GB861173A - Improvements in or relating to article dispensing mechanisms - Google Patents

Abstract

861,173. Coin-freed vending machines; money delivery apparatus. CHADBURNS (LIVERPOOL) Ltd. Jan. 30, 1958 [Feb. 21, 1957; May 14, 1957], Nos. 5833/57 and 15214/57. Class 27 A coin-freed dispensing machine of the kind in which articles are dispensed from a stack which, when almost depleted, is automatically replenished, comprises a trackway for supporting a row of stacked articles, e.g. drinking cups, means for moving the stacks along the trackway towards the dispensing mechanism under pressure or by a driving mechanism for the moving means, and control means which, when the stack in the dispensing mechanism is depleted to a predetermined extent, causes or allows the pressure or driving mechanism to move the stacks. Movable along an upwardly sloping trackway 11, Fig. 4, is a stack-pusher 12 which, at the appropriate time, feeds a further stack of articles towards the dispensing mechanism 10, which is operated by an electric motor driven cam 14, Fig. 5, the came making one revolution each time a coin is inserted in the machine. A spring- loaded lever 16 is rocked by the cam 14 to operate an arm 17, Fig. 4, of the dispensing mechanism 10 through a connecting rod 18. The lever 16 also operates a linkage 19, pivoted at 19a, Fig. 5, and carrying a weighted pawl 20 engageable with a ratchet wheel 21, Fig. 4, to drive a drum 22 on which a band or strap 23 is wound, the free end of the band being attached to the stack-pusher 12. The pawl 20 is held out of engagement with the ratchet wheel 21 by a bent arm or feeler 25 pivoted at 26, one end engaging a pin 27 on the pawl whilst the other end 28 bears lightly on the stack of cups until this stack has been depleted to the predetermined extent, when the feeler falls inwards relative to the stack and allows the pawl 20 to engage the ratchet and so to wind up the pusher 25 to advance the reserve stacks along the track 11 until the foremost falls into position in the dispensing mechanism 10, when the feeler 25 will again hold the pawl 20 out of engagement with the ratchet wheel 21. Alternatively, the stack movement may be effected by subjecting the stacks to a continuous pressure by spring or weight means, the foremost stack being held against a detent 10, on the trackway 11 as shown in the Figure accompanying the first Provisional Specification. This detent forms one arm of a bell-crank which is moved about its pivot 12 to lower the detent when a solenoid-reciprocated catch-plate 14 is allowed to engage the bottom of a slot 17 in the other arm 13, of the bell-crank as a weighted feeler 18 falls forward when its tip 18a clears the top edge of a depleted stack in the dispensing mechanism. Indicating means may be illuminated as the last stack is deposited in the dispensing means. Instead of stacks of articles the mechanism may be used in a coinchanging machine in which stacks of coins are fed at appropriate times to a coin dispensing mechanism. The whole of the stack-replenishing mechanism may be mounted on a verticallyhinged panel which may be swung aside to give access of the interior of the dispensing apparatus. The first Provisional Specification describes also the use of hydraulic or pneumatic means for feeding the stacks, and the second Provisional Specification the actuation of the stack pusher drive intermittently by a solenoid or a pawl engaging the ratchet wheel 21 and reciprocated by an electric motor. U.S.A. Specification 2,268,421 is referred to.