US1918737A - Vending machine - Google Patents

Description

July 18, 1933. w. B BRUNTON 1,918,737

VENDING MACHINE Filed Feb. 16, 1931 4 Sheets-Sheet `l w. B. BRUNTON VENDING MACHINE July 18, 1933.

Filed Feb. 16, 1931 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 July 18, 1933. w. B. BRUNTON 1,918,737

VENDING MACHINE Filed Feb. 16, 1931 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 July` 18, 1933. w, Bl BRUNTQN 1,918,737

VENDI NG MACHINE Filed Feb. 16, 1931 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Patented July 1s, 1933 WILLIAM IB. BRUNTON, OF WINNIPEG, 'MANIFT0B`A, CANADA vENnING MACHINE i Application'fnea rebrary 1e, 1931. serial No. 515,993.

The invention relates to improvements in vending machines and an object of the invention is to provide a machine particularly adapted for selling newspapers, magazines 5 and the like in public places, the papers or magazines being locked in the machine and the machine being arranged so that the public by. inserting a proper coin and manipulating an actuating lever, can obtain a magazine or paper. Y

A further object is to construct the machine so that it can be readily adjusted to accom# modate magazines of different price and size, such embodying means which can be adjusted to limit the diameter of the coininserted and means which can be adjusted in accord` ance with the thickness of the individual papers or magazines placed in the machine. l

il still further object is to construct the various parts of the machine in asimple and durable manner and so that it can be relied quiring constant attention. y.

' A further object is to construct the machine so that it cannot be operated should a coin of smaller diameter than that for which it is set be inserted therein and further to construct the machine soA that when all papers have been exhausted therefrom, the coin admitting slot will be' `automatically closed` to prevent the insertion of further coins.

jWith the above more important and other minor objects in view which will'become more 'apparent as the description proceeds, the in- 5 vention consists essentially in the arrangement and construction of parts hereinafter more particularly described, reference being had to the accompanyingdrawings, Vin

40 which.

Fig. 2 isanfenlarged detailed plan view with the coverl open and certain internal parts removed.

Fig. 3 is avvertical sectional View at 3 3 Figure 2. Y

Fig. l is a vertical sectional view at i- 4- Figure 3 and looking tothe right.

Fig. 5 is a vertical sectionaliview at 5,7--5

10 Figure 3.

tional view at 12h12 upon to operate continuously and Without ref Fig. l is a perspective view of the machine.

tional view at 6-6 Figure (l.

Fig. 7 isa perspective view of the corner bracket.

QFig. S is a horizontal sectional View, the section being taken at 8-'-8 Figure 5.

vertical sectiona'l'view at 9-9 Fig. 6 is an enlarged detailed vertical sec- F ig. 9 is a Figure 5. i Fig. lO is an enlarged detailed vertical sectional vi'ew at lOflO Figure 8. 60 Fig. ll is an enlarged detailed vertical sectionalview at 11h11 Figure 4:.'

Fig.' 12 is an enlarged detailed vertical sec Figure 4. y Y

Fig. `13 is a perspective view showing the 6 relation of the stack of y,folded pa sers in respect to the paper outlet slot and with the lowermost paper projected.

F igili is a perspective view of the latch.

Fig. l5 is a perspective View of the sling. *70

Fig. 16 is a perspective view ott a portion of the false bottom. v f v In the drawings like characters of referenceindicate corresponding parts in the several figures. '75

kThis machine is particularlydesigned for vending newspapers, magazines and the like in public places, the newspapers or magazines being placed in a vertical stack in vthe recei Ying casing which latter is locked and 8o the machine is arranged so "that the public by inserting a coin of lined denomination and manipulating a lever provided, can obtain a. paper, the paper being discharged through an outlet slot provided as the lever is actuated.A Provision isalso made so that should the machine be loaded with a stack of papers or magazines costing more or less than those previously contained therein, the coinslot can be regulated to the diameter ot' the coin re- 90' quiredto payl for the aperor magazine. i v The machine is now described in detail and isiherein shown of a size designed for vending newspapers, it being understood r that the newspapers are folded once as is usual and are placed in a vertical stack within the machine. The size of the casing and other parts could, of course,be readily modified to Vreceive a'ndvend magazines without in any Waydeparting from the spirit ofthe invenmo .ly rectangular and is provided with a tion as set forth in the claims appearing hereinafter.

A casing 1 is provided which is substantialhinged top 2 which can be suitably locked closed by the application ofthe conventional key in the keyhole 8, the lock being indicated generally by the reference numeral 4f. In the front end of the casing, a horizontally disposed outlet slot 5 is provided through which the paper or magazine as the case maybe is discharged. A coin slot G is also provided in the front end of the casing and both of these slots are suitably protected by overhanging deflector Plates 5 and 6.

A spacing strip 7 rests casing, such strip starting at the point on the bottom of the and terminating at the ypoint 7 2 (see Figure S) so that there is an open space reserved at the side between the ends 7 and 7 2. This strip is utilized to support and space a false .bottom orvrelatively stiff plate 8Ywhich has the rear end thereof engaging the rear wall of the casing, the front end thereof riding the under side of the slot 5, the left hand edge thereof engaging the wall of the casing and the right hand yedge thereof spaced from the right hand wall of the casingto admit parts later described. Supporting blocks 9Yand 10V across the bottom of the'casing and also support the plate and here I might mention that this plate carries the weight of the stack lof papers placed thereon. Y

A carriage 11 operates on the bottom of the casing, this carriage comprising opposing side bars 12 and 13 connected by cross bars 111- and 15, the side bars being provided each with a pair of rollers 1G riding the bottom of the casing. rlhis carriage is guided at its sides by the bar 7 and the block 9 is located so that it will` engage with the bar 15 to limit the inner travel of the carriage. A ir of suitably spaced similar cross bars 17 and 17 Across the carriage and have their ends provided with upstanding lugs 18 pivotally attached at 18 to the sides of the carriage. rllhe bars are held normally in a substantially horizontal position by stop pins 19 carried by the carriage and en gageable with the under sides of the bars (see Figure 10).

Each bar 17 and 17 ncarries a plurality ofV suitably spaced upstanding lpiercing. prongs or pins 20, the pins being located adjacent the forward edge of the bars. i

l By observingFigure 10, it will Vbe seen i that a: clockwise rotation Vof the'bars is prevented by the pins Y19 and that should a pull to the left be exerted on the latter' pins, the bars can swing' freely `in a counter clockwise direction to freethe pins from the article such as a paper exerting pressure on the pins. The plate 8 is provided with aplurality. of longitudinally veXtendingslots 21 through which the `pins protrude vand when the'carriage is manipulated, the pins move vsequently released.

the carriage returns, the pins are free to swing clear in a counter clockwise direction.

Adjacent the inner side of one of the side walls of the casing, I locate a vertically extending plate 22 suitably fastened to the casing and Vthisplate is provided at its forward end with a. box 23 and at its rear end with a horizontal lying, elevated, channel shaped bar 2li and the bar and the boi; carry an inner, vertically 'disposed plate 25 which has the lower edge thereof elevated from the bottom ofthe casing to reserve a horizontal lying slot as indicated at 26 Figure 9. A standard 27 is located to the'outer side of the plate 25 and has the lower end thereof pei-- manently secured in any suitable manner and through the slot with the adjacent side of the carriage and the said standard has the upper end thereof out turned and supporting a horizontal'ra'ck bar 28 which extends lengthwise ofthe casing. A horizontally disposed, supporting bar the box and the bar 2li, this bar oeing spaced from the plate 25 to admit the upgoing intervening standard. An operatingl shaft 3() is provided, this shaft being rotatably carried infsuitable bearings provided by the plate 22 and the bar 29 and having one end extending through the adjacent side wall of the casing and fitted with a hand crank or lever 31.

To the shaft, immediately to the outer side of the bar 29,I secure permanently a pinion 32V which is continuously in mesh with the rack bar, the arrangement being such that when the crank is turned, the rackbar is actuatedV to shiftv the carriage in one direction or the other endwise of the casing. To the shaft, I permanently secure also a pulley 33 and to the pulley I connect a flexiblel line 34 which passes over a guiding pulley 35 and is provided with a weightt located in a suitable weight boxy 37.v The parts j ust described are utilized for returning the carriage to its innerposition after the lever has been actuatedto deliver the paper and sub- To deliver the paper through the front slot, the lever swung forwardly in the direction indicated by the applied arrow in Figure 1 and as the lever# swings ahead, the line winds on the pulley and lifts the wei oht so that uponthe lever being subsequently rc leased, the fallingv weight operates through the pinion and rack bar to bring the carriage back to its original position. n

29 is `carried also at its ends by To the shaft I secure also a cam 38present-ing an abrupt shoulder. 38 and on the plate 22 I pivotally mount `a latch 39 having one end provided with a hook 39 adapted. to engage the shoulder of the cam and the otherI end having the upper edge thereof forming an inclined runway indicated at 39x (see Figure 8). A spring 40 is secured to the box 23 and overlies the hooked end of the latch being normally clear of the same.

lhen the carriage is at itsinner or normal position, the hook of the latch is engaged with the shoulder ot the cam and accordingly the crank Sl cannot be turned in a counter clockwise dir ction until the hookis released. he hooked end o't the latch is heavier than the other end (see Figure 14) so that the said hooked end normally gravitates toward the cam. The non-hooked end of' the latch is mounted for vertical swinging movement within an approximately vertically `disposed coin n ide 4l permanently secured to the in,-

r iY ot the plate 22, the sides of the guide being slotted as indicated at 4l to receive the Vlatch andthe said latch actually closing the lower end ot the guide. fili ,n

The upper end of shown in Figure-3 and directly above it, I -iount pivotally a relatively narrow, horizontally disposed, U-shaped, sling 42, the sling boing pivotally attached to the plate 22 by, a supporting pin 42.

il. coin guiding trough 43 is also provided and this trough has the rear end thereof directly in advance of the front end of the sling and immediately adjacent the upper end oi' the coin guide* The Yforward end of the trough is secured in any suitable manner to an angle bracket 44 located in 'the front right hand corner or" the casing, said bracket (see Figure?) being provided with a coin slot 44 which connnunicates with slot 6 and is adapted to direct the coin entered at the slot l into the front end of theA trough. rIlle trough is inclined so that the entered coin wil roll rearwardly under the act-ion oi ity into the sling which operates in a wla. her the coin will. be passed down through the com I might remark that it the coin is l i' .to the coin guide,` it actuates vthe .atch and il not, the latch remains inert.

mhe papers, magazines or similar commodities placed in thismachine will have a nire@ re ail price and accordingly it is necessary' to provide .means i'or jineventingthe adsion of aicoin ot too large a denomination and a means for preventingthe delivering of a pager shoulda coin of smaller denomination than that representing the retail price of 'the paper, be inserted. I

ylhe bracket 44 carries a guide member 45 which screw threaded to receive the screw threaded portion of a vertically.extending;

.cuide is cut awa f at an ane/'leVv as best E n l; Y

shortly to be described `to select guide or out clear of the coin guide,V

shank 46 which hasthe upper end terminating in a head and cross slotted as indicate-d at 46 to receive a screw driver and the lower end contracted and projecting into the upper part of the slot 44. By utilizing a screw driver, one can adjust the vertical distance between the lower end of the shank and the bottom of the latter slot and this will accord- I associate a similar adjustable shank 4S K with the sling, this shank screw threading through a guiding member 49 carried by the side of the casing. The lower end of this shank is positioned in respect to the sling as best shown in Figure 3 and one by adjusting the shank can vary the distance between the lower end of the shank and the bottom of the sling. It will be observed that the lower end of the shank overlies the trent end of the sling and that the sling normally lies under the action ot gravity in the balanced horizontal position shown in said latter figure. The distance between the lower end of the shank and the bottom of the sling will be gauged so that it is slightly less than the distance between the lower vend et the shank 46 and the bottom of the slot 44.

In other words, where the tive cent piece mentioned used, the shank is adjusted to let said five cent piece through the slot 44 and the shank 48'is adjusted so that when the said coin rolls oil the rear end of the trough and onto the forward endol' the j sling, it will be momentarily stopped by conand causes the hook 39 to clear the shoulder of the cam and the hooked end of the latch to engage the spring 40.

This spring is designed at such time to support the coin resting on the opposite end ofz the latch and at such time the exit slot from the-coin guiderand specifically indicated at 50 Figure 3, is ota length somewhat less thanthe diameter of the coin restf ing on the latch. The slot 50 at this time 1s lthat part of the slot 4l appearing above the non-hooked end of the latch. In view of the above arrangement, it will be seen that if the proper diameter* coin be inserted inner side of through the slot 44, it will release the latch 4ver 81 in a proper direction and when he does, the cam designed to lift the hooked end of the latch to increase the height of the slot and liberate the coin which falls down into a'suitable underlying coin box' 5l. I might here point out that if the com were not prevented from escaping from the com guide imn'iediately it actuated the latch, the hooked end of the latch could fall down and engage the shoulder of thecam before the operator actuated the lever. f

AThe sling serves the additional function of guarding the latch against coins of smaller diameter than the large nve cent piece mentioned. lf such a coin were-inserted inthe machine, itwould run down the trough and cross the sling and woi'lld discharge into the coin box over the rear end of the sling as such coin would not be arrested by the lower end of the shank a8.

The above completes the description of what might be termed theY coin actuated mecha` in for relesing thecarriage so that it can be manipuleted by swinging the lever 3l in the direction of the applied arrow Figure l.

Qt is desirable when all the papersf'have been sold, 'cl it is, when the casing is empty,

rsans be provided for preventing the insertion of a coin throng1 "il e slot 44. To this end l have centrally slotted the forward end of theplate 8 (see Figure i6) Vand in this slot, l have located in upwardly.swingable hinged gate and to the'under sideof the gate I have attached a socket 53, transvers ly extending lever arm 54 1s mounted on the bottom of the casing adjacent thel front end, said arm being pivotally'supported by a pivot pin @ne end of the arm is upturned and seats in 'the socket and the other end el" i arnr is infected pivotally to the lower end of a veri illy extending rod contained in the box 'ad and`v passing sliflably throu er end ol the box and fastened permanen y to the lower end of a verticallye 1e ling sliding bar 57. 'llhis sliding .tends 'upwardly tothe the upper end inr l 'i L L nal slot 5S which receives slidably a pin 59 carried by a llocl' GO positioned between the angle bracket and said bar. A hor1- Zontally disposed spindle (il is slidably carried by the angle bracket and has one end thereof adapted upon the end shifting of the spindle te cross the slot fr The spindle is carried by J-che block. Y,

. To make the operation Vof the above'parts clear, l might herel explain that.whenrthe folded papers are lying Yon theplate 8,1 the gate is held by the papers in the plane ofA the. yplate and consequently .through the connections provided, the spindle is held in al withdrawn'position in respect to the slot ll; On the other hand, however, as soon as -he last paper has been withdrawn from the machine, the gateis freed and the parts are then freefto be actuated by'a coiled spring 62 associated with the rod 56 and continuously pressing the underlying end of the lever arm 54 downwardly.

The downward movement of the rod occasioned by the spring upon the release of the gate operates through the inclined slot and pin therein to extend the spindle across the slot 44 and prevent the entrance of any further coin. Y

The height of the slot 5 hereinbefore mentioned is not designed to control the thicknessof the folded paper which can be expelled through such slot as in practice, it is found th at the thickness of dili'ercnt editions of papers vary. In other words, the regular daily editions of any particular paper when folded areapproximately the same thickness whereas a special edition such as a Saturday or Sunday edition -is very much thicker than the regular daily edition.

In order that the outlet for the paper from the machine may be gauged to suit the varying thicknesses of the daily or special editions, I have provided a vertically extending guard and gauge plate G3 spaced from the inner frontend of the easing which has the lower edge thereof suspended clear of the front end of the plate 8 and the upper end providedfwith an inturned'flange Get which flange overlies a stationary cross bar 65 extending betweenv the side walls of the casing. The cross bar is supplied at its under side with a pair of'similar stationary brackets 6G and these brackets carry adjusting bolts 67 which pass through vertical slots 68 providedv in the plate 63 and have their forward ends fitted with nuts G9.

The flange bei is supplied centrally with a'hinged tongue 'TO having a finger hole 7l therein, suchl permitting one to readily lift the plate G8 when desired for adjustment purposes,x die tongue being swung upwardly and the linger caught 1n the hole 'Tl at such time.

The lower edge of the plate 63 is provided at the right hand corner with a downwardly extending curved tongue 72 and the position of this tongue in respect to the plate 8 controlsv the thickness of paper which can be expelled from themachine. lV hen the flange G4 is resting on the cross bar 65, the lowermost part of the tongue 72 w'ill-bevapproximately' a sixteenth of an inch clear of the plate 8. When one is ready to place a stack of'similar folded papers in the box, he will take one of thosepapers and place the folded edge between the flange 64 and the bar 65,

both ofthe bolts 67 being at suoli time released. The bolts will then be tightened up discharge of the paper and while it is wideY enough to let one folded paper clear through, it is not wide enough to let two papers escape. The lowerinost'paper of the stack will be free to clear out from the machine vbut the one lying directly above it at the time it is being cleared will be arrested positively by the tongue 72.

By placing the plate 63 inwardly from the front end of the casing, I prevent one from tampering with the papers and also decrease the amount of the paper which is projected from the casing when theA hand lever is operated, it being` only necessary in this regard that the paper be projected sufliciently far to insure the buyer getting` a good grip of it to remove it. v

The coin actuated mechanism is all enclosed by a cover plate 78 supplied.

lVhen the machine is to be loaded with papers, the yonce folded papers are placed therein in a stack, their Yfront ends being' butted against the plate 63 and their folded edges boing against the cover plate .73,the folded papers lying one on top of the other as shown best in Figure 13. After the stackl of papers have been placed in the box, aboard or flat weight Ill is placed over the papers, this insuring that they will all lie iat until the last one has been expelled from the machine. The board is provided with a slot 7 5to receive the gate 52. Y

The box will carry prominently information as to the particular coin required to be used and the one buying the paper will deposit this coin in the slot '6 and it vwill run down and drop onto the latch and release the cam. This permits the crank be swung ahead as previously explained and as the crank goes ahead, the lowermost paper of the stack is discharged through the slot 5 as the pins 20 are piercing the'under side of such paper and will accordingly carry such paper ahead with the carriage which is actuated by the crank. The paper is discharged far enough to allow the buyer to grip it between thumb and linger and he will then pull the paper out and at such times the pins tilt ahead and withdraw from the paper and the carriage returns under the action of the Weight 36 back to its original position as soon as the lever 31 is released.

Obviously the stack of papers will gravitate in the box immediately the lowermost paper is withdrawn and as soon as the carriage gets back toits initial position, the latch automatically locks the carriage in such position as the coin has been discharged into the coin box and the latch is free to gravitate to locking position which is with the hooked end thereof caught against the shoulder of the cam.V l j Should a coin of less diameter than the proper coin be inserted in the slot 6, it will be thrown out into the box by the sling and will not release the latch so that the lever 3l rew mains locked and the paper cannot be discharged.

When the last paner has been witlnlrawnV from the casing, tl O'ate 52 is free to swing upwardly and the accordingly opcrates to project t spindle Gl across the slot 4d which prevents any further coins being entered in the machine until it is reloaded with papers.

As the shanks el@ and i8 lcan be readily adjusted to control the coin used and the tongue 72 can be adjusted inrelation to the plate 8, it is possible to set the machine in regard to the thickness of the commodity tobe sold and in regard to the price of that connnodity.

l/Vhat l claim as my invention is In combination, a closed casing receiving a stack of tlL lying papers, said casing being provided towards the bottoni and in the front wall thereof with a paper outlet passage, a stationary false bottom crossing the lower part of the casing and supporting the stack Vof papers with the lowerinost paper of the stack opposing the outlet passage, said false bottom being provided. with a plurality of slots, a wheeled carriage underlying the false bottom and ridin on the bottom of the ca sing and movable thereon towards and away from the passage, a rack bar secured to one side of the carriage, a pinion rotatably carried by the casing and continnvfiusly engaging the rack bar, an exterior crank for rotating the pinion7` a winding pulley tuin' with the pinion, a weighted pulling line a soaced cross bars crossing the carriage and having their ends provided with corner lugs pivotally attached to the arriage, a row of upstanding piercing prongs carried by the rear edge of each bar and projecting upwardly through the slots in the false bottom and engageable with the lowerniost paper of the stack and stop pins carried by the carriage and engaging the forward corners of the bars to prevent the rotary movement thereof in a clockwise direction.

.wiLLrAi/r B. BnUNroN.

,ched to the pulley,

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