US2108302A - Package delivering apparatus - Google Patents

Description

' Feb. 15, 1938. E. BARRETT 2,108,302

PACKAGE DELIVERING APPARATUS Filed Nov. 16, 1936 Patented Feb. 15, 1938 2,108,32.

UNITED STATE ATENT OFIQE PACKAGE DELIVERING APPARATUS Edward Barrett, Des Moines, Iowa Application November 16,1936, Serial No. 111,025

6 Claims. (Cl. 312-94) Y My invention relates to the art of so-called porting platforms I4. The rear upper end of self-serving sales apparatus, and is especially each of these platforms is fixed to a sleeve I adapted for use in the display and sale of perishrotatably mounted in the adjacent frame mernable food such as meat, which must be kept under hers I I. Near the lower end of each of said plat- 5 refrigeration. forms is a plate I6 having downwardly extended My object is to provide an apparatus of this edge portions l1, and mounted in said edge porcharacter of simple, durable and inexpensive tions I! is a slide bolt I8 normally held in an exconstructio-n; more specifically it is my object to tended position by a spring I9. As shown in provide for the visible display to customers of a Figure 3, the upper edge of the plate It projects- 10 large assortment of meats enclosed in transparabove the adjacent top surface of the rods i4. 1 0 ent wrappers and contained in a refrigerator and This is sufficient to hold packages from sliding clearly visible to customers. off the platform by gravity when the platform A further object is to provide means of simple is at the angle shown by solid lines in said figure, and inexpensive construction whereby acustomer but when the platform is tilted to the position may, after selecting any one of the packages deshown by dotted lines at the right end of said 1 5 sired, press a button and have the selected purfi r h packages W l slide f y avi y and chase delivered to the exterior of the refrigerator will slide down the smooth bottom of the chute l2. Without harm to the wrapper of the package and When the platform is in its normal position, as without disturbing any of the remaining packshown in Figure 3, this slide bolt engages and ages on display within the refrigerator, and furrests upon a support 26 fixed to the main frame.

ther to reduce to a minimum the amount of warm At the sides of the platform I provide upwardly air that may enter the refrigerator during the extended guide members 2| to receive and hold withdrawal of a selected package therefrom. the packages 22 against-lateral movement.

In the accompanying drawing-- To provide for releasing the platforms I have Figure 1 shows a front elevation of a portion mounted in the sleeve l5 a shaft 23 having an of my improved apparatus. arm 24 at its outer end and an arm 25 at its inner Figure 2 shows a side elevation of a portion of end. This arm 25 is connected by a rod 6 W t my improved apparatus, the dotted lines showing a latch bolt I8, and the arm 24 is connected by the position of one of the package supporting a Tod 27 With a p button 28 p oj t o t 30 platforms in position for discharging a package. front of the appa In Order to permit a 30 Figure 3 shows a vertical sectional view of a relative rotary movement of the arm 25 to the part of my improved apparatus illustrating one sleeve I5 I have formed a slot 29 in the: sleeve of the package supporting platforms and its trip as shown in Figure 6. latch device. Connected with the main frame is a receiving Figure 4 shows a perspective view of a refrigtrough 38 which extends below the chutel? to erator having my improved apparatus installed receive packages which slide down the chute and therein. through the opening at the front covered by the Figure 5 shows a detail view partly in section, door I3. I preferably arrange a number of rows and illustrates the means for withdrawing the of these package receiving platforms side by side 40 latch device; and within the cabinet I0. 40

Figure 6 shows a sectional View on the line t6 For each plat o I4 I have Provided Spring of Figure 5. iiI attached to the main frame and engaging the Referring to the accompanying drawing I have under surface of the platform. This spring is used the reference numeral I0 to indicate 'generof such degree of resilience that when the platally a glass paneled display cabinet and refrigform is empty the spring will automatically raise erator of ordinary construction. Mounted withit, but when there is a weight on the platform and in the display cabinet is a metal frame it inthe latch bolt is released, the platform will move clined upwardly and rearwardly from the lower downwardly. However, the movement of the front side of the display cabinet at an angle of platform downwardly to discharging position is about 45. Supported in this frame is a series of effected by a movement of the crank and the 50 chutes having smooth metal bottom portions I2. corresponding movement of the sleeve I5 to At the lower end of each of these chutes is a pivwhich the platform is attached, after the arm 25 oted door I3 to swing outwardly and to automatihas reached the limit of the slot 29, as shown in cally close by gravity. Mounted between the Figure 6, thereby rocking the sleeve l5 and movsides of the frame I I is a series of package suping the platform to discharge position. 55

In practical use, the operator places packages of merchandise on each of the platforms. This merchandise is preferably wrapped in transparent covers, such, for instance, as cellophane, so that purchasers on the outside of the cabinet may readily see the contents of each and every package. When the purchaser desires to remove any of the packages from the cabinet he simply presses upon the knob 28 corresponding to the particular platform on which the desired package is resting. As soon as this is done, the latch bolt I8 is released and the platform moved downwardly by gravity or by an additional pressure upon the knob 28, so that the package slides off of the platform into the chute ll. It then slides by gravity along said chute until it reaches the door It, and the. impact of the package against the door causes it to open and deliver the package into the receiving trough 30. The door I3 is automatically closed by gravity as soon as the package has passed through it, so that aminimum amount of heated air is admitted into the refrigerating chamber of the cabinet due to this passage of the package from the cabinet. As soon as the package slides off of the platform the spring 3l normally returns the platform to its normal position, and the latch bolt l8 secures it in that position.

I have found in practical use that with my improvement the packages may readily be seen and inspected through the glass front of the cabinet and that unskilled operators can readily, quickly and accurately select any desired package and press the button 28 corresponding to the selected package and deliver the selected package to the receiving trough at the front without any injury or damage to the cellophane or other wrapper in which the merchandise is contained.

I claim as my invention:

1. A package delivering apparatus, comprising an inclined chute, a series of packages supporting platforms arranged in line above the chute and substantially parallel therewith, each being pivotally supported at its upper rear end, a latch device for holding the lower front end of the platform in its normal position for supporting a package, and a manually operated means for each platform extended beyond the lower front platform for tripping the. latch device of the selected platform.

2. A package delivering apparatus, comprising an inclined chute, a series of package supporting platforms arranged in line above the chute and substantially parallel therewith, each being pivotally supported at its upper rear end, a latch device for holding the lower front end of the platform in its normal position for supporting a package, a manually operated means for each platform extended beyond the lower front platform for tripping the latch device of the selected platform, and a spring device for automatically returning each platform to normal position.

3. A package delivering apparatus, comprising a frame, a series of package supporting platforms, a sleeve for each platform pivotally mounted in the frame and having the adjacent platform fixed thereto, a shaft rctatably mounted in each sleeve, a latch device for holding each platform in normal position, an arm fixed to said shaft and connected to said latch device for releasing it when the shaft is rocked in one direction, and means operated by said arm for moving the sleeve. and platform to package releasing position when said arm is moved in the direction required for releasing the latch device.

4. A package delivering apparatus, comprising a frame, a series of package supporting platforms, a sleeve for each platform pivotally mounted in the frame and having the adjacent platform fixed thereto, a shaft rotatably mounted in each sleeve, a latch device for holding each platform in normal position, an arm fixed to said shaft and connected to said latch device for rereleasing it when the shaft is rocked in one direction, means operated by said arm for moving the sleeve and platform to package releasing position when said arm is moved in the direction required for releasing the latch device, a spring for automatically returning the platform to its package display position, and a spring for operating said latch for securing the platform in said position.

5. A package delivering apparatus, comprising a frame inclined upwardly from its front, a series of package sup-porting platforms mounted on said frame and arranged in longitudinal alignment, a sleeve for each platform rotatably mounted in the frame at the rear of each platform and having a slot near its center, said platforms being fixed to said sleeves, a spring actuated latch device for automatically securing each platform in normal position, a shaft rotatably mounted in each of said sleeves and having an arm fixed thereto and projected through said slot, a rod connecting said arm with said latch device, said parts being so arranged that the initial movement of the arm will release the latch and further rotation will tilt the front of the platform downwardly by the pressure of said arm upon the sleeve at the end of said slot, a spring for each platform to return it to normal position when released, a second arm fixed to each of said shafts, a rod connected therewith and extended to a point in front of the frame.

6. A package delivering apparatus, comprising a frame inclined upwardly from its front, a series of package supporting platforms mounted on said frame and arranged in longitudinal alignment, a sleeve for each platform rotatably mounted in the frame at the rear of each platform and having a slot near its center, said platforms being fixed to said sleeves, a spring actuated latch device for automatically securing each platform in normal position, a shaft rotatably mounted in each of said sleeves and having an arm fixed thereto and projected through said slot, a rod connecting said arm with said latch device, said parts being so arranged that the initial movement of the arm will release the latch and further rotation will tilt the front of the platform downwardly by the pressure of said arm upon the sleeve at the end of said slot, a spring for each platform to return it to normal position when released, a second arm fixed to each of said shafts, a rod connected therewith and extended to a point in front of the frame, a package delivery chute below the platforms and inclined at such angle as to cause packages thereon to slide downwardly toward the front of the frame, and a door at the front of said chute arranged to be automatically opened by the impact of a package and to automatically close after the package has passed beyond it.

EDWARD BARRETT.

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