US1340174A - Coin-controlled vending-machine - Google Patents

Description

W. 6. WILSON.

COIN CONTROLLED VENDING MACHINE. APPUCATNIN mm m. 1. I915.

1,340,174. Patented May 18, 1920.

5 SHEETS-SHEET ig y 2 (2 h a lllllllllllllgllglllllplllll /Q A Wylie Gamma? Wilson.

W. G. WILSON.

COIN CONTROLLED VENDING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED FILE. 7, I916.

4!; ATTORNEYJ W. 6. WILSON. com cornnouso VENDING MACHINE.

A FPLICATFON FRED FEB- T, I9I6.

Patenmd May 18, 1920.

5 SHEETS-SHEET 3- nwnv r00 wil'sorz.

44,; Arm/Mrs w. G. WILSON.

com commoner) venom: mcumg.

1,340,174. APPLICATION FILED FEB. 1, 1.91.5, 18,

5 SHEETS-SHEET 5.

F m C w INVENTOR Gamma? lUr'Zsore 4.. Anon/vim 7// /d fl WYLIE GEMMEL WILSON, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

COIN-CONTROLLED VENDING-MACHINE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 18, 1920.

Application filed February 7, 1916. Serial No. 76,526.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I WYLIE GEMMEL WIL- SON, a subject of the king of Great Britain, and resident of New York cit in the county of New York and State of ew York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Coin Controlled Vending Machines, of which the following is a specification.

This invention is a coin-controlled vending machine, particularly adapted for vending candy, chewing gum, etc., and amon the novel features embodied in the machine may be mentioned the following: mechanism wherein the vending operation is effected without the intervention of coinactuated levers, latches, or similar devices; that is to say, the coin has an unobstructed path of travel through the machine to its controlling point, the operation of the machine being independent of the wei ht or momentum of the coin; means where y the insertion of a coin in the machine is precluded when all the vendable articles have been dispensed; improved devices for precluding the operation of the vending mechanism save when a coin of standard dimensions is inserted, a coin of lesser thickness or diameter, under-weight, or of spurious metal being ineffective; an improved dispensin barrel to which the articles to be vende are delivered by only advance movement, thereby entirely obviating any reciprocating movement of the articles to be vended with consequent preclusion of abrasion of the articles or their wrappers; and improved means whereby coins to which strings, wires, or similar devices are attached, are precluded from operating the vending mechanism.

The assembled mechanisms are exceedingl simple and compact, and contain a minlmum number of parts which are, in the preferred form of the invention, all operated from a single shaft; they can be manufactured with great economy, no delicate adjustment is necessary, nor are any of the parts liable to get out of order.

Features of the invention, other than those specified, as well as the functions and advantages thereof, will a pear from the hereinafter detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying draw- ,in s.

illustrated different practical embodiments of the invention, but the constructions shown therein are to be understood as illustrative, only, and not as defining the limits of the invention.

Figure 1 is a front elevation of a vending machine embod in the present inventionv Fig. 2 is a si e e evation thereof.

Fig. 3 is a transverse section through the machine, taken on line 3-3 of Fig. 4.

F Fig. 4 is a section taken on line 4=4 of ig. 5 is a transverse section on line 55 of Flg. 4.

Fig. 6 is a section on line 6-6 of Fig. 3.

Figs. 7, 8 and 9 are transverse horizontal sections on lines 77, 88, and 99, respectively, of Fig. 3.

Figs. 10, 11, 12 and 13 are fragmental sections taken on lines 10 10, 1111, 1212, and 1313, respectively, of Fig. 3.

Fig. 14 is a fragmmtal section, taken substantially in the plane of line 4'-4 of Fig. 3, through a slightly modified form of dispensing mechanlsm, and

F1 15 is another fragmental section showing a slightly modified form of construction which might be substituted for certain parts shown most clearly in Fig. 6.

Referring to the drawings, A indicates a casing, which may be of any approved form, shape, or material, the interior of which casing is divided, by a transverse partition a, into a front and rear chamber, the latter of which is designated in the drawin s by the reference numeral B. The front 0 amber is divided again by a vertical artition a into two chambers, c and c. artition a is substantially parallel to the back of the casing for the greater portion of its extent, but is flared forwardly in the lower portion of the casing to abut the front wall thereof, shown most clearly in Figs. 4 and 6. Chamber B, therefore, is relatively shallow throu hont the greater portion of its extent, fiut near the bottom of the casing it widens out to embody the full depth of said casing. The shallowest portion of chamber B is preferably equal in depth to the thickness of a coin, and a coin inserted in said chamber, throu h a coin slot 7) in the upper portion thereo is adapted to travel downwardly throu h the chamber in a circuitous path, and fal into a tray or coin receptacle positioned on the floor of the casing and interior thereof. The ath of the coin through chamber 13 Will be hereinafter specifically described.

Extending transversely of the casing, and throu h chambers c and 0' thereof, is a shaft d which extends beyond one wall of the casing and is provided with a suitable handwheel or finger-piece d, by means of which the shaft may be manually rotated. Extending throughout the width of chamber 0, and fixed on, or integral with, shaft d, is a rotary barrel D, and above barrel D, and arranged in a tier, are adapted to be positioned the bars of candy, chewing gum, or other articles, E, which are to be dispensed. Bars E are superimposed one upon the other in chamber 0, so that said bars are supported by rotary barrel D, the lowest bar engaging with the periphery of the barrel.

T 0 allow of free access to chamber (2 for the purpose of replenishing the supply of bars E therein, as the same are successively dispensed in a manner hereinafter to be described, casing A is provided with a door A which, when opened, exposes substantially the upper half of the forward cham bers of the casing. The operation of this door is clearly shown in Fig. 2, wherein its open position is shown in dot-and-dash lines, and its closed position 1n full lines. When the door is open, thebars of candy may be readily inserted into chamber 0, and are guided into proper vertical alinement by vertical guides 0 shown in Fig. 3.

Rotary barrel D is provided with a longitudinally extending pocket D, which pocket is shaped to conform to the contour of the bars E which the machine is to dispense. Accordingly, as shaft (l is rotated by means of hand-wheel d, barrel D is simultaneously actuated to bring pocket D into juxtaposition, or into alinement, with the superimposed bars E. When this has been accomplished, the weight of said bars will cause the lowermost bar to gravitate into a position interior of pocket D. A further rotation of barrel D will carry said bar around with it until the pocket has been substantially inverted whereupon said bar will be dumped out of the pocket and fall upon the flared portion of partition a. The front of the casing is provided with a hand-hole e, through which the hand of the operator may be inserted to withdraw the cand delivered as described.

It wil of course, be understood that, as one bar of candy falls into pocket D, and the barrel is turned, the remaining bars will be supported upon the periphery of the barrel, and I have found it very desirable to' so organize the parts that, in the successive delivery of the .bars, the remaining bars, or their wrappers, will not be subjected to excess wear. Experimentation has shown that, if the pocket in barrel D is so ositioned relative to the axis of rotation t ereof that the candy, when in position within the pocket, will entirely fill said pocket, the exposed face of the candy will form a continuation of the peripheral contour of the barrel. In other words, the exposed surface of a bar of candy, when in position within the pocket, will form a substantial continuation of the c lindrical surface of the barrel, so that, w ien the barrel is rotated, the bars of candy superimposed thereon will not be given any longitudinal movement or reciprocation, as would be the case if the exposed face of a candy bar in the pocket were below the surface of the periphery of the barrel. This arrangement obviates all reciprocating or lifting movement of the bars of candy during the dispensing operation, and thereby obviates the wearing action which would otherwise occur on the wrappers or the bars themselves.

It will thus be apparent that, in dis-' pensing the bars superimposed upon the ro tary barrel, the mere act of rotating said barrel will automaticall cause the barrel to receive a charge, an subsequently discharge the same into a position accessible to the operator. For reasons hereinafter obvious, however, it is desirable that the barrel be adapted for rotation in a predetermined direction, only, and, accordingly, a ratchet wheel F is fixed on shaft d, and with it cooperates a pawl 7, details of'which are shown in Fig. 11, which effectually precludes the rotation of the shaft in a counterdirection.

The foregoing manner of dispensing the candy bars E is that of the normal operation of the machine, but. according to this invention, the dispensation of the candy is coin-controlled. That is to say, mechanism is provided which precludes the operation of the dispensing mechanism described unless a bona fide coin of predetermined dimensions has been deposited in the machine. This mechanism, which we may term the locking mechanism, is shown in detail in Fig. 10, and on a smaller scale in Figs. 3 and 6. It embodies a cam G which is fixed on shaft d, and with which cooperates a pivoted pawl 9. Cam G is provided with a stop g, and a portion of pawl g is adapted to normally ride upon the face of the cam, being held by gravity in engagement therewith. The free end or nose of pawl g extends through an aperture in partition a, and protrudes into cham er B as shown in Figs. 6 and 10.

In the mechanism as thus far described, the fact that pawl g normall rides u on the face of cam G will cause t e cam, a ter it has been turned very slightly from the osition in which it is shown in full lines in Fig. 10, to bring its stop g into engage- 130 ment with pawl g, as shown in dotted lines in said fi re. Such engagement will lock the cam agamst further movement in its operating direction and preclude the further rotation of the shaft d necessary to dispense one of the bars E. The dispensing mechanism is thus normally locked against operation unless a coin has been previously inserted in the machine in the manner next to be described. The insertion of a coin in the machine has the sole function of cooperating with the pawl to preclude the same from following the face of the cam and coming into engagement with stop g.

Referring now more particularly to Fig. 5, which shows a transverse section through coin chamber B, b is a coin slot through which the coin gains entrance to the interior of the casing. Positioned interior of the casing, and immediatel in front of the coin slot, 1s an incline H, own which the coin, which may be generally designated by w, is adapted to roll. I indicates a magnet which is fixed in position, and the lower end of which is bent to form an incline u on which coin as, after leaving incline H, fa ls and, in turn, rolls down said incline. If the coin is bona fide, the momentum gained by its rolling down the incline of the magnet will cause it to jump free of the end of the magnet, and, describing an arc, fall upon a ledge J fixed in chamber B. The coin is immediately brought to rest by means of a disk K, which disk is fixed on shaft d and a portion of which projects, through an aperture in partition 0,, into the path of the coin, all as clearly shown in Fig. 5. The coin is thus wedged in place between ledlge J and the projecting portion of disk until such time as said disk is rotated sufiiciently to bring the cut-away portion 7: of said disk into juxtaposition with the coin, whereupon the coin is allowed to gravitate into a tra b.

t is the position of the coin as shown in full lines in Fig. 5 which controls the locking means hereinbefore described, since it will be noted, from said figure, that, when the coin is in the position shown, it is ositioned beneath the portion of pawl q w ich projects into chamber B. Thus, if the awl should descend but very little, it woul engage the periphery of the coin, and further downward movement of its projecting end would be arrested.

The position of the parts at the time of insertion of a coin is shown in Fig. 6, and it will be noted that one of the high points of cam G at such time is maintaining the pawl in an elevated position so that, if the cam is turned while the pawl is held in such elevated position, the depending portion of said pawl will clear the stop 9', i. (2., will not engage the same when the cam is rotated as described. The coin, when in the position shown in full lines in Fig. 5, operates to serve this purpose; that is to say, it engages the pawl after the cam has been slightly shifted and precludes further gravitation of the awl, thereby maintaining it in substantial y the elevated position shown. If handwheel (1' is turned to rotate shaft d, pawl 9 will be held up high enough, by the coin, to clear the stop 9 of the cam and thus not interfere with such rotation, and a bar of candy may be dispensed as described. To summarize, it will be clear that the dispensing of the bars E is controlled by the coin, in that, unless the coin is in a position to maintain pawl g in its elevated position, said pawl will gravitate into engagement with the stop of the cam, and the machine will be rendered inoperative. However, if the coin is in the proper position, it will maintain the pawl elevated until such time as the stop g of the cam has been advanced be 0nd the engaging portion of the pawl, an at this tune, the cut-away portion In of disk K will come into juxtaposltion with the coin and thereby free the same and allow it to drop into tray 11', as described.

It is very essential, in coin-handling machines, to provide means for detecting and sorting out spurious coins, and the present machine is so organized that only bona fide coins will operate to render the dispensing mechanism operative. The machine of this invention may embody means for detecting and rejecting coins other than standard, such as coins of lesser thickness or diameter, under-weight, or of spurious metal. While all of these recautionary devices need not be included 1n the machine, such as are desired may be employed, but all are shown in the preferred embodiment illustrated in the drawings.

In the first place, the 'coin slot is of such size as to preclude the entrance of a coin of greater diameter or thickness than the standard; that is tosay, a coin which would clog the machine if it were inserted therein. Should a coin of iron or other magnetic material be inserted in the machine, even though it be of proper size, the same would be attracted by the magnet to such extent as to preclude said coin from jumping the space intermediate the end of the magnet and ledge J. In practice, the magnetic attraction for iron coins is generally such as will cause the coin to follow around the -lower end of the magnet into a position magnet, but will fall through the cut-away portion thereof into the tray. Various ty es of magnet may, however, be employe e. 9., the magnet may, if desired, be channeled longitudinally so as to exert a more powerful influence on metallic coins or slugs which have a beveled edge.

If a coin of proper dimensions and of unmagnetic material, but of under-weight, be inserted in the machine, it will properly roll down incline H and that of magnet I, and will commence the jump from the end of the magnet to ledge J. However, in the path of travel of the coin from the magnet to the ledge, is the free end of a depending, pivoted latched L which is normally held by gravity in the position shown in full lines in ig. 5. The latch is so shaped and is of such weight that it will not seriously impede a coin of standard weight, which standard coin will simply knock the latch back into the dotted line osition and proceed upon its way to the le ge. However, if a coin of under-weight strikes the latch, the inertia will be insufficient to shift the same, and the coin will rebound, and, instead of landing on ledge J, will fall directly into the tray. A stop I on latch L serves to determine the correct positioninto which said latch normally gravitates.

As it is absolutely essential for the coin to assume the position shown in full lines in Fig. 5, in order to operate the machine, the foregoing mechanisms for interrupting the travel of spurious coins to such position, will adequately render the machine proof against coins other than bona fide.

It may be possible for a coin of a diameter under the standard to reach the ledge J, but such coin will not come to rest in operative position on said ledge, since only standard coins are sufliciently large to simultaneously engage the ledge and the face of disk K. Smaller coins will, therefore, fall through the opening between the ledge and disk and will not serve to condition the machine for operation.

In Fig. 12 I have shown in detail an efficient means for precluding the insertion of a coin in the machine when the vendible articles have become exhausted. In said figure, m designates a rock shaft which extends transversely of the casing and throughout the entire width thereof. On shaft m is fixed a bell-crank lever M, the lower end of which is adaited to engage a cam M mounted on shaft 0, and be actuated thereby, against the tension of a leaf-spring m, when shaft cl is rotated. The upwardly extending arm of bell-crank M coo erates with a lever N pivoted as at n. e depending arm of lever N is gouged out to house the upper end of bell-crank M, and the upper arm of lever N is in the form of a finger 11' adapted, when lever N is rotated pocket D in a counter-clockwise direction, to move through an aperture in partition a, and across the interior of coin slot b. When in the gpsition described, finger n will serve as a aflie to preclude the passage of a coin through the coin slot.

Fixed on rock shaft m, and depending therefrom, is a controllin apron we", so shaped that its free end wil normally enga e with the face of the lowermost candy bar as shown in Fig. 12. The 0 eration of this mechanism may be briefly escribed as follows. At every rotation of shaft 01 to dispense a bar of candy, cam M engages with bell-crank M, thereby oscillating the same in a counter-clockwise direction against the tension of spring m, and apron m being secured to the rock shaft, will simultaneously be retracted from engagement with the lowermost candy bar and release the same, so that it will freely gravitate into of the rotary barrel, which has een rotated to a position to receive it. The lowermost candy bar descends into the pocket, and the next bar above takes its place, so that, in the normal operation of the device, after cam M has released bellcrank M, apron m will be returned to its initial position against the candy bar E'under the tension of spring 112.. The parts are so associated that apron m will engage the candy bar before bell-crank M engages the actuating arm of lever N, and, accordingly, said latter lever will remain idle, being held in its normally inoperative position b its heavier or weighted depending arm. owever, if the last candy has been dispensed, there will be no candy bar E with which the apron may engage, and spring m will thus force belLcrank M beyond its initial position and into engagement with the depending arm of lever N. B so doing, it will tilt said lever to bring nger n across the coin slot and preclude the further insertion of coins until the magazine is again recharged and a candy bar E brought into position to retract bell-crank M, whereupon lever N will gravitate to its idle position.

It is common practice, particularly among small boys, to beat coin-controlled vending machines by means of a bona fide coin secured to a string, thread, wire, or other leash, the practice being to insert the coin in the machine and allow the same to pass therethrough sufliciently to operate the release mechanism and allow the articles in the machine to be released. The coin is then withdrawn by pulling on the string, and the operation repeated. In this way, some machines may be caused to dispense their entire charge successively without accumulating the coins in payment thereof. The present invention, however, embodies means for precluding this beating of coin-controlled machines in a simple and efficient manner,

the mechanism for accomplishing this result being termed the string-cuttin mechanism, because of the fact that it is a apted, when actuated, to cut any strings, thread or other leash, from which a coin may be depended. Thus, if a bona fide coin is inserted in the machine, such mechanism will, on the actuation of the dispensing mechanism, cut the string and cause the coin to be deposited in the tray, so that it cannot be withdraw again, as has been the practice.

The string-cutting mechanism is shown in enlarged detail in ig. 13, and its relation the remaining parts of the machine is s own in Figs. 3 and 6. It embodies a lever O loosely mounted for pivotal movement on a shaft m, one arm of which lever coo crates with a cam O fixed on shaft d, an the other arm of which lever carries a cutter member or hatchet 0. The parts are so associated that hatchet o is adapted to be passed through an aperture in partition a and across the opening or coin slot 1) of the casing. A spring 0' serves to normally retract the hatchet out of juxtaposition with coin slot 6, so as not to interfere with the insertion of a' coin therethrough. In retracting cutter member 0 as described, spring 0 simultaneously serves to maintain the depending arm of lever O in operative engagement with the vface of cam O he operation of the parts is such that, when hand-wheel d is actuated to dispense the candy bars, the rotation thereof actuates cam O, with the result that lever O is oscillated to bring the cutter across the coin slot. Thus, if a coin with a string attached thereto is in place in the machine, such movement of the hatchet or cutter 0 will part the string and allow the coin to drop into the tray. Moreover, if the string 18 attached to a'coin, it will not acquire sufficient momentum in slidingldown the incline of magnet I, to jump t e gap between the end of the magnet and ledge J. Said coin will, therefore, dro between these parts, so that, when the string is cut it will all into the tray, clear of ledge .I. The mechanism will not, therefore, be rendered operative, and, even though the coin be bona fide, the party insertin the same will lose the coin without bein a Is to dispense its worth of vcndible artic es.

It will be understood, also, that, if desired, cam 0 may be so formed that the hatchet will be held across the coin slot during the complete dispensing operation. This will preclude the insertion of a coin until the previously deposited coin has been lodged in the coin tray, 2'. e. removed from the position wherein it would render the subsequent coin ineffective.

The mechanisms hereinbefore described are so coordinated that their conjoint operation may be briefly described as follows. The

to dispense the candy bar rotation of said barrel, cam O operates to coin, being inserted into slot b,rolls along incline H and drops oil the end of magnet I. If the coin is bona fide, it rollsofl? the end of the magnet, jum s across the intervening space onto ledge 3, into the position shown at m in full lines in Fig. 5. The coin now rests between led e J and the projecting portion of disk of'shaft d, and in suc position serves to hold pawl g in elevated position. The operator now turns handle d, thereby rotating the, shaft and barrel D E. During the force hatchet 0 across the coin slot and cut the string, if such there be in the machine. When the barrel has turned to a point to receive the candy in pocekt D, cam M has moved to a position to retract apron m thereb releasing the lowermost cand bar and a1 owin the same to be deposited in the pocket, an at about the same time, the flat side is of disk K comes into juxtaposition with the coin m. The coin is thus allowed to dro into the tray, and the further rotation of t e barrel will cause the candy to be released from the pocket and drop into an accessible position within hand-hole e. The coin having dropped into the tray from its operative position on ledge J, any fur ther rotation of the handle will be arrested by stop 9 of cam G coming into engagement with pawl g.

For the proper operation of the machine, it is desirable that, at the time of insertion ofa coin, pawl g will rest on a high part of cam G, as shown in Fig. 10. If, however, the handle has been turned beyond this position, it will be essential to return the parts to position before the coin can properly operate the machine. This will normally be accomplished automatically by spring 0', but, even though the spring be out of order,

' the insertion of a coin automatically accomplishes the desired result, since, unless the parts are in the position described, the hatchet 0 will be slightly advanced over the coin slot, and the insertion of a coin will force the, hatchet to its normally fully retracted position. In so doing, cam 0' will be reversed sufiiciently to bring the hi h portion of cam G under pawl g.

H vo allow of this small degree of backward movement of shaft d, ratchet wheel F which normally precludes rotation of said shaft in a counter-direction, is rovided with an untoothed see Fig.

portion f and ratchet whee F is so mounted on shaft (1 as to allow of the reverse movement of the shaft and cam G, from a position wherein pawl g engages with stop g to a position wherein sai pawl will rideon the hi h part of the cam, as shown in Fig. 10. T us, even though the parts are left in a slightly advanced position after one of the candy bars E has been dispensed, the

subsequent insertion of a coin will retract the position of the parts to normal to allow of the proper operation of the machine in dislpenslng the next bar.

11 Fig. 15 I have illustrated a slightly modified form of mechanism which may be employed in lieu of disk K for releasing the coin from its operative position and allowing the same to drop into the tray. In this modified form of releasing mechanism, disk K is omitted from shaft (5, and in lieu thereof, and in the same position on said shaft, is mounted a cam P which serves to operate a pivoted pawl p, the free end of which extends through an aperture in partition a, much after the manner in which a portion of disk K extends in the other form of mechanism, as shown in Fig. 5. The operation of the parts is the same in the modified form, with the exception that, when shaft d is rotated, instead of bringing the cut-away portion is of the disk into juxtaposition with the coin to allow of its 1 release, cam P lifts pawl p, thereby releasing the coin.

As hereinbefore described, the front of the casing is provided with a door A pivoted on a horizontal axis, which door is normally locked in closed position by a lock a,but may be opened to allow of the insertion of candy bars in the magazine. Door A, in the form shown, not only serves to close the front of the casing, but it is provided with a rearward extension an at its top, so as to simultaneously close the top of the casing. In order that the money tray 6 may be normally locked within the casing, but may be withdrawn at the proper times by the money collector, a small trapdoor Q, shown best in Figs. 3 and 5, is provided, and, in the specific mechanism shown, this door is locked by means controlled by the upper door A. The means for accomplishing this end is illustrated in the form of a vertical locking bolt 51, which is mounted in fixed guides g within the casing and is adapted for u and down, vertical, sliding movement. 11 door Q, and near its free end, is a keeper g through which bolt 9 may pass for the purpose of locking the door in its closed position. Locking bolt 9 is shown as equal in length to the interior height of casin A, and, accordingly, in order to close oor A, bolt 9 must be in its depressed position, and, when said door is closed, the bolt in question cannot be elevated until the door is again opened. This places the operation of the bolt within the control of door A, so that, when said door is open, bolt 9 may be elevated to disengage the keeper of trap door Q and allow the same to be opened and money tray I) removed. Thus, when the collector makes his rounds and opens door A to recharge the magazine, he may reach into the casing and elevate locking bolt g, thereby allowing of free access to the money tray. After trap-door Q, has been closed again, the magazine filled, and bolt 9 de pressed, upper door A may be closed and locked, at which time both doors will be secured against opening by unauthorized persons.

In Figs. 3 and 4, tray 5 is shown as provided with a handle in the form of a leaf spring 6 which spring, when door Q is closed, is under tension. Thus, when bolt 9 is retracted, said spring automatically serves to open the door. The hand of the collector may then be inserted through the doorway and the tray withdrawn by its handle b.

The foregoing method of locking the doors of the casing is that which I prefer to employ, although it will be apparent that, should it be inexpedient for one person to have charge of both the filling of the magazine and the collectin of the money, each door may be separate y locked by suitable locking means, independently of the other, so that the person who makes the collections will not have access to the magazine, or the filler of the magazine will not have access to the money.

The abutment b on the back plate, as shown in Figs. 3 and 4, causes the coins to fall into the tray and not beyond the edge thereof. Moreover, said abutment serves to ide the coins into the tray in such manner that they fall fiat into the tray. The number of coins which a relatively small size tray may contain is thus materially increased.

In Fig. 14 of the drawings is shown a slightly modified form of mechanism adapted to dispense cylindrical bars of candy or other articles. tary barrel D is herein shown as provided with a cylindrical pocket to conform to the shape of the bars to be dispensed, and said bars, when dispensed, instead of falling down an incline as in the preferred form of casing, fall directly upon the floor of the casing. The opposite side walls are provided with alined apertures r, so that the finger of the operator may be inserted through the aperture in one wall to push the candy out of the aperture in the opposite wall. It will be noted that the pocket is eccentrically positioned relative to the axis of rotation of the barrel, 2'. 6-, it is not co-axial therewith. The candy, when in place, thus serves to complete the true cylindrical periphery of the barrel, thereby practically eliminating the raisingl of the contents of the magazine during 1; e dispensing operation.

In this embodiment, moreover, a slightly modified form of means is shown for premachine.

cludin the operation of the rotary barrel when 51c supply of vendible articles is exhausted. In lieu of the de ending apron m, an upstanding apron g is employed, which a ron is pivoted on a shaft 8.

It wil be manifest, from the foregoing description, that the machine of this invention embodies many marked advantages over prior art devices. One of these improvements resides in the fact that the coin, in its path to the appointed place in the machine is not required to move a large number of levers or latches, as has heretofore frequently been the case, but operates a single latch, so that it is comparatively free to move into operative position. The reason why this is desirable and advantageous is that it greatly reduces the possibility of a coin which does not roll with normal rapidity, due to imperfect shape of the coin, or dirty or dusty condition of the coin path, not operating the A machine which depends upon the weight of a coin or the momentum of a coin to operate unlocking devices, frequently becomes sli htly clo ged with dust, and even a bona fi e coin, w ich is slightly disfi red, may engage such mechanism whic permits of the vending machine to operate and, owing'to the conditions referred to, is unable to operate it. Perfectly ood coins will sometimes clog a machine of the type referred to, so that the machine is rendered ino rative, and further coins dropped therein slmply accumulate in the coin path and are lost to the operator. According to the present invention, the coin does nothing except lie in a particular place, and the unlocking of the machine and its operation are entirely manual, the coin being stationary during the dispensing operation.

It will be further manifest that the machine is extremely positive in its operation and embodies an astonishingl small number of workin parts, many of which work ing parts mi t be omitted without rendering the mac ine inoperative. This is articularly true of the precautionary devlces, such as the coin-slot baflle and the hatchet or string-cutting mechanism, either one of which mi ht be dispensed with if the recautions w ich they serve are not desired? One of the most important advantages of this invention, from a commercial standpoint, is the fact that the mechanism of the invention does not embody delicate 'ad'ustments, as are commonl necessary. hese mechanisms in the mac ines in general use are constantly out of order, and this is particularly true in cases where prior art machines embody two distinct mechanisms, one of which is coin-operated to set certain devices which coiiperate with dispensing mechanism, the combined operations of the two sets of mechanism serving to condition the machine to dispense the article. In machines of this character, the mechanism must be very sensitive, whereas, in the machine of the present invention, sensitiveness and delicate adjustments of the parts are unessential. The machine of this invention is, therefore, not a t to et out of order, and, moreover, by dispensing with these devices, a machine is produced which is extremely compact, sim lo and reliable, These features render t e machine of the resent invention particularly applicable or use in theaters, playhouses, or other places of amusement, w erein a machine must be small, compact and reliable, although the invention is, manifestly, not re stricted to such environment.

A further advantage gained by the invention is the precluding of wear upon the candy bars or their wrappers, which is accomplished by so forming the rotary barrel that no rising movement is transmitted to the bars of candy in the magazine, said bars partaking of only one movement, an advancin or falling movement as they are successlvely fed to the pocket of the rotary barrel.

The present invention embodies many improvements over prior art devices, some of which might be availed of in the construction of vending machines without necessarily employing all. Moreover, the mechanisms, or their different parts, are susceptible to slight changes in adapting them to various environments, or to the dispensa tion of diflerent articles. The resent invention is, therefore, to be un erstood as not limited to the specific showing herein made but is to be understood to be as broadly novel as is commensurate with the appended claims. 4

. aving thus fully described the invention, what I claim as new, and desire to se-v cure by Letters Patent, is:

1'. A vendin machine of the class described, embo ying a magazine, a rotary barrel cooperating therewith for receiving and dispensing articles from the ma azine individually, a cam coiiperating wit said barrel and provided with a shoulder, a pivoted pawl normally in engagement with a high point of the cam and coin-controlled means for holding the pivoted pawl in released position and subsequently permitting it to assume its locked position.

2. A vending machine of the class described embodying a magazine, a rotary barrel cooperating therewith for receiving and dispensing-the articles from the magazine, a cam coiiperatin with said barrel and provided with a s oulder, a pivoted pawl normally in engagement with a high int of the cam, means for guiding a coin into engagement with the pawl to maintain said pawl in its elevated position and out of the path of the shoulder of the cam to allow ofthe rotation of the barrel, and means also cooperating with the rotary barrel for releasin the coin after the shoulder has been rotate to a position beyond the pawl.

3. A vendin machine of the class described embodylng a rotary barrel cooperating therewith for receiving and dispensing articles from the magazine individually, an operating stem on said rotary barrel, a handle on said stem for rotating the barrel, a cqin race, a cam mounted on the stem of the barrel and provided with a shoulder, a pivoted pawl normally in engagement with a high oint of the cam and with the portion of said pawl projecting into the coin race,

'ing the dispensing of a su and a member mounted on the stem of the barrel and also normally projecting into the coin race for arresting a coin in a position to underlie the pivoted pawl, whereb the pawl is held free from engagement with the shoulder on the cam to permit of rotation of the barrel, said member being adapted to release a coin after the shoulder has passed the pawl for the pur ose of precludsequent article until another coin is inserted in the machine. Signed by me at New York city, N. Y., this 3rd day of Februar 1916.

WYLIE GE MEL WILSON. Witnesses:

ANNA F. DAVIDSON, FRANK S. MOORE.

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