Patent ID: 8899398
Filing Date: 2014-12-02
Classification: A47F,G07F

Abstract:
1. An apparatus for receiving a recyclable product, comprising: a structure defining an interior cavity, the structure having a plurality of walls; a bottle return mechanism for determining when a bottle has been received within the interior cavity, comprising: an elongated cylinder providing a passage into the interior cavity, the elongated cylinder having a circular inlet opening proximate to an exterior surface of the enclosed structure and an outlet opening proximate to the interior cavity, wherein the interior of the cavity is defined by the plurality of walls at least one of which is a side wall extending vertically with respect to the cavity and wherein the bottle return mechanism comprises: a first plurality of actuating arms located in the passage, wherein the first plurality of actuating arms are pivotally secured to the elongated cylinder for movement between a first position wherein a distal end of each of the plurality of actuating arms is positioned away from a surface of the elongated cylinder and a second position wherein the distal end of each of the plurality of actuating arms is moved towards the surface of the elongated cylinder, the first plurality of actuating arms being located a first distance from the inlet opening; and a second plurality of actuating arms located in the passage, wherein the second plurality of actuating arms are pivotally secured to the elongated cylinder for movement between a first position wherein a distal end of each of the plurality of actuating arms is positioned away from a surface of the elongated cylinder and a second position wherein the distal end of each of the plurality of actuating arms is moved towards the surface of the elongated cylinder the second plurality of actuating arms being located a second distance from the inlet opening the second distance being greater than the first distance; and a mechanism coupled to the bottle return mechanism, the mechanism being configured to provide an output when the first plurality of actuating arms and the second plurality of actuating arms have been simultaneously moved to the second position and thereafter back to the first position; and a dispensing rack secured to the side wall, wherein the dispensing rack has a plurality of shelves each extending from the side wall and each of the plurality of shelves being configured to receive and support a plurality of water bottles vertically arranged thereon in a top to bottom orientation such that the bottom of each of the plurality of water bottles is supported by one of the plurality of shelves, wherein a width of each of the plurality of shelves is substantially similar to a width of the enclosure and wherein a top one of the plurality of shelves is aligned with a bottom portion of the bottle return mechanism.