GB953678A - Improvements in or relating to vending machines - Google Patents

Abstract

953,678. Coin-freed vending apparatus. NATIONAL VENDORS Inc. March 30, 1962 [April 7, 1961], No. 12441/62. Heading G4V. A vending machine has front and rear banks of article columns FC, RC each having an article ejector FE or RE and the front column ejectors FE eject a lowermost article rearwardly from a column and the rear column ejectors RE eject a lowermost article forwardly. A reserve column SC behind each front column swings into the front column when the articles in it are nearly exhausted. When one of the upper ejectors FE is pulled out, a head 41 is moved from below the stack and the stack falls down to a shelf 31. At the same time, a drawbar 43 provided with interlock means for the other upper ejectors is drawn forward and side arms 45 swing levers 273 forward. Through links 277, the levers 273 rotate levers 279 and cams 287 tilt plates 269 which engage members 91 on the reserve columns SC so that these columns are moved back slightly to relieve the pressure of their front walls on the stacks in the front columns. Hook formations 153 on the side arms 45 engage studs 149 on levers 139 and 141 (not shown) on a shaft 137 and, if sufficient coins have been inserted to move latches clear of the path of the lever 141, the shaft 137 can rotate. Rearward portions of the side arms come over studs 263 on arms 261 and press the studs into notches 257 in side arms 203 of the rear column ejectors RE and thus lock these ejectors against movement. Upon spring return of an ejector FE,the head 41 pushes the lowermost article rearwardly on to a tongue 133 which has moved forward with the drawbar assembly and as the tongue moves back the article tilts over the tongue end 135 and falls to a pan 123 where it is accessible to the customer through an opening 18. When one of the lower ejectors RE is pulled out, an interlock drawbar 201, lower side arms 203 and a respective rod 211 are moved forward and a pusher 219 moves the lowermost article of a rear column RC from a shelf 155. Fingers 243 on arms 203 act as before to engage the studs 149 and rotate the shaft 137 and, as the arms move forward, the studs 263 are cammed upwards into notches 255 in the upper side arms 45 to lock the front column ejectors FE against movement. Cranks 235 and links 239 swing a trap 227 up to receive the article. On return of the ejector, the trap 227 swings down and delivers the article to the pan 123. When a front column becomes depleted and only two articles remain, springs 93 swing the corresponding reserve column into the empty column. An empty lock, such as that described in U.S.A. Specification 2,823,782, locks any front column ejector FE out of operation when a front column. and reserve column is completely empty and, for any rear column, a spring-loaded plate 221 springs up into the path of the pusher 219. For loading the machine, the front and reserve columns can be swung forward as shown in Fig. 7 and be supported by arms 75 sliding in tracks 81. A link 186 opens a door 181 at the top of the rear columns. When the columns are swung, cam levers on the side walls of the machine cause the reserve columns to retract slightly so that they do not dig into the articles in the front columns. Specifications 833,104 and 886,865 also are referred to.