Patent ID: 7684893

Claim:
A vending machine comprising: a cabinet frame including top, bottom, side and rear walls that collectively define a central cavity; a plurality of column walls defining a plurality of stack areas for storing product containers; a door pivotally mounted to the cabinet frame, said door being adapted to selectively close the central cavity; an oscillator pivotally mounted at a lower portion of one of the plurality of stack areas, said oscillator including a frame defining a product retention zone, said product retention zone including first and second staging regions, with each of said first and second staging regions incorporating upper and lower holding elements, wherein the first staging region retains a first product container and the second staging region simultaneously retains a second product container behind the first product container for subsequent vending operations; and a bail cap attached to the oscillator, said bail cap including an intermediate portion adapted to selectively support product containers in said one of the plurality of stack areas, said bail cap being adjustable relative to the oscillator in order to accommodate product containers of varying sizes in the product retention zone, wherein the oscillator frame includes top, bottom and opposing end plates, said bail cap being attached to the oscillator along the opposing end plates, wherein the bottom plate includes a plurality of stepped notches in each of the first and second staging regions, and wherein the plurality of stepped notches comprise terraced lands extending from the bottom plate.