US1830371A - Cup vending machine - Google Patents

Description

Nov. 3, 1931. L. H. MORIN 1,830,371

CUP VENDING MACHINE Jay 2.

I NVENTOR M ATTORNEY Nov. 3, 1931. H. MORIN A I CUP VENDING MACHINE Filed July 31, 1929 4 sheets sheet 2 mvzmog BY 2: A

ATTORNEY Nov. 3, 1931. H. MORIN CUP VENDING MACHINE -Fi'1ed July :51, 1929 '4 Sheets-Sheet 3 lNvENTpR BY {d ATTORNEY Nov. 3, 1931. H, MORIN 1,830,371

CUP VENDING MACHINE Filed July 51, 1929 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 6) 7 i7 aa l '5 I? :T i

I I H: "D I I I g W Y 1M Ti.

lNVENTOR 44' M ATTO R N EY Patented Nov. 3, 1931 OFFlClE f p srnmns ENVELOPE ,ooMrANY, a. CORPORATION IoF .MAINE f on? imm imonmn' f Ap alication filed Jul 31,

' it is well known to those versedsinlthe 'art relating to check controlledfor coin' controlled service-supplyingdevices :or automatic sales devices, including vending anachrnes, thatxthe constructional features, and consequently their cooperating' -relation and imanner of operation, throughout .the entire operating mechanism, commonly from a movable opers atingihandle to a :fina-l delivery Ememberor otherser-vice supplying member or part, "is

f largely determined :by; andlmustnecessarily bedifierent or varied in accordance with, the

nature of the servicetowbe provided or the. kind ofarticlesto be vended. \Vhile thevending machine bftthe' zpresentinvention was 1nventedran'd particularly: constructed and Signed vending of P per arming cups of a "certain kind, itxis of course-to be understood. that various features thereof I might be to a greater-or less extent changed or modified whilestill performing substan 'tialily the same i-final functionor result, as

' we'll .asal-so for adantin-g' the machine to render amoreor less diiferentkind of service.

i' Qn'e of j the objects of the invention is to provide avendinglniachine which will effec't'ively render the service above noted.

. :Other objects'of the invention arereliability, simplicity. s rength, durability, conveniencein use and facility of manufacture.- Other objects andadvantages will hereinafter ap The i nventi'on includes various "features of construction andifcombinations ofjo'arts. as 1 will appear from the following description.

- The-embodiment ofthe invention'illustrat ed in "the 'accomnanying'drawings "will now beiparticularly described and thereafter the invention will be pointed out in claims, refbeing .hadto the ,{drawings, in which:

Fig. .lLis .a reduced .front elevation vending "machine embodying the, invention;

Fig.2 :is 1 a vertical sectionsubstantially on I the a 'aig-zag line.2,,2; of Fig.3, the upper poit1on-of the container ftube or magazine being i-Fig. .3 is a similar sect-iont'aken substantial 1929.v Serial Noi 382,359.

Fig. 4 is a partial horizontal section on the line 4c4'o-f Fig. 3 as viewed from below;

Fig.1.5 is a horizontali section just above the top-of the machine casing taken on the l-ine.5.Q-5of Fig. 3; I b

Fig. .6 is a'horizontal section taken as to its upperlhalfsubstantially on the zigzag. line 6'f6 and asto its lower half taken substan-' tial-ly on theline 6a,6a of Fig. 3

- lFig. 7is for the most :part a substantially central vertical section taken on the zig-zag Fig. 18 is a partialhorizontal section with some. ota the operating; partsro'mitted taken substantially on the line 8.'8 oif-iFig. 3; Fig; .9aisia partial vertical section asviewed fromsthe rear ofthe machine and'with parts omitted taken substantially on the zigzag line 9-9. of Fig. 3'; i

- Fig. 1O is a'partial rear elevation of a rocking operating-memberwhich comprises a gear segment,=a cam and a ratchet; I Figwll is a transverse section taken on the inclined line .11-ll-of Fig. 10 as viewed at rightangles to this .line from below, and

Fig. 12 (Sheet 2) is an enlarged plan view partly brokenaway of the cooperating peripheralportions ofa pair of feed rollers.

The cups 1 (.Figs. 3,5 and 7) in general resemble' envel'opes in that .an individual cup is normallysu'bstantially flat and is similarly formed from asingle blank of folded paper. This :blank is sector shaped with its upper, corners slightly rounded and also with its point suitably cut away. The upper edge of the-hlank'nf course formsthe segment of a circle. This blank maybe of a' width accord-' ing to the amount of taper required in the cup,- for-examplethe straight radial edges of the'bl'ank may be substantially at right angles to each other in the =flat or unfolded conditionaof the blank. Flaps are folded over along substantially radial lines inward from these radial edges of a width tooverlap and most convenientlyat thesame side with the side "flapsyand: secured by'means of adhesive. This completesthe cup.: The upturned bot- V tom .fla'peforms a secure and convenient seal at the bottom of thecup and provides a com paratively short straight edge along the bottom of the cup, the lengthof which depends upon the extent to which this flap is turned up. p

Because of their upwardly flaring or downwardly tapering form, the .cupsxl may be readily nested to form a stack. 'When thus closely nested or telescopedtogether, the sides ofthe cups necessarily bulge outward so that thereby the rimsor upper edges of the cups are substantially elliptical, as shown in Fig. 5.

' By reason of a nested cup 1 tapering downwardly on all sides towards-fits bottom, its cross sectional ellipse gradually becomes more flattened 1 as thebottom of the cup' is approached, withithe opposite sides'of the cup there meeting or coming together to form an acute angle along the straight bottom edge of the cup. When the cups 1 are stacked togetherthe angular bottoms of the cups will i versely than the magazine tube 2.

- stamping, seamed together.

be slightly spaced from one another to form a narrow projecting margin, in addition to that provided by the thickness of the foldedpaper, along the bottom edge of the cup. In vending the cups 1 according to the present invention, advantage is taken of this free downwardly projecting angular bottommargin and also of the, downward tapering of the nested cupsin-the stack. l V

A stack of the nested cups 1, forming a supply to be vended, is contained in an upright magazine tube 2, which maybe a steel uppe en of this tube is closed by a cap 3 secured there- 'on which may be a drawn steel shell. The container tube Qis shown as' of octagonal cross section elongated fromfront to rear in conformity with the "transverse elliptical shapeof the stack of nested cupsl (Fig. 5) ,j

which is contained loosely therein for free downward gravitational movement. The cups 1 'in this stack are intheir upright po- I sition with their bottoms down. The'lower end of the magazine tube 2 opens freely down-f ward into'the topfof a multi-part casing which is open at its lower or bottom end, and the principal parts of' whichmay be zinc die castings; this main casingbeing in general substantially rectangular, as appears in Figs. 5. and 6, and being substantially larger trans- The casing comprises a substantially trough-shaped back piece 4' and a substantially similarly shapedfront piece 5 which join along their edges 'a-t the side and are there firmly secured together by means of dowel pinsandscrews, some of which appear in the drawings. I Similarly firmly secured to the front casing part5-towards its top and forwardly spaced therefrom by means" of rearwardly extending lateral flanges isa front plate 6. 'Acentrally open casingtop 7 interlocks at the rear with the innerside of the upper end of thecasingback 4 (Fig. 3) 'a'nd has a front wall which extends forwardly at a downward inclination and then downwardly to the upper edge of the front plate 6 in alignment therewith. The

inclined porti'on'of this front wall is provided cured to the top. and'front of the front casingpart 5 by means of a pair of'screw's 12.

The lower end of the container tube 2 has a snugfit in the octagonal opening in the casing top 7 (Figs. 2. 3 and 5).. The lower endof; the container tube 2 for the most part rests upon shoulders formed in the opening of the casing top 7 (Fig. 3 but at its sides the tube'2' isprovided with downwardextensions or tongues the ends of which are turned outwardly and; upwardly to form hooks which engage beneath a downwardly extending inner flange of the casing top 7 (Figs.- 2 and 3), so that thereby the lower end of the container tube 2 is firmly securedto the casing top 7 within its opening. The'casing top 7 together with the magazine tube 2 may be removed from the rest of the casing by un-' locking thefr-ont lock 8. i I 1 The casing is provided with a front door 13 which has rather deep or widelower and lateral rearwardly extending flanges. The rear edge of the lower fiange'ofrthis door '13 is hinged at 14 to the lower end'of the main casing front 5. At the front-the door 13 is in alignment with and extends upto the lower edge of the front plate 6. This door 13 may be locked inclosed condition by means of a bolt 15 turned over to form a handle at its upper end and passing downward through lugs 'on the frontplate 6 and at its lower end through a lug on the door 13 at'the top thereof (Fig. 2). The handle end of this bolt 15 is readily accessible through the open top of the casing when the lock 8Ihas been unlocked and the casing top 7 removed-if desired a separate lock may be provided for the front door. .13 in addition to or in place of the bolt 15.1 This separate lock is indicated by the removable plug '16 in the upper edge of the door 13,.which may be replaced by alock' similar to thelock 8 and the boltof which may engage at the ba'ck'of a keeper lug 17 on-the lower edge ofthe front plate 6 (Fig. 3). The enclosed space. at the inner side of thisfront door 13 formsa coin receptacle or money box at the front of the front casing part 5, into the topof which. discharged coins may drop from the coin controlled mechanism, as. will herein after appear- The front ofthemagazine tube 2 just above the casing top 7 is provided with a glass window 18 held in place on the tube by means of a frame 19 and is held in this frame by a small removable clip 20 at the inner side of the casing top 7, secured in place by ascrew :stack 'ofv-cups descends by gravity piece f and the casingfront piece 5 with the bottoms of the cups l formed by'their angu la'rbottom edges foremost or downward. It

will be notedithat'the angular bottom edges of the cups andalso the longer diameter of their elliptical upper edgesor rims-extend from front to rear in the stack of tn'ese'cups I in-the machine. The stack of cupsis support- I ed'by means of a pan-of restrainlng members 7 in engagement with the taperingsides of the 1 the machine and at a level shown as slightly lowermost cup at opposite points laterally of abovethe middle of the height of this-cup.

These restraining members are shown as in the form of pivotally mounted lingers, the

' pivotal axes of which extend horizontally in parallel relationfrom front to rear in-the upper portion of the, casing at opposite sides thereof, and these pivotally mounted restraining fingers also form lifting fingers for "raising or lifting thestacl; of cups; These fingersv as a w iole,while'in general similar in construction and operation are-not only made rightand left but also arev'somewhatdifferentl constructedinotherres ectsb reason of zthenature of their cooperating-relation With-each otherasiwell with otherparts fthe'operating mechanisnn Y Right and left frame brackets 21 and 22 in'the main part of the casing arefirmly secured therein tothe back piece land the front piece '5 by means of dowel pins and screws. as indicated inzthe. drawings. These "frame brackets form'suppo'rts for the com bined restraining and lifting fingers besides serving other purposes, {as will hereinafter appear. 5 The, cnp-engaging fingers of the combinedrestraining and lifting members'in- 'clude inwardly and downwardly inclined lever arms normally atan inclination from the more, 1

horizontal of about orperhaps a little The-left hand cupbupporting member includes a horizontal rock shaft 23 having a re duced rear end'pivoted in the'upperend of the frame bracket 22a'nd having a reduced I front end portion which'is pivoted in'the I front wall of the casing front 5. This rock shaft 23 may be a zinc die casting,excepting its reduced front end-portion more desirably is formed by a steelinsert by reason of the 1 extra strainto which this end of the shaft is subjected. Acalm arm 2a is fixed upon this front reduced portion of, the shaft 23 just at the rear ofthe wall of the casing part5 by means of a pin 25. This cam lever projects upwardly and inwardlyjtowards'therright at an angle of about 45"? and at its free end pro- Y jects to the front of the wall of the casing part 5 through an opening 26' provided in carries a leverarm 29. which projects in- 1 wardly or towards the right and downwardly at an inclination of about 45,the cam lever 24 and this lever arm 29 being shown as substantially at right angles to each other. This lever arm 29 may be cast in the same piece with the rock shaft 23 as indicated. This lever arm 29 is bifurcated and between its spaced ends carries a small anti-fricti on roller 30 which is journaled on a pin31. This lever arm 29 together with its terminal roller 30 constitutes a combined supporting and lifting finger for the stack of cups 1 with the roller 30 at all times in engagement with the adjacent side of the downwardly tapering lowermost cup in the stack.

A right handrock shaft 32, which also may be a zinc die casting, has a reduced pivot end pivoted at-the rear in the top of the right hand frame bracket 21 and at the front in the front wall of the front casing-part 5. This rocksha-ft 32, in line with the center line of the stack of cups 2, carriesin the same piece therewith a lever arm 33 which normally project-sinwardlyand downwardly at an inclination of about 45 and substantially at right angles with the left hand lever arm'29. These lever arms 29 and 33 per se may be considered as duplica es. The right hand lever arm 33 also is bifurcated and between its spaced ends carries a small cup-engaging roller 34 which is journaled on a pin 35.

Connections, shown as a linkage. are provided between the two rock shafts 23 and 32 for-compelling these rock shafts to rock togetherin opposite direction and for transvmitting such rocking movement from the left hand rock shaft 23 to the right hand rock shaft 32.: These rock shafts .are pivotally connected together by means of a transverse link 36 adjacent their rear ends. The left end of this link 36 is pivotally connected. by a pin 37 with the end of an upstanding normally inwardly inclined lever arm 38 which may be cast on the left rock shaft- 23 in the same piece therewith, and the other end of this link is pivotally connected by apin 39 with the end of a depending; normally outwardly inclined lever 31 111420 which may be cast in the same piece with the right hand rock shaft 31,. The two'levers 38 and 40 are of the same lengthand have an angular relation relatively to each other and to the link 36 such thatthe, opposite rocking movements of the rock shafts 23 and 32, and hence the arcuate movements of the cup-suporting and cuprelatively to each other. These cup-engaging rollers 30 and 34 are held at their normal (Figs. 3 and 7).

positionfor supporting the stack of cups2 and are operated for raising and lowering the stack of cups by means of thecam lever 24, as hereinafter described. Y

Shelf-like rear and front guide lugs 41 and 42 for the lowermost cup are provided re spectively on the rear wall of the casing. back 4 and on the front wallof the casing front 5 Since the paper cups lindividually arerather flexible the lowermost cup in the stack may be readily drawn downward away from the stack past the support-' ing rollers 30 vand 34 andpast the rounded ends of these guide lugs or ribs 41 and 42, the upper flaring portion of the cup being free to bulge outward between these rollers and I guides. The nested stack of cups 1, while of course to a certain extent yieldable,'is sufliciently rigid to be'supported and to be lifted by the rollers and 34. 1 3

Normally the acutely angular straight folded bottom edge or end of the lowermost cup 1 rest-s lightly upon and in the angle bee tween a pair of similar right and left feed rollers 43 and 44 j ournaled at the proper position on horizontal parallel axes which are parallel with the axes of the rock shafts 23 and 32. These feed rollers are desirably of hard material such as case hardened steel.

For obtaining. a strong initial gripping ac:

tion upon the narrow projecting-bottom edge margin of'the lowermost cup, as well as for assuring a positive feeding action in drawing the cup downward away fromand beyond the stack-supporting restraining rollers 30 and 34,each ofthe feed rollers 43 and 44 is provided on i s periphery with abrupt circumferential grooves which are spaced to leave between, them intervening squareshouldered circumferential ridges or ribs which are of somewhatgreater width than the grooves. These ribs are cross knurled or milled to provide gripping edges and the ribs on. one of the feed rollers are arranged opposite to or in alignment with the grooves onthe other feed roller' (Fig. 12). This arrangement gives a stronger gripping effect and feeding action. These two feed rollers 43 and 44per se may be. alike or duplicates,

flanged and shouldered'cores 45 and 46. re-

. spectively. be used for'each of thesetwo cores. The

The same zinc die casting may feed rollers 43 .and44 are mounted on their respective'cores 45 and 46 in relatively reversed position so that thereby one. of these rollers has its terminal circumferential tooth or rib adjacent to the flange on the core while the other feed roller has its circumferential terminal end space adjacent to the flange on its core (Fig. 12). j The feed rollers 43 and 44 are in vertical alignment with the cupsupporting rollers 30- and 34. and as shown in the drawings (Figs. 3 and 7) the feed roller cores 45 and 46zhave their peripherally.

The right hand feed roller shaft 47 is jourhas its reduced end journaled in a bearing formed by a lug 50 (Figs. 3. 8 and '9) which 7 projects rearwardly from the lower portion of the front plate 6. The left hand feedroller shaft 49 is journaled adjacent to its front and: rear ends in horizontal slots 51 in the lower portion of the left hand frame bracket 22. slidable bearing pin 52 at the left side of the feed roller shaft'49 is guided in the bracket frame 22 and pressed against'the'feed roller shaft 49 by a coiled thrust spring 53 (Figs. 3 and 7). These springs 53 press the left handfeedroller 44 firmly into cooperating feeding relation with the right hand feed roller 4.3. The rearends of the feed roller shafts 47 and 49 have fixed thereon respectively similar large intermeshing spur gears 53a and 53?) by which the two feed rollers 43 and 44 are positively connected together for cooperating rotation at the same rate in opposite directions. g

A smaller spur gear 54 for operating the feed rollers 43 and 44 is loosely mounted on the right hand feed'roller shaft 47 just at the front of the wall of-the front casing part 5 and is provided with a hub sleeve 55 extending inward through the opening in this casing wall. This operating gear 54 is con nected to the right hand feed roller 43 through a one-way clutch. A clutch sleeve 56 is loosely mounted on the roller shaft 47 between the feed roller core45 and the operating gear sleeve 55 and at its rear .end is provided with a clutch head 57 adjacent to the front end. of the feed roller core'45.- At its rear end the gear sleeve 55 is provided with a square-shouldered. diametral rib which seats in a complementary diametral At each of these slots, a horizontally I i 1ng part 5 and i is .13995 g roove the a forward end of :the clutch V sleeve 56,as shownin dotted'lines in Fig. 3,

=sothat thereby" the operating gear 54 is positively connected to the clutch sleeve 56 for unitary; rotationb'therewith in either i-directionp The driving gear 54 vand :the'clutch sleeve 56 maybe zincdie-castings, while the two feed roller shafts 47 c and '49 may be of shown as four in number, whichmaybe cast thereon in the same piece therewith, c -The drive studs 58 fpivotally carry gravity. pawls 59:;which project therefrom ina' counterclockwisedirection;(Fig.7). The free ends of theclutch pawlsi'59engage with the teeth of a continuous circular internally toothed ratchet formed on-the feed roller-core 45, a

, for-transmitting counter-clockwise rotation only from the operating gear 54 to theright v ijha'nd feed roller. 43 while the operating" gear 1 54 isfree to rotate'idly in the oppositedirection, with: the feed rollers 43 and 44 at rest,

Q l-ngf movement of the i In this waysteps of feed movement may be to the feed rollers 43 and 44 intermittentlyalternating with periods; of rest,

"ejachsuch step of feed amovement being of, sufiicient extent foreif'ecting the delivery of the lowermost cup 1 from the bottomof the stack, with a slight overthrow of the; feed; feed rollersin order to I assure that the upper edgeyor'rim of the cup has passed completely :belowandis free from thefeed rollers,-so this cup may the'ndrop for delivery. 'Operatingmeans are provided for inproperi timed rela- V rocking operatingmember tivbtai- 'lyImountedfor togsan'dgfro movementat the 7 front of the frontwall of the front, casing part 5 on a a horizontal, axis parallel with the axesof the rock shafts 23 and x32 and ofthe feedqroller shafts 47 and 49am intermediate to these-shafts This operating member 61 shown as looselypivotally' mounted on a rotatable handle shaft 62; the inner end of which ispivotedinthe Wall of the" front casthrough the front plate 6*where its outer end has a handle knob 63 fixed thereon by means of which the entire 'operatingmechanism of the vending machine may be manually operated. In thevembodiment of the invention hown in thei'drawings, the-operating meme ber 61 is operated fromthe handle shaft 62 through the intermediary of coin controlled mechanisms "For operation without coin; con- :7 trolled mechanism the" operated member 61 maybe fixed upon the handle'shaft 62 ,"for' example by means of: asset screw jinvits huh I s milar-toitheiset fscrews" 48 for theifeed' rollers. In such .oase the coifr controlled portion 64 (Figs; 2,10and 11);

iedge or rim of the cup the grippingaction of the feed rollers, so it inner or, depressed arcuate v therebyuholding the combined supporting which extends forwardly islstill projecting to asubstantial The rockingoperatingjmember haste generalre-semblance to a Wheel with a peri'pheral front flange which at the left side through about 130 has a considerably wider The right half ofthi's operating member 61 in its normal position, (Fig. 2) forms a semi-circular I spur gearsegment 65 the'teeth of which are in engagementwith the operating gear 54 for the feed rollers 43 and 44. Throughout its length at therear the wide flange 64 of the operating member 61 is provided with a cam which faces radially outward and comprises an inner ar'cuate circumferential initial portion 66, an intermediate radially inclined portion 66a and an outer circumferentially arcuate terminal portion66b (Figs. 2, 3,10 and; 1:1). This cam is at all times-men'gagementwith the cam roller 28, which is carried by thecam lever-24 on the left hand rock shaft23; I

, The exact extent of the forward orclockwise rotation of the rocking operating member 61 from the normal position of rest thereof shown in the drawings is not critical and may. be, for example, through or a little more than that, in the relative proportions ofjthe operatingparts of'the mechanism Q shown. In itsaclockwise movement the rock 1111;; operating I member 61 rotates the feed 7 rollers 43 and 44 ,through the above described cone-way clutch forthereby delivering a sink gle cupal. The 'feedrollers are'd'esirably n v rotated tea-slightly greater extentthan is i operating the-feedrollersi48 and'44 and the j lifting fingers 29 and'33 tion asl to th'ese feed rollers andflifting finabsolutely required for delivering. the cup in ordenthereby to make sure that the upper is entirely free from may droplfor delivery. Of course the extent of ,this idle rotation or overthrow of the feed rollers is immaterial During the vreturn I movement or counter-clockwise rotation of the rocking operating member 61; the feed rollers 43 and 44 will beat rest, by'reason of the disengagement of the one-way clutch.

N ormallyfthe cam roller 28 rests upon the cam surface 66, for

and'lifting -finger's 29 .and83 in position for supportingthe stack of cups 1 on .the'lift p and consequently without movement being imparted-to thecam lever 24 and cup support- :ing'rollersf 30fa nd 84. "At an intermediate point ofthe delivery/of the c p af its per edge. or rim has passed'below and is free from the rdllers 'fiO" and134, but while the moving cup '130 upper edge of this downwardly extent above the c oop'erating'gripping' sui'ta'ces'of the feed rollers 43 and l4,'the cam;roller 28 will be cred, The extent of the cup-littinglmove ment of these rollers 30 andd l'may be any 1 thing :tound desirable, and in the construction shown in the 'd'rawings', these rollers .movethrough an arc ofabout of an inch and are raised substantially a quarter of an inch. l v v After the 'stack 'ofcups 1 has beenthus raised by the inclined camportion 66a, the

outercircularl arcuate terminal: ortion 66?) then travels in engagement with the cam rollor 28 and 'holds':up'the stack of cups until the operating member 61 has completed its forj ward movement and the'cup being fed by the feed rollers l3 and' 44: has been released thereby and delivered. At tin-intermediate o point or the reverse or return movementof the rockingoperatingmembers "'61, the intermediate' inclined "cam portion 66a again I f descendby"their 'owntweight', while the feed.

engages with the cam followerroller 28, followed'by the engagement with this roller of the circularly arcuate'inner cam portion 66,

thereby permitting the stack" of cups 1 1 to rollers 43' and 4A are at rest, the stackof cups thenbeing supported upon the rollers 30 and 340i the leverfarms or lifting'fingers 29 V mally maintained at its intermediate position.

and 33 with the angular bottom margin of the terminal or lowermost cup 1 then resting lightly up'onjand between the cup-feeding peripheral surfacesof the teed rollers 43 and 14 preparatoryto" the next delivery'operation of; the machine. I s V v The lifting and holding up 01 the stack of'cups '1': separates the lowermost cup in this stack,.at theproper time, from the cup which 'is 'thjen being fed downward for delivery.

Otherwise this second cup wouldimmediately'followthe 'first through the feed rollers, and at a single operation of themachine, for the purpose of deliveringa single cup, a second cup would be fed partly past the feed rollers by, reason of their terminal overthrow movement. At the third delivery 7 operation, thethird cup would, in the same way, be fed twice as far. as the. second 'cup'and so on, with an increasing feed. for :the successive cups, whichwould soon result in the delivery of two cups :with asingle-operationiof the machine; Furthermore, the machinefwould be likelyito zbecorne clogged: with'cups deliv ered in this manner; It is therefore, desirable of fcourse to separate .and 'segregate the suc cessive cup }deliveries and to, identify "each :Also for substantially similar" reasons" is-desirable to prevent partial incomplete op 'eration of the delivery mechanism, which would-produce somewhat similar undesirable results. That is to say,it' is desirable that each delivery-operation of the machine for [delivering a single cup should be completed before another deliveryoperation can be inaugurated. In this'way, the successive deliveries of the cups one by'one will be. separated-or segregated and each delivery of a cup will correspond with or be identifiedwith a single complete operation of the-delivery mechanism ofthe-machine. In order to time the successive delivery operations with ,7 the successive operations of the machine, means are rovided to compel a full to and 'fro opcrating movement of the rocking operating} memberv61 before itcan be reversed 'ormoved in the opposite direction, the means shown for this purp'ose comprising a double acting reversible pawl-and-ratchet device.

c This pawl-and-rat-chet device comprises a 7 double acting ortwo-way locking pawl 67 "mounted on the middle portion of a pivot pin 68wl1ich is carried by and "extends between a forwardlyaspaced leftyend portion of the bracket" l-l'and the front wall of the front casing part 5lto which this'bracket is secured.

or square-cornered and this pivdted pawl .The locking endrof this pawl is rectangular normally occupies an intermediatc position I with its locking. arni projecting radially in ward towards thefaXis' of the rocking operating member 61. Z'The locking pawl 6'? isfnorf (Fig. byimeans of a coiledretractilespring '69, the outer or left end ofwhich ishnchored of thisg spri'ng 769' being 'pivotallyconnectedto a tail .on thepawl 67by means of -fa stud 71 which-projects towardsthe front from this tall. o. v

The-rocking operatingvmember'til is pro vided onfthe periphery of its. wide peripheral flange 64 r-with' an arcuate saw tooth ratchet 7 2 which in the toand 'fro rocking operating movement of this member" 61 engages with and travels pastthe locking pawl 61"- so that the latter escapes from each end of this ratchet, as shown for one end in 2, this rat'che't -72Vbeing shown as having a length of'about 95.- The locking pawl 67 reverses on. the ratchet v7.2 for each. direction ot travel of the latter,- and has locking engagement to preventrg reversal of the ratchet and conse due'ntly otthe. operating member 61 from any intermediate. position of the movement of the "latter in:either direction. i V. i.

' tseaerzr pawl ahd ratohet' device thus prevents partial back: and forthrocking movev mentsof the operating member 61, which, if

permitted, ,would cause the one-way clutch to impartlirregular intermittent partialfeed' nested cups 1' shall be lifted at the proper I timeinrelation to the operationof the feed with the cam roller 28 'atall times in engagethe feeding operation.

'ment of this member rollers in delivering-amp, and this pawl-andratchet; device not only'assures' the OPGIELUOII ofthe lift fingers 29 and 33, but assures their operation in proper timed relationwith the operation of the feedrollers 4 3 and. 44." In

fact, Without this;pawl-and ratchet: device operating as it does, the operating'member' 61 couldbe rocked'partially back and forth ment'with the inner or depressed arcuate suri face 66,'so that then with this improper man- I, 9 ner of operation-the lifting finger-s29 and 33 would not be operated to be raised at all, and the stack'ofcups lrwould not be lifted during It will be. noted of the construction shown in the drawings and as'so far'described, that acupi'lis fed down and-delivered, during the first or forward movment of the operating member-61 while, the reverse or return moveis a preparatory operation in' which the stack of cups is again lowered while the feed rollers are at rest.

oHowever, it should be noted that theopposite of this manner of operation couldaswell take their place, that is to say, the j first. or forwardmovement of the rocking operating member 61 could be the preparjatory movement" in which the "stack of cups is lowered-- while the feed rollers are at rest, and the downward" feeding and'delivery' of the cup,

together with the} raising'or lifting ofthe stack ofcups, would; then take place during the returnmovement or final partof the comp'lete i0 and; frojoperatingmovement of the operating member 61'. e In suchcase', the final result of the complete operation would be the same;

This. other manner br operation could readilybe accomplished," either by slight changes in the arrangement and'relative re- 0'lationsh1p of the operating parts shown, or

without-any changes whatever in the con Vst'ruction as so far described. In the latter case,iti would only be'necessary tostop and leave theoperating member 61 at the other end ofits pa-th of'to andifro rocking movement shown in the drawings Fig. 2) *whijch would-then become its normal position or resti- Then in efi'ectlng a delivery operation,

{this operating member would first be rocked in a.counter-clockwisedirectionwhile its return movement would be in the clockwise -e direction; v- .1 b I 1 With this modifiedmanner of operat on of the construction shown, the "cam roller-28 would theninormally rest upon the terminal portion of ithe outer arcuate cam face 665, withthestack of cups 1 in its raised position,-

the operating member 61 would be rocked first in a left hand or counter-clockwise direction to lower the stack of cups, while the feed rollers 43' and 44; are at rest, and then Such spring'means shown includes a'vertically arranged coiled retractile spring 73 near the left side" of the casing, anchored at its lower'end'to the front wall of the front casing part 5by 'ineansof a screw 74 and directly connected at its upper end by means of a screw 75 to a lug 7 6 on the operating member 6l atthe level of its axis.v For preserving the strength of the pull of this spring on the operating member 61 in the angular movement of the latter, as well as for keeping this spring out of the way of other parts of the mechanism, a peripherally grooved segmental pulley section 77 is'pro-L vided on the front of the operating-member 61, upon which the return spring'ZS may wind. Other means also may be effective in l returning the rocking operating member 61 pear. Obviously this spring 73 could be arranged to rock the operating member 61 in theop-posite direction of its to and fro move :1

o rocking to and fro movement of the operating member 61in each direction of its movement. I The return stop of thisoperating member comprises a strong lug 78 which pro jects forward from the wall of'the front casing part 5 at the rear of the operating member 61. below and somewhat tothe left of its axis; The other cooperating element of'the return stop comprises a cushion shock absorbing member carried by the operating member 61 to abut against the stop lug 78. b This cushion member may be a piece, such as a thick plateor block 79, of hard compressed felt c untersunk flush with or set into a pocket formed on the rear side of the lower portion" of the wide flange 6 1 of the operating member 61.

' The rearside of this pocket is closed by a to its normal position, as will hereinafter apcover plate 80, which, together with the felt block 7 9 projects from its pocket towards. the

' stoplug 78 'for abutting engagement therewith in the spring-returned inovernentof the operating'inember 61 The spring 73 imparts a rather rapid return movement to the operating member 61, together with; the reverse or return rotation-oi": the feed, roller operatingigear along. with the released clutch element 56- 57, and the vmomentum of these .moving parts is absorbed by the cushion element-79 without jar or noise. Forward stop means are provided for therocking operating member 61 indirectly through the intermedi aryoi' the coinc'ontrolled mechanism, which is to be described presently.

1 When a delivered cup 1 is droppedby the feed rollers 43 and; 4 1 into the lower part of the tubular main casing, this cup in its dei"casing, will becaught and supported by a scent through theopen bottom. end of the downwardly tapering "constricted: lower 'Blld. port1on82 of the casing which will engage with the tapering sides of the upwardly liar the cup withits boting cup and will support 7 below the cas- 13911101 lower end projecting ing'so that the cup, which isyieldable, can

then be'readily grasped and easily pulled out.

I of the casing exit.

The cuplot course can readily be sprung open for'use' merely by finger pressure upon its opposite. fold lines. and, in fact it Wllll be thus sprung partly open in passing through the elliptical restriction 82 (Figs. '3 and 6) "The lower ends of the frame-brackets21 and 22 are respectively provided with shelf ;nortions 83 and 84 which form guards 11nmediately' beneath theieed rollers as and 44 respectively, and have'their inner spaced edge portions turned upwardly into close proximity to the ribbedand knurled feed surfaces of these "feed rollers. somewhat in the manner of stripper'sto as- .surepthe complete disengagement of the cup Th ese guards act from the feed rollers. u I v The coin controlled mechanisrnlwill now be described. Some of the parts and features of the above described dispensing mechanism have a cooperating relation with some of the parts'and "features cotthe coin controlled mechanism, such as is; commonly the case in the operating mechanism of a vending niachine.

A coin carrier in thespacebetween the front plate 6 of the casing and the operating member6l is fixed on the middle portion of the handle shaft 62. The coin carrier may be a zinc die casting with the handle shaft,-

'which may be of steel, cast therein as an inably held upon sert, while the handle knob 63 may be detachuhe outer end or the shaft by means-of a set screw (not shown). coin carrier is in general otsoinewhat irregular segmental shape, located'for the most part tov the lettofandbelow the handle shaft 62. At its trontside the coincarrier' 85 has aitubular ste1n86which extends for- The V of the hubfofthe handle knob 63. An outer boss 8Ziforn1ed on the front of the frontplate 6 has a brass bushing 88 fixed therein which forms a bearing for the outer reduced end portion of the coin carrier stem 86; I

' The front plate'6'has through it a coin slot 89. which is at the left side of, slightly above and substantially radial to the common axis'ofthe handle shaft 62 and coin carrier 85. Aproper-coin 90, which in the machine shown is a penny, may be inserted edgewise through the coin slot 89 into a substantially V radial" coin-holding slot. provided on the coin carrier 85, with the outerradial edge portion of this coin projecting from the coinholding slot beyond theperiphery ofthe'coin carrier 85. This coin-holdingslot is prov ward on thehandle'shaft 62 to the inner side i vided between and is formed by means of lowor and upper lugs 91 and 92which'project froinjthe' lront of the peripheral portion of the coin carrier 85. Thelower lug 91 moves the coin 90 while. the upper lug 92'holds the coin in position relatively to the lower lug 91. The top of the coin-moving lug 91 is substantially U-shaped,-providing' radially inner and outer rounded ridges which engage with the coin 90 at opposite sides of its center. The holding lug 92 engages with the coin about i'rom its center-outwardly, with a'radial edge portion of the coin 90 exposed.

The radially inner edge of the coin 90 abuts against in its movement is guided by the circularly arcuate outer surface of a' coin guide'98 which projects inwardly from the front plate '6 and may bec'ast thereon.

"Th6 front taceof the coincarrier 85-between theslot-forining lugs 91 and 92 forms a stop for the rear edge'ofthe coin while the forward edge ot'the coin maymove adjacent to and be guided by the innersurface oil-the front plate 6. The coin guide 93 extends from below thecoin holding slot and lower side of the coin 90 therein, upwardly and to'the rightrabove and tor the right of the axis of the coin carrier 85 and terminates abruptly in an overhanging radial end which will permit the coin 90 to drop outofthe. coin-holding slot when it reaches this end of the coin guide and after the coin has traveled through an arc/of about The coin'car rier 85 has aslight overthrow beyond this point where the coin 90 passes beyond the abrupt upper end of the coin guide 93,- to assure that the coin-will be, discharged, and the coin carrier may rock through an'angle 01" about for this purpose.

1 A stop lug Qatior the coin carrier '85, lo-

cated at the left side of and just, below the coin carrier axis, projects from the front plate 6' and may be cast thereon. V A lug 95; which projects forward f10111,tl18 lower and right hand end of the coin carrier 85 will, abut against the lowerside of thestop lug 94 to stop the forward ,or olockwise movement of coin-movinglug-93;will-abut against the upper side of this stop lug 94 to stop the return or counter-clockwise movement of the coin Carrier with its} 'coinrh'olding slot then in alignment withfand; immediately inward from the coin slot 89 inthe front plate 6. ZThe coin carrier 85 isautom'atically returned to this normal position, by meansof a coiledtorsion spring 96 which surrounds its stem 86,

'one end of this return spring being secured Y to thecoin carrier b while the other end 0 the spring is anchored ects' downwardly means of a stud 97 under a rib 98 which pro 7 from the lower end of the coin guide 93.

"front side is provided with a wide forwardly. projecting. arcuate flange 99 which, radially outward from the stopl'ug 94, extends from:

the coin-moving lug 91 around the lower edge of the coin carrier to the coin carrier i stop lug 95. The forward edge ofthis flange 95 is in close proximity to the inner face of the front plate 6, so that. While the coin carrier; 85 is being operatedinfits rocking to and fro movement, the coin slot 89will be closed or blocked by this flange 99 against the r V insertion offa coin,until thej'coin carrier has been returned to its normal position. Should the edge of an inserted coin be left projecting into the coin slot 89 in the front plate 6,-it is obvious'that the'coin carrier 85 would be locked by thiscoin against movement. In order to prevent this ,coin-positioning'means are-providedto impart final inward movement to'the inserted coin and'to position the coin properly in the coin carrier l between 'the slot-forming lugs 91 and 92 with the" radially inwardedge of the coin 4s againstthe coin guide 93 and with the outer or forward edge o'fthis coin inward from the inner face of the front plate 6 and thusclear of the coin slot 89.

For this purpose a coin-positioning lever 100' (Figs; 8 and 9) ,which is flat with'round red edges',fis pivotedonithe inner headed end of a stud 101'on the front plate 6 with this lever close to the inner side of this plate. The pivot stud 101is located some distance below .the outer end of the coin slot 89 with the'lever 100 projecting upward across the radially v outward end portion only. of the coin slot. 89. his lever 100 below its pivot stud {101 has a tail arm 102 shown asrbeveled at its end which abuts against-a lug 103 on the front 7 plate '6 to limit the extent to which the lever 100 may pass over or cover the coin sl0t'89. A two-armed wire spring 104 having a 0011 on theinner headed end of the pivot stud 101,

has the endofon e'of its arms connected to the lever 100fby asinall' pin 105 while the endof its other arm, above the pivot stud 101, abuts; agailist aglug 106 on thef-ront plate 6; 1

Thisspring normally yieldingly'holds edge of the. inserted coin the lever 100 with itstail arm 102 abutting the coinslot 89, its rounded edge will push -the lever 100 aside, but during the latter part ofthe inwardmovement of this coin, thespring-pressed lever 100 will have'an increasing tendency to move the coin inward and will finally move this coin inward clear of the coin slot .89 withits' forward edge at the inner side of the front plate 6. It may be noted that a coin-positioning lever operat- J 7 1 The periphery of the coin carrier-85 atits ing in substantially 'the same manner is claimed in my Patent N o. 1,657,836of January- 31, 1928. I

With the rocking operating member 61 at its normal position (Fig. 2) andwhen the coin carrier carries no coin, the coin car-.

rier may be freely and'idly rocked to and. fro between its limits of movement or be-v tween any intermediate points. When the coin carrier 85 carries a com 90, this COlIl I itself forms a coupling member which directly engages with a cooperating coupling mem ber on the operating member 61 for moving til'the coin has'been d scharged at the'termination of the clockwise part of the to and fro operating movement of the operating coin 90,to be moved thereby, a stud '107 projects tothefront from the wide flange 64 of the operating member '61 and may desirably be a steel insert cast into a thickened portion of jthe flange 64. This projecting stud is member 61. For thus cooperating with the shown assquare with two of its opposite corners in radial alignmentwith the common axis of-the operating member 61 and coin carrier 85. so that thereby its fiat faces or sides are radially inclined 45.

This stud 107 is located on the operating member 61 at a position so that with this 0peratingmember and the coin carrier 85 both at their normal positions' (Fig. 2), theouter 90, which projects radially, beyond the periphery of the coin carrier, willbe in close proximity toand iust below and inward from the lower radially inner inclined face of this stud 107, for :moving the latter immediately upon movement of the coin carr er'85. This inclined face of the s ud 107will press the opposite edgeof the coin against the coin guide 93, so that thereby this inclined face of the stud. acting; as a cam, will dislodge the coin from thecoinholding slot in the coin carrier when the coin has been moved beyond the upper end of the coin guide 93. When the coin is discharged by the coin carrier, it will and willslide down an-inclined chute 108, from the lower end of which'it I the coin box at the inner side of the front be received upon will drop into: i

' the latter away from its normal position unwhich would block the insertion of a coin;

door 13 Thiscoin chute 108 may be cast up-v on the front plate 6 and at its upper edge is notched around the adjacent peripheralparts of the operating member .61 and'coin carrier 85 (Figs. 2,8 and 9). I j An undersized slug, thediameterof which is less than the distance between-the radially inner corner of the operating 'stud107-and the guiding surface of the coin guide 93, will not 'operate'the delivery mechanism of themachine. If such a slug should engage with the stud 107 it will bepushed aside by the inclined cam face ofthie stud and will be dis carded by the coin" carrier 85 when the slug passes beyond theupper end of the coin guide '93. In order to make it more certain that such a small sized slug will be discarded with guide'93 and the front plate 6 (Figs. 2, 8and" '9). This ratchet member-109 has ratchet teeth, shown as three in number, projecting above the upper portion of the coin guide 93 and inclined towards its adjacent upper end.

This toothed end ofthe ratchet member 109 is urgedupwardly by means of a small coiled compression springlll which is seated in a rece'ssin the bottom of the slot in the coin guide 93 below, this end of the ratchet member 109. the depending tail arm of-this ratchet pawl 109 serving as a stopagainst the bottom of slot in the coin guide' 93.

, c As soonas an'undersizedsl g has passed over and been engaged by thefirstrat'chet tooth 1t encounters then reverse "or return movement of the'coin carrier is thereby' preventedand it is necessaryv that the'coin carrier must bev fully advanced for discarding this slug before the coin carrier can be returned to its normal position preparatory to the insertion of a proper coin in its coin-holdmg slot. which hasheen-freed from the slug 1 The up er end of the coin carrier 85 is provided with a peripheraland. as a whole, substantially radial tapering projection or lug 112 having a lower radially inclined face which is normally-in engagement with or abuts against the upper'and radially inner inclined face of theopera'ting' stud 107 (Fig. Itwill be noted thatthis projection 112, in engagement with, the upper side of the'stud 107, and the coin 90 in engagement with the lower side of this"studf'willlock r couple the operating member 61 and the coin carrier 85 together against. movement relatively? toeach other in either direction. Also the coin the operating mechanism.

90' is locked by the stud 107 in the coin-holding slot ofthe coin carrier against possibility of 'escapetherefrom until it has been dis charged at the upper end of the coin guide 93.

This projection 112 on the coin carrier 85 by its engagement'withithe operating stud 107 prevents return movement of .the coin carrier 85 independently of the operating member 61 when the latter has beenmoved away from its'normal position, and this assuresthat the coin 90 will be keptlocked'in the coin-holding slot of the coin carrier.

The operating. member 61 of course can only be moved forward bymeansof a coin carried. by the, coin carrier 85 and when this operating member-has been moved forward or clockwise only a short distance, .it will be locked. against returnmovement by the locking-pawl 67, as hereinbefore set forth. 13eturn movement of the coin carrier 85 from I a partially advanced position is not then permitted, since that would move the coin away fromthecoperating stud 107 ,so that-to and fro movement ofthe coin carrier under such conditions would be likelyto throw the coin out of or dislodge'it fromthe coin-holding:

slot of the coin carrier. and the coin would then be lost in the machine. e

. Some further note may be taken of the manner of operation of the mechanism as so far described. It will v be noted that the peripherally projecting coin carrier lug 112, in cooperation with the operating stud; 107 directly, together withthe cooperating coin carrier stop lugs 94:,and 95 indirectly, forms a stop for limiting the forward or. clockwise movement of the operating member 61 This prevents overthrow of the-operating member 61', such asimightcause the cam roller 28 to run .oif thetrailing end of the terminal cam surface 66?), as well as otherwise disarrange It will be also noted that this operating stud 107 ,against which the coin carrier proje'ction 112 abuts, may serve as a return stop for the. coin "carriers 85, through the intermediaryofthe return stops 7 8 and 79 for the operating member 61. However, it is desirable to provide a separate return stop .for the coin carrier 85, as hereinbefore described, in order to assure that ED600111- ho'lding slot of the coin carrier will be brought correctly into alignment with the coin slot :89 in the front plate 6. It will be further noted that the coin carrier return spring 96, acting through-the intermediary of the peripheral coin carrier lug 112'and the operating stud 107', would also be effective alone to returnthe operating member'61 to itsnorjmalpositionf 7 An advantage of the separate return spring 7 8 for the operating member 61 is-th'at it permits a lighter sp'ring'to be employed for returning the coin carrier 85, in view. ofthe fact thatthe coin, carrier is separately op-r 1 5 pivoted by means of a slugs as above notedbut' also frail slug'ssuch I as offpap'er oryof thin metal',-which willbe bent and discarded without operating the ,memb'e'r 61,-, Anotheradvantage of the separatefzspring 73is-that iticoop'erates with the inclined coineengagingcam face offthe operating stud "107; indi slodging" the coin from. the coin-holding slot in the coin carrier :85 when the coin 'has'passed theupper end 'ofthe-coinguide 93 bywhich; the coin 90 is 2 .109; Or on the other-hand, ifdesired, the

ymai'ntained in operating engagement with this inclined cam face of the Operating stud 5 107; a

p f V For operatingrthemachine shownas a;dis-

pensi'ng device without-need ofinserting a coin, should thatbe desired in some installations,1it is onlynecessa-ry to drive a sutficient- I ly'thicki lug between-thecoin carrying lugs 91 and '92 of the coin carrier, to project into operating engagement with the operating stud 107, and at" its other end to pass, above or cle'ar the ratchet. teeth of the slug ratchet coin carrier85', together with the 'other'pa'rts 1 of the coin controlledmechanism per sefmay be omitted, the "operating member 161 then being fixed upon the handle shaft 6:2 andprovided with 'a separate forward stop, which it v is obvious may re'adilyidone in several very simple ways, Jforexample, by attachmg a lug to the front face of the casing wall 5 to be in the -pathr-o f-the shoulder-shown on the operatingmemberidlrat' the leading end of'its cam surface 66' andratchet 72'. 7

When the stack of cups 15in the magizine tube 2 requires replenishing the' coincarrier 85.-is automaticallylockedata forward position in which its from -fiange99f closes the coin slot 89 in the f ront' plate' 6 againstthe V insertion of a coin,- thereby to prevent the .losjslo fcoin's inthe machine. For accomplishthis, an upstandin feeler lever 113 is v 111114 between a pair of ilugs on the back of the front topbracket 11r(Figs.2 and3)'; i The feeler lever '113'at its upperfreeendhas an inwardly tapering c rounded fceler arojection-' 115' to engage with a the. stack of nested cups 1, while-notinterfering with their free downward movement, nor 1 with. the lifting operation of themachine, nor with the insertion f a fresh stack of cups into the magazine j utube 2. l V 1 5 f i hefeeler l'eVe'r113 has a downwardly. ex-

' tending locki-ngarm 1 16 formin'g'aflocking pa 'vl which at its lower. end is provided with a. forwardly projecting locking. end 117 ,f the is upperend of thewall of the front casing part 5' being provided with vertical slot'fas shown I V in: igs'. 2 and 3 for the accommodation. of I this'locking arm 116 anditsirlockingend117; The two arms 113 "and 116' of the combined lio 'fljt elel le erandIloclringleverare disposed at 'thislever which appears 'thereofshown in Fig. 2.

of the stack of cups in the rear of the pivot 114, so that this leveras a.

whole has a normal tendency to swing by gravity in a clockwise direction as viewed in Fig. 3. Thus the feelerend 115 of the feeler -c lever 113 will be pressed lightly by gravity 7 againstthe upper edge portion of the telescoped cups 1 in the stack in the position of 1 I in Fig.3, in which, however, the stack of 'cupshasbeen omitted for clarity of illustration, excepting the lowermost cup which is shown in broken lines] In this position of the feeler lever'l13' its locking end 117 will be in withdrawn positionat the rear of the upper margin of the path of vmovement of the operating member 61, sothatthe latter may be rocked freely, back and forth clear of this locking end.

Onits back ating member 61 is provided with a locking lug' 118, which forms the above noted thick enedportion in which the inner end of. the operatingstud 107 is fixed (Figs. 2, 10 and 11); The advancing or forward endof this lug 118,'as the operating member '61 moves in the clockwise direction, forms an inclined cam face 119 while the otheror trailing end of this lug forms an abrupt shoulder 120. rim of theuppenpath of movement of this locking ,lug 118. The inclined cam face 119 of this lug will ride past this locking the wide flange 641 of the operlever end 117', but soon after gravity to move its locking end .117 into the the operating member 6'1beginsiits return movement the shoulder 120 will abut against the locking end 117, thereby stopping the return movement of which will take place at an advanced posi: tionof about 90 from the normal position When the operating member 61 is thus locked against further-{return movement, the coin carrier 85 willalso be locked against further return movement by its peripherally projecting lug 112 abutting against the operating stud 107 on this operating member 61. In this locked position of'the coin carrier' 85, its front flange 99 will extend across orclose the coin slot 6,-thereby preventing through this slot.

89 in the front plate lever may be omitted, that being substantiah 1y immaterial.

The operation, as well asthe construction, has been described; Vending machines con-o the insertion of a coin Should it be desired to arrange or adapt the machine shown to opstructed substantiallyas" shown have-open;

satisfactorily. A nameplatelzZl, giving 105? the'operatmg member-61,

- bination of means instructions, is secured on the dependingfrontfiange of the casing top 7 (Figs. 1 and nested cups w th their bottoms downward and of which the sides of the nested cups taper downward and meet in an angle at the bottom, movably mounted restraining mem bers' engaging with the opposite tapering sidesof the lowermost cupfor supporting the stack, feeding means for delivering the cups singly in successive segregated relat-ionincluding a gripping'device toengage the downwardly projecting angular bottom margin of the lowermost cup'and draw this cupdownward away from and belowthe said restraining members by; which the stack of -.,cups is still supported, and means operating intimed relation-with the feeding operation of thesaid gripping device to T3186 the said restraining members thereby to lift the stack and'tojh'old up the stack of cups; until the said lowermostcup has been fully delivered belowithe gripping device so that thereby the second cup cannotimmediately follow'the first to'the 'grippingdevice andthen to lower thesaid restraining members for the descent of the stack of cups to its original normal position so that thereby; the next cup which i has now become the lowermost cup may be likewise delivered at the next cup-delivering operation of the machine.

2. Ina cup dispensing machine, the coinblDQtlODOf means for guiding tor downward gravitational movement an upright stack of nested'cups with their bottoms downward and ofiwhich the sides of the nested cups taper downward and meet inan angle'at the bottom, movablymounted restralmng members engaging with the opposite tapering side's of 'the lowermost cup forsupporting the stack, feeding means for delivering the cups singly in successive segregated relation including a pair of opposed cooperating'feed rollers positioned to engage and grip between them the downwardly projecting angular -bottom margin'otthe lowermost cupand draw this cup downward away from and. below the said restraining members by which 1 thestaclr ot cups still supported, and means Desirable further information .may be displayed on the front door, 13. The casing.- I may display furtherornamentationin addition to that shown inFig. 5- on the casing of cupsimmediately that the upper edgeot the-lowermost cup, which is being delivered passes below the said restraining members operating .in timed relation with the feeding operation of tlie'teed' rollers to raise the saidrestrainingjmembers thereby to lift the stack of cups immediately that the'upper edge of "the lowermost cup which is being delivered passes bGlOW'ItlH-E said restraining members and to hold up the stackiof cups until'the said lowermost cup has been fully'de'livered second cup cannot immediately follow the first through the feed rollers and then to:

below th'ezfeedrollers so that "thereby the normal position so that thereby the'neXt cup whichihas now become the lowermost cup maybe lilrewise delivered ati the nextcupdelivering operationof the machine,

3. In a cup machine, the combination of means for. guiding tor downward gravitational mov'ement an upright stack of nested cups with their bottoms downward and of which the sides of the nested cups-taper downward and meet in an angle; at the bottom, movable restraining members mounted to be raised normally engaging with the opposite tapering sides of the lowermostrcup for: supporting theistack,teedingmeans vfor'delive'r: ing the cups singly in successive segregated relation in'cludino a. pair ofopposed coop-I erating feed rollers to engage and'gripsbe tween them the downwardly :projecting angular bottom margin of the lowermost cup and draw this cup downward away from and below the said restraining members by which the stack of cups is still supported, operating means for thefeed rollersfor imparting successivesteps vof'feed movement thereto of an extent to deliv'erthe lowermost 'cup' in the stack below the feedxrollers at each such step of their feed movement, and operating means for--the said restraining members operatingv in timedrelation with the operation of the feed rollers to raisethe said restraining members during the feedingmovement of the feed rollers immediately after the upper edge of the cup being deliveredhaspassed below the said restraining members for thereby, lifting and holding up the stack of cups until the feed roller-shave stopped'rotating and then to, lower the said restraining members while the feed rollers are stationary preparatory to 7 another similar delivery" operation by reason of the lowermost-cupin the stack havingdescended with its angular bottom in en gagement with the feed rollersin position to be gripped thereby at the nextsuccessive delivery operation of the machine.

4; In a cup dispensing machine, thevcombination of means for guiding for downward Vgravitational movement an upright stack of nestedfcups with their bottoms-downward andof which the sides ofithe cups taper downward and meetin an angle at-ithebot-c tom, combined restraining and littingfingers pivotally: mounted for inward and upward 1 rockingmovement at all times in-engage- 'ment with the opposite tapering sides of the lowermost cup for supporting the stack, feeding means for delivering the cupssingly in successive segregated relation includinga pair of opposed cooperating feed rollers po-- sitionedto engage and grip between them the downwardlyprojecting angular bottom margin of the lowermost cup and draw this cup downward free from the said fingers by which the stack of cups is still supported, operating means for the feed rollers for imparting thereto. successive steps of feed movement with intervening periods of rest by which the lowermost cup in the stack will be delivered at eachstep of feed movement of the feed rollers, and operating means for the said fingers operating in timed relation with the operation of the feed rollers to raise the said fingers and lift the stack of cups during the feed movement of the feed rollers after the upper edge of the cup being delivered thereby has been freed from the said Ifingers and to hold up the stack of cups until the feed rollers have come to rest and then to lower the said fingers while the feed rollers are at rest thereby permitting the stack of cups to descend preparatory to the next succeeding delivery operation.

5. Ina cup dispensingmachine, theicombination of means for guiding for downward gravitational movement an upright stack of .nestedcups with their bottoms downward and of which the sides of the nested cups taper downward and meet in an angle at the bottom, a pair of combined restraining and lifting fingers at all times in engagement with the opposite taperingsides of the lowermost cup for supporting the stack and pivotally mounted for upward rocking movement to lift the stack, connections between the said fingers for operating one of them from the other, a pair of cooperating feed to engage and grip between bottom margin of, the lowermost cup and draw this cup downward while the stack of cups is supported by the said fingers, intermeshing gears connecting together the said feed rollers, an, operating gear for the feed rollers, coaxial with one of them, a driving connection including a one-way clutchbe-e tween this operating gear and feed roller, a cam follower for operatingthe said fingers connected to one of -them,and a pivotally 'mounted rocking operating member for the feed rollers and the lifting fingers comprising a gear segment in engagement with the said operating gear and a cam in engagement'with the said cam follower and shaped to cause the said fingers to lift the stack of cups during the feed 'movement of the feed rollers immediately after the cup being fed is freed at its upper edge from the said fingers and in'the reverse direction of movement of the said rocking operating member to lower the stack ofcups while the feed rollers'are' atrest by reason of the disengagement ofithe said one-way clutch."

16; The invention defined in claim 5, in combination with spring means for rocking the said operating member in one direction of its movement, manual means for rocking this member in the other direction of its movement, and a double acting reversible pawl-and ratchet device for compelling a substantially full movement of the said rock ingoperating member before it can be moved in the opposite direction for thereby timing the successive delivery operations with the successive operations of the'rmachine.

, 7. In a cup dispensing machine, the combination of a casing open at the bottom, an upright container tube opening at its lower end into'the top of the casing for guiding a stack of nested cups downward into the casing with their bottoms down and of which the sides of the nested cups taper downward and meet in an angle at the bottom, .a pair of parallel horizontal rock shafts journaled in the upper part of the casing one at each lateral side thereof, linkage connecting together the rock shafts for similar concomitant rockingmovement in opposite direction, an inwardly extending downwardly inclined lever arm carried'by each rock shaft forming fingers whichen'gage with the opposite tapering sides ofthe lowermost cup for supporting theistack, a cam lever fixed upon the forward end portion ofone of the said rock shafts, a forwardly projecting cam follower mounted on the cam lever, a pair of feed roller shafts laterally disposed and j ournaled in the casing below and in parallel relation with the said rock shafts, a pair ofcooperating feed rollers fixed respectively on the feed roller shafts with the angular bottom of the lowermost cup in the stack normally restingthereon therebetween, intermeshing gears connecting together thefeed' roller shafts, a yieldable spring journal mounting for one of the feed rollers for pressing it against the other feed roller, an operating gear loosely mounted upon the forward end portion of'the shaft of the said other feed roller, a driving connection including a one-way clutch interposed between this operating gear and the feed roller on the same shaft, a rocking operating member pivoted on the front of the casing on an axis parallel with the said shafts comprising a gear segment in engagement with the said operating gear and a cam in engagement with the said cam follower and shaped to cause the said fingers to lift the stack of cups during the feed movement of the feed rollers immediately after the cup being fed is freed at its upper edge from the said fingers and in the reverse direction of movement of the said rocking operating member to lower the stack of cups while the feed rollers are at rest,mean's for limiting the" rocking move- A m'entof the said operating member, maniial means for rocking the operating member in the direction to operate the feed rollers for delivering a cup, and spring means for returning the'operating member. 8;.1n a machine of the class described, the combination with restraining devices to sup port a stack of nested wedge-shaped cups, by 1 engagement with thetapering side's 10f the lowermost cup of said stack, of feeding means to" engage the'bottom edge of said lowermost cupto discharge the same from the'machine, and means-responsive to-the operation of said feeding means, when the upper edge ot' said lowermost cup has cleared said restraining means, for elevating the latter to produce a positive separation between said lowermost cup and the'cup immediately above it in said stack, whereby the discharge of said last-named cup with said lowermost cup is prevented. v 9. In a machine of the class described, the combination with restraining devices to support a stack of nested wedge-shaped cups, by engagement with the tapering sides of the lowermost cup of said stack, of feeding means to engage the bottom edge of said lowe most cup to discharge the same from the machine 1 vans responsive to the OZJQIfitlOIl of said'teeding means, when the upper edge of-said lowermost cup has cleared said restraining-means, for elevating the latter to produce a positive separation between said lowermost cup and the cup immediately above it in said stack, whereby the discharge of saidIlast-named cup with said lowermost cup is prevented, and means brought into action at the completion of each discharge operation of said feeding means for restoring said restraining means to normal position.

In witness whereof, I hereunto subscribe my signature.

LOUIS H. MORIN.

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