US2671001A - Temperature-controlled vending cabinet - Google Patents

Description

March 2, 1954 F. Pn OSSANNA, JR

TEMPERATURE-GNTROLLED VENDING CABINET Filed Feb. 9, 1950 2 sheets-sheet 1 FRED OSSANNA IR.

ATTO R N EYS' March 2, 1954 F. A. ossANNA, JR 2,671,001

TEMPERATURE-CONTROLLED VENDING CABINET Filed Feb. 9, 1950 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 NVENTOR FRED OSSANNA J'R.

ATTORNEYS Patented Mar. 2, 1954 TEMPERATURE-CONTROLLED CABINET Fred A. Ossanna, Jr., Austin, Tex. Application February 9, 1950', Serial No. 143,279

. Claims. 1

This invention relates to cabinets for storing and dispensing articles.

One object of my invention is to provide in a temperature-controlled cabinet for storing and dispensing various articles a novel and improved meansl of circulating the air within the cabinet to attain maximum heat-exchange eiciency.

-A more specic object of my invention yis to 'I provide a novel and improved temperature-controlled cabinet for storing and dispensing various articles-which will provide adequate air circulation therein about its heat-exchanging medium to permit stacking ofV said articles in spaced vertical rows therein and yet maintain such articles at` desired temperatures. Y

Another object is to provide for ar cabinet of the class described a dispensing door which will automatically preclude access being gained tothe interior of the cabinet at all times and thus prevent injury to the customer or children lwho might be inclined to'm'eddle with the dispensing mechanism; Y

Another object is to provide in a temperaturecontrolled cabinet for storing and dispensing various articles a shiftably secured panel which will house the selecting and dispensing controls of the cabinet and at the same time permit visual reference by the customer to the articles offered for selection and dispensation.- y

Afurther object is to provide forV a cabine ofthe class described a novel and improved air directing-and driving mechanism whereby the air within the cabinet is circulated across its heatexchanging medium at least twice per convolution.

- These and' other objects and advantages ofmy invention will more fully appear from the following description made in connection with the accompanying drawings wherein like reference Y characters refer to similar parts throughout the several views and in which:

Fig.- 1 is a perspective view of a cabinetembodying the invention; A

- Fig. 2 is apersp'ective View of the cabinet when the door is open with a portion broken away to for co-operation with a pair of anchors 8 which are secured to the edge of the main body portion B of the cabinet C, as shown. Dividing the main body portion B of the cabinet C is an upright baiie plate 9 which extends from top to bottom and from the back wall of the main body portion B to a semi-transparent heat-insulating sheet I0 and a triangularly shaped heat-insulating panel I I. This panel `I I and the back AWall of the main body portion B together with two diagonally disposed baiiie plates I2 and I3 form a casing which seals the air chamber I4 to prevent the escape of the cool air contained therein. As show n, the diagonal baffle plates I2 and I3 extend from the bottom of the upright baille plate 9 to the sides of the cabinet C. This baie plate 9 has an aperture I 5 of substantial size in its upper portion as shown in Fig. 3. Suitably secured within the main body portion B and in the upper portion of the air chamberv I4 on a shoulder I6 which extends around the interior of the cabinet C, as shown in Fig. 3, are a plurality of spaced vertical dispensing racks I'I of the type disclosed in my pending application forV patent, S. N. #115,756 entitledFVending or Dispensing Machine for Cylindrical Containers, now Patent No. 2,628,875, February 17, 1953. The articles I8 to be 'dispensed are stacked and stored in these spaced racks as shown until dispensed.A The' transparent heat-insulating sheet Il] is provided with an air-tight seal and provides one wall for y the area in which the articles I8 are stored, asv

shown. It is constructed of any suitable transparent heat-insulating substance and is secured to the main body portion of the cabinet by any suitable means which Will permit easy access tothe interior for relling theracksI'I. Disposed just beneath the racks I 'I Vis a series of heat-exchangshow the vertical arrangement of the articles Within; l Y

Fig. 3 -is a vertical-sectional view along `line 3-3'ofrFig- 2; Y

Fig'. 4 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view along line 4-4 of Fig. 3.

One embodiment of my invention includes, as shown in Figs. 1-4, a cabinet C which has a pianohinged type door 5. This door 5 is provided with a coin slot 5a and a heat-insulation type gasket ing tubes or coils I9 arranged in horizontal gridpattern, as shown in Fig. 4.

Extending transversely through the lower portion of the balile plate 9 is a curved fan housing 29, the open ends of which extend slightly upward. Mounted within the fan housing 2U on a drive shaft 2I is a fan 22. The shaft 2l' is rigidly mounted in a bearing 23 which is welded or otherwise suitably secured to two bale plates 24 where they cross each other at right angles, as shown in Figs. 3 and 4. VThese baie plates 24 serve to brace the shaft 2I and maintain it in rigid position. The drive shaft 2| extends horizontally through a heat-insulated fitting l3ntV in the baille plate I3 to a motor 25 or other source of power. The motor 25 is located in the recesses formed by the plates l2 and i3 outside the air chamber I4, of course, as is the compressor 2G which is connected to the coils l for refrigeration purposes by a pair of conduits 21 and 28. The area surrounding the motor 25 and compressor 28 is ventilated by means of an air vent 29. The operation of the compressor 2S is controlled by a pair of conventional thermo-electric switches (not shown) within the air chamber i4.

The door is provided with a transparent panel 3B and a plurality of dispensing chutes 3l which are aligned with the racks Il. Each dispensing chute is equipped with a selection button 31a. Disposed within each dispensing chute 3| is'an inverted L-shaped dispensing door 32 which is pivotally mounted at its corner or angle to the upper wall of the dispensing chute by a pinion 33 which in turn is mounted in the sides of dispensing chute 3|. The dispensing door 32 is faced downwardly and toward the interior of the cabinet C, as best shown in Fig. 3, so that one of its arms 32d is normally abutting the top wall of the dispensing chute 3l and its other arm 32h is normally in vertical position. The edges of each dispensing door 32 are provided with a low resistance surface to prevent the possibility of frosting and, as a result, jamming of the door. Both of the arms 32a and 32h are of dimensions to provide a close lit with the walls of the dispensing chute 3l so as to reduce the loss of rerigeration to a minimum when an article is dispensed.

Disposed just above the dispensing chutes 3l and insulated therefrom as shown is a compartment 34 which houses the selector switches Vand the selector control harness (not shown) which together control the selection and dispensation of the articles. Positioned just above compartment 3d and its associated insulation is a cold light tube 35 arranged to illuminate the articles I8 and at theY same time shield the light irom the eyes 'of the customer as he looks through the panel 30 at the articles I8.

Operation My invention is easy and safe to operate. The customer merely Vinserts'the required coin into the coin slot 5a, and"mak'es his selection bypressfing theselectorbutton Sla aligned with'the rack I1 containing the desired.articleu ISL The selec-l tor button 3io will cause its` selector V'switch to close whereby an electricalcircuit is' established to operate the selector control harness. "The selector control harness causes the rack I1 to eject the desired article i8 into the vend chute 3l. The article i8 strikes the dispensing'door 32 as it rolls down the dispensing chuteV incline lcausing its normally upright portion 32h to pivot to a posi-Y tion substantially horizontal and its normally horizontal portion 32a to pivot to a substantially vertical position. It can be readily seenA that whenevery the dispensing vdor 32: is moved to this position it is still impossible foranyone'to insert his,v hands into Athe 'interior of the cabinetv and come in contact with the dispensing mechanism. This dispensingr door 32 automaticallyprecludes such an eventuality regardless of its'posi'tin'.`

The air contained within theair, chamber is circulated by the ian 2 2'. The curved shape of the` fanY housingZtl gives the air asoinewhat upwarddirection as it is expelled from the housing. This upward direction is accentuatedby the diagonal baille l2 to cause the air to* rise. upwardly between thecoils Ill. As the air passes across these coils 1B it is heated or cooled depending upon the temperature of the coils relative to that of the air. In the embodiment shown, the coils I9 are refrigerating coils and so the air would be cooled. Thereafter the air is driven upwardly between the spaced racks l1 and the articles I8, cooling the latter to the desired temperature. When the cool air reaches the upper portion of the air chamber lll it is forced through the baille plate aperture l5 and downwardly between the racks l1 and articles i8 on the other side of the baille plate This air which is forced downwardly is warmed by the articles I8 as it progresses. When it reaches the lower levels of the racks Il it once again passes between the refrigerating coils I9 whereby it is cooled substantially. Thereafter it is drawn through the fan housing .2Q by the lfan 22 and re-circulated.

in the racksl ll in making his selection.

provides an attractive display'for the articles lll which is renected in increased sales of the saine. Also, the selection and dispensing controls are made readily accessible for inspection and repair Without exposing the interior cf the air chamber It to the warmer atmosphere and thereby increasev ing its temperature. These controls can be ref paired or inspected While the door is open without any substantial increase of temperature within the air chamber M since the only possible avenue.'

of escape of the cold air is the small area surrounding the lowest article I8 in each row Il'.

It will, of course, be understood that various changes'znay be made in the forrn, details, arer rangement and proportions of the parts without departing from. the scope of my invention.

What I claim is:

1. In a cabinet for dispensing articles having opposite side walls and a top and bottom for storing articles therebetween in spaced Vertical rows and for maintaining the air contained therein in heat exchange relationship with the articles, an upright dividing member extending between opposite walls of said cabinet, said member being formed to leave a transverse aperture adjacent the top, of said cabinet for the passage of air therethrough, air-flowfdirecting members ex tending upwardly and laterally from the lowetl portion of said dividing member to said side walls to form a housing at the lower end portion of said cabinet and outside the path of; air flow i017 hOu-S- ing generating mechanism used for maintaining said air in heat exchange relationship with such articles, and means for positively circulating said-- It is possible for the wardly therefrom in spaced relation above said bottom, the space above said shoulder being adapted for containing article supporting means, an upright dividing member extending between the opposite side walls of said cabinet and dening in conjunction therewith a pair of substanportion of said casing, means within said casing for positively circulating air through said ducts and over and about the vertical rows of articles..

contained therein and a heat exchanger element traversing the circulatory system formed by said casing and said ducts.

3. The structure set forth in claim 2 and said casing being entirely housed in a casing between said horizontal shoulder and the bottom of said cabinet and defining therewith exteriorly of said second mentioned easing a compartment for housing operating mechanism of a heat exchanger system.

4. In a cabinet for dispensing articles having opposite side walls and a top and bottom for storing articles therebetween in spaced vertical rows and for maintaining the air contained therein in heat exchange relationship with the articles, an upright dividing member extending between opposite walls of said cabinet, said member being formed to provide a transverse aperture adjacent the top of said member for the passage of air therethrough, means for positively circulating said air in a ow upwardly between the articles on one side of said dividing member and through said aperture and downwardly between the articles on the other side of said member and then back to said viirst mentioned side of said member, air-ow-directing members adjacent said circulating means formed to impart to said air flow the directional curvature necessary for recirculation of said air, said air-fiow-directing members extending diagonally from the lower portion of said dividing member to said side walls to form an air chamber within said cabinet and to provide recesses beneath said cabinet and outside of the path of said air flow for housing generating mechanism required for maintaining said air in heat exchange relationship with said articles.

5. In a machine for storing articles in spaced vertical rows and for selectively dispensing the same, a cabinet having opposite side walls and a top and bottom for storing articles therebetween in spaced vertical rows and for maintaining the air contained therein in heat exchange relationship with the articles, an upright dividing member extending between opposite walls of said cabinet, said member being formed to leave a transverse aperture adjacent the top of said cabinet for the passage of air therethrough, a plurality of spaced heat exchange elements extending substantially horizontally and transversely across the interior of said cabinet at a level adjacent the lower end portion of said dividing member and across the entire width of said cabinet, an air chamber formed by said bottom with said side walls and disposed immediately below said heat exchange elements, and means within said air chamber for positively circulating said air in a Iiow directed upwardly between the articles on one side of said dividing member and through said aperture and downwardly between the articles on the other side of said member and thence back between said heat exchange elements to be recirculated by said means.

FRED A. OSSANNA, JR.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 396,674 Vaughn Jan. 22, 1889 1,430,153 Copeman Sept. 26, 1922 1,713,333 Economos May 14, 1929 2,152,291 Starr et al Mar. 28, 1939 2,304,484 Smith Dec. 8, 1942 2,315,515 Gibson Apr. 6, 1943 2,389,283 Stewart Nov. 20, 1945 2,466,159 Dodson Apr. 5, 1949 2,493,223 Brock Jan. 3, 1950

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