US1460882A - Vending machine - Google Patents

Description

w. BETTS VENDING MACHINE filed. Dec.' 192x 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 ATTORNEY;

' citizen of the Patented July 3, 1923.

omrsn srarss rarsnr @FFIQE.

WILLIM BETIS 'OF JOHNSON CITY, NEW YORK.

VENDING MACHINE.

Application filed mate, a, 1921. Serial H 0, 521,142.

To all whom it may concern.

Be it known' that. I, WILLIAM Bn'r'rs, a United States, residing at in the county of Broome and Johnson City,

York, have invented certaln State of New new and useful Improvements in Vending Machines, of which the following is a speci- 'fication.

This invention appertains to'certain improvements in vending machines generally,

and more particularly to a type of the same adapted for the sale and delivery of cigacoin within a 'calities, and

like upon the insertion of a coin slot leading to the operating mechanism thereof. Y

It is customary in the practice of selling articles of merchandise or the like, by vending machines, for the manufacturer of the latter, or of the articles of merchandise, or of both, to place the machines in various 10- generally at established business houses or stores, paying a percentage of the money collected by the machine or machines, to the proprietors of suchbusiness houses or stores for the privilege of publicly rettes or the displaying the machines for the sale'of the 'llne 7--7 of Figure 4,

woods therein contained, for the space occupied by the machine or machines, and for the general supervision and protection thereof afforded the same by such proprietors.

In the present constructions of these machines, the money collected by the same has, in every known instance, been discharged from the operating mechanism thereof into a single coin compartment, whereby afgreat deal of time is lost in the counting o the, coins, at the end of stated periods. of opera tion of the machines, and the separation therefrom of the percentage of the total amount of money collected and due the proprietor of the business houses or stores as aforesaid. Y

The principal object of the invention is therefore to provide for a vending machine of the class mentioned, and one wherein a novel means is provided for effecting an automatic division of the coins inserted into a tively actuated for thedelivery of an article by the insertion of a genuine coin of required value into the coin slot leading to the said delivery mechanism. 4

With the foregoing and other objects and advantages 1n view, the invention resides in the certain novel and useful construction, arrangement and operation of the parts thereof as will be hereinafter more fully de- 6 scribed, set forth in the appended claims, and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a perspective view ofa preferred embodiment of a machine constructed and arranged for the vending of cigarettes,

Figure 2 is a front elevation thereof,

Figure 3 is a side or end elevation of the same,

Figure 4 is a vertical section taken on the line 4-4 of Figure 3,

Figure 5 is a. vertical section taken on the line-5--5 of Figure 4,

Figure 6 is a vertical section taken on the line 6-6 of Figure 4,

Figure 7 is a vertical section taken on the Figure 8 is a fragmentary vertical section taken on the line 88 of Figure 2,

Figure 9 is a longitudinal section taken on the line 99 of Figure 8,

Figure 10 is a perspective view,partly in section, of the assembly of the coin contreilled article delivery mechanism per se, an

Figure 11 is an enlarged fragmentary detail ofthe coin switch for effecting the se aration of the coins collected by the machine on the predetermined percentage basis of division thereof as aforesaid.

Referring to the drawings, wherein similar characters of reference designate corresponding parts throughout the several views, the preferred embodiment of the invention .as shown therein comprises a cabinet or encasement formed to provide a base portion 10 having its interior divided in the ongitudinal direction thereof by means of 11, whereby to I the reception less width than that of the lower lpore f a -tion thereof and forms within its compartment 16 for the reception of the articles a such as cigarettes or the like, to be vended from the machine as will be hereinafter fully explained, a removable closure 17 being provided at the upper end of the portion 15 for the initial filling of'the compartment 16 with the said articles a and the replenishing of the supply thereof as desired or necessary during the continued use of the machine. The opposite vertical end walls of the portion 15 of the cabinet are spaced inwardly of the opposite end walls of the base portion 10, and formed at each side of these first mentioned end walls, and

outwardly thereof, are closed compartments 18 and 19 for the reception of certain of the cooperative parts of the coin controlled article delivery mechanism as will be subsequently described in detail. The front and rear walls 20 and 21 of the upper portion 15 of the cabinet are preferably of glass, whereby to fully display to the public the articles contained within the compartment 16, and so that it can be readily determined as to the number'of the articles therein being available for purchase.

The coin controlled article delivery mechanism comprises a horizontal shaft 22 extending through the portion 14 of the cabinet on the longitudinal center thereof, and this shaft 22 is journaled at its opposite end portions into vertical side or end walls of the portion 15 with its free ends projecting across the compartments 18 and 19 and journaled in the outer end walls thereof. Secured on the intermediate portion of the shaft 22, and between the opposite side or end walls of the upper portion 15 of the cabinet, by means of a key or spline 23, is a delivery cy inder or drum, 24, in the peripheral face of which is formed a lurality of equidistantly spaced and longitudinally extending article receiving slots or grooves 25, and similarly secured on that portion of the shaft 22 which extends through the compartment 19, by means of a single key or spline 26-, is a pair of discs 27 and 28, and a sleeve 29 spacing the discs 27 and 28 apart one from the other, while loose ly journaled on the sleeve 29 is an annular collar 30 having a segmental arm 31 extending radially therefrom between the discs 27 and 28 and having its outer curved edge or end portion projecting beyond the peripheral edges of the latter. Extending laterally from the outer side face of the projected edge portion of the arm or segment 31 is a hand crank 32, which projects outwardly of the vertical end wall of the compartment 19 through a slotway 33, which is curved on a line approximating the arc of the circle defined by that portion of'the peripheral face of the article delivery drum or cylinder 24 lying between the centers of adjacent slots or grooves 25 thereof. The discs 27 and 28 are each provided with a series of radially disposed slots 34, which are aligned one with the other and correspond in numin alignment with the lower end of a coin conducting slot-way 35 extending downwardly of the compartment 19, so that, when a coin is inserted in the open end 37 of the upwardly and forwardly curved portion 36 of the slot-way 35, the same will gravitate downwardly of the latter and seat itself Within the aligned slots 34 in a manner to span the space between the adjacent discs 27 and 28. The leading edge 31 of the arm or segment 31 is provided with a pin projection 38 which is disposed thereon in a manner to engage the approximate center of a coin b (Figures 4 and 7), when the hand crank 32 is pulled in a forward direction, so

that the arm or segment 31 and its collar. 30'

I most of the grooves or slots 25, in the cylinder'or drum 24, is moved into registry with a discharge outlet 39 and discharges the articles a outwardly therefrom and onto the top wall of the base portion 10 of the cabinet.

The cylinder or drum 24 and the discs 27 and 28 will now remain stationary, with the next succeeding slot or groove 25 of the former in position to immediately have an article a deposited therein, and the next succeeding pair of slots 34, of the discs 27 and 28, in

aligned position with the lower end of the coin conducting slotway 35, when the hand crank 31 can be pushed to its initial or normal rearwardly disposed position. The hand crank .32 preferably has its outer end portion angularly bent as at 32, and is provided atits outer free end with anoperating knob or hand grip 32"; i

For retaining the cylinder or 24 and the discs 27 and 28, with the respective slots 25 and 34 thereof in osition for-the seating therein of an artic e a), on the one hand, and a coin b on the other hand, as hereinbefore explained, at the completion of each successive operation thereof, a locking member 40 is secured, by means of a ke or spline 41, on that portion of the she 22 which extends across the compartment 18, and this member 40 is in the form of a nutlike body having'a plurality of flat faces corresponding in number to the number of slots 25 in the cylinder or drum 24, and the felt coins,

slot-way with pairs of slots 34 in thediscs 27 and 28, and

these faces are successively engaged by theflat free end portion 42 of a spring locking member 43, which is secured in proper position, by means of a screw 44, to the rear wall of the compartment 18 for the-p'urpose.

For preventing the fraudulent operation of the machine by the insertion of a counterfeit coin into the slot-way, 35, a branch coin conducting slot-way 45 is ,provided within the compartment 19, is connected to the slot 35 at a oint below the upper curved end ortion 36 tgiereof, and is inclined downwardly and outwardly from its point of connection and opens outwardly of the front wall of the cabinet portion 14 in a manner to discharge the counterfeit coin on the top wall of the base To effect this separation and discharge downwardly of the branch slot-way 45 of countera magnet 46, preferably in the form of a permanent bar or horse-shoe form of such magnets, is positioned immediately at the point of connection of the branch the main slot-way 35 and acts to draw all fraudulent coins, containing a magnetic metal, out of the latter and cause the same to discharge by gravity downwardly of the former.

It is contemplated in the practical use of the present invention,,tq Wend cigarettes a therefrom and to effect the delivery of one of the same at a time for each coin I) inserted into the coinslot 37, and, assuming that the make of the cigarettes can be sold at a cent apiece and at a profit sufiicient to warrant v the payment of one cent for each five therecigarettes of vended from a machine, as a percentage or commission to a proprietor of a store for the privilege of having the machine installed at his place of business, provision is made whereby the first four coins or cents used to purchase a corresponding number of and to effect that number of operations of the delivery mechanism of a machine, will be deposited in the coin receptacle or drawer 13 for the benefit of the manufacturer or owner of the machine and of the cigarettes therein, while the fifth coin or cent, inserted in the coin slot '37 for the purpose of purchasing a fifth cigarette and to eflect the fifth operation of the delivery mechanism, will be automaticall deosited into the forward coin receptac e or drawer 12 for the benefit of the proprietor or store keeper granting the privilege for the placing of the machine, or machines at his place of business. This desired separation of every fifth coin or cent at the end of each complete revolution of the cylinder or drum 24 and of the discs 27 and 28, is readily accomplished by means ofa switch plate 47 disposed within the compartment 19 direct] beneath the discs 27 and 28, The plate 4 is preferably of metal construction, and is portion 10 of the cabinet:

formed to provide an ear 48 disposed centrally of its lower face, throughthe transverse opening of which is passed a pivot pin v 49 carried in a metal clip 50 engaged over and secured to the upper edge of the par- 7 tition wall 11 of the base portion 10 of the cabinet. The plate 47 is normally tensioned in aforwardly inclined direction, by means of a spring 51 also engaged over and secured in position on the partition wall 11 sub- 7 stantially as is shown in Figures 8 and 11, and in a manner to have its upper end edge disposed flush in the plane of the lower end edge of the inner curved surface of a front curved wall portion 52' enclosing the forward peripheries of the drum or cylinder 24of the discs 27 and 28. Coins b seated in the pairs of slots 34 successively. are retained in position therein until the lower ends of the curved wall portion 52' of the cabinet is reached during the successive rotary movement of the discs 27 and 28, when the first four of such coins b will successively drop onto-the uppermost face of the switch plate 47 and will slide down the same and fall into the receptacle or drawer 13. For effecting the desired discharge of the fifth of the coins 6 into the forward receptacle or drawer 12, a pin 53 is extended radially from the peripheral edge of the disc 28 at a point medially, or ap roximately so, between the fourth and 1th of the slots 34 therein, and-acts to engage the upper edge of the switch plate .47 and to swing the same a rearwardly onthe pivot pin 49 to a reversely inclined position, when the fifth of the coins b ulpon reaching the lower end of the curved wa 52, will drop onto the plate 47 and slide down the same and fall into the said forward receptacle or'drawer 12. Further movement of the discs '27 and 28, as in the next succeeding operation for the delivery of a cigarette a from the machine, causes the pin 53 to pass beyond the upper edge of the plate 47, when the latter will be returned to normal position, by the action of the spring 51, and for the purpose of directing the discharge of the next four coins b tothe rear receptacle or drawer 13. It will be understood that anydesired separation of the coins b may be made, by addlng additional pins 53 at points between the slots 34 of the disc 28, and that more or less deliveries of articles, than the five as used merely for purposes of clearness in explanation herein, may be. delivered from the drum or cylinder 24 during its complete revolution thereof, by correspondingly varying the number of slots or grooves 25 in the peripheral surface of the same, the number 0 pairs of slots 34 in the discs 27 and 28 being changed accordingly.

As hereinbefore stated, the closure 17 at the upper end of the portion 15 of the cabi-' net, is removable for the placing of a supply of articles within the latter, and to same to cause a proper feeding of the articles a, to the several slots 25 of the delivery cylinder or drum 24, a follower 54 is preferably placed in position on top of the supply of articles for such plur ose. This follower 54 is preferably in t transversely and longitudinally disposed resilient members or sprlngs 55 and 56 arranged on the top face thereof, with their opposite end portions upwardly and rear.- wardly curved as at 55 and 56', respectively, for frictional sliding contact with the adjacent vertical walls of the cabinet portion 15, whereb the weight of the follower w1ll not be free y borne by the articles, but only sufficiently so for the efi'ective feeding of the the delivery cylinder or drum 24. As shown in Figures 2 and 3, the base portion 10 of the cabinet is formed to provide a removable end wall 57, which is to be locked in position by means of a locking device 58 secured at its inner side, and which is to be manipulated by a key (not shown) insertable through a key-hole 59 extending inwardly thereof. Upon the release of this locking means or device 58, the end'wall 57 is removed for givin immediate access to the rear coin receptac e or drawer 13, while the receptacle or drawer 12 will be provided with a separate locking device or means 59' preferably in the form of a pad-lock or the ike, which cannot be opened with the same key as that used for the unlocking of the end walls locking device 58, but by a separate key (not shown), which will ordinarily be held by the proprietor of the store at which the machine is located, so that the latter only will have access to the receptacle or drawer 12 containing the percentage amount of the sales from the machine. For the purpose of providin space within the base portion 10 of the ca inet forthe reception of the separate locking means 59' of the coin receptacle or drawer 12, the latter is shorter than the rear receptacle or drawer 13, that" the adjacent end wall thereof is spaced inwardly from the removable end wall 57 forthe purpose, and this end wall 'of the receptacle or drawer is provided with a staple 60 for the engagement therewith of a hasp 61, which is hin edly supported, as at 62, to the under sur ace of the top wall or base portion 10 of the cabinet.

In the operation of the machine as thus constructed and arranged, any manipulation of the hand crank 32 without a coin of the proper size and value being inserted in the coin slot 37, will only result in its free play lengthwise of the slot 33 in the side or end wall of the compartment 19 of the cabinet, but upon the insertion or a proper i into the slot 37,the same will gravitate downwardly of the coin duct or channel 35 and seat itself in the pair of slots 34, of the discs 27 and 28, which ,are registered with e orm of a plate having Iered .and illustrated herein in specific the lower end of the latter, when, upon manipulation of the hand crank 32 in a forward direction, the lever arm 31 will be moved to force its pin 38 against the center of the coin seated in the slot '34, so that further forward movement of the hand crank 32 and the lever arm 31 will result in the coupling of the latter to the shaft 22 through the medium of the coins b and the discs 27 and 28. The completion of the forward movement of'the hand crank 32, now rotates the shaft 22, and with it, the drum or cylinder 24, an article or cigarette a having already seated itself in the uppermost of the slots or grooves 25 of the latter, whereby an article or cigarette is delivfrom the slotted opening 39 at the front of the cabinet, while the coin b is still retained in the slots 34 of the discs 27 and 28 occupied thereby. If five slots or grooves 25 are employed on the delivery cylinder or drum 24, and a corresponding number of pairs of slots 34, on the discs 27 and 28, the movement of the delive will be one-fifth of a revo utiton thereof, for each coin inserted into the coin slot 37, and during continued the slots or grooves pairs of slots 34 of be successively'positioned to receive the article a on the one hand from its compartment 16, and the coins I; inserted in the slot 37 on the other hand, retrograde movement of the shaft 22, and consequently of the drum and discs, being prevented by the action of the spring 43 on the proper locking face of the member or nut 40 keyed on the shaft 22.

From the foregoing, it will be readily apparent that, while a preferred embodiment of the vending machine has been described terms and details of construction, arrangement and operation, various changes in and modifications of-the same may be resorted to without departing from the spirit of the invention, or the scope of the claims appended hereto.

Having thus fully described the invention, what is claimed, is

1. In a vending mechanism, a receptacle provided with a partition forming a pair of coin receiving compartments, a spring controlled element pivotally connected to said partition and normall positioned to deposit coins into one 0 said compartments during a predetermined number of operations of the vendingmechanism of the machine, and means. engaging with said element for shifting the same from normal position to cause the depositing of a single coin into the other of said compartments after each redetermined number of operations of said delivery mechanism.

2. In a vending-mechanism, a'receptacle provided with a partition forming a pair 25, of the drum 24, an

drum and discs 1,460,882 r i B of coin receiving compartments, a spring the other of said compartments after each 10 controlled element pivotally connected to predetermined number of operations of said said partition and normally positioned to delivery mechanism, and means for restordeposit coins into one of said compartments ing said element to normal position after the a during a predetermined number of operasingle coin has been deposited.

tions of the vending mechanism of the ma- In testim0ny.whereof I afiix my signature 15 chine, means engagin with said element hereto. for shifting the same rom normal position to cause the depositing of a single coin into WILLIAM BET'IS

Images