353,667. Coin-freed article delivery apparatus. DUGRENIER, A. H., 241, Winter Street, Haverhill, Massachusetts, U.S.A. July 10, 1930, No. 20957. Convention date, July 13, 1929. [Class 27.] Articles stored on endless bands.-In a coin-freed vending machine packets are supported on an endless chain which passes round sprockets 10, 14, Fig. 2, and is moved step by step by actuation of a lever 28, Fig. 6, to bring the packets in turn in front of an inspection window. A selected packet is moved from the inspection position by the next actuation of the lever 28 into a delivery position above a door 50, pivoted at 51, Figs. 2 and 6, which is opened after the insertion of the requisite number of coins. The chain comprises a number of holders having shelves 22, 23, Fig. 2, and are joined together by rods 20 passing through holes in overlapping ears 17. The lever 28, when depressed, moves a slide 32, Fig. 6, forward through a pin-andslot connection 37, 38. A projection 35, Fig. 9, on the slide engages a finger 45 on a lever 42 so as to withdraw a projection 42a, Figs. 6 and 9, thereon from a notch in a wheel 25, Fig. 6, on the shaft 15 of the sprocket 14. A projection 47 on the slide then engages a projection 27 on the wheel 25 and rotates it 90‹. When the selected packet is in front of the window the requisite number of coins are inserted and the lever 28 depressed. A projection 81, Fig. 6, on a slide 80 attached to the lever 28 engages a roller 78 on a lever 71 and pushes this lever rearwardly. A lever 65 is then moved rearwardly and through a lever 64 the arm 53b of a lever 53, pivoted at 51, is rotated in an anticlockwise direction so that its projection 53c is disengaged from shoulders 58, 59, of levers 55, 56. The projection 81 then passes out of engagement with the roller 78 and a spring 67 acting on the lever 65 swings the lever 53 in a clockwise direction, the shoulders 58, 59 having been removed from the path of the projection 53c by the inserted coins. The door 50 being connected to the lever 53 by a pin 54 now swings open and the packet falls to the delivery shoot. The door is closed again on the next operation of the lever 28. A pawl 40 engaging a rack 41 on the slide 32 ensures a full stroke of the lever 28. Coin action, mechanical-connection and multiplecoin.-The coins fall into recesses in the slide 32, Fig. 6, and are supported on a shelf 33. When the slide moves forward the coins engage the ends 60, 61 of the levers 55, 56, and swing the shoulders 58, 59 out of the path of the projection 53c of the lever 53. The number of coins is determined by the number of levers 55, 56. When the slide 32 has moved to its extreme forward position the coins fall off the shelf 33 into a hopper 93, Figs. 6 and 12, leading to a coin passage 92. Returning coin.-When the lever 53 is swung upwards to close the door 50 a projection 100, Figs. 6 and 12, on the lever engages an arm 97a, Figs. 9 and 12, and rotates a plate 96, Fig. 12, so that it closes an opening 95 in the coin passage 92 and any coins delivered to the hopper 93 fall to the packet delivery shoot. If the door 50 is opened, a spring 99 presses the arm 97a downward and swings the plate 96 into the dotted-line position. Any coins passing into the hopper are then deflected through the opening 95 to a receptacle 94, Fig. 6. When the slide 32 moves forward a projection 36, Figs. 9 and 14, thereon engages the inclined face 101a of a lever 101 and pulls down a lever 103 so as to swing a plate 85, Figs. 6 and 14, of a coin-testing device away from a plate 84 and permit any coins lodged between the plates to fall into a return shoot. The lever 103 is raised to its initial position on the return of the slide 32. When an empty holder comes in front of the inspection window, a member 108, Fig. 14, normally engaging the end of a packet, swings under the action of a spring 110, Fig. 2, into a notch 24 in the shelf 22 of the holder and moves a projection 112 over an arm 111 on the lever 103. This prevents the lever 103 being raised and any inserted coins fall to a return shoot.