US1173819A - Mechanism for handling goods. - Google Patents

Description

` H. T. LOGAN.

MECHANISM FOR HANDLING GOODS.

APPucATloN man MAY 3. 1915.

T .M 5J e Patented Feb. 29,1916.

4 SHEETS-SHEET l.

fue

hhwlil..

H. LGAYQ.

MECHANISM FOR HANDLING GOODS.

APPucATxoN men MAY 3, 1915.

l l 73,8 l 9 Patented Febi 29, 1916.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

H. T. LOGAN.

MECHANiSM FOR HANDLING GOODS.

APPLlcATloN FILED MAY 3.1915.

L 1?3,1 9. Parme@ Feb. 29, 1916.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 3- H. T. LOGAN.

MECHANISM FOR HANDLING GOODS. APPLICATION HLED MAY 3.1915.

Patented. Feb. 29, 1916.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 4.

HUMPHREY THOMAS LOGAN, OF PUTNY, ENGLAND.

LECI-IANISM FR HANDLING GOODS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

APatenten nee. 2o, loro.

Application filed May 3, 3,915. Serial No. 25,437.

To mit io/iom it may concern lBe it known that I, HL-'Mrnnnr THOMAS LOGAN, a subject of the King ot' lilngland, residing at Putney, Surrey, England, have invented certain new and useful improveH ments in Mechanism for Handling Goods, of which the following is a specification.

This invention is for improvements in or relating to mechanism for handling goods and has for its object to provide an inexpensive form of apparatus particularly suitable for advertising purposes which may take the form of the ligure of a human being which picks up goods to be vended or distributed and holds them out to persons to take.

It has been proposed to provide an automatic figure, resembling a human being, with a movable forearm driven by mechanical means and controlled electrically. Cards were delivered to a fixed hand of the figure and the hand of the movable forearm was moved against the card in such manner that this was thrust between the finger and thumb of the hand thus breaking an electrical contact previously established between these two parts. The mechanism then moved the fore-arm to swing the hand out and away from the fixed arm into an outstretched position where it would remainuntil the card being withdrawn, the electrical contact was again established between the thumb and the finger and the operation repeated. 1

According to this invention there is combinedl with a member (for example the arm and hand of a figure) for engaging and transferring goods, mechanism for positively moving the member into contact with the goods and a reversing element in the train of such mechanism for positively moving the member in the opposite direction, and pneumatic means for attaching the goods to the member but not transferring them when the latter is brought into contact with the same and for simultaneously operating the reversing element so that the member will be positively moved back with the goods attached thereto. It is known to employ suction arms, mechanically controlled, to pick up a card from a pile and transfer' it to a receptacle, and it is also known in the printing art to pick up a sheet from a pile of sheets by a pneumatic plunger which drops by gravity on to the sheet and then returns by suction to lift the sheet prior to its being gripped by feeders to carry it forward. In this latter device the plunger is made to rise by suction which is maintained upon it at all times, but only'becomes operative for raising the plunger when a suction orifice' at the bottom of" the plunger is closed b v a sheet being sucked on to the end of the plunger.

The means for engaging the goods may take the form of a suction device communieating with a suction cavity at the point of contact between the member and the goods and automatic valves may be provided in the suction device so that when the'cavity is closed the valves operate to apply the suction. to move a controlling member, say a bellows for the driving gear, in one direction, and when the suction cavity is open, the valves operate to apply the suction to move the said controlling member in the opposite direction.

In the accompanying drawings which illustrate one method of carrying out this invention, Figure l is a perspective view in part section showing the'invention as applied to an automatic figure for handing out leaets, Fig. 2 is a diagrammatic view of certain details of Fig. l shown in part section, Fig. 3 is a diagrammatic view of the main parts of a vending machine for cooperation with an automatic figure, such as is shown in Fig. l, Fig. 4 is a diagram indicating the movements of one of the parts in Fig. 3, Fig. 5 is another diagram indicating the movements of the picking up and transferring member, and Fig. 6 is a diagrammatic view of part of the arm of the automatic figure constructed according toa modification of the present invention.

AThe same letters indicate the samr parts throughout the accompanying drawings.

The automatic figure indicated at A, Fig..

l, may be made up in any convenient mannerv part of the pres-v and in itself constitutes no ent invention. The only movable part'is the hand and arm A1 which constitutes the picking-up and transferring member. The iigure is shown 'as carrying a, boX'A2 in which is a pile ot' leaflets A3, and the figure in the example shown is arranged to pick` up a leaflet and hold it in the position shown in dotted lines at the left of Fig. l.

lithin a casing B on which the automatic ligure stands is an electric motor B1 which iic . ducing gear drives shaftl B2 throughv any suitable re- (not shown in the drawings), which may be contained in the casing of the motor. The shaft B2.constitutes the inner spindle D2'.

mounted in a plate E and has fast on it on.

shaft ofa differential gear. Carried by the shaft B2 are two studs C on which are mounted the intermediate wheels C1' of the 'differential gear, and theseA mesh with the usual miter-wheels G2, C2 respectively. The

' wheel C2 is carried by a short hollow shaft C1 mounted free on the shaft B2, and fast on this is a miter-wheel D. rlhis wheel D meshes with a niitei\vheel D1 'fast on a The spindle D2 is rotatably that side' of the plate remote from the wheel D1 a wheel E1. The means for supporting Ythe spindle D2 are not shown in detail in the drawings, as such details in themselves constitute no part of the present invention. 4

The plate E can rock about the axisfof the wheel E1, that is about the spindle D2, and

. has an arm E1 whereby it is connected to a controlling member, hereinafter further de- ..25

scribed, whereby it is rocked as 'required- The plate carries two intermediate wheels E2, E2; lthe wheel E2 is in mesh with the wheel E1 and the wheel E3 is in mesh with the wheel E2. .N ear the wheels E2, E2A is wheel'F which is carried at the end of a` vertical lshaftF1 which extends up through one .,lgof the ligure A, and carries at its upper end plate'lE `with the wheels E2, E3 thereon is so positioned relatively to the wheel F that when rocked in one positionV the wheel E2 meshes with the' wheel F, and when rocked' inthe opposite direction the wheel E3 meshes AVV.within the 'rod covered with the with t'hewheel F, and the wheel E2 is moved out of gear.

Rotatably mounted in a fixed support'G figure A is a spindle G1. This has at one end a -skew toothed wheel G2 which gears with the skew toothed wheel F2, and at thefother end a bevel wheel G3 which meshes' with a bevel wheel H rotatablyl A1 to 1:, vertical position, that is one which is midway between that which the/arm is4 shown as occupying and that,indicated by dotted lines at the left of Fig. l. The wheel C3 is carried by a shaft J whose other end has fast on it a miter-wheel J1- which meshes with a"miter-wheel J2. Fast on the wheel J 2 is a' smallermiter-wheel J2 which engages a. larger wheel Ji. This a skew toothed wheel F2. 'The' at the other end. This wheel J2 is operatively connected in anyl convenient manner with bellows J5 for maintaining suction on vtwo conduits J2 and JT respectively. The conduit J2 eX- tends up through the automatic figure A- and through the movable arm of the same to a cup A2 secured in the palm of the hand and constituting part of the member A1. The conduit JG communicates with a chamber K1 in a valve-chest K.

In this chest are two valves L and M re. speCt-ively. rl`lie valve L is carried by a diaphragm L1 stretched over an opening inthe' base of the chamber K1, and the valve M. is carried. by a diaphragm N 1 stretched over an opening in the base of the chamber K1. These openings do not communicate direct with the atmosphere, but the opening covered by the diaphragm L1 communicates with o-ne end of a conduit L2 whose other end' traverses a .central projection A6 in the cup A2, the end of the conduit being open vto the atmosphere at the end of the projection. There is, moreover, a bleed-hole L3 permanently communicating between the chamber K1 and the conduit L2.

The valve L is a double valve controlling a conduit N. One en-d of this conduit communicates with the cavity under the diaphragm M1, and the other end is connected by a. tube N1 to oneside of a pair of bellows U, O1. The tube N1 is connected at N2 to the bellows O'jfnd the bellows O are` connected at through a tube i 2 to a chamber N5 in which vthe valve M is mounted. c The valve L covers o ne-of two ports N6 N1 according to its position, that is to say when i't is lowered as shown in the drawing,

it covers the port NG (which,vif uncovered, would put the conduit 'N into communication with the atmosphere) and uncovers the port N7 which throws communication with the chamber K1. Similarly the valve M controls two ports M2. M3 respectively, the port M2 when opened throwing the chamber N5 into communication with the atmosphere, and the port M2 when'opened putting the chamber into communication A`with the chamber K1. With the valve M in the position shown in the drawing, the port M3 is closed and M2 is open.- The bellows O, O1 areconnected' by a link O2 to the arm E4 of the plate E.

The operation of this device is as follows: The motor drives the shaft B2 of the differential gear C-C2, and this rotates the shafts J and C2. The shaft C1 rotates leg of the figure A, the connection ofthe two shafts being through the wheels D, D1, E1, E2 and F, or E1, E2, E2, and F, accordinafter explained. .The shaft F1 is not al- Ways imoving, and when stationary the the conduit .N into' mg to theA position of the plate E as hereiis " the shaft F1 which extends up through the .125

. larger cavity A wheels .by which it is driven, including the wheel C2. of-the differential gear, remain stationary, and then all 'the drive of the shaft B2 is transmitted to the shaft J. This shaft operates the suction bellows J 5 through the gear-wheels J 1-J 4 and as the shaft is always rotating, the bellows maintain a certain degree ofk suction upon the vconduits connected with them. The conduit J7 makes direct connection from the ybellows to the in the hand of the figure, so that air is always being drawn in through this conduit, unless thecavity is covered.l

' -by one of the leaflets A3,

In Fig. 2 the sition occupied parts -are shown in the powhen the hand is covered and for the purpose of describing the operation, it willbe presumed that. the arm is in the position `shown indotted lines in Fig. l and the v`leafl'etA2,resting thereon. The leaflet not onlycovers the cavity A5,but also the cavity "n-.the kprojection A6, so that. the pressures on the opposite sides of the diaphragm L1 balance. each other; that is the suction in the chamber K1 exhausts the conduit L2 through-the bleed-hole L3 and thus-the valve L can drop into theposition shown in the drawing, leaving the port N7 openand the port N6 closed.' This puts the conduit N into communication with the suction conduit J 6 and thus the bellows O1 isexhausted and thereby collapsed, so that the plate E has'been rocked by the arm E4 about 'the axis of the spindle D2 in a clockwise direction, and the wheel E2 brought into` mesh with vthe .wheel F. This wheel rotates the .shaft F 1in the direction to bring dthe arm and hand A? of the automatic ligure from the position shown in Fig. 1 in full lines to that shown`\in dotted lines. As soonl as the arm has reached the outstretched posi- .tion shown in ydotted lines, the mechanism driving -it stops, because' the arm cannot move farther than to the position indicated, anyl convenient means, not shown in the drawings. being provided to check it at this point. Thus the hollow shaft C4 of the differential gear and all the parts which it drives will be stopped, but the shaft J will the automatic figure, and no further movement of the automatic figure takes place until the leaflet is removed. If the device is used as an advertising device outside, say, a shop or store, the figure will thus remain stationary until someone pulls the leaflet off' the hand, when atmospheric pressure being thus admitted to the cavity in the Ijiand M will be immediately automatically reversed, that is atmospheric pressure will be adnhitted to the side L1 at which the conduit L2 `and the bleed-hole L3 communicates,

The suction is thusV :maintained upon the leaflet on the hand of lprojection A6, the position of the valves.

of the diaphragm will thus no longer beV able to maintain equal pressures on both sides of the diaphragm. The diaphragm will thus be forced up, closing the port N 7 and opening the port Ns to atmosphere. This admits atmospheric pressure to the conduit N forced up, `causing the valve M toclose the port M2 and open the chamber N 5 to the chamber K1 and thus to the suction pipe J6. The admission of atmospheric pressure to the conduit N also admits it to the bellows O1,`and the connecting of the conduit N2 with the chamber K1 shuts off the bellows O from connection with the atmosphere and the air is therefore immediately exhausted from the bellows 0, while air simultaneously is admitted to the bellows 01. This causes a sharp movement of the bellows to the right of Fig. 2, causing the plate E to be rocked in a counter-clockwise direction which brings the wheel E2 out from engagement with the wheel F and brings the wheel E3 into engagement therewith. The driving mechanism fromI the shaft C4 is now no longer locked, because the wheel ES'tends to rotate in the-reverse direction to that of the wheel E2 and thus tends to drive the wheel F and its shaft F1 in the reverse direction to that in which it was previously moved, and the arm A1, although locked against further movement in the. one direction, is free to move back into the position shown in full lines in Fig. l.. The arm A1 thus immediately swings back until it is brought into contact with the pile of leaflets A3, when one is again sucked up against the hand coveringthe cavity in the projection A6, thus allowing the bleed'- hole L3 to once more balance the pressures on the opposite side of the diaphragm L1. The valve L will then in1mediatel57 drop into the position shown in Fig. 2, lputting the conduit N into communication with the chamber K1, which will balance the diaphragm M1 and cause the valve M to drop', andthus suction is applied to the bellows O1 again and atmospheric pressure admitted to the bellows O, so that they once more move over tol the position shown in Fig. 2 and cause the wheel E2 to be brought into mesh with the wheel F and thewheel E3 to be moved out from engagement therefrom. The arm A1 is now again moved over tothe stretched-out position shown in dotted lines in Fig. l and remains there until the leafiet once more is removed from the hand of the automatic figure, when the operation will be againA repeated.-

Obviously the hand of the automatic figure may be made to'pick up articles as well it may be em-y operating lever P1.

. purpose.

vending machine would be arranged for this It would not ybe desirable to have a motor continuously running, as a vending machine is not always in use, and although the motor could be automatically switched on and off as required, it would constitute an expensive element in the machine so that other means for effecting the drive of the the ratchet-teeth P3 is extended at PG beyond the point of pivoting of the ratchet which is at P7 and engages a tail-piece P2 of a long lever P2 which is pivoted at P10. T he lever l P2 carries at its free end a tilting plate P11 which lies opposite a guide P12 from a coinslot P13. The plate P11 has a lip P1s at that end remote from the guide P12 so thatithe` coin ycan slide down the guide onto the plate and is arrested by the lip P18. rlhe lever P1 further has pivoted to it at P1t1 a pending rod P15 whose end rests over the movable -end or a pair of bellows Q. The bellows are controlled by a spring Q1 and have comniiinicating with vthem the two conduits de, JT; these are covered by a valve Q2 inside the bellows which prevents air from being driven through them, and the bellows are provided with an outlet valve Q3 whereby the air may escape from the bellows when they are collapsed by the rod P15. The rod P15 has a laterally projecting pin P16 which engages an arm R1 on a toothed quandrant R which is pivoted at R2. The quadrant 4engages a toothed wheel R which is engaged with its shaft vwith a pawl-and-ratchet R4, R5, the ratchet being fast on the shaft R10 and the pa'wl carried by the wheel. The shaft R10 carries a second toothed wheel R6 which meshes with a mitenwheel R1, and this in turnmeshes with. a. second miter-wheel RS fast on the shaft U23 the ruiter-wheel R8 thus takes the place of the wheel D1 on the shaft D2. The quadrant R is controlled by a spring R2 which always tends to drive the quadrant by the arrow, and this spring is sufficiently powerful to drive the shaft D2, connected through the reversing mechanism to the shaft F1 (not shown in this figure) and cause the automauicy figure A shown in Fig. 1 to perform the evolutions already described. The lever P1 may also be employed to discharge the chocolate or other article indicated at'S, and for this purpose works in a stirrup S1 hung from a bellecranlr lever S2 pivoted at S3 and having connected to it a push-rod S4. The push-rod enters the bottom of 'a chamber S5 in which the lpile of chocolates S is stored, .and an opening S6 is provided in the chamber opposite the push'- rod S1 so that when the rod is advanced -the bottom chocolate can be pushed out on Vto a delivery-plate S1.

The operation o-f thisdevice is as follows: lWhen a coin is put in the slot P13 it` falls upon the tray P11 and depr-esses the end of the lever P9 so that the pawl is moved againstthe action of its spring P5 and is disengaged from the tooth P3 of the operating lever P1.' vrlhe lever P1 being thus released can. then be depressed by hand the person who desires to obtain an article from the vending machine, and in depressing the lever the bellows Q are depressed and the quadrant R is raised so that its lower end is in mesh with the wheel R3. 'The depression of the lever P1 will also cause the bell-` crank lever to be rocked by means of the stirrup S1, so that the push-rod S4 dis charges a chocolate from the chamber S5 on to the guide-plate S1 to the bottom of which it slides down and the bottom portionlies in the position to which the hand of the automatic ligure A is brought when the figure perates. lV hen the lever P1 is fully depressed a stud 2? thereon is brought into contact with the end of the travP11 and tilts it so that thecoin falls out of the tra-y intoa receptacle p1 provided to receive it. The lever P1'is now released. and is thus free to return and as the lever P9 no longer carries the coin, the pawl P4 falls into position to engage the ratchet-teeth P3 of the lever. The bellows Q now begin to expand under the action of their spring Q1 and this creates suction on the conduits JG. J 1 and the quadrant R being released from the pin P1G as the lever P1 rises, begins to drive the wheels R2, RG. R1,

fis

loo

RS so that the motive power is supplied for moving the shaft F1 and the arm of the automatic figurein' the manner already described. The operation of the valve in the valve-box K1 with which the conduit J6 communicates is the same as that already described1 and the automatic figure picks up the article from the tray ST and holds it out to the purchaser. As soon as the-purchaser removes it, the armreturns andjthe mechanism stops.A l downward in the direction shown il Wai be appreciatedtha i'isgisaebie that no part `of the mechanism shall vbe allowed'to startits operations until the'lever P1 has been fully depressed, as otherwisethere might not be sufficient suction or driving power stored up at the start to effect all "the necessary operations. llor this purpose a wheel T may be geared in any'coiivenient manner tothe shaft F1 sothat it rotates through the same angular 'distance as the shaft. This wheel has on it a cam-toothT1,

the toothed side of the cam being engaged by a claw T2 on the lever T3 pivoted at T4. Ihe`- lever T3 has a second claw T5 on it which i lies clear of the path of the tooth T1 when the claw T2 is in the path of the tooth. The I end of the lever T3 is engaged by -a pin T17 on the rod P15 whenthe lever P1 is pushed down.

The operation of this mechanism is as follows: lVhen the parts are at rest the camtooth Tl rests against the claw T2, asshown in Fig. 3, the wheel T tending to drive in the direction of the arrow. This holds the mechanism in such position that the arm of the `igpre is approximately vertical, as

shown at p osition l in Fig. 5, and as the operating levez` P1 is depressed no part of the automaton can be set in operation until the pin P17 lifts the claw T2 out of the path ofthe tooth T1. The wheel T will then advance until its tooth T1L is brought to the position shown bring the arm from the position loto the position 2, Fig. 5, where it picks up the goods to 'oe transferred from the tray S7' and presented to the purchaser. Theautomatic reversing mechanism then operates and thearm is swung back from the position 2 past the position l to the position 3, and the tooth T1 of the wheel T travels similarly past the position l to the position 3 shown in Fig. 4.

In coming to the position 3, however, it

passes under the claw T5 and the cam side of the tooth pushes the claw back, so that the lever T3 'is once more in position ready to catch the tooth T1. As soon, therefore, as the goods are removed from the hand of the automatic figure the arm A1 commences its return movement, but on reaching the position l, it is stopped because the tooth 'El engages` the claw T2 and arrests the whole mechanism.

An interesting feature about this automatic figure is that if the article to be picked 'up is not at irst correctly laid hold of the arm moves back to again pick it up, that is to say, if the goods on the tray do not always occupy the same position so that when the hand comes down on the packet the cav-` ity A5 therein is not quite covered, the arm will sometimes commence to return and then the packet drop, whereupon the automatic reverse mechanism Will immediately oper-` ate and the hand returns again to pick up the packet. Each attempt to pick the packet up, however, draws the packet more toward vthe position which the hand occupies, and

consequently it finally secures the packet and transfers 1t to the delivery position. The quadrant R is of course made of sufficient .length Atoallow for these minor return movements, and the claw T2 vent them, because the too-th such intervals be merely oscillatingbetween the positions l and 2 of Fig. 4 and never moving far from the lposition 2 so that the tooth does not come into-contact' with the .before, the other at 2, Fig. 4, and this willy T1 will during K ,moving the arm into contact with secured and the arm moves right over to the position 3 of Fig. 5.

Insteadof using kthe automatic figure to hand out articles or leal-lets, it may be employed to turn over the pages of a book. In Fig. 6 a book is indicated at U and the movable arm of the figure is in this case made up of two movable parts, one part V which is secured to the bevel toothed-wheel H as part V1 being hinged to the partV at V2 and normally kept in line therewith vby a spring V3, the joint at V2 being such as to prevent movement of the part V1 beyond the straight line position with the part V. On the part V1 is a lateral arm V4 which carries a roller V5 and carried by anyl convenient fixed part of the figure is a stationaryv stop W. The stop lies in the path of the roller V5 when the arm V, Vl is moved over to the delivery-position, but there is no stop to coperate with the roller when in thepicking-up position. Thus when the arm is in the position to the right of Fig. 6 indicated in dotted lines it engages the page of the book, and then swings over, being operated as has been described with reference to Figs. l and 2, so that the page is brought over to the left of the ligure, the arm being still in engagement with it .is shown by dotted lines on, that side; just as it reaches this position the roller V5 strikes [upon the top of the pin "VV and is thereby thrustvlaterally aside, the roller acting as a cam, so that the arm is pulled sidewise into the position shown in full lines in Fig. 6. This lateral movement, which is effected somewhat quickly, disengages the arm from the page so that the mechanism will immediately move it over to the right-hand side of Fig. 6 to pick up the next page, and'this operation will be repeated continuously.

1What I claim' as to secure by Letters Patent is l. The combination of a member for engaging and transferring goods, actuating mechanism for positively moving the member into contact with the goods, a reversing my invention and desire los element in the train of such mechanism for the goods attached thereto; substantially as described.

2.. The combination of the-arm and hand of a figure for engaging andy transferring goods, actuating mechanism for the goods,

nby the aforesaid actuating mechanism with positively las v izogively vmoving the member'v 3. The combination of a member for enlsgaging and transferring goods which is moved in a curved path, actuating mechanism for positively moving the member into contact With the goods, a reversing element in the train lof such mechanism for posiin the opposite rection,V pneumatic means for attaching ei goods tothe member when the latter is 'broughtinto' contact with the same, and

pneumatic means controlled by the first men- .25 tioned'pneumatic means for automatically operating the reversing element as soon as the goods'are attached so that the member vill be positively moved back by the aforesaid'actuating mechanism with the goods attached thereto; substantially as described. 4L. The combination of a member for engag'ing and transferring goods Which is moved in a1 curved path to first lift the goods and then .transfer them to a point to one side of thefpoint whence they are lifted, actuating` mechanism for positively moving the member, into contact with the goods, a reversing element ,in the train of such mechanism for positively moving the mem- 40 ber in the opposite direction, pneumatic means for attaching the goods to the member when the latter isbrought into Contact With the same, and pneumatic means controlled by the first mentioned pneumatic means'for automatically operating the reversing element as soon vas the goods are attached so that the member will be positively moved'- back by the aforesaid actuating .mech-msm with the goods attached thereto;

. 5. The combination of a member for enlg5 and transferring goods, actuating mechanism for positively moving the mem- 'ber into contact with the goods, a reversing element in the train of such mechanism for positively moving the member in the opposite direction, means for engaging the goods with' the said member` in the form of a sucticn device communicating with a suction opening at the point of contact between the member and the goods, a valve-chest, a conduit extending from said chest and having an open end situated in the member for moving the goodsnt 'the point of contact of 50 sub. st 'alntially as described.

nections between the pneumatic actuator and the suction device so that the reversing element 1s operated, and means for returnmg the pneumatic actuator with the reversing element after such operation; substantially as described.

6. The combination of the arm and hand of agure for engaging and transferring goods, a vertical driving shaft (F1.) passing up through the body of the figure, a second. shaft in the upper arm ofthe figure geared to the vertical shaft and lying at an angle thereto, a support '(Gr, G4) in the upper arm of the figure Whcreon the forearm is pivoted, toothed gearing operatively connecting the second shaft with vthe forearm, mechanism including a reversing element for driving the shaft (F1), pneumatic means for attaching the goods to the forearm when the latter is brought into contact with the same and further pneumatic means controlled by the first ymentioned pneumatic means for automatically operating the reversing element as soon as the goods are attached so that the forearmlwill be positively moved back by the aforesaid driving shaft and its actuating mechanisml with the goods attached thereto; tially as described.

7. The combination of the arm and hand of a figure for engaging and transferring goods, .a vertical driving shaft (F1) passing up through the body of the figure, a second shaft in the upper arm of the figure geared to the vertical shaft and lying at an angle thereto, a support (G, G4) in the upper arm of the figure whereon the fore-arm is pivoted, necting the second shaft with the forearm, a centralizing spring (A4) for the said fore-arm, mechanism including a reversing element for driving the shaft (F1), pneumatic moans forattaching the goodsto the fore-arm when the latter' is brought into vcontact with the same and further pneumatic means controlled by the first mentioned pneumatic means for automatically operating the reversing element as soon as the goods arc attached so that the fore-arm will be positively moved back by the aforesaid driving-shaft and its actuating mechanism With the goods att-ached thereto; substantially as described.

65 such member with the goods, a pneumatic/ 18. rEhe combination of a member for ensubstantoothed gearing operatively con- Vmanner as to rota a centred c a member, re sai d tr "e eci (El, wheels E3) ca operativeiy connected with the driving-Wheel in sach n opposite directions,

en he said plate op and the 43 c ber to mov its two Wheels nur. br. one or other of into mesh with the driven Wheel (lf according to the direction in which isV moved by the con-v trolling member, pneumatic means for attaching the goods to the transferring membei when the latter is brought in contact tnerewith, and i.urther pneumatic means controlled by the irst mentioned pneumatic means for automatically actuating the con 'trolling member as soon as zhe goods are attached so that the transferring member will be positively moved bach by the aforesaid actuating mechanism with the goods attached thereto; substantially as described.

9. `The combination of a member for engaging and Vtransferring goods, coin-freed actuating mechanism for positively moving the member into contact with the goods, a reversing element in the train of such coinfreed mechanism for positively moving the -member in the opposite direction, pneumatic means for attacliiing the goods 'to the member when the latter is brought into contact with the same and further pneumatic means controlled by the first mentioned pneumatic means for automatically operating the reversing element as soon as the goods are attached so that the member will be positively moved back by the aforesaid actuating mechanism with the goods attached thereto; substantially as described.

l0. in an automatic vending machine, the combination of member for engaging and transferring goods, actuating mechanism for positively m ving the member into con! tact with the goods, a reversing element in the train of such mechanism, .a spring driven rack (R) 'for operating the said member through the train of actuating mechanism, pneumatic means for attaching Jche goods so the member when the latter is brought ino contact with the same, further pneumatic means controlled by te mentioned oneumai' ornatically operiit the reve g eiserne as soon as the goods are attached so that the member will he positiveiy moved bacia by the aforesaid actuating mechanism with the goods attached thereto, a spring-driven suction-de vice (Q) for pr viding the pneumatic power, and a rroini'ieed loading lever operatively connected with these devices to f return them to their starting positions and load their springs prior to each operation; substantially as described.

ll. ln an automatic vending machine the combination of a member for engaging and transferring goods, actuating mechanism for positively moving the member into contact with the goods, a reversing element in the train of such mechanism, pneumatic means for attaching the goods to the member When 'the latter is brought into Contact means controlled by `the first mentioned pneumatic means for automatically operating the reversing elementras soon as the goods are attached. so that the member will. beipositively moved bach by' the aforesaid actuating mechanism 'with the goods attached thereto, a coin-freed operating lever for the said actuating mechanism, a Wheel (T) geared with the transferring member, a cam-tooth (T1) with a. locking face on one side on the said Wheel, a pivoted catch which coperates with the cam-tooth Tg1) to hold the Wheel and With it the transferring member against movement, means whereby when the operating' lever of the vending machine is displaced to the full limit of its movement the catch is tripped to free the tooth, and means whereby the tooth during its movement replaces the catch to again lock the Wheel at the end of the cycle of movements; substantially as described.

In testimony whereof l have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing Witnesses.

HUMPIflREY THOMS LQGAN. l'Vitnesses A. M. HARVARD. R. A. Evnnrr'r.

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