GB2053869A - Candy dispensing machine - Google Patents

Abstract

A candy dispensing machine comprises a transparent magazine (11) for candy and a dispensing unit (12) which is coin operated to release a predetermined amount of candy. The magazine and dispensing unit are wholly enclosed within a housing (3) and are supported therein by guide rails and stops. A lockable closure (8) closes off an aperture in the housing through which the magazine and dispensing unit are inserted. In an alternative embodiment, the housing is hinged on a back plate (32) which is attached to a fixed structure and access to the magazine for refilling etc. is gained by pivoting the housing away from the back plate. In this embodiment, the guide rails are secured to the back plate. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Candy dispensing machine The present invention refers to a candy dispensing machine.

It is known to secure such machines to a wall at a specific height so that every person who has a longing for the goods offered can help himself. It is also known to install such machines on supporting brackets, tables or other supporting surfaces such that they are accessible to everyone and to secure them, if necessary, against theft by providing a safety means, such as a chain. In the case of said known machines it is disadvantageous that, when the machine is installed outdoors, it will be exposed to the influence of the weather and will get very dirty. Temperature and humidity fluctuations may force contaminating substances through the dispensing unit into the magazine so that the candy will get dirty, unhygienic and unsightly.The mechanism which releases a specific amount of goods after insertion of a coin will also be strongly affected by the influence of the weather so that constant maintenance work will be necessary. Moreover, the known machines are a prey to general vandalism, i.e. people are tempted by the unprotected machine to open it by force, to destroy it or to tear it off the supporting wall. A frequent replacement of such destroyed machines will, of course, cause an increase in costs for the goods sold by said machines and this is not in the interest of the public. These known machines have the additional drawback that they do not usually provide large, plane or continuous surfaces for promoting the offered goods.

The present invention provides a candy dispensing machine, particularly for chewing-gum, comprising at least one transparent magazine for the candy, a dispensing unit which is provided with a container for coins and from which a predetermined amount of goods can be removed after insertion of a coin, and a housing surrounding the magazine on all sides, said housing being provided with at least one aperture for access to the dispensing unit and with a slipguide means for mounting the magazine within the housing, the housing being adapted to be supported on the ground or to be fastened in a freely suspended manner.

Preferably, the housing is provided with a cutout for insertion of the magazine, said cut-out being open towards the slip-guide means and being adapted to be closed by means of a housing cover which can be locked and which is flush with a front part of the housing.

The slip-guide means may comprise guide rails and stops for locating the magazine and securing it in position. The housing may be secured to a supporting foot and a base plate or may have apertures for inserting fastening members which can only be loosened from within the housing.

In the case of this last embodiment, the housing can also be secured to parts of buildings, poles, kiosks or the like in such a way that it is protected against unauthorised removal. In the case of both of the above-described alternatives the fastening apertures can be provided in the housing from the outset so that the mode of installation can be freely chosen without subjecting the housing to any subsequent treatment.

Preferably, the slip-guide means is part of a support which is provided with fastening members so that it can be secured to a wall or to a supporting foot, and the housing is releasably placed on the support and secured in position thereon.

Preferably, the support includes a back plate which has secured thereto the slip-guide means for the magazine and the housing is connected to the support by a pivotable and slideable joint such that it can be swung over the slip-guide means.

In'the case of this embodiment, the magazines are directly secured to a sturdy support which has at the same time fastened thereto the housing such that said housing can be swung down. It is in this case not necessary to design the housing as sturdy as in the case of the preceding embodiment, since said housing does not have any supporting functions. This embodiment is advantageous with regard to a simple exchange of empty magazines. Moreover, it is very difficult to gain forcible access to the interior of the housing.

Preferred embodiments of the invention will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the drawings, in which: FIGURE 1 shows a perspective oblique view of a candy dispensing machine according to the invention; FIGURE 2 shows a different embodiment of the machine; FIGURE 3 shows an open housing of the embodiment according to FIGURES 1 and 2; FIGURE 4 shows a magazine adapted to be inserted into the housing according to the preceding figures; FIGURE 5 shows an additional embodiment of a housing in a front view; and FIGURE 6 shows a side view of the embodiment according to FIGURE 5.

Referring first to FIGURE 1, a candy dispensing machine 1, e.g. a chewing-gum machine, consists of an oval housing 3 which is provided with flat front and rear sides, 2, 4 and which is connected to a supporting foot 5 and a base plate 6. The front side 2 of the housing has provided therein a cut-out 7; an appropriate housing cover 8 is fitted into said cut-out and is adapted to be locked by means of a lock (not shown). The cut-out leads to a slip-guide means 27. The housing cover 8 is provided with a round window 9 and a quadrangular aperture 10 is provided below said round window 9. Behind said round window 9 a transparent magazine 11 is provided, cf. FIGURE 4, which is provided with a dispensing unit 12 accessible through said quadrangular aperture 10.

The magazine 11 contains e.g. chewing-gum balls; when a coin is inserted into the dispensing unit 12, a specific amount of said chewing-gum balls can be taken out of the dispensing unit.

FIGURE 2 shows a candy dispensing machine 3 which is also provided with an oval housing 14 and which can again be set up on or anchored in the ground by means of a supporting foot 5 and a base plate 6. The housing 14 has provided therein a rectangular cut-out 1 5 which is covered by a flat housing cover 1 6. The housing cover 1 6 has provided therein two round windows 9 which are arranged side by side; and through which the magazines 11 are visible below said round windows 9, rectangular or square apertures are provided through the dispensing units 12 of two magazine units, which are inserted side by side into the housing 14, are visible and accessible.

The housing cover may also have an oval shape (16'). The housing cover edge extends then parallel to the oval outline of the housing. The surface available for advertising stickers will then be larger and continuous.

FIGURE 3 shows the housing in its open condition, the slip-guide means 27 being positioned in the cut-out 16; said slip-guide means 27 consists of guide rails 17 and of rear stops 1 8 for securing the magazines in position. In addition, the rear side of the housing 14 has provided therein apertures 1 9 and the underside of the housing has provided therein apertures 20 for securing said housing either to a wall or to the supporting foot 5. The fastening members are applied from within in such a manner than they cannot be loosened from outside.

The magazine 11 is clearly shown in FIGURE 4.

It consists of a glass container having the form of a cube or a cuboid, the dispensing unit 12 being secured to the underside of said glass container.

The magazine 11 contains candy, e.g. chewinggum balls 21; a specific amount of said candy can be taken out of a dispensing device 22, when a coin is inserted into an opening 23 and is taken in by pressing two levers 24 together, whereupon a pivot lever 25 can be actuated which releases the selected amount of candy 21. The magazine and the dispensing unit may, of course, also have a different configuration or structural design.

The embodiment of a chewing-gum self-service machine shown in FIGURE 5 and 6 in a front and a side view differs from the above-explained embodiments in that the oval housing identified by reference numeral 40 is secured to a support 31 such that it can be swung down. In the case of this machine 30 the support 31 consists of a quadrangular, robust back plate 32 having at the top and at the bottom secured thereto U-shaped guide rails 33 and 34 which extend horizontally away from said back plate. In view of the fact that the machine 30 is designed such that it can accommodate two magazines, central stops 35 acting as spacers between said two magazines are secured to the guide rails 33 and 34. The underside of the lower guide rail 34 has secured thereto tongues 36 and in each of said tongues 36 an outwardly projecting bolt 37 is screwed.The bolts 37 define the swing axis for the housing 40.

The housing includes for this purpose respective rails 38 which are mounted in the interior thereof and which each comprise an L-shaped slot 39 which is engaged by a pin 37. Each slot 39 comprises an obliquely extending long section 39a followed by a shorter section 39b which is directed upwards.

The front side 41 of the housing 40 is provided with round windows 42 and with rectangular apertures 43 which are disposed below said round windows. These windows reveal the contents of the magazine and provide access to the dispensing unit thereof.

The housing 40 includes in its rear side a quadrangular cut-out 44 whose size exceeds in vertical direction the dimension between the guide rails 33 and 34, when seen in the same direction, by a distance indicated at 50.

The upper guide rail 33 has secured thereto hook means in the form of a strip 45 extending in parallel spaced relation to the back plate 32. Said strip 45 carries a threaded nut 46 into which a fastening screw 47 is screwed such that it exerts pressure against the inner side of the rear housing wall and presses it against the back plate 32. An aperture 48 is provided in the front housing wall 41 such that it is in alignment with the fastening screw 47; said aperture can be locked by a lock 49. The fastening screw 47 can be loosened or tightened through the aperture 48 by means of a special tool, e.g. a long screw driver, provided that the housing 41 is appropriately positioned on the support 31. The height of the strip 45 does not quite correspond to the measure 50 which represents the difference in height between the cut-out 44 and the slip-guide means.

The machine shown in FIGURES 5 and 6 is assembled, but not yet filled. For inserting one or two magazines, it will first of all be necessary to undo the lock 49. It is now possible to loosen the fastening screw 47 by means of the tool through the aperture 48 to such an extent that the rear housing wall is free. The housing is now raised by the measure 50, in the course of which procedure the bolts 37 slide downwards in the slot section 39b until the upper edge of the cut-out 44 can be lifted over the strip 45. The entire housing 40 is now pulled forward away from the back plate 32, until the bolts 37 reach the front end of the slot section 39a. It is now possible to swing down said housing 40, until the rear housing wall abuts on the underside of the guide rail 34. The magazine(s) can now be inserted into the slip-guide means without any difficulties. The housing 40 is now swung up and brought into the position according to FIGURE 6 by applying the above measures in reverse order.

The back plate 32 is provided with fastening means which are not shown and by means of which the back plate can either be secured to a housing wall or to a supporting foot. It is particularly advantageous that the housing itself can be provided with a very conspicuous design, e.g. particularly colourful, and that the smooth surfaces of the housing permit the application of advertising stickers or of other signs referring to the goods offered. Moreover, the smooth surfaces of the housing will not easily get dirty and can be cleaned rapidly and without any difficulties.

The candy dispensing machine described above have many advantages. The housing protects the magazine and the candy dispensing unit much better against the influence of weather as well as against malicious destruction or theft than the housing of known machines. Temperature fluctuations, rain and dust are kept away from the candy, and the dispensing unit remains cleaner.

The coins can be properly inserted and the goods can be easily removed. Signs or advertising stickers can be applied to the housing, which clearly refer to the goods. A conspicuous design of the housing may attract the attention of persons walking past or driving past.

Experience has also shown that, on the one hand, the housing protects the magazine against unintentional damage caused by vehicles or passers-by bumping against the machine and that, on the other hand, passers-by rushing past the machine in a crowd are less liable to bump themselves on such a machine than on the known comparatively inconspicuous machines which are fastened to walls or parts of buildings. The compact impression imparted by the housing restrains aggressive people from malicious destruction or theft. Due to their small dimensions, the known machines were frequently torn off, transported away in a passenger car and then destroyed and deprived of the coins. This danger has been markedly reduced in the case of the machine described above because of the large dimensions and the compact structural design of the housing. The magazine can, nevertheless, easily be refilled or exchanged when the housing has been removed.

Claims (18)

1. A candy dispensing machine, particularly for chewing-gum, comprising at least one transparent magazine for the candy, a dispensing unit which is provided with a container for coins and from which a predetermined amount df goods can be removed after insertion of a coin, and a housing surrounding the magazine on all sides, said housing being provided with at least one aperture for access to the dispensing unit and with a slipguide means for mounting the magazine within the housing, the housing being adapted to be supported on the ground or to be fastened in a freely suspended manner.

2. A candy dispensing machine according to claim 1, in which the housing is provided with a cut-out for insertion of the magazine, said cutout being open towards the slip-guide means and being adapted to be closed by means of a housing cover which can be locked and which is flush with a front part of the housing.

3. A candy dispensing machine according to either claim 1 or claim 2, in which the slip-guide means comprises guide rails and stops for locating the magazine and securing it in position.

4. A candy dispensing machine according to any one of claims 1 to 3, in which one side of the housing has secured thereto from within a supporting foot with a base plate.

5. A candy dispensing machine according to any one of claims 1 to 3, in which at least one side of the housing has provided therein apertures for inserting fastening members which can only be loosened from within the housing.

6. A candy dispensing machine according to claim 1, in which the slip-guide means is part of a support which is provided with fastening members so that it can be secured to a wall or to a supporting foot, and the housing is releasably placed on the support and secured in position thereon.

7. A candy dispensing machine according to claim 6, in which the support includes a back plate which has secured thereto the slip-guide means for the magazine and the housing is connected to the support by a pivotable and slideable joint such that it can be swung over the slip-guide means.

8. A candy dispensing machine according to claim 6 or claim 7, in which the slip-guide means consists of channel sections which extend away from the back plate and which have stops secured thereto.

9. A candy dispensing machine according to any one of claims 6 to 8, in which at least one bolt defining the pivot axis of the housing is secured to at least one support section which is structurally connected to the slip-guide means, said bolt engaging slots being provided in rails connected to the housing.

10. A candy dispensing machine according to any one of claims 6 to 9, in which the rear housing wall has provided therein a quadrangular cut-out whose outline is adapted to the slip-guide means, and the back plate is larger than the cut-out.

11. A candy dispensing machine according to any one of claims 6 to 10, in which hook means is provided in front of the back plate in spaced parallel relationship thereto and the size of the cut-out exceeds the dimension of the slip-guide means, and each slot comprises a longer horizontal section followed by a vertical section of a length corresponding at least to the height of the hook means such that, in order to pivot the housing, said housing can first of all be lifted until the edge of its cut-out is over the hook means and can then be pulled away from the back plate over almost the entire length of the slip-guide means, whereupon it can be swung down by pivoting about the bolt.

1 2. A candy dispensing machine according to claim 11, in which the hook means has secured thereto a threaded nut and from the interior of the housing a screw can be screwed into said threaded nut and against the inner side of the rear housing wall, provided that the housing has been properly lifted over the strip and supported on the slip-guide means by the edge of the cut-out.

1 3. A candy dispensing machine according to claim 12, in which a front side of the housing has provided therein an aperture which is adapted to be locked and which is in alignment with the screw provided that the housing has been positioned properly.

14. A candy dispensing machine according to any one of claims 1 to 13, in which two juxtaposed magazines are arranged in the slipguide means and the front side of the housing has provided therein for each magazine a window revealing part of the magazine and an aperture providing access to the dispensing unit.

1 5. A candy dispensing machine according to any one of claims 1 to 14, in which the housing has an oval configuration with a flat front side.

16. A candy dispensing machine according to any one of claims 1 to 15, in which the housing and the slip-guide means with the back plate is a welded or riveted or screwed sheet steel structure

17. A candy dispensing machine according to any one of claims 1 to 1 5, in which the housing consists of plastics material.

18. A candy dispensing machine according to any one of claims 1 to 17, in which the apertures are round, oval or quadrangular and have either the same or different outlines and dimensions.

1 9. A candy dispensing machine substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as shown in the accompanying drawings.