GB1259669A - Article vending apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

1,259,669. Article dispensing machine. SEEBURG CORP OF DELAWARE. Sept. 12, 1969 [Sept 12, 1968(6)], No.45050/69. Heading A4T. An article dispensing machine which may be coin controlled, comprises a set of vertically arranged drawers with tracks 552, Fig. 2 on which are reciprocally mounted article trays 551, the stock of articles being forced up to a stop member 749 at the open rear of a tray by an underlying flat spring fixed to the casing at one end and coiled at the other end behind pusher 559 and the tray being held towards the front of the machine by a catch device 555 interconnected with a pivoted selection button 541. Symbolic device 555 is formed by a stud beneath the tray engaging a spring-loaded calliper clip device, Figs. 11-14, (not shown). Depression of a button releases a catch and allows a spring to project the open rear end of a selector tray rearwards into a vend area 563, and operates vertical and horizontal interlocks preventing release of any other tray. A switch energizes a motor driving endless chains 565 between which is a bar carrying pivoted vend boxes 885, and as the boxes rise, one catches the article at the rear of the selected tray and lifts it towards a top vend area 547 and on which the article falls when a stop 921 tips a box forward. A cam 871 below a box acts on a spring-loaded double-catch mechanism 953 to force the projected tray back into engagement with catch 555 and a limit switch reverses the endless chain. An intercamming catch may allow articles to be dispensed in turn from alternate adjacent trays. In a second embodiment a solenoid switch lifts catch 366, Fig. 38 allowing a spring to move tray 78 rearward and a spring-loaded pusher 262 pushes the end packet 470 against stop 92, Fig. 44, over an end opening in the tray. Motor 390 then lowers a rack 186 carrying sloping dispensing members 222, 238, 240, the lowest member 240 not being provided with a projectable tray. One of the members, viz. 238, pushes a packet downward through the tray opening falling on to member 240 and thence on to dispensing shoot 23, 25. The motor 390 then cranks the dispensing rack upwards and cams 326, 334, Fig. 39 co-operating with spring-loaded levers 336 acting on rods 342, 346 on the trays, force the projected tray back to its front rest position engaging solenoid latches 362 or 366. A camming catch may interconnect two adjacent trays to permit alternate dispensing.