US1648813A - Vending machine - Google Patents

Description

2 SheetsfSheet l Nov. 8, 1927.

O. N. KELLY vENDlNG MACHINE Filed NOV. 15. 1926 www o. N. KELLYV i VENDING MACHINE v vFiled'Nov. 15. 1926 2 sheets-sheet 2 Y LEED a m N .Mw/y

Patented Nov. 8, 1927.

` UNITED srrA'rizsA 'PATENT OFFICE.

oRsoN N, KELLY, E Los ANGELES, CALIFORNIA.

VENDING MACHINE.

Application led November 13, 1926.- Serial No. 148,197.

, a coin controlled vending machine occupying comparatively small space but having a max imum capacity. A further object of the invention is to provide a coinA operated vending ma-chine by means of which a plurality of stacks oi' articles or packages may be delivered, the rear stack being delivered before the delivery of the front stack, leaving the front stack on display While the delivery of the rear stackis being made. Another object is the provision'of a coin controlled .nechanism embodying a plurality of ejectors, which yare designed to act upon different stacks of articles. -A` further object is the provision of novel controls against reverse movement of a coin control mechanism. A still further object is the provision of means for insuring return of coin from the machine when is does not operate, and for providing for the refusal of slugs in the' operation of the machine... A still further object is the provision of .means for locking the coin control mechanism and for returning the coin when the machine is empty.

Among the objects are simplicity of construction, inexpensiveness and a practically fool-proof machine, and'one which will give continuous service with little attention Other objects and advantages of the invention will hereinafter appear in the following description and the novel features thereof Will be particularly pointed out inthe appended claims.

Like letters of reference indicate like parts throughout the several figures ofthe draw ings, in` which Figure 1 is a section through the vending machine with an empty rear compartment,

Figure 2 is an elevation of the back of the machine detached-and with va part of the vback plate broken away,

Figure 3 is a rear elevation of a lower portion of the machine With the back removed and with no articles in the machine,

Figure l is a section taken on the line 1f-74 of Figure 1 .I

other.

Figure 5 is a section taken on the' line 5 5 of Figure 1, and

Figures 6 to 11 are details.

The vending machineconsists of a casing 10 having therein a plurality of stacks of articles for delivery, the stacks occupying the relative positions of fron-t and rear to each Beneath the commodity compartment of the casing is a coin controlling oper ating mechanism designed for accomplishing the delivery of articlesfrom all of the stacks. The 'casing back carries the coin entrance chute as Well as the coin delivery chute.

.These parts will 110W beA described in det-ail and their conjoint relationship pointed out. In the drawings, there is illustrated a casing` embodying four stacks of packages or articles, but it will be appreciated thatA the parts are duplicated in the right and left compartments.

l The casing 10 comprises a front commodity compartment 11, a rear commodity compartment 12, a coin control mechanism compartment 13 and a delivery compartment 14. The compartments 11 and 12 are filled With stacks of articles to be delivered upon the insertion of a coin in the machine upon the operation of a pull rod. The bottom 15 of these compartments is suitably slotted at 16 (see Figure 4) for the projection thereabovc of a pair of ejcctors designed to eject articles from the machine, and suitably notched at 18 to permit one of the ejectors to fall into inactive-position at the end of its travel. At the front of the compartment l1 there is a guard 19 designed to hold an article in the compartment but to be moved forward When the article is to be delivered.

' The back 20 of the casing is provided With a plate 21, attached thereto by lugs and screws 22, and forms the rear Wall of the re'ar vcommodity compartments. Attached to the back are coinchutcs 23 into which the coin is dropped by means of the slot 24.

One wall of the chute is' provided, Wit-h a cutaway portion 25 and a boss 26 to elim-. mate coins-smaller than required. At the.

lower end of the back are delivery chutes 27 designed -to receive coins directly from the chute 23 when the rear ejector is out of the path of the coins,and also to receive coin from the rear ejector When the said l i slot 16 in the bottom plate 15.

ejector is locked against' movement, and to receive slugs too light to a'ctuate the ejector'. It will be appreciated that when the back is upon the casing and a coin fallswithin 4the chute 27, it will be delivered from the ma chine through the coin return cup 28 on the outside of the casing. The plate 21 at its lower edges' is 'provided with suitable notches 29 to permit the ejector to move forward after the coin has tilted it.`

Beneath the bottom plate ,15 a carrier 30 (see Fig. 5) is slidably mounted within the casing. This carrier is shown as formed of a single piece of heavy stock wire in rectangular form with an extension forwaid to constitute a pull rod 31, having a knob 32. On the rear portion 33 of the carrier is formed a support 34 for the pivoted ejector .35. This ejector comprises a coin pocket 36 at one end,lying normally in the path of.

the coin 37 as it descends the chute 23. The opposite end of the ejector constitutes a commodity engaging head 38, which is provided with a lip 439 to ride upon the edge of the On the support 34 is a loop 40, which limits the movements of the ejector and reinforces its pivot 41.

The ejector is shown in Figure 6 in full lines in normal position to receive a coin from the chute 23. If such coin is of proper weight, it will operate the ejector to a position shown in dotted lines when the head 38 will be rais-ed above the level of the bottom 15. In the position shown in full lines, the pocket 36 has an inclined bottom 42, which will direct a light weight slug or coin into the chute 27 and also direct any full weight coin into said chute when it fails totrip.

Mounted on the forward portion of the carrier 30-is a support 42, to which is piv oted at a supplemental ejector 43 comprising a head 44 and a counterbalance 46. The active position of the supplemental ejector is shown in full lines in Figure 8 while its dotted line position indicates its position when an article rests upon the bottom 15 above the ejector, forcing the head 44 through the slot 16. This supplemental ejector is free to assume its full line position whenever no article presses uponA its head, and its movements are limited by the stop pin 47 and by the counterbalance 46 against lthe under surface of the bottom 15.

The mechanism chamber 13 contains a partition 48 and a standard 49. The partition 48 (see Figure 6) holds the coin in the pocket 36 after the ejector lhas been actuated vby the coin. As the carrier 30 advances toward the front of the machine upon a pull upon the knob the head 38 will ride upon the edge of the slot 16 inplate 15, and will be held elevated in this position until it reaches the notch 18 in the plate 15. At the same time the coin is maintained drops below the plate 15.

in the pocket 36 bythe partition 48 until it fall into the chamber 13, and the ejector will then'assume the position where the head 38 This is accomplished by the weight of the head assisted by having the pocket ride upon an incline 51, which is part of the partition 48. On the partition 48 may be placed notches 52 to engage the coin and prevent backward movement of the carrier when the coin is in the pocket.

As shown in Figure 6, the standard 49 will' prevent the forward movement of the carrier, because of the engagement of the head 38 with the rear face of the standard. When, however, the ejector is actuated, the head rises above the standard 49, and may be moved forward. After completing its forward movement, the carrier is returned to normal position by means of a spring 53 attached at one end to the forward portion of the carrier and at the other to a pin 54 on the standard.Y The upper edge of the standard is provided with notches 50, with which the head of the ejector engages in its rearward travel, said notches preventing the return movement forward of the carrier.

The package guard 19, which closes the forward compartment, is mounted upon the pull rod 31 and moves from the front compartment as the rodis'pulled forward. In

order to prevent the securing of an article when the guard 19 is away from the front compartment, a supplemental guard 55 is pivotally mounted upon the under surface of the plate 15 and has its forward portion flanged and adapted to rise within the slot 16 in advance of an article in the front compartment, at the time the pull vrod is actuated. The forward portion of the carrier in its movement forward will cause the supplemental guard to come into guarding position. As the carrier moves backward, the guard will drop and is limited in its downward movement by the heel 56.

Means j are provided for insu-ring thc return of a coin when the machine is empty. For this purpose a lock is provided for .the ejector 35, consisting of a projecting end 56 of a rod 57, which is adapted to be extended into the path ofthe head 38 of the ejector, as shown in Figure 10. The rod is'mounted in bearings upon the under surface of the bottom 15, and normally lies with a forward bent end within the plain of the bottoni 15, as shown in Figure 11, a slot 59 being in the bottom 15 below the front commodity coin-X ings and the front end to project above the bottom 15. The rear bearing is provided with aA cam groove in lwhichtravels a pin on bottom 15.

the rod 57. It will be appreciated that when there is a package or article in the front compartment, the bent end 58 will be depressed against the action of the weight 60, and in this condition the projecting end 56 will be out of the path of the head 38 of the ejector,-

-' against actuation. In that event, if a coin is dropped-into the machine, it will fail to operate the ejector and will be returned through the chute 27.

The operation of themachine is as follows: Articles or packages are stacked in both the front and rear commodity compartments. A coin is inserted in the slot 24 and falls within the pocket 36 of the ejector 35, which depresses that end of the ejector and raises the head 38 thereof into a position where the lip 39 engages the edgeof the slot 16of the This head is then directly behind one of the packages 62 in the rear compartment. Upon a pull upon the rod 82, the ejector as shown in Figure 7 will advance the package 62 and at. the same time the package 63 in front of it, which was the lowermost package in the front stack. During this operation the guard 19 has been advanced so that the package 63.may fall upon the incline 64 and be delivered from the compartment 14 of the machin-e. At the time of the delivery of the package 63, the package 62 will have advanced to occupy the lowermost position in the front stack, taking the place of the package 63. The supplemental guard has been lifted by the carrier to prevent the package 62 from being removed from the machine While the rod is in advanced position. y

In the detail description of the coincontrol mechanism, it has been made clear how the forward travel of the carrier parts is accomplished, and how reverse mov-ement thereof is accomplished while travelling forward by the coin coacting with the notches 52, and how reverse movement thereof is accomplished while travelling backward by the stops 50 on the standard 49. v A

As soon as package 62 has advanced sutilciently to permit it, the remaining packages in the r-ear compartment will -fall and each `in its turn will rest upon the bottom 15. It will be appreciated that the operation just described in connection lwith the delivery of the package is repeated so that all of the packages in the rear compartment are advanced in their turn'to occupy the lowermost position in the front compartment,

r pushing the preceding package into delivery.

As long as packages remain 'in the rear compartment, the supplemental ejector 43 will lie inactive below the bottom 15. As indicated in Figure 1, however, when the packages have all been removed from the rear compartment, this supplemental ejector will rise and occupy a position behind the lowermostv package in the front compartment. As it moves with the carrier 30, subsequent advance movements of the carrier will cause the ejector 43 to push from the machine the'lowermost package in the front compartment.

It will be appreciated that the operation of the machine is still under the control of the ejector 35, and that the ,forward movement of the carrier is dependent upon the reception of coin in the pocket 36l of the ejector. The'supplemental ejector upon the delivery of a package is forced into inactive position, shown in dotted lines in F igure`8, by the Weight of the package falling upon it. This ejector then returns under the bottom 15 to the point where there is no longer any Weight above it, when it assumes the position shown in Figure 1 and by full lines in Figure 8. It will be noted that the ejector 43 has a rearwardly extendine ear, well lwithin the path of the falling pac age, so that the package is certain to depress it.

It will be obvious that the supplemental ejector is idle so long as there are packages in the rear. compartment, but when there are packages in the front compartment only, this ejector is employed to eject them.

By the employment of front"l and rear stacks of packages, and delivering them in the manner set forth, there i-s always a display of the packages in the front compartment just as long as there are packages in the machine. The rear compartment is rst exhausted before delivery is made of packages from* the front compartment.

It will be appreciated that the details of construction shown and described are merely indicative and that the invention may be embodied in other forms within the scope of. the appended claims.

Having claimed is:

1. A machine comprising a commodity chamber containing front and rear stacks-of articles, and a coin controlled device for delivering said articles Icomprising means for advanclng'an article dfrom the rear stack to the front stack at the same time that an article from thefront stack is being delivered and means active only 4after the rear stack is empty for delivering articles from the front stack. v

2. In a vending machine, a coin controlled mechanism for multiple stacks of articlesto be dispensed comprising a-carrier adapted to become operative upon the insertion of a coin, a pusher for advancing' an article from described the invention, what is ies one stack to another and for delivering an article from one stack, and a supplemental pusher for delivering an article after one stack has become exhausted.

3. A vending machine comprising fronting end being adapted to abut against, the

lovvermost article in the rear compartment, and a supplemental ejector on the forward portion et the carrier having a'commodity engaging head adapted to normally lie under the compartments and adapted to riseinto the rear compartment and to abut against a commodity in the front compartment when there is no commodity in the rear compartment, the forward movement' of the carrier and ejectors being dependent upon a coin being received .to actuate the rear ejector.

4. In a vending machine containing front and rear stacks of articles to be dispensed, a coin controlled delivering mechanism comprising a sliding carrier, an ejector mounted upon the rear of said carrier and adapted to'be tripped into active position upon the insertion ofv a coin to eject articles from the machine, and a supplemental ejector on the 'forward portion ot the carrier operable to eject articles from the machine when one of the stacks is empty. Y

5. The machine of claim 4L wherein the ejector on the carrier is provided` with a pocket for the coin and stops are provided on the machine to cooperate with the coin to prevent reverse movement of the carrier when the coin is in the pocket.

G. In a lvending machine, comprising a commodity chamber containing front and rear compartments, a coin controlled mechanism mounted below said chamber and comprising-a pivoted-ejector having a commodity engaging head adapted to project into the commodity chamber to advance the commodity and to drop below the commodity chamber in its return to normal position, and means below theicommodity chamber for engaging said head to preventforward movement, ot' the ejector during its return to normal position.

7. In a. vending machine having a commodity chamber, a coin controlled merlian'ism having an ejector actuated by the insertionof a coin, means 'tor locking said ejector against movement when no articles are present in the commodity chamber, said nie-ans comprising an element ot which one end projects into the commodity chamber and the other end of which projects into the path of the ejector.

8. In a vending machine, a casing, a chute untilted position, saidA admission Vchute dis'- charging directly into the delivery chute when the tiltable element is removed fromy v the path of the coin.

9. The machine specified in claim 8 Wherein the tiltable element 4is counterbalanced to operate and retain a coin yof proper Weight or to 'ail to operateand dump a coin of flighter weight into the delivery chute.

10. The machine specified in claim 48 wherein means are employed for looking the ejector against tilting when there are no articles left in the casing.

" 1l. In a device of the character described, front and rear commodity chambers for stacked articles, 'a carrier, an ejector mounted on the carrier and formed at'one end with a coin receiving member and With a commodity engaging member at the opposite end, and a supplemental ejector mounted on said carrier and adapted to engage an.

article which is not in position to be engaged by the coin receiving ejector.`

1Q. A coin 'controlled vending machine comprising front and rear commodity chambers, a slidable carrier under said chambers, pivoted ejectors attached to the carrier for emptying first the rear chamber and after- Wards the front chamber, one of said ejectors adapted to be tilted by an inserted tcoin, meansl coacting With said coin operated ejector' for locking said carrier against movement but permitting said movement When said ejector is tilted, means for advancing.

and returning the carrier, means for returning the coin when the coin operated ejector fails to tilt, and means for locking the coin operated ejector against tilting when the machine is empty.

13. In a vending machine. a casing having a bottom upon which front. and rear stacks of articles are adapted to rest, a coin controlled discharge carrier, means on the carrier for discharging the lowermost article in the front stack and tor advancing the lowermost article of the rear stack, and additional means tor delivering the loWermost article of the front stack when the rear stack is exhausted.

14. A vending lmachine comprising in combination a compartment for front and rear stacks of articles, means operable upon the introduction of acoin vtor dispensing said articles comprising a plurality of ejectors, one of saidejectors being adapted to advance an article from the rear stack to the front stack'and at the Sametime deliver an article' from the front stack, and the otherof said j coinl controlled mechanism for delivering ejectors adapted to deliver articles from the front stack When there are no articles in the rear stack.

15. A machinev comprising a compartment containing articles in stacked relationship, a

said articles comprising a pivoted lever "adapted to be tilted into active position upon the insertion of a coin to eject articles from the machine, a coin return chute, said lever being-so formed as to direct the coin into the coinreturn chute When said lever fails to tilt.

16. A machine comprisingr a housing con-l taining articles to be dispensed, a coin receiving chute, a coin return chute, and

an ejector mounted in the' path of the coin receiving chute and tiltable by the inserted coin to unlock the delivery mechanism' for delivering -articles from themachine and adapted upon the failure to tilt, to direct the com to the return chute.

17. A coin controlled machine comprising va casing having a plurality of stacks ot arti:

cles, means adapted to dispense the bottommost article of one stack'by abuting against a coin for emptying the rear stack and for also dispensing the lovvermost article in the front stackifuntil the rear stack. has been, depleted, and means for then dispensing the articles in forward position.

19. In a device of thecharacter described, front and rear commodity chambers for arti'- cles ,to be "Vended, a/ carrier, a pivoted lever mounted onjtlre carrier and formed at one end with a'coin receiving member and with avcommodit'y/ engaging member at' thel other end, and a supplemental lever vadapted to engage an article which is not'in a position to be engaged by the coin receiving lever.

20. The machine of claim -19 where the jthe,y front stack, and means for shifting the"p'1voted ejector as it reaches itsf 40 pivoted lever on the carrier is provided with v a-'poc'lcet" for Vthe coin and stops-fare provided to cooperate with the coin to. prevent reverse movement of the carrier when the coin is in the pocket.

21. A coin controlled 'vending machine comprising a chamber for commodities'to be dispensed, a slidable carrier under` said chamber, a pivoted ejector attached to the:

carrier for emptying ther chamber, said ejector adapted to be tilted by an inserted coin, means coacting with said coin operated ejector for locking said carrier against move- .ment but permitting said movement when said ejector is tilted, means for returning the coin when the coin operated ejector fails to tilt, and means 'for locking the ejector against tilting when the machine is empty.

In testimonywhereof I aiiix my signature.

oRsoN NQ KELLY.

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