Abstract:
For dispensing apparatus ( 1 ) to which access is gained by authorized personnel from the front side of the apparatus ( 1 ), a support device comprising a stationary support body ( 4 ), the apparatus ( 1 ) being supported by the support body ( 4 ) via a slidable and rotatable platform ( 9 ).

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to a device for slidably and rotatably supporting dispensing apparatus in general, such as money changers, banknote changers, card, banknote and money dispensers, cigarette dispensers and dispensers for miscellaneous articles. 
     Most dispensing apparatus have their front side, i.e. the user side, facing an environment accessible to the public. This environment can even be a public highway. The rest of the apparatus extends into a private environment to which only an authorized person responsible for the apparatus can have access. Access to the apparatus interior is obtained by operating on its front side, however safety reasons exclude such an operation being undertaken from that side of the environment accessible to the public, so that the authorized person is compelled to operate from the private environment side using a series of manoeuvres which are fatiguing (in view of the weight and size of the apparatus) and relatively lengthy, aimed at moving the front side of the apparatus into the private environment, to assume the opposite position to that in which it lies when in use. 
     There are also other dispensing machines in which access can be obtained from the private environment, but this implies a more complicated construction not compatible with normal series production. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The main object of the present invention is to provide a support device for dispensing apparatus which minimizes the personal fatigue involved in operating on the apparatus and which maximizes the speed of such operation. 
     This and other objects which will be apparent from the ensuing detailed description are attained by a support device for dispensing apparatus, which is characterised by the technical aspects defined in the accompanying claims. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     The invention will be more apparent from the following detailed description, which is given by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: 
     FIG. 1 is a front perspective view, i.e. from the public side, of the installed apparatus; 
     FIG. 2 is a rear perspective view, i.e. from the private environment side, of the installed apparatus; 
     FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the installed apparatus seen slightly from below; 
     FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the apparatus shown shifted parallel to itself away from its original position of use shown in the preceding figures; 
     FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the apparatus shown rotated through 90° from FIG. 4; 
     FIG. 6 is a perspective view of the apparatus shown rotated through 180° from FIG. 4; 
     FIG. 7 is a schematic partial longitudinal section through the support device; and 
     FIG. 8 is a schematic section on the line A—A of FIG.  7 . 
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     With reference to the figures, the reference numeral  1  indicates overall a generic dispensing apparatus, for example a money changer. In known manner this comprises on its front side, intended for the public, slots, exit ports, indicator lamps, displays and so on. For maintenance and for withdrawing and reloading money, an authorized person has to operate on the front side of the apparatus, but not when the apparatus is installed for use, i.e. in the utilization position shown in FIGS. 1-3. 
     When installed, the apparatus  1  faces a correspondingly slotted vertical wall  2  representing the end wall of a frame  3  which bounds the access window or aperture facing the public. The frame is rigidly fixed to the contour of an aperture present in a wall, not shown, which separates the zone accessible to the public from a private environment to which an authorized person has access. 
     Said wall  2  forms part of a stationary sheet metal support body  4  which is rigid with the frame  3  and comprises two L-shaped vertical parallel sides indicated by  5 , and a horizontal support  6 . 
     In the horizontal support  6  there is provided a profiled aperture comprising a straight portion  7  (FIGS. 3 and 8) with parallel sides, and a circular portion  8  into which the portion  7  extends. 
     The apparatus  1  is mounted (fixed) on a slidable platform  9  disposed on the support  6  via conventional rotating ball supports  10  rigid with bars  11  fixed to the platform; the balls of these supports emerge from holes present in the platform. The platform  9  presents a C-shaped surrounding side wail  12  on which the apparatus  1  is supported. The ball supports  10  are provided in a number adequate for the weight of the apparatus  1  and are positioned on the sides of the platform  9 . 
     The platform  9  also presents on its lower side an appendix  13  with two parallel sides, the distance apart of which corresponds approximately to the width of the straight portion  7  of the profiled aperture present in the support  6 . The other two sides of the appendix  13  are of circular arc shape preferably corresponding to the circular portion  8 . For safety purposes, a circular plate  14  of greater diameter (than the hole  8 ) is removably fixed to the lower face of the appendix  13 . 
     As can be seen from FIG. 2 alone, there is provided a means for (removably) retaining the apparatus  1  in its position of utilization. This retention means comprises, projecting from the wall  2 , a bar-like appendix  15  to which at  16  there is hinged an arm  17 , the end of which can be inserted into a window or aperture  18  present in the support  6 . In the arm  17  there is provided a threaded hole into which the threaded shank of a knob  19  is screwed, the purpose of which is to lock the end of the arm  17  against the outer wall of the aperture  18  when the knob is rotated so that its threaded shank bears against the rear wall  1 A of the apparatus. The reverse rotation (i.e. for slackening) enables the authorized person to extract the end of the arm  17  from the aperture  18  by utilizing the elasticity of the bar-like appendix  15  (also of metal, as is the support  4  from which it is formed) and to rotate the arm  17  upwards and rest it on the wall  2 . 
     The normal position of utilization of the apparatus  1  is shown in FIGS. 1,  2 ,  3 ,  7  and  8 . When an authorized person requires access to the interior of the apparatus  1 , he removes the locking means ( 17 ,  18 ,  19 ) as explained above. He moves the apparatus rearwards (arrow F of FIG. 3) by sliding it along the support  6  utilizing the mobility (slidability) of the platform  9  on which it is mounted. The rectilinear movement is guided by the cooperation between the appendix  13  and the straight portion  7  of the profiled aperture present in the support  6  and continues until its arrival within the portion  8  of this profiled aperture. On termination of this stage, the apparatus  1  lies in the position shown in FIG.  4 . 
     From this position the authorized person rotates the apparatus  1  which, as already stated, is rigid with the movable platform  9 , by firstly rotating it through 90° to attain the position shown in FIG. 5, and then rotating it through a further 90° to attain the final position shown in FIG. 6, in which the authorized person can operate on the apparatus from the interior of the private environment, i.e. that not accessible to the public, by working on the front side of the apparatus as required. After the required operation the authorized person repositions the apparatus  1  by acting in the reverse manner to the aforedescribed. 
     Removable or non-removable legs for resting on the floor can be provided on the support  6 .