Vending machine for dispensing single copies of periodicals and newspapers

摘要

A vending machine for dispensing a single publication product at a time. The vending machine includes a housing with a front wall, back wall, side walls, top wall and bottom wall. A door is hinged to the front wall on the housing and forms part of a display case for displaying information regarding the product being dispensed. An elevator is located within the housing and slidable from a position near the back wall toward the front wall, the elevator adapted to contain a stack of products being dispensed. A dispensing assembly is mounted within housing and forward of the elevator. The dispensing assembly includes a dispensing sled which is translatable from an upper position to a lower position. The dispensing sled is adapted to engage a publication product located on the elevator and to slide the publication product toward a dispensing area located at the bottom of the housing. An actuation arm is attached to the dispensing sled and pivotally mounted to the housing. The actuation arm projects outward from the front of the housing and is actuatable in a downward direction. The downward actuation of the actuation arm translates the dispensing sled downward. A locking mechanism controls dispensing of a publication product.