartments are in the loaded or extended position as shown in Fig 1, articles to be displayed,

removed and sold are placed Within them. 8

represents a loaf of bread standing on its end in compartment l in Fig. 1. It is intended that other loaves of bread may be inserted in the other collapsible compartments 5, i and 3. When this is done the device is to be placed transversely on a shelf, display rack, stand, table or counter in a store with the compartment l at the front edge thereof.

Other similar devices another hook I3.

Hook I3 is fastened to de pending end ange I4 of the container, It is thus seen that under the tension of spring i2 back wall II of back compartment 3 is always urged toward the forward wall 2 of the container I. Compartments 4, 5, 6 and 'I being intermediate are likewise urged toward the forward wall.

Each of the collapsible compartments has collapsible connections between its transverse partitions. The form of invention illustrated has side walls I which are hingedly connected at I'I to side or partition walls I5. These hinges are on the inside of the compartment. The collapsible walls, in the case illustrated, the side walls I5, are in two pieces which in turn are hinged at I8. Hinges I8 are on the outside of the split compartment walls. It is apparent that side walls I5 may thus collapse inwardly when not held outwardly by an article inserted in the compartment. The hinges I'I and I8 may be of any material and may be an integral part of the side walls. If the side walls i5 of the compartments are of thin material they will collapse by means of the previously described tension spring I2 if not held apart by an inserted article. If the side walls I5 are of a thicker material such as thin wood, I may use resilient or other spring material for the hinges I l and I3 so that the abutting ends at I8 may be broken apart inwardly and allow the tension of spring I2 to collapse them inwardly. It is often desirable to have the side walls l5 of a material stili" in comparison with the tension exerted by spring I2, so that a soft article of sale may not be squeezed out of shape by the pressure of partition walls I6 actuated by means of tension spring I2; if such side walls are used the inserted article will keep them apart and the pressure of the spring will be taken up through them instead of through the article.

When the container is loaded with articles and placed transversely on a shelf, display rack, stand, table or counter it is ready to operate. When a store clerk or customer removes the article from compartment 'I which is at the forward edge of the shelf, the compartment 'I immediately collapses as previously described and compartment 6 together' with the article with which it is filled is automatically moved forwardly. In this wayV another article takes the position in the device of the one just removed. If the article in compartment 6 is removed then that compartment collapses in the same manner as compartment 'I and compartment 5 with its article moves forwardly by the action of tension spring I2, just as compartment 6 previously did. This action continues until the container is empty.

While in some cases it may become desirable to omit the side walls I5 and use collapsible bottom walls or no collapsible walls at all and also to use a base portion I which is not in the form of a container, but may be a frame to support and guide the compartment partition walls I6, I now prefer the construction shown. I also contemplate as coming within the confines of my invention, as defined in certain of the appended claims, the omission of not only the side walls I5 but also partitions I6, excepting the last partition at the rear of the device which may be used as a pusher to push forward the row of articles when one of the forward ones is removed.

It will be understood that the invention is not limited to the specific structures or procedure hereinabove described, but may be carried out in other forms without departure from its spirit as defined by the following claims.

I claim:

1. A dispensing apparatus comprising in combination, a container, a plurality of collapsible compartments slidably guided by said container and which compartments are adapted to be distended by articles therein, means for progressively advancing the rearward loaded compartments towards the front of the container upon the collapse of a forward compartment by the emptying thereof, and means for preventing pressure on said articles by said means for progressively advancing the rearward loaded compartments.

2. A dispensing apparatus comprising in combination, a container, a plurality of collapsible compartments slidably guided and supported in said container and which. compartments are adapted to be distended by articles therein, and means for progressively advancing the rearward loaded compartments towards the front of tne container upon the collapse of a forward compartment by the emptying thereof, said collapsible compartments having side walls adapted to prevent the squeezing of articles loaded therein by the pressure of said advancing means.

3. A display apparatus comprising in combination, a base portion provided with a slot, a plurality of collapsible compartments at least one of which is slidably guided in said slot and supported by said base portion and which compartments are adapted to be distended by articles therein, elastic means for progressively advancing the rearward loaded compartments towards the front of the base portion upon the collapse of a forward compartment by the emptying thereof, and means for preventing pressure on said articles `by said means for progressively advancing the rearward loaded compartments.

4. A dispensing apparatus comprising in com bination, a container, a plurality of collapsible compartments slidably guided by said container and which compartments are adapted to be distended by articles therein, and means for progressively advancing the rearward loaded compartments towards the front of the container upon the collapse of a forward compartment by the emptying thereof, the side walls of said compartments when distended by articles therein affording means for preventing pressure on said articles by said means for progressively advancing the rearward loaded compartments towards the front of the container.

5. A dispensing apparatus comprising in combination, a container, a plurality of collapsible compartments slidably guided in said container and which compartments are adapted to be distended by articles therein, means to automatically cause the collapse of a compartment upon the emptying thereof and means for causing the rearward compartments to be advanced towards the position occupied by the collapsed compartment before the collapsing thereof and means for preventing pressure on said articles by said means for causing the rearward compartments to be advanced.

ANN .LINGER WATSON.

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