US1787723A - Coin-operated liquid-dispensing machine - Google Patents

Description

Jan 6, 1931.

R. E. COLLINS 1,787,723

COIN OPERATED LIQUID DISPENSING MACHINE I 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed June 9, 1928 R.E.C0llins GH meg Jan 6, 1931. R. E. COLLINS COIN OPERATED LIQUID DISPENSING MACHINE Filed June 9, 1928 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 R.E.Collins 1/ Z W attozweg Patented Jan. 6, 1931 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE,

ROBERT'E. COLLINS, F TOPEKA, KANSAS, ASSIGNOR OF'ONE-FOUR'IH TO CONSTANTINE G. CHUMOS, OF TOPEKA, KANSAS COIN-OPERATED LIQUID-TDISPIEIYI'SIITG MACHINE Application filed June 9,

lhe present invention relates to improvements in coin operated automatic liquid dispensingmachines, and has for an object to provide a gasoline or other liquid vending machine of the general type shown and described in my co-pending application, Serial No. 25%,098, filed February 13, 1928, in which the device is operably associated with a coin controlled mechanism so arranged and con nected that the vending mechanism may deliver a predetermined quantity of the liquid only after the insertion of a proper coin in the coin controlled mechanism.

Another object of the present invention is 16 to provide a liquid dispensing device in which the use of an attendant is entirely'dispensed with, and whereby the liquid may be dispensed automatically by the machine, for instance at night after the gasoline station is closed.

A further object of the invention resides in providing an improved liquid dispensing machine in which the action is under the control of a coin governed mechanism having as apart thereof a device to automatically make change.

A still further object of the invention is to provide, in connection with a liquid dispensing or other machine, a coin controlled mechanism and associated change making device, in which the change making device is subject to adjustment for repeatedly delivering a fixed sum in change upondeposit of a coin of predetermined denomination.

Other objects of the invention are to provide a coin controlled device which can only be operated subsequent to the insertionof a coin within the device, and only by means of the coin; to provide means whereby a predeafter an initial coin of predetermined denomination has been properly inserted in the machine and only after the machine has been operated to cause deli very of the quantity of liquid for which it is set; to provide a liquid dispensing machine and a coin controlled mechanism, individually and collectively of .50 simple and compact construction associated termined amount of change or coins of small value will be delivered to the operator'only 1928. Serial No. 284,037.

in a novel and compact manner for simple and ready operation.

WVith the foregoing and other objects in vi'ew,the invention will be more fully described hereinafter, and will be more particularly pointed out in the claims appended hereto.

In the drawings, wherein like symbols refer to like or corresponding parts throughout .the several views,

1 Figure 1 shows a side elevation, with parts broken away and parts illustrated in section, of a gasolineor liquid measuring and distributing machine, and a coin operated controlling mechanismtherefor. 1

Figure 2 is a top plan View of the coin operated cont-rolling mechanism for said machine with certain parts shown in section.

Figure'3 is a vertical sectional view of the controlling mechanism taken on the line 3-3 of Figure 1 and looking in the direction of the HlIOWS}. s i

Figure 4 is an ei'ilarged detail side view, with parts broken away and parts shown in section, of the change making mechanism or coin delivering apparatus, and

Figure 5 is an enlarged sectional detail showing the electrical contacts employed for closing a circuit by means of the coin.

Referring more particularly to the drawing, 10 indicates the groundline or surface or a. gasoline filling station conventional for automobiles, Numeral 11 indicates upright supports or legs, and 12 a housing which is adapted to surround the mechanism and prevent unauthorized persons from tampering with the interior arrangement of its parts; it being understood that the fragment of the housing 12 which is shown is continued upon all sides of the machine. Numeral 13 indicates a cylindrical container or measuring device mounted upon the support or legs 11, said container preferably being formed of transparent glass. 14 and 15 respectively indicate the bottom and top of the member and 16 indicates a vent hole cap. The numbers 14 and 15 are preferably formed of metal. 17 indicates a graduated scale termed upenthc Wall of thememher 13, its graduations denoting gallons oi dicates a conduit pipe adapted to conduct the air from the compressor engine to the tank 18, the latter being preferably placed above the ground. 20 indicates apipe leading from the pressure tank 18 upwardly for purposes later described. The pipe 20 is provided with a pressure reducing "valve 21 shown in dotted lines, which is adapted to reduce the pressure of the storage tank to a pressure, of say, thirty pounds to the square inch.

Numeral 22 indicates a pipe leading from the. mechanism abovethe ground to a small auxiliary tank 23, whichzis placed below the ground. The upper ends of the pipes 20 and 22 are adapted to have communicationwith each other by opening a valve 24.

A pipe 25 is connected with the bottom oi: the auxiliary tank 23 and is connected to the bottom of the measuring device 13, and is provided with a check valve 26. A pipe 27 is attached to the bottom of the measuring device and is in communication with an outlet pipe 28 at desired times and at other times said communication is cut oti by means of a valve 29; The pipe 28 is in communication with a flexible hose 30whic-h is provided with a nozzle 31..

The measuring device 13 is in communication at all times with an over-fiowpipe 32. The pipe 32 extends downwardly and is in communication with a gasoline or liquid storage tank 33 which is preferably located below the ground and is of large capacity.

Within the over fiow pipe 32 a bucket 34 is placed. The bucket isprovided witha plurality of small apertures 35 w iich extend through its bottom portion in a. manner whereby liquid contents placed within the bucket will gradually seep through or leak through said apertures. The bucket is suspended upon a wire 36 which extends through the overflow pipe 32. Tue valve 29 is provic ed for cutting oii the flow of liquid from the member 13 to the hose 30. 7

About the overflow pipe 32 is placed a housing 39 which is attached tothe bottom 14; of the measuring device 13. The housing 39 encircles the overflow pipe 32 in a manner whereby leakage of gasoline from the member 13 will be prevented. The interior diameter of the housing 39 is larger than theexterior diameter of the overflow pipe 32'and in the space thus formed a tubular. adjustable member 10 is loosely positioned whereby it is adapted to have vertical reciprocating movement. A rod il is attached'to the bottom of the tubular member40 and extends outwardly of the housing 39 anddownwardlyfl akage at this point being prevented by means of a packing ring 12. Upon the lower end of the rod 11 and exteriorly of the sides of the housing 12, a handle 43 is provided. An adjustable indicating finger 4 is mounted upon the rod 41. At any convenient point, such as upon the .side wall of the device or a leg thereof, an indicating scale 45'is provided. The graduations of the scale 4-5 correspond with the graduations of the scale 17 formed upon the measuring'vessel 13. Adjacent the scale 45 lugs are provided as shown at 46 whereby upon the placement of the indicating finger 44 upon said lugs, the adjustable tubular overflowpipe 40 will be heldand prevented t'rom downward movements. A housing 47 for the valves 24 and 29 is provided. The housing is provided with achamber 48 which is in communication at all times with thepipe 20 and a second chamber 4-9 is likewise in communication with the pipe 22.

The valve 24; is attached to its stem 50 by any suitable means and it will be understood that when the stem 50 is moved outwardly that communication will be established between the pipes 20 and 22. A vent 51 is provided upon the valve housing 47 whereby communication with the atmosphere is at all.

times established with an interior chamber 52, of the valve. Communication between the chambers-i9 and 52 may be prevented at desired times by means of a valve 53 which is slidably and. loosely mounted upon its valve stem 50. .It will be noted that upon a movement of the valve stem 50 that the valve 55 will seat and cut 05 communication between the chambers49 and 52 since the valve 53is provided with a spring 5 1- which when the stem 50 is moved upwardly, is of greater resistance than thirty pounds, air pressure.

The spring 54 is provided with a pin or keeper 55, said pin being mounted through the stem p;

The valve 29 s adpistably mounted upon its valve 29 at the other end, or being otherwise 1 so disposed as to return the valve stem 50 toward the right, or to the posit on lndicated in Figure 1, which is its normal position.

A fiat or other spring 37 is carried by the end portion of a reciprocating rod 71 and bears against a lever for the. purpose of normally holding up the receptacle 3%, which is connected to the lever 60 through the wire 36. p The l-ever6O is pivoted, as indicated'at 61, upon the end portion of the reciprocating actuating shaft or rod 71; and said le ver is provided with an upstanding lug 62 in the path of the head 58, said lug having abeveled face'at one side and an abrupt right angular face at the other side.

At is shown a housing for the coin controlled mechanism, which may be attached any suitable manner and by any suitable means to'the'liquid dispensing machine. The

dog 74 will descend bygravity into flocking engagement with the shaft '71v and prevent its operation. The dog 74 constitutes an armature or is connected to the armature, for an electromagnet 76, positioned above, or ad- ]acent, the dog and supported within the housing 70 in any appropriate manner. This electromagnet is arranged to be energized by abattery or other source of current indicated at 78. through the circuit wire 77, by which the battery communicates directly with the electromagnet, and the wires 79 and 81 which connect the other side of the battery with the w opposite side of the electromagnet through the coin 84, when such coin reposes in the coin chute 83. This construction is'more particularly shown in Figure 5, in which and 82 represent binding posts connected respectively to theelectrical contact plates 86 and 85'which are electrically connected with the bindingposts and therefore with the circuit wires, but which are insulated from the surrounding walls of the coin chute.

The plate 86 may be curved at its lower or inner end to interpose an obstacle to the free passage of the coin and to retain the coin in position across the plates 85 and 86 until such time as the coin is forcibly dislodged. The plate 86' is also preferably pivoted an-d associated with a spring 87which holds the plate in the position, shownv in Figure 5, until the applied force referred to is exercised'to rotate this plate and dislodge the coin, whereupon it will fall into the bottom: of the casing 70orinto a suitable coin depository. place therein. Any suitable means maybe provided for ejecting the coin 84 from between there- I silient contacts 85 and 86, the means shown in the instant case consisting of" a finger 88',

which is pivotally attached to the shaft '71:,"

as shownat 89; As illustratediin Figure 1, the finger 88'is-in a normal positiomwhich position it occupies before" the shaft 1 is moved; and it will be understood that=,:when the operator moves the shaft 7l outwardly, the sharplowerpoint of the finger 88'will'be moved-to the opposite side ofthe coin '84 and that, when the shaft 71 returns to a normal position,influenced by the spring 7 2, the finger 88 willpry or move the coin 84 outwardly from between the contacts 85 and 86 it being understood that the coin 84 makes a close fit within the slot, andthat the upper edge of the-contact 85, as shown in Figure'2, is-slotted in a manner to permit thesharp lower edge of the finger 88 to. come in contact with the coin 84. V v

Upon the shaft 71, an outwardly projectmg arm 90 is provided, so disposed as to strike one arm of a'bell crank lever 91 pivotally mounted upon a shaft 92 supported within the housing 7 O. I Theother arm of the bell crank lever is attachedto a rod 93. The upper end of the rod 93 is coupled to an arm 94 rigid upon ashaft 95 pivotally journaled within the housing by any suitable means, such as shown at 96; A plurality of arms 98 are adj'ustably secured .to the shaft 95, as by theset screws 99, whereby the arms may be 89 shifted angularly about the shaft, as for instance shown in the full and dotted line position in Figure 4. 7 l

These arms98 are arranged to'operate the change making mechanism, which is of a conventional form in use today by street-car conductors and the like; It consists primarily of one ormore tubular members 100 for containi-ng stacks of coins 101. Thesetubular members are supported from the side walls of the housing by shelves 102. Thell'ast coin upon the bottom of each stack is adapted to be moved outwardly by the following mechanism, which is the same for each change makingdevice. I i

The push member 103 slides along the shelf ranged to bear upon the arm 107 for the purpose ofv returning the slide 103and connected parts toia normalposition which is toward the-wall 70in Figure 4. The member 103 is shifted outwardly to dispense a coin from the holder 110, as follows A lever 110 is pivotally mounted, as at 1 11 to a fixed part or casing wall and bears against the arm- 107 at the point m (Figure 4*) at the side opposite that engaged the spring'1- O9Q The lever 110 'is adapted to loosely'encircle the'coin container 100 and is provided with an outwardlyextending portion 112' situated in'the path of the respective tappet or finger member 98. One such tappet or finger member 98'- is provided for the lever ofeach' change making mechanism;

The dispensed'chang'e 101 drops from the sincethemembers 98 aresecuredtp the. shaft 95 by means of the set screws'99, themotion of the shaft or actuating rod 71 .will be communicated to the members1112.

A downward movement of one or. all of arranged so that the coins 8 1 introduced into the members 98 will cause a corresponding downward movement of the lever 112 for ejecting a coin from the holder'lOO. These holders 100 may be in any suitable number such as for holding stacks of pennies, nickles, dimes and quarters. V The operation is as follows V Assuming that the dispensing mechanism has been set and locked by the filling station attendant so that it will dispense no more and no less than five gallonsof gasoline during one operation, as heretofore described in my coepending application above referred to; and further assuming that the current price i or value of five gallons of gasoline is ninety- 'machine for the night.

five cents; and assuming that a customer drops a silver dollar in the coin chute 83,'then this silver dollar represented at 84, completes a circuit through the electromagnet 76, energizing the magnet and causing it to attract its armature or looking dog 7 4 out of locking engagement with the slot 7 3 of the actuating rod orshaft 71'enabling such rod or shaft to be pulled outwardly by the customer engaging the handle 57 The diiference between the value of the deposited coin, namely one dollar, and the value of the gasoline being five cents, the. machine will automatically make change for this amount and deliver such change totheexterior of the machine, or in other words to the external receptacle picked out by the cus The operation of the tappet 98 for themrious change making units from the movementof therod or shaft 71 has already been described. These'dogs, arms or tappets 98 may be all-set in the raised position indicated in dotted lines in Figure 4, with the exception ofthat particular dog 98 which registers withthefive cent stacks of; coins. In this s. manner, a downward movement of the rod 93 will'cause one coin,'denomination five cents, tobe ejected for each pull of the shaft or rod 71 and no coins from the one cent, tencent or twenty-five cent stack of coins will be dispensed,since the dogs 98 for the latter are in the raised position, such dogshaving been raised and set-screwed in this position by the gasoline station attendant when he set the It's obvious that .the machine mayi be set bythe operator, so that it will" dispense any selected coin, or any selected number of coins for each pull of the shaft 71 in accordance with the. retail price of gasoline. I

It will be understood that coin testing de vices not shown, may be utilizedwith the device, if preferred, andthat the coin chute or slot 83 maybe. curved or shaped in a manner whereby, an unauthorized person would be preventedfrom inserting a piece of metal other than a coin into the slot for closing the circuit. V

Itis also obvious that the device may be and over-flow pipe 40 and looks it in the adjusted position for the night, so that a pre determined quantity, for instance five gallons, of gasoline can bedispensed by the machine for each pull upon the operating rod or shaft 71. v

WVhen the shaft 71 is pulled out, the lever 61 is moved so that the lug 62 strikes the head 58 and. shifts the'valve stem 50 to the left opening the valve Qetand closing the valves 53 and 29. Thereupon, compressed air from the receptacle 18 passing through pipes 20 and22 will lift the gasoline through the pipe 25 to the measuring receptacle 13 as stated in my previously mentioned co-pending application. This gasoline will rise in the measuring receptacle 13 until it reaches a volume of five gallons whereuponit will beginto overflow thepipe This overflow will be partially caught in the receptacle 34 and when sufficient weight of gasoline accumulates in the receptacle 34 to out-weigh the load of the spring 87., the lever will bev pulled down withdrawing the dog 62 from engagement with the head 58. The coil spring 59 will'then return the valve stem andvalves to the normal position shown in Figure'l. Themeasured quantity of gasoline in the measuring device 13 will thenflow "out the hose into the vehicle tank. Indonot wish to be restricted to' the size,

form, and proportions of the various parts, a I

and obviously changes could bemade in the construction herein described without departing from the spirit of the invention, it

being only necessary that such changes fall within the scope of the appended claims What is claimed is I 1. In a change-making device, an operating member, a pin on the'operating member, a bell-crank lever positioned to be moved by said pin, a rock-shaft, an arm onthe rockshaftfa link connecting-said lever andshaft,

magazines for coins, and means operable from said rock-shaftfor ejecting coins from said magazines. j

2. In achange-maki-ng device, coin magazines, slides to eject coin from themagazines, pivoted arms connected to said slides, spring means acting on the arms to hold the slides in an initial position, levers engaging said arms, tappets for striking said levers and operating means for said tappets.

3. In a change-making device, coin magazines, a shelf spaced below the magazines, slides movable along the shelf beneath the magazines, pivoted arms coupled to said slides, spring means acting on the arms to hold the slides in an initial position, slotted levers extending about said arms and spring means and bearing against the arms to move same together with the connected slides, and selectively-adjustable tappets for striking said levers.

4:. In a change-making device a casing, a shelf therein, coin magazines above the shelf, slides movable along the shelf beneath the magazines, links coupled to the slides, arms pivoted to the links and to the casing, springs fixed in the casing and bearing against the forward edges of the arms, slotted levers fulcrumed in the casing and bearing against the rear edges of the arms, said levers extending about the arms and springs, and selectively-adjustable tappets for actuating said levers.

In testimony whereof, I have affixed my signature.

ROBERT E. COLLINS.

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