US3043475A - Favored flavor capacity reserving mechanism - Google Patents

Description

July 10, 1962 s. L. CHILDERS ET AL 3,043,475

- FAVORED FLAVOR CAPACITY RESERVING MECHANISM Filed Aug. 11, 1958 s Sheets-Sheet 1 mum 3,043,475 'FAVORED FLAVOR CAPACITY 'RESERVING MECHANISM July 1 1962 s L. CHILDERS ETAL 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Aug.

m w v A x m fl/v y 10, 1962 s. CHILDERS ET AI. 3,043,475

FAVORED FLAVOR CAPACITY RESERVING MECHANISM 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Aug. 11, 1958 INVENTO flue/roar L. 66/70 05 Lawrence 6. Taber A TTORNEK 3,043,475 FAvonEn FLAVOR cAPAcrrY REsERvrNo MECHANISM Spencer L. Childers and'Lawrence C. Tober, Fresno,

This invention relates to improvements in vending machines. More particularly, the invention is concerned with improvements to machines for dispensing, according to the customers preference, any of a plurality of types or flavors of generally cylindrical articles, such as bottled beverages. In one conventional type of vending machine to which the improvements contemplated by this invention may be advantageously applied, the articles are stored within the machine upon a plurality of inclined shelves or the like, each provided with an associated, separate article releasing mechanism. In such machines, different shelves are commonly employed for the storage of different types or flavors of articles with all articles on any given shelf being the same. Accordingly, the customer, by choosing a particular article releasing mechanism associated with a particular shelf, may choose the type or flavor of the article to be withdrawn by or dispensed to him. 'It is to be understood that the terms dispense and dispensing, as herein used, are employed broadly to denote the function of making an article available for delivery or removal from the apparatus from which articles are to be vended or supplied; thus, said terms will be understood to include the performance of such function by releasing the articles for delivery by manual Withdrawal or the like, which may not necessarily be attended by any forcible ejection of the article from the apparatus by the latter.

Although it will be clear that the scope and applicability of the invention is by no means so restricted, one specific, exemplary type of vending apparatus with which the invention finds particular, present utility is the inclined shelf type of bottle beverage vending machine now being commercialized by The Vendo Company, 7400 East 12th Street, Kansas City, Missouri, the general na' ture of which is more fully disclosed in US. Letters Patent No. 2,766,906 entitled Selective Bottled Beverage Vending Machine and issued October 16, 1956. Ac-

cordingly, the application of the present invention to such type of machine has-been chosen as a suitable preferred embodiment which may be described hereinafter for purposes'of illustrating the principles and advantages of the instant invention. Those skilled in the art will have no difficulty in applying the principles of the invention to certain diifering forms of vending machines or vending machines employed for the dispensing of articles different than bottled beverages.

It is the common commercial custom and practice for i a large percent of the coin operated vending machines in public use to be initially'purchased, financed or otherwise furnished to the operators of plants, service stations,

public institutions or other establishments where the vending machines are to be located for the convenience of United States Patent the public, by a beverage bottler or other supplier of at i least certain of the articles which the machine is adapted to vend. Such is the case both because of the fact that the location proprietors normally do not desire to become engaged in the article vending business and because of the relatively substantial investment which may be required for the outright purchase of the number of vending machines desired to be provided at the location in question. Moreover, it is often the practice for such bottlers or article suppliers to attend not only to initial installation of the vending machines but also to the sub- 3,043,475 Patented July 10, 1962 ice dition. As a consideration to the bottler or other article supplier for such assistance in procurement and/ or maintenance of vending machines, the machines will normally carry external legends or advertising matter indi cating that the particular cooperating bottlers product is offered for sale in such machine. Such advertisement on the machine of the cooperating bottlers proprietary product obviously makes it desirable that a suflicient portion of the storage shelves or other facilities within the machine be devoted to such product to assure that that product will always be available to the public from such machine between regular intervals at which replacement articles are to be supplied to the location operator or machine by the cooperating bottler or other article supplier. In many instances, the consideration to the assisting bottler or other article supplier will include an at least tacit understanding that a certain number out of the total storage shelves available in the machine Will be retained and used exclusively for the particular product advertised on the machine and supplied by the cooperating bottler or supplier of other articles.

An example of a common type of commercial arrangement of the kind referred to would involve a bottled beverage vending machine advertising on the front thereof the availability for sale of a particular cola type drink with the machine being provided with adequate storage where the location operator desires to fully perform his moral or other obligation to reserve a given number of shelves in the machine for the cooperating bottler who has aided him in the procurement of the machine or assisted him in the mechanical maintenance thereof, prac tical diificulties often arise by virtue of the fact that not only the cooperating bottler but also his competitors are normally allowed access into the interior of the machine at regular intervals for replacing on the shelves of the machine those bottles which have previously been vended. Since the competitors of the cooperating bottler are normally not enjoined by any enforceable obligation to not so do, it is the all too prevalent practice of some route men of competing bottlers to replace the externally advertised product of the cooperating bottler with their own firms competing product upon a number of the shelves which previously were devoted to the cooperating bottlers advertised product.

. Accordingly, it is one of the primary objects of this invention to provide mechanical means to be incorporated within the vending machine itself for effectively in practree, reserving a given number of storage shelves or portion of the vending capacity of the machine for the handling of a cooperating bottlers proprietary product. The invention further contemplates the accomplishment of such objective by providing mechanical means for preventing the repeated vending or dispensing of a bottle or other article from any one of a particular plurality of shelves or releasing mechanisms until an article has also been vended from each of the remaining of such plurality of shelves or releasing mechanisms. By this means, a competing bottler is discouraged from placing his product upon any of the controlled plurality of shelves mentioned above, since such product could not be regularly vended to the public from those of such plurality of shelves occupied thereby without intervening vending of remaining of such controlled shelves. Accordingly, it

3 will be apparent that a product can be effectively merchandised from any of the plurality of controlled shelves or releasing mechanisms only if the same product is provided for all of them.

A further primary object of the invention will now also be apparent as involving the provision of mechanical means within a vending machine having a plurality of storage shelves or the like and respectively associated article releasing mechanisms by which the vending of articles from various ones'of a plurality of such shelves can be controlled to require that an article be dispensed from each of such plurality of shelves before a second article can be dispensed from any of same. It is believed clear that such latter object of the invention has utility even apart from the above-mentioned problem of providing adequate protection for a cooperating bottler, a suitable example being where it is desired that the articles from the various shelves be exhausted at the same rate While the public will tend to a natural preference for operating a particular one or ones of the releasing mechanisms associated with the various shelves for psychological reasons or because of the greater convenience of location thereof.

It is a further important object of the invention to provide such improved means for reserving capacity in a vending machine or for requiring cyclical choice of a plurality of otherwise avail-able customer selections in a vending machine having a plurality of separate article releasing mechanisms, which is of such nature that same can be operated directly by operable couplings with the vending gates or other article releasing mechanisms conventionally employed in such machines.

Another important object of the invention is to provide such improved means for employment in vending machines of the type utilizing inclined shelves for article storage, which includes shiftable stop mechanisms associated with each of the controlled, inclined shelves for preventing advancement of stored articles to a vending position adjacent the releasing mechanism for particular shelves until a vending sequence cycle has been completed by the vending of an article from each of the other of such shelves.

Another important object of the invention is to provide such improved means for vending machines, which includes an assembly shiftable relative to the frame of the machine, a latching device for each of the controlled shelves and article releasing mechanisms adapted to releasably latch the shiftable assembly relative to the frame of the machine, and apparatus operable by the article releasing mechanism for each shelf for substantially simultaneously vending an article from such shelf, releasing the corresponding latch and shifting a stop into the path of normal advancement of the next article from such shelf to a vending position, whereby, after vending of an article from any of such controlled shelves, no further article can be advanced therefrom to a vendible position until each of the article releasing mechanisms associated with each of the other of such controlled shelves has been operated to vend an article and release its corresponding latch so that the shiftable assembly may be returned to a recycling position withdrawing said stops and re latching all of the latches.

Still other important objects of the invention will be made clear or become apparent as the following description of an illustrative, currently preferred embodiment of the invention progresses.

In the accompanying drawings:

FIG. 1 is a fragmentary, side elevational view of a vending machine incorporating a preferred embodiment of the present invention, with the outer housing of such machine removed and parts broken away and shown in cross section for clarity of illustration;

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary, front elevational view of such machine incorporating the subject invention, with certain 4 outer housing parts removed and parts broken away and shown in cross section for clarity of illustration;

FIG. 3 is a cross sectional view taken on irregular line 33 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is an enlarged, side elevational view of apart of the shiftable assembly, one of the latching means and other operably associated mechanism, with parts broken away and shown in cross section; and 7 FIG. is anenlarged, fragmentary rear elevational view of one of the side channels forming a part of the frame of the machine, with parts broken away and shown in cross section.

Referring now to the drawings, a vending machine suitable for application of the present invention thereto is generally designated by the numeral 10. Disregarding conventional housing structure, which has been omitted from the drawings in order to illustratethe internal working parts of interest in connection with the description of the present invention, the machine 10 may include a frame broadly designated by the numeral 12 having a rear assembly 14 and a front assembly 16 connected by means such as cross rods 17. The rear assembly 14 of frame 12 may consist of an upright channel member 18 having a bight 20, a pair of side walls 22 and 24 and a pair of outwardly extending flanges 26 and 28- (see FIG. 3). The front assembly 16 may include an upright front panel 3t provided with vertically spaced, article withdrawal openings 32 therein, a rearwardly'extending channel 34 welded or otherwise suitably secured to the panel and having a bight portion 36, spaced, front overhanging portions 38 and a rear overhanging portion 4! Broadly, the machine 10 includes a plurality of what may be called dispensing means each for performing the function of making articles available for delivery to a customer by providing for the release of articles from a supply thereof to a dispostion and condition of available ity for removal by the customer and what may be called control means for performing the function of controlling the release of articles from the various dispensing means only in the manner contemplated by the invention and referred to hereinabove. An illustrative, preferred embodiment of the dispensing means of machine 10 will first be described.

Dispensing Means Adjacent each of the openings 32 and rearwardly thereof the frame carries an article supporting structure generally designated 42 having a bottom wall 44 with an upstanding article stop flange 46 along one lateral edge thereof. The structures 42 present means for receiving and supporting an article in position to be vended by Withdrawal through a corresponding opening 32 and may be supported Within the frame 12 in any suitable fashion, although the machine 10 illustrated shows such article supporting structures 42 as supported at one side by a rod 48 passed under a portion 50 and over a downwardly offset portion 52 thereof and at the other side by a lug 54 (see FIGS. 3 and 5), extending rearwardly from the bottom wall 44 through a hole 56 in the flange 28 of rear assembly 14 and supported upon a lower surface '58 of such-hole 56 (which may be stepped, as illustrated, to provide for adjustment of the support structures 42 to accommodate various sizes of articles). In the illustrated embodiment, support structures 42 also have a front section 60 of the bottom wall 44 inclined upwardly and raised to better conform to the configuration of beverage containing bottles, such as the illustrative machine 10 is intended to vend. V

Swingably mounted adjacent each of the article withdrawal openings 32 and spaced rearwardly therefrom is an article releasinggate mechanism generally designated 62 having a depending otfset'portion 64 provided with a rotatable article engaging roller 66, the ends of releasing mechanism 62 being pivotally received respectively 1n a bearing hole 68 in bight portion 36 of channel 34 and by a rearwardly extending bearing bracket 70 secured to the panel 30 and provided for such purpose. As will be particularly clear from FIG. 2, the article 100, such as a conventional beverage containing bottle, will be restrainedagainst Withdrawal through the corresponding opening 32 by the overhanging gate mechanism 62 and the underlying raised portion 60 of the corresponding structure 42, unless and until the gate mechanism 62 is swung forwardly upon its pivotal axis.

Although not, strictly speaking, forming a part of any of the plurality of dispensing means provided in machine as hereinbefore and hereinafter described, in commercial vending machines it is conventional to provide some sort of coin or check controlled means for releasing the other structure to vend only after proper deposit of coinage. Since such coin controlled means may conveniently be associated with parts of the dispensing means of machine 10 for locking the same until coinage has been deposited, it will be appropriate to refer briefly to the manner in which such coin controlled means may be associated with the dispensing means portion of machine Iii. It is to be understood, however, that such coin controlled means does not form an essential part of the structure contemplated by this invention and that the latter may be employed to advantage under certain circumsances in dispensing apparatus wherein the articles are to be made available without the prior deposit of coinage. In view of the operable association that may occur in the most common types of dispensing apparatus, however, brief reference will now be made to one way of associating coin controlled means with the dispensing means of this invention, and particularly the gate mechanisms 62 of the latter.

Coin controlled means, only a part of which is illustrated in detail, for preventing swinging movement of any of the gate mechanisms 62 until proper coinage hasbeen deposited in the machine 10, is generally designated by the numeral 7 2 and includes, besides the article releasing gate mechanism 62, a rotatable dog 74 for each of the mechanisms 62 and secured to a shaft end portion 76 of the latter extending through the bight portion 36 of channel 34, for cooperating with a plurality of vertically shiftable captive links 78 and element 80, all of which cooperate in conventional manner to prevent the swinging of any of the gate mechanisms 62 for the vending of an article 100 unless proper coinage has been deposited in the machine 10 and which further function to prevent the simultaneous swinging after proper coin deposit of more than one of the gate mechanisms 62, so that only a single articlelOt) may be vended upon each coinage deposit. The further details of such coin control means 72 need not be here further elaborated, since the pertinence of same to the operation of the instant invention may be defined merely by the facts that the gate mechanisms 62 are provided, an article 100 may be vended only when the corresponding gate mechanism 62 is swung forwardly, and each operation of vending an article 100 is necessarily attended by the swinging movement of the corresponding gate mechanism 62, all of which will be obvious to those skilled in the art, although it may be noted that coin control means 72 may be constructed in the manner disclosed in US. Letters Patent No. 2,766,906, referred to hereinbefore.

In order to provide for the storage of articles 100 to be vended from a given opening 32 after a preceding article 100 has just been dispensed from the corresponding structure 42, each structure 42 is provided With a are adapted to roll toward and, unless restrained, onto the corresponding support structure 42 by the action of gravity as preceding articles are withdrawn from the structure 42. For the purpose of illustrating the present invention, it is assumed that the five uppermost vending stations (each including broadly a support structrue 42, a gate mechanism 62 and a shelf 82) constitute a special plurality out of a greater number of vending stations included in the machine 10, the remaining vending stations being illustrated in FIG. 1 by the sixth of same from the top. It is significant to note in FIG. 1 that each of the special plurality of vending stations just mentioned, are provided with identical articles 100, while the remaining vending stations are provided with differing articles 101, which may differ from the articles 100 in any manner significant to customer selection such as flavor, supplier or the like. I

Means generally designated by the numeral 88 for preventing advancement of an article 101 onto the corfunction, by virtue of the cooperative engagement of the rotatable dog 74, with the captive links 78, toprevent repeated swinging of a gate mechanism 62 with resultant dispensing of a multiplicity of articles 101 responsive to a single coin deposit. Each means 88 includes a crank arm 98 rigidly secured tothe stub portion 76 of the corresponding gate mechanism 62, an elongated horizontal element 92 pivotally connected as at 94 with the crank arm 90 and pivotally connected adjacent its opposite end as at 96 with a swingable linkage plate 98 pivotally mounted upon the side wall 24 of rear assembly 14 by means of a pin 102 and a keeper 104. The crank arm 90, the element 92 and the plate 98 essentially define a parallel motion arrangement by which the element 92 will be swung downwardly into the path of travel of articles 101 awaiting to advance from the corresponding shelf 82 to the corresponding support structure 42 Whenever the corresponding gate mechanism 62 is swung to its actuated, forward position permitting withdrawal of an article 101. After withdrawal of an article 101 from the support structure 42 and release of the gate mechanism 62 for return to its normal position under the influence of springs 1G6 and 108 provided for such purpose, the element 92 will be raised to its stand-by position and the next article 101 on the corresponding shelf 82 permitted to roll by gravity onto the corresponding support structure 42 from which it may then be vended.

In accordance with the improvement contemplated by this invention, a crank arm 110 is pivotally mounted upon each of the stub shaped portions 76 of the gate mechanisms 62 for the special plurality of vending stations to becontrolled in accordance with the invention, and such stub shaft portions 76 are provided with lateral ears 112 for engaging a surface 114 on the corresponding arm 110 to rotate the latter in a counter clockwise direction as shown in FIG. 1 when the corresponding gate mechanism 62 is moved to its actuated, article releasing position. The rotatable mounting of the .arm 110 on the shaft portion 76 and the utilization of the car 112, however, provide a lost motion type of coupling between the gate mechanism 62 and the arm 110 of each of the plurality of vending stations to be controlled by the in-, vention, so that such gate mechanisms 62 may be 'returned to their normal, article retaining positions without the corresponding arm 110 returning to its normal position.

Pivotally connected with each of the arms 11% as at 116 is an elongated, generally horizontal stop bar element 118 pivotally connected adjacent its opposite end, as by a. pin 120, with a plate portion 122 of a device generally designated 124 and pivotally mounted upon a side Wall 24 of rear assembly 14 as by a pivot pin at 126. Spring means are provided as at 128 and 1 31 for yieldably biasing each arm 11-0, element 118 and device 124 toward a normal position in which the element 118 is held above the path of travel of articles 1190 waiting to move by gravity from the corresponding shelf 32 onto the corresponding support structure 42. It will be understood that during the period of vending a bottle 190 from one of the controlled plurality of vending stations, the arm 110 is swung by the car 112 in a counterclockwise direction, as shown in FIG. 1, and that the corresponding element 113 and device 124 similarly are shifted in parallel motion fashion substantially as previously described for the arm 99 element 92 and plate 98 to block the path of advancement of articles 11%; from the corresponding shelf 82 to the corresponding support structure 42 during the interim that the gate mechanism 62 is swung forwardly and in its article releasing position. As will hereinafter be explained, however, the arms 11f), elements 118 and devices 13s do not return to their normal positions upon return of the corresponding gate mechanisms 62 from their operated to their stand-by positions.

.An illustrative, preferred embodiment of the control means of machine will now be described.

Control Means Shiftably mounted within the rear assembly 14 is a vertically reciprocable channel assembly generally designated 132 having a bight 14d and side walls142 and 144. The shiftable mounting of the assembly 132 upon the rear assembly 14 of frame 12 is accomplished by brackets 146 and 148 on the latter, carrying pins 159 and 152 which are received within elongated, longitudinal slots 154 and 156 respectively provided in the channel assembly 132. A spring 158 oppositely connected with the pin 152 and the channel assembly 132 above the pin 152, yieldably biases the assembly 132 downwardly to the limit of the path of reciprocation thereof defined by the extent of slidable movement of the pins 155) and 152 within the slots 1.54 and 156 respectively.

The bight 21} of rear assembly 14 is provided with an inturned, lanced projection 16% for each of the vending stations to be controlled in accordance with the invention. Similarly, there is pivotally mounted upon the channel assembly 132 for each of such vending stations by means of .a pivot pin 162, a swingable latching member generally designated 164. Each latching member 164 includes an car 166 adapted for engagement below a corresponding lit) projection 160 when the member 164 is in a normal "positionat which it is yieldably biased by a spring 168.

Each latching member 164'further includes an extension plate 170 extending therefrom in the opposite direction from andin spaced substantial parallelism with the ear 166' thereof, each of such extension plates 17s being provided withia lowermost fiat surface 172 see FIG. 4). i

and parallel with the side plate 122 and interconnected with the latter by a bight 176. Pivotally mounted upon each ofsuch devices 124 between the side plates-122 and 174 thereof by means of a' pivot pin 173, is a swingable dog generally designated 180 having an upwardly extending portion 182 and a rearwardly extendingfportion 184. Eabh ofthe dogs13tl is yieldably biased toward a position as illustrated in FIG. 4 by a spring 186, swinging movement; of the dog 1.80 m such counterclockwise direction as shown in FIG. 4 being limited by engagement of the rear portion 184 with the bight 176 of the device 124. r

The operation of the preferred embodiment of machine 19, indicating the manner in which the dispensing means and the control means thereof cooperate to achieve the desired results, will now be described.

Operation In operation, before swinging movement of any of the gate mechanisms 62 associated with the special plurality of dispensing stations to be controlled by the invention, the crank arms 110, blocking elements 118, devices 124, latching members 164 and assembly 132 are all in the positions illustrated in FIG. 1 in connection with the second, third, fourth and fifth dispensing stations from the top of such figure. Upon operation of one of the gate mechanisms 62 associated with one of such plurality of controlled dispensing stations to vend a bottle iiltl from the corresponding support structure 42, the corresponding arm 11%, element 118, device 124 and latching member 164 will be shifted to the positions illustrated in connection with the uppermost dispensing station in FIG. 1 and'also as illustrated in FIG. 4. It will be understood that, before shifting of one of such gate mechanisms 62, the corresponding dog 181) is restrained in its normal position against the force of spring 186 by virtue of engagement of the rear face 188 of portion 182 of dog 180 against the forward edge 190 of extension plate 170 of the corresponding latch member 164. However, upon operation of the gate mechanism 62 by which it is swung forwardly to vend an article from the corresponding support structure 42, the corresponding device 124 is swung counterclockwise, as shown in FIG. 1, about the pivot pin 126 by virtue of the coupling provided by element 118 and arm 11%). During such swinging movement of the device 124, the portion 182 of dog 180 is shifted to ride down under the extension plate 170,

whereupon the spring 186 shifts the dog 181) to the position relative to the device 124 best illustrated in FIG. 4. Then, upon release of the gate mechanism 62, the swinging force applied to device 124 through element 113 and arm is released, whereupon, the uppermost end of portion 132 of dog 18G engages the under surface 172 of the extension plate of the latch member 164 to swing the latter against the biasing action of spring 168 to the position illustrated in FIG. 4, which releases the ear 166 of latch member 164 from the corresponding inwardprojection 161} on the frame 12. Such shifting of the latch member 164 is limited by engagement of the extension plate 171} with a corresponding bight portion 141) of the channel assembly 132, so that such extension plate 171), by'virtue of its engagement with the portion 132 of dog 130, provides a stop or latching effect upon the device 124, preventing the latter from returning'to its normal position under the influence of spring .130, Accordingly, with the device 124 being held or latched in described, the corresponding element 118 is also held in an actuated, lowered position for blocking the path of advancement of further articles 161' from the corresponding shelf 82 to the corresponding support structure 42. Thus, even though the gate mechanism 62 is permitted to return to its stand-by position after a vending operation from a given support structure 42 of the plurality of controlled dispensing stations, the corresponding article advance blocking element 118 will remain held in its actuated, articleadvance'preventing position.

Only after each of the gate mechanisms 62 associated with all of the controlled dispensing stations have been actuated to vend an article 100 from the corresponding support structure 42, will the last of the latch members direction tending to raise the latter.

9 return the devices 124 to their normal position will be exerted through the engagement of the portion 182 of the dog 180 with the under s'irface 172 of the extension plates 170 upon the channel assembly 132 in an upward Since the biasing force exerted by the springs 130 is greater than the opposed downwardly biasing force-exerted by the spring 158, the channel assembly 132 will rise to a height where the portions 182 of all of the dogs 180 have cleared the under surface 172 of the extension plate 170 of the corresponding latch members 164 due to the simultaneous swinging motion of each of the devices 124 as they raise the channel assembly 132,. Thereupon, the channel assembly 132 will be pulled back to its normal position at the lowermost end of itspath of travel by the spring 158 and the various springs 168 will shift the corresponding latch members 164 to reengage the ears 166 of the latter below the corresponding inward projections 1-60 on the frame 12. The controlled dispensing stations of the machine 16 are then again restored to the initial condition in which the gate mechanism 62 of any of such controlled stations may be once actuated to vend an article 1% but may not be reactuated to vend another article 16?) until the gate mechanisms 62 for each of the other controlled dispensing stations has also been once actuated, it being clear that the blocking elements 118 are shifted and retained in their blocking positions responsive to the first operation of the corresponding gate mechanism 62 during each controlled cycle and that, only upon release of the channel assembly 132 as hereinabove described, will such elements 118 be restored to their normal positions permitting the next article 100 to advance from the shelves 82 ofeach of the controlled dispensing stations to the corresponding support structures 4-2.

It will now be clear that this invention is ideally adapted to accomplish all of the above-mentioned and other objects thereof. Manifestly, those skilled in the art will appreciate that a number of minor changes or modifications could be made from the precise structure of the preferred embodiment chosen for description for illustrative purposes without departing from the true spirit or intention of the invention. It will, therefore, be understood that the invention should be deemed limited only by the scope of the claims that follow.

Having thus described the invention what is claimed as new and desired to be secured by Letters Patent is:

1. In article dispensing apparatus, a plurality of dispensing means each having a normal operative condition and an inoperative condition, any of said dispensing means when in its operative condition being separately and selectively actuatable to dispense an article, said dispensing means when in their operative condition being successively actuatable in any order; and control means operably coupled with each of said dispensing means and opera'ble in response to actuation of any of said dispensing means for establishing an inoperative condition of each actuated dispensing means and for maintaining each actuated dispensing means in said inoperative condition thereof until all of the dispensing means have been actuated, whereby repeated operation of any of said dispensing means until the completion of a cycle during which each of said dispensing means has been once actuated is prevented.

2. In article dispensing apparatus, a plurality of dispensing means each having a normal operative condition and an inoperative condition, any of said dispensing means when in its operative condition being separately and selectively actuatable to dispense an article, said dispensing means when in their operative condition being successively actuatable in any order; and control means operably coupled with each of said dispensing means and operable in response to actuation of any of said dispensing means for establishing an inoperative condition of each actuated dispensing means and for maintaining each actuated dispensing means in said inoperative condition thereof until all of the dispensing means have been actuated, said control means being further operable in response to actuation of the last to be actuated of said dispensing means to restore all of said dispensing means to their said operative condition, whereby repeated actuation of any of said dispensing means until the completion of a cycle during which each of said dispensing means has been operated is prevented and, upon completion of said cycle, a new cycle during which each of said dispensing means may be actuated is commenced.

3. Apparatus as set forth in claim 2, wherein each of said plurality of dispensing means includes a shiftable article releasing mechanism which is shifted whenever an article is dispensed from said dispensing means, and shiftable means operably coupled With said mechanism for being shifted from a normal position to a different position thereof responsive to shifting of said mechanism, each of said dispensing means being rendered inoperative whenever its shiftable means is in said different position thereof; and said control means includes a shiftable device for each dispensing means respectively, each of said shiftable means being operably coupled with a corresponding device for shifting the latter when said shiftable means is shifted to said different position thereof, each device when shifted retaining the corresponding shiftable means in said different position of the latter.

4. Apparatus as set forth in claim 3, wherein said control means further includes a shiftable,releasably latchable assembly common to all of said dispensing means and including a shiftable latch thereon corresponding to each dispensing means respectively for maintaining said assembly against shifting until all of said latches have been released, each of said devices being operably coupled with .said assembly for releasing a corresponding latch when said device is shifted and for maintaining said device shifted until said assembly is shifted.

5. Apparatus as set forth in claim 4, wherein each of said devices includes a part engageable with a corresponding latch for releasably locking the device in shifted condition until all of said latches are released and the assembly is shifted, and there is provided force exerting means for shifting said assembly to release said devices upon release of all of said latches.

6. Apparatus as set forth in claim 5, wherein there is provided further means for returning said assembly to its original position and relatching all of said latches upon release of all of said devices.

7. Apparatus as set forth in claim 6, wherein said parts are engageable with said latches for coupling said force exerting means with said assembly.

8. Apparatus as set forth in claim 7, wherein said further means is operably coupled with said assembly for exerting upon the latter a force opposite to, but of lesser magnitude than, said force exerting means, said assembly being restrained against shifting under the influence of said force exerting means by the latches until the latter are all released and being restrained against return from its shifted to its original position by the engagement of said parts with said latches until all of said devices are released.

9. In article dispensing apparatus, a plurality of dispensing means each having article supplying means for supplying thereto articles to be dispensed, each of said article supplying means having a normal operative condition in which said article supplying means will supply to its dispensing means an article to replace an article dispensed from said dispensing means and an inoperative condition in which said article supplying means is prevented from supplying to its dispensing means an article to replace an article dispensed from its dispensing means, any of said dispensing means initially being separately and selectively actuatable to dispense an article and the remaining dispensing means each being thereafter succespensing means and operable in response to actuation of any of said dispensing means for establishing an inoperative condition of each article supplying means of said actuated dispensing means and for maintaining each actuated dispensing means in said inoperative condition thereof until all of the dispensing means have been actuated, whereby repeated dispensing of an article from any of said dispensing means until completion of a cycle during which an article has been dispensed from each of said dispensing means is prevented.

10. Apparatus as set forth in claim 9, wherein each of said article supplying means is arranged to feed articles to the corresponding dispensing means by movement of the articles along a particular path of travel, and said control means includes a shiftable element for each of said paths respectively shiftable into the latter for blocking the same to passage of articles therealong when the correponding dispensing means is actuated.

11. Apparatus as set forth in claim 10, wherein each of said plurality of dispensing means includes a shiftable mechanism, said mechanism of each dispensing means being shifted when the latter is operated to dispense an article, and said control means includes a shiftable, re leasably latchable assembly, and structure including said elements for operably coupling said mechanisms with said assembly.

12. Apparatus as set forth in claim 11, wherein said assembly includes a shiftable latch for each of said plurality of dispensing means respectively, and said structure includes a shiftable device for each latch respectively and engageable with the latter for releasing the same, each device being coupled with a corresponding mechanism through the corresponding element.

13. Apparatus as set forth in claim 12, wherein each of said devices includes a part engageable with a portion of said assembly for releasably locking the device in shifted condition until all of said latches arereleased and the assembly is shifted, and there is provided force exerting means for shifting said assembly to release said devices upon release of, allof said latches.

14. Apparatus as set forth in claim 13, wherein is provided means for shifting said elements to their original positions to render all of said article supplying means operative upon release of all of said devices.

15. Apparatus as set forth in claim 14, wherein there is provided further means for returning said assembly to its original position and relatching all of said latches upon release of all of said devices.

16. Apparatus as set forth in claim 15, wherein said parts are engageable with said portions for coupling said force exerting means with said assembly.

17. Apparatus as set forthin claim 16, wherein said further means is operably coupled with said assembly for exerting upon the latter a force opposite to, but of lesser magnitude than, said force exerting means, said assembly being restrained against shifting under the influence of said force exerting means by the latches until the latter are all released and being restrained against return from its shifted to its original position :by the engagement of said parts with said portions until all of saidv devices are released. l

I 18. In article dispensing apparatus, a plurality of article dispensing means each including support structure for supporting an article in disposition for being dispensed therefrom, and shiftable article releasing mechanism disposed for being shifted whenever an article is dispensed from the corresponding support structure; article supply means for' each of said dispensing means respectively for storing'a number of articles and disposed for successively feeding the latter to the corresponding support structure along a predetermined path of travel; a shiftable element for each dispensing means respectively disposed to be shifted between a normal position clearing said path of travel to the corresponding support 'struc-' ture and an actuated position blocking said path of travel; coupling means operably coupling each element with the corresponding shiftable mechanism for movement of the element into said actuated position whenever said shiftable mechanism is shifted upon dispensing of an article from the corresponding support structure; a device for each element respectively for releasably holding the latter in said actuated position thereof; and releasing means for simultaneously releasing all of said devices when all of said elements have been shifted to be concurrently disposed in said actuated position thereof.

19. In a vending machine, a frame; a plurality of vertically spaced inclined shelves on the frame for supporting articles to be vended; structure on the frame adjacent the lower extremity of each shelf respectively for receiving from the latter the next article to be vended therefrom; a swingable gate mechanism on the frame for each structure respectively 'for'releasably retaining an article on the latter, said mechanism being swung when an article is dispensed from the corresponding structure; a shiftable element on the frame for each structure re spectively shiftable between an actuated position blocking the path for article travel from the corresponding shelf to the corresponding structure and a normal position withdrawn from said path of travel; means operably coupling each element with a corresponding mechanism for shifting of said element to its said actuated position upon swinging of the corresponding mechanism; a releasable device for each of said elements respectively for holding the latter in its actuated position; and means for simultaneously releasing all of said devices automatically when all of said elements have been shifted to be concurrently disposed in said actuated positions thereof.

20. A machine as set forth in claim 19, wherein said last-mentioned means .includes an assembly shiftably mounted on the frame; stop means on the frame; a releasable latch member shiftably mounted on said assembly for each element respectively and operably engageable with said stop means for restraining the assembly against shifting; means on said assembly engageable with said devices for retaining the latter in element-holding condition until said assembly is shifted; means for shifting said assembly to release said devices upon releaseof all of said latch members; and means including said elements and said devices operably coupling each of said gate mechanisms with a corresponding latch member for release of the latter when said-mechanism is swung.

21. In a vending machine, a frame; a plurality of vertically spaced, inclined shelves on the frame for supporting articles to be dispensed; structure on the frame adjacent the lower extremity of each shelf respectively for receiving from the latter the next article to be dispensed therefrom; a swingable gate mechanism on the frame for each structure respectively for releasably retaining an article on the latter until the article is manually withdrawn, each mechanism being swung when an article is withdrawn from the corresponding structure; a shiftable element on the frame for each structure respectively shiftable between an actuated position blocking the path for article travel from the corresponding shelf to the corresponding structure and a normal position withdrawn from said path of travel; yieldable means urging said elements toward their said normal positions; means operably coupling each element witha' corresponding mechanism for shifting of said element to its said actuated position upon swinging of the corresponding mechanism; a reciprocable assembly on said frame; stop means on said frame; a latching member for each element respectively swingably mounted on said assembly and normally but releasably engaged with said stop means for restraining said assembly, against reciprocation relative to said frame; a swingable device on the frame for each element respectively and operably coupled with the latter for swinging movement of said device from anormal to an operated conditionresponsive to shifting of the corresponding element to its actuated position and for holding said element in its actuated position as long as the corresponding device remains in its operated condition; and dog means on 13 each device for operably but releasably coupling each device with the corresponding latching member, said dog means being operable, when said device is swung to its operated condition, tolrelease the corresponding latching member from said stop means and to hold said device in its operated condition until said assembly is reciprocated and further operable, When all of said devices have been swung to their operated conditions and all of said latching members have been released, to operably couple said devices with said assembly for reciprocating the latter to release said coupling of said devices with said latching members and said assembly as said elements are returned to their is said normal positions under the influence of said yielda-ble means.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,357,631 Fried Nov. 2, 192{) 2,203,834 Mergens June 11, 1940 2,281,466 Terry Apr. 28, 1942 2,766,906 Bookout et al. Oct. 16, 1956 FOREIGN PATENTS Great Britain Apr. 12, 1926

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