| 摘要 |
A dispensing machine is used to dispense rectangularly shaped containers including milk cartons and the like, preferably of a size ranging from approximately one-half liter to approximately two liters or even larger. The machine can be used to dispense various products including juices, soft drinks, milk, candy and virtually any product that can be suitably contained in a square rectangular container. The machine has a vertical channel containing paddles where each paddle supports only some of the containers in the channel when the channel is filled with containers. Since the containers have flexible side walls, the paddles move simultaneously to gently lower the containers one space at a time when the machine is activated. Also, when the containers are in the vertical channel, the lowermost container is not subjected to the weight of all of th e containers above it when the channel is filled with containers. This arrangement prevents containers in the vertical channel from being crushed by containers located above it. In a further embodiment, a dispensing machine has three sets of shelves, each set having a vertical channel with control means so that three different types of products can be dispensed from one machine.
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