US2021322A - Vending machine - Google Patents

Description

F. D. NEWBERRY VENDING MACHINE Filed Aug. 25, 1933 Wan/Mn D. Wed/dag Patented Nov. 19, 1935 UNlTED STATES PATENT OFFICE VENDING MACHINE Application August 25, 1933, Serial No. 686,709

8 Claims.

This invention relates to an improvement in a coin controlled vending machine.

The preferred embodiment of the invention discloses a vending machine adapted to dispense one package of merchandise for each coin inserted. The device is arranged to be successively manipulated to dispense several packages of merchandise when several coins are stacked in the machine. It may easily be reset after one supply of packages has been dispensed and, although shown capable of containing and dispensing only a limitednumber of packages, it will be obvious that the number of packages to be dispensed with each loading may be increased by slightly increasing the size of the merchandise container.

One of the objects of the invention lies in the provision of a coin controlled vending machine which automatically sets itself for each dispensing operation with a given quantity of merchandise.

Another object of the invention lies in the provision of a device of this class in which a coin cannot be inserted when the merchandise receptacle is empty.

A further object of the invention lies in the provision of a device of this class which cannot be manipulated without inserting a coin of proper size.

A still further object of the invention lies in the provision of a device in which the merchandise to be dispensed is moved to register with an opening in the bottom of the device, said merchandise being expelled by gravity.

Another and still further object of the invention lies in the provision of a device of this class which is simple in construction, inexpensive to -manufacture and which may be easily and quickly filled and reset.

Other and further objects of the invention will be more clearly understood from a consideration of the following specification which is taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawing, and in which Fig. 1 is a vertical sectional view of one modification of the invention, being taken substantially on the line ll of Figure 2;

Fig. 2 is a plan View of the device shown in Figure 1, with the cover removed;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged detail sectional view, showing the coin and merchandising mechanism in one position of operaiton;

Fig. 4 is a view similar to Figure 3, showing the mechanism moved to dispense one package of merchandise;

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary plan view showing the mechanism which closes the coin slot when the merchandise container is empty; and

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary side view, showing the means for limiting the extent of movement of 5 the coin and vending mechanism.

As an illustration of one application of use of the invention, it is shown adapted to contain and dispense packages of cards or individual envelopes. by altering the size of the merchandise container, and the opening through which the merchandise is dispensed, other merchandise such as handkerchiefs, toilet articles, candy bars, etc., may be dispensed. 15

Referring to the drawing, the invention is shown to comprise a case generally indicated by the reference numeral Ill. The case includes a rear wall H, and side walls l2 and [3. Midway of this three wall compartment is a transverse 20,

shelf I4, which divides the container into a merchandise storing compartment l6 and lower merchandise receiving compartment H. The receiving compartment ll may be closed by a bottom wall or left open as found convenient. A trans- 5 verse slot I5 is made in the shelf M. The side walls I 2 and I3, adjacent their connection with the rear wall II, are provided with brackets I9 which are welded or otherwise suitably joined to said side walls and which provide vertical pockets 30 for receiving and guiding the flanges of a cover 22 into place. The forward edges of the side walls are formed with inturned straps 23 which constitute a stop or limit to the combined forward and downward movement of a merchandise con- 35 tainer. Secured to the inner faces of the side walls l2 and I3 is an inclined shell 25. This shelf extends over only a part of the mechanism, the forward edge 26 thereof being in vertical alignment with the slot l5. The rearward end of the shelf is spaced a short distance from the rear wall ll. Adjacent the rearwardend of the shelf 25 vertically arranged angle plates 28 are provided, being secured in any suitable manner to the inner faces of the side walls I2 and I3. 45 Suitable slots 29 are made in the ends of the shelf 25 for a purpose hereinafter more'fully described.

Referring now particularly to Figure 2, it will be noted that a U-shaped member 30 is joined 50 to the inner face of the rear wall I I of the case. Flanges 3i secure this member to said wall. The member extends from the upper edge of the wall H downwardly a short distance below the upper edge of shelf 25 and constitutes a support for one 55 It will be understood, however, that 10 wall of a coin chute 33. The coin chute consists of a U-shaped member having flanges 34 which are welded or otherwise suitably joined to the bottom wall of member 36. Directly beneath the coin. chute 33 is a rod 36 which extends transversely of the case, the ends projecting through suitable openings in walls I2 and [3. The end of the rod, which projects through wall I2, is drilled and tapped to receive a stop screw 31. The screw 3! and rod end are enclosed within a bracket 38 which is welded or otherwise suitably joined along flange 36 to the outer face of wall l2. Shoulder 40 of the bracket constitutes a stop for the normal inoperative position of the mechanism, the screw 31 being shown in dotted line in this position. A further shoulder 4| indicates the other stop for rotation of the rod 36, screw 3'! being shown in this position in Figure 6. It will be noted that the rod 36 cannot make a complete one hundred and eighty degree turn. The purpose of this will. be more fully understood as the description continues. The other end of the rod is fitted with a knob 43, by which the rod may be turned to operate the mechanism. Adjacent the inner face of the wall I3, and mounted on the rod, is a spring 44, one end of which is secured to said rod by a screw 45, the other end being secured to the wall i3 by a screw 46. Thus rotation of the rod -36 to operate the mechanism increases the tension of spring 44 and assures return of the mechanism to normal inoperative position upon completion of each vending operation. Centrally of the rod 36, and directly beneath the coin chute 33, is a tapered slot 48. The upper end of the slot is of sufficient size to receive a coin of given size without permitting it to pass therethrough. As may be seen in Figures 3 and 4 of the drawing, the

coin 49 projects only sufiiciently into the slot 48 40 to prevent inadvertent dislodgment during the vending operation. It will be noted that the coin constitutes a part of the vending mechanism which is otherwise incomplete.

Beneath the shelf 25 is located a frame which includes an angle plate 5!. The plate extends to adjacent the inner faces of walls [2 and [3, being mounted at its ends on arms 52 which are joined by pivot pins 53 to the side walls. The plate 5| normally lies in a horizontal plane, being so sustained by a spring 54 joined to said plate and one wall of the case. Projecting upwardly from that portion of the arm adjacent the pivot pin are reversely disposed spaced teeth 55 and 56. Above the arm and mounted on each of the walls [2 and i3 is a gear 57 supported on a pivot pin 58. A portion of each gear 51 projects through the slot 29 at each end of the shelf 25. The teeth 59 are so shaped and related to the teeth 55 and 56 of the arm that, as the arm completes one upward and downward reciprocation about the pin 53, the gear 51 is caused to be rotated a given distance. Mounted centrally of the angle plate 5|, and secured thereto in any suitable manner, as by welding, is a strike plate 60, having side walls 6!. A slot 62 is made in the base wall of plate 66. Directly above plate 6| and mounted on a bracket 63, by means of a pivot pin 64, is a locking arm 65. This arm extends through slot 62 and, as may be more fully understood from a description of the operation of the device, serves "to prevent use of a single coin to vend more than one package of merchandise.

Mounted in the case, within the compartment I6, is a merchandise container 66 which is comprised of front and rear walls 61 connected by end walls 68. The upper edges of the end walls project above the walls 61 and are cut to provide upstanding tongues 69 and horizontal guide flanges 16. Within the container and joined to the walls 68 are a plurality of U-shaped members H which are adapted to form pockets at each end of the container into which the ends of the merchandise project. The container 66 is mounted on the shelf 25, being movable downwardly from the rear to the front-of the compartment 56. Secured to the outer faces of the end walls 68 are racks '13, having a plurality of downwardly projecting teeth 74. These teeth are adapted tomesh with the teeth 59 of gears 5'! which project above the face of the shelf 25 through slots 29. Thus it will be understood that the container 66 moves downwardly and forwardly along the shelf 25, and cannot be lifted from the shelf because of the tongues 69 being in close proximity with the sloped top wall of the cover 22. Furthermore, engagement of the rack teeth with the gear teeth control this movement and that the container has no base wall, shelf 25 serving this purpose.

Mounted on the shelf I4 is a coin collecting tray 76 which includes comparatively low front and side walls 11 and 78. The rear wall 19 is considerably higher than the other walls projecting upwardly to adjacent the lower edge of the shelf 25. A wall 86 is located adjacent the wall 19 and also projects upwardly well above the side walls 16. Walls 19 and 86, being inclined with respect to each other, form a V-shaped passageway, the wide portion of which is adjacent the merchandise container 66 and the restricted opening registers with the opening [5 in the shelf I 4. The side walls i6 of the tray terminate adjacent the front of the device and may be grasped to remove the tray when the device is unlocked and the cover removed.

Referring now particularly to Figures 2 and 5, attention is directed to the mechanism by which coins cannot be made to manipulate the device when it is empty of merchandise. This mechanism includes an arm 8! which is mounted on a pivot 82, supported on an upper flange of the side wall i2 of the case. The forward end of the arm is formed with a tapered finger 83 which projects into the compartment l6 in the path of the merchandise container 66. The rearmost end of the arm 8| is pivotally connected with a rod 84 which projects through the case into the compartment I6. This rod is supported on a bracket 85 which is joined to the rear case wall I I. A collar 86 is secured to the rod and a compression spring 81 located between the collar and bracket 85 for the purpose of forcing said rod outwardly of the case to rock arm 8| and cause the finger 83 to normally lie in the path of the container 66. The free end 88 of rod 84 is adapted to project part way into the coin chute 30 to reduce the size of said chute and prevent insertion of a coin when the device is empty.

The cover 2'2 is provided with front, side and top walls, as may be seen in Figure 2 of the drawing. The side walls terminate in inturned flanges 96 which ride in recesses 26 of brackets I 9, located on the case Walls l2 and !3. The front Wall of the cover is provided with a slot 91 which, when the merchandise container has moved to its most forward position, discloses the word empty to a user of the device. A further slotted opening 62 is provided in the top wall in order that the user may discover whether or not the device is filled with merchandise. On a flat portion of the top wall is located a coin receiver 95 which registers with the coin chute 33.

Having set forth the structure of the device, the operation thereof will now be described. In the present embodiment of the invention, the container 66 is arranged to receive and dispense the stamped envelopes, cards, etc. The cover 22 having been removed, a packet of merchandise 96 is placed in each of the corresponding pairs of pockets formed by the U-shaped members H. The container 56, during filling is in the position shown in Figure 1 of the drawing for the purpose of utilizing the shelf 25 as a bottom thereto. The cover 22 is replaced on the device, the flanges thereof engaging the flanges IQ of the side walls l2 and I3. A suitable look (not shown) secures the cover in place and prevents tampering with the mechanism of the device. A coin is inserted I into a receiver 95, mounted on the cover 22, and

drops down through said chute coming to rest in the slot 48 of the rod 36. The rod 36, by means of the knob 43, is rotated in a counter clock-wise direction. The coin 49 swings outwardly from the coin chute 33 and strikes the under face of the locking arm 65. A plurality of teeth on this arm have a sequence engagement with the edge of the coin 49 and constitute a ratchet like stop to prevent rotation thereof in any but the desired direction (see Figure 3). Consequently, the coin must now continue its downward movement because of the arm 65. Further rotation of the rod 36 causes the coin 49 to depress the plate 60, moving the frame to the position shown in Figure 4.. As this action takes place, tooth 55 has rotated the gear 51 approximately one-half the spacing between gear teeth 59. The coin, as rotation of the rod 36 continues, moves downwardly out of contact with the plate BI and drops into the tray 16. As soon as the coin has disengaged from plate 60, spring 54, which during the operation thus far has been expanded, causes said frame to move upwardly to horizontal position, thus engaging teeth 56 with further teeth of the gears 51 and rotating said gears another one-half gear space. The teeth 59 of the gears are so arranged that upon completion of this double action, gear 51 has rotated sufiiciently to move racks 15, which are joined to the container 69, downwardly along the shelf 25 the depth of one merchandise pocket. Thus the first packet 96 no longer rests on shelf 25 but drops into the V-shaped opening provided by walls 19 and 80 of the money tray, through slot l5 into the bottom compartment ll of the device. The device is now ready for further operation.

Attention is directed to the fact that the rod 36, by reason of the stop pin 31, is incapable of rotating a full one hundred and eighty degrees and in consequence the lower opening of the slot 48 at no time registers with the coin chute. Thus a number of coins may be inserted in the device at one time and said device manipulated to Vend packets of merchandise for the number of coins inserted.

When the last packet of merchandise 96 hasbeen dispensed, the merchandise container moves into abutment with the straps 23 formed from the side walls I2 and I3 of the case. The container strikes the tapered finger 83, forcing it outwardly of the compartment l6 from the position shown in Figure 2 to that shown in Figure 5. This causes arm iii to be rocked about the pivot 92, moving rod 34 inwardly against tension of the spring Bl and causing the portion 88 of the rod to enter and partly close the coin chute. A1-

though a coin may be inserted in the receiver of the cover, it cannot pass into the coin chute 33 by reason of the restricted opening and will clearly indicate to an attendant, upon complaint of the customer, that the device has not been tampered with and said customer is entitled to a packet of merchandise without further expenditure. When the cover 22 is removed the container is moved to the positionshown in Figure 1 of the drawing preparatory to being filled with fresh packets of merchandise, the spring 81 will withdraw the portion 88 of the rod 84 from obstruction of the coin chute 33.

It will be understood that the present invention discloses one specific means for moving a merchandise container to register with an outlet opening. The container is shown to be operated by force and not gravity although a slight rearrangement of the gear and rack teeth would make possible such gravity operation. This modification therefore and any other such as may be necessary for dispensing other classes of merchandise lie within the contemplation of the present invention in so far as they may be set forth in the hereunto annexed claims.

'I-Iaving thus set forth my invention what I claim as new and for which I desire protection by Letters Patent is:-

1. In a vending machine, a bottomless merchandise container, a shelf supporting'said container and the merchandise therein, a reciprocable frame in said machine, tension means maintaining said frame in one position, gear means connecting said frame with said container, and coin manipulating means actuable against said tension means to reciprocate said frame and move said container a given distance along said shelf whereby to expel by gravity one package of merchandise.

2. In a vending machine, a merchandise container, a shelf supporting said container, a reciprocable frame in said machine, a toothed rack on said container, a gear on said machine in mesh with said rack, means on said frame for rotating said gear and further means for reciprocating said frame to move said container a determined distance along said shelf.

3. In a vending machine, a merchandise container, a shelf supporting said container and merchandise contained therein, a reciprocable frame in said machine, tension means maintaining said frame in one position, a toothed rack on said container, a gear on said machine in mesh with said rack, means for rotating said gear a given distance, said means being actuated by one complete reciprocation of said frame.

4. In a vending machine, a merchandise container, a shelf supporting said container and merchandise contained therein, a reciprocable frame in said machine, a toothed rack on said container, a gear on said machine in mesh with said rack, an arm forming part of said frame, spaced teeth on said arm alternately engageable with said gear during reciprocation of said frame and means for reciprocating said frame whereby to advance said container along said shelf.

5. In a vending machine, a merchandise container, a shelf supporting said container and merchandise contained therein, a reciprocable frame in said machine, tension means maintaining said frame in one position, gear means connecting said frame with said container, a coin receiving rod in said machine, said rod being rotatable to cause a coin therein to engage and actuate said frame 75 against said tension means whereby to advance said container along said shelf.

6. In a vending machine, a merchandise container, a shelf supporting said container, a pivoted frame in said machine, gear means connecting said frame with said container, coin manipulating means for actuating said frame to move said container along said shelf, and further means for preventing said coin manipulating means from actuating said frame more than once with a given coin.-

7, In a vending machine, a merchandise container, a shelf supporting said container and merchandise contained therein, a reciprocable frame in said machine, gear means connecting said frame with said container, a coin receiving rod in said machine, said rod being rotatable to cause a coin therein to engage and actuate said frame to advance said container along said shelf, and means for preventing a single coin within said rod from actuating said frame more than once.

8. In a vending machine, a merchandise container, a shelf supporting said container, a reciprocable frame in said machine, tension means maintaining said frame in one position, gear means connecting said frame with said container, coin manipulating means actuable against said tension means to reciprocate said frame and move said container a given distance along said shelf to expel by gravity one package of merchandise, and a pivoted locking arm in said machine, said arm being in contact with a coin in said coin manipulating means and serving to prevent said coin from reciprocating said frame to move said container beyond the distance required to dispense a single package of merchandise.

FRANKLIN D. NEWBERRY.

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