Patent ID: 7051866
Filing Date: 2006-05-30
Classification: A47F,B65G

Abstract:
1. In combination, a building structure and a cafeteria tray accumulator system; the building structure including first and second spaced walls; the first and second spaced walls defining a space between the walls; the first and second walls defining loading and unloading windows; the loading window adapted to allow users to load cafeteria trays laden with dirty dishes into the accumulator system; the unloading window adapted to allow users to unload the cafeteria trays from the accumulator system into a dish wash room; the loading and unloading windows being offset from one another; the cafeteria tray accumulator system including: a drive track disposed in a looped path within the space between the walls; the looped path having a pair of transverse legs offset in a vertical direction; both transverse legs being disposed within the space between the walls: a plurality of tray-holding cages connected to the drive track; each of the tray-holding cages adapted to hold a plurality of cafeteria trays; and a drive unit adapted to move the plurality of cages around the looped path of the drive track.