US1267730A - Automatic vending-machine. - Google Patents

Description

s. T. woLFE.

AUOMATIC VENDING MACHINE. APPLlcAnoN man MAY zo. m5.

@QJ-mu.. Gm

I. T4 WULFE.

AUTOMATIC VENDJNG MACHINE.

APPUCAHQN min MAY zo, 1915.

Pnfrfented May28,l918.

3 SHEETS--SHEET 2.

y INI/EN TUI? ra 7.* WQ/f'e f BY l. T. WOLFE.

AUTDMATIC VENDING `NACHI APPLlcATIoN mso MAY xu. 1915.

l ,267, 730. Patented May 28, 1918.

s SHEETS-SHEET a.

l 1 1f 1 111 1 l I,

IRA T. WOLFE,OF SEATTLE, WASHINGTON.

AUTOMATIC VENDING-MACHINE.

To all wlwm t may concern:

Be it known that l7 liiA T. WoLFE, a` citizen of the United States, residing at Seattle, in the county of King and State of Washing ton, have invented certain new and useful liiipi'ovemcnts in Automatic Vending-Machines, of which the following is a specifica- `tion.

This invention relates to improvements in automatic vending machines, and particularly to automatically operated devices for opening and filling paper bags, and the object of this improvement is to provide an accurate and reliable machine that will open a paper bag and tillrit with a commodity to he sold in response-'to the inseitioii of a coin into such machine.

The invention consists in the novel construction, .adaptation and combination of parts, as will be more fully described in the following specification, illustrated in the accompanying drawings and nally pointed out in the appended claims.

:ln the. accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a view partly in side elevation and partly `in vertical` section of a machine embodying the` invention; Fig. 2 is an enlarged View iii side elevation of the bag-opening and filling mechanism, Ycertain parts being shown in secutioii; Fig. 3 is a view in horizontal eross-sec :tion on ybroken line 3--3 of Fig. 2; Fig. 4 is an enlarged view in cross section on broken line elf-l of Fig. 1; Fig. 5 is vieiv in cross section of certain details ot the invention illustrating an electric circuit that is coniiected therewith; Fig. G is a fragmentary view in perspective of a conveyer, and Fig. 7

`is a fragmentary sectional view illustrating a portion of the coin mechanism.

i Referring to the accompanying drawings,

:throughout `which like reference numerals indicatek like parts, thc immoral 1 indicates thecasing of a vending machine embodying y.this invention, and 2 indicates a hopper that is disposed therein and adapted to contain Mipop-,corn or other commodity that is otter-ed forsale.

yThehoppei' 2 isprovided with an endless aconveyer $5 having .buckets 4 of a form more eleerlyehown in Fig. 6, that are driven conitinuaiisly by a ,motor 5 in the direction indi- .icaitedby the arrow A, to -elevate material com the hopper 2 into a measuring chute 6 that isfonniiected hy a passageway 7 with the top .portion of such hopper, as shown in .'Fig. "1.

Serial No. 27,122.

The buckets are filled as they pass upwardly through the lower portion of the hopper 2 and move with their openisides against the side of such hopper until they4 are opposite to the passageway 7, at which point the contents of each bucket are delivered to the chute 6.

lVhcfi the chute has become filled, the.

buckets will carry past such chute andivill dump their contents back into the lioppei' 2, thus giving the appearance of a continuous supply of fresh material being delivered to such hopper.

lVithiii the loiver front portion of the casing` is a segmental shaped sack holder 8 that is supported on standards 9 and is adapted to receive folded sacks 10 that are to he opened and iilled. The sack-holder 8 forms a Support for a transverse shaft 1l that is sl-idably mounted thereiitandprovided with a sleeve 12 having an outwardly proiectingarm 13 that engages behindthe sacks 10 to move them forward. The Shaft 11 is provided with a Worin-wheel Methat meshes with a worm 15 on a Shaft 1G and the sleeve 12 is connected with the shaft 1l by a longitudinal slot 17 and a vpin 18 that permits the shaft 11 to be moved longitudinally to throw the worm Wheel 14 out of ,mesh with the worm 15 when a fresh supply of sacks is placed in the sack-holder 8, as illustrated by broken lines in Fig. 3.

Thepaper sacks 10 are constructed iii the usual manner so that when they are folded, one edge 2U will project slightly `"aliovertlie other edge 201 to facilitate Io j eniiigand such sacks are placed iii the` sac;` holder `8 fwith the upwardly projecting, edge to the rear, whereby it may be engaged by a tongue 21 on the front end ofthe holder 8 to slightly open the top ofthe foremost sack in such holder. Spring clips 22 are provided on the front end'of the sack holder 8 to exert a I yielding pressure.againstithe sacks 10 and such clips are adapted tovbespruiig outwardly to release the sacks one atl atiine, as hereinafter explained. y

The sacks 10, tzitter `they `are i. cipencd slightly at the top by the tongue 21..are in a ino , ost 26 that rests on a. cross-pin 27 extending i; etween two spaced disks 28 and 281 that are mounted on a, shaft 30 and are adopted to be rotated by a motor 31. connected with the shaft 30 by Wor1nwhee1 32 and worin 33.

A ratchet-Wheel 34 is provided on the shaft 30 and insulated from the disk 28, and. a springpressed pawl 35 is secured to the disk 28 and is adapted, when released,lo engage with the ratchet wheel 34 to lock the disk 28 and wheel 34 together and. to close an electrical circuit formed by circuit wires 86 and 37 that have Contact brushes 38 and engaging with the disk 28 and ratchet- Wheel 34, respectively, and connect the motor 31 with a battery 41 or other source of elee trie current, as more clearly illustrated in Fig. 5, whereby such motor may be enerized.

lVhen the' machine is et rest, the puwl 35 is supported above the ratchet wheel 34 by a stud 42 on an arm 43 that is tnlerumcd on the shaft 30 and the arm 43 is provided. on one end with a liet plate dei upon which e, coin C may be dropped through a slot; lo to tilt the arm 43 into an inclined position, and release the pawl 35.

lf desired, the shaft 30 may be driven con tinuousl and the electrical connections with the ratc et Wheel 34: and disk 28 muy be left out, the pawl 35 then servin only to lock the ratchet wheel 34 and dis s 28 and. 281 together when it is released.

When the disks 28 und 281 begin to move, the support 26 will encounter a stop 16 and the pin 27 will move out from under such support. and Apermit the arm 25 togetlnrr with the bag-opening members and Sill to drop downwardly into a sack 10; the pin 27 will then engage with suitable extensions iT on the member 23 and will spread the members 23 and 2-l apart, as shown in Fig'. 2, and open the sack in readiness to be filled.

* The end of the chute 6 is provided with .e hinged shutter 48, having u spring .'30 to retain it in a closed position and en ont wardly extending arm 51 that is adopted to be eng: ed by a pin 52 in the member 23 to open such shutter when the seek-opening device is lowered, the shutter 48 being snilably shaped to form a chute that is adopted to project slightly within an opening il) in the member E24 to deliver the contenls of the `chute (i between the members and Z4 and into a suck lOAvhen the members und are moved nport. After the sack has been filled, the seekopeners 2 3 and 24 will be engaged by pins 53 on the peripheries of the disks 28 and ,281 to move thelower end of such openers outwardly into a position as illustrated by broken lines in Fig. 2, and permit the sack 10 to drop downwardly through an openingr 54 into a position where it is accessible to neerffeo the purchaser, and the pin 27, after the disks 28, 281 have made substantially onehalf oi one revolution, will engage with the bottom end ol the support .26 in the position shown by dotted lines in Fig. l and Will lift the arm 25 and sack- openers 23 and 24 into the position shown in Fig. l. As the disks 2S, L81 com plete their revolution, the pewl 35 will engage with the stud 42 and be lifted from the ratchet wheel 3d, thus stopping the mechanism until such pawl is again released by the insertion of a coin.

When the bogopeni-,rs :33, 24 are moved, outwardly by the pins 53 to release the lilled sack, the pin 52 will release the arm 5l and permit the shutter 48 to close the end of the chute (l. The downward movement of'the sack-openers 23, Z-l is limited by a stirrup 55 that engages with and forms a guide for the free end of the erm Q5.

The shaft 1G is provided with a ratchetwhoel 5U engaged by n pawl 57 und adapted to be rotated interniittently bv e spring,

pressed plnngei D8 that posses through suit :dile guides (Si.) and is ominoctcd with a tubulor member lil within which :i rod 61%, that is connected with the :um i2-li, is slidnbiy disposi-d, the rod being :nluped to strike on the bottom of the tubular member (il each time the suck-openers 23, EN: are hiwered to 9 move the ratchet wheel 56 a short. distance,

thns actuating the Worin 15 und worm-wheel 14V to rotate the shaft l1 slightly and mm'e the sacks 10 forward a slight distance.

The chute 6 is articulated with the hopper .2 by n. hinge $3 und is connected by a link Gi with nn ongular bei' G5 that is pivotally secured to the sackdiolder 8.. and a 'weight zn'ni (HS carrying :i xnovuble Weight 67 is se cured to the opper end of the chute to lift the lower end of such chute and move the angular bnr 15 in one direction, and close the coin slot l5 when no weight is contained in the chute 6. When the chute 6 is lilled with material, the weight of such mnteria] will ovcrbnlancc the weight 67 and lower he outer end of such chute, thus moving the angular bar (i5 in an opposite direction :1nd opening; the coin chute. This arrangement prevents the public from in sorting nn'niey into the machine when there is no materiel in the chute 6 to fill the socks l0. \f

'The bag-opener Q3 is connected With the, orlo 25 by o spring 70 whereby the lower ends ol' the members 225 and 2l ore held in contact with the lip 21 as the' move downwardly to insure that they wi 1 enter a sack l0 and the support 2G is connected with the member 2i by a spring 7l. lo hold such support in engngenn-,nt with the pin 27.

The opener '2lis provided 'with zi spring supported notched bar 72 that projects ontwardly through :i slot 73 in the opener 23 and engages with such opener 23 as shown in Fig. 2 to hold the openers 23 and 24 apart. after thesank has been opened1 the bar being adapted to engage with a stop ta cause it to release the member 23 and permit the members 23 and al to close nnen they are raised.

The operation of this sacli opening and filling device is as follows: The commodity to be sold is placed in the hopper :Z and is elevated into the chute l by the buffi it When the chute is filled, the lanlufts xsill dump'back into the hopper, thas keeping up a continuous movement of the ooinmtulittyY and tending to attract the attention of the public.

When a coin is inserted through the slot 45 the pawl 35 will be released and the disks 28, 281 rotated to drop the sack-openers and open a Sack 10. When the saolooiieners are lowered, the pin 52 will engage with the arm 51 and open the chute 3 Lo direct the contents of such chute downnardly between the openers 23 and 24 into a sach 'lit After the sack has been titled, the lug: Wlll engage the openers '23 and 2i and nanfa the bottom ends of Such f'ipiuurs outrrardlI= thus permitting the filled suoi; to drop downwardly through the mening 54 where it. may be removtcd by the purchaser.

As soon as the pin` 27 reaches the lower most point in its travel, it u'iil engage with the bottom end of the support f and ii t the sack-opening devices into position for another operation, the stud ii! engaging and lifting the paWl 35 to stop the rotation ot' the disks 28, 281 when the opening members 23 and 24 have been lifted.

The bag-holder 8 is of arcuate shape wiih the shaft 11 as a center and the sacks i0 heing of greater thickness ai ihr bottoni than the top lie on radial lines within such bagholder.

What 1 claim as my imeutiorr4 1. 1n an automatic vending machineF a ref ceptacle for paper bags, said bags nach naring the rear edge of its opening projeting above its forward odge. means to impart pressure upon said paper bags to impr-i them in forward directions`r and a tongue ri `dly connected to said rr-reptacle and aripbed to .be engaged by said rear edge of the foremost of said bags to cause auch bags to gape open.

2. In an automatic vending machine` a receptacle for paper bags. said bags nach having the rear edge of its opening proieciing above its forward edge. means to impari pressure upon said paper bags to impel them in forward directions a tongue adapted to engage said rear edge of the foremost of said bags to cause such bags to gripe open, and resilient devices provided in the forward end of said receptacle to exert a yielding pressure against the lower portion of Said bags.

3. in an automatic vending machine, a rereptaclc for paper bags, said bugs cach having the real' odge ol' ils opening' projecting shove its forward edge. means to impart pressure upon said paper bags to iinpcl them in forward directions. a longue adalrtcd to engage said roar edge of the foremost of said bags lo cai-se such baits to gripe open, separa bagopening nicniln-rs arranged to einer sal opt lcd und o' the img g and means to separate said niuuiiiers to expand said bag.

si, ln an automatic vending machine, a receptacle for paper bags, said bags each having th rear edge of iis opening projecting above forward edge', rurans to impart pressure upon said paper bags to impel them in forward directions, a longul.` adaptd ed to engage said rear edge of the foremost of said bags to cause such bags to gap@ open`r nrovided in the forward resilient devir end oi' ieeepiacle to exert a yielding prt-ssn einst the lownir portion of said opening mornin-rs comprising tn'o substant iiat nlaies pnotud together al' their iper and .fidapted to be proliected anhin said ling. means to separate said ineiiebeis to expand the hafj. said members adel-ding, when separated. a guide-way for material to iii! said bags.

in an autonuitic vending machine, in combination` a chute wherein material to be viendrai is retains-ih and a hag'opcning deronsisting of two substantially fiat plates pivotcd together at their upper end, and adapted to be separated to expand a pn `l`r by; container, the opening between 1t when separated affording a j for said material from said chute to the container.

T. in an automatic vending machine, a hopper for tering pop-corn or the like, aud :stap to contain a predctrrlnined quantir i said pop-Corn. said chute` having an open end communicating with said hopper, carriers operatively1 mounted to convey pope-corn from said hopper to said chute and having au open cud copcrating with the Walls of said hopper to retain the pop-corn therein until registered with said open end of the chute.

8, In an automatic vending machine`r the combination with a receptacle for paper bags, of means for opening the top of the foremost of said bags and bag: opening ineinhers compris-ing two substantially fiat plates idaptwfi to enter a bag and then he sepa; rfited to estend the bag, the said piates when izo separated eonsuituting a chute :For die passage of materiel into the bag.

9. In an automatic vending machine, the combination with a receptacle for pa er bags, of means for feeding said begs or wnrdly in eind receptacles. apparatus for slightly opening the to? ot the foremost of Suid paper bags, and bag oiening members comprising two flat plates lim'ing u lthin, tapering end Adapted te be projected into o. beg in close proximity to the bottom thereof and then be separated to open the bag, the said plates when separated eenetitnting :i chute for tile passage of nntterial into the bag.

Nl. ln nn nntonmtie vending machine, in wi-inbinution with derives for iiolding peper lmgfe' in :dined position. :and :i tong-ne adapted to engage the reen' edge nl' z. bag' aperture to (finis-v die img' 'lo gaine open, if 51:15.5- iliing e'viw :arr: iig-ed tor nimenient to en-4 ter and ,mz'tlv opened linge to diieiond the annie, :ind guidi-d inlo Smid img liy contact with mid tongue.

ll. An nnfinnntir vending merlrine eenlprieing :i rmi-epele for impor means iwr ii-ee'iing nid lngeieiealrlly in ssiiid le 'rgitneie, :1 tongue for spreading ilu' top et tlm foremost one ot' Said linge, opening); di vif-es guided by Suid tongue m'x'nnp'iwfi to en- Hiirvl foi-moet img and open it, mid open-- if derive# affording; eomnnznirntfii e connections` l'wtween :i Source of Supply of vendible mitterfil :ind seid bag.

l An nutonmlie vending Headline, eenlprit ng :l reeeptaeliii for paper linge, menne for feeding Said'lmgs iorwztrlfily in Suid ref Cep'ueie, :s tongue for slightly epreeding the to); of the foremost one of mid liags,ln1gopening devices adapted to einer said forenioe! img, menne for expanding said bugopening devicee, n chiite aulnpl'efl to deliver nmeriiil into said opened ling a. hopper, :ind

nenni 'For conveying mailen-ini from said lzopgna; into :said chiite.

13. in automatic vending machine, coinprieingr` :i reweptaele for paper linge, ineens for moving said bags fori'ardly in @sind re evpteeie, .spring clips to releesaiily hold said litige in said receptacle, :nenne ier Slightly Spreading the top of the foremost nog in said receptacle, u separable img-opener adapted, to enter and open said foremost beg, means for fillingV said bug' zitter it ie: opened. and ineens for withdrziwiinI Suid lm o|iene1.

14. An autom-atie vendingmachine, coniprising n receptacle for palper langs, means for feeding Seid liege forwnrdlg.' in Said receptacle. :L tongue adapted to L:premi the tops o1" seid bags siightly, i bzigepener adapted to enter :mid img, mid lmgnopener consling in two tint inemiwre tiert :ire hinged nl their upper ends, :ind ineens for spreading the bottom ends ol Huid begevening members apart to open said ling.

l5. An mstois'mtie vending rlmehine, con prising a rereptaeie for paper bags, means for feeding said bags forwardly in said re- Ceptaoie, :i tongue to Spread the top of the 'Foremost img in said receptacle slightly, a begrepen@ rwnsisting in two flat plates that are hinged et their top endsl and adapted to oe moved apart to open a bag, ineens for Supporting said bug-opener in :L raised p0- anion, menne for lowering said bag-opener, und ineens for expanding and raising Said brig-opener.

16. An automatic vending machine, comprieing :n receptacle for peper bugs, said reeeparle being of eegn'sental form, Whereby, when n ,lilsu'elity et' paper bags are placed 'there-in. vut-h of Meid bags will lie in a radial plane of Seid receptacle, menne for delivering.;r Suid odge e :1t a. time from said rec/eptiiele, ini-mw for opening said bags, and menne'` for i'iling Suid bags.

1T. An automatic vending machine, com prising :1 receptacle for paper bags, means for advancing Enid bags in said receptacle, und reeilient derieee 'provided in the forward end of mid recept-cie to exert a, yielding presenre :igninet the foremost one of said e, .in uniomelie vending machine, com prising u receptacle for a Commodity to be efoid. 'u ehm@ 'mi' holding' u. predetermined amount of said oon'nnodity, a receptacle for papel' bags, un arm for feeding said bags for 'ardly in seid receptacle, a twrrpart bagepeiring member, means for lowering Said ling-ogjwii-ii1g member into the foremost one et' riid tinge. menus for spreading the two parte oi said beg-opening `member to open Suid ling und forni a, passageway tliereinto, ineen for moving the bottom und ef said bugmpcning member outwardly to release .1 iiiled img, and naeans for raising Suid bagopeninp; member.

1U. An automatic vending machine, coniplising); n reoeptaele for paper bags, a. tWO- part lmgopener, one part of seid bag-opener inning :1n opening" therethrough, e chute, :in extension iivotilly secured to the end of Suid eli-nie sind normally mlnjgited to oloee mid einde. zuid ineens for lowering said extension when Suid bug-opener is imvered to cause mid extension to `projeet within said opening in seid bag-opener to deiiver the contents el' nid elinte thereinto.

20, An :iuioinzitio vending machine conv prising u frame, a horizontal arm pivoted :it one end to seid frame, a bag-opener comprising two members that are pivoted t0 Suid :um :it their upper ends, rotatably mounted spaced disks, :1 bar extending beteren :und die -1.4, :i ieg pivoted to said arm. und having; :i noti-lied end adapted to rest upon sind bal', e Stop engaging Saiid leg .rliereisy, wlmi said disks are rotated, said leg will drop off of said bar and lower said hagopening device and will then be rengagcd hy said har and lifted to its original position as said disks continue to rotate, and means for arresting the movement of said disks at the end of one complete revolution.

2l. A device of the class described, coniprising a frame, a horizontal arm pvoted at one end to said frame, sack-opening inem bers pivotally secured to the other end of said arm, a leg pivotally secured to said arni, rot atabl)` mounted spaced disks, means for c'ecting a complete rotation of said disks, a cross-har connecting said disks and upon which said leg is adapted to rest, and means engaging said leg to cause said leg to drop otl' olV said cross-bar when snid disks begin to rotate.

22. A structure of the class described, comprising a receptacle for paper bags, a shaft extending cross-wise of said receptacle, an arm secured to said shaft, a bagopcning device, moans for raisingand lowering said bag-opening device, and means con ncctotl with said shaft tor advancing Said arm a predetermined amount upon each downward movement of said bag-opening device.

23. In an automatic vending machine, a holder for paper bags, consisting in a seg mental shaped receptacle and a follower adapted to press said bags forwardly, said follower being iivotally mounted in the `axis of said hoh er.

24. In an automatic vending machine, a holder for paper bags consisting in a segmental shaped receptacle, a foliower arranged to press upon the rear side of said bags, consistin of an arm pivoted in the axis of said ho der, and driving mechanism for actuating said arm to move said bags in forward directions.

25. In an automatic vending machine, a

holder for paper bags consisting in a segmunt-al shaped receptacle, a follower arranged to Contact upon the reverse side of yraid bags. consisting in an arm pivotally mounted in the axis of said hoidcr, and driving mechanism for actuating said arm to move said bags in forward directions.

"253. In an automatic vending machine, a

holder for paper bags, a follower arranged to contact upon the reverse Side 0f said bags, and actuating mechanism adapted to adtanee said follower forwardly at a uniform rate of travel and with uniform pressure noon said bags when said vending machine is operated` and means to cause the foremost ot' said hogs to gape open.

27. In an antoniatic vending machine, bag opening mechanism consisting in two substantially dat plates pivotaliy connected at one ol their ends and adapted to be protrndt-d into a paper bag, and means to sepa.- ratc said membersr to expand said bag.

2H. In an automatic vcndin machine, the combination oi' a` chute for ho ding a desired amount of a vcndible commodity, bag-- opening mechanism consisting in two sepa rahle inc-.intiem nivotally connected at their upper ends and adapted to he lowered and protrndcd into a bag, and alici-ding a assageway for said commodity into said ag, means to separate said members to expand said bag, and means whereby the contents of said chute is delivered into said passageway simultaneously with the lowering of said members.

Signed at Seattle, Washington, this 23rd day of April, 1915.

IRA T. WOLFE.

Wimesses r Hormon BARNES, PIERRE BARNES.

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