US1277470A - Coin-controlled vending-machine. - Google Patents

Description

.PAUPA L G. F. HOCHRIEIVI.

COIN CONIROLLED VENDING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED OCT. 5. |911.

Patented Sept. 3, 1918.

6 SHEETS-shim 1.

Patented sept. 3,1918.

6 SHEETS-SHEE 2. ,93 22 wf/wml ,U/f a PAUPA & G. F. HOCHRIEIVI.

COIN CONTROLLED VENDING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED OCT. 5. 19|?.

.PAUPA & G. F. HUCHHIENI.

com coNTRoLLEn vENmNG MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED OCT. 5. |9l7.

` Patented Sept. 3, 1918.

6 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

LWAYO.

l. PAUPA & G. F. HUCHRIEM.

COIN CONTROLLED VENDING MACHINE.

APPucATloN FILED ocr. s. 19u.

. Y Pamfedsgpt. 3,1918.

6 SHEETS-SHEU 4. 7X 4 J. PAUPA & G. 1F. HOCHRIEM. com coNTRoLLED VENDING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED OCT. 5.1917.

Yatented Sept. 3, 1918.

6 SHEETS-SHEET 5- I. PAUPA & G. F. HOCHRIEIVI. com coNRoLLED VENDING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED OCT. 5. ISI?.

l ,27?,470h Patented Sept. 3, 1918. l

SHEETsfsHEr e..

' teramo.

aan saires narrar onirica.

' JOSEPH PAUPA AND GUSTAV F. HOGHRIEM, or CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

. COIN-COINTBOLLED VENDING-MACHINE. f

.Toi aZZ whom z't. concern.'

' chinas, of which the following is a `Spazial. cation.

This invention relates to improvements in vending machines, and more partlcularly to a vending machine in which is incorporated a game apparatus.v 'i

One of the objects of the invention is to provide a combined-game and vending machine wherein a coin-released elevator is manually operated to raise a single playing ball from the bottom or discharge end of the board to the-upper or starting point. y

Another object'of the invention is to pro'- vide a freely movable ball receiving, guideway in combination with the game board, whereby the path of the playing ball is variable, depending upon Vthe position which the movable memberhappens to assume at the time the ball is dropped from thestarting point. i v l A" still ,further object of the invention is to provide in combination with a Vendingf mechanism and game mechanism, a signal device operated by the playing ball in the event the player is-skilful enough to catch the ball in a manually, movable'cup as it falls through the hazards of the bagatelle board. l

A still further object of the invention is to generally improve the vending machine and game and improve and simplify the apparatus as an entirety. l

`Still' other and further objects will become readily'apparent to those skilled in the art from a consideration of the following description and drawings wherein:

Figure l is a front elevation of the ap paratus. i A ,t

Fig. 2 is a rear elevation thereof with the door removed.v K

*Fig 3 is an enlarged, fragmentary,y rear velevation' of V'the vvcoin-releasedV actuating mechanism. l l

Fig. 4 1s a lvertical sectional View on the I line 4 4 of Fig. 2'.

` Fig.` 5 is a lhorizontal sectional view on Specification of Letters Patent. Application `tiled October 5, 1917. Serial No.'1`94,871.

lljatelntedlA Sept. 3, MMS.

ing mechanism. v

Fig. 7 is a fragmentary, vertical sectional view on the line 7-7 of Fig. 4.

Fig. 8 is a fragmentary, vertical sectional View on the line 8 8 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 9 is a fragmentary sectional view on the line 9 9 of Fig. 2.

10 is a fragmentary perspective view of the merchandise magazine illustrating the method of charging the same, and;

Fig. l1 isa fragmentary sectional View Fig. 64 is a, bottom plan View of the vend- Aon the line ll-llof Fig. f ,The apparatus comprises in general an inclosing casing, the front face of which constitutes a bagatelle b oard and within which is mounted a vending mechanism, the game apparatus and vending mechanism being conditioned for manual operation upon the depositing of a coin within av coin slot provided in the face of the machine. A lever extending throughV the front of the machine may then be actuated, operating the vending mechanismwhich supplies a package of merchandise, for" example, a package of gum, and at the same time starts the game in operation. The game apparatus comprises a vertical, bagatelle board with which coperates a playing ball, elevated on the manual operation of the machine to the thereof andv courses down through the various hazards. yAcross the front of the bagatelle board 'under the hazards is positioned a horizontally slidable cup which may be manually operated by a knob extending through the front of the casing so that the operator, if'skilful enough, may catch the ball as it falls 4from the hazards, in which event the success of the player will be indi-` cated by the ringing of a gong. The playing ball whether it is caught, or follows its usual course, returns to the bottom of-the apparatus and into an yelevator at the rear of the board in position for a subsequent operation.

One of the'difliculties encountered with bagatelle boards of this character, is that the playing ball in startin froml the top of the machine will usually ollow a fixed course before striking the hazards, depending upon whether the machine is mounted absolutely level or is slanted one wayr or the other. To eliminate this certainty of operation and to make'the catching of the ball more difiicult, the iirst runway upon which the ball falls and which diverges from a central apex I to each side ismounted upon a pivot and mechanism. Operation of the lever then delivers a package of merchandise and at the same time actuates a ball elevator which comprises a long pivoted arm carrym a ball receiving pocket at its end into which the ball drops after it has completed its passage over the bagatelle board. The lever 1s swung in an arc raising the ball to the top of the bagatelle board and then drops 1t through an orifice upon the swinging guideway. If the operator is successful in catch- A back into the elevator.

ing the ball in the movable cup, a spring automatically returns the cup to its starting position permitting the ball to drop from the cup through an opening in the board down a chute and again out through an opening to the face of the bagatelle board and onto the return runway which guides it In the chute through which the ball passes in returning to the front of the ba' atelle board is positioned a trigger actuate by the Weight of the ball to rlng a gong thus signaling the success of the player.

Referring noW to the particular embodiment, chosen to .illustrate a preferred form of the invention, the numeral 20 indicates the base of the cabinet or casing from which the opposite parallel sidewalls 21 and 22 extend upwardly and are connected by a top or cover 23. A rectangular face or front frame 24, AWithin' the opening of which is mounted the bagatelle board 25, constitutes the front of the casing, a glass window 26 overlying'the face ofthe bagatelle board and serving ,as an outer wall of the channel through which the playing ball descends. A removable door 27 closes the rear of the casing giving access, to the mechanism and in the lower portion of the rear of the casing a removable door 28 is provided opening to a coin receptacle 29.

The coin released mechanism forms no part of the present invention, and, as it is fully described in our co-pending application Serial No. 82,927 filed March 8, 1916, and entitled coin controlled vending machine, we will refer to the same but brieiy.

The coin released mechanism comprises a pair of plates 30 and 31 s aced apart on posts 32 and secured to brac ets 33 extend ing rearwardly from the bagatelle board 25. A plate 34 is slidabl mounted on the front face of the inner p ate 31 and at its inner edge carries a flange 35 which extends across the front of the opening between the two spaced apart plates. The manually operable mechanism comprises a hand lever 37 projecting outwardly from a vertically reciprocable bar 36 which is guidedly supported in outstanding brackets 38 formed integralv with the back of the bagatelle board. The lever 37 extends through an opening 39 cut in the front wall of the `'casing and covered by a vertically slotted late 40. A shaft 41 journaled in the space apart plate 30--31 has a crank 42 formed on its front end engaging with thehorizontal slot or guideway 43 formed in a side extension of the bar 36. Vertical reciprocation of the bar 36 will cause oscillatlon or partial rotation of the shaft 41, a spring 44 normally maintaining the bar 36 in its uppermost position. Secured on the shaft 41 is a downwardly extending crank 45 `to which is pivoted a A'horizontal rod 46 guidedly supported in an opening in the wall 47 of a coin chute 48. Normally the rod 46 is free to pass through the opening in the wall ofthe coin chute and through a registering opening 49 in the flange 35 of plate 34. In the event, however, of a'coin being dropped into the chute 48, the same will serve as a lock or key to obstruct the movement of rod 46 through the opening 49 and cause engagement between rod 46 and the flange 35 of the slidable plate 34, connecting these parts for movement by the hand lever 37.`

A coin dropped into the slot in plate 50 positioned at the right hand upper corner of the face of the machine falls into the rearwardly and downwardly inclined chute 51. The coin passes from the rear end of coin chute 51 to the vertical chute 52 which at its lower end bends inwardly into register with chute 48. Ratchet teeth 454 are termedA on a sector integral with the lower'end of arm '45 for. engagement with the pivoted dog 55 which prevents retro ade movement of the mechanism until it as nearly comleted a full stroke in either direction. bpring'56 resiliently holds the dog in vertical position and a coil spring 57 resiliently holds the plate 34 in its retracted position.

From the above it will be apparent that.

normally the hand lever 37 is free to move without initiating any operation of the mechanism but on a coin being deposited in the chute and serving as a lock between the rod 46 and late 34 the movement of the hand lever 3 will cause movement of the plate 34 to the right (looking at Fig. l3) to actuate the vending and game mechanism.

iso

Lainate e front of the machine. The

' last dropped coin is' held within the chamber 50 by a movable lbottom 53 formed as a downwardly depending extension of the.

plate34. As the vplate is moved forward on a successive operation, the bottom 53 is moved from under the coin which drops into a chute 54- leading into the coin receptacle 29. -As the plate 34 moves back. into its initial position and the next coin is released, the bottom I53again is positioned beneath i the chamber 50 and this last coin then ldropping through the channel 48 is held until the next operation of the machine.

Turning now to the vending mechanism which is one of the instrumentalitles made operable upon the insertion of a'coin, we

have mounted a horizontal plate 58 near the bottom of the bagatelle board 25 upon rearwardly extending-lugs 58 integral with theback of the board. A magazine or re'- Aceptacle within which the articles to be vended, are contained, extends upwardly from plate 58 and comprises a pair of op positely positioned channels 59 within vwhich the articles are stacked and guided down through an opening 60 in the plate 58. Beneath this o 'ening and spaced downwardly from the p ate-"58 isa second plate 61, 4the upturned sides. 62 of which serve as guides within? which i'eeiprocates theycar riage- 63. ,Thearriagelisprovided a rectangular opening .64,corfresponding; to

the plan area 'ofthe 'packagesto be distributed and is. normally` maintained '-by' means 'of springA 65, rin position with the opening 6 4 out ofregister with the open-' ing of the'chutdbut vin register with the h te A cutaway ortion 66 in the lower plate 61.

-A lever 6 pivoted at 68 extends through slots in the -upturned walls 6 2 and engages the carriage, its end projecting well -beyond the vendin Amechanism for suitable operation. Osci ation of lever.l67 causes reciprocationl of carriage 63.4 When the mec anism is in the position' 'indicated in Fig. 7 the lowermost of ,f the packages within the chute 59 rest upon the table 69 of carriage 63. On the lever 67 -being swung into 1ts opposite extreme position, the opening 64 in the carriage will register with the opening in the chute and the lowermost of the stacked packages will drop into this opening. The spring then returns the carnage permitting observation of4 thelever 100 is engaged by a into the position as shown in Fig. 7 .and the package drops from the opening 64 in the carriage through the cut-away portion 66 of the under plate. The package thus ejected falls upon a guiding wall 70 which leads to a recess 71 opening through the bottom of the front wall-of the casin .at 72.

In Fig. 10, we have illustrateda arger by means of which the storage magazine 59 may be quickly and conveniently replenished. A tube 75 of. asize permitting it to telescope within' the magazine 59, is provided at' lts lower end with a air of fiat leaf springs 77 which extend ightl into the lower end thereof to engage the owermost of a series` of stacked packages 76 which-may be conveniently inserted within tube 75, at the store or oiice of the operator.

The attendant 'in chargin the machine opens the rearr door 27 which permits the ackages temporarily in place but insufiiclent to prevent their being transferred to themag'azine 59 when tube 75 is withdrawn.

lFor the purpose ofl connecting .thehand operated coin-released mechanism with the delivery mechanism, we 'have rovided a lever piv 0ted to the backA o the bagatelle board lasat 101 with `its lower end extending through'a slot 102 in plate 58 for engagement with .the delivery carriage ac-- tuatmgv lever 67. The up er end ofthe ug 103 secured ate 34. en'the on the flange 35 of late 3 4 is connected to the hand lever, the

ug 103is pushed against the upper end of' the lever. 100 drawing the lower end of the lever Yto the left andy actuating the delivery slide to deposit a package in the delivery atch lever 104 ,is pivoted "as at 105 on the outer plate of the coin-released mechanism with its endl adapted to be pressed by lmeans, of spring 106 into engagement with the upper edge of the outstandm lip 104 projecting from flange 35. en the flange is at. the extreme right-hand position, the spring 106 forces the latchl into engagement w1th the rear face ofthe lip 104 vholding the plate 34 and flange' 35 in this position until the latch is released. On the manuall operated lever bein returned to vits starting position an arm 1 carried by'shaft 41 and extending through opening 108 in the plate 30 drops down upon therear end oflever 104 and forces it out from engagement with the lip 104. The plate 34 and consequently lever 100 then spring back into position under the influence of the delivery slide actuating spring 65.

The game mechanism of the appartus par`v takes of the nature of a bagatelle board in which a steel ball 125 comprises the movable yplaying member. The bagatelle board heretofore referred to and designated by the numeral 25 comprising the front of the casing within which the mechanism is inclosed and is provided with an outstanding peripheral rim 126 which spaces the lat surface 25 of the board rearwardly from the glass 26, a distance somewhat greater than the diameter of the playing ball. The front of the board is arranged with feed opening 127 in flange 126 at its upper central portion through which the ball is discharged into the guide-ways and hazards. Immediately below the feed opening 127 we have provided a rocking guide member 128 having diverging channels 129, the center being somewhat higher than the ends and positioned immediately beneath the opening 127. The guide-way is carried on a shaft 130 journaled in theboard as at 131 and carrying at the rear, behind the bagatelle board, a depending, weighting pendulum arm 132. Stop pins 133 project outwardly from the front `of the board to limit the oscillatory movement of the member 128. A ball dropped through the orifice 127' falls upon the oscillating member 128 and, depending upon the position which it happens to occupy at that time, will fall either to the left or right thereof, its course to the right or left being an indeterminate quantity over which the operator has no control.

Immediately below the oscillating member 128, we have provided a pair of downwardly inclined runways 134 which extend inwardly from opposite' sides of the board, their inner ends being spaced apart to permit the ball to fall downwardly into a hazard comprising a plurality of spaced apart outwardly extending pins 135. 1mmediately below-the hazard 135, a horizontal slot is formed in the back wall 25 of the bagatelle board through which project a pair of arms 137 carrying at their outer ends a cup 138, in which the playing ball may be caught. The .arms .137 with the cup 138 are longitudinally slidable across the face of the. machine through the slot 136 by the manual operation of a knob or handle 139 which projects outwardly through the front of the lcasing near the lower left hand corner thereof. yThe knob 139 is mounted on the outer end of a shaft 140 which passes through the lframe to the rear of the board and carries an upwardly extending lever 141. This lever in turn is connected by means of a link 142 with the lower end of the lever narrate 143 pivoted at 144. The upper end of lever 143 is provided with a slot 145 which engages a pin 146 extending rearwardly from a carriage v147 transversely slidable across the boardv on a guide-rod 148. An arm 149 projects upwardly from the carriage and bears against a guide-rib 150. The basket or cup carrying arms 137 are connected to I the carriage 147 and theoperator may therefore slide the carriage 147 with its ball catching cup 138 to the left or right across the face of the machine by oscillating the handle 139. A spring 153 returns the ball catching mechanism to its initial position shown in. Fig. 2, a stop 164 engaging lever 141 to limit its movement.

-Directly below the slot 136 is a runway C 151 extending across the entire width of the machine and inclined downwardly to the' left (looking at the front ofthe machine), so that a ball falling through the hazard will drop upon the runway and be returned through an orifice 152 at the lower left hand corner of the runway to the rear of the board for subsequent elevation to the opening 127.

In the event the operator is successful in -catching the ball 125 within the cup 138 of the movable member the spring 153 returns the carriage with its caught ball to its initial position as shown in Figs. 1 and 2. When in this position, the rear open face of thecup 138, which heretofore has been closed by coperation with the bagatelle board, now registers with an opening 154 in the face ofthe board communicating with a short, vertical channel 155 formed by an offset portion 156 of the board and a plate 157 which overlies the rear thereof. The ball dropping down through thechannel 155 is again returned to the front of the machine through an opening 158 which leads the ball back upon the runway 151.` In passing through lthe channel 155, the ball strikes an' arm 159 which projects into the channel and forms one end of a lever 416() pivoted as at 161 upon an extension of plate 157 and carrying upon its lower, depending end a hammer 162 for engagement with a gong or bell 163. By means of this apparatus the success of the operator in catching a ball is indicated by a ringing of the gong.

The elevator comprises a long arm 178.

34. As the plate is actuated by the operator,

ae'mavo a coin havingbeen deposited and serving to connect the o erating mechanisms, the outer free end of Sie lever 178 is elevated in an are about the shaft 41 as a center. The end of the lever bears against an arcuate' rib 182 formed integral with the back of the baga telle board and terminating at its top in a ianged channel 183 which leads down to the opening 127 through which ,the ballis out of the cage opening by its Acoperation with the back of the bagatelle board. i

In order to prevent they'playng ball 125 from rolling back through the oriice 152, in the event the elevator has not been returned to its starting osition, we provide a stop 175 carried on t e end of a lever 176 pivoted as at 177. The left-hand end (looking at Fig. 2) of the lever is heavier than l' the opposlte end so that the stop 17 5 is normally held upwardly to close the rear of the opening 152.

The lower side of the ball cage 179 is arL ranged to cooperate with the stop 175 so` that when the cage is lowered into the position shown in Fig. \2, the stop is ushed.-

down and out of the way to permit t e ball to roll through the opening 152 into the elevator. As soon as the elevator 'commences its upward movement, the weight of the outer end of lever 176 raises the stop 175 into position to prevent a ball from dropping through .the opening 152 until the` ele? vator has been returned to its starting point.

A lock mechanism comprisin a connection between the package magazine and the coin-receiving slot, is provided to prevent the insertion of a coin after the package magazine has been emptied. This apparatus consists of a long arm 200 pivoted as at 201 at a point near the up er end of the magazine and positioned with 4its lower endr arranged to register with the vertical opening in the magazine between the two side-channels. The upper end of the rod 200 beyond the ypivot point is bent over to one side as at 202 and connects with a short lever 203 pivoted as at 204 and ositioned so that its free, outer end may be ropped into the channel or guide 51 at a point immediately behind the coin-slot in the plate 50. When the magazine is filled with packages,

i the arm 200 is held by the packages in the position shown, in Fig. 2, the lower endof the arm extending to a ,feint near the lower end of the magazine. ye arm when in this position holds the Stop lever 203 in elevated position as shown in Fig. 8. en the magazine becomes exhausted and the packages no longer hold the arm 200 in the position shown in Fig. 2 its lower end swings to the right permitting the stop lever 203 to drop preventing the passage of a coin into the com chute.

To make the game more interest' We' jhave attached the figure of a base-balll ayer 205 upon the oscillating 'chute 128 and the ligure of another player 206 upon the ball I catchin cup 138. The figure 205 repre sente a atter and the ligure 206 represents l aplayer with arms extended, as if in they 'act of catching a ball. Other suitable figures may be used 1n placeof the ball layers.

Whereas we have illustrate scribed a particularv embodiment of the invention, it will be obviousto those skilled in the art that various changes may be made therein, without departing from the spirit of the invention 'or' the scope of the appended claims.-

I- Iaving described our invention, what we clalm is 1. The combination' with a coin-released `vending mechanism, of a game apparatus, a playing ball, a ball-operated si a1 mechanlsm, a manually operated ba l catching mechanism; a guide-way for leading a caught ball to said ball operated signal mechanism and means for elevating the ball upon the manual operation of the machine.

2. The combination with a coin-released vending mechanism, of a game apparatus, a playing ball, a ball-operated signal mechanism, means associated with the vending mechanism for starting the ball in play, a manually operated ball catching mechanism; means for leading a 4caught ball to said ball'- operated signal mechanism, manual means to instigate operation of Vthe-machine and means operable by said manual means for elevating the ball.

'and de- 3. The combination with 'a coin-released operated ball catching mechanism, and

means for leading -a caught ball to said ball operated signal mechanism.

4. The combination with a manually operable coin-released mechanism, of a game apparatus comprising a bagatelle board havin openings at top and bottom ortions thereo a playing ball, and a pivote arm connected with the coin-released mechanism and havng a ball receivin pocket formed in the end thereof pted to register with nism, and means connecting the arm and coin-released mechanism.

6. The combination with a coin-released mechanism of a game apparatus comprising a bagatelle board having openings at the top and bottom portions thereof, a playing ball,

a pivoted arm having a ball receivingopening in the free end thereof adapted to regis-` ter with the lower opening to receive the ball and with the upper opening to start the ball in play, a ball operated signal mechanism, a manually controlled ball catching device, means for leading a caught ball to the ball operated signal mechanism, and means connecting the arm and coin-released -mechanism. 1

7. The combination of a coin-released mechanism, a game apparatus comprising a bagatelle board having openings in the top and bottom portions thereof, a playing ball, means connected With the coi released mechanism for elevating the bal froml the bottom to the top opening, hazards through which the ball falls in its play, .and a movable ball receiving guideway for varying the path of ball travel.

8. The combination of a coin released mechanism a game apparatus comprising a bagatelle board, a playing ball, means connected With the coin released mechanism for'. starting the ball in play, hazards through i hands.

Lemme which the balli falls, and a freely movable ball deflector having diverging guideways for varying the path of ball travel.

9. The combination of a coin-released mechanism, a game apparatus comprising a bagatelle board having openings in the vtop and bottom portions thereof, a playing ball,

mea-ns connected With the coin-released mechanism for elevating the ball from the bottom to the top opening, and a freely movable ball receiving guideway sloping down- Wardly to each side from its center for vary- -ing the path of ball travel.

10. T he combination of a coin released mechan1sm,a game apparatus comprising a bagatelle board having openings in the topl and bottom portions thereof, a playing ball,

means connected with the coin released mechanism for elevating the ball from the bottom to the top openlng, and an oscillatable ball receiving guidevvay sloping downwardly to each side from its center for varying the path of ball travel.

11. rlhe combination of a coin-released mechanism, a ame apparatus comprising a bagatelle boar having openings in the top and bottom portions thereof, aplaying ball, means connected with the coin released -mechanism for elevating the ball from the bottom to the top opening, a freely oscillatable ball reflector pivoted directly beneath the top opening and having diverging guideways sloping downwardly to each side from its center, hazards positioned beneath the delector, a ball operated signal mechanism, a manually controllable `ball catching device movable across the board beneath the hazards, andmeans to deliver a caught ball to the ball operated signal mechanism.

In testimony whereof We hereunto set our JOSEPH Priora. GUs'rAv r. HocHainM.

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