Patent ID: 7806152

Claim:
An automated ice vending apparatus, comprising: a holding vessel formed with an aperture, the holding vessel being configured and dimensioned to receive and house ice pieces produced by an operatively associated ice supply; a container filling station; and an ice transferring device at least partially disposed within the holding vessel, with the ice transferring device facilitating movement of ice pieces located therein in a first direction toward and through the aperture thereof, and in a second different direction to the container filling station where a selected quantity of ice pieces is placed into a readily transportable container, wherein the container filling station comprises a metering device that is operatively associated with the ice transferring device and that meters a selected quantity of ice pieces into each readily transportable container, wherein the ice transferring device further comprises a second holding vessel having at least one end positioned to receive ice pieces emitted from the aperture; a first transport device located within the second holding vessel to move ice pieces toward the end thereof; and a second transport device positioned between the end of the second holding vessel and the container filling station to move ice pieces from the second holding vessel to the container filling station.