GB2275678A - Dispensing apparatus - Google Patents

Description

2275678 DISPENSING APPARATUS This invention relates to dispensing

apparatus and particularly to vending machines.

Vending machines must operate reliably to avoid customer disappointment and consequent vandalism. They must resist attempts to obtain products without payment, and have mechanisms which cannot cause harm even if a hand is placed in the outlet aperture. Vending machines usually require a dispensing outlet at approximately waist height for reasons of convenience and customer acceptance. Gravity feed is preferred for simplicity and reliability, especially for relatively heavy articles such as canned and bottled drinks; the stock of products awaiting dispensing must thus be above waist height.

is This arrangement results in a large unused volume below the dispensing machine, and where the dispensing machine is free standing the lower structure must be substantial particularly in the case of machines for vending canned and bottled drinks. The large raised mass of such machines can also lead to stability problems which are exacerbated by the tendency to increase stock capacity and thus machine height, thereby to reduce servicing frequency.

Another problem with prior art vending machines, particularly drinks venders, is that the product is 2 frequently dispensed into a trough almost as wide as the vending machine housing. This wide trough leads to an increased risk of vandalism and also to the potential risk of an individual trapping an arm or hand in the mechanism as he tries to obtain the product without payment. This is a particular problem with free standing gravity feed drinks venders because the escapement mechanism is very close to the pick-up trough; moving the escapement mechanism and pick-up trough apart would result in a potential loss of storage capacity for a given cabinet size.

The present invention seeks to overcome the aforementioned problems by providing one at a time dispensing apparatus for dispensing a plurality of kinds of articles, the apparatus comprising a plurality of horizontally spaced storage means, each for storing a plurality of articles of one kind in series, escapement means to release articles sequentially from each said storage means into one of a plurality of horizontal spaced and aligned release positions, traversing means movable through said release positions from one end to the other and having means to collect and transport an article to one of said ends, lift means movable upwardly to lift an article from said one of said ends to dispensing means, and control means adapted to ensure sequential operation of said escapement means, traversing means and lift means.

3 Such apparatus enables gravity feed of articles to the respective release position and yet is capable of delivering the article at waist height. Accordingly the stock of product may be stored below waist height and thus solve the prior art stability problem.

Exceptionally the stock of products may extend from ground level to head height or above, thus giving increased stock storage without substantially reducing stability.

Although gravity feed is preferred, other means of delivering products to the escapement mechanism, such as spring loading, is possible.

A further advantage of the invention is that the escapement mechanism is substantially spaced from the delivery area and is not thus subject to tampering or vandalism; typically the escapement mechanism is close to ground level whereas the delivery area is at waist height.

Yet another advantage is that the wide trough-like delivery area is avoided, and the delivery area can be only slightly larger than the largest article to be dispensed. Accidental multiple delivery of articles is avoided since the traversing/lift mechanism ensures that only one article can be dispensed at a time.

Yet another advantage is that the vender occupies space which is unused in prior art arrangements. The space above the vender can be used for other purposes, 4 for example an "in-cup" drinks vender of the kind in which water is added to dry ingredients. This arrangement maximises commercial use of the space allocated for the vending machine, and is of particular use in places where vending space is restricted.

Preferably, an individual escapement is provided for each of said storage means, and the control means includes an interlock to ensure that only one of said escapements can be activated at once. In a gravity vender the cans or bottles may be contained in a plurality of vertically extending serpentine tracks placed next to one another in a horizontal extending series.

Preferably the control means include travel sensors to ensure that the traversing means and lift means reach the end of their stroke. This arrangement ensures for example that the vender can be shut down in the event of inadvertent release of two articles which are conveyed one behind the other to the lift means, thus preventing the traversing means from completing a full stroke.

A particular advantage of the horizontal disposition of said storage means is that different lengths of article can be accommodated without modification of the traversing means. For example, serpentine tracks of different width may be inserted above respective escapement mechanisms, and the width of particular track assemblies changed to suit the article to be dispensed.

This overcomes a particular problem with canned drinks where the vender must cater for cans of at least five different aspect ratios.

In a preferred embodiment the lift mechanism raises the article above the delivery area, and is adapted to release an article in such a way that it will pass to the delivery area under gravity. Preferably the lift mechanism is adapted to pause at the top of its travel to give time for the article to slide into the delivery area. By suitable arrangement of a delivery chute the article may be presented to the purchaser in a desired manner. For example a chute may guide a drinks container to a substantially vertical disposition in an outlet aperture having a floor sloping upwardly to the is back. In this way cans and bottles may be presented end on and protruding at an angle from the delivery area rather than lying on their side in a trough as is conventional; this makes the article easy to pick up. Other guide arrangements are possible also using gravity and suitably designed abutments to present the article in a desired orientation.

In the preferred embodiment the traversing means is driven by rack and pinion, and the lift means comprises a carriage guided vertically on a rail or rails and driven by a cable and pulley wheel arrangement. Both traversing means and carriage are preferably driven by electric motors. The escapements may be solenoid operated. An 6 advantage of this arrangement is that the electric components are housed in the base of the machine well away from the delivery area; there is little chance of accidental electrocution of an individual trying to obtain articles without payment by passing his hand through the delivery aperture.

In the preferred embodiment the upper end of the guide rail(s) of the lifting means may be curved or relieved to permit the carriage to tilt and thus ensure that the article slides into the delivery area under the influence of gravity.

Preferably travel sensors (e.g.micro switches) detect movement of the lifting means and traversing means at the end of their respective strokes.

In another aspect the invention comprises an escapement mechanism for a train of rolling elements, the escapement mechanism including a retainer pivotable about a fixed axis between a retaining condition in which a leading edge of the retainer prevents movement of a first rolling element in a release direction, and a releasing condition in which a trailing edge of the retainer prevents movement of a second rolling element in the release direction, the first rolling element being released in the releasing condition, and the escapement mechanism including a fixed abutment and a first moving abutment engageable with said retainer to hold the retainer in the retaining condition, the first moving 7 abutment being movable to permit pivoting of the retainer, and a second moving abutment being engageable with said retainer to hold the retainer in the release condition, the first and second moving abutments being fixed in relation to one another.

Preferably, the first and second moving abutments are mounted on the movable member of an actuator, preferably an electrical solenoid.

In a preferred embodiment said fixed and moving abutments are on the same side of a first axis passing through said fixed axis and parallel to the direction of movement of the movable member. In the preferred embodiment said moving abutments and said fixed abutment are on the opposite sides of a second axis passing is through said fixed axis and perpendicular to said first axis.

The retainer is preferably of cruciform shape, one arm of the retainer comprising said leading edge, a second arm comprising said trailing edge and engaging said fixed abutment in use, a third arm engaging said first moving abutment in use, and a fourth arm engaging said second moving abutment in use.

Other features of the invention will be apparent from the following description of a preferred embodiment shown by way of example only in the accompanying drawings in which:

Figure 1 is a somewhat-schematic elevation of a 8 dispensing apparatus according to the present invention; Figure 2 is a vertical section through the apparatus of Figure 1 on reduced scale; and Figure 3 illustrates on an enlarged scale an escapement mechanism for a train of cans.

With reference to the drawings a dispensing apparatus according to the invention comprises a horizontal array of serpentine storage areas 10 for cans. The serpentine arrangement is best seen in Figure 2 and comprises a series of floors sloping at about 4' to permit cans to roll successively to the base under the influence of gravity; cans drop from one track to the next at the lower end of each floor. An escapement mechanism 13 at the base of the serpentine essentially is comprises a retainer 14 pivoted about a fixed axis 15 and having fingers 16, 17 which extend around the lowermost can 18. The retainer is biased to ensure that the leading finger 17 prevents the lowermost can from rolling onto a transversely extending track 19. Operation of a solenoid 21 cause the retainer to pivot allowing the lowermost can 18 to roll into the track 19 whilst the trailing finger 16 prevents movement of the can stack. On release of the solenoid the retainer re-adopts the position as shown in Figure 2 and the can stack rolls down until the next can 22 sits on the retainer in abutment with the leading finger 12. Thus each stroke of the solenoid 21 ensures release of only one can at a 9 time.

The release track extends generally horizontally along the front of all of the serpentine storage areas; the left-most storage area as illustrated releases cans onto a container lift 20 to be described below in greater detail. (Fig.1) Below the release track is a traversing mechanism comprising horizontally disposed guide rail 23 having a carriage 24 slidable there along; the carriage has four guide rollers 25 to ensure smooth movement. An upwardly extending arm 25 of the carriage is arranged to move along the release track 19 and thereby sweep cans to the left most end of the track and onto the container lift 20. The carriage is driven by a reversible electric motor 22 having a pinion 28 in engagement with a horizontally disposed rack 29 as illustrated. Limit switches, not shown, determine the extent of carriage travel.

The container lift 20 comprises another carriage 31 guided for movement on vertically extending rail 32; four guide rollers 33 are again provided. The carriage 31 includes a horizontally extending platform 34 onto which a can is pushed by the traversing mechanism, or onto which a can from the left-most serpentine may be released. This arrangement ensures that the apparatus is compact although it will be apparent that the container lift platform could be placed to the left of the left- most serpentine if desired.

The platform 34 is lifted by a simple pulley and 31 cable arrangement though other means such a toothed belt or chain could be employed. As illustrated a reversible drive motor 35 and two idlers 36, 37 drive an endless cable 38 which is firmly attached to the carriage 31 in any suitable manner. Travel of the carriage is controlled by limit switches (not shown). In the uppermost position the upper guide rollers of the carriage 31 are arranged to pass beyond the top of the guide rail to permit the carriage to tip clockwise as illustrated. The can thus slides off the platform into a delivery chute (not illustrated). The lift mechanism is adapted to pause before returning; thus giving time for the can to slide into the delivery area.

The height of the serpentine 10 and guide rail 32 may be chosen to suit the installation site or determined according to other aspects of the configuration of the dispensing machine; Figure 1 shows for illustration purposes, an apparatus of rather low height.

Figure 3 shows an escapement mechanism 40 for the train of cans illustrated in Figure 2.

The escapement mechanism comprises a retainer 14 freely pivoted about a fixed axis 15; the retainer 14 is shown as a solid line in the locked condition, and as a dotted line in the released condition.

A leading edge 17 of the retainer extends upwardly 11 in the locked condition to hold back the train of cans. The lower surface of a trailing edge 16 rests on a fixed abutment 41.

A solenoid 21 has an arm 42 slidably mounted in relation to the retainer by any suitable arrangement. In the advanced (unenergised) condition, an abutment 43 of the arm 42 engages the underside of the retainer to hold the retainer in the locked condition. It will be appreciated, in the advanced condition the solenoid is thus under no axial load, and no amount of force against the leading edge 17 can cause the retainer to pivot to the released condition.

Energisation of the solenoid causes the arm 42 to move leftwardly as viewed, and the retainer is permitted is to pivot clockwise under the force of the leading can. The trailing edge of the retainer rises to the position shown in dotted outline and acts as an abutment to prevent the subsequent can running over the retainer. To ensure that the retainer does not rotate anti-clockwise, an abutment 44 of the arm 42 engages a downwardly extending limb 45 of the retainer.

De-energisation of the solenoid allows the subsequent can to pass over the retainer as it pivots anticlockwise to the locked condition, and to roll against the abutment 17. The abutment 43 re-engages the underside of the retainer.

Thus the escapement mechanism releases one can per 12 energisation cycle of the solenoid; the machine may be provided with suitable logic interlocks to ensure that only one solenoid energisation can occur between operation of the traversing and lifting mechanism.

Failure of either of the traversing mechanism or the lifting mechanism to activate the position sensors at the edge of the respective stroke will cause the machine to shut down. Stock sensors may be provided to sense the absence of product in a particular storage area and to deactivate the corresponding product selector.

1 3

Claims (17)

CLAIMS:

1. one at a time dispensing apparatus for dispensing a plurality of kinds of articles, the apparatus comprising a plurality of horizontally spaced storage means, each for storing a plurality of articles of one kind in series, escapement means to release articles sequentially from each said storage means into one of a plurality of horizontal spaced and aligned release positions, traversing means movable through said release positions from one end to the other and having means to collect and transport an article to one of said ends, lift means movable upwardly to lift an article from said one of said ends to dispensing means, and control means adapted to ensure sequential operation of said escapement means, traversing means and lift means.

2. Dispensing apparatus according to claim 1 wherein an individual escapement is provided for each of said storage means, and the control means includes an interlock to ensure that only one of said escapements can be activated at once.

3. Dispensing apparatus according to claim 1 or claim 2 wherein said storage means comprises a plurality of vertically extending serpentine tracks placed next to one another in a horizontal extending series.

4. Dispensing means according to claim 3 wherein said serpentine tracks are of different width.

5. Dispensing apparatus according to any preceding claim wherein the control means includes travel sensors operable at the end of the respective stroke of said traversing means and lift means.

6. Dispensing apparatus according to any preceding claim wherein the lift mechanism raises the article above a delivery area, the dispensing means being adapted to release an article in such a way that it will pass to the delivery area under gravity.

7. Dispensing apparatus according to claim 6 wherein the lift mechanism is adapted to pause at the delivery end of its travel to give time for an article to pass into the delivery area.

8. Dispensing apparatus according to claim 6 or claim 7 and further including a delivery chute having a floor sloping upwardly to the back.

9. Dispensing apparatus according to any preceding claim wherein the traversing means is driven by rack and pinion.

10. Dispensing apparatus according to any preceding claim wherein the lift means comprises a carriage guided vertically on a rail or rails and driven by a cable and pulley wheel arrangement.

11. Dispensing apparatus according to claim 10 wherein the upper end of said guide rail or rails is adapted to permit said carriage to tilt, thus permitting an article to pass into a delivery area under the influence of gravity.

12. Dispensing apparatus according to any preceding claim wherein said escapement mechanism includes a retainer pivotable about a fixed axis between a retaining condition in which a leading edge of the retainer prevents movement of a first rolling element in a release direction, and a releasing condition in which a trailing edge of the retainer prevents movement of a second rolling element in the release direction, the first rolling element being released in the releasing condition, and the escapement mechanism including a fixed abutment and a first moving abutment engageable with said retainer to hold the retainer in the retaining condition, the first moving abutment being movable to permit pivoting of the retainer, and a second moving abutment being engageable with said retainer to hold the retainer in the release condition, the first and second moving abutments being fixed in relation to one another.

13. Dispensing apparatus according to claim 12 wherein said first and second moving abutments are mounted on the movable member of an actuator.

14. Dispensing apparatus according to claim 13 wherein said movable member is an electrical solenoid.

15. Dispensing apparatus according to any of claims 1214 wherein said fixed and moving abutments are on the same side of a first axis passing through said fixed axis and parallel to the direction of movement of the movable member.

16. Dispensing apparatus according to claim 15 wherein said moving abutments and said fixed abutment are on the opposite sides of a second axis passing through said fixed axis and perpendicular to said first axis.

17. Dispensing apparatus according to any of claims 1216 wherein said retainer is of cruciform shape, one arm of the retainer comprising said leading edge, a second arm comprising said trailing edge and engaging said fixed abutment in use, a third arm engaging said first moving abutment in use, and a fourth arm engaging said second moving abutment in use.