Deposit and collection receptacles – Miscellaneous – Money – coin – check – memo holders
Reexamination Certificate
1999-12-29
2001-11-20
Dayoan, B. (Department: 3628)
Deposit and collection receptacles
Miscellaneous
Money, coin, check, memo holders
C232S039000, C221S284000, C248S346200
Reexamination Certificate
active
06318627
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a vending box or cabinet of the general type disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,919,250 and Design No. 414,515 and which are used for vending or dispensing newspapers, magazines or other paper publications. The cabinets are usually free standing on a floor or sidewalk and are sometimes manufactured by rotomolding a thermoplastics material while the material is heated in order to form a one-piece hollow body or cabinet. The cabinet has an upper portion with an inner compartment defining a chamber for receiving a stack of the publications and a lower portion which receives a flowable ballast material such as sand or gravel or water. The ballast material adds substantial weight to the hollow cabinet and prevents the cabinet from being shifted or tilted by a normal external force such as a strong wind.
The ballast material is poured into the lower hollow portion of the cabinet through an opening or port cut into a bottom wall of the inner compartment which encloses the publications. A spring biased pivotal door normally closes a front access opening for the inner compartment for protecting the stack of publications within the compartment. However, it is awkward, time consuming and messy to add the ballast material through the port within the bottom wall of the inner compartment while holding the door in its open position.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention is directed to an improved vending cabinet for storing and dispensing paper publications and which incorporates a simplified means for conveniently adding a flowable ballast material to a lower portion of the cabinet so that the cabinet will remain upright in response to windstorms and other external forces. In accordance with a preferred embodiment of the invention, a one-piece hollow vending cabinet is formed by rotomolding a heated thermoplastics material to form an upper portion integrally connected to a lower portion having a bottom wall. The upper portion of the cabinet has internal walls forming a first chamber for receiving and storing a stack of paper publications, and a pivotal door provides access to the first chamber. The lower portion of the cabinet defines a second chamber for receiving a flowable ballast material such as sand or gravel or water, and the bottom wall of the lower portion defines an integral inverted funnel portion having an upper end defining an opening or port. When it is desired to add sand or other flowable ballast material to the lower chamber, the housing is tilted or inverted, and an optional closure or plug is removed from the port. The ballast material is poured into the funnel portion and flows into the cabinet. After a desired quantity or volume of ballast material is received within the cabinet with the aid of the funnel portion, the port may be closed with the plastic plug, and the cabinet is returned to its upright position so that the ballast material flows down into the lower or base portion of the cabinet.
Other features and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following description, the accompanying drawing and the appended claims.
REFERENCES:
patent: D. 414515 (1999-09-01), Berckenhoff et al.
patent: 3471114 (1969-10-01), Ball
patent: 3863874 (1975-02-01), Pirovano
patent: 4239127 (1980-12-01), Owens
patent: 4595154 (1986-06-01), Swope
patent: 4919250 (1990-04-01), Olson et al.
patent: 5356212 (1994-10-01), Okopny
patent: 5452822 (1995-09-01), Haymond
patent: 5582322 (1996-12-01), Prout et al.
patent: 5893615 (1999-04-01), Hendricks et al.
Dayoan B.
Jacox Meckstroth & Jenkins
Miller William L.
LandOfFree
Publication vending cabinet with improved ballast system does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.
If you have personal experience with Publication vending cabinet with improved ballast system, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Publication vending cabinet with improved ballast system will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-2600981