GB1024161A - Improvements in or relating to coin freed vending machines - Google Patents

Abstract

1,024,161. Beverage vending machines. FISHER & LUDLOW Ltd. Sept. 21, 1964 [Sept. 25, 1963; Nov. 20, 1963], Nos. 37679/63 and 45753/63. Heading G4V. A coin-freed vending machine has a timer motor controlling a vending cycle of operations, means responsive to insertion of appropriate coinage to cause the motor to operate through part of the cycle, and means responsive to actuation of commodity selection mechanism to cause the motor to operate through the remainder of the cycle. In the embodiment shown, insertion of a penny, threepenny piece or sixpence, actuates a coin switch 1C, 3C, 6C respectively to energize relay 1D, 3D or 6D, closing holding contacts 1D2, 3D2 or 6D2, and changing over contact 1D1, 3D1 or 6D1. This energizes a pair of hunting relays J, K, operating contacts J1, K1 so that impulses are fed to the operating coil 2C of a step counter 5C, and coil 1C of a total credit step counter ST. When the count on counter SC reaches one, three or six, depending on whether contact 1D 3D1 or 6D1 is changed over, a relay U is energized, so that contact U2 breaks the holding circuit of relay 1D, 3D or 6D, and contact U1 energizes the reset relay S of step counter SC, ready for the insertion of any further coin. The counter ST keeps a running total during each transaction. Two adjustable switch units O1 and 02 can be preset to different prices, e.g. unit O1 to fourpence (tea) or sixpence (coffee or chocolate), so that relay V is energized when fourpence has been inserted, and relays X and Z (or a single relay if desired) if sixpence has been inserted, these relays having holding contacts V2, X2. When relay V is energized, contact V3 changes over, to energize the timer motor T, which has seven cams operating switches 1T . . . 7T. Switch IT changes over to cut off the motor T part of the way through the vending cycle, with switch 5T in the position shown, so that a switch E can restart the motor. The six commodity selection pushbuttons, e.g. for tea with milk, tea with milk and sugar, coffee with milk, coffee with milk and sugar, coffee with sugar, and chocolate, change over various of switches A, B, C, D, F, and all change over switch E, so that the cycle continues. Valve W1 and motors S1, M1, C1 and T1 are energized through switches 5T and 3T, and switches A, B, C and F, to deliver appropriate quantities of hot water, sugar, milk powder, coffee powder, and tea powder respectively, as selected by the commodity pushbuttons to a mixing chamber. Each motor, when energized, holds itself energized by a cam controlled switch S5, M5, C5, T5. The milk motor is arranged to be operated twice when coffee with milk is selected, and once for tea. A counter T2 records the number of deliveries of tea. If switch HL is in the position shown, coffee is dispensed when fourpence has been inserted but if the switch is changed over, contact X1 must be closed by the insertion of sixpence. If chocolate is selected, contact D is closed, energizing relay R and closing its holding contact R1, and changing over contact R2, so that if contact Z1 is changed over (sixpence inserted) a chocolate powder dispenser motor C2 and counter C3 are energized for a period determined by timer contact 6T, the powder being delivered to a further mixing chamber to which hot water is supplied by valve W2, and which contains a whisk driven by motor W3. Further timing contacts 2T, 4T break all holding circuits of relays V, X and Z, and operate a cup delivery mechanism Q1, transaction counter Q, and the reset coil Y of counter ST. The coin path is blocked by de-energizing a relay N if a total of sixpence is inserted (switch Z2 opens) or the cup holder is empty (switch ES opens). Otherwise, a lamp L2 at the cup delivery station is lit. When only a predetermined number of cups is left in the delivery mechanism switch CS energizes motor M2 to move a fresh stack from a store. Valves W1 and W2 can be operated by pushbuttons W4, W5 to flush the mixing chambers, such water passing to a cistern containing an anti-flood switch AS. A water heater thermostat switch HS and door-operated isolating switch DS are included. Simpler embodiments are described, in which an appropriate single coin must be inserted to obtain a choice of beverages at one or more prices. Switches IS and W6 can be operated to prevent delivery of powder and water respectively to the mixing chambers for testing.