IE48307B1

IE48307B1 - Improvements in or relating to vending machines

Info

Publication number: IE48307B1
Application number: IE2417/78A
Authority: IE
Original assignee: Vgl Ind Ltd
Priority date: 1977-12-14
Filing date: 1978-12-07
Publication date: 1984-12-12
Also published as: NO149625B; IT1108382B; SE7812779L; DE2854111A1; FR2412125B1; ES476021A1; IE782417L; PT68911A; CH638633A5; FR2412125A1; NO149625C; AT358848B; NO784076L; IT7869844A0; JPS5497099A; NL7812134A; DK559978A; ATA878978A

Abstract

Individual containers (30), for example paper or plastic cups, are delivered from a stack. A multiplicity of ingredient-dispensing points are provided. There is a conveyor (14) which has a slide (20) having an associated container-carrying arrangement (29). The conveyor (14) is arranged in such a way that, in each case, a container (30) can be received and fed successively to each ingredient-dispensing point. There is, furthermore, a control arrangement which controls the movement of the conveyor (14) in such a way that the container (30) carried by the latter receives a quantity fraction of at least one ingredient and is then fed to a dispensing point. Consequently, the ingredients are mixed in the container itself and not in a stationary chamber of the machine. This is hygienically more satisfactory and no flavour mixes can occur.

Description

The present invention relates to vending machines and has particular reference to conveyor systems for vending machines.

Typical vending machines for dispensing a beverage 5 such as coffee, tea, soup and the like comprise a plurality of ingredients containers each container including an ingredient concentrate in the form of either a syrup or a powder, a dispensing head adapted to meter a quantity of ingredients in a mixing bowl, a water dispensing module for dispensing a proportion of hot or cold water into the mixing bowl, means for effecting mixing within the bowl and a discharge conduit for the discharge of the mixed beverage into a suitable container such as a paper cup for subsequent consumption τ 5 These dispensing machines are well known and widely used. They suffer from the disadvantage that the conduits, metering heads, and mixing bowl require frequent cleaning for hygiene purposes and the juxtaposition of a water supply to the mixing head results in the more hydroscopic ingredients caking within their container so that imperfect metering and dispensing of ingredients into the mixing bowl occurs. This increases the maintenance of such machines and this coupled with the relatively poor reliability for performing a uniform dispensing operation has tended to bring vending machines into disrepute with consumers. 8 3 0 7 According to the present invention there is provided a vending machine having at least one container dispensing station for dispensing individual containers from a stack or store thereof, and a plurality of ingredients dispensing stations, said machine comprising a conveyor having a carriage and associated support means adapted and arranged to receive and support a container at the said container dispensing station and to present said container sequentially at each ingredient dispensing station, and control means provided for causing or allowing a container to receive a portion of at least one ingredient and a discharge station where the container together with the ingredients is discharged from the support means of the conveyor wherein on disengagement of the container from the support means the conveyor is reversed to return the carri age to a datum position.

In a particular embodiment of the present invention there is provided a support track, a carriage movable along said track, a container support arm associated with said carriage for movement therewith, a continuous transport element operatively connected with said carriage to move said carraige along said track, drive means for said element and detector means associated with said element for continuously detecting the position of the carriage relative to the track.

S 3 Ο 7 The vending machine in accordance with the invention may include a selection means whereby a consumer can select one or more ingredients from a plurality whereby a paper cup is transported by the conveyor means in accordance with the information selected to each selected ingredient station to receive a charge of the selected ingredient.

The vending machine may also include water dispensing means separate from the ingredient dispensing station where water is supplied either hot or cold as the case may be in order to complete the preparation of the beverage. The water dispensing station may be separate from the Ingredient dispensing station wherein the container is presented at the discharge station and disengaged from the support means of the conveyor and is thereafter introduced manually into the water dispensing station to complete the preparation of the beverage. Alternatively, the water dispensing station may be disposed between the ingredient dispensing station and the discharge station whereby water is introduced into the container with the ingredients prior to discharge of the container at the discharge station.

Each ingredient dispensing station may include a dispensing container and valve assembly integral therewith whereby when the ingredient has been 8307 completely dispensed from the container the whole assembly may be removed from the vending machine and discarded. In a preferred embodiment of the invention the ingredient dispensing station may include the dispensing container and valve assembly as described in Patent Specification No. 46177.

The vending machine in accordance with the invention may include a plurality of cup stacks wherein the conveyor is arranged to select cups from a stack in a given order or sequence. The cups are preferably selected from one stack until that stack is exhausted, whereupon selection commences from a second or new stack. In an alternative embodiment, the cups are selected from one stack position and a new stack is presented at the same position when the preceding stack is exhausted.

The control means may include a logic circuit including selection instruction receiving means, means for stopping the conveyor with the container in register with at least one selected ingredient dispensing station, means for controlling the quantity of the ingredient dispensed at said station and means for returning the conveyor carriage after discharge of the container to receive a further container from a container stack.

The vending machine may include an arrangement whereby the carriage returns to a datum or start 3<> position at the end of each sequence of vending operations The datum or start position may be varied in accordance with the availability of cups from a given stack where a pluxality of cup stacks are employed. it is preferred that the conveyor comprises a substantially erect track member having a support surface at an upper edge thereof adapted to receive the weight of a carriage and containers supported thereby a pair of spaced side surfaces each adapted to engage the carriage to prevent substantially tilting of the same with respect to the track. The track member may comprise an erect partition, an upper edge of which constitutes the load bearing surface adapted to receive the weight of the carriage and container.

The carriage may comprise an inverted U-shaped support one depending leg of which is provided with a laterally disposed arm extending outwardly of the track. Each depending leg may have a roller adapted to engage a side surface of the track member and the intermediate bridging portion between the depending legs may also carry a roller adapted to ride on the upper load-bearing surface of the track.

The aim may include a substantially arcuate support band fixedly secured to the arm and extending slightly over the arc of a semicircle; the support band neing adapted to receive a cup of generally frustoconical - 48307 configuration having its smallest diameter towards its base.

The discharge station may comprise a receiving platform disposed in a plane spaced downwardly of the plane of a track and of the base of the container when carried by said conveyor and an abutment disposed below the plane of movement of the arcuate support arm with the conveyor whereby on engagement of the cup with the abutment continued movement of the conveyor causes the material of the cup to flex to disengage the cup from the support arm whereupon the cup falls downwardly for reception on the platform. The conveyor means is preferably a belt and the belt may be a toothed belt. The track may be an L-shaped track the shorter eg of ths '1' being disposed juxtaposed a plurality of cup dispensing stations and the longer leg of the 'L' being juxtaposed a plurality of ingredient dispensing stations. Where the belt is a toothed belt, it is preferably disposed about toothed guide wheels in a generally 1L’ shaped configuration one of said toothed wheels being driven to impart drive to the belt. A dependent bridge piece preferably extends from the belt to the conveyor carriage to move the carriage in response to movement of the belt. The belt path may correspond with the outer portion substantially following the path of the conveyor track member and the - 7 4830 inner portion of the belt may be disposed within the portion defined by the angle between the two legs of the track and includes spring loaded belt tension means.

The conveyor may also include one or more toothed rollers together with the cam plate supported thereon whereby movement of the belt corresponding to movement of the carriage can be detected by a sensor and passed to said control means. The sensor may be an infrared emitter and a photoelectric cell which together scan the cam plate.

The rectangular area of the part defined by the track may accommodate hot and cold water modules for the dispensing of hot and/or cold water at the water dispensing station separate from the ingredient dispensing stations.

In an alternative embodiment of the invention the conveyor may comprise a longitudinal tape each end of which is carried in a pulley, each pulley being driven to cause the tape to pass from one to the other, thereby transporting said carriage back and forth along said track. The said pulleys may be carried by a common shaft and arranged so that as the tape unwinds from one pulley it winds on to another. An idler pulley may be disposed intermediate the length of the tape about which the tape is reversed, the idler pulley - 48307 being spring loaded to maintain tension in the tape.

The tape may have a plurality of holes and a hole detector adapted to scan a portion of the tape including the holes for reading the holes as they pass the detector. The detector may be a light emitting diode operating in conjunction with a photoelectric sensor whereby pulses are generated as each hole passes the sensor. A plurality of tracks of holes may be incorporated in the tape by the provision of different lines of holes thereupon carrying information in addition to that required for sensing movement of the tape element. The track may again be L-shaped and an intermediate pulley may be disposed between the idler pulley and the drive pulley in order to define an shaped path of the tape. The tape may be a polypropylene tape and may be fabricly enforced or reinforced with other materials.

Following is a description by way of example only and with reference to the accompanying drawings of vending machines in accordance with the present invention.

Figure 1 is a vertical view partly in section of a conveyor system for a vending machine in accordance with the present invention; Figure 2 is a diagrammatic plan view showing the transport element assembly of the apparatus of Figure 1; I 8 3 -J 7 Figure 3 is a plan view of a vending machine conveyor in accordance with the present invention; Figure 4 is an end elevation of the apparatus of Figure 3; Figure 5 is a front elevation of the apparatus of Figure 3; Figure 6 is an exploded diagram of a detail of the drive shaft and assembly of the apparatus of Figure 3; Figure 7 is a detail of the electromechanical detector means and reader of the apparatus of Figure 3.

The vending machine illustrated generally in Figure 1 comprises base unit 10 which normally houses a vacuum unit and waste bag for containing and receiving waste paper cups after use by the consumer. The base 10 has an upper surface 11 which surface 11 contains a plurality of track supports upstanding from said surface Each track support contains an intermediate bracket supporting an erect track 14. The track supports and associated intermediate brackets together define a generally L-shaped track 14 which extends with a longer run extending in spaced parallel relationship with the front of the vending machine with the shorter run extending substantially in spaced parallel relationship with a side of the machine, a smooth curve being p ovided between the two linear runs. The track 4 8 3 0 7 comprises a substantially erect element having a pair of sides 15 disposed in substantially spaced parallel relationship and a tapered upper surface 16 and a base 17, the lower part of the side surfaces 15 and the base 17 being supported by and engaging with said intermediate brackets. The track is, therefore, rigidly mounted with respect to base 10.

A carriage 20 is arranged to ride upon said track and includes an inverted substantially U-shaped member 21 having a central bridging portion 22 and a pair of depending legs 23 and 24. The central bridging portion 22 carries a roller 25 freely rotatable with respect to portion 22 which engages and rides upon tapered upper surface 16 of track 14.

Each of inner depending leg 23 and outer depending leg 24 carries a side roller 26 which is adapted to engage with the corresponding side 15 of the track 14 and serves to maintain the carriage in its disposition relative to the track per se. The outer depending leg 24 carries a laterally extending arm 27 having at the outer extremity thereof a vertical extension 28. The vertical extension 28 terminates in a cup support ring 29 which comprises an arcuate member extending over an arc of the order of 190° so that a tapered cup 30 can be entered into ring 29 and be supported circumferentially cz the cup in a plane spaced downwardly of the upper cup t rt 3 1 1 extremity so that the base 31 of the cup is spaced upwardly of surface 11.

Spaced vertically upwardly of the track and displaced slightly outwardly thereof is located a toothed belt 40. The carriage 20 carries an upwardly extending link 32 to engage the carriage for movement with the belt whereby movement of toothed belt 40 produces corresponding movement of carriage 20 along said track.

Towards each end track there is provided an 10 upwardly extending axle 41, 42. The axle 41 is provided at the end of the shorter portion of the track disposed along and in spaced parallel relationship with the sides of the machine. The axle 41 is connected for rotation with a toothed wheel having 24 teeth each of which is 15 adapted to engage corresponding teeth on belt 40. The axle 41 is arranged to be driven by a motor 44 in response to power supplied by the control means (not shown). The toothed belt 40 extends along the shorter side run 45 of the track about a smooth curved idler wheel 46 and along the longer side 47 of the machine.

At the outer extremity of the longer front run 47 there is provided a 15 toothed wheel 48 about which the belt 40 passes. The wheel 48 is arranged for rotation with axle 42 and a cam member 49 is fixed thereto to constitute a travel detector. The inner return route of the belt 40 is substantially in spaced parallel relationship with the longer front run 47 where it passes above idler guide 50 and then about a tensioning device and thence back to wheel 43.

The tensioning device 51 comprises a fixed axle having rotatably mounted thereon a 24 toothed wheel 53 and a tensioning arm 54. The tensioning arm 54 carries towards its outer end a stub axle 55 carrying freely rotatable thereon smooth idler wheel 56, the arrangement being such that the smooth idler wheel 56 engages the back non-toothed surface of the belt 40. A tensioning spring 57 tends to apply a bias to the idler wheel 58 to urge the belt forwardly the arcuate surface of the 24 toothed wheel 53 thereby tensioning the belt, the amount of tension applied being in proportion to the tension applied to spring 57.

The 24 toothed wheel 53 carries for rotation therewith a cam member to indicate rotation thereof to also assist the indication of travel and movement of the belt 40 relative to the track 14.

Each cam member associated with wheels 48, and is arranged to cooperate with an infra red sensor to generate a pulse on the completion of each revolution thus indicating register of the carriage 20 with cup-stack positions in the case of wheel 53 and ingredient dispensing stations in respect of wheel 48.

Juxtaposed the shorter run of track 14 and the 8 3υ 7 belt 40 there is provided three cup dispensing stations 60, 61 and 62 respectively. Juxtaposed the longer front run 47 of the belt 40 and corresponding front run of track 14 there is provided six ingredient dispensing stations, 63, 64, 65, 66, 67 and 68 respectively.

Each cup dispensing station is provided with a cup dispenser of a type well known in the art and adapted to dispense one cup from the lower portion of a stack in response to an appropriate signal.

Each dispensing station 63 to 68 comprises a container and valve assembly described and claimed in our Patent Specification No. 46177 and no further description of these two items is considered necessary here.

In the space to the back of the conveyor assembly there is provided a hot/cold water module 70 providing a supply of hot and/or cold water to a water dispensing station.

The base 10 is provided towards the end of the front run remote from the cup dispensing stations 60, and 62 with an upstanding cup engaging abutment 72. Below cup engaging abutment 72 there is provided a cup receiving platform 73 spaced downwardly of surface 11.

The upper extremity of abutment 72 is such that the cup support ring will pass over it, so that on passage of tne support ring 29 over abutment 72 the abutment engages •4 8 3 υ 7 a cup carried thereby so that the abutment 72 results in flexing of the wall of the cup 30 to disengage the cup from ring 29 and allow the cup to fall downwardly for reception by the cup receiving platform.

Xn practice the spacing between centres of the cup dispensing stations are usually different to the spacing between centres of the ingredient dispensing stations. In consequence, the travel detector associated with toothed wheel 53 is adapted to sense movement of the belt relative to the cup dispensing stations while the travel detector associated with toothed wheel 48 is adapted to sense travel of the belt relative to the spacing of the dispensing stations.

The control circuit of the r achine includes means for automatic zeroing of the conveyor carriage on start up of the machine thereafter to provide a sequence with dispensing operations in response to information received and put in through a control panel.

On start up of the machine the control circuit reacts to activate motor 44 to drive belt 40 in a direction towards the dispensing abutment 72 so that the cup support 29 passes over abutment 72 and disengages any cup carried thereby. The movement of the cup support 29 and associated carriage 20 continues until the carriage trips a microswitch thus determining the extremity of the travel. The control circuit is 4S3u7 then triggered to reverse the motor 44 and to drive the cup support and associated 4830? the motor 44 is activated to drive the belt in a forward direction so that the carriage 20 moves towards abutment 72. When the travel indicator associated with toothed wheel 48 indicates the 5 presence of carriage 20 and cup in dispensing position the motor drive is interrupted the relevant portion of coffee is dispensed into the cup. On completion of the dispensing operation the motor 44 is again activated the carriage transported to station 65 where the sequence is repeated when sugar is dispensed into the cup. At the completion of the dispensing of the sugar at station 65 the motor 44 is again activated and continues to travel until station 67 is reached when again the motor stops and a proportion of milk is dispensed into the container. At the completion of dispensing of the milk the motor 44 is again activated to drive the belt and associated carriage 20 forwardly until the cup with ingredients engages abutment 72 and is disengaged from the support 29 in a manner described previously to discharge the cup onto platform 73. The consumer removes the cup from platform 73 and then places the cup in the water dispensing position which is separate from the discharge platform 73 in order to receive a charge of water and if necessary mixing and stirring in order to complete the preparation of the beverage.

The embodiment illustrated in Figures 3 to 7 of the accompanying drawings includes an intermediate support platform 110 from which the conveyor control tape 111 is carried.

The details of the support track and cup carriage are as described above with reference to Figures 1 and 2.

The tape 111 constitutes the transport means for the conveyor assembly. The generally L-shaped intermediate support platform 110 carries towards one end a drive shaft 112 depending from the underside of support platform 110, the drive shaft 112 being driven by means of a motor (not shown). The shaft carries an upper pulley 113 and a lower pulley 114.

Each of pulleys 113 and 114 are comprised cf a central hub 115 and a pair of spaced flanges 115. The flanges are provided with a recess 117 adapted to engage with a tape end 118 to anchor the tape to the pulley.

The upper pulley 113 is provided with a pair of diametrically disposed downward extending pegs 119 and the lower pulley is provided on the upper surface thereof with three slots 120 each of which extends through the axis of rotation of pulley 114 disposed at an angle of substantially 60° one with respect to the other. The arrangement being such that the depending pegs 119 can be accommodated within one of the slots 120 in pulley 114 whereby pull/ / 113 and 114 are locked together for rotation one with the other.

An intermediate shaft 121 is mounted at the junction of the limbs of the generally L-shaped support platform, the intermediate shaft depending from the lower surface of platform 110 and carrying an upper idler pulley 122 and a lower idler pulley 123 of smaller diametric extent than the upper pulley. The arrangement being such that each of pulleys 122 and 123 are freely rotatable one with respect to the other.

The extremity of the tape travel from drive shaft 121 is provided by means of a return pulley 124 about which the direction of travel of tape 111 is reversed.

The underside of the platform 110 is provid-d with a pair of spaced depending supports 125 and 125 respectively, each of which has a laterally extending bore which together receive a longitudinal rod 127 for sliding movement with respect to each of supports 125 and 126. The rod 127 carries intermediate supports 125 and 126, a bush or collar 128 secured to the rod 127 for sliding movement therewith, the annular surface of collar 128 juxtaposed support 125 is provided with a plurality of extension spring mountings and extension springs 129 are disposed between collar 128 and support 125 to bias the collar 128 toward support 125. The rod 127 carries at its end extending from support 125 a 8 3 υ 7 □-shaped yoke 130 the extremities of the legs of which are provided with a drilling accommodating an axle 131. Axle 131 carries for rotation thereon return pulley 124 comprising a central hub and a pair of spaced flanges which serves as a guide for tape ill thereover. The arrangement is such that the spring 129 serves to bias pulley 124 away from the direction of travel of the tape onto and away from pulley 124 to tension the tape and maintain that tension not withstanding length variations which may occur during movement of the tape.

The tape thus displayed in Figure 3 therefore provides an outer tape run 111A and an inner tape run 111B the carriage and associated container being carried on the outer tape run 111A.

In mounting, the tape ends 118 are engaged in the appropriate recess 117 in pulleys 113 and 114. Pulleys 113 and 114 are separated to disengage pegs 119 from one of slots 120. One of the pulleys is rotated to take up the slack tape ill and to tension the return pulley 124 against its bias springs 129. The tape wound on each pulley is preferably such that at the extremity of the carriage travel in each direction, approximately two turns of tape remain on the pulley having the lesser number of turns.

The sensing of the tape movement can be carried cut by means of a sensing head indicated generally at - 20 48307 140 (see Figure 7).

The head comprises a block 141 having a general cuboid configuration and a central opening 142 to accommodate leads and connectors for the sensing mechanism. The block 141 has a lower portion 143 which carries two pairs of depending arms 144. Each pair of arms 144 are disposed to straddle tape 111 so that each arm is disposed on opposite sides of the tape over at least a portion of its width. A first arm of each pair carries a light emitting diode and a second arm of each pair carries a sensor. The light emitting diode and the associated sensor in the second arm are aligned so that light from the diode is transmitted to the sensor to generate a signal. The second pair of arms is provided with a similar arrangement, the sensor and LED being located at a different plane from that of the first pair of arms.

The tape ill is provided with a plurality of longitudinally spaced holes 145 constituting a first track adapted to be read by the light emitting diode and source of the first pair of spaced arms 144 and a second line of spaced holes 146 is provided at a different level of the track thereby providing a second set of information for reading by the second pair of arms of the head 140.

Track 1 may contain information concerning the 8 3 0'ί position of the carriage relative to the cup dispensing stack and the ingredient containers so that as the tape 111 moves to move the cup carriage along the associated support, the indication of the presence of a hole 145 of the first track juxtaposed first pair of arms 144 will indicate that the carriage and cup carried thereby is in register with a given dispenser.

Track 2 can carry information which may inter 10 alia prevent for instance, the dispensing of, for example, sugar into a soup ingredient. This will permit the dispensing of dissimilar beverages in the same machine.

It will be appreciated that che device 15 described above provides a simple means for transporting a cup carriage between a cup supply track on the one hand and a plurality of dispensing containers on another, whereby the direct movement of the tape driving the carriage is sensed directly by means of head 140.

Claims

CLAIMS 1. 8 J 'j 7 21. A vending machine as claimed in claim 19 or claim 20 wherein the track is an L-shaped track, the shorter leg of the 'L 1 being disposed juxtaposed a plurality of cup dispensing stations the longer leg of 5 the 'L' being disposed juxtaposed a plurality of ingredient dispensing stations. 22. A vending machine as claimed in claim 20 or claim 21 wherein the belt is a toothed belt disposed about toothed guide guide wheels in a generally L-shaped 10 configuration one of said toothed wheels being driven to impart drive to the belt. 23. A vending machine as claimed in claim 22 wherein a dependent bridging piece extends from the belt to the conveyor carriage to move the carriage in response to movement of the belt. 24. A vending machine as claimed in claim 22 or claim 23 wherein the belt path follows substantially the track path and the inner portion of the belt is disposed within the angle between the two legs of the 20 track and includes inter alia spring loaded belt tension means . 25. A vending machine as claimed in claim 24 wherein the conveyor also includes one or more toothed rollers together with a cam plate supported thereon 25 whereby movement of the belt corresponding to movement of the carriage can be detected by a sensor and passed 4 8 3 0 7 to said control means. 26. A vending machine as claimed in claim 25 wherein the sensor is an infrared emitter and a photoelectric cell which scan said cam plate. 5 27. A vending machine as claimed in any preceding claim wherein the rectangular area partly defined by the track accommodates hot and cold water modules for the dispensing of hot and/or cold water at a water dispensing station, separate from the ingredient 10 dispensing stations. 28. A vending machine as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 18 wherein the conveyor comprises a longitudinal tape each end of which is carried in a pulley, each pulley being driven to cause said tape 15 to advance from one to the other, thereby transporting said carraige back and forth along said track. 29. A vending machine as claimed in claim 28 wherein the said pulleys may be carried by a common shaft and arranged so that as the tape unwinds from 20 one pulley it winds on another. 30. A vending machine as claimed in claim 28 or claim 29 wherein an idler pulley is disposed intermediate the length of the tape about which the tape is reversed, said idler pulley being spring 25 loaded to maintain tension in the tape. 31. A vending machine as claimed in any one of claims 4 & 3 υ 7 28 to 30 wherein the tape has a plurality of holes and a hole detector adapted to scan a portion of the tape including the holes for reading the holes as they pass the detector. 5 32. A vending machine as claimed in claim 31 wherein the detector is a light emitting diode operating in conjunction with a photoelectric sensor whereby a pulse is generated as each hole passes said sensor. 33. A vending machine as claimed in any one of 10 claims 28 to 32 wherein a plurality of tracks of holes are incorporated in the type by the provision of different lines of holes thereon carrying information in addition to that required for sensing movement of the tape element. 15 34. A vending machine as claimed in any one of claims 23 to 33 wherein the track is L-shaped and an intermediate pulley is disposed between the idler pulley and the drive pulley in order to define an Lshaped path of the tape. 20 35. A vending machine as claimed in any one of claims 28 to 33 wherein the tape constituting the transport element is a polypropylene tape. 36. A vending machine as claimed in claim 35 wherein the tape is fabric reinforced or is reinforced 25 with other materials. 37. A vending machine as claimed in claim 1 and

1. A vending machine having at least one container dispensing station for dispensing individual containers from a stack or store thereof, and a plurality of ingredients dispensing stations, said machine comprising a conveyor having a carriage and associated support means adapted and arranged to receive and support a container at the said container dispensing station and to present said container sequentially at each ingredient dispensing station, and control means provided for causing or allowing said container to receive a portion of at least one ingredient and a discharge station where the container together with tne ingredients is discharged from the support means of the conveyor wherein on disengagement of the container from the support means the conveyor is reversed to return the carriage tc a datum position.

2. A vending machine as claimed in claim 1 comprising a support track, a carriage movable along said track, a container support arm associated with said carriage for movement therewith, a continuous transport element operatively connected with said carriage to move said carriage along said track, drive means for said element and detector means associated with said element for continuously detecting the position of t.ie carriage relative to the track. 4 8 3 0 7

3. A vending machine as claimed in either of the preceding claims including a selection means whereby a consumer can select one or more ingredients from a plurality whereby a paper cup is transported by the 5 conveyor means in accordance with the information selected to each selected ingredient station to receive a charge of the selected ingredient. 4. A vending machine as claimed in any one of the preceding claims including water dispensing means 10 separate from the ingredient dispensing stations where water is supplied either hot or cold as the case may be in order to complete the preparation of the beverage. 5. A vending machine as claimed in claim 4 vnerein the water dispensing station is separate frc· ι 15 the ingredient dispensing station w’herein the container is presented at the discharge station and disengaged from the support means of the conveyor and thereafter introduced manually into the water dispensing station to complete the preparation of the beverage. 20 6. Apparatus as claimed in claim 4 wherein the water dispensing station is disposed between the ingredient dispensing station and the discharge station whereby the water is introduced into the container with the ingredients prior to discharge of the container at 25 the discharge station. 7. A vending machine as claimed in any one of the preceding claims wherein each dispensing station includes a dispensing container and valve assembly integral therewith whereby when the ingredient has been completely dispensed from the container the whole 5 assembly is removed from the vending machine and discarded. 8. A vending machine as claimed in any of the preceding claims including a plurality of cup stacks wherein the conveyor means is arranged to select cups 10 from a stack in a given order of sequence. 9. A vending machine as claimed in claim 8 wherein the cups are selected from one stack until the stack is exhausted whereupon selection commences from a second or new stack. 15 10. An alternative embodiment of the vending machine claimed in claim 8, wherein the cups are selected from one stack position, and wherein a new stack is presented at said position when the preceding stack is exhausted. 20 11. A vending machine as claimed in any preceding claim wherein the control means includes a circuit including selection instruction receiving means, means for stopping the conveyor with the container in register with at least one selected ingredient dispensing station, z5 means for controlling the quantity of the ingredient dispensed at said station and means for returning the 4 330 conveyor carriage after discharge of the container to receive a further container from a container stack. 12. A vending machine as claimed in any preceding claim wherein the datum or start position is varied in 5 accordance with the availability of cups from a given stack. 13. A vending machine as claimed in any preceding claim wherein the conveyor comprises a substantially erect track member having a support surface at an 10 upper edge thereof adapted to receive the weight of a carriage and container supported thereby and a pair of spaced side surfaces each adapted to engage the carriage to prevent substantial tilting of the same with respect to the track. 15 14. A vending machine as claimed in claim 13 wherein the track member comprises an erect partition, an upper edge of which constitutes a load bearing surface adapted to receive the weight of a carriage and container. 20 15. A vending machine as claimed in any preceding claim wherein the carriage comprises an inverted Ushape support, one depending leg of which is provided with a laterally disposed arm extending outwardly of the track. 25 16. A vending machine and conveyor as claimed in cairn 15 wherein each depending leg carries a roller 4 8 3 0 7 adapted to engage with a side surface of the track and wherein the intermediate bridging portion between the depending legs also carries a roller adapted to ride on the upper load bearing surface of the track. 5 17. A vending machine as claimed in claim 15 or claim 16 wherein the arm includes a substantially arcuate support band fixedly secured to said arm extending slightly over the arc of a semicircle, the support band being adapted to receive a cup of generally 10 frusto-conical configuration having its smallest diameter towards its base. 18. A vending machine as claimed in any preceding claim wherein the discharge station comprises a receiving platform disposed in a plane spaced downwardly 15 of the plane of tha track and of the base of the container when carried by said conveyor and an abutment disposed below the plane of movement of the arcuate support arm with the conveyor whereby on engagement of the cup with the abutment continued movement of the 20 conveyor causes the material of the cud to flex to disengage the cup from the support arm whereupon the cup falls downwardly for reception on said platform. 19. A vending machine as claimed in any preceding claim wherein the conveyor means is a belt. 25 20. A vending machine as claimed in claim 19 wherein the belt is a toothed belt.

4. 8 3 υ 7 substantially as herein described with reference to and as illustrated in Figures 1 and 2 and 3 to 7 of the drawings accompanying the specification.