GB2221899A - Sliding ejector for goods in vending machines - Google Patents

Abstract

There is disclosed a mechanism for dispensing packets (24) of cigarettes from a vending machine which includes an articulated slider (11) which serves to support a stack (23) of packets and to dispense the same one-by-one upon slider reciprocation. The outermost part of the slider is in the form of a downwardly pivotable flap (17) having an upstanding lip (20) at the forward extremity thereof, the flap (20) being supported in generally coplanar relationship with the remainder of the slider during the initial part of the dispense movement but being free to pivot thereafter. Conveniently, the flap (17) includes an aperture (21) to receive an upstanding element (25) into engagement therewith on pivotal motion of the flap (17), to facilitate packet discharge. A step (22) between surfaces (14) and (17) ensures ejection of packets (24). <IMAGE>

Description

VENDING MACHINES The invention concerns vending machines, and has reference to a dispense arrangement for the separate and successive displacement of the individual packets of a stack thereof and the delivery of such packets to a dispense station.

More particularly, the invention is concerned with a slide or drawer mechanism for use in the context of a vending machine as aforesaid.

According to the present invention there is proposed a dispense mechanism for a vending machine, said mechanism including an articulated slider reciprocably movable relative to a machine frame and adapted to support a stack of articles thereon, the slider comprising a pusher plate, a support flap articularly connected to the pusher plate and reciprocable therewith, and support means adapted to hold the support flap in an operative position generally coplanar with the underside of the said stack during a first part of a forward movement of the slider and to permit downward pivotal motion of said flap during a later stage of said movement, there being abutment means adjacent the leading edge of the support flap and extending upwardly beyond the support surface defined by said flap.

According to a preferred feature, the upper surface of the support flap is arranged in offset disposition relative to the corresponding surface of the pusher plate, thereby to define an outwardly facing step therebetween.

According to a further preferred feature, the support flap of the slider is apertured for cooperation with an upstanding element provided in the path of pivotal motion of said flap, thus to define an ejection device to ensure removal of the packet from the slider at the end of the dispense movement thereof.

According to a still further preferred feature, the dispense mechanism includes a linkage arrangement operatively connected with the slider and adapted, upon actuation, to effect reciprocatory motion of the slider, the linkage arrangement comprising a pivotal lever loosely coupled with the slider and actuator means selectively cooperable with the lever to effect angular adjustment thereof, the actuator means being drivingly connected with the lever through resilient means.

The invention will now be described further, by way of example only, by reference to the single figure of the accompanying drawing which illustrates one embodiment thereof in diagrammatic perspective view.

It is to be understood that whilst a single dispense mechanism is illustrated, a multiplicity of such mechanisms will ordinarily be provided in adjacent side-by-side disposition within a common machine housing, and that the individual operation of a selected individual mechanism will be effected, and the remaining mechanisms rendered inoperative, in accordance with common practice using known techniques, upon receipt of a requisite coin or token combination by an appropriate coin-freed mechanism.

Referring now to the drawing, a dispense mechanism for use in a cigarette vending machine for successively displacing packets one-by-one from a stack thereof and delivering said packets to a delivery point comprises an articulated slider 11 reciprocably movable in guides 12 between retracted and extended positions and a linkage arrangement 13 operable on the slider to effect said movement.

The slider 11 comprises a pusher plate 14 having lateral edges 15 in engagement with the guides 12 provided in a fixed part 16 of the machine frame and a support flap 17 articularly connected to the forward edge of the pusher plate 14 by hinge means 18, the support flap 17 being maintained in generally co-planar relationship with the pusher plate 14 in the retracted condition of the slider 11 by a support roller 19 at the underside thereof, said roller 19 being disposed transversely of the flap and being positioned approximately centrally thereof.

The forward edge of the support flap 17 carries an upstanding lip 20, and an aperture 21 is provided in the forward part of such flap.

The plane of the top surface of the support flap is arranged in vertically offset disposition relative to the plane of the corresponding surface of the pusher plate, being lower than that of the pusher plate to define an outwardly facing step 22, the support flap 17 being dimensioned to receive a stack 23 of cigarette packets 24 thereon between the upstanding lip 20 and the said step 22.

In the operation of the slider 11 to remove a packet 24 from the stack 23 existing on the support flap 17, the outwardly facing step 22 on the pusher plate 14 abuts the adjacent opposing face of the lowermost pack and, on progressive movement of the slider 11 to the right as seen in the drawing, moves such packet relative to the remainder of the stack.

During such movement the support flap will initially remain in its generally co-planar relationship with the pusher plate by virtue of the presence of the roller 19, but when the hinge means 18 reaches and moves beyond the line of the roller 19 the support flap will be free to pivot downwardly under the weight of the packet and the packet will be dispensed, the pivotal motion of the flap and the inertia of the packet being sufficient for the packet to pivot on the lip 20 away from the slider 11 and thus pass to a tray or compartment (not shown) whereat the same is accessible to the purchaser.

However, in order to guard against the possibility of the packet remaining in position on the support flap 17 in the downwardly pivotted position thereof .. ejector device may be provided, such ejector device comprising an upstanding element 25 provided in the path of movement of the flap 17 in pivotting about the hinge means 18 and in register with the aperture 21 therein, the said element 25 protruding through the aperture 21 on such pivotal movement and thus serving to eject the packet from the flap.

The upstanding element 25 may comprise a castellated upper edge to an internal wall of the vending machine at the underside of the slider, as shown in the drawing, or may comprise an angular wedgeshaped arrangement (not shown) extending outwardly of such wall.

The linkage arrangement 13 comprises a lever 26 of which the upper end is supported for pivotal motion about a fixed axis defined by pin 27 and of which the lower end is loosely coupled to a bracket 28 provided on the pusher plate 14 by pin 29 engaged with elongate slot 30. The arrangement further includes an actuator member 31 connected with the lever 26 by resilient means 32, said actuator member 31 being of box-like form and including spaced parallel side-plates 34 arranged in generally vertical disposition and connected together by a transverse mounting plate 35 of angular form, the member being pivotally mounted on a fixed rod 36 extending between the said side plates 34 and parallel to the pivot axis of the lever.A return spring 37 is arranged coaxially with the fixed rod 36, the opposite ends of the said spring 37 engaging the underside of the mounting plate 35 and of a fixed stud 38, respectively, and the said spring 37 loading the actuator member 31 in clockwise direction as seen in the drawing.

Operating motion of the actuator member 31 is transmitted to the lever 26 through the resilient means 32, such means comprising an extension spring 39 provided between a pin 40 on the lever 26 and a rod 41 secured to and extending between the side-plates 34 of the actuator member and serving to bias the lever 26 into contact with the said rod 41.

On operation of the actuator member 31, as by applying a downward pressure thereto, the rod 41 moves in anti-clockwise direction away from the lever 26 and the resilient means 32 therebetween transmits the motion of the actuator member to the rod.

In the event that the slider 11 is locked against reciprocatory movement, as by the engagement of a solenoid controlled pin 42 with a complementary recess 43 in the underside of the pusher plate, operation of the actuator means will be ineffective in pivotting the lever, notwithstanding that the actuator means can be moved through its full range of intended movement.

Release or otherwise of the slider for dispense purposes will be dependant upon the condition of a coin discriminator of conventional form operable to control pin 42, in accordance with known practice, and further description thereof is not thought necessary.

We have found that by means of the dispense mechanism as herein described and illustrated we are able to deliver packets one-by-one from a stack thereof in a simple and effective manner, the stack of packets existing above that being dispensed being adequately supported by the pusher plate during the later stages of the dispense cycle and being readily transferred to the support flap on retraction of the slider.

It is to be understood that the invention is not limited to the detail of the embodiment hereinbefore described, since alternatives will readily present themselves to one skilled in the art.

Thus, for example, the lip at the free end of the support flap may be replaced by upstanding formations of any convenient form, whilst, instead of providing a roller beneath the support flap to hold the same in generally coplanar relationship with the pusher plate the edges of such flap may be engaged with camming surfaces such as will have a like effect.

Furthermore, whilst it is preferred that the actuator means be pivotal in character, the invention is not limited to constructions of such kind and a slidable actuator means operable on the lever thereafter a resilient 'lost-motion' connection of analogous kind to that illustrated may be adopted.

Claims (10)

1. A dispense mechanism for a vending machine, said mechanism including an articulated slider reciprocably movable relative to a machine frame and adapted to support a stack of articles thereon, the slider comprising a pusher plate, a support flap articularly connected to the pusher plate and reciprocable therewith, and support means adapted to hold the support flap in an operative position generally coplanar with the underside of the said stack during a first part of a forward movement of the slider and to permit downward pivotal motion of said flap during a later stage of said movement, there being abutment means adjacent the leading edge of the support flap and extending upwardly beyond the support surface defined by said flap.

2. A dispense mechanism as claimed in claim 1, wherein the upper surface of the support flap is arranged in offset disposition relative to the corresponding surface of the pusher plate, thereby to define an outwardly facing step therebetween.

3. A dispense mechanism as claimed in claim 1 or 2, wherein the support flap of the slider is apertured for cooperation with an upstanding element provided in the path of pivotal motion of said flap, thus to define an ejection device to ensure removal of the packet from the slider at the end of the dispense movement thereof.

4. A dispense mechanism as claimed in claim 3, wherein the upstanding element extends transversely of the slider and lies generally in register with the underside of the forward edge of such slider in the retracted condition thereof.

5. A dispense mechanism as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the abutment means on the slider comprises a lip at the forward edge of the flap.

6. A dispense mechanism as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, further including locking means, operable to secure the slider against reciprocatory motion and controllable by a coin discriminator.

7. A dispense mechanism as claimed in claim 6, wherein the locking means comprises a pin selectively engageable with a recess provided in the slider.

8. A dispense mechanism as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, further including a linkage arrangement operatively connected with the slider and adapted, upon actuation, to effect reciprocatory motion of the slider, the linkage arrangement comprising a pivotal lever loosely coupled with the slider and actuator means selectively cooperable with the lever to effect angular adjustment thereof, the actuator means being drivingly connected with the lever through resilient means.

9. A dispense mechanism as claimed in claim 8, wherein the actuator means includes a pivotally mounted actuator member comprising spaced side plates and a rod extending therebetween and arranged in spaced parallel disposition relative to the pivot axis of the member, the rod lying in the free path of movement of the lever and being connected therewith through the said resilient means.

10. A dispense mechanism substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.