US2517532A - Dispensing machine for paper cups and the like - Google Patents

Description

Aug. 8, 1950 H. CAREW rrAL ,5

' DISPENSING MACHINE FOR PAPER CUPS AND THE LIKE Filed July 25, 1947 3 Sheets-Sheet -1 FIG. I.

Il-W ll 7 Illl|l 65 FIG 2 6| 5| 45 46- l 52 44 68 o so g, 69 ,9 e5 7 1 x13 5 O. as a; 2 '5 I4- INVENTORS HERMAN CARI-1W WAYNE M, MACK 7 ATTORNEYS 7 Aug. 8, 1950 H. CAREW EI'AL' ,5

DISPENSING momma FOR PAPER cuPs m: THE LIKE Filed July 25, 194'! s Sheets-Sheet s l6 Fl G. I INVENTORS HERMAN CAREW WAYNE M.MACK

ATTORNEYS Patented Aug. 8, 1950 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE DISPENSING CHINEFOR PAPER ours AND THE LIKE Herman Carewand Wayne M. Mack, Easton, Pa.,

assignors to Dixie :Cup Company, Easton, Pa., a corporation'o'f Delaware Application July 25, 1947, Serial No. 763,630

assembled groups of customers, necessitating the presence of hundreds of cups in a machine.

It has been found that satisfactory operation ofa drink-dispensing machine is curtailed by the loss of time consumed in the intervals between presentation for; delivery of successive cups to the point desired-customarily the filling zone of a, drink-dispensing machineand in the supplanting of a particular stack of cups nearing depletion, or completely exhausted, by

afresh stack of cups to facilitate continued or uninterrupted operation of the machine.

An important feature of the cup phase of a machineto deliver beverages or the like is, of course, the automatic control of the cups.

Cup dispensing apparatus involving a multistacks carrier for cups and means for shifting the same, combined with cup delivering mechanism to coact with one of the stacks, has heretofore been suggested, but separate motors have been required to attainthe desired functioning of different portions or phases of the operation of the apparatus.

An underlying object or characteristic of the present invention is the improvement of such recognized apparatus by eliminating the necessity for several motors and their appurtenant parts or devices, by providing an apparatus operative throughout the stacks shifting and cup feeding and dispensing phases, through the medium of a single motor, resulting in greater simplicity of mechanism and. efficiency of-opei ation, with corresponding saving of expense in building andassurance of perfect operation over long, substantially continuous use minimizing any need for structural repair, adjustment, or replacement of mechanical elements of the combination. n L

In keeping with the above outlined objects of the invention, a preferred embodiment of the same comprises a simple, compact and strong mechanism, operating throughout from a single motor, including novel mechanism to effect instant shifting of thestacks of cups to successively locate a succeeding stack indispensingposition as a preceding stack becomes completely dis- 1t Claims. (crime-44) pensed, or nears exhaustion, said means being inter-related with means controlled by the stack of cups being dispensed, and comprising substantially rigid intervening connecting or abutting members (devoid of resilient or spring elements) so as to obtain positive action as distinguished from haphazard or spring control.

Said embodiment of the invention includes a motordrive means and constant mechanical conneotion devices for dispensing the cups from a given stack of nested cups (usually of paper), combined with means operative intermittently for actuating the cups-stacks carried to shift the cups-stacks as determined by the freeing of cups from saidgiven stack.

An essential characteristic of the embodiment of the invention referred to resides in novel mechanism, controlled through the medium of the cups being dispensed, for obtaining and shifting positive coupling between the drive shaft from the motor and driven means of the stacks carrier; also the novel formation and arrange- 31118111) -,of a contact controlling device over which the cups of a stack may ride downwardly, adapted to maintain a'continued engagement with the cups, While being dispensed, and to swing in a horizontal plane into the zone of passage of the cups when freed from being held in normal position by such engagement, to complete the drive for the stacks carrier.

yThe invention, also iembraces such contact device, possessing adjustable characteristics.

In aicompanion"application of the applicant Herman Carew, Serial No. 502,679, which matured as Patent'No. 2,433,736, December 30, 1947,

"filed, September 16, 1943, approved mechanism for feeding and delivering=individualcups from a stack has been disclosed, and the details thereof needbut general reference herein.

The preferred embodiment of the present invention, as hereinabove generallydefined, is illustrated in the accompanying drawings formchine approximately from; front to rearbnLa line {represented at XX, Figure l. l r l Figure 3 is a vertical sectional view on the line tion or drive from the motor.

Y- Y of Figure l, with the parts shown in one position, and Figure 4 is a similar sectional view illustrating the parts in another position.

Figure 5 is an enlarged elevation, from the front of Figure 2, parts being omitted to better show what we will term the constant contact member for stack of cups.

Figure 6 is a perspective view of said contact member.

Figure 7 is a top view of one type of cup-stacks carrier.

Figure 8 is a, vertical sectional view illustrating the arrangement of the cups carrier in the machine, with one of the stacks in registration with the cup separating and delivery station.

Referring more specifically to the drawings wherein like reference characters designate the same parts in the several views 7 represents the base plate of a frame, comprising said base plate, a top plate 8 and upright spacing or corner connections or posts 9, the whole being held together by fastening screws It passed through the upper plate 8 into engagement with the posts.

On the base 1, near one edge thereof, is mounted an electric motor H, of suitable size and construction, the inner wall or end of the motor casing for confining the suitable reduction gears, etc.not a part of the present inventionbeing indicated at l2. From the motor casing extends a horizontal drive shaft i3 which is the primary or main drive shaft, receiving its mo--' This drive shaft extends horizontally through the machine and to near the casing or box l4 containing the worms I5 for effecting feed of the cups into the tube Hi, to be delivered at It to th point of not a part of the present invention-comprises a stub shaft l1 passing out through the side of the box or casing l4 intended to be in approxi-- mate alignment with the main drive shaft l3. To accommodate for any misalignment (axially) of the two shafts i3 and I1, while affording a positive connection therebetween, so as to effect a rotative drive throughout the length of the combined shafts l3 and IT, they have offset or crank portions [8 and H), the latter bearing a cross connection between the cranks l8 and [9, attached to the member l9, and having a radial movement or adjustment in a slotted side I8 of the crank l8, so that as the cranks are rotated they will effect an adjustment to compensate for any such misalignment of the shafts l3 and 11. On the cross connection 20 a cam 28' is provided for contacting a switch roller 2|, on a resilient switch member 22 to break the operating circuit for the motor customarily made by suitable mechanism not shown, associated with a coin and slot device, to start the machine in operation.

The self-adjustable coupling above defined for allowing for any misalignment of the adjacent end portions of the operating shaft, constitutes the subject matter of the application of the present joint inventor Wayne M. Mack, Serial No. 633,478, filed December 7, 1945, and therefore will not be specifically claimed herein.

Secured to the end wall [2 of the gear casing ll, of the motor, is the vertical member 23 of a bracket, cut away at its central portion 24 (Figure 2) to bridge the drive shaft l3 and immediate parts associated with the latter, this bracket being secured to the wall l2 by screws and nuts 25, and having a right angle or horizontal flange 26, also a companion parallel flange 21 struck out from the plate 23 in providing the opening 24.

Below the flange 21, and on the drive shaft [3, extending parallel to said flange 21, is a beveled gear 28 pinned to the shaft, as at 29; and loosely projecting through an opening 30 in said flange 2'! is a vertically slidable shaft 3| carrying a beveled gear 32, keyed to the shaft at 33, and disposed at right angles to the companion gear 28, whereby to mesh with the latter.

The upper end of the shaft 3| fits into and is pinned as at 34 to a sleeve 35, at the lower end of the latter, said sleeve, at its upper end having a slotted portion 36 through which passes a pin 31 on a stem 38, carrying a gear 39, pinned at 40, to a reduced extension 4| on the stem 38.

The effect of this arrangement is that a driving of the shaft [3 by the motor will turn the beveled gear 28 imparting motion to the companion beveled gear 32 to the shaft 3| and therefrom to the sleeve 35, stem 38 and gear 38, the result being the rotation of the gear 39, meshing with a toothed or gear ring 42, freely supported on the under surface of the top plate 8, and causing a rotation of the cup-stacks carrier 43 (Figures 2 and '7). It is noted that the top plate 8 has depending therefrom a supporting spider 44, attached through its flanges 45 by welding or its equivalent to the underside of the top plate 8. It is in the space 45 defined by the spider 44 that the gear ring 42 is mounted, said gear ring loosely encircling a stub axle 41, and fitting the peripheral groove 48 of which is a spring ring 49 overlapping the inner edge of the gear ring to prevent longitudinal movement of the latter on the stub shaft 41 while leaving it at all times free to rotate under the actuation of the gear 39.

The ring gear 42 bears on its bottom upon the ring 50 between which, and another similar ring 5|, a ballbearing member 52 is interposed to insure easy rotation of the cup stacks carrier and cups, the weight of which latter is considerable, having in mind the multiplicity of stacks and the hundreds or more cups in the stacks.

The positive rotation of the stacks carrier 43 is accomplished through the medium of a cylindrical column 53 simply slipped over the upper edge of the stub axle 41, or on the other hand lifted off from said stem, when the Whole superstructure is put in place or removed, the lower end of the cylindrical column 53 having an outwardly projecting surrounding flange 54-perforated as at 55--to rest upon the upper surface of the ring gear 42 when slipped downwardly over the pins 56 on the upper surface of said ring gear. Thereby, an eflicient positive rotation of the stacks of cups and their carrier is imparted thereto by the ring gear 42, because of the interlocking of these elements together, although, as stated, they are readily separable for removal of the super-structure including column 53, cup containing tubes 43, etc.

Operatively associated with the gearing 28 and 32 and their related instrumentalities, are a toggle means and a constant cup-engaging or contacting member adapted, so long as cups are remaining in the stack being dispensed, to effect disconnection of the drive shaft from the driven shaft 3| for the ring gear 42 to prevent rotation of the cup stacks carrier. Specifically, this means consists of toggle members or links 51 and 58 pivoted together, at 58 (constituting the knee, so to speak, of the toggle) the member 58 being pivotally connected at 60 to the flange 21 of the an mate plate or; bracket 23;, andwtheothenrmemben; 51, pivotally associated, but noindirectly connected with the fiangeor head 6! -of the.; sleeve 35; permittingsaid sleeverto rotate-with said flange 5|, bearing upon the pin BZ'of thetoggle :member 51.

For stability, the members or links ofthetoggle are U-shaped crosssection; to, provide side flanges 51a and 58a. connected; by bridge pieces or webs63 and td lasshownin Figures IwandZ). Between the upper end of the bridge piece; 63 of the link 5'! andlthe periphery ofsthe flange 6|, are stop pins 65 depending fromthewfiange 25 of the plate or bracket 23-, isaid,stoppins conlining the pivots, 62 ofthe link 5] in closerelation to the rounded groove ,63,-,beneath thelflange 61, but'perm'ittingth link 51*to. swing, towards and from the sleeve 35. v a v The togglelink 5l-5'B can-never assumea fixed or dad center position because the stop-pins 65 will: prevent the inwardmovement of the toggle to an aligned position of thepivots 59; GmandGZ.

The relative positions of the parts, just described, when the stack carrier is not to be shifted--that so long as the cupsof a particular stack (Figure 8) being dispensed is ampleis clearly shown inflFigure 4. Here, the operation of'the motor, as through .the medium of a suitable coin control (not shown) will efiect the separation and delivery of singlecups from the stack, one revolution of the motor shaft l3 I'lbeing' sufficient to that end, the circuit being controlled by the switch 2|, operated by the cam 20'.

Here it is noted that the toggle has been straightenedvertitzally so as to lift thesleeve 3'5,

depending shaft 3| and beveled gear 32 to raise the latter away from meshing, relationship with the companion drive gear 28 so that the gear 32 and associated parts, including thegear 39; will not be driven or rotated when a stack of cups has not been depleted to an extent defined by additional means to be pointed out.

When, however, the cups of the stack being dispensed hasbeeridepleted to the predetermined extent, and it becomes desirable to place a new stack in registering position with respect to the delivery opening 66 (Figure 1) and delivery worms I5, the parts are moved to the alternative position illustrated in Figure 3', where the drive from the 1 common motor shaft i3 is effective through the driven shaft3l and connected mech anism to shift thestacks carrier to present the new stack as stated. This is attained primarily through the said additional means comprising a constant cup contactingdevice interposed between the descendingstack ofcupsbeing' dispensed and the knee of thetoggle5l -58 to control the shifting of the sleeve 35*and consequentposition of-the gear 32- carried thereby.

This contactdevice isrepresented at 61, Figures 1, 2, 5 and=6,in=the formof a vertically disposed member of suitable width, and eas curva ture upwardly and outwardly, adaptednormally to enter into the path of movement of the descending cups and be 'in engagement with the outer surfaces thereof, conveniently the rim or lip at the mouth of the cups; under a light pressure that will not prevent the descent of the stack of cups sliding against the same;

The: contact device 61 has a horizontal securing flange 6B overlyingand fastened to the outer end: of alever 69, bya screw andslot adjustable means Ill, enabling the positioning of-the contact member longitudinally orrtransversely, or both, relative to the 1 lever; 69113000011113; a corresponding; relationship :withthe :stack oflcups' being zdis-l pensed;anditosproperly engage-the cups=of isaid :stackas the latter descend.

wardlyflfromnthe bracketu23;.thea pin lbeingtsetoured to this. ledge and the sleeve; I21 being in'- tegral v with thellever so as to bessleevedllthere overland ,coincidently: retained in positionzbya the weight; thereof for movement in a rotary, direction. l

, Thelever: 69 has welded thereto, .ortformedlintegralitherewith an ofiset portion or extension 14 approachingthe bracket23=and terminating in a downwardly, andoutwardly extendingflat plate-like terminal 15, occupying a-position generally parallel to the-bracket 23 and betweemthe bracket, and the togglemembers 51 and 58. Thus in a simple, easily-maintained mechanismnthe ,controlmeans governed by the depletinglstack of cups is attained, with a minimum number of strong parts of durable character, not susc'eptible to disarrangement, or impairment inherent. in more delicate or hazardous elements as springs, liable to break or weaken and needing replace-- ment or adjustment, from time to. time.

'l'heplate-like terminal 150i thelever 6,9; is adaptedto engage the knee, of the toggle 51-958 when said terminal is moved by the leverfromthe outer position Figure 3 to the inner position Figure 4-, it being observed that when the contact member 61, carriedlby -the lever, is inlengagement with the stack ofvcups, the contaotend ofthe lever is held outwardly by the engagement of the cups therewith, which will cause theleven B9 to swing on its pivot, and move the terminal, portion-.15 thereof against the knee of the atoggletorela tively straightenout the toggle, as before stated inoonnectionvwith Figure 4. l Becauseof the anchorage of thelower member 58 of the toggleonrthe pivot 60 the action ofrthe togglelwill forcel the upper member 51 upwardly, correspondingly causing the pin 62 to engage-the flange $1 of the sleeve 35, to elevate. the sleeve and associated parts to disengage thevgears 32 and L28.- Thus, while cups remain inudispensing.position lin the machine, so as to press the lever 69 outwardly, there can be no operation of; the turntable'on stacks carrier 43; Howevenwhen the ,few final cups havepassedl below the contact member 611 (Figure 2), said contact member is no longer, pressed outwardly by contactof: the 0111332131181?- with,- but will be moved inwardly asubstantial distance within the-arealeft vacant bythe de'-, scended cups, the lever 69 correspondingly move ing outwardly to the positionshownimFigure: 3; with the plate 15 of the lever against thefaceof the bracket 23. Thismovement is caused by the weight of thesleeve 35;,thershaft 3| and gear 32= operating bygravity to descend andforce thelink' members 51 and 58 to bend=outwardly underthe influence of thepin 62 and flange 61,, forcibly pushingthe knee of the toggle against the plate extension lfi ofithe lever. 69*; andengagingthe 6'5: gears 32 and 28,,whereby to drivethelring gear; 42 of the cupscarrier through the companiongear 39;

Possibly, at: times, there might be ,atendency'to' create axvacuum between thestem 38andl shaft- 3l-if the latter be solid-that might beobjec tiona'blel. and: to avoid any such possibility the shaft 3! is a! hollow shaft; as indicated at 16; so that there'will always bean air passage "from the lowerbencl-of said shafttherethrough and taweea mesameand the enchoi the-stem'-38 It will be appreciated that when the gear conmotion between the drive shaft l3 and driven shaft 3| is disrupted by the return movement, or raising of the sleeve 35 and associated parts, there will no longer exist any drive for the gear 39 and ring gear 42 of the stacks carrier. The latter, while free to be rotated, will normally remain practically stationary. Therefore, when any given stack is in substantial registration with the opening 66 or dispensing worms adjacent thereto, and the stack of cups may be a bit out of line or irregular, the stacks carrier may adjust itself or give, rotativelyback-and-forth, as influenced by the stack, in keeping with such irregularity.

As is customary, the cups ll of all of the stacks in the carrier 43 rest, with the bottom of the lowermost cup, on a smooth plate or finish 18 constituting the face of the top plate 8, upon which the stacks may ride in the movement of the stacks carrier until the immediate stack, to supplement the few remaining cups of the stack being dispensed, moves off the plate at the dispensing station as represented in Figure 8.

From the foregoing disclosure of the construction and operation of the one embodiment of the invention, it will be appreciated that we secure, without needless interruption and delay, the dispensing of cups from the successive stacks contained in the machine until all of the cups of all of the stacks are exhausted, all that is necessary is to successivel initiate the operation of the electric drive motor by some well-known or suitable coin control, and the apparatus will, ever throughout the drive connections from the motor with the cup dispensing means, actuate the latter, and as requirement for supplementing the cups at the dispensing station arises, the supply means will be automatically actuated from the same motor without interruption or interference of the constant driving instrumentalities beween the motor and the cup dispensing means.

In this way the dispensing of a cup and the supplemental supply of a new stack at the dispensing station may be contemporaneously performed, or simultaneously obtained, without interference of the two functioning phases of the machine with each other, that is, carried on during one cycle of operation of the machine, as defined by the starting of the machine, as by the coin control, and the stopping of the machine in the rotation of the drive shaft by the switch control and 2|.

While we have herein disclosed the preferred embodiment of the invention, it will be understood that said invention may be embodied in other forms embraced within the scope of the hereto appended claims.

We claim:

1. In a machine having a carrier for a plurality of stacks of nested cups adapted to successively presentthe stacks in registration with means for feeding and dispensing single cups from the bottom of a stack: the combination with a motor drive andmeans operatively associated therewith for moving the carrier to supplant a stack being dispensed by a fresh stack, comprising a driven rack on the carrier, a member formed and arranged to constantly engage the cups of the stack being dispensed and be freed therefrom from movement when said stack has been depleted to a given extent, said member being carried by a lever pivoted intermediate of the ends thereof for effecting such movement, a toggle lever arranged to contact the inner end of said lever to move the lever when said member is freed from engagement with the cups, and a shiftable 8 member engaged by the toggle lever having cooperatively associated gearing meshed with the driven rack on the carrier and arranged to effect the drive when said toggle lever is in-one posi tion but to free the carrier from the drive when said toggle lever is in an opposite position.

2. In a machine having a carrier for a plurality of stacks for registration with means for feeding and dispensing single cups from the bottom of a stack: the combination with a motor drive and means operatively associated therewith for moving the carrier to supplant a stack being dispensed by a fresh stack, comprising a correlated driven device on the carrier, a member formed and arranged to constantly engage the cups of the stack being dispensed and be freed therefrom for movement when said stack has been depleted to a given extent, said member being carried by a pivoted lever for effecting such movement, a toggle lever arranged to contact said lever to move the lever when said member is freed'from engagement with the cups, and a shiftable member engaged by the toggle lever having cooperatively associated gearing meshed with the driven. device on the carrier and arranged to effect the drive whensaid toggle lever is in one position but to free the carrier from the drive when said toggle lever is in an opposite position.

3. In a machine having a carrier for a plurality of stacks for registration with means for feeding and dispensing single cups from the bottom of a stack: the combination with a motor drive and means operatively associated therewith for moving the carrier to supplant a stack being dispensed by a fresh stack, comprising a correlated driven device on the carrier, a member formed and arranged to constantly engage the cups of the stack being dispensed and be freed therefrom for movement when said stack has been depleted to a given extent, said member being carried by a pivoted lever for effecting such movement, a toggle lever arranged to contact said lever to move the lever when said member is freed from engagement with the cups, said toggle lever having its knee in riding contact with said lever when said member is free from engagement with the cups, and a shiftable member engagedby the toggle lever having cooperatively associated gearing with the driven device on the carrier, and adapted to engage the motor drive when the toggle lever is in one position but to free the carrier when said toggle lever is in an opposite position.

i. In a machine having a carrier for a plurality of stacks for registration with means for feeding and dispensing single cups from the bottom of a stack: the combination with a motor drive and means operatively associated therewith for moving the carrier to supplant a stack being dispensed by a fresh stack, comprising a correlated driven device on the carrier, a member formed and arranged to constantly engage the cups of the stack being dispensed and be freed therefrom for movement when said stack has been depleted to a given extent, said member being carried by a pivoted lever for effecting such movement, a toggle lever arranged'to contact said lever to move the lever when said member is freed from engagement with the cups, and a shiftable member engaged by the toggle lever having cooperatively associated gearing meshed with the driven device on the carrier and arranged to effect the drive when said toggle lever is in one position but to free thecarrier from the drive when said toggle lever. is in an opposite position,

the toggle lever and cup-engaging member being so formed and related to the shiftable member and gearing carried thereby so that the weight of the latter will force the cup engaging member into its freed position after the passage of cups thereby to said given extent, to effect the drive of the carrier, and subsequent engagement of cups with the cup-engaging member will cause the lever to force the toggle lever inwardly, raise the shiftable member and separate the gearing to discontinue the drive for the carrier.

5. In a machine having a carrier for a plurality of stacks of nested cups adapted to successively present the stacks in registration with means for feeding and dispensing single cups from the bottom of a stack, a driven means on the carrier, and a motor drive: the combination therewith of means for effecting movement of the carrier to supplant a stack being dispensed by a fresh stack when the former has been depleted to a predetermined extent, comprising a member formed and arranged to engage the stack of cups being dispensed and to be freed for movement when said stack is depleted to said extent, said member being carried by a pivoted lever, and means cooperatively related to the lever formed and arranged to be shifted by its own weight to effect the drive when the cup engaging means is freed, and to be elevated against the force of gravity by the engagement of cups with said lever to discontinue the drive.

6. In a cup dispensing machine of the character described, dispensing mechanism for delivering individual cups from a stack, a carrier for a plurality of supplemental stacks of cups, means for intermittently actuating the carrier to present a fresh stack of cups as a preceding stack nears depletion by the dispensing means, means governed by the cups of the immediate stack being dispensed for controlling the said last-mentioned means, and a common motor for actuating both the cup dispensing means and the stacks shifting means, having a motor driven shaft and shiftable gear connections whereby the cup dispensing means and the stacks-carrier may be actuated during a single cycle of movement of the machine defined by one complete revolution of the motor driven shaft.

7. In a machine having a carrier for a plurality of stacks of nested cups adapted to successively present the stacks in registration with means for feeding and dispensing single cups from the bottom of a stack, a driven device on the carrier, and driving mechanism: the combination therewith of means to engage the device for moving the carrier to supplant a stack being dispensed by a fresh stack when the former has been depleted to a pretermined extent, comprising a member formed and arranged to constantly engage the outside of the cups being dispensed and be freed for movement when said stack has been depleted to said extent, said member being carried by a lever, and means cooperatively related to one end of said lever including a cam lever, a rotatable sleeve movable thereby, and adjustable gearing adapted to be engaged with the driving mechanism and also with the driven device on the carrier to actuate the carrier in keeping with the adjustment of said gearing.

8. In a cup dispensing machine of the character described, a dispensing mechanism for delivering individual cups from a stack of cups, a carrier for a plurality of supplemental stacks of cups, means for intermittently actuating the carrier to present a fresh stack of cups as a preceding stack nears depletion by the dispensing means, and a lever operated by the cups of the immediate stack being dispensed associated with the carrieractuating means, said carrier-actuating means including a rotating drive shaft, and a driven shaft having rotating gear connections with said carrier and said drive shaft, one of the said gears being movable to disconnect the drive to the carrier, said cup operated lever controlling the movements of the movable gear.

9. In a cup dispensing machine of the character described, a dispensing mechanism for delivering individual cups from a stack of cups, a carrier for a plurality of supplemental stacks of cups, means for intermittently actuating the carrier to present a fresh stack of cups as the preceding stack nears depletion by the dispensing means, and a lever operated by the cups of the immediate stack being dispensed associated with the carrier-actuating means, said carrier-actuating means comprising a rotating drive shaft, a two-part driven shaft having rotary gear connections with said carrier and drive shaft, one part of the driven shaft being movable relative to the other part to disconnect the drive to the carrier, a sleeve on the movable part slidable on the other part, and link means adjacent said driven shaft engaging the said slidable sleeve to move the sleeve in one direction and permit movement in the opposite direction, said cup operated lever engaging the link means to control the movements of said slidable sleeve.

10. In a cup dispensing machine of the char,- acter described, a dispensing mechanism for delivering individual cups from a stack of cups, 2. carrier for a plurality of supplemental stacks of cups, means for intermittently actuating the carrier to present a fresh stack of cups as the preceding stack nears depletion by the dispensing means, and a lever operated by the cups of the immediate stack being dispensed associated with the carrier-actuating means, said carrier-actuating means comprising a rotating drive shaft, a two-part driven shaft having rotary gear connections with said carrier and drive shaft, one part of the driven shaft being movable relative to the other part to disconnect the drive to the carrier, a sleeve on the movable part slidable on the other part, and toggle links adjacent said driven shaft, one of said links being pivoted to a fixed support and the other link engaging the said slidable sleeve to move said sleeve in one direction and permit movement in the opposite direction, said cup operated lever engaging the toggle links to control the movements of said slidable sleeve.

HERMAN CAREW. WAYNE M. MACK.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name 1 Date 2,371,150 Carlson Mar. 13, 1945 2,385,267 Franz Sept. 18, 1945

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