US1287726A - Vending-machine. - Google Patents

Description

W. MEARS.

VENDING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED OCT. 13. 19:1.

Patented Dec. 17, 1918.

Aliorn eys.

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T al F WILLIAM MEARS, OF CLEVELAND, OHIO.

VENDING-MACHINE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 1a, 1918.

Application filed October 13, 1917. Serial No. 196,352;

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM MEARS, a citizen of the United States of America, residing at Cleveland, in the county of Ouyahoga and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Vending-Machines; and Ihereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it pertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to new and useful improvements in vending machines.

One object of the invention is to provide a vending machine particularly adapted for dispensing materials in cans, and more especially for dispensing cleaning compounds, soft soap and the like.

A further object of my invention is to provide a machine of the character indicated which will be simple in construction, positive in operation and capable of being quickly manipulated making it especially adaptable for installation in work shops and factories for the convenience of the en ployees.

My invention therefore consists in certain new and original features of construction and combination of parts hereinafter described in the specification, particularly pointed out in the claims and the preferred embodiment shown in the accompanying drawings.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a central vertical sectional view of a machine embodying my invention. Fig. 2 is a section on line 22,Fig. 1. Fig.

3 is a section on line 33, Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is a section on line 4-4, Fig. 1.

5 is a section on line 55, Fig. 1.

In the drawings, 10 represents the body portion of the machine and as shown is a cylinder of sheet iron. The body portion 10 is provided with a deep cover 11 preferably made of the same material and having the same shape and cross sectional area. The object of having the cover made deep is to give easy access to the interior of the ma-v chine when the cover is removed. It is designed that the cover shall be suitably locked to the body portion when the machine is in use, as by a padlock shown at 13. Within the body portion 10 at a distance below the rim thereof is arranged an annular track 14. The track is provided with bracket members 15 which are rigidly secured to the body portion 10 by means of bolts 16. On the track 14 is a series of rollers 17. On top of the rollers 17 is an annular plate or table 18, and the outer bottom edge of the table 18 is beveled and serrated forming a bevel gear shown at 19. The perimeter of the table 18 is also serrated as shown at 20. On top of the table 18 is mounted a series of U-shaped partitions 21 which are arranged with their open sides adjacent to the wall of the body portion and the said partitions extend up within the cover portion 11 practically to the top thereof. In the rear side of each partition 21 at the bottom thereof is formed an opening 22. These partitions form compartments for the cans which are to be vended, and when it is desired to fill the machine the cover is removed and the cans, indicated by O, are introduced into the compartments through the open sides of the partitions and are stacked one on top of the other the full height of the partitions. It might be noted here that the aforementioned opening 22 is made just a little larger than a. can and is the delivery opening for the can when the vending mechanism is operated. On the outside of the body portion just below the table 18is a bearing 24. A stud shaft 25 is mounted in the bearing 24, and the end thereof extends through the wall of the body portion 10 and thereon is mounted a bevel gear 26 which meshes with the bevel ear on the table 18. On the outer end of the stud shaft 25 is secured a crank handle 27. By turning the handle 27 the table 18 can be caused to revolve within the body portion 10 thereby bringing in rotation the different compartments in the proper position so that the cans therein can be operated upon by the vending mechanism. I

The vending mechanism is arranged as follows :In the body portion .10 above the table 18 is formed an opening 30, and on the outside of the body portion at this opening is secured a casing 31. Rigidly supported in the casing 31 in line with the opening 30 is a guideway 32. In the guideway 32 is slidably mounted a bar or plunger 33 on the inner end of which is arranged a head in the form of a curved plate 34. On the outer end of the plunger is a hand grip 35. Now, by pushing in on the plunger the head 34 can be caused to engage the lowermost can in the compartment which registers with the opening 22, and the continued inward movement of the plunger will shove the can off the annular table and the can will fall through the center of the table to the bottom of the machine. A chute 37 is provided for gulding the cans during their fall. Also, an opening 38 is formed in the body portion 10 for removing the cans when the machine is standing on a shelf or similar support. Any su1table coin-controlled locking mechanism may be used for locking the plunger against movement, and in the drawings is shown a very simple and conventional arrangement. ithin the casing 31 is mounted a small shaft 40,

and on the shaft is pivoted a lever 41. In the top surface of the plunger 33 is formed a notch 42, and on one end of the lever 41 is arranged a rigid latch 43 which extends out at a right angle from-the lever. The end of the latch 43 is adapted to lie in the notch 42 when the plunger 33 is in its outermost position and lock the plunger against movement. On the top of the plunger is secured a leaf spring 45, the free end of which extends over the notch 42. On the shaft 40 is a spring 46 which is arranged to exert a pressure on the lever 41 tending to hold the latch 43 in the notch 42. I11 the top of the casing 31 is formed a coin slot 47 which registers with the end of the lever 41 opposite to the latch carrying end and which we will call the coin engaging end of the lever. Now, if a coin be forced through the slot 47 it will push down the coin-engaging end of the lever and raise the latch carrying end of the lever, lifting the latch 43 out of the notch 42. As the latch 43 moves up it lifts the end of the spring and the spring snaps back under the latch preventing the latch from falling back into the notch 42 before the plunger has been moved. As the plunger is pushed in the spring 45 Will move from under the latch permitting the latch to fall down on the plunger and be in position to reenter the notch when the plunger is again pulled out. It will be understood that the plunger can be operated only once on the same coin, for when the plunger is pushed in and displaces a can the upper can rests on the plunger and the plunger must be pulled back in order that the can may move down, and as soon as the plungeris pulled back far enough to permit this the latch engages the plunger and locks it.

In order that the compartments may be made to register with the opening 30 in the wall of the body portion 10, the following mechanism is provided :On the under side of the table 18 is formed a series of notches 50 which are spaced apart a distance equal to the width of a compartment. On the inner edge of the track 14 adjacent to the opening 30 is pivoted a bell-cranklever 51. The shorter and lighter end of the lever is provided with a shoe 52 having a cam surface whichextends up alongside of the inner edgeof the table 18 exactlyroppositel the opening 30. The longer arm of the lever is provided with a latch-forming lug 53 which is adapted to enter the notches 50. It is de signed that the cans which are used in the machine shall be larger in diameter than the width of the table 18 and therefore as the table is revolved the projecting or overhanging portion of the bottom can in a compartment will ride up on the shoe 52, and as the table continues to revolve a notch 50 will be brought into registration with the lug 53 on the lever 51 and the pressure of the can will force the shoe-carrying arm of the lever down, which will raise the lugcarrying arm and the lug will enter the notch preventing further movement of the table, and the compartment will be in the proper alinement with the opening 30. hen all the cans have been displaced from a compartment the shoecarrying arm of the lever will be free to move up and the lug-carrying arm will fall down of its own weight, withdrawing the lug from the notch and leaving the table free to revolve. A stop 56 is preferably provided to prevent the lever from moving too far. In the top of the table within each compartment is formed a radial groove 59. A dog or bumper 60 is arranged in the groove 59 and hinged at its inner end to the table. Under the free end of the dog is arranged a coil spring 61. When there is a can in a compartment the weight of the can will press the dog down into the groove, but when all the cans have been displaced and the plunger Withdrawn the end of the dog will be lifted above the surface of the table by the coil spring 61 and will be in the path of the plunger preventing the plunger from being again pushed into the compartment. Now, when the would be purchaser, after dropping a coin into the slot, finds that the plunger will not move in, he will take hold of the crank handle and revolve the table until the next compartment is brought into registration with the opening 30. It will then be possible to push in the plunger and secure a can without using another coin. In order to prevent the table 18 from being turned in the wrong direction a pawl 63 is mounted on a support 64 so as to engage with the teeth 20 on the perimeter of the table 18. A spring 65 is provided for exerting a yielding pressure on the pawl so that the pawl can move out when the table is turned in the right direction, but will be held in engagement with the teeth when an attempt is made to turn thetable in the wrong direction. I

While I have very particularly described the arrangement of my machine, I do not wish to be limited to the construction shown, as modifications can be made in the construction'without departing from the spirit of my invention.

' \Vhat I claim is y 1. In a machine of the character indicated,

a casing, an annular track mounted in said casing, rollers arranged on said track, an annular table mounted on said rollers, said table having gear teeth, a stud shaft extending through the wall of said casing, a gear wheel secured on said shaft and arranged to mesh with the gear teeth on the table, a handle on the outer end of said shaft, means on said table for supporting the articles which are to be vended and means operable from the outside of the casing for displacing one article at a time from said table.

2. In a machine of the character indicated, the combination of a casing, an annular table mounted in said casing and capable of revolving on its support, means for revolving the table, means for locking the table against movement in one direction, other means for locking the table at predetermined positions, means on the table for supporting the articles which are to be vended and means operable from outside the casing for displacing one article at a time from said table.

3. In a machine of the character indicated, a body portion having a removable cover, an annular table revolubly mounted in said body portion, said body portion having an opening in'its Wall above said table, means for turning said table, said table having a series of equally spaced notches near its inner edge, a bell-crank lever supported adjacent to said table, one arm of said lever carrying a shoe adapted to be engaged by the articles supported on said table and the other arm having a 1n adapted to fit into the notches in said tab e and means operable outside of said body portion for displacing the articles which are to be vended from said table.

4. In a machine of the character indicated, a body portion having a removable cover, an annular table revolubly mounted in said body portion, said body portion having an opening above said table, means for turning said table, partitions arranged 011 said table and forming compartments having slightly larger cross-sectional area than the articles which are to be vended, each partition having an outlet opening at its lower end, means operable by the articles in each compartment for locking the compartment in line with the opening in the Wall of the body portion, a casing arranged on the outside of said body portion, a plunger slidably supported in said casing and capable of movement through the opening in the wall of the body-portion and into a compartment, coin-controlled means for locking said plunger against movement and means arranged in each compartment for preventing the entrance of the plunger therein after all the articles have been displaced from the compartment.

In testimony whereof, I sign the foregoing specification, in the presence of two Wit nesses.

WILLIAM MEARS.

Witnesses:

VICTOR C. LYNCH, B. C. BROWN.

- Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. G.

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