US1341921A - Vending-machine - Google Patents

Description

J. H. MANN, JR- VENDING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED MAR, 9, '98- v 1,341 921 ed June 1, 1920.

3 SHEETSSHEET I.

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J. H. MANN, JR.

VENDING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED MAR, 9, 1918.

Patented June I, 1920.

'3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

I. H. MANN, 1R. VENDING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 9, I9I8.

Patented June 1, 1920.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

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rhmejH ZZZau'zzJn UNITED PATENT OFFICE.

JAMES H. MANN, JR., OF LITTLE ROCK, ARKANSAS, ASSIGNOR TO TRANSIT VENDING MACHINE COMPANY, OF PINE BLUFF, ARKANSAS, A CORPORATION OF ARKANSAS.

VEN DING-MACHIN E.

Application filed March 9,

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, J AMES H. MANN, Jr., citizen of the United States, residing at Little Rock in the county of Pulaski and State of Arkansas, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Vending- Machines, of which the following is a specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings. 7

This invention relates to vending machines and more particularly to a machine of that general character shown and described in Patent No. 1,217,616, issued to me February 27, 1917.

It is the primary purpose and object of the present invention to provide improved means for mounting and arranging the coin controlled delivery mechanism within the machine case in such manner that it may be bodily removed therefrom when it is necessary to replace or repair any of the parts.

It is also another important object of the invention to provide a magazine case for the commodity to be vended and means for removably retaining said magazine case within the outer case or body of the machine, said magazine case being formed with means whereby the coin controlled mechanism and the coin guide or chute may be compactly assembled and operatively mounted upon the back or rear Wall of said case.

It is also one of the secondary objects of the invention to provide a magazine case, coin chute'and the main operating parts of the mechanism which can be readily stamped or cut out of sheet metal plates by means of suitable dies whereby the manufacturing cost of such machines may be appreciably reduced.

It is a further general object of my invention to improve the original vending machine above referred to in the several particulars stated to the end that the utility and serviceability of such machines may be enhanced and the machine as a whole rendered commercially more desirable.

With the above and otherobjects in view, the invention consists in the improved .combination, construction and arrangement of the several parts as will be hereinafter more fully described, subsequently claimed and illustrated in the accompanying drawings in which similar reference characters desig- Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented June 1, 1920.

1918. Serial No. 221.509.

nate corresponding parts throughout the several views and wherein Figure 1 is a front elevation of a vending machine embodying the present improvements. a i

Fig. 2 is a similar View, the face plate of the machlne case and the cover plate for the mechanism being removed.

Fig. 3 is a vertical sectional view the line 33 of Fig. 2.

Fig. l is a horizontal section taken on the line l4 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 5 is a section taken on the line 55 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 6 is a rear elevation of the magazine case' removed.

Fig. 7 is a detail vertical section taken on the line 77 of Fig. 6.

Fig. 8 is'a fragmentary horizontal section taken on the line 88 of Fig. 6.

Fig. 9 is a fragmentary side elevation of the magazine case.

Referring in detail to the drawings, 5 designates the rear wall and 6 the opposite side walls of the bottomless outer case body of the machine. The rear wall 5 is centrally provided-at its upper and lower ends with apertures 7 for the purpose of receiving suitable attaching screws, the metal surrounding said apertures being outwardly punched -or projected. This rear wall of the case body is further provided at each side of the apertures 7 with outwardly struck protuberances 8.

The particular purpose of these indentations will be hereinafter fully explained.

The side walls 6 of the case body are provided upon their longitudinal edges with narrow laterally projecting flanges 9, each of the side walls adjacent to its lower end being cutaway or recessed at its forward edge to provide the relatively narrow downwardly projecting portions, each of which taken on likewise terminates in an outwardly prorecessed or cut away at the correspondingly curved "portions of said side walls. This plate has spaced longitudinally extending slots 11 cut therein through which the contents of the magazine may be viewed and is also provided below the slots 11 with a rela- I nally extending side walls 14. This magazine case is of slightly less width than the outer body case of the machine and is adapted tobe fitted within the latter. The rear wall 13 at its upper end is centrally provided with the screw receiving opening .15, theedge of which is outwardly projected to seat upon the edge of the opening 7 in the rear wall5 of thecase body. The wall 13 of the magazine case is further provided at its upper and lower ends'with the outwardly punched protuberances 16. These protuberances contact with the rear wall of the outer case, and space the walls of the magazine case therefrom so that the walls will not adhereby the formation of rust and render it difiicult to remove the magazine case. The protuberances 8 on the outer case wall space the major portion'of said wall from the part upon which the machine is mounted to obviate undue marring of the finished surface.

The lower ends of the side walls 14 of the magazine case are reduced in width asindicated at 17 and the upper end of a plate 18 is fitted between the side walls 14 immedi ately above the reduced portion 17 thereof and is engaged at its opposite edges upon said reduced portion. This plate to all appearances constitutes a continuation of the removable front plate 10 of the case body. The plate 18 at its upper end is provided with portions at the vertical edges thereof for engagement in slots or recesses in the.

side walls 14 of the magazine case as indicated at 18, and the vertical edges of said plate at its lower end are recessed to receive forwardly projecting lugs 19 on the relatively narrow lower end portions 17 of the case walls. In this manner the plate 18 is securely locked in position. 'At the lower end of the plate 18 a forwardly projecting article receiving tray or pan 20 is formed. The upstanding flange 21 at the forward edge of this pan. has its ends turned inwardly to provide channels or grooves for the reception of the flanges 9 on the lower ends of the side walls 6 of the case body.

The magazine case above described as well as the outer body or case of the machine is stamped from a sheet metal plate, and the coin controlled mechanism, as well. as the article delivery mechanism is wholly carried by and mounted within the magazine case and is bodily removable therewith from the outer case of the machine. As in the original patented construction abovereferred to I provide an article delivery plate or shelf 22 having angular cars 23 at its opposite ends loosely mounted for rocking movement upon a rod 24, the ends of which are en-i gaged in openings in the side walls 14 of the magazine case. This delivery plate is normally held in a horizontal position by means of the spring 24" engaged upon the rod 24. One of the ears 23 is formed with teeth as shown at 25 which engage with the teeth 27 formed in a metal bar 26 which is slidably mounted upon the rear wall 13 of the magazine case between the guide tongues or' flanges 27 struck from the rear wall13 and one of the side walls 14 of the case. This rack bar has its lower end portion formed into a suitable handle 28, which extends downwardly below the lower end of the case body. In one edge of the bar 26 adjacent to the lower end thereof the shoulder 29 is formed, and below said shoulder the edge of the bar is obliquely inclined as at 30. 31 designates the locking bar or lever which is fulcrumed upon the wall 13 of the case as indicated at 32 and is movable under a guide tongue 33 struck from said wall. A spring 34 normally holds said lever in operative engagement with the edge of the rack bar. This spring is likewise connected to a second lever 35 fulcrumed upon the wall 13 of the case as at 36. In addition a relatively heavy coil spring 37 is connected at one of its ends to the lever 35 and at its other end to a lug 38 struck from the case wall 13. end of the lever 35 is engaged between an off-set portion 39 in the upper end of the rack bar 26 and the rear wall of the case. The rack bar at its upper end is toothed as at 40 for engagement with the spring held detent 41 mounted on the case wall whereby the. rack bar is held in intermediate position and its return to normal position prevented before the completion of its operating movement. The rack bar 26 is further provided with a lug 42 struck therefrom which is adapted to engage an upstanding lug 43 on the rear edge of the plate 22, said lug actmg as a stop to limit the downward movement of the rack bar.

Thecoin chute 44 is stamped or pressed from a sheet metal plate, said chute having a relatively wide upper portion extending substantially the entire width of the magazine case, said wider portion of the sheet metal plate having downwardly and inwardly inclined flanges 45 leading from the coin .slots 46 which are formed in the opposite side walls 14 of the case and directing the coins into the relatively narrow vertical portion of the coin chute. The slots 46 of course coincide with similar coin slots in the side walls 6. at the opposite ends of the ma- One 7 chine case. The narrow portion of the coin chute is likewise provided on its longitudinal edges with narrow angular flanges 47. These flanges as well as the flanges 45 are formed with lugs or projections to extend through openings 48 formed at the requisite points in the rear wall 13 of the case. With a suitable tool, these lugs at their opposite ends are laterally swaged or bent and locked to the case wall. In this manner, the coin chute is held absolutely rigid against any possibility of movement upon the wall of the magazine case. The flange 47 on one edge of the chute is provided with recesses or openings therein at the proper points for the accommodation of the pivoted levers 31 and 35 respectively.

The coin controlled article delivery mechanism as above described, operates in a manner quite similar to the mechanism disclosed in my prior patent. Thus when a coin of the proper denomination is deposited, it moves downwardly by gravity between the rear wall 13 of the magazine case and the front wall of the coin chute and finally lodges between the edge of the lever 31 extending within the chute and the opposite side flange 47 on the wall of the coin chute. The lever is thereby held against movement and when the rack bar 26 is forced upwardly, the shoulder 29 on the edge of said bar will not contact with the lower end of the lever 31. Thus the teeth of the rack bar coacting with the teeth 25 will rock or oscillate the plate 22 whereby the lowermost package of gum or other commodity in the magazine is delivered and falls downwardly by gravity into the tray 20 on the lower end of the plate 17. In this operating movement of the rack bar, the end of the lever 35 is projected across the coin chute so that an other coin if deposited cannot drop downwardly in the chute and prevent the return movement of the lever 31 and the rack bar 25 to their normal positions.

All of the operating parts above referred to as well as the coin chute, of course excepting the springs, are stamped from sheet metal. It will be noted that they are very compactly arranged upon the rear wall of the magazine case so that there will be ample room for the gum or other commodity, and yet the magazine case is of minimum depth.

The operating mechanism is covered by means of a sheet metal plate 49 flanged at its opposite longitudinal edges as shown at 50. These flanges adjacent their upper and lower ends are notched or recessed as indi cated at 51. Lugs 52 are struck inwardly .from the side walls 14 of the magazine case at their upper ends, said lugs being disposed I in a plane in spaced parallel relation to the wall of the coin chute. Additional spaced lugs 53 are also struck inwardly from each side wall 14 in spaced relation to its lower end, the latter lugs being disposed out of alinement with each other longitudinally of the wall. Between the lugs 52 and 53, 1011- gitudinally extending flanges 54 are struck inwardly from the side wall 14 of the case. In inserting the plate 49, the notches 51 in the off-set flanges 50 are disposed in registering relation with the lugs 52 and the uppermost lugs 53 on the side walls of the case, said flanges resting upon the flanges 54.

The plate 49 is then forced downwardly so that the upper ends of the flanges 50 above the notches 51 will be engaged under the lugs 52 and also under the upper lugs 53 on the side walls of the case. The flanges 50 at the lower end of the plate 49 ride over and have frictional engagementupon the lower inwardly projecting lugs 53. This downward movement of the plate 49 is limited by the stop shoulders 55 formed upon the flanges 50 at their upper ends and which are adapted to coact with the lugs 52. The plate 49 at its lower end bears the word Empty and when the last article or package has been delivered from the machine, this word will be clearly visible through the slot or opening 12 in the face plate of the machine case. The plate 49 entirely covers the coin chute and operating mechanism above the delivery plate 22 so that the packagesof gum or other commodity within the magazine cannot by any possibility contact with the parts of the mechanism and derange the same or prevent their proper operation.

Between the reduced lower ends of the side walls of the magazine case and rearwardly of the plate 18, the coin cup indicated at 56 is adapted to be inserted. Exteriorly of the magazine case and upon one sidewall 14 thereof, a locking lever 57 is arranged whereby the coin cup is locked against removal. The particular mounting and construction of this locking lever and of the; coin cup is fully shown and described in my prior patent, No. 1,278,186, issued September 10, 1918, and per se constitutes no part of the present invention. It will not, therefore, be herein fully described in detail. It will suffice to state that the coin cuplocking lever is mounted upon the magazine case wall so that this leveralso is removable with the operating mechanism from the exterior of the body or case of the machine.

To the upper end of the rear wall 5 of the outer case body a lid or cover 58 is hinged and, as fully disclosed in my pending application carries a suitable lock 59 the bolt of which coacts with the coin cup locking lever' whereby said lid or cover is locked in its closed position.

After the magazine case has been arranged within the outer case body of the machine and the magazine charged with the,

commodity, a plate of glass or other transparent material shown at 60 is engaged at its longitudinal edges upon the edges of the side walls 14 of the magazine case and rests at its lower end upon the shoulders 61 formed on said walls. 'It is of course understood that the rear wall of the case body has been secured to a wall, standard, or

- other support at its lower end by means of a fastening screw, and when the magazine case is arranged within the outer case, the opening15 at the upper end of its rear wall registers with the opening 7 at the upper end of the case wall 6 and a second screw is inserted to securely fasten the outer case at its upper end to the-wall and to effectually prevent the removal of the magazine case. The lower fastening screw is entirely covered and hidden by the lower end of the magazine case, and of course it is quite impossible for one to obtain access to either of the fastening screws whereby the machine may be bodily removed from its applied position. After the glass plate 60 has been arranged in place, the cover plate 10 is finally forced downwardly upon the flanges 9.. The lid or cover is then closed, and the flange 62 on the free edge thereof engaging over the upper end of the cover plate 10 prevents the upward sliding movement of the latter plate.

If desired, the lid or cover 58 may be provided upon its under side with a coin directing member 63 one end of which is disposed contiguous to a coin slot 64 in the flange 62 on the cover. The upper end of the plate 49 and of the wall of the coin chute are recessed or cut away so that the coin when inserted through the slot 6% may gravitate rearwardly and downwardly into the space between the wall of the chute and the rear wall 13 of the magazine case.

coin directing member 63 may, if preferred, be dispensed with and coin slots provided onlyin the opposite sides of the case at its upper end.

From the foregoing description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings it is believed that the construction, manner of assemblage and operation of the several parts and the numerous advantages incident thereto will be fully and clearly understood. The machine as herein described is primarily designed for use in railroad coaches, where it is mounted between adjacent windows: upon the backs of theaterchairs, and in like instances where the available space for mounting the machine is comparatively limited. It is also an important factor in the adaptation of vending machines to such uses, that it shall be possible to recharge the machine and remove the coins in a very expeditious manner, so that all of the machines in a rail- However, this front entrance slot for the coin and the r way coach or in a theater may be attended to with the expenditure of a minimum of time. It is also a requisite to the practical commercial success of such machines that they shall be so constructed. that they are not liable to be damaged or put out of order by curious individuals attempting to operate the machine in order to discover the secret of its operation.

Finally,'it is of primary importance that the machine shall be so constructed that access may be readily had to the various parts of the operating mechanism'for the purpose of renewing or repairing the same, without necessitating the removal of a large number of screws or other fastening elements, or the bodily dismounting of the machine from its support. r r

The several desirable features above referred to are all attained by means of the present invention. The operating 'mechanism whereby the articles are vended, is very compactly arranged, all of the elements being disposed substantially in the same plane so that as a whole this mechanism occupies but littlespace at the rear of the magazine. lVhen it is necessary to obtain access to the mechanism, the very simple operation of opening the case cover or lid and removing the cover plate 10 and the upper fastening screw and then pulling downwardly and forwardly upon the article receiving tray, will resultin the bodily removal of the magazine and all of the operating mechanism from the outer case or body of the machine. The plate 49 can then be readily removed and the mechanism eX- posed. The magazine and operating mechanism can be as readily positioned within the outer case and again secured by means of the single fastening screw, after'which the cover plate 10 is replaced. The magazine case being stamped from a single metal sheet can be very inexpensively manufac tured, and the manner of fastening the coin chute and operating elements upon the rear wall of this case, avoids the necessity of employing numerous fastening screws which are liable to become loosened and permit the relative movement of the parts. As the operating parts and the case body are likewise stamped from sheet metal it will be appreciated that the machine in its entirety can be produced at relatively small cost while at the same time, in view of the simple and compact construction, great durability is obtained and even though the machine be subjected to great jar or vibration, the parts of the operating mechanism will not be liable to relative displacement. The machine is also very light in weight, and a large number of machines may be carried by a single workman and erected or mounted in place in railway cars or coaches.

WVhile I have herein shown and described the preferred form of construction and relative arrangement of the various parts, it is to be understood that the machine is susceptible of considerable modification therein and I, therefore, reserve the privilege of adopting all such legitimate changes as may be fairly embodied within the spirit and scope of the invention as claimed.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is 2- 1. In a vending machine, a magazine case stamped from a single metal sheet and having a rear wall and parallel side walls, article delivery mechanism mounted upon said rear wall, said wall having guide tongues struck therefrom to retain various parts of the delivery mechanism in close contact with said wall and in their proper relative operative positions, each of the side walls of the case being provided with inwardly struck guide tongues and flanges, and a cover plate for said mechanism longitudinally movable downwardly between the side walls of the case and coacting at its edges with said tongues and flanges whereby the cover plate is frictionally held in its applied position.

2. In a vending machine, a magazine case stamped from a single metal sheet and having a rear wall and parallel side walls, article delivery mechanism operatively mounted upon said rear wall, each of the side walls having flanges struck inwardly therefrom, and a removable cover plate separating the delivery mechanism from the article receiving chamber and having longitudinal flanges recessed to receive the flanges on said side walls, said plate being adapted for longitudinal movement to move the recesses out of registering relation with said flanges and cause the flanges to frictionally coaet with the edges of the cover plate and therebyretain the latter in place.

3. In a vending machine, a magazine case stamped from a single metal sheet and having a rear wall and spaced parallel side walls, coin controlled article delivery mechanism mounted upon the rear wall of said case, a coin directing chute extending vertically of said rear wall, said wall being provided with spaced openings'therein and the coin chute having lugs locked in said openings to retain the coin chute in its applied position upon the case wall, a removable plate extending over the delivery, mechanism and the coin chute and separating the same from the article receiving chamber of the case and means on the opposite side walls of the case to coact with the edges of said plate and frictionally retain the same in its applied position. 7 V

4. In a vending machine including an article delivery mechanism, the combination with an inner magazine case provided with means for detachably carrying said mechanism, the magazine casing having means on its rear wall to retain various parts of said mechanism in close contact with said rear wall, of a cover plate fitting within said magazine case, means carried by the sides of said magazine case overlying the longitudisupporting said plate for housing and protecting said mechanism and its associated elements, an outer casing conforming to and adapted to removably receive said magazine case with its back and sides in spaced relation thereto, whereby the mechanism and its associated elements and the magazine case may be removed as one body, and interengaging means carried by the adjacent backs of both casings for spacedly and rigidly connecting said casings in detachable relations.

In testimony whereof I hereunto affix my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

JAMES H. MANN, J n.

Witnesses P. M. WILLIAMS, M. L. CARTER.

nal edges of said cover plate for detachably

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