Article storage magazine for an article handling device

Abstract

An article handling apparatus having a article storage area includes a movable article storage structure adapted for being positioned therein. The movable article storage structure comprises a bin segment guidance structure adapted for individually guiding groups of articles to be handled, i.e., article storage bin-segments which are preloaded with articles, so as to form therewith a plurality of axially aligned article storage columns. The guidance apparatus includes a receiving device which provides individual coupling to the article storage bin-segments, so as to allow grouping of the bin-segments into the plurality of axially aligned article storage columns. Once received, the segments are individually guided by the guidance apparatus from one end of the column, along the longitudinal axis of the column, in a direction toward an article grasping portion of the article handling apparatus which is adjacent an opposed end of the column. In one preferred embodiment, at least two such guidance apparatuses are coupled together by a hinge arrangement for forming a movable article storage structure that can be opened so as to provide access to interior ones of the article storage columns.

1 . A method of refilling a vending machine with articles to be dispensed, comprising:
 moving at least partially outside of the vending machine an article storage structure having hinged article storage magazines therein, which article storage structure is adapted to be selectively positionable from fully inside to at least partially outside an article storage area of the machine;   opening the hinged structure so as to provide access to interior portions of the article storage magazines;   using prepackaged groups of articles for successively loading respective article storage columns of the article storage magazines with articles while it is at least partially outside the article storage area   closing the hinged structure, and   moving the hinged structure into the storage area of the vending machine.