Patent ID: 7717256

Claim:
A side-by-side locking display and dispensing structure comprising: (a) a first dispensing unit of box-like configuration having a floor, a roof, a pair of sidewalls, a front end and an open rear end, said sidewalls each having a rear edge with at least two spaced apart coupling slots; (b) a first dispensing unit door pivotally attached to the lower portion of the rear end of said first unit and semi-permanently attachable at an opposite upper portion of the rear end of said unit to serve as a rear wall for said unit when in a closed position; (c) a second dispensing unit of box-like configuration having a floor, a roof, a pair of sidewalls, a front end and an open rear end, each of said sidewalls having a rear edge with at least two spaced apart coupling slots; (d) a second dispensing unit door pivotally attached at the lower portion of the rear edge of said second unit and semi-permanently attachable at an opposite upper portion of the rear edge of said second unit to serve as a rear wall for said unit when in a closed position; (e) a coupling plate for demountably attaching said first dispensing unit in association with said second dispensing unit in a side-by-side relationship whereby one of the sidewalls of said first dispensing unit is adjacent to one of the sidewalls of said second dispensing unit and said coupling plate being located in between said adjacent sidewalls and including: (1) a plate-type body portion having generally flat side surfaces and a rear edge and a forward edge; (2) at least two spaced apart first engagement means located solely near the rear edge of said body portion and extending outwardly from one generally flat side surface of said body portion for engaging said at least two slots in the adjacent sidewall of said first dispensing unit; (3) at least two spaced apart second engagement means located solely near the rear edge of said body portion and extended outwardly from the opposite generally flat side surface of said body portion for engaging said at least two slots in the adjacent sidewall of the second dispensing unit; and (4) said first and second engagement means are adapted to coact with said first and second doors on said first and second dispensing units to demountably lock said rear edge of said plate to the adjacent sides of said dispensing units when said first and second doors are in a closed condition.