US1489168A - Vending machine - Google Patents

Description

April I 1924.

L. R. SPOONER ET AL VENDING MACHINE Filed March 21. 1923 2 Sheets-$heet 1 April 1 1924. 1,489,168

L. R. SPOONER ET AL VENDING MACHINE Filed March 21. 1923 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 awe/Hm La: Fqg 5 00/463! Pea/Z lf 'r ag Q-bbou my Patented Apr. 1, 1924.-

om'reo STATES 1,489,168 PATENT orrica.

'LEE ROY SPOONEB AND PAUL L. GRAY, F WATEBTOWN, SOUTH DAKQTA.

.vmtnmo momma Application me Iarch 21,1923. 01-1121130. eaacor.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, LnnRoi'r Sroonnn and PAUL L. GRAY, citizens of the United States, residing at Watertown, in the county 5 of Codington and State of South Dakota, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Vending Machines, of which the following is a specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings.

lhis invention relates to vending machines and more particularly to vending machines for elongated articles of substantially uniform diameter, such as pencils.

An important object of the invention is to provide a rotatable article support for use in a vending machine of this character constructed to support a plurality of different types of the same class of article and to selectively align a selected type with an 2 ejector mechanism by means of which it may ,be expressed from a machine.

A further object of the invention 'is to provide a device of this character in .which the articles to be vended may be readily inserted and by means of which the inserted articles are always maintained in position for ejection when aligned with the ejector.

A further object of the invention is to provide means for preventing an operation of the machine when the aligned portion of the machine contains no article to be vended.

A still further object of the invention is to provide means for preventing theft of such articles through the opening through which they are ejected by the plunger.

These and other objects we attaln by the construction and arrangement shown in the accompanying drawings wherein for the purpose of illustration is shown a preferred embodiment of our invention and wherein like reference characters designate like parts throughout.

In the drawings Figure 1 is a front elevation of a vending machine constructed in accordance with our invention;

Figure 2 therethrough is a vertical sectional view Figure 3 is an enlarged detailed sectionalview showing the operation of the ejector; and A Figure 4 is a fragmentary perspective of the rotatable support employed.

Referring now more particularly to the drawings, the numeral 10 indicates a casing divided by a central horizontal partition 11 into upper and lower compartments 12 and 13. In the upper compartment 12 is disppsed a rotary sup ortldfor the articles to vended. and in t e lower compartment is disposed any suitable coin release lock plunger mechanism such as generally indicated at 15. lhrough the front wall of the lower compartment 13 projects the end of a plunger 16 and this wall is provided at its upper end with an opening 17 by means of which a coin for releasing the plunger may be inserted, the coin release mechanism not being herein specifically described, but be-. ing shown similar to that described and claimed in our co ending application, serial No. 626,606, led March 21, 1923, for coin release locks for vendin machines.

The top, front and side wa ls of the upper compartment are preferably formed of trans arent materia such as heavy glass, and t e rear wall thereof embodies a hinged section formed in two pivotally connected portions 18 and 19. The upper section 19 may be thrown'down to permit access to the rotatable supporting member '16 hereinbefore referred to. In the lower section a shaft 20 has its rear end rotatably mounted, the front end thereof extending through a bearing 21 mounted in a crossbar 22 extending transversely of the front wall, the outer end of the shaft being provided with an o crating knob 22 by means of which it may operated. Between the front and rear walls of the section 12 the shaft 20 has mounted 90 thereon a pair of spaced discs 23, each rigidly secured to the shaft. Each of these discs is provided with a plurality of radially extending slots 24, the alternate slots 24 being short for a purpose presently to appear.

Each disc is provided at its eriphery with a flange 25, the flange 25 of the rear disc 28 having formed thereon or secured thereto a plurality of cam members 26 affording therebetween spaces 27, the rear face of these cams being in the form of a peak as indicated at 28. In the present instance we have illustrated certain of these cams as inte lly formed and other of the cams as 105 app ied to the flange 25 and secured thereto, the last named cams having an extended forward portion 29, the forward end of which is secured to the flange 25. of the for ward disc 23 so that these discs are firmly 0 held in proper s aced relation and the peripheries of the iscs rendered rigid one to the other. a I

When the discs are so secured the slots of the discs align with one another, the long slots of one disc aligning with the long slots of the other. Through the slots of the front discs 23 bolts 30 are inserted, the heads 31 arranged forwardly, the rear ends of the bolts being threaded and having applied thereto a retaining nut 32, the heads 31 and nuts 32 of the bolts being of greater size than theslots and accordingly maintaining the bolts against displacement by the slots. These bolts will roll upon the walls of the slots 24 and accordingly will be arranged at the inner ends of the slots at the upper sides of the discs and at the lower ends of the slots at the lower sides .of the discs provided the slots are free from articles to be vended. By inspecting Figure 1 of the drawings, the reason for forming certain of the slots shorter than the remaining slots will become obvious, the shortening of alternate slots permitting passing of the heads of the bolts 30 and preventing interference with the bolt of one slot by the bolts of adjacent slots. At the same time it permits certain of the slots to be extended for the greatest possible distance into the disc. In filling the same with the articles to be vended, the upper section 19 of the rear wall is thrown down and the pencils or other articles are inserted through the slots of the discs 23. so that they rest upon the bolts 31, the upper half of the discs being filled. When the shaft is rotated to place these filled slots toward the bottom of the case, attention is called tothe fact that as these filled slots approach the bottom the weight of the bolts 30 is placed upon the pencils in the slots and the pencils accordinglyforced downwardly until they come in engagement with the inher faces of the flanges 25 at which time if the slot in which they repose be aligned with the ejector mechanism they will be positioned for ejection.

The second half of the machine may'then be filled and the machine placed in operation. The plunger 16 hereinbefore referred to has an upward extension 33 directed through a slot 34 formed in the partition 11. The upper end of this extension is provided with a guiding plunger 35 and an article ejector 36. The guidmg plunger 35 is ada ted to engage the wheel at the outer sur ace of the flange 25 of the rearmost disc 23 and by this engagement intermediate the cams 26 thereof to rotate the wheel sufficiently to provide an exact ali ment of the selected slots 24 containing se ected articles between the discharge opening 37 of the front wall and the article ejector 36 as the plunger is moved forward andprior to the engagement of the article ejector with the article. Continued forward movement of the plunger results in the machine being moved forwardly so that its forward end is projected outwardly of the casing through the opening 37 where it may be removed by the purchaser. If in the operation of the machine a slot from which all of the articles to be vended have been removed is aligned with the ejector 36, the ejector in its forward movement will engage in lieu of the end of the article to be ejected the rear end of the bolt 30 occupying the slot, and since forward movement of this bolt will be prevented by the nut 32 thereof,

movement of the plunger is prevented prior I to the time when the lock releasing coin by means of which the plunger has been released for movement is positioned, so that the plunger may be released and the wheel rotated to bring a slot having an article therein into alignment therewith.

From the foregoing it is believed to be obvious that by constructing our machine in accordance with the foregoing, means are provided whereby the articles are fed to the proper position for ejection and for simultaneously holding a great many different varieties of such articles. Means are also provided preventing loss of possible customers through failure of the machine to deliver an article. At the same time an extremely simple and durable device is provided and one which may be manufactured at a relatively low cost. It has often been noted that with machines of this type, the articles carried by the machine are surreptitiously removed through the discharge opening 37 thereof. In order to prevent such occurrence we provide about the outer end of this opening a truncated cone-shaped cap 38 having an opening in its outer end aligning with the opening 37 and having at its inner end a pair of springs 39 which yield outwardly to permit a passage of the vended article but which hold against inward pressure and close the passage except during the discharge of a vended article.

What is claimed is 1. In a vending machine, a casing, a support'rotatable within the casing, the casing having an opening formed in the wall thereof and being provided with an ejector shiftable toward and away from'the o ening, the lower portion of the periphery o the rotatable support being arranged in the path of the ejector, said support having radial merchandise slots formed therein selectively alignable with the ejector and opening, and means slidable in the slots forcing merchandise contained therein downwardly in the selected slot to align with said ejector and limiting the movement of the ejector when the merchandise of the slot is exhausted.

2. In a vending machine, a casing, a support rotatable Within the casing, the cas of the ejector when the merchdise of the.

slot is exhausted, comprising n member slideble in the slot end heving at its ends enlnrgemcnts shutting the d i of the support.

for rotetin the support to n a:

3. In it vendin machine, ecnsing, e. support rotntnble within the cesing, the cusing having on opening formed in the well thereof end being provided with en ejector shiittnble toward and sway from the coning, the lower portion of the peripery of the rotntnble support being nrrnnged in the puth oi the ejector, seid support having redinl merchandise slots formed therein selectively nligneble with the ejector end opening, and menns slidehle in the slots torcing merohendise contained therein downwnrdly in the selected slot to align with said plunger end limiting the movement of the lunger when the merchandise oi the slot is exhausted, end inesns curried by the ejecto engaging snid. support in edvnnce of the ejector end nccurntely nligning the selected slot with the ejector.

e, in n vending mechine, e cesing, n support roteteble within the casing and including spaced discs hnving aligned ally entcndmg slots formed therein, the cos hnving an opening formed in the well there,

of with which the outer ends of the slots ere nlignnble, moons cxteriorly oi the cusing for rotnting the support to elign. u

' selected slot with the opening, and members slidublc in said slots heving enlor ed por- .tions :ibuttin remote feces of said iscs and seeking the ower ends of said slots by grnvity es the support is rotated.

5. ln s, vending machine, it casing, n sup port rotatable within the casing end including spaced discs hnving aligned rndia lly extending slotsviormcd therein, the casing having an opening formed in the well thereof with which the outer ends of the slots are alignnble, menns enteriorly of the cnsin u sclecte slot with t e opening, members sliduble in ssid slots hevin enler ed portions abutting remote feces 0 said discs. and seeking the lower ends of snid slots by vity es the support is rotated, and on egector aligned with the opening and engngin the lowermost erticle conteined in the s ots of said discs aligned with the open and projecting the same through the opening of the casing during its forward movement.

6. in a vending machine, a casing, a support rotatable within the casing end. including spaced discs having aligned radially extending slots formed therein, the casing having an openin formed in the well thereof with which t e outer ends of the slots ere alignnble, means exteriorly of the easin tor ting the support to align e. seected slot with the openin, members slideble in, said slots heving surged portions shutting remote faces of said discs and seeking the lower ends of said slots by gravity es the support is rotnted, and en ejector aligned with the opening and engaging the lowermost article contnined in the slots of said discs aligned with the opening and projecting the some throughthe opening of the cnsing during its forward movement, end means carried by the ejector end engaging the support in ndvunce oi the ejector eccurntely aligning n selected slot between the @JJQCMI' end the opening.

7. A merchandise support for vending mnchines of the (she-rector described, comprising o sheit't, spaced discs secured to the shelt, ench provided with e peripheral ilnn, rndiu-l slots formed in said discs, and members slideble in said slots having portions abutting remote feces of the discs.

8, In u merchandise support for vending machines, at she-it, a. pole of spnced'discs curried b the shaft end having peripheral flanges, n igned rndiel slots formed in said disc, n'lternete slots having their inner ends further remote from the axis of the discs then the remeining slots, and bolts slideble.

in corresponding slots of the discs having their hends abutting the outer face of one disc and provided upon the opposite end with n nut abutting the outer face of the other disc,

9. In a merchnndise support for vending muchines, n sheiit, n pair of spaced discs carried by the shaft end having peripheral finnges, nligned rsdialslots formed in said disc, alternate slots having their inner ends further remote from the axis of the discs than the remaining slots, and bolts slidable in corresponding slots of the discs having their heads shutting the outer face of one 7 disc end provided upon the opposite end with n, nut abutting the outer face of the other disc, and positionin cams attached to the ilnnge of one of seid ises.

10. in e merchendise support for vendingmachines, at shaft, e pair of spaced discs carried by the shaft end having peripheral hen, eligned redial slots formed in said disc, alternate slots hsving'their inner ends further remote from the axis of the discs in corresponding slots of the discs having their hoods shutting the outer fees of one then the remaining slots, end boltsslideble having an opening formed in the wall thereof with which the outer ends of -the slots are alignable, means exteriorly of the casin "for rotating the support to align a selecterf slot with the opening, and members 's'lidable-in said slots havin enlarged portions abutting remote faces of said discs and seeking the lower ends of said slots by'gravity'as the support is rotated, and a truncated coneshaped member having its base abutting the outer surface of "the casing about'said opening and provided at its outer end with an opening aligning with the opening of the casing, and means within said member permitting passage of an article from the opening of the casing and preventing passage of an article from the opening of the outer end thereof.

12. In a vending machine, a casing, a sup- -port rotatable within the casing and including spaced discs'having aligned radially extending slots formed therein, the casing having an opening formed in the wall thereof with which the outer ends of the slots are alignable, means exteriorly of the casing for rotatin the support to align a selected slot with t e opening, and members-slidable in saidslots having enlarged portions abutting remote faces of said discs and seeking the lower ends of said slots by gravity as the support is rotated, and a truncated cone shaped member having its base abutting the outer surface of the casing about said opening and provided at its outer end with an opening aligning with the opening of the casing, and means within said member permitting passage of an article from the opening of the casing and preventing passage of an article from the opening of the outer endthereof, comprising a pair of springs yielding against pressure from within the casing and normally the 'sam'e.

overlying the opening of the casing to close 13. A merchandise support for vending 14. Ina vendin' machine, a casing, a

support rotatable within the casing, the casing having an opening formed in the wall thereof ahdfbeing provided with an ejector shiftable toward and 'awayfrom the opening, the lower portion of the periphery of the rotatable support being arranged in the path-of the ejector, said support having radial merchandise slots formed there- 'in "selectively alignable with the ejector and opening. means slidable in the slots forcing merchandise contained therein downwardly in the selectedslot to align with said ejector and limiting movement of the ejector when the merchandise of the slot is exhausted, and coacting means upon said ejector and suppoi t'for accurately ali in a-selected slot between the ejector an sai opening.

15. A merchandise support for vending machines of the character described, comprising a shaft, spaced discs secured to the shaft, each provided with a peripheral flange, -radial slots formed in said discs, members slidable in said slots having portions abutting remote faces of the discs, and positioning cams attached to the flange of one of said discs, certain of said cams being provided with extensions rigidly engaging the flange of the other disk.

16. A merchandise support for vending machines of'the character described, comprising a shaft;-'spaced discs secured to the shaft, aligned-radial? slots formed in said discs, and means associated with the discs for'shifting-merchandise within the slots toward the outer ends'of theslots when the 'merchandise'in the slot is beneath the shaft.

our signatures.

' LEE ROY sPooNER.

PAUL L. GRAY. I

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