Check out stand with telescoping take-away conveyor

A check out stand (20) having a telescoping take-away conveyor (26) extending between a front module (22) and a rear module (24). Retraction of the telescoping take-away conveyor (26) allows an area located beneath the leading end of the conveyor to be exposed. The exposed area can support a single bag (85) for bagging groceries and other items. If the telescoping take-away conveyor (26) is retracted only a limited amount, the single bag (85) may be inserted between the leading end of the telescoping take-away conveyor (26) and the trailing end of the scanner (32). The telescoping take-away conveyor (26) utilizes a friction roller (66) that permits the powered roller (60) for the telescoping take-away conveyor (26).

FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
This invention relates to check out stands, and, more specifically, to 
store check out stands. 
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
A check out stand is a station at which a customer in a store, such as a 
grocery store, unloads the items he or she intends to purchase, i.e., 
groceries, a register clerk scans or enters the prices of the items, the 
customer pays for the items, and a clerk bags, in some cases, the items 
and places the bags in a cart. A number of check out stands are usually 
lined along the exit of the store so that multiple customers can assemble 
their items and purchase them on the way out of the store. 
One design of a check out stand includes a front module upon which the 
customer unloads groceries or other items. A scanner and register are 
located at the trailing end of the front module. The front module usually 
includes a conveyor, called an "accumulation conveyor," for conveying the 
groceries toward the scanner and the cash register. A register clerk lifts 
each of the items from the accumulation conveyor and either scans the item 
across the scanner, or manually enters the price and stock number 
information in the cash register. The scanned items are placed on a second 
conveyor, called a "take-away conveyor," that extends to a rear module. 
The take-away conveyor deposits the scanned items at the trailing end of 
the rear module, where a bagging clerk places each of the scanned items 
into bags. 
In normal operation of a check out stand, such as is described above, the 
leading edge of the take-away conveyor extends from the trailing edge of 
the scanner such that a constant surface is formed between the 
accumulation conveyor, the scanner, and the take-away conveyor. This 
arrangement is convenient for the register clerk, allowing him or her to 
quickly scan and pass a large amount of items. For ease of description, 
the configuration and operation in which the take-away conveyor extends 
from the trailing edge of the scanner will be called "scan-and-pass." 
A large number of grocery stores are reducing their work force by 
eliminating the need for a separate bagging clerk during slower periods of 
business or at check out stands where a limited number of items are 
purchased. When a separate bagging clerk is not used, the register clerk 
both scans and bags the groceries. For maximal efficiency, it is desirable 
for the register clerk to bag the groceries as they are scanned. To 
provide this service, some prior art check out stands include a take-away 
conveyor having a leading end which is movable away from the trailing end 
of the scanner. Withdrawal of the take-away conveyor exposes an area 
located beneath the leading end of the conveyor. The exposed area includes 
a support shelf for use in bagging groceries and other items. If the 
take-away conveyor is partially withdrawn, a single bag can be inserted 
between the leading end of the take-away conveyor and the trailing end of 
the scanner. In this arrangement, the register clerk may reach over the 
single bag and place items on the take-away conveyor, or bag items in the 
single bag. For ease of description, the configuration and operation in 
which the take-away conveyor is in this intermediate position will be 
called "scan-and-bag." 
The take-away conveyor is designed to be further retracted to provide 
access to a pass-through via which the register clerk may access the 
customer's cart to load filled bags. For ease of description, the 
configuration and operation in which the take-away conveyor is completely 
retracted so that the register clerk may pass will be called 
"walk-through." 
The prior art provides at least two ways of withdrawing the take-away 
conveyor from the trailing edge of the scanner. In a first check out stand 
design, the take-away conveyor is mounted so it can slide into a recess in 
the rear module. The register clerk pulls the take-away conveyor forward 
to the scanner to perform scan-and-pass operation, and pushes the 
take-away conveyor backward into the recess to perform the scan-and-bag or 
the walk-through operations. 
There are a number of problems with a manually-operated retractable, 
take-away conveyor. First, the manually-operated retractable conveyor is 
often heavy and difficult to move in or out of the rear module. Thus, the 
register clerk may not take advantage of the reconfigurable aspects of the 
check out stand. In addition, in the scan-and-pass position, the trailing 
end of the take-away conveyor is removed from the trailing end of the rear 
module, leaving a large portion of the rear module recess exposed. 
Typically, a cover plate extends over a portion of the recess to minimize 
the exposed area. Items moving along the take-away conveyor when it is in 
the scan-and-pass position are deposited onto the leading edge of the 
cover plate. This leading edge is removed from the back end of the rear 
module by a length that is at least as long as the slide of the take-away 
conveyor. To reach the groceries or other items conveyed by the take-away 
conveyor, a bagging clerk must extend out over the cover plate. Constant 
reaching and extension by the bagging clerk is inconvenient, and may be 
uncomfortable for the bagging clerk. Another downside of the 
manually-operated retractable take-away conveyors is that the conveyor 
recess, and therefore the conveyor length, is limited by the length of the 
rear module recess. 
Another check out stand design utilizes a fold-down take-away conveyor that 
extends between the rear module and the scanner. An example of such a 
check out stand is shown in U.S Pat. No. 4,182,433 to Foster. In 
scan-and-pass operation, the fold-down conveyor extends horizontally from 
the trailing edge of the scanner to the leading edge of the rear module. A 
second take-away conveyor extends along the top surface of the rear module 
and abuts the trailing edge of the fold-down conveyor. After being 
scanned, items are placed on the fold-down conveyor, and are conveyed 
along the fold-down conveyor to the second take-away conveyor. The 
groceries then move along the second take-away conveyor toward the 
trailing end of the rear module. If the register clerk wishes to perform a 
scan-and-bag or walk-through operation, the leading end (closest to the 
scanner) of the fold-down conveyor is released, and the conveyor is 
rotated downward about the trailing end (closest to the rear module) of 
the conveyor so that the fold-down conveyor extends perpendicularly to the 
floor. A single bag is then inserted adjacent to the trailing end of the 
scanner, and the register clerk is provided a station which permits 
convenient scanning and bagging of groceries. When the single bag is 
removed from the second take-away conveyor, a walk-through space is 
provided. Because the fold-down conveyor has only two configurations, the 
scan-and-bag configuration described above cannot be easily provided. In 
addition, manipulation of the fold-down conveyor and bagging stand are 
difficult and time consuming. This hindrance may cause a register clerk 
not to use the different configurations provided by the check out stand. 
Thus, there is a need for a check out stand which is easily configurable to 
allow scan-and-pass, scan-and-bag, and walk-through operations. 
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
In accordance with the present invention, a telescoping take-away conveyor 
for a check out stand is provided. The telescoping take-away conveyor is 
automatically reconfigurable between the scan-and-pass, walk-through, and 
scan-and-bag positions described above. More particularly, the check out 
stand has a front module, a rear module, and a telescoping take-away 
conveyor attached to one of the front and rear modules. The telescoping 
take-away conveyor is capable of expending and lengthening to extend 
forward and away from the other front and rear modules. The expansion and 
lengthening permits the telescoping take-away conveyor to extend from a 
first position in which the telescoping take-away conveyor does not extend 
to other front and rear modules and a second position in which the 
telescoping take-away conveyor extends between the rear module and the 
front module. The check out stand may include a scanner located at the end 
of front module closest to the rear module. 
In accordance with other aspects of this invention, the telescoping 
conveyor includes a conveyor base mounted to the rear module and a slide 
tray slidably mounted along the conveyor base. A first force is required 
to slide the slide tray along the conveyor base. The telescoping conveyor 
also has a powered roller mounted transverse to one of the conveyor base 
and the slide tray and a friction roller mounted parallel to the powered 
roller and on the other of the conveyor base and the slide tray. A second 
force is required to rotate the friction roller. A continuous belt is 
wrapped in tension around the powered roller and the friction roller in 
such a manner that the continuous belt maintains its tension about the 
powered roller and the friction roller as the slide tray slides relative 
to the conveyor base. The relation of the first and second forces is such 
that rotation of the powered roller causes rotation of the continuous belt 
about the powered roller which, unless an outside force acts on the slide 
tray, causes retraction and extension of the slide tray relative to the 
conveyor base, thereby causing the telescoping take-away conveyor to 
expand between the first and second positions. 
In accordance with further aspects of this invention, the friction roller 
preferably includes an axle, a bearing around the axle, and a roller 
surface around the bearing. A repositionable bushing is provided for 
applying pressure to the bearing, the pressure impeding rotation of the 
roller surface about the axle. 
In accordance with yet other aspects of this invention, a first mechanical 
stop that limits extension of the slide tray relative to the conveyor base 
is provided. Preferably, the first mechanical stop precludes extension of 
the slide tray once the telescoping conveyor has reached the front module. 
In accordance with still further aspects of this invention, a linkage that 
is selectively attachable between the front module and the telescoping 
conveyor is provided. If the scanner is located at the end of front module 
closest to the rear module, the linkage preferably is a transition plate 
hinged from the end of the scanner located closest to the telescoping 
conveyor. To attach the transition plate to the telescoping conveyor, the 
end of the telescoping conveyor closest to the front module includes a 
slot, and the transition plate has a flange that extends into the slot. 
In accordance with yet further aspects of this invention, a second 
mechanical stop permits extension of the of the telescoping conveyor from 
the first position to second position and selectively stops retraction of 
the telescoping conveyor between the first and second positions at a third 
position. Preferably, the second mechanical stop includes a solenoid 
mounted on a first of the conveyor base and the slide tray, the solenoid 
comprising a stop bracket that is selectively operable between an "in" 
position in which the retraction of the telescoping conveyor between the 
first and second positions is not stopped, and an "out" position in which 
retraction of the telescoping conveyor between the first and second 
positions is stopped at the third position. A rotatable cam may be 
provided that rolls over the stop bracket when the stop bracket is in the 
out position and the telescoping take-away conveyor is extending. The 
rotatable cam engages the stop bracket when the stop bracket is in the out 
position and the telescoping take-away conveyor is retracting. The 
engagement of the rotating cam with the stop bracket causes the 
telescoping take-away conveyor to stop at the third position. 
In summary, the present invention provides a check out stand having a front 
module, a rear module, and a take-away conveyor received within the rear 
module. The take-away conveyor is extendible from a first position in 
which the telescoping take-away conveyor does not extend to the first 
module and a second position in which the telescoping take-away conveyor 
extends between the rear module and the front module. A mechanism is 
provided that automatically extends the conveyor from the first position 
to the second position. Preferably, the conveyor includes a continuous 
belt, at least a part of which forms a conveying surface for the conveyor, 
and a powered roller. The powered roller is operable to rotate the 
continuous belt, and the operation of the powered roller serves to 
automatically extend the conveyor from the first position to the second 
position.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
Referring now to the drawings, in which like numerals represent like parts 
throughout the several views, FIG. 1 shows a check out stand 20 
incorporating the present invention. The check out stand 20 includes a 
front module 22 and a rear module 24. A telescoping take-away conveyor 26 
extends from the front module 22 to the rear module 24. Briefly described, 
the check out stand 20 is arranged so that a customer places groceries or 
other items on the front module 22 and the items are conveyed to the 
register clerk for scanning. The scanned items are then placed on the 
telescoping take-away conveyor 26. The telescoping take-away conveyor 26 
deposits the scanned items at the trailing end of the rear module, where a 
bagging clerk places each of the scanned items into bags. The check out 
stand 20 thus offers scan-and-pass operation. As described in detail 
below, the telescoping take-away conveyor 26 is designed such that it is 
retractable from the positions shown in FIG. 1 to the positions shown in 
FIGS. 2A, 2B, and 3. In these positions, the check out stand allows 
scan-and-bag and walk-through operations, respectively. 
For ease of description, the right side of FIG. 1 will be referred to as 
the "leading," or front end of the check out stand 20, and the left side 
of FIG. 1 will be referred to as the "trailing," or rear, end of the check 
out stand. The side of the check out stand 20 at the bottom of FIG. 1 will 
be referred to as the "register clerk" side, and the side at the top of 
FIG. 1 is the "customer" side of the check out stand 20. 
The front module 22 includes an accumulation conveyor 30. At the leading 
end of the accumulation conveyor 30 is a load area 31. A scanner 32 is 
located at the trailing end of the accumulation conveyor 30. A transition 
plate 33 is hinged from the top, trailing edge of the scanner and extends 
rearward from the scanner. The transition plate 33 extends to the leading 
edge of the telescoping take-away conveyor 26 when the telescoping 
take-away conveyor is in the scan-and-pass position shown in FIG. 1. Along 
the register clerk side of the accumulation conveyor 30, adjacent to the 
scanner 32, is a cash drawer 34 and a register 36. These items are 
arranged so that they can be easily accessed by a register clerk located 
in a register clerk station 37. 
On the customer side of the accumulation conveyor 30, adjacent to the 
scanner 32, is a keyboard 38, as well as a check writing surface 40. The 
check writing surface 40 is arranged so that it may be easily accessed by 
a customer standing in a customer waiting area 42. 
The rear module 24 includes an item deposit area 48 located at the trailing 
end of the telescoping take-away conveyor 26. The top surface 50 of the 
rear module 24 serves as a checked-item storage surface. A bagging station 
54 is located at the rear end of the rear module 24 adjacent to the item 
deposit area 48. 
The operation and structure of the check out stand 20, with the exception 
of the telescoping take-away conveyor 26, are known in the art. A customer 
with a cart of items wheels the cart to the load area 31 and unloads the 
items onto the accumulation conveyor 30. The accumulation conveyor 30 
moves the items toward the scanner 32. A register clerk standing in the 
register clerks station 37 lifts the items from the accumulation conveyor 
30 and scans the items on the scanner 32. Alternatively, the price and 
stock number of the items may be manually entered by the register clerk on 
the keyboard 38. After scanning the items, the register clerk places the 
scanned items on the telescoping take-away conveyor 26. The items move 
along the telescoping take-away conveyor 26 to the item deposit area 48, 
where they are sorted along the top surface 50 of the rear module 24 by a 
baggage clerk, and bagged at the bagging station 54 by the bagging clerk. 
The configuration of the check out stand 20 shown in FIG. 1 can be 
modified in manners well known to persons skilled in this art. For 
example, the accumulating conveyor 30 may be replaced with a rotating 
conveyor. In addition, the front and rear modules 22, 24 may be connected 
so as to form a single unit. An example of such a check out stand 120 is 
set forth in FIG. 12. The check out stand 120 is the checker-unload 
variety and includes a front module 122 attached to a rear module 124. 
Although the connection of the front module 122 to the rear module 124 
prevents walk-through operation of the check out stand 120, the 
telescoping take-away conveyor 26 is still capable of lengthening toward 
and away from the front module. 
As can best be seen in FIGS. 4, 5, and 6, the telescoping take-away 
conveyor 26 includes a slide tray 56 slidably mounted on a conveyor base 
58. The conveyor base 58 and the slide tray 56 each have a rectangular box 
configuration, and the slide tray 56 is mounted along the top of the 
conveyor base for sliding movement therealong. The sliding arrangement of 
the slide tray 56 and the conveyor base 58 forms the "telescoping" 
function of the telescoping take-away conveyor 26. That is, the conveyor 
maintains a conveying surface in the same location at all times (within 
the rear module 24), but that conveying surface may be selectively 
lengthened, or expanded, to extend beyond that same location. This 
expansion, or lengthening, of the conveyor is different than movement of 
the entire conveyor in and out of a recess such as is described in the 
background section of this disclosure. The conveyor surface of the 
telescoping take-away conveyor 26 always extends to the back of the rear 
module, whereas the back of prior art retractable conveyors is pulled away 
from the back end of the rear module. 
The conveyor base 58 and the slide tray 56 are mounted within an elongate 
recess in the rear module 24. The conveyor base 58 is mounted so that the 
conveying surface of the telescoping take-away conveyor 26 extends flush 
with the top surface 50 of the rear module, and is aligned so that the 
slide tray 56 extends outward toward the transition plate 33. The slide 
tray 56 extends parallel to the conveyor base 58, and is mounted so that 
as sliding occurs, the parallel relationship is maintained. 
The slide tray 56 is preferably attached to the conveyor base 58 by drawer 
slides 59 FIG. 6). The drawer slides 59 permit the slide tray 56 to 
smoothly glide along the conveyor base 58 from the position in FIG. 6 to 
the position in FIG. 4, and prevent lateral movement of the slide tray 
relative to the conveyor base. The drawer slides 59 also serve as a 
mechanical stop that limits the extension of the slide tray 56 relative to 
the conveyor base 58 so that the telescoping take-away conveyor 26 may 
only slide outward to the position shown in FIG. 1. 
The telescoping take-away conveyor 26 includes a powered roller 60 that 
extends transversely to and perpendicularly across the trailing end of the 
conveyor base 58. The powered roller 60 includes a conventional motor (not 
shown, but know in the art) powered by an AC power supply. A front idler 
roller 62 extends parallel to the powered roller 60 at the lower portion 
of the opposite end of the conveyor base 58. A rear idler roller 64 also 
extends parallel to the powered roller 60 and is mounted for rotation at 
the lower, trailing end of the slide tray 56. The diameter of the front 
and rear idler rollers 62, 64 is preferably the same, but the diameter of 
the powered roller 60 is preferably approximately three times the diameter 
of the front and rear idler rollers. 
A friction roller 66 extends perpendicularly across the leading, top edge 
of the slide tray 56. The friction roller 66 is preferably approximately 
the same diameter as the front and rear idler rollers 62, 64. A continuous 
belt 68 is mounted in tension around the rollers 60, 62, 64, 66. The 
continuous belt 68 winds around and over the powered roller 60 and 
friction roller 66, and follows a serpentine path around the friction 
roller 66, extending backward and around the rear idler roller 64, forward 
and then around the front idler roller 62, and back to the powered roller 
60. The continuous belt 68 thus forms a double-S curve about the trailing 
surface of the two back rollers 60, 64 and the leading surface of the two 
front rollers 62, 66. The portion of the continuous belt 68 that extends 
between the top of the powered roller 60 and the top of the friction 
roller 66 is exposed along the top of the rear module 24 and forms the 
conveying surface for the telescoping take-away conveyor 26, as shown in 
FIGS. 1-3. The friction roller 66 is preferably tapered (not shown, but 
well known in the art) to aid in tracking of the continuous belt 68. 
The friction roller 66 is preferably mounted so that the top of the 
friction roller is even with the top of the powered roller 60. The front 
idler roller 62 and rear idler roller 64 are preferably mounted so that 
the section of the continuous belt 68 that extends between the two rollers 
extends parallel to the section of the continuous belt that serves as the 
conveying surface. Likewise, the rear idler roller 64 is mounted relative 
to the friction roller 66 so that the section of the continuous belt 68 
that extends between the two rollers extends parallel to the conveying 
surface. Because each of these rollers 60, 62, 64, 66 is mounted either on 
the slide tray 56 or the conveyor base 58, and the conveyor base and slide 
tray are mounted to maintain a parallel orientation, the parallel 
relationships of these sections of the continuous belt 68 are maintained 
as the slide tray 56 is moved outward relative to the conveyor base 58, as 
can best be seen in FIGS. 7-9. 
If the slide tray 56 is extended forward from the position in FIG. 4 to the 
position in FIG. 4, the rear idler roller 64 and the friction roller 66 
move forward along with the slide tray 56. The continuous belt 68 remains 
in tension around the four rollers 60, 62, 64, 66 as the slide tray 56 
moves outward. During this movement, the distance between the top of the 
friction roller 66 and the top of the powered roller 60 increases, thereby 
increasing the conveying surface of the telescoping take-away conveyor 26. 
The portion of the continuous belt 68 extending between the top of the 
front idler roller 62 and the bottom of the rear idler roller 64 is 
shortened by a distance which is equal to the increase in distance between 
the top of the friction roller 66 and the top of the powered roller 60. 
The friction roller 66 is designed so that its rotation is resisted by 
friction. One manner of providing this friction is shown in FIG. 10. The 
friction roller 66 includes an axle 74 that is fixed to the slide tray 56. 
Bearings 76 extend between the axle 74 and an outer roller surface 77. The 
bearings 76 provide relatively frictionless rotation of the outer roller 
surface 77 relative to the axle 74. However, a nylon bushing 78 is 
provided that is tightened against the bearings 76 by a locking nut 80. 
The nylon bushing 78 presses against the bearings and impedes the 
bearings' rotation. Therefore, the nylon bushing 78 resists rotation of 
the outer roller surface 77 relative to the axle 74, and creates friction 
in its movement. 
The friction in the friction roller 66 is adequate to provide extension and 
retraction of the telescoping take-away conveyor 26. As long as an outside 
force does not act on the slide tray 56, clockwise rotation of the powered 
roller 60 (FIG. 4) causes the slide tray to extend outward. The clockwise 
rotation of the powered roller 60 places tension on the portion of the 
belt extending between the bottom of the friction roller 66, around the 
front and rear idler rollers 64, 66, to the bottom of the powered roller 
60. This tension presses the rear idler roller 64 forward relative to the 
front idler roller 62. Movement of the rear idler roller 64 forward causes 
a corresponding movement of the slide tray 56 forward, which extends the 
telescoping take-away conveyor 26. Thus, the force needed to overcome the 
friction caused by the nylon bushing 78 is greater than the force needed 
to extend the slide tray 56 relative to the conveyor base 58. Extension of 
the slide tray 56 continues until either the clockwise rotational movement 
of the power conveyor 60 is stopped, or the slide tray 56 encounters an 
outside force that is sufficient to overcome the energy required to rotate 
the friction roller 66. An example of an outside force that the slide tray 
56 may encounter is the ends of the drawer slides 59 that prevent further 
outward extension of the slide tray. Once the ends are reached, the slide 
tray 56 and the rear idler roller 64 may no longer move outward, and the 
continuous belt 68 rotates about all the rollers 60, 62, 64, 66 against 
the friction caused by the nylon bushing 78. 
Reversing the rotation of the powered roller 60 so that it rotates in the 
counterclockwise direction retracts the telescoping take-away conveyor 26. 
Counterclockwise rotation of the powered roller 60 causes tension in the 
section of the continuous belt 68 between the top of the power conveyor 60 
and the top of the friction roller 66. The force needed to pull the slide 
tray 56 inward is less than the force needed to overcome the friction in 
the friction roller 66. Thus, as the power conveyor continues to pull on 
the continuous belt 68, the friction roller 66 is pulled toward the 
powered roller 60. Pulling the friction roller 66 in this direction moves 
the slide tray 56 toward the left in FIG. 4, causing retraction of the 
telescoping take-away conveyor 26. 
It is to be understood that the positions of the powered roller 60, the 
idler rollers 62, 64, and the friction roller 66 may be changed. However, 
for the powered roller 60 and friction roller 66 to work in conjunction to 
extend and retract the telescoping take-away conveyor, the powered roller 
60 and the friction roller 66 must be mounted so that one is on the slide 
tray 56, and the other is on the base 58. 
To extend the telescoping take-away conveyor 26 outward from the 
configuration of FIG. 3 to the configuration of FIG. 1, power is supplied 
to the powered roller 60 so that it rotates in the clockwise direction. 
The slide tray 56 and the telescoping take-away conveyor 26 extend outward 
to the position of FIG. 1. Once the end of the drawer slides 59 are 
reached, rotation of the continuous belt 68 about the rollers 60, 62, 64, 
66 begins. At that time, the continuous belt 68 is traveling in the 
"reverse," direction, such that the continuous belt conveys items towards, 
instead of away from, the scanner 32. However, simply reversing the 
rotation of the powered roller 60 will cause the telescoping take-away 
conveyor 26 to retract. To prevent the telescoping take-away conveyor 26 
from retracting once the telescoping take-away conveyor is extended and 
the direction of the powered roller 60 is reversed to the counterclockwise 
direction, a recess 82 (FIG. 4) is provided along the front edge of the 
slide tray 56. A rounded edge 84 of the transition plate 33 extends into 
the recess 82 when the telescoping take-away conveyor 26 is in the 
extended position. The transition plate 33 is lifted and held upward by 
the register clerk from the downwardly extended position while the 
telescoping take-away conveyor 26 extends. When the telescoping take-away 
conveyor 26 reaches the end of its extension, the transition plate 33 is 
lowered by the register clerk until the rounded edge 84 extends into the 
recess 82 on the slide tray 56. The direction of the powered roller 60 is 
then reversed to the counterclockwise direction, or "normal" rotation of 
the continuous belt 68. The connection between the rounded edge 84 on the 
transition plate 33 and the front recess 82 of the slide tray 56 prevents 
the telescoping take-away conveyor 26 from retracting. The continuous belt 
68 then rotates around the rollers 60, 62, 64, 66 against the friction in 
the friction roller. The register clerk may then retrieve items off the 
accumulation conveyor 30, scan the items on the scanner 32, and place them 
on the telescoping take-away conveyor 26. 
Frequently, it is desirable for the telescoping take-away conveyor 26 to 
extend only part of the way between the fully extended position of FIG. 3 
and the retracted position of FIG. 1. One such intermediate position is 
the "scan-and-bag" check out stand configuration described above and shown 
in FIGS. 2A and 2B. In the scan-and-bag configuration, a single bag 85 
(FIG. 2A) is inserted adjacent to the plate 33 in the area exposed when 
the telescoping take-away conveyor is retracted. The telescoping take-away 
conveyor 26 extends to the opposite side of the single bag 85. By placing 
the telescoping take-away conveyor 26 and the single bag 85 in this 
position, the register clerk may scan items and either bag the items at 
the single bag 85 or place the scanned groceries on the telescoping 
take-away conveyor 26 to be forwarded to the rear module 21. 
The telescoping take-away conveyor 26 will not stop during expansion or 
retraction at the position shown in FIG. 2 unless the telescoping 
take-away conveyor 26 is acted upon by an outside force. A mechanical stop 
86 (FIGS. 46) is provided that prevents retraction of the telescoping 
take-away conveyor 26 at the scan-and-bag position shown in FIG. 2. The 
mechanical stop 86 includes a pair of eccentric cams 88 mounted on 
opposite ends of an axle 89 (FIG. 5). The axle 89 extends parallel to the 
friction roller 66 and through rear portion of the slide tray 56. The axle 
89 extends through holes on opposite sides of the slide tray 56 and is 
mounted for axial rotation therein. The eccentric cams 88 are rotatably 
mounted to opposite ends of the axle 89. The eccentric cams 88 are 
sufficiently weighted at their ends such that they will extend downward by 
gravity. Elongate guides 90 extend along the length of both sides of the 
conveyor base 58. Stop brackets 92 are provided on opposite sides of the 
conveyor base 58 along the top rear edge of the elongate guides. Although 
only one set of the eccentric cams 88, elongate guides 90, and stop 
brackets 92 are shown in the drawings, it is to be understood that the 
opposite side of the telescoping take-away conveyor includes the same 
elements and is the mirror image of the side shown. The stop brackets 92 
are spaced the same distance from the back of the conveyor base 58. The 
stop brackets 92 extend from a solenoid 93 which rotates to raise or lower 
the stop brackets. 
As the telescoping take-away conveyor 26 expands to the extended position 
of FIG. 3, the bottom portions of the eccentric cams 88 engage the stop 
brackets 92 at the rear edge of the guides 90, causing the cams 88 to 
rotate. The eccentric cams 88 continue to rotate and roll over the stop 
brackets 92. As the telescoping take-away conveyor 26 continues to extend, 
the eccentric cams 88 slide along the top of the guides 90 (FIG. 5). The 
distance between the top of the guides 90 and the rotational axis of the 
eccentric cams 88 is such that the cams are at approximately a 45.degree. 
angle from the vertical when they are sliding along the guides 90 (FIG. 
5). The guides 90 are of sufficient length so that the eccentric cams 88 
maintain this position and contact with the guides for approximately three 
inches of extension past the stop brackets 92. If the extension of the 
telescoping take-away conveyor 26 continues beyond this point, the bottom 
portions of the eccentric cams 88 release from the guides 90 and the 
eccentric cams 88 rotate freely to allow gravity to move the cams to the 
vertical position (FIG. 4). 
If the telescoping take-away conveyor 26 is retracted from the position 
shown in FIG. 1 to the position shown in FIG. 3, the bottom portions of 
the eccentric cams 88 engage the front edge of the guides 90, causing the 
eccentric cams to rotate. As the telescoping take-away conveyor continues 
to retract, the eccentric cams 88 extend at approximately a 45.degree. 
angle from the vertical and slide along the tops of the guides 90 (FIG. 
11). Continued retraction of the telescoping take-away conveyor 26 causes 
the eccentric cams 88 to engage and roll over the stop brackets 92. The 
eccentric cams 88 are then free to rotate by gravity to the vertical 
position shown in FIG. 6. 
If the telescoping take-away conveyor is extending and the direction of the 
telescoping take-away conveyor 26 is reversed while the eccentric cams 88 
are in contact with the guides 90, the eccentric cams 88 maintain their 
45.degree. relationship to the guides 90 but slide in the opposite 
direction. When the eccentric cams 88 reach the stop brackets 92 (FIG. 5), 
the retraction of the telescoping take-away conveyor 26 is stopped. The 
engagement of the eccentric cams 88 with the stop brackets 92 restricts 
farther retraction of the telescoping take-away conveyor 26 and the belt 
begins rotation about the rollers 60, 62, 64, 66 against the friction in 
the friction roller 66. To continue retraction of the telescoping 
take-away conveyor 26 from this position, the solenoid 93 is energized and 
the stop brackets 92 are withdrawn. The eccentric cams 88 are once again 
free to slide along the guides 90 and the slide tray 56 retracts to the 
position shown in FIG. 6. The telescoping take-away conveyor 26 is then 
fully retracted into the rear module 24. 
The operation of the powered roller 60 is controlled by two buttons 100, 
102, and a switch 104 (FIG. 2B). The two buttons 100, 102 and the switch 
104 are located on the register clerk side of the front module 22 adjacent 
to the register 36. The switch 104 is a three-way switch. Its location 
determines on or off in normal belt direction of the powered roller 60. 
The first button 100 is the momentary on button for the reverse direction 
of the powered roller 60. As is described in detail above, reversing the 
direction of the powered roller 60 causes the telescoping take-away 
conveyor 26 to extend. The second button 102 is a momentary switch, used 
to operate the solenoid 93 for the stop brackets 92 on the mechanical stop 
86. Pressing the second button 102 will momentarily energize the solenoid 
93 to lower the stop brackets 92 and allow the telescoping take-away 
conveyor to retract from the scan-and-bag position of FIG. 2 to the 
walk-through position of FIG. 3. 
The operation of the check out stand 20 can be understood with reference to 
the above description. A register clerk arrives at the register clerk 
station 37. If the register clerk determines that he or she would like to 
perform the scan-and-pass operation described above (FIG. 1), then the 
register clerk presses and holds the button 100 to extend the telescoping 
take-away conveyor 26 outward toward the scanner 32. During this movement, 
the eccentric cams 88 roll over the stop brackets 92 and slide along and 
over the guides. As the telescoping take-away conveyor is extending, the 
register clerk lifts the transition plate 33. The telescoping take-away 
conveyor 26 reaches the end of its slide, and the drawer slides 59 
preclude further extension. The continuous belt 68 then rotates about the 
rollers 60, 62, 64, 66. The register clerk lowers the transition plate 33 
such that the rounded edge 84 of the transition plate 33 extends to the 
recess 82 of the slide tray 56. The register clerk then releases the 
button 100 so as to stop reverse rotation of the continuous belt 68. The 
switch 104 may then be turned "on" for operation of the continuous belt 68 
in the normal direction. The movement of the continuous belt 68 may be 
stopped at any time by switching the switch 104 back to the "off" 
position. 
To move the telescoping take-away conveyor 26 from the scan-and-pass 
position of FIG. 1 to the walk-through position of FIG. 3 when the 
continuous belt 68 is in normal operation requires only that the 
transition plate 33 be lifted. By lifting the transition plate 33, the 
front end of the slide tray 56 is released and retraction of the 
telescoping take-away conveyor 26 begins. The eccentric cams 88 roll over 
the stop brackets 92 and the guides 90, and retraction of the telescoping 
take-away conveyor 26 continues until the slide tray 56 reaches the 
beginning of its slide and is fully received within the rear module 24. 
The continuous belt then rolls about the rollers 60, 62, 64, 66 in the 
normal direction. Operation of the continuous belt may be stopped by 
switching the switch 104 to the "off" position. 
To move the telescoping take-away conveyor 26 from the walk-through 
position of FIG. 3 to the scan-and-bag position of FIG. 2, the first 
button 100 is depressed and held to extend the telescoping take-away 
conveyor 26 until the eccentric cams 88 have rolled over the stop brackets 
92. The first button 100 is released while the eccentric cams 88 remain on 
the guides 90. One manner of knowing this position is by inserting the 
single bag module 85 in the position shown in FIG. 2B. When the front end 
of the telescoping take-away conveyor comes into contact with the single 
bag module 85, the eccentric cams 89 are in contact with the guides 90. 
Releasing the first button 100 stops extension of the telescoping takeaway 
conveyor 26. The switch 104 is then switched to the "on" position so that 
the telescoping take-away conveyor 26 begins to retract. During this 
movement, the eccentric cams 88 slide along the guides 90 until the 
eccentric cams engage the stop brackets 92. The engagement of the 
eccentric cams 88 with the stop brackets 92 restricts further retraction 
of the telescoping take-away conveyor, and the continuous belt 56 begins 
rotation in the normal direction. 
To retract the telescoping take-away conveyor 26 from the scan-and-bag 
position of FIG. 2 to the walk-through position of FIG. 3, the second 
button 102 is depressed while the continuous belt is rotating in the 
normal direction. Depressing the second button 102 momentarily lowers the 
stop brackets 92, which allows the eccentric cams 88 to release and the 
telescoping take-away conveyor 26 to retract. 
It can be understood that any number of different movements of the 
telescoping take-away conveyor 26 by using the buttons 100, 102 and the 
switch 104. Another switch (not shown, but known in the art) may be 
provided at the bagging station 54 for stopping and starting the 
telescoping take-away conveyor 26. 
It can be understood that the present invention provides many benefits over 
prior art check out stands. The check out stand 20 provides automatic 
retraction and extension of the telescoping take-away conveyor 26 to the 
scan-and-pass, scan-and-bag, or walk-through positions. A register clerk 
does not have to manually lift or slide the telescoping take-away conveyor 
26, nor leave his or her post to reconfigure the check out stand 20. In 
addition, the telescoping take-away conveyor 26 expands, or lengthens, to 
extend to the front module 22 yet maintains a back end of the conveying 
surface at the back of the rear module 24. 
While the preferred embodiment of the invention has been illustrated and 
described, it will be apparent that various changes can be made therein 
without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined in 
the appended claims.