Patent ID: 6871756
Filing Date: 2005-03-29
Classification: G07F

Abstract:
1. A beverage vending machine for dispensing beverages in containers, comprising: a housing including an upper interior cabinet and a lower interior cabinet, wherein the upper interior cabinet may be refrigerated; a main door hingedly attached to said housing, the main door having a main door assembly therein for advertising the beverages, the main door assembly also including a plurality of user-activated switches for beverage selection in conjunction with the receipt of money inserted into the machine; said upper interior cabinet having a vend mechanism inserted therein, where said vend mechanism includes a rack positioned so as to allow the insertion of at least a stack of bottles therein, and an automated vending assembly for dispensing bottles from the bottom of said stack, in response to the user's selection, into a chute for delivery through the main door of the machine; wherein the vend mechanism includes a plurality of spaced apart vertical side members defining the rack, said vertical side members being spaced in accordance with predefined spacing on a plurality of horizontal members, said spacing being defined as a function of the size of the bottles and the inside width of the upper interior cabinet; and where said plurality of horizontal members includes, a front offset plate, a rear offset plate, a Z-shaped rear plate, and a U-shaped front cutout bracket.