AU630134B2 - Ticket dispensing mechanism - Google Patents

Description

4 COMPLETE SPECIFIC ION FOR OFFICE USE Application Number: Lodged: Complete Specification Priority: Class Int. Class Lodged: Accepted: Published: Related Art: *0* a a TO BE COMPLETED BY APPLICANT Name of Applicant: Address of Applicant: Address for Service: COMBINED VENDING SERVICES PTY. LTD.

Factory b, 46 Barry Street, Bayswater, Victoria, 3153 SMITH SHELSTON BEADLE 207 Riversdale Road Box 410) Hawthorn, Victoria, Australia Complete Specification for the invention entitled: TICKET DISPENSING MECHANISM The following statement is a full description of this invention, including the best method of performing it known to me/us: Page 1 Our Ref: JC:JH A 0441 06 1 2 1AS

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2 1 This invention relates to ticket machines, and in 2 particular relates to a mechanism for use in such machines 3 for dispensing tickets.

4 The tickets referred to herein may also be termed 'lucky tickets'. Such tickets are conventionally sold in 6 hotels or the like, and include portions which may be 7 scratched off, or which may be folded back to reveal whether 8 a prize has been won. Conventionally, such tickets have 9 been dispensed from very basic apparatus upon payment of a '00V 10 predetermined amount of money.

11 It is an object of this invention to provide an ee r 12 improved mechanism for dispensing tickets.

13 The invention provides a mechanism for dispensing 14 articles such as substantially planar tickets, including two storage means to contain said articles, said articles being 16 able to transport to a predetermined position within each S* 17 said storage means, article dispensing means including a 18 first element adapted to reciprocate between a first 19 position in which it is adapted to dispense an article from oooo•$ S 20 a first of said storage means, and a second position in 21 which it is adapted to dispense articles from a second of 22 said storage means, and means to effect reciprocation of 23 said first element.

24 Preferably, said plates and said second channel are lubricated.

26 Preferably, the operation of said mechanism is 27 microproi essor controlled.

28 Preferably, there are opto sensors to detect the 29 dispensing or non-dispensing of an article.

891206,!jcspe.018,combvend.spe, 3 1 An embodiment of the invention will be described in 2 detail hereinafter, with reference to the accompanying 3 drawings, in which:- 4 Fig. 1 is a side elevation of a ticket dispenser embodying the mechanism of this invention; 6 Fig. 2 is a front elevation of the dispenser of Fig. 1; 7 Fig. 3 is a diagrammatic front elevation of the 8 mechanism of this embodiment of the invention; 9 Fig. 4 is a top plan view of one chute; Fig. 5 is an end elevation of a fixed plate; 11 Fig. 6 is an exploded perspective view of part of the 12 mechanism of Fig. 3; 13 Fig. 7 is a vertical section through a chute; 14 Fig. 8 is a front elevation of a ticket roller; and Fig. 9 is a perspective view of the mechanism of Fig.

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17 Referring firstly to Figs. 1 and 2, the ticket vending 18 machine 10 includes a main body 12, with a hinged front 19 section 14. There is a dished element 16 from which 20 dispensed tickets are collected. Coins are inserted into 21 slot 18.

22 The apparatus 10 is intended to be placed upon a bench, 23 table or the like, but of course could be fabricated to 24 stand on the floor.

Preferably, slot 18 connects with a coin receiver which 26 may be calibrated to receive any coin, and preferably to 27 dispense change, also into element 16. The receipt by the 28 coin receiver of a predetermined amount of currency is 29 supplied to a microprocessor controlling the activation of 89 120 6 ,!jcspe.018,combvend.spe, j 4 0 0 0 0 0 0* *0 0 0 0

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00*S 4 0 V 0 0 the ticket dispensing mechanism 20 (Figs. 3 and 9).

The mechanism 20 includes a motor in a housing 22.

The housing is preferably attached to the frame of machine Preferably the motor is a 240v 46rpm electric motor.

The motor has a shaft 24 which is rigidly connected to a radial arrm 26. Depending from the outer end of arm 26 is a second shaft 28, at the end of which is located a roller Roller 30 is adapted to moveably seat within a channel 32 in sliding plate 34. Plate 34 has an inverted channel shape. Fixed plate 38 also has an inverted channel shape. Plate 34 is adapted to seat on plate 38, so that sliding plate 34 may slide longitudinally relative to fixed plate 38 (which is preferably attached to the frame of machine 10). Plate 38 preferably has apertures 36 (preferably in pairs) located on both sides near each end, for the attachment of chute 42,44.

Preferably, built-in lubrication means allow for automatic lubrication of the sliding plates.

Two chutes 42,44 are located at either end of plate 38.

Chute 42 is shown in Fig. 4 and 7; chute 44 is a mirror image thereof.

Chute 42 has a U-shape (best shown in Figs. 4 and 9) with rear wall 40, side walls 41 and 43 and short in-turned front walls 45 and 47. Side walls 41 and 43 extend downwards to provide feet 46,47 for attachment to plate 38.

Feet 46,47 have apertures 52 which are adapted to correspond with apertures 36 in plate 38 to facilitate securement of chute 42 thereto, so that there is a gap 50 between the base of rear wall 40 and the top of plate 38 to allow the passage 89 1206,!jcspe.018,combvend.spe, 5 1 of plate 34.

2 Tickets are adapted to fill space 54 defined by the U- 3 shape of chute 42, and to be thereby stacked in the chute.

4 Spaces 56,58 between side walls 41,43 and plate 38 may be filled with spacers (such as nylon blocks) when a larger 6 chute is attached to plate 38.

7 Located on the rear of rear wall 40 (Fig. 7) is a 8 spring-loaded nylon block 58, which is adapted to bear down 9 on the top of plate 34. The block 58 is attached to a pin 10 60 which passes through an aperture in an S-shaped bracket 11 62 secured to wall 40. A spring 64 is located between 12 bracket 62 and block 58, around pin 60, normally urging 13 block against plate 34/plate 38.

14 Fig. 8 shows a device for ensuring that only a single ticket is dispensed with each 'push' of plate 34. Located 16 at the front end of chute 42 is a ticket 'roller' 66, which 17 is preferably a 6.35mm bright steel rod, with two apertures 18 68,70 near respective ends of the roller 66.

19 Located in respective apertures 68,70 are guide and support pins 72,74 which are secured to the frame of the 21 ticket machine. Pins 72,74 each have an E-clip retainer 22 (76,78) at the top thereof, retaining compression springs 23 80,82 between the roller 66 and the E-clips 76,78. It can 24 be seen that the roller 66 is normally urged against portions 84,86 of pins 72,74, but it is clear that the 26 roller 66 is capable of moving upwards against the spring 27 force. The roller 66 is located as shown in Fig. 7, 28 relative to the mechanism of the machine as a whole. When 29 plate 34 pushes a ticket (or tickets) from chute 42, it or 891206,!jcspe.018,combvend.spe,

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6 1 they must pass under roller 66, which ensures the dispensing 2 of only one ticket.

3 In a preferred embodiment there are two sets of two 4 chutes (42,44) and two motors, providing four stacks of tickets. A microprocessor (not shown) controls the 6 operation of mechanism 20, as follows.

7 When the correct amount of money is detected by the 8 coin receiver 18, the microprocessor actuates one of the 9 motors, which rotates its shaft 24 and arm 26. The 10 consequent camming action of roller 30 on channel 32 causes t* 11 plate 34 to move to an extreme position, at which position 12 the outer end of plate 34 is adapted to contact the lowest 13 ticket in space 54 of chute 42, and push it in the direction 14 of the arrow in Fig. 7, past roller 66 so that it falls under gravity into dished element 16.

16 An opto sensor (not shown) located on the right-hand S17 side of roller 66 in Fig. 7 in relation to each of chutes

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18 42,44 senses the dispensing of a ticket. If the opto sensor 19 does detect that a ticket has been dispensed, the microprocessor will stop the motor and await further 21 deposits of money.

22 If no ticket is detected (for example, when the 23 particular chute is empty) the microprocessor instructs the 24 motors to operate alternately until a ticket is dispensed from one of the four stacks, at which time the sensor 26 detects that fact, and the microprocessor stops the motor.

27 If after a predetermined number of tries no ticket has 28 (or an insufficient number of tickets have) been dispensed, 29 the microprocessor will cause a 'Sold Out' sign to be 891206,!jcspe.018,combvend.spe, 7 1 displayed, and will stop all functions. Any remaining 2 credit will remain displayed after the 'Sold Out' sign is 3 illuminated, to allow for a refund if necessary.

4 The mechanism of this embodiment is preferably located on a sliding tray which may be pulled out from the inside of 6 the machine 10 for easy refilling of chutes and so on. As 7 indicated hereinbefore, the chutes 42,44 are easily bolted 8 on and removed, so that different sized chutes (for 9 dirferent sized/shaped tickets) may be readily fitted.

10 It can be seen that the present invention provides an 11 improved ticket dispensing mechanism.

S' 12 The entire contents of the provisional specifications 13 lodged with Australian Patent Applications of which this is 14 the complete specification are hereby imported into this specification and form part of the disclosure of this 16 specification. The claims form part of the disclosure of 17 this specification.

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Claims (8)

1. A mechanism for dispensing articles such as substantially planar tickets, including two storage means to contain said articles, said articles being able to transport to a predetermined position within each said storage means, article dispensing means including a first element adapted to reciprocate between a first position in which it in adapted to dispense an article from a first of said storage means, and a second position in which it is adapted to dispense articles from a second of said storage means, and means to effect reciprocation of said first element.

2. A mechanism according to claim 1, wherein said reciprocation means is a motor driving camming arrangement including a radial arm carrying a roller which co-operates with a lateral channel on said element.

3. A mechanism according to claim 1 or claim 2, wherein said element is a plate which is an inverted channel adapted to slideably seat on a relatively fixed second inverted channel.

4. A mechanism according to any preceding claim, wherein each of said storage means is a chute.

A mechanism according to claim 3 or claim 4, including means to maintain said plate in contact with said second inverted channel.

6. A mechanism according to claim 5, wherein said maintaining means is a spring-loaded block.

7. A mechanism according to any preceding claim, including means to ensure that only one article is dispensed in each reciprocation cycle, said means including a spring loaded 8 9 12O6,!jcspe.018,combvendspe, C-- 9 1 bar located on the delivery side of each storage means, said 2 bar being adapted to move against said spring to allow one 3 article only to pass by said bar. 4

8. A mechanism for dispensing articles, substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying 6 drawings. 7 ~Tbe articles, things, par- 8 methods, processes, compounds and compositr eferred to 9 or indicated in the specif n and/or claims of the .9 10 application in ually or collectively, and any and all 4 S• 12 13 DATED THIS 6th December, 1989 14 SMITH SHELSTON BEADLE Fellows Institute of Patent 16 Attorneys of Australia. 17 Patent Attorneys for the Applicant 18 COMBINED VENDING SERVICES PTY. LTD. k V9 V 8 9 1 2 0 6 ,!jcspe 018,combvend.spe,