US1204454A - Coin conveying and receiving mechanism for vending-machines. - Google Patents

Description

E. H. KELLEY. colN CONVEYING AND REcElvlNG NECHANlsNl FOR vENDlNG MACHINES.

APPLICATION FILED OCT. 27. I9I0.

1,204,454. Patented Nov. 14, 1916.

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E. H.KELLEY. COIN CONVEYING AND RECEIVING IVIECHANISIVI FOR VENDING MACHINES.

' APPLICATION FILED OCT. 27. |910. 1,204,454.

Patented Nov. 14, 1916.

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. y l w @MH/ff I/I/INESSES ELIAS H. KELLEY, OF NEW YORK, N.

G01N conviivnvel AND RECEIVING MEcHANIsM Fon VENDINGLMACHINES.

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Patented ov. 14, 1916.

Original application led `December 1'?, 1909, Serial No. 533,638. Divided and this application filed October 27, 1910. Serial No. 589,303.

To all whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, ELIAS H. KELLEY, a` citizen of the United States, residing in the borough' of Manhattan, city, county, and State of'New York, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Coin Conveying and Receiving Mechanism for Vending-Mac hines, of which the following is a description.

This invention has reference to vending machines and especially to the coin-controlled type of such machines; but, particularly, my invention relates to conveyersand receptacles for the coin deposited in the machine.

The mechanism of this invention is intended for use in machines of the type claimed in my application, Serial No. 533,638, led Dec. 17, 1909, of which latter this application is a division.

Among the objects of kmy invention may be noted the following: `to provide a receptacle, for the coins deposited in the machine, so located as to catch all the coins deposited in the machine regardless of which slide said coinvis primarily deposited in; to provide a receptacle having separate com-V partments for the coins of different Vdenomination and so located in relation to the chain conveyer as to receive, inl a particular compartment, only the coin intended; to provide means in connection with a receptacle for coins which will prevent the receptacle from being withdrawn from the machine with the lid open or with the lid unlocked; to provide means in connection with a receptacle for coins which will prevent the receptacle from being placed in the machine with the lid closed; to provide means whereby a coinreceptacle can be placed in the machine only in open condition and which will be held in the machine in that condition, in combination with means whereby the lid will be automatically closed and locked when the said receptacle is withdrawn from the machine; to provide means` whereby a coinboX, for a vending machine, can be identied as belonging to a given machine or type of machines, thus rendering identification easy, continual defrauding impossible, and facilitating the establishment of book-keeping and checking systems; to provide means by which a coin-box can be used only in a given machine according to predetermination, and in no other; to provide means by which the coinsA areconveyed to and properly deposited inthe receptacle or coin-box; and-to provide a combination ofmeans by which the. foregoing objects are secured cheaply, effectively and positively.

TWith the above objects in view and others which will be detailed during the course of this description, my invention consists in the elements, mechanisms, parts and features, and combinations of elements and mechanisms all as hereinafter described and claimed.

In order that my invention may be clearly understood, I have provided drawings wherein:

Figure l is a vertical sectional view of so much of my aforesaid vending machine as is deemed vnecessary to illustrate my invention of this application; Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view at a right-angle to that of Fig. 1 and lon the line 2 2 of the latter; Fig. 3 is an end elevation of the receptacle and surroundingV portion of the machine, the front of the 'frame being in section; Fig. l is an enlarged sectional detail of the receptacle and means for holding the lid open. and locking the lid when closed; and Fig. 5 is a broken plan and partial section of the coin-box or receptacle.

Referring to the drawings, the numeral l indicates the base of the frame, 2 the opposite side-plates, and 3 the back-plate, these parts being fitted and bolted together in any suitable manner to provide a rigid and strong supporting-frame, the top-plate and front-plate of the machine not being-shown since the figures have been curtailed to restrict the same to an illustration of my present invention. Viewing Figs. 1 and 2, it will be seen that the lower portionof the frame extends forward of the'driving-shaft to provide a support 6 for the slide-plate 7, which may carry any number of coin-slides 8 according to the use or purpose of the machine. In front of the support 6, the frame at its base, has an opening which is closed by a door 9, hinged at its bottom,

'as .at 10, to the base of the frame, which box 11 is provided on its opposite sides with in the machine, the lid will be released an runners 15 which travel upon the .guiderails 16, extending across the base of the frame of the machine, the said coin-box beingthus capableof being easily slid into the machine and maintained in proper positionV between the two said rails. rlhe Vframe-portion 17 of the machine, at its lower edge adjacent the top of the door 9 and at opposite ends of the coin-box, is provided with dogs 18, .-pivotcd at A19, each of said vdogs being under control of a spring 20, fixed to the said frame and engaging the portion 18 of said dog, the latter having its depending portion 21 in position such as to cooperate with the complemental inclined lugs 22 secured to the opposite ends of the lid 23 of thecoin-box adjacent its free or upper edge. The ldogs and lugs cooperate to close the lid 23 of the Ycoin-box, since the lower portion 21 ofr said dogs is directly in the path of said lugs when the coin-box'is being removed; that is to say, as the box is withdrawn from the machine, the spring 24,l supported as presently described, will exercise its normal tendencyv to close said lid, thuspresenting the lugs 22 in the path of said dog-portion 21. Since, however, said dog, in this direction of movement of the box, will yield against the pressure of the spring 2O said dog will only have a tendency to press closed the lid 23 and snap the spring-lock 25 thereof; but,y to insure that the lid be tightly closed as the box is withdrawn from the machine, said lugs 22 will engage the lower edge 26 of said frame which, being rigid, will snap the spring-lock 25 and lock the lid, thus enabling the free Vwithdrawal of the box from the machine.

r he lugs 22 also prevent the placing of the coin-box in the machine with the lid closed, since the lowerfends Yof;the depending portions 21 are slightly below the lower edge 26 of the frame and the dogs will engage the said lugs when the lid is closed and cannot yield, owing to the portion 18 being in contact with the frame-portion 17. ll`herefore,` it becomes necessary to rst open the hd and lay it 'back against its spring lpressure upo the top of the box, thus allowing said box t be placed in the machine without interfer ence with the dog. As soon as the box is we its spring will force it into engagement wit the guard 27, which latter will hold said li wide open so that the coins can freely pas through the openings 28 in the box, and int their proper compartment 12, 13 or 14. Th top 29 of the coin-box is hinged to the fron wall thereof along the upper edge of the lat ter, as indicated at 30, and at its Iopposit f side said top is provided with a spring-lool enabling the entiretop of the box to be thrown Vwide open for the removal of the contents thereof.

Viewing Figs. 1, 2 and 3, when the mainshaft 32 is rotated by either motor or crank, the` sprocketwheel 33 carried thereby will be rotated since it is fixed to the shaft, such rotation driving the ,sprocket-chain, 34 vwhich rotates the sprocket-wheel 35 carried by the short-shaft 36 journaled in the standard 37 and a bracket38 carried by the adjacent standard 37. Shaft 36 carries a pinion will maintain the said cups in a horizontal position with several of theininhorizontal alineinent so as to catch the coins which pass from the chutes, 47, 48 and 49, suitably secured to thebottom of the slide-plate 7. Viewing Fig. 1, every other link of the chain 43 hasa cup 44 fixed thereto so as to travel with the chain in a fixed position relatively to said link, the links, extending between each pair ofcups, spacing the latter so vthat a uniform distance will always be maintained between the cups, Aand the latter can travel the circuit prescribed by the two sets of sprocket-wheels without interference. As shown in Fig. 2, the chute 47 extends toward the right-hand side of the machine and empties into the coin-cups 44, which are arranged in single form and are in position to Areceive the live-cent piece from the nickelslide', which is on the Vleft side of the machine. The chute 48 is under the dimeslide, is directed toward thechute 48 and del l posits its coin in the right-hand side of the double cups 44, the lattei being made double and arranged as shown to econornize space, cheapen and simplify the `machinel The cups, as the chains 43 move along in the direction ofthe arrow in F ig. 1 are given a complete turn so as to dump the coins into the box 11, throughthe opening 28 in the top thereof, which 'extends across the vsame from side to side. Thespring 24 coiled rbout the hinge-pin V51 of the lid normally tends to close saidV lid, one end of the spring being secured to the lid at 52 and the other end to the box at 53. Opposite the guard 27, I see Fig. 1, indicated by 31, this constrnctiong7 a back-plate 54 is fixed to the beam 55, said plate and guard having the function of accurately directing the coins into the box l1, through the openings 28, and preventing said coins from being dumped in or deflected to any other portion of the machine. The guard 27 also has the function of retaining the door 23 open while the box is in the machine.

The chains, sprockets and cups constitute a coin-conveyer and the amount of travel imparted thereto is approximately the distance of one coin-cup for everyv rotation of the driving-shaft 32. Hence, for every operation of the machine the conveyer will carry the contents of av given cup under and into the light of a lamp 56 so that it may be inspected through the transparency 57, and a person tampering with the machine or trying to defraud the same by slugs or checks, etc., can be instantly detected. This particular feature forms no part of my present invention.

Referring to Figs. 2 and 3, means are provided for identifying a machine or the location thereof, and for preventing a box intended for a given machine, from being used with any other machine. This means, in the instance shown, consists of a dovetailed lug 58 fixed to the bottom of the box l1, and cooperating with a guide 59 having a groove complemental in form to said lug, said guide being carried by the base-plate 1. Obviously, the position, size and shape of this key to a given machine and its coin-box can be varied indefinitely. Thus an infallible means for the purposes stated is and can be provided and the same forms an important feature of my invention since it makes the coin-boxes non-interchangeable; that is to say, said boxes are provided with means heretofore described whereby a given box can be used only in one machine constructed and adapted specially for the reception of said box. This means or key may be provided in any number desired in each machine and may, obviously, be located in an indenite number of positions, whereby the owners or users of a given line of machine may be assured of the return of the coin-box-to the proper machine from which it has been removed. This feature of my invention also enables a userl or owner of a given number of machines to locate and identify, at a given point, in a large city, for example, any machine in the coin-box of which a coin other than a good coin may have been deposited, and also enables the auditor to credit each machine with its earnings. This key also enables a system of book-keeping to be established with reference to any one or any group of machines. Ordinarily, each machine will have at least two boxes, one to be inserted when the other is taken away. As shown in Fig. 2, the coin-boxes are provided with three compartments, one for eachdenomination of coins, for example, five, ten and twenty-five cents, thus avoiding the necessity of sorting the coins upon removal of the box.- Obviously, the coin-boxes will be partitioned and made of a size correspond- 'ing with the use or character of the machine and may, insome' instances, be provided with only one compartment and in others with more than three.- .As has been pointed out, the coin-boxes are so vconstructed that the lid will be shut tight and locked as the box is withdrawn from the machine, thus preventing employees from gaining access tothe contents when the boxes are collected in regular course of business. Also, to insure that the coins will be deposited from the conveyer into the boxes, means have been provided, as described, which prevent the box being inserted in the machine in other than an open condition,this open condition being maintained, as shown in Figs. l and 4, the spring surrounding the hinge of the lid, however, normally tending to close the latter. Hence, the importance of my invention in this particularl resides in the fact that the lid is automatically closed and locked as the box is removed from the machine and that the box cannot be placed in the machine without having the lid wide open for reception of the coins by the box.

Other parts and mechanisms of my machine, forming the subject-matter of my aforesaid application, which have been in-` cidentally shown in the drawings form no part of my present invention and have notv been specifically described.

While I have described my coin receiving mechanism including the chutes, conveyers and coin-box in connection with a coin-controlled apparatus of the particular type shown in my aforesaid parent application, I desire it distinctly understood that my invention is not limited for application to the particular machine, but that I purpose that the same shall be used in any relation possible and, in consequence, my claims will not be limited to any particular machine but shall be comprehensive of the mechanism irrespective of the machine in which it may be used or found.

Having thus described my invention what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

l. In combination, a plurality of conveyers for vending machines; a coin-receiving box having a plurality of compartments and an opening into each compartment; the said conveyers being arranged, respectively, in cooperative relation to the compartments of the box; and means for operating the conveyers whereby the coins carried by the conveyers will be dropped into the respective compartment of the box.

2. In combination in a vending machine,

a 6in-boi; providedivith a, lid ;Nl mns Vfdr nonlly hlcliiig said lid pii iihn th 156i; is in the machii'; sid lid dinns l'so aidifig in di'ecting the Coins into the box; a conifey'er fOr depositing the'J` coin iii Ytii', box; and means b'etw'en the box and this conveyer ov'pierting With 'die' lid uid iisnamed means for directing th coiis in che boX. l

l 3. In cpmbiilatioil in ifediig mciii, a plurality of Coinchutes; a 'plurility `'Of conveyer's Coperating With said chiites, OIi'e

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