US1385419A - Vending-machine - Google Patents

Description

M. B. BAIRDI VENDING MACHINE.

APPLICATION man DEc.13.1919.

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M. B. BAIRD.

VENDING MACHINE.

APPucAUoN HLED DEc.13.1919.

Patented July 26, 1921.

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VENDING MACHINL' APPLICATION FILED 050,13, 1919.

1,385,419. Patented July 26, 1921.

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M. B. BAIRD.

VENDING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED BEO-13, 1919.

1,385,419. Patemea July 26, 1921.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 4.

MMI/6,5 Bam' UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

MELVILLE B. BAIBD, OF KANS-AS CITY, MISSOURI,` ASSIGNOR OF ONEHALF TO JOHN C. W. BLAND, OF TULSA, OKLAHOMA.

VENDING-MACHINE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patentea July eo, 1921.

, 'o alt w kom it may auf/town Be it known that I, MELVILLE B. BAIRD, a citizen of the United States, residing at Kansas City, in' the County of Jackson and State of Missouri, have invented certain new and useful Iniprovements in Vending-Machines; and I do declare the following tO be a full, clear, and exact description of the inventiou, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accoinpanying lrawings, and to the letters and figuros of reference marked thereon, which form apart of this specification.

This invention relates to vending machines and particularly to a machine for vending confections, for example, chewing gum.

`One of the objects of the invention is to provide an inexpensive, easily operated vending machine so Constructed that the discharge or delivery mechanism may be operated only upon the p'assage of a check, com or token of appropriate denomination, and means isprovided whereby the check, coin or token constitutes the connecting link between certain partsof the vending mechanisin to render it operative.

I have also provided means whereby a compartmental reservoir or container ma be utilized and so associated with the delivery mechanism that the various oompartments may be brought into delivery relation to enable the purohaser to obtain confections from any particular compartment selected.

In the drawings,`

Figure I is a vertical, longitudinal, sectonal view through a vending machine constructed in accordance with my invention.

Fig. II is a top plan view of the floor of the container.

Fig. III is a fragmentary plan vi ew of the base carrying the delivery mechanism.

Fig. IV is a sectional view on the line IV-IV Of Fig. III.

Fig. V is a view similarto that shown in Fig. III with the delivery mechanism shown in Osition tO discharge the confections.

`ig. VI is a side elevational view of the comjlete device.

Fig. VII isa sectional view through the delivery mechanism frame, showing the y compartment positioning pawl in eleyation. Fig.` VIII is adetail perspective view of One of the segments for the eompartmental container.

Fig. IX is a sectional view through the container spinclle and a detent therefor.

Fifl'. X is a sectional view' on the line XM? of Fig. II.

Fig. XI is a detail perspective view. of one of the delivery slides, and

F ig. XII is a sectional view through the eoin chute.

Referring now to the drawings by numerals of reference:

1 designates a. base shown as circular in form and provided with an annular flange 2 having a out-out portion 3 to receive a drawer 4, guided between the horizontal sills Or guides 5 and 6. The guidesor sills 5 and 6 supporta horizontal plate 7 having a slot 8 therein, across which is a stop 9,. the edges of the slot beinflr bent to form guideways 10 and 11 (Fig. in which is a coin slide 12 provided with a transverse coin-reeeiving slot 13, the length of which is greater than the di'ameter of the coin to be received, and the end of the slide is provided with a digitally engageable loop: 14.- whereby the slide may be grasped to Operate it, it being understood that the loop at alltimes extends beyond the case of the base formed by the base 1 and flange 2. The slide is also provided with an Opening 15 through which the confections may pass into` the discharge chute immediate y below the Opening and consisting of a track formed by a bent' wire 16 discharging through an Opening 17 and terminating outsidethe case, as shown at 19, Fig. III. The slide 12 also carrier a swinging table or leaf 20, which is pivoted thereto at 21V and which is provided with an Operating finger 22 adapted to contact with a depending finger 23 when the slideis extended outwardly so as to uncover the Opening 15, the normal position of the slide, however, being shown in Fig. III as forming the floor for the opening 15 so that when the slide is in its retracted position, a confection Or bball deposited into the Opening 15 may not pass into the discharge chute. lWhen the slide is extended, as shown in Fig. V, the finger 22 will have contacted with the depending finger 23 to Swing the table 20 out of line with the Opening whereuponthe confeetion may drop into the chute 16. The end of the slide 12 opposite to the loop 14 is provided with an. upstanding lip Or projection 24 adapted to engage the inner edge 25 of the delivery slide 26, which consists of a plate having upstanding'guide wings 27 and 28 and provided with an opening 29, coinciding with the Opening 15 in slide 12, the delivery slide 26 being also provided with a depending portion 30 at its front end to be engaged by a coin deposited in the slot 13 of slide 12, as will be explained hereinafter.

There are a number of slides 26 carried by the floor of the container and said container consists of a ring 31 in which is incunted a plurality of segments 32 connected to a star wheel 33 on a hollow spindle 34, there being a corresponding star wheel 35 at the upper end'of the spindle to receive the partitions 36 seated in the radial slots 37 of the segments 32. The segments are ofnovel construction consisting of plates bent to form the slots 37 and having radial edges 38and, 39 With depending flanges 40 and 41 which rest upon the disk 42 coextensive with the cross sectional area of the base and said disk is provided with slots 43, corresponding to the slots 44 formed by adjacent sections of the segments, the edges of the slots 43 having n-bent fianges 45 and 46 which support the slide 26, as seen in Fig. X.

By reference to Fig. VIII it will be seen that the flanges 40 and 41 of the segments 32 are formedby bending down the portions of the sides of the segments at the edges thereof so that longitudinally depending fingers 47 and 48 are formed,;which, when the segments are brought together, will provide the slots 44, above referred to, and the inner ends'of the segments are provided With lugs 49 which engage in the slots in the star wheel 33, to which they ma be secured in any appropriate manner, tie Vbottoms of the slots 37 being struek out, as at 50, to engage in openings in the disk 42 whereby the disk, the segments and the spindles are formed in a. unitary Structure and the depending fingers 47 and 48 constitute guide- Ways for dire'cting the confection onto the slide 26. The spindle 34, rotatable with the disk and forining part of the container, is inounted upon a spindle 51 rigid on plate 7, said spindle 51 extending below the plate and serving as a guide for a rod 52, which extends entirely through lit and which is connected to the cover 53 for thel container. The lower end of the rod 52 is provided with aV right angular projecting arm 54, which is pivoted thereto and which may be swung in line with the rod 52 but which is adapted to lie upon a bar transversely of and carried by the drawer 4 so that when the drawer is shoved in place, the arm 54, which swings in the direction of movement of the draiver, will lie upon the bar 55 so as to lock the rod 52 against retraction through the hollow spindle 51 and thereby secure the cover 53 in place. VVhen the drawer is removed, however, or at least pulled out so that the bar 55 passes outwardly beyond the rod 52, then the arm 54 may Swing into alinement with the rod 52, allowing the rod and H cover to be removed.

The extended end of the hollow rod or spindle 51 carries a collar 56 to support an expansion spring 57 which bears against the yoke-shaped detent 58 (see Fig. IX), having upstanding arms 59 and 60 which project through the plate 7 and on the ends of which are rollers 61 and 62, the latter being adapted to engage in depressions 63 in the bottom of the disk so that when the container is turned to permit one of the slides 26 to be brought into proper coiiperative relation with the slide 12, the rollers 61 and 62 will ride into opposite depressiens 63 and serve as detents for preventing accidental turning of the container. The bottom of the disk 42 is also provided with struck-up lugs or projeetions 64 near the periphery of the disk and these lugs are adapted to contact with the projecting end 65 of a dog or detent 66 pivoted in plate 7 and having an end 67 normally urged into engageinent with a notch 68 of the slide 12, as elearly seen in Figs. V and VII. Therefore, when the slide 12 is in its extended position, as shown in Fig. V, the dog will engage the notch 68 and it will be iinpossible to push in the slide 12 until the proper compartment is brought into register with said slide and when this is done, one of the projections 64 will have ridden upon the portion 65 of the spring-pressed dog 66 so that it will be thrown out of engageinent with the notch 68. Thereforc, when a coin, check or token is inserted in the eoin slot 69 and passes into the slot 13, it will rest temporarily upon the lugs 70 (see Fig. I) and the mechanism will be in proper position for Operation.

If all of the parts are properly assembled, the operator moves the container about its axis until the proper compartment has been brought opposite the delivery mechanism. The correct position of the compartmental container is indicated as being correct when the fixed arrow head 71 is in line with one of the arrow heads 72 on the eompartinental container, as shown in Fig. VI. Having selected the particular compartrnent from which confection is to be delivered, the operator places a coin, check or token of proper denomination in the slot 69, permitting it to drop through the slot 13 of slide 12 so that it will rest upon the lugs 70. Since the proper positioning of the container has caused the dog 66 to move out of engagement with the slide 12, the operator may then push in on the slide and since the coin is still within the slot 13, the upper edge or upper portion of the coin will contact With the projecting portion 30 of one of the slides 26.` The retractive movement of the slide 12 through the medium of the coin, check or token will impart an inward movement to the slide 26 so as to expose the opening 29 to the confection, it being understood that When the slides 26 are not operated by slide 12, their openings 29 will be covered by the periphery of the disk 42 and the fingers 47. When the slide 12 and slide 26 are in their innermost positions, the Opening 29 Will register With the Opening 15 but the confection will not be permitted to drop into the bottom of the casebecause the support or table 20 will be covering the opening 15 just below the slide 12. The operator now imparts a pulling action to the slide 12 to reverse its directional movement and as the slide 12 moves outwardly, its end 24 contacts With 25 of the slide 26, pulling slide 26 with it and during this action, tension is released on the coin, check or token indicated as 73 (Fig. I) so that the coin check or token drops into the drawer 4. As the outward movement of the two slides progresses, the arm 22 of table 20 contacts with the depending finger 23 so that the table is swung upon its pivot 21 out of line with the openings lland 29 and the confection is permitted to drop onto the delivery chute 16, it being removed from 17 as apparent by reference to Fig. III.

The outward movement of the slide 12 brings the notch 68 opposite the end 67 of the dog 66 but the dog will not move into contact With the notch 68 until there is a rotative movement of the receptacle or container to allow the projection 64 to move out of engagement with 65.` Therefore, the introduction of a new coin, check or token of proper denomination Will permit the slide 12 and the eomplementary members to be operated as often as desired. Upon a slight rotative movement of the container, the rojection 64 will move away from 65 and a low the dog 66 to engage the notch 68 of slide 12, as above explained, so the slide cannot operate unless a compartment of the container is in position to deliver goods.

The coin slot is provided with a magnetic slug deflector 74 so that if magnetic slugs are introduced into the coin slot, they will be deflected down the chute 75 but the slug deflector forms no part of my present invention2 as I recognize this as being old in previously Constructed machines.

The edge 76 of the table 20 is so disposed that When the slide 12 is moved inwardly, the table will be swung back into position to cover the Opening 13 since the edge 76 is in the form of a cam to ride against the finger 23 which Will move it into proper functional position.

Attention is directed to the fact that the upstanding arrow-head-shaped side guides `means to move the detent out on plate 26 and the rearwardly inclined fingers and forwardly inclined fin ers 48 constitute directional elements for t e confectio-ns in the container so that the confections or other appropriate articles mayfind their way into the openings 15 and 29. Thus liability of clogging in the various compartments will be eliminated.

It will also be seen that the segments 32 may be stamped up from single sheets of metal so that when put together, the bottom of the case will be provided with guideways for the confections as well as seats for the partitons.

Attention is also directed to the fact that the slide 26, and particularly the elements 27 and 28, not only serve the purpose of guides but also constitute agitators to agitate the confections within the container so as to insure the deposition of the confections into the recess preparatory toejecting them from the machine. This Will prevent danger of cavitation of the confections; that is, prevent them from sticking together so that chambers will be formed; in which event theoperation of the machine would not be efi'ective in insuring an ejection of a confection, even if a coin, check or token had been deposited. This is a material advantage in a device of this class since it is imperative that the machine operate after each introduction of an authorized check, coin or token into the coin slot.

What I claim and desire ters-Patent is:

1. In a vending machine, an actuating slide having an Opening, a pivoted gate carried by the slide, means for moving the gate across the opening when the slide is moved in one direction and away from the Opening when the slide is moved in another direction, and means for delivering material into said Opening.

2. In a vending machine, a sliding actuator, a delivery slide above the actuator, means for actuating the delivery slide by the actuator, a detent for engaging the actuator, and a compartmental container having of engagement With the actuator.

3. In a vending machine, a sliding actuator, a floor above the actuator, said floor being recessed, a sliding delivery member in the floor of the recess, means for functionally engaging the actuator and slide one With the other, and means for guiding material into the recess.

4. In a vending machine, a single actuating mechanism, a rotatable, compartmental container above the actuating mechanism having a delivery mechanism for each compartment, a detent normally engageable With the actuating mechanism, and means for simultaneously moving the delivery mechanism of a particular compartment into to secure by Let- 4 V 1,as5,41e

register' With the actuating mechanism and disengaging the detent from the actuating mechanism. f

5. In a vending machine, a rotatable, compartmental container, a delivery mechanism in the floor of each compartment, a single actuating means below the container, means for causing registration of any one of the delivery mechanisms With the actuating means, and means for preventing free rotation of the container With respect to the actuating means.

6. In a vending machine, a compa-rtmental container comprising a. holloW spindle, a floor connected to said spindle and consisting of a plurality of segments arranged edge to edge, each segment beingl formed With depending flanges and oppositely inclined end fingers Whereby When the segments are connected together, a recess will be formed in the floor With oppositely inclined ends, a slide in each recess having a delivery opening, an actuator for the slide, means for bringing any one of the slides into alinement bWith the actuator, and partitions betWeen the recesses in the floor of the container.

7. In a vendng machine, a container comprising a rotatable member consisting of a spindle, segmental fioor members connected to said spindle, each segmental fioor member having a central, longitudinal groove, spaced depending end fingers projecting from the edges of the segmental members, the segments being Secured together so that the spaces between the lingers and edges of the segments constitute recesses, sliding floor members for the recesses, means for guiding material into the recesses, an actuator for the slides, a Partition support carried by the upper end of the spindle and havingslots alining With the grooves in the segments, and partitions engaging the slots and the grooves.

8. In a vending machine, a rotatable container having a hollow spindle, a hollow shaft upon which said spindle is mounted, a removable cover for said container, a. rod carried by the cover and extending through the hollow shaft, a hinged finger on the end of the rod beneath the end of the hollow shaft and adapted to assume a position at right angles to the rod, and means for holding said finger in a horizontal position Whereby the cover Will be locked to the container.

In testiniony whereof I afiix mv Signature.

MELVILLE BBAIRD

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