US1436726A

US1436726A - Corn popping and vending machine

Info

Publication number: US1436726A
Application number: US222270A
Authority: US
Inventors: William D Root
Original assignee: GUARDIAN SAVINGS AND TRUST COM
Current assignee: GUARDIAN SAVINGS AND TRUST Co; GUARDIAN SAVINGS AND TRUST COM
Priority date: 1918-03-14
Filing date: 1918-03-14
Publication date: 1922-11-28
Anticipated expiration: 1939-11-28

Description

W; D. ROOT. CORN POPPING AND VENDING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 14, I918.

Patented Nov. 28,1922.

6 SHEETS-SHEET I.

W. D. ROOT.

CORN POPPING AND VENDING MACHINE. APPLICATION FILED MAR. I4, 1918.

1,436,726, I Patented Nov. 28, 1922.

6 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

W. D. ROUT- comv POPPING AND VENDING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 14. I918- 1,436,726. Patented NOV. 28, 1922.

6 SHEETSSHEET 3.

w. 0. ROOT.

CORN BOPPING AND VENDING MACHINE. APPLICATION FILED MAR. 14. 1918.

1,436,726. I Patented Nov. 28, 1922.

6 SHEETSSHEET 4.

F2 10 HI! "I )5 m a 8a :2;

j W. D. ROOT. CORN POPFING AND VENDING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 14,-19I8.

Patented Nov. 28, 1922.

6 SHEETSSHEET 5.

W. D. ROOT.

CORN POPPING AND VENDING'MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. I4, 1918.

1,436,726. Patented Nov. 28, 1922.

6 SHEETS-SHEET 6.

CORN' sTOfiqGE HEAT-El? M. W M1 W w WILLIAM B. ROOT, or CLEVELAND, OHIO, ASSIGNOE, BY MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, To.

THE, GUARDIAN SAVINGS AND TRUST COMPANY, TRUSTEE, or CLEVELAND, onIo.

. oozanrorrme AND VENDING MACHINE.

Application filed March 14, 1918. Serial No. 222,270.

To all whom it may concem:

Be it known that 1, WILLIAM .D. ROOT,

citizen of the United States, residing at Cleveland, in the county of'Cuyahoga and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Corn Popping and Vending Machines, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to corn popping and vending machines I The objects of the invention 'are-to provide an improved machine of this kind which is wholly automatic and requires no personal attention beyond the maintaining of supplies of raw corn and ba s or containers; to stimulate the interest 0 the observer attract his attention, and encourage a purchase by exposing practically all of. the mechanism to his view and extending to him the opportunity of causing actuation/of the mechanism by the insertion of a coin in thecoin controlling mechanism; to produce the prompt delivery, after the insertion of a coin or coins, of the proper number of packages of buttered and salted pop corn, the same operation producing actuation of the popping mechanism to replenish the pop corn withdrawn and delivered from the storage reservoir; and to generally simplify and improve all of the various units of the machine sothat they will work in harmony serting the coin into the slot, his ability to with proper co-operation for the production of the required results, and which un ts are less likely to get out of order than prior devices or mechanisms for the same purpose. Further objects of the invention are 111 part obvious and in part-will appear more in detail hereinafter.

In the drawings, which represent one embodimentof the invention, Fig. 1 is a front elevation; Fig. 2 is a side elevation, the view being taken from the left in Fig. 1 Fig. 3 is a rear elevation of the upper portion of the case and the mechanism therein; Fig. 4 is a detail side elevation, on a lar er scale, the front casing wall being omitte illustrating the buttering device; Fig. 5 is a sectional elevation on the line 5-5, Fig. 4, the chain being omitted for clearness of illustration; Fig. 6 is a detail view of one end portion of a chain bar and one of the links connected. thereto; Fig.7 is an end view thereof; Fig. 8 is a side view of the salting device; Flg. 9 is an end view thereof from the right 1n Fig.

8; Fig. lO is a sectional plan view on the line 19-10, Fig. 2; Fig. 11 is a sectional plan view on the line 1111, Fig. 2, the lower portion of the mechanism shown in Fig. 10 being omitted for clearness of illustration; Fig. 12 is a side elevation of the popping drum, one end wall being omitted; Fig. 13 is a sectional view on the line 1313, Fig, 12; Fig. 14 is a similar section on the line 1 1-44, Fig. 12; F i 15 is a diagrammatic. view, illustrating t e electric circuits and some of the mechanism associated'therewith; Fig. 16 is a detail. sectional view on the line 1t 16, Fig. 15; and Fig. 17 is a detail plan view of. a portion of the salting device.

Referring to the drawings, the machine illustrated comprises an enclosing casing, which may be of any suitable form and 15 illustrated as embodying vertical ,corner angle irons 1: which form a. support for the mechanism as will appear, and to which also are attached the side walls 2 of the casing. The lower third or half of the casing may have its side walls made of wood, metal or 5 opaque material, but the upper portion of the casing preferably has its side-walls made of glass or other transparent material. Most see the mechanism work is an incentive to ered by a suitable hood or roof 3. In the machine shown in the dra-win s the entire side Walls are of glass merely or simplicity of illustration.

purchase. The top of the machine is cov- 5, Fig. 15, indicates generally the coin controlling mechanism or chute, into which the purchaser inserts a nickelor other coin to start the mechanism working. This mechanism will-be suitably located in the case and will be of any suitable type. As such devices can be procured in the open market, it need not be described in detail. v

6 indicates the raw corn reservoir, which is of suitable size to require replenishment once every day or so, or at more orless frequent intervals as may be desired. \Vhen the coin is inserted into the machine a charge of raw corn is measured out and conveyed from the reservoir 6 to the popping drum 7, in which it is popped by a suitable heating unit. The popped grains are discharged automatically froma door or opening in the" to-wit, the raw corn feeding mechanism, the popping drum and the devices for automat1-* cally separating popped and unpopped kernels are operated by a motor 12, which may,

therefore, be termed the popping motor.

A second motor 13, which may be termed the delivery motor, .actuates the remaining portion of mechanism, said mechanism being arranged when operated to,-deliver to the operator or purchaser a definltely measured charge of popped corn. This mechanism comprises an elevator 14 which carries the popped corn upwardly from the storage reservoir 8 and discharges it upon or into a suitable transfer device, shown as a reciprocating car 15, which delivers the meals ured charge upon the traveling conveyor of a buttering device 16 from which the corn is discharged to a salting device'l7, which in turn delivers the corn to a chute 18, from I which it maybe withdrawn by theoperator.

I The several units or departments of the machine willnow be described in detail.

\ -Raw aomfeed. The raw corn reservoir 6 is of hopper form, its bottom outlet opening into a hor1-' zontal tubular casing or member 20 in which.

is a reciprocating feeding device having a portion 21 adapted toclose the hopper outlet as the feeding device advances, and having a recess or pocket 22 adapted to carry I a charge of corn sufficient for one popping operation and deliver the same into the upper end of. a conduit 23 which discharges into one end of the popping drum 7 and preferably'at the axis thereof. This feeding device is actuated each time the popping motor 12 isset .into operation, for which purpose it is provided with an outwardly extending rod 24, Fig. 11, pivotally connected to a lever 25 pivoted at 26 to a suitable support, the'opposite end of said lever 25 extending into the path of a cam 27 on what is known as the three minute wheel 28. Adjacent to'lever 25 is a second lever 29 pivoted at 30 and having-a projection 31 engaging the lever 25 between its pivot. 26 and the rod 24, the opposite'end of said lever 29 extending into the ath of moveute wheel 1 When the popping motor 12 begins to op jerate, the first motion of the three minute wheel? 28 operated thereby causes the cam 27 to engage lever 25 and actuate the same to advance the feeding device and deliver a charge of raw corn to the drum. Cam 32 then engages lever 29 and restores both levers to their normal positions ready for another operation.

001% popping device. The popping drum 7 may be of any suitable form or construction. It preferably .comprises a light metal frame with Walls circuit being maintained closed so that theheating unit is always heated, or it may be in a circuit closed automatically with estab lishment of the circuit to the motor 12, as it will come tofull temperature practically simultaneously with closing of. its circuit, the precise arrangement being unimportant. The latter arrangement is shown for convenience in Fig. 15. I

The drum rotates slowly, turning over and ,over the grains of raw corn until popped.

Experience shows that it requires practically three minutes to fully pop all the good grains in acharge, as a consequence of which the controlling heel'28, by properly pro- 36 extendingparallel to and at one side of the axis of the drum from end to end thereof, the floor or bottom 37 of the trough being inclined downwardly when in discharging position as show in Fig. 12. When in this position the popped grains slide down- ,wardly along the sloping floor and through an opening or door 38 in theend of the drum and dropinto the storage reservoir 8. which extends downwardly from the drum nearly to the bottom of the case. This storage reservoir is made as large as possible by'suitably locating the mechanism. and,

portioning the driving mechanism, is made generally speaking, is of hopper form with I ber 40, which extends from end to end of the.

drum, and is of curved form as shown in Fig. 12. The inner portion of this selecting member, out to approximately a line indicated at 41, is formed of fine Wire mesh or imperforate metal, so the popped grains will readily slide thereon, while the remaining outer portion 42 of said members is of larger open mesh screen, the openings being large enough to allow unpopped grains to readily pass through. While the drum revolves in a clock-wise direction, Fig. 12, the screen 42 selects the popped grains as the screen moves over the top of its circle of movement and delivers them to the trough 36 and then to the storage reservoir. The unpopped grains, however, are held back and turned over and over at practically the bottom of the drum over the heating element until they are popped, selected and discharged at the next revolution of the drum.

Suitable means is also provided for col lecting and ejecting from the drum those grains which remain unpopped at nearly the end of the .cycle. For this' purpose ,the drum is provided, behind the selecting member 40 in the direction of its movement, with a collecting trough or receiver 43, extending from end to end of the drum. and whose floor extends to an outlet opening 43 in the end drum wall. The other end of the selecting member has a wide opening normally closed by a door44, hinged at and normally hel closed by alight spring 46. This door prevents escape of popped grains. After all of the popped grains have been selected and ejected the door is opened by mechanism to be described and is turned to the position shown in dotted lines, Fig. .12. Durin r the following revolution of the drum the oor serves as a collecting member in the same manner as the screen 42 and being of solid material picks up and discharges into the receiver 43 all of the unpopped grains. When the parts reach the position in Fig. 12, these grains are (118- charged through the opening- 43 into the upper end of the bachelor tube 9, already referred to, which is a fairly small conduit leading downwardly to the small chamber 10 and drawer 11.

The drum is preferably supported only at one end, to enable the raw corn to be delivered to its opposite end, although two end, supports may be used if desired. As il-' lustra'ted it is supported in a bearing 47,. which receives the tubular member 48 at the axis of the drum and to which it is connected. said tube being provided on its outer end with a driving pulley 49 from which the belt 50 extends to pulley 51 on a short shaft 52 carrying a worm ear 53 driven by a worm 54 on the shaft 0 motor 12; The drum tube 48 is also provided with a small gear 55 which operates the three minute wheel 28. I

Within the tube 48 is a filler member 56, half-round in cross section and having a solid-circular head'57 which limits the flow of raw kernels through the tube and causes their discharge into the drum through the openings 58. The-filler member 56 serves to support a light bell crank lever 59, one of whose arms is connected by a link 60 to an arm 60 on the door and whose other arm is connected to a link 61 slidably mounted on the filler member. The outer end of slide 61 is connected by a universal joint at 62 to a lever 63 pivoted at 64 to a fixed'support. The opposite end of said lever 63 lies in the path of movement of a cam 65 on one face of the three minute wheel 28. Therefore, when the three minute wheel approaches the end of its cycle of movement, cam 65 opens the door 44 to produce ejection of the unpopped grains as described, the arm 63 finally leaving cam 65, whereupon spring 46 and a lever spring 63 close the door 44 ready for another cycle of operations.

Pop corn elevator. The pop corn elevator 14 is in the for of an endless belt band or cross barred chain provided at intervals with a series of buckets or shelves 66. Said chain travels over upper and lower sets of sprockets 67,

68, the latter of which is one shaft 69exwardly moving chain its upper portion is preferably ihclosed by a guard 73, although this is not essential.

Measuring and transfer work.

The pop corn elevator delivers the corn to suitable mechanism for measuring out a proper charge ofcorn to be delivered to the purchaser, and which, device also conveys said measured charge to the buttering device. This measuring device is the boxlike car or container 15 before referred to, which has reciprocating motion horizontally upon suitable guides 74. The bottom 75 of said car is loosely hinged thereto along its rear edge. so that when said car is advanced to its discharge position said bottom drops to the position shown in dotted lines,- Fig. 2,

whereupon t'hecorn in said car flows out along its bottom and between the depending guide aprons 76 tothe buttering device 16,

as will more fully appear.

The car 15 is connected by a link or links 77 operating in a lost motion strap 77 to. a crank pin on driving wheel 78, connected by a belt 79 to a small pulley 80.0n a shaft 81 connected by beveled gears 82 to the shaft 69.

The normal position of car 15 is illustrated in Fig. 2. As soon as the motor 13 begins to operate the wheel 78 turns over, thereby advancing the car 15 to discharge position. The retracting movement of said car closes its bottom by dragging the same over a cross bar 83 connected to the guide ways'74. As

the car moves back, and also while advancing along the side of the elevator it is filled thereby with a charge of corn. The elevator operates fast enough to deliver to the car more than the latter will hold, so as. to' measure a full load, and the excess corn drops back into the storage reservoir. Just above the car is a stationary comb or fork 92, which levels off the charge of corn in a bottom, and an open top. forming a reser-- the car as the latter moves past it to the discharge position and asthe car advances its hinged bottom opens and the load is delivered to the buttering device.

Bag delivery.

As will appear later, the charge of corn is finally delivered to the conduit 18, whose lower chute end may be of glass or-transparent material and which lies within the case but is protected in a recess open to acfor supplying to the operator a paper bag,

or other carton. to receive the corn. As illustrated, tl16S6 'l)3gS or cartons indicated at 86 .are piled in a compartment 87 provided witlranysuitable mechanism for ejecting a single one at each operation. of the transfercar 15.' The drawings show for this purpose an ejecting slide or member88 work-. .ing across the bottom of'the compartment 87 and connected to one arm of a lever 89 pivoted at 90 to a fixed support and having its other arm connected by a link 91 to the car 15, although other arrangements may be utilized.

Butter-mg device.

The battering device 16 comprises an incloslng metal casing 93 having slde walls,

voir for melted butter. This butter can be maintainedinmelted form either by a small up practically to the last ounce.

detachable electrical resistance element 93 or in any other manner as desired. The floor 94 of the reservoir slopes downwardly toward one end, so that the butter can be used Within the reservoir is a separate detachable frame 95 carrying a series of sprocket wheels ordrums 96, the lowermost one of which is at the bottom of the reservoir. Over said sprockets travels an'endless belt or chain 95. The upper horizontal portion of the belt 95 is exposed and at one end, its left-hand end in Fig. 1, is in position to receivethe corn discharged from the car 15. 97 indicates a stationary comb which engages the pile of corn delivered to the belt 95 and levels it off so that practically every kernel thereof comes in contact with the cross barsof the chain. This chain will preferably have its links or bars of special form, as indicated in Figs. 6 and 7, each link bar being provided with a small cavity or pocket 98 which picks up a small amount of melted butter and carries it to the top of the device,.where the bars turn over into horizontal position and allow the butter to flow. out upon the flat surface of the bars and links of the chain to be absorbed by the popped grains of corn in contact therewith.

The buttering device is actuated by a crossed belt 99 passing over a pulley 100 on.

the shaft of the sprocket 67 and also passing over a pulley 101 on the shaft of one of the upper sprockets 96 and a similar pulley 102 on the shaft of one of the sprockets 103 of the conveyer of the salting device now to be described. The buttering and salting devices .are therefore driven by the samebelt and operate in timed relation. The shaft of pulley 101 fits in an open slot in the casing 93. Therefore by detaching belt 99 the false frame and buttering chain can be removed bodily from the casing for cleaning out the latter. The casing or bowl 93 has no holes or lugs and is therefore easily cleaned and may also be made easily detachable for sanitary purposes.

Saltz'ng device.

The corn carried'by the upper horizontal .flight of the butt'ering conveyor is discharged upon the upper flight of a conveying belt 104 passing over the sprockets 103, said conveyer traveling upwardly at a slight angle and discharging the corn into a hopper converging toward and leading to the conduit 18. Above said conveyer "104 is a horizontally extending reservoir 105 containing salt in fine granular form, the bottom of said reservoir consisting of two superposed grids 106, each formed of slats 107 separated by spaces 108. ()no of said grids. specifically the upper one in Fig. 8, is slidablc relative to the other. the direction of sliding movement being transverse to the bars 101'. Said able together or as a unit.

sliding member is provided with a depending rigid arm 109 connected to one arm of a lever 110 pivoted at 111 to a fixed support. On the conveyer chain 104 are two lugs or projections 112' spaced equi-distantly from each other along the length of the conveyer, one of said lugs being at one side of. the conveyer and the other being at the other slde. As the conveyer operates these lugs in turn engage the opposite ends of lever 110, swinging said lever first in one direction and then in the other and thereby traversing the upper gridover the lower. This motion-momentarily opens up the gaps between the grid bars and allows a small amount of salt to drop onall the corn exposed on the top of the-co'nveyer thereby salting the same. The excess .salt. drops through the conveyer into a pan or receiver below the same, and is retained for later use.

00in controlling mechanism.

. which for convenience is here referred to as a battery. This source of current is in a circuit 121 including a gap 122 and an electro-magnet 123 whose armature 123" is connected to two switches 124 and 125 mov- Gap 122 is located at the coin receiving chute 5, so that said gap is momentarily closed by passage of the coin through the chute, such as by allowing the coin to roll over the gap and momentarily bridge the same. Closing of the circuit 121 energizes magnet 123 and closes switches 124 and 125. Switch 125, as

will appear, establishes the delivery circuit, which is maintained closed until the operator has received the char e of corn to which he is entitled. Suita le mecha nism must also be provided forvmaintaining this circuit closed. This mechanism may be of any suitable construction, such as a mechanical lock for locking the switch.

closed, said lock being released, for example,

by a cam or projection 129 upon the car op erating wheel 78, said cam coming into operation when the delivery of the charge of corn is con'ipleted. The drawings show, however, an electric circuit for accomplishing the same purpose, said circuit being known as the stick circuit and being established by closing of the switch 125.

V Stick circuit.

and 128 of a normally closed switch and maintain closed the delivery circuit, to be described, until the said mechanism has operated through one cycle and delivered one charge of corn to the purchaser.

126 indicates a slide working across the coin chute close to its mouth and transverse to the direction of movement of the coin. This slide is connected to a rod or bar 126 whose opposite end lies adjacent the path of movement of the switch 125, or a member connected thereto. Consequently there is lost motion of the switch 125 before the slide 126 is raised. When the switch 125 is closed theslide moves across the chute and blocks the insertion of a new'coin into the chute until the deliveryvof a charge of cdrn has been completed, whereupon the switch 125 opens and the slide 126 drops back to its original position by gravity. Because of the lack of direct connection between the bar 126 and switch 125 the 0 er-- ator is unable by a tool or otherwise to gain the slide 126" in the chute and thereby hold the switch 125 closed to keep the delivery mechanism operating but the switch 125 will open at the conclusion of the delivery operation so that a new coin must beinserted,

to again bridge'the gap 122.

Delimery circuit.

The delivery circuit 131 runs from the positive side of the battery through the delivery motor 13 and thence through switch 125 to the negative side of the battery. This circuit is maintained closed by the attraction of magnet 123 until the projection 129 releases said switch by opening the circuit through the magnet 123.

' Popping circuit.

A third circuit established by bridging the gap 122 is the popping circuit. The 'delivery mechanism operates fairly rapidly. In other words, about twenty seconds, more or less, elapse, between the insertionof a coin and the discharge of the corn popped, buttered and salted to the operator. As before stated, it requires about three minutes to pop a charge of corn, and the parts are so proportioned that each operation of the popping mechanism delivers into the storage reservoir approximately the amount of corn discharged to the operator. Consequently there must be a complete popping operation for each charge delivered. If the coins are inserted at intervals of twenty seconds, six charges of corn will be delivered in two minutes but the popping mechanism must continue to operatefor eighteen minutes. The mechanism should therefore be so arranged that the insertion of anumber of coins in fairly quick succession will set the mechanism so that the popping devices will continue to operate, after the purchasers have left the'machine, to replenish the corn withdrawn therefrom. This mechanism in the form illustrated involves co-relation or interconnection of the popping mechanism and delivery mechanism, although any suitable mechanism for the purpose may be used.

The popping circuit runs from the positive side of the battery through a wire 132 to a stationary springcontact 133 engaging a continuous conducting ring 134 carried by an insulating block 135 to which is attached a ratchet wheel 136. Said ratchet wheel is actuated by a reciprocating pawl 137 operated by a cam 138 on the car operating wheel 78. At each operation of said car the ratchet Wheel 136 and ring 134 are stepped around one space.

ing 134 carries a spring contact 139 whose opposite end rests upon a conducting ring 140 carried by an insulating block 141 connected to a, ratchet wheel 142, said ratchet wheel being actuated by a pawl 143 operated by a cam or projection 144 upon the three minute Wheel 28. Ring 140 has an insulating gap 145 therein and is Wide enough so that the contact 139 can travel clear around said ring without interfering with a "stationary spring contact 146 through which the current is conducted to the popping motor 12 and thence to the negative side of the battery. I

In the idle position of the parts, to-wit, when both the delivery and popping motors are at rest, the spring contact 139 lies on the insulating gap 145, so that the circuit through the popping motor is broken. When a coin is inserted into the machine the circuit through the delivery motor is closed and actuation of the delivery mechanism almost immediately moves the pawl 137 and rotates the ring134 and contact 139 one space, thereby moving said contact into a position in which the circuit is completed through the ring 140 and through the pop ping motor. The popping mechanism therefore begins to operate. If a number of coins are successively inserted into the machine, the contact 139 is advanced along the conducting ring 140 one space for eachcoin so inserted. At the conclusion of each popping cycle the ring 140 is advanced one space, so that finally, no matter. how many co ns are inserted into the machine, the intherefore overtaking the same, the ring 140 is preferably providedwith an obstruction, such as a small projection 147 adjacent to said gap. Therefore, if more than forty-five coins are inserted contact 139 will carry the 1 ring 140 along Withit and cause the popping mechanism to operate at least through fortyfive complete cycles before insulated gap 145 overtakes spring contact 139.

\Vhat I claim is:

1. Apparatus-of the class described, comprising a corn popping means, a reservoir for popped corn, means for delivering measured charges of popped corn from said reservoir, said reservoir having a capacity suflicient to hold a plurality of such charges, means for operating said popping means to supply a quantity of popped corn to said reservoir suflicient for a plurality of delivery charges, and for restarting said popping means upon partial emptying of said reservoir. 1 I

2. In a corn popping and. vending machine, the combination with a corn popping means, of a poppedcorn vending means comprising a storage receptacle and means for delivering measured charges of popped corn therefrom, and means for operating said opping means controlled by said vending calls upon partial emptying of said reservoir.

3. In a corn popping and vending machine, the combination with acorn popping means, of a popped corn vending means comprising a storage receptacle and means 1 .for delivering measured charges of popped corn therefrom. said reservoir having a capacity sufficient to hold a series of such dclivery charges, and means operable .upou

actuation of said delivery means for starting said popping means and for stopping said popping means when a quantity of popped corn corresponding to that delivered from the reservoir has been supplied thereto.

4, In a corn popping and vending machine the combination with a popping means, of a device fordelivering measured charges of popped corn, means controlled by the delivery means for operating saidpopping means, and means interposed between said popplng means and delivery means for maintaining a plurality of reserve charges of popped corn. i

5. Apparatus of the class described, comprising a corn popping means'having a the poppin means to be repe 6. Apparatus of the class described, comdefinite cycle of operations for popping and delivering a chargeofpo-pped corn, a reservoir adapted to receive a plurality of charges from said popping means, means having a cycle of operations differing from that of the popping means for delivering measured charges from said reservoir, and means controlled by said delivering means on its first actuation for starting said popping means, said means being adapted u on subsequent operations of the ideliverlng means to cause the cycle of operations of ated.

prising acorn popping means having a definite cycle of operations for popping and delivering a charge of popped corn, a reservoir adapted to receive a plurality of charges from. said popping means, means having a cycle of-operations differing from that of the popping means for delivering measured charges from said reservoir, and means controlled by said delivering means for starting said popping means and causing said popping means to operate through a number of cycles of operations sufiicient to supply a quantity of popped corn to said reservoir substantially corresponding to the quantity delivered- 7. Apparatus of the class described, comprising a reservoir for popped corn,- means adapted -when actuated to deliver a charge ,of popped corn therefrom, popping means for supplying popped corn to said reservoir, and controlling means for said popping means actuated by said delivery means, said controlling means being arranged to permit the popping means to operate fora suflicient period to replace the popped corn delivered by a plurality of delivery operations.

8. Apparatus of the class described, comprising cornpopping means, a reservoir supplied thereby and having a capacity for holdin a plurality of charges of corn poppe in said popping means, means for measuring. and delivering a measured charge of popped cornfrom said reservoir, and controlling means adapted when actuated to cause actuation of said measurmeans and popping .means, and independent means for stop-ping the operation of said measuring and delivery and popping means.

10. Apparatus of the class described, comprising a reservoir, popping means, an electric motor for operating the same, means for delivering a charge of popped corn from said reservoir, an electrlc motor for operating the same, independent electric circuits for said motors, means for closing the circuit to said delivering motor, and means actuated by the delivery means for closing the circuit to the popping motor.

11. Apparatus of the class. described, comprising a reservoir, popping means, an electric motor for operating the same, means for delivering a charge of popped corn from said reservoir, an electric motor for o erating the same, independent circuits or said motors, and switch mechanism included in said popping motor circuit, and controlled by the delivery motor circuit.

12. Apparatus of the class described, comprising a reservoir, popping means, an, electric motor for operating the same, means for delivering a charge of popped corn from said reservoir, an electric motor for operating the same, independent circuits for said motors. switch mechanism in said popping circuit. said switch mechanism being controlled by the delivery motor circuit and being constructed and arranged] to cause operation of the popping motor for a suflicient period to replace popped corn withdrawn from the reservoir by a number of operations of the delivery motor- In testimony whereof I aflix my signature.

WILLIAM D. ROOT.