US1847984A - Token vending machine - Google Patents

Description

3 Sheets-Shea?l 1 ATTORN EY D. H. RUFF TOKEN VENDING MACHINE Filed 00T.. 30, 1929 Marh l, 1932.

TOKEN VENDING MACHINE Filed Oct. 50, 1929 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR March l, 1932. D, H. RUFF 1,847,984.

TOKEN VENDING MACHINE Filed 0G12. 50, 1929 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 (7i 66 1&9 (70 BY "M1/9%.

. l ATTORNEY goa tubes 16 will be fiXedly supported from the rear wall 14 in any suitable manner, such as by brackets 17, and both the upper and lower ends of the tubes will bebent and the diameter of said tubes will be slightly greater than the diameter of the tokens. Nfounted on each shelf 15 for horizontal movement thereover by virtue of a vertical pivot 18, is a movable tube section 19 corresponding in diameterto the token tube 16 and corresponding in depth approximately to thickness of the number of tokens to be dispensed. |The dispensing element or tube section 19 is formed with a radial arm 20 which is apertured as at 21 to receive therethrough the pivot 18 which, in the present instance, is in theform of a screw threa-dedly anchored inV the shelf 15 and formedv with a coifed head 22 which retains the dispensing Velementv in place. The free end of the arm 20 is apertured as at 23 and receives therethrough a pin 24 which pivotally connects the free end of said arm 20 to a link 25, the opposite end of which is pivot-ally connected by a pivot pin 26 to the free terminal of an armature 27 which in turn is fulcrumed as at 28 to a bracket ear 29 carried by a transverse horizontal bar 30 supported from the side walls 31 of the casing or housing. A coiled contractile VSpring '32 engages the pivot pin 24'V and is anchored to a spaced anchor pin 33 to normally shift or swing the arm V2O in a direction to dispose the same in axial alignment with the xedV token tube 16 and at the same time move the armature 27 in an angularly disposed relation spaced from an electromagnet 34, which is suitably supported within the casing. Obviously, the electro magnet is designed to be included in a circuit which receives a source of electrical energy for energizing the magnet to attract the Varmature against the actionof the spring'32.

a receiving position with respect to the lower end of the delivery chute by -a spring 38. The delivery chute is further provided with a manipulating lip 39 withwhich the tips of the fingers are adapted to be engaged for tilting the same to allow the tokens to gravitate into the hand of the vendee. `The delivery trough is formed with an arcuate downwardly extending wall 40 at its inner free end which in addition toacting as a stop to properly align the drive with the lower end of the delivery chute also serves to close the lower end of the chute when the drive is tilted so as to prevent the tokens from gravitating into the bottom of the casing in event 0f the operation of the machinewliil'e'the drive is tilted. Itwill also be observed that the upper edge of thedispensing element or movable tubeVV section Vis. 'provided i with ya downwardly projectinglip 41 which occus pies a position underlyingthe center of the token stack when the element .or section is disposed in its shifted dispensing position.

l' In order to provide means operable by the insertion and gravitational movement of ya coin through the casing for closing the circuit to energize the .electromagnets, coin chutes 45 are provided,'the upper ends of which communicate with coin slots 46 in the front wall 47 yof the casing or housing. The

coin chutes are preferably disposed at a lateral angle, as clearly illustrated in. Figurezl oftheV drawings, and each coin chute is ofa cross sectional configuration conforming approXimately to the cross sectional size and shape of the coinwhich it is designedto receive. The coin chute is' formed with sections 48 and 49 which are electrically separated from each other by thevinsulation 50, and said insulated sections 48 and 49 are ineluded-in a circuit which consists of a feed coin chute 45 formed withthe insulated' sections 48 and 49, the coin acts as a means for bridging the sections48- and 49 to complete the circuit for energizing thesignal lamp 53 andthe electromagnet 34.` Instantaneously the" armature 27 of the "electromagnet is -attr'acted and moved to a position to exert a pull on the link 25 for lswingingor 'shifting the deliveryelement 19 to a position to displace the lowermost. tokens of the `stack con. tained in said element from the shelf 15 where they will gravitate onto the' delivery chute 35 and into the ydeliverytrough 36. The lower ends ofthe chutes 45 are arranged within the lower portion of .the casing or housing so that the coins will gravitate therefrom onto the bottom wall 55 of the casing or housing, from which they will be subsequently removed through a locked door 56 constituting a hinged section of the rear wall 14., As soon as the coin emerges from the lower end of the chute, it is obvious that the circuit will again be opened and the electromagnet 34 deenergized. Immediately upon deenergization of the electromagnet, the

spring 32 will swing the armature to its angularly disposed position and at the same time move the armQO and shift the dispensing element 19 to a position underlying and:

in axial alignment with the Xed token tube 16. The stack of tokens A will then gravitate downwardly into the dispensing element 19 for subsequent operations of the machine.

In order to insure the proper gravitation of the token stacks, a cylindrical weight 60vis arranged in the upper end of each token tube and rests directly upon the uppermost token of each stack. This weight in addition to performing the function stated, serves as a means for indicatingthe depletion of the stack and for closing the upper end of the coin chute against the introduction of accin.v This-is accomplished by providing the weight with a radially projecting n'ger 61 whichextends through a longitudinal slot 62 in the token vgravita-te downwardly into engagement with the shelf 15. In order to further indicate the* depletion of thetokens in the stack, the terminal 67 is electrically connected y through the shaft 66 to a circuit wire 75 which leads through the filament of a signal lamp 68 and thence is connected with the Vreturn wire 54.

A contact element 69 is connected by a circuit wire 70 to the feed wire 51, and said contact element 69 is supported by a transverse bar 71 from which it is insulated by the insulation 7 2. The contact element is disposed in a position where it will be engaged by the terminal 67 of the lever- 65 when the stack ofl tokens is depleted, thereby completing the circuit to the signal lamp 68. In' practice,the

signal lamps 53 and 68 will be of a distinguishing character and will be preferably ymounted onthe front wall 47 of the housing or casing in close proximity tothe coin slots 46 for the purpose ofk attracting attention. It

. is, of course, to beunderstood that the signals 53 and 68 may be of an audible as well as of' g n y n a visible nature for.. thatV both "visible andv audible signals may be employed in combina-V tion. Y

In use and operation, the vendee inserts a com in the proper coin slot 46'and the coin passing'through the coin chute 45, through the insulated sections 48 and 49 thereof,v

closes the circuit'to energize'the electromagnet 34 which functions to swing the dispensing element 19,thereby displacing the tokens from the shelf 15 where they gravitationally fall onto the inclined delivery chute 35 for gravitational delivery into the delivery trough 36. The vendee then presses the manipulating lip 39 to tiltthe trough 36 for discharging the tokens into his hand. As soon as the coinpasses from they chute 45, itis obvious that the circuit to the electromagnet Vwill again be broken and the dispensing elefment 19 will return to its position for receiving another set of tokens from the token stack.l If for any reason the coin becomes y clogged in the coin chute, it is obvious that vthe circuit will be closed to actuate the signal `53, thereby directing attention of the station attendant tothe faulty condition of the machine. `After the/token stack has been de'- pleted, the nger 6l on the weight 60 will effect the closing of the coinfslot by theobstructing rod 63 and at the same time energize the signal 68 to call the attendants attention vto the machine.

What is claimed is: i

A change-making vending machine adapted to be actuated by the coin'to be changed,

including a casing having a coin receiving.

chute, a shelf within said casing, a tubular change reservoir open at its lower end and positioned above and spaced from-the shelf, a change-,delivery tube leading from said reservoir to the outside of the casing, means for ejecting the change from the reservoir through said delivery tube, said means comprising a fulcrumed tubular change-displac-- ing member normally positioned between said y shelf and the lower end of said reservoir and lmeans for moving said change-displacing member whereby toy 'displace the requiredA change from the reservoir, said latter-'means including an electric circuit adapted to be kclosed by the coin to be changed, an electromagnet in said` circuit and energizable thereby, an armature operable by the electro-magnet, linkage'between said armature and said change-displacing member, anda weight cooperative with saidchange-displacing,mem-

ber for urging the change from the reservoir. Y' DAVID I-I. RUFF.

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