US1218958A - Dispensing-machine. - Google Patents

Description

V. ROSS.

DISPENSING, MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILEDYSEPT. 7. 1915.

Patented Mar. 13, 1917.

3 SHEETSSHEET I.

v. Ross.

DISPENSING MACHINE. APPLICATION FILED SEPT-L I9I5.

1,218,958. Patented Mar. 13, 1917.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

V. ROSS.

DISPENSING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT-7. 1915.

1 218 958. Patented Mar. 13, 1917. 9 3 SIIEETSSH'EET '3.

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. attenunnrrnn sra'rns ranivr union VERNON ROSS, OF KANSAS CITY, IVIISSOURI;

DISPENSING-MACHINE.

misses.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Mar. 13, 1917.

Application filed September 7, 1915. Serial No. 49,200.

This invention relates to dispensing ma-' chines of that class for use in the rooms of hotels and other semi-public and public buildings, and the object of the invention is to produce a machine which will operate efficiently and cannot be readily defrauded or get out of order. A further object is to produce a machine which can be easily and quickly charged with articles to be dispensed and which, ata glance, will show whether all or any of its compartments require re plenishlng.

' vendin com artment or c linder in the plane of the section being shown in full lines.

Fig. 2, is a fragmentary front view, partly broken away, and showing one of the series of compartments or-cylinders in open position. V

Fig. 3, is an enlarged horizontal section on the line III-III of Fig. 1, a certain part or shelf being broken away to disclose underlying features.

Fig. 4, is a fragmentary plan view, part of the casing being shown in section on the line IVIV of Fig. 1 and certain parts being omitted to more clearly disclose the po sition and arrangement of certain features.

Fig. 5, is a fragmentary vertical section in the plane of the section of Fig. 1, but showing certain parts in a difierent position from that which they occupy in Fig. 1.

Fig. 6, is a vertical section of-the lower part of one of the dispensingcompartments or cylinders.

Fig. 7, is a vertical section taken through the upper end of one of the dispensing coinpartments or cylinders and abearing bracket for the upper end of the same.

Fig. 8, is a detail section to show the connection between the shaft actuating spring and a bearing for said shaft.

Referring to the drawings in detail 1 is a wall plate provided with a marginal forwardlyprojecting head 2.

3' is a face or cover plate which corresponds in contour to but is smaller'than'the wall plate, the face plate being open at its rear side and adapted to be fitted against the wall plate and the inner edges of the bead 2, the wall plate thus forming a closure for the open side of the face plate. The face plate A is provided with an opening t which extends from one end of the plate to the other and from a point near the top of the plate to a point somewhat below the horizontal center of the plate and through this opening access is had for the purpose'of charging the machine with the articles to be dispensed or for removing such articles. The means for fastening the face or cover plate in position will be hereinafter described.

Arranged horizontally and fitted against the wall plate near the lower marginthereof is a channel bar, the same comprising a vertically-disposed body 5 and forwardly projecting upper and lower shelves 6 and 7 respectively, the shelf 7 being narrowerthan shelf 6 and terminating in an upturned flange 8 so that said shelf 7 shall constitute a receptacle for keys or coins employed to unlock the dispensingcompartments or cylinders hereinafter described.

9 are screws or bolts extending through the body 5 of the channel bar and through the wall plate into a ,wall or equivalent support, for the purpose of securing the machine in position. Located in the upper part of the casing constituted by the wall and face plate, is a series of angle brackets 10, and extending through the same and the wall plate and into the wall or its equivalent, are screws or bolts 11, these screws or bolts cooperating with screws or bolts 9 in securing the machine at the desired point.

A series of dispensing compartments or cylinders 12 are arranged between the shelf 6 and the brackets 10, the compartments or Each compartment or cylinder is provided with an opening 13 through which theloading or unloadmg'of the cylinder is effected when the same is in open position, as

- catch for looking it in closed position, that is with its opening 13 facing rearward so as to be inaccessible through the opening of the face plate of the casing. in the preferred construction of the catch mechanism, a short barrel 18 is secured in the chamber 14 of each cylinder, and the catch proper 19 fits vertically in the barrel and normally projects beyond the lower end of the same,

being preferably rounded at its lower end. Secured onthe catch is a collar 20 to limit its projection from the barrel and afford a shoulder against which the catch projecting spring 21 bears, said spring fitting around the catch and hearing at its opposite end against a fixed part of the cylinder. Normally the spring holds the catch projecting into a locking opening 22 formed in the shelf 6, and intersecting and narrower than said opening is a slot 23in the shelf. When the catch of a cylinder is repressed to unlocked position as shown in Fig. 5, the spring 17 immediately revolves the cylinder in the direction indicated by the arrow, Fig. 4, from the closed position to open position, that is until pin 24 projecting outward from the lower end of the cylinder strikes and is arrested by a stop pin 25 projecting upward from the shelf, as indicated in connection with one of the cylinders shown in Fig. 4, which cylinder as shown by the corresponding one in Fig. 2, presents its opening 13 to the front.

For each cylinder there is provided a slotted plate 26 through which a coin of proper denomination or its equivalent, such as a key is inserted as a medium through which a particular cylinder shall be unlocked. The plates 26 fit against the outer face of the face plate or cover and are provided with short downwardly and rearwardly extending coin tubes 27 extending through suitable openings in the face plate, the rear ends or extremities of the coin tubes being preferably concaved as shown in Figs. 1 and 5. Each slotted plate 26 is also formed with a rearwardly projecting lug 28 above the tube, and a wedge key or the like 29 ex- I tends through the lug to prevent unauthorized withdrawal of the tube.

30 indicates the face plate of a suitable lock, the body 31 of which stands within the casing, and is accessible for operation through a key hole 32, and in this connection it will be noted by reference to Fi 2, that plate 30 is provided with a pair of the coin or key openings like those of plate 26, and that said openings communicate with coin tubes 27 preferably cast integral with plate 30, each of the tubes being associated with one of the rotatable compartments or cylinders 12. The lockis provided with a bolt 33 for upward and downward movement, and the shelf 6 is provided with an opening 34 for the reception of said bolt when the same is in locked position, it being noticed in this connection that when said bolt is withdrawn from engagement with opening 34, the entire cover or face plate, including the lock and the coin tubes, is free to be removed from engagement with the wall plate.

35 is a shaft extending through the casing under shelf 6, and provided at one end eX- terior to the casing with a handle or head 36 whereby it may be operated. At suitable points the shaft is journaled in bearing brackets 37 rigidly secured in any suitable V manner to the channel bar 5. Arranged in the same vertical planes as the coin tubes 27 and the catches 19, and rigidly secured on shaft 35 in any suitable manner are coin or key receiving arms 38, the same peripherally forming the arc of a circle and conforming approximately tothe concave inner end of the adjacent tube 27. Each arm 38 is provided with a hub 39 and a pocket 40, the bottom of the pocket merging into the periphery of the hub, and said pocket is just wide enough to receive a circularv coin or key 41, the diameter of this coin or key being such that it projects slightly beyond the periphery of the arm, that is to say projects sufficiently toeffect the repression of the adjacent catch 19 into its barrel 18, p

when the shaft 35 is operated.

The arms 38 normally occupy the positions shown in Fig. 1, so that the coin or key introduced into the desired tube 27 will drop into the pocket 40 of such arm. To hold the arms in such position and to automatically return them to such position after each operation of the shaft, I employ one or more springs 42, the same being coiled around the shaft and secured at the opposite ends to the shaft and adjacent bearing bracket 37. The hubs of the arms 38 are preferably reduced. as shown, to provide shoulders 43 to strike against the flange 8 of the channel bar when the shaft is turned back by the spring, and shoulders 44 to strike the opposite side of said flange 8 to limit the reverse operation of the shaft, that is the operation imparted to it manually through the instrumentality ofthe handle or head 36, it being noted in this connection that incidental to this arrest of the shaft through the striking of the shoulders at of the arms against said flange will be the positive pro ection of the coin or key from the pocket of one of said arms into the tray formed by the lower channel bar arm or shelf 7 and the flange 8 thereof, it being understood that this projection of the coin or key ccurs after the same has effected the repression of the associated catch 1:), as re-. ferred to more specifically hereinafter.

To guard against the accidental insertion of a coin or key into the machine while the arms 38 are performing their unlocking operatioina substantially V-shaped guard 45 is arranged below each tube 27, and is pivoted thereto at 46, the free end of the guard being provided with a curved extension a7 which fits flatly against the periphery of the companion arm 38 when the same is in normal position as shown in Fig. 1, and

against the lower edge of said arm when the same is in operation to efiect the unlocking of the overlying cylinder or is being turned to normal position, it being understood that a suitable spring shown as a torsional spring as, is mounted on the pivot pin of each of said guards and bears at its opposite ends against a fixed point of the adjacent tube 27 and against said guard for the purpose of raising the same to the position shown by full lines Fig. 5 when not opposed by the spring or springs With he guards thus raised it will be apparent that the accidental insertion of a coin or key cannot result in its loss or in the chokage of the machine as the guard will hold it back until the spring or springs have returned the shaft to normal position. As this occurs the coin or key will drop into the pocket, it being apparent that in the return of the arm to normal position the guards will be swung forward to inoperative position as shown in Fig. 1. It will also be noticed by reference to the last-named figure that there is no danger of a wedging action occurring between the arms and the guards which would interfere with the proper operation of the former by manual manipulation of the handle or head 36, because the curved extensions 47 guard against this contingency.

Assuming a proper coin or key is inserted through one of the slotted plates and drops into the registering pocket, the operator through the instrumentality of the handle or head 36 turns shaft 35 in the direction indicated b the arrow, Fig. 1. In this movement the coin or key is caused to enter and travel rearwardly through the slot 23 in the vertical plane of the pocket containing the coin, and in such passage engages and represses or raises the catch of the overlying cylinder, as indicated in Fig. 5. Before the travel of the coin or key in said slot is completed, the spring 17 of said cylinder rotates the latter a half revolution, this opening operation of the cylinder immediately follow: ing the complete repression or unlocking of the catch. or key preferably passes rearwardly of the vertical plane of the axis of shaft 35 and is instantly thereafter ejected from the pocket, the pressure of the catch and the sudden stoppage of the arm due to the striking of the shoulders againstflange 8, contributing to make this action positive and quick.

The instant the cylinder turns to open position as explained, the operator relaxes the pressure on the handle or head 36, nd the spring or springs 42, return the shaft to initial or normal position. All subsequent operations are repetitions of those described.

A suitable key may be used to turn the cylinders back to closed position, the key being inserted through the'proper opening 49 in the top of the casing and interlocked with the upper end of the trunnion 16 of the underlying cylinder.

As a precaution against robbery of the machines by persons having authorized access to the rooms containing the machines, it is preferable to make at least one side of the slot of each plate 26 of toothed or irregular form as shown at 50 so that a special key or grooved coin or slug will be necessary, these keys or coins being supplied to the guest by the clerk of the hotel who will make a charge for those which have been used.

From the above description it will be apparent that Ihave produced a dispensing machine embodying the features of advantage enumerated as desirable, and while I have illustrated and described the preferred embodiment of the invention it is to be understood that I reserve the right to make such changes in the form, proportion, detail construction and arrangement of the parts as properly fall within the spirit and scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In a dispensing machine, a casing, a

. shelf therein provided with an opening and a slot intersecting the opening, a bearing bracket above the shelf, a compartment standing vertically between and journaled in the shelf and bearing bracket, a spring actuated latch holding the compartment against rotation by engaging the opening in the shelf, an arm provided with an open pocket for receiving and holding a coin so that the same shall project from the pocket, means to turn the arm to cause the projecting portion of the coin to swing through the slot and opening of the pocket to a point beyond the vertical plane of the axis of said arm to successively effect the tripping of the catch and the discharge of the coin from the At the same moment the coin pocket, and means to-turn the compartment the instant the catch tripping operation is completed.

2. In a dispensing machine, a casing, a compartment provided with an opening, within the casing, means for automatically moving the casing to dispose its opening in position where it is accessible, means for normally holding the compartment with its opening inaccessible, a rock shaft journaled in the casing, an arm secured to the rock shaft and provided with a pocket for holding the coin, a coin tube for guiding a coin into said pocket, a handle for turning the shaft and arm to cause the coin to trip the compartmcnt holding means and then effect the discharge of the coin from the pocket, and means to turn the shaft and arm to normal position after the discharge of the coin. 8. In a dispensing machine, a wall plate, a shelf secured thereto, brackets secured to the wall plate above the shelf, a series of vertical cylinders between and bearing a journaled relation to said shelf and brackets and provided with openings, a face or cover plate fitting against the wall plate and inclosing the parts carried thereby and provided with an opening, means for locking the face or cover plate to said shelf, means for locking each cylinder with its opening inaccessible through the opening of the face or cover plate, coin-controlled means for tripping the cylinder locking means, and means engaging each cylinder for turning the same when its locking means is tripped, until its opening is accessible through the opening of the face or cover plate.

l. In a dispensing machine, a casing, su-

perposed bearings therein, the lower one having a locking opening, a vertical cylinder journaled in the bearings and novided with an opening, a vertically movable catch carried by the cylinder, a spring exerting pressure on the catch to hold the same in engagement with said locking opening, means to efiect repression of the catch from said opening, and a spring to rotate the cylinder about a half revolution the instant the complete repression of the catch-is effected.

In testimony whereof, I aflix my signature, in the presence of a witness.

VERNON ROSS. Witness:

G. Y. THORPE.

Copies of this patent maybe obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

1 Washington, I). C.

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