Patent ID: 6189734
Filing Date: 2001-02-20
Classification: A47F

Abstract:
A gravity feed merchandise dispensing device comprising at least one track, each track capable of supporting in tandem a row of similar bottles of the type having an annular flange on the neck of the bottle, each track having a front end, a rear end, a pair of rails spaced apart to receive between them the necks of suitably sized bottles such that the underside of each bottle neck flange engages the rails whereby the bottles are suspended by their flanges for movement relative to the track, and a lead bottle support suspended from the track and sized to support the bottom of the lead bottle of the row with the neck of the lead bottle adjacent the front end of the track but disengaged from the rails, each track normally being inclined downwardly toward the front end so as to permit the suspended bottles to gravity-feed one after the other to the front end of the track each time the lead bottle in the row is unloaded from the lead bottle support, wherein the front end of each of said rails slants downwardly relative to the rail to form a transition ramp for bottle neck flanges as the bottles move from the track to the lead bottle support during dispensing, or as the bottles move from the lead bottle support to the track when the track is being loaded.