GB606217A - Improvements in or relating to dispensing apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

606,217. Delivering articles from hoppers. WESTINGHOUSE ELECTRIC INTERNATIONAL CO. Jan. 10, 1946, No. 937. Convention date, Jan. 10, 1945. [Class 78 (i)] [Also in Group XVIII] A dispensing apparatus for articles, such as nested drinking cups, which are stored in piles 20 in a turret 17, rotated step-wise to bring the piles successively, as they are exhausted, into delivery position, is characterised by a switch actuated by the turret for breaking the circuit of its driving motor when the last pile has been exhausted. At the preceding step-wise movements the motor circuit is broken by the arrival of a further pile into delivery position, and the invention prevents continued running of the motor when a further pile is absent. The switch may also light a warning lamp. In the apparatus shown, delivery is effected by a series of screws 25 which engage the rim of the lowermost cup of the pile at the delivery position. The screws are rotated to separate and discharge the lowermost cup by a motor 30 through gearing 29, 28, 34 and 31. The presence of cups in the delivery position is detected by a spring-actuated lever 48 bearing against them. When the pile under delivery is exhausted, the lever 48 rocks inwardly and closes a switch 47 to contact 64, Fig. 5, to energize the turret motor 37, the drive being through worm-gearing 39 and a Geneva motion 44. One revolution of the Geneva motion driving shaft 41 brings a fresh pile into position, where it drops on to the screws 25 and rocks back the lever 48 to break the turret motor circuit. To stop the motor after the last pile has been delivered, an adjustable cam 52, Fig. 4, on the turret head is arranged to actuate a switch 54 as the turret commences its final movement. The motor circuit is thereupon broken by switch 54 at contact 65, and the circuit of a red warning lamp 69 is simultaneously closed at back contacts 67. A preliminary warning is given by a green lamp 61, whose circuit is closed by a similar switch 55, operated bv the cam 52 as the last column moves into position. The apparatus is coin-freed, the circuit of the delivery motor 30 being initially closed at coin-actuated contacts 76 and maintained by cam-actuated contacts 74 for one revolution of the motor shaft. In a modification the motor 30 is replaced by a pair of solenoids which reciprocate a lever to effect delivery.