GB881466A - Improvements in automatic vending machines with rotatable merchandise drums - Google Patents

Abstract

881,466. Coin-freed vending apparatus. WITTENBERG, E. July 20, 1960 [July 24, 1959], No. 25363/60. Class 27. In a vending machine having a number of drums 4 rotatable on a vertical axis, the radial sections 29 dividing the drum into compartments are adjustable in position and number so that the height and width of the compartments can be adjusted. As shown in Fig. 4, the sections 29 are assembled to the top and bottom members 26, 25 of the drum by two bolts 28, each passing through a pair of the concentric holes 33, 34. Round nuts 32 on the outer bolts form indexing stops co-operating with the locking mechanism 15 of the machine. A large central aperture in the drums and sleeves 30 between the sections 29 ensure the circulation of cooling air from a refrigerator in the base of the machine. The top member 26 may be omitted or replaced by a flanged ring stiffening the outer bolts and the inner ends of the sections may have pins engaging in holes in a central cylindrical wall. The drums are supported at least at the bottom on three rollers 20, 21, 22, the latter roller being driven by a coin-controlled coupling 39 and a chain drive 40 common to all the drums. To allow adjustment of the rollers when the drum height is varied by altering the number of sections 29, the rollers 20, 21 are mounted in holes in frame members 36 and the driven roller 22 and locking mechanism 15 are carried by a frame 38 mounted in holes in a pair of frame members 36. The -angular spacing between the rollers 20 and 22 allows removal of the drums. A door 9 in a main lockable door 6 gives the customer access to the compartment that has been brought to the delivery position. A wall 18 can be pivoted aside to allow loading through the door 9 or a door 24 at the rear can be removed. The coin mechanism 12 pivots into the space 17 for emptying.