US1890062A - Vending machine - Google Patents

Description

F. A. MADDEN VENDING MACHINE Dec. 6, 1932.

Original Filed- Oct. 26, 1925 5 Sheets-$j3eet l I N VEN TOR. FRANK/Q -MADDEA/ I 4 In m l n 1 Fin I ATTORNEY.

Dec. 6, 1932. MADDEN 1,890,062

VENDING MACHINE Original Filed Oct. 26, 1925 5 Sheetg-Sheet 2.

Dec. 6, 1932. F. A. MADDEN 1,890,062

VENDING MACHINE Original Filed Oct. 26, 1925 s Sheets-Sheet s Fi' s;

' FRANK A-N DUE/V 6 BY 69 ATTORNEY Dec. 6, 1932. 'F. A. MAbDEN 1,8 0 062 VENDING MACHINE Original Filed Oct. 26, 1925 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 FRANK A-NADDEN 46 F I 4 7 & INVENTOR.

6,11% -ATTORNEY F. A. MADDEN VENDING MACHINE Dec. 6, 1932.

Original Filed Oct. 26, 1925 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 IN VEN TOR ANKA-NADUEN Patented Dec. 6, 1932 Leeaeez FRANK A. MADDEN, OF SALINA, KANSAS vnnnrne MACHINE Original application filed October 26, 1925, Serial No. 64,735. Divided and this application filed. April 6,

This application is a division of my application filed October 26, 1925, Serial No. 64,735.

in object of this invention is to provide a device in which stacks 0r tiers of receptacles are lodged to be singly delivered from time to time as required.

Another object is to provide an improved mechanism whereby a single cup will be delivered to an operator who has set a cup vendmechanism in motion.

A feature of the invention lies in the novel arrangement of gear operated cams, so that a single cup will be separated from its stacked companions and delivered to the operator.

Another feature of my invention lies in the novel use of cams to support a stack of nested cups in a magazine.

Still anoth'e feature of invention lies in the means used to act upon and enter between the rims of the stacked cups so that the lower cup of the series is wedged apart and separated from the remainder of the cups.

Advantages of my invention are, relative simplicity of construction, certainty of operation. undamaged merchandise and sanitation.

The accompanying drawings illustrate the invention in form at present deemed most desirable.

Figure 1 is abroken front elevation of a dispensing machine constructed in accordance with this invention with a filled cup ready for delivery and the crank returned to position for starting another operation. Broken lines indicate the position of the crank at the coin dislodging instant.

' 2 is a plan of one of the three cupne; disl's.

ing cisks.

" a broken side elevation of the ma- 1 "from the left in Fig. 1 and gment of the case. A portion all of the frame is broken to up passage 5 broken lines indicate rm outside the other wall.

Serial No. 528,024.

Fig. 6 is a side elevation looking from the right in Fig. 1.

shown in Fig. 1.

Fig. 9 is a fragmentary sectional view of the cup dispenser with cups in place viewed from line x9, Fig. 10.

Fig. 10 is a plan View of the cup dispenser. F 11 is an elevation showing the left side of the cup dispenser shown in Fig". 1.0.

Fig. 12 is a view looking up at bottom of the cup dispenser mechanism shown in' Figs. 10 and 11.

Fig. 18 is a fragmentary entical section on ll =c 5013.. Fig. 14. Broken lines indicate the position of parts the moment efor-e the knockout tappet is sprung to eject the coin from the coin carrier.

Fig. 1 1 is a fragmentary vertical section on lines m14001l, Figs. 1 and 13.

Fig. 15 is a fragmentary right side elevation of the forward end of the machine; parts are broken away to show interior construction.

Fig. 16 is a fragmentary rear elevation of the forward end of the machine. looking from the rightside of Fig. 15. and from a plane indicated by line 5016 in Fig. 7.

Other objects, advantages and features of invention may appear from the accompanying drawings, the subjoined detail description and the appended claims.

It will be obvious that the cup dispensing means is per se an invention and maybe operated. if desired, separately from any drink dispensing means or coin controlled mechanism. For such latter operation it is only necessary to malre the shaft 15 continuous between the handle 7 and gear 17, in other words, to eliminate the intended to be bridged by the coin. cup will then be dispensed at each turn of the handle and no coin need be inserted, in fact no coin slot is then necessary. If the coin controlled parts are eliminated the cup vending device may be operated either with or without the liquid dispensing device attached thereto.

Hence the cup vending mechanism which is ings of the present application a coin-controlled drlnk vending mechanism is illustrated designed to vend a drink consisting of two component parts; v1z., a syrup and a charge of carbonated water delivered under pressure and mixed with said syrup by the machine at the time of its delivery therefrom.

It is intended that in common use the machine'a will preferably be housed in a cabinet K, a fragment of which shown in Fig. 5, and that only part of thefront of the machine will be exposed to view, while the remainder of the machine is covered by the cabinet to prevent tampering with or injury to the machine proper. e

The cast metal frame of the machine is shown as comprising base and top members 1 and 2 connected by struts 3 at either side, spaced apart and secured to said base and top by cap screws 3a and 3b.

The base casting 1 is provided with a recess 4, which is open at the front side and has a horizontal U-shaped forwardly open lip 4a upon which the vended cup 5 is received from the nested cups in the magazine 28 in which the receptacles to bevended are supported prior to delivery of the cup and reception of a drink therein.

A spout 5 takes care of the drip, and a chute 5" to receive the used cups leads from the frame 1 to a suitable receptacle not shown.

The casting 1 is also formed with a vertical passage 6 opening down to the recess 4, and through which the cups are delivered one at a time from a magazine to the lip 4a, by cup dispensing means, when the machine is operated. 7

The manually operated actuating mechanism comprises a hand crank 7 fixed to a horizontal shaft 8 that is journalledin a rib 1a at one side ofthe base casting 1 and projects from the rear face thereof, and that is there and provided with a coin carrier 9, rigidly fixed to the crank shaft 8 by a pin 8 and to a bearing 10 that extends to a rib 11 of the frame; (See Figs. 6 and 14.)

' i 12 is a coin slot open to the front of the frame and is of sufiicient cross section to receive and conduct a coin of the denomination "in the rib 11.

required to pay for one of the cups to be vended.

The coin carrier 9 is preferably U-shaped and the open space 9 between the limbs of seat 9a to seat a coin 13 to bridge the open space between thelimbs of the U to bear against and operate a lug 14 and retract a tappet 14 when the crank 7 is turned for the purpose of operating the vending mechan1sn1.

The lug 14 and tappet 14 are fixed to, and extend on opposite sides of,'a transmitting shaft 15 that is journalled in both limbs of the carrier 9, and also in the bearing 10 and A'coilspringS is coiled uponthe bearing sleeve 10 and is arranged to yieldingly hold thecoin carrier against the outside of'the frame member 1 in position to receive from the coin slot- 12 a coin13 to bridge the space 5 9' and to key the coin carrier 9 to the lug 14 to turn the shaft 15, to which the lug 14 is fixed by pin 15. (See Fig. 15.) Q

Said slot 12 is formed in the frame member 1, and extends from the front face of said member to deliver a coin 13 into the coin seat 9a (see Fig. 14) in the coin carrier when said carrier and other parts of the machine are in coin receiving position.

When there is no. coin in the coin seat 9a the crank 7 maybe oscillated almost throughout one revolution and the carrier stops against the frame at each end of its arc of travel.

The spring returns the carrier with considerable force to its stop on the outside of the frame, and there is likely to be more or less battering of the frame or the carrier, thus misalining the seat with reference to the slot, and to correct this difficulty, adjustable stop lugs 16 in the form of screws are thread- .ed through the carrier to engage the frame so that when the contactlng surfaces become battered the coin seat may be again alined with the slot by screwing the stops further through the carrier, thus causing the carrier to stop in position to receive the coin from the coin slot. (See Figs. 8 and 9.)

TVhen the coin slot 12 is unobstructed and a coin of required size is dropped thereinto such coin passes down into the coin seat 9a and then upon oscillation of the crank, the coin engages and causes the lug 14 to swing around, thus transmitting motion to the shaft is fixed on the inner end of the shaft 15.

'15, thereby revolving a bevel gear 17 which The' bevel gear 17 mesheswith a gear 18 fixed to a vertical shaft -19,'which is jour nalled at the rear of the base member 1 in ears 20, prO ect'mg from said member, anc

is connected to operate the cup delivering mechanism detailed in Figs. 12, 13, 14, 15 and 16.

A gear 21, (see Figs. 5 and 6) meshes with the gear 18 and is fixed to one section 22 of a horizontal shaft which is formed of two torsionally connected sections 22 and 22. A revoluble member in the form of a cam wheel 23 is fixed to the section 22' and is arranged and connected to complete the operation of the cup delivering mechanism.

The lug and tappet l4 and 14:, vertical shaft 19, the cup delivering means, and the cam wheel 28 are thus connected for coordinate operation.

A master spring preferably formed of two coils 27, eccentrically connected by crank pin 27 to the revolvable cam wheel holds said cam wheel normally in a predetermined position,

nd the operation of the lug 1% by the coin is against the resistance of said master spring and such resistance affords a friction on the coin that tends to hold the coin in the coin seat while operating the lug. The coin enters the coin seat from above, and when the coin carrier is revolved sufficiently to invert the coin seat, the coin would drop out if it were not for the friction caused by the resistance of spring 27, which is given tension by the initial rotational movement of the cam 28; and when the cam crank pin 27, by which the master sprin 27 is eccentrically connected to the cam 23, comes to dead-center as the spring swings across the axis of the cam, the stance of the master spring to the advance of the lug under the pressure of the coin carried by the coin carrier is so reduced that the friction on the coin would be insufficient to uphold the coin, and the coin would drop out of the inverted coin carrier, thus leaving no connection between the coin carrier and the cam 23, so that the operation of the machine would not be carried on.

To overcome this difficulty, the cam operating shaft is made in the two alined sections 22 ant 22 and these sections are connected to each other by a torsion coupling comprising an intermediate spring 22a the ends of which are fixed to the sections 22, 22, respectively, by means of sleeves 22?) and 220.

Said intermediate spring 22a is of such strength that when it is put under tension by the resistance of spring 27, as it approaches the dead center position, the reaction of said sprin 22a against the lug is sufficient not only to frictionally hold the coin until the dead center position is reached, but also to suddenly thrust the cam wheel onward after spring 27 passes the dead center; and the moment this occurs spring 27 operates to instantly turn the cam 23 to normal or initial position where comes to res and is held in such initial position by the tension of the spring 27. V

The intermediate spring is so adjusted by means of screw (Z in the collar 6 on the coupling sleeve 22?) which is fixed by pin f to the shaft member 22 that the tension of spring 22a will be sufficient to accomplish the results above set forth. he cam 23 when returned to normal position also returns the gears 21, 18 and 17 to a pre-determined normal position and the lug 11, being fixed to shaft 15 which is fixed to gear 17, will bepositioned so that lug 14 will be just in front of the coin seat 9a in order that a coin may be easily received in said seat.

When the spring 27 passes the dead center and spring 22a returns to normal position, the lug 14 is withdrawn from the coin so that the coin is free to drop by gravity from the coin seat 9a. Further movement of the cam 23 by spring 27 revolves shaft 15 and moves the tappet ll against the coin to positively 11' k the released coin out of the coin seat in the event the coin has not previously fallen therefrom by gravity.

The shaft member 22 is journalled at one end in a block 24;, and the other member 22 is journalled in a casting 25 depending from a casting 26 secured to the bottom of the casting 2. (See Figs. 5 and 6).

The spring 27 secured to the eccentric cam pin 27 on the cam wheel 23 and to the frame,

ieldingly holds the said wheel 23 and its connections at the rest position, and it not only operates the tappet to eject the coin, but also operates means to dispense cups.

The crank is only oscillatable and stops short of a complete revolution, as indicated in Fig. 1, and the gears 17, 18, 21 are so arranged that the cam wheel 28 can be turned to a point somewhat more than 180 degrees from rest by operation of said cranlr and before the crank reaches the limit of its movement the cam wheel and the tappet are automatically caused by reaction of spring 27 to complete a full revolution on and to return to rest to complete the cup vending cycle of operation.

Said. spring 27 is arranged in two upwardly diverging sections or limbs, one of said sections being secured at its upper end to the fastening element 27:0 and the other of said sections being secured at its upper end to the fastening element 27.2. The fastening element 2750 is on one side of a perpendicular plane drawn along the axis of rotation of the canr23,"and the fastening element 272 is located on the other side of said plane, said fastening elements being enough apart to stabilize the action of the spring sections 27 upon the pin 27 of the cam 23, thus yieldingly but positively normally maintaining said cam at rest in the position sho'wnin 5, and automatically restoring such cam to said position of rest after the shaft upon which it is mounted has made a complete'rotation and the cycle of operations which accompanies the vending of a 'cup has been completed.

The cup dispensing device comprises a magazine 28 mounted on and stationary to the casting 1 and has a circular cup-way 29 above andaxially aligned with the passage 6, and having a chamfered internal flange 30 below which thin mutilatedv worm-rimmed or peripherallythreaded revoluble cup feeding disks 31, are arranged to'support a stack of nested cups Gin the magazine. Said disks are mounted on shaft- s 32 and 32 and are arranged to be revolved relative to the magazine. They are arranged with their spiral peripheries projecting into the cup-way 29 to unitedly support the rim flange of the lowermost cup at one part of the revolution and the spiral peripheral grooves in said disks are adapted .to receive the rim flange of the lowermost cup and move such rim down and thus cause the cup to drop into the vertical passage 6 when the disks are turned to the appropriate position for sup porting the next cup Hm. I

Preferably there are three of such disks symmetrically disposed, as shown, and in fixed relation to respective operating gears.

A gear 33 and its disk 31 are in fixed relation to shaft 32, and the gear 33 mesl es with an annular gear 34, which is journalled on a depending collar 35 on the flange 30 and is initially revolved by power applied through the hand crank 7. Disk gears 36 and 37'are fixed to the other disks 31, and mesh with the ring or annular gear 34 to be revolved thereby; so that all three disks revolve alike when the shaft 32 is revolved.

As shown in Figs. 9 and 12, the cups C have flanged rims Z) and are nested one within another in the chamfered flange 30, with the flange b of the bottom cup resting on the disks 31. As these disks rotate, their thread- ,ed peripheries receive and engage the flange Z) of the bottom cup and move it down until the cup drops through the passage and rests on the lip 4a in the recess 4.

The rotation of the disks 31 is effected through train of gears comprising gear 39 fixed to shaft 19, and meshed with gear 40 that is fixed to shaft 41,.to which is fixed gear 42 that is meshed with gear 43, fixed to shaft 32 which turns gear33 that revolves annular .gear 34, by which the disk gears 36 and 37 are revolved. lVhen the crank is tufrned, with coin in place, the shafts 19 and 41 will be turned, and also the gear 43 and thus revolve the annular gear 34, and the disks 31 will be simultaneously rotated to dispense a cup. The cam wheel 23 on shaft member 22 is turned through an arc tostretch the spring 27 which instantly completes the revolution passes dead of the shaft 22, when the spring center. Owing to the manner inwhich the springs 27 and 22a cooperate to give a sudden for.-

ward impulse to the cycle of movements which accompany a complete operation of the crank 7, the three threaded gears which propel the cups C downwardly are simulta neously quickly rotated during the latter part of each cup-delivery movement, thus safeguarding the cups from sticking and causing them to be quickly and positively thrown down upon the lip 4a in the recess 4.

A counter 44 (see Fig. 1) is operatively connected to one of the shafts 32 and records the number of cups-dispensed by the machine, and therefore the number of times it is operated. 7

Means are provided to prevent the insertion of a coin when the supply of cups is exhausted, and such means comprise a spring actuated coin stop operating arm 45 (see Fig. 8) that is pivoted intermediate its ends at 45 and is provided at one end with finger 46 constructed and arranged to be pressed into the slot to be withdrawn by the operator.

In this way when the last cup is dispensed from the stock so that it is removed from the part 46 0f the device, the spring 47 acts to move arm 45 to insert the stop 48 and prevent loss of a coin by an intending customer. 1

The friction of the finger 46 on the rims of the cups wouldv prevent the cups from moving down, and it is necessary to withdraw the finger from the cups duringthe o eration of dis ensin a cu and this is efi. .e'

fectedby a pin 49 normally retracted by a spring 50 and adapted to be inserted into slot 12 through a hole, and into engagement with the stop 48 to push said stop back to oscillate arm 45 and retract the finger 46 from the cup; a lever 51 (see Fig. 15) fulcrumed to frame at 52 has a finger 53 operableby a cam 54 fixed to thecrank-shaft 8, to push the pin 49 into the positionfor retracting said finger 46 after a coin has been droppedinto the coin carrier, and directly after-the crank 7 has. been moved to turn the coin carrier and the cup dispensing device. When the pin 49 has been moved into engagement with the stop 48 it has passed transversely through the coin slot 12 so that another coin cannot be inserted in said'slot and also provides a means for requiring the handle 7 to be in initial position when a coin isinserted and thereby assures correct positioning of the 1.1:?

coin carrier relative to the slot 12 when the coin is inserted. I I

The cam 54 extends around the axis of the shaft 8 suflieiently to hold the, lever 51 and pin 49 in finger retracting position throughout all except a limited initial arc of the crank oscillation, so that while the cup feeding disks 31 are lowering the cup, the finger 46 is held retracted from the path of the projecting cup rim, but when the crank is returned to its initial position shown in solid lines in Figs. 1 and 1%, the spring 47 again presses the finger 46 against a cup, and the stop 18 is withdrawn from the coin slot so long as cups are in the cup receptacle, and when the cam 54 is withdrawn from the lever 51, the spring withdraws the pin 4&9 from the coin slot 12 leaving said slot free for the insertion of another coin.

The drink dispensing mechanism is contained and supported i a hollow casting 55 having a cover plate 56.

A fountain tray 57 is provided and a fountain or jar 58 is inverted thereon. A tube leads from the tray 57, being secured to the casting by screws threaded into flanges 66. Said tube opens into an inta re chamber 61. which in turn, opens into a measuring or pump cylinder chamber 62. Said chamber 62 communicates with outlet chamber 64-.

through a duct 65. Said chamber 64 h an outlet 66 that alines with a tube 67. A vent 68 at the top of chamber 61- admits air to prevent siphoning of liquid from the jar 58.

A rod 69 having a valve 7 O thereon extends through the castings 26 and 2, and has at its lower end an anti-friction roller 69 that rests on the cam wheel 28 to ride the cam and be raised thereby. Said cam causes the valve 70 to temporarily close the passage 71, which leads from the bottom of a pressure and float chamber 7 2 into the expansion chamber 71 in the casting 26. Near the top of its upward stroke and after the valve 7 O is seated, and the cam 23 is moving during the spring retracting portion of its revolution, the valve stem 69 lifts a valve stem 7 3, having a spring 77 therearound. and unseats a pressure liquid inlet valve 74, thus permitting the pressure fluid to flow from the fitting 7 5, through the cage 76 and thence into the chamber 72, while the outlet 71 is closed by valve 70.

The pressure tank 78 is connected to the fitting by a suitable pipe 79. During the time that the inlet valve 7 4 is open and the outlet valve 70 is closed, the stem 81 is lifted by means of its float 80 until said float by means of a valve 83 closes a vent 81 in the cover 56. A spider 82 aids in guiding said float stem 81. Said vent 81 communicates with diverging vent holes 84 to allow free escape of gas until the float 80 and the vent valve 83 are lifted.

Jam-nuts 85 screwed onto the float stem 81 are adapted to normally rest on cover 56 and to support the float close to the top of the chamber 72.

lVithin casting 55 is a threaded bore which receives a nipple 86 and which is also adapted to receive the valve seat bushing 87 having at its upper end the cage 76 and provided with outlets 87. The valve stem 7 3 extends down through the cage 76 and bushing 87, which is provided with a gland 87 which is shouldered to receive the thrust of the spring 77, which operates between the shoulder of the gland 87 and the collar 7 3 fixed to the valve stem 73. Pressure chamber 72 communicates through a port 88, (Figs. 5 and 7), with a cylinder bore 89, that is axially aligned with and is of less diameter than the syrup pump cylinder.

A cylinder head 90 at the lower end of the bore 89 prevents the pressure in here 89 from flowing into the syrup chamber 62 and a piston rod 91 extending through such cylinder head is provided below such head in the syrup chamber 62- with a syrup lifting head 92.

The mixing tube or outlet 9% extends from the expansion chamber 71 through a hole 95 in the rear of the casting, and delivers the fluids through the outlet spout 38 into the cup C previously delivered to and resting on the lip 4a.

The tube 9% is so steeply aslant that the liquids discharged thereinto will flow out of the spout 38 with suflicient velocity to shoot over into the cup C, but the spout terminates su'lf ciently behin d the front rim of the drip cup to allow any drops which may drip from the end of the spout to drain out through the drain pipe 5 without smearing the lip 4a or the rim Z) of the cup.

The pressure liquid outlet valve-lock releasing arm 96., fixed by a pin to the rod 91, is movable up and down by said rod 91 and is adapted to lift the outlet valve releasing rod 97, which is provided with an adjustable stop formed by nuts 97 on said rod 97.

Said stop isnormally spaced from the arm 96 as indicated in Fig. 5 so that when the power piston 93 is operated by pressure from the chamber 72, the arm 96 will operate with lost motion to lift the rod 97 at the end of a measuring stroke of the syrup pump piston 92.

The rod 97 has a collar or tappet 97 a which is adapted and arranged to lift the operating arm 98of the rocking valve lock which is pivoted to the casting 2 by the pin 99 ad acent the valve rod 69. Said rod 69 is provided with a shoulder 100 under which a lock limb 98 of the valve lock may be moved by the spring 101 when the valve rod 69 is elevated by cam 23 to cause the valve 70 to close the outlet 71.

When the arm 98 and its lock limb 98' are in looking position,.the valve rod 69 and valve 70are held to positively close the outlet 71; and when the arm 96 lifts the rod 97 and its tappet 97a to the position indicated in Fig. 6a the valve rod 69 is free to be loweredandis so shown in Fig. 5a.

The unlocking rod 97 is guided in the cover 56 and the guide 102 which is stationary to-the casting 55, and the spring 101 operates be tween the guide102 and a washer 102 resting against the arm 98 and under the spring 101 to normally force the look into locking position. 103 is a nut on the rod 69 to clamp a bracket 104 onto the set nut 104 on said rod 69. .Said bracket is slidable up and down on the rod 97 so that when rod 97 is forced up by pressure on the piston 93 from the chamber 72 the spring 105 on the unlocking rod, 97 acts through the bracket 10a after lock 98 is released to force down the valve rod 69, thus to open outlet 71 from the pressure chamber and permit the liquid therein to flow by gravity into theexpansion chamber 71. The roller 69 is thus brought to rest on the cam wheel 23 and the parts remain in the position shown in Fig. 7 until another operation of the crank serves to turn the cam 23 and again lift the roller 69, the valve 7 0 and valve 74. The operation of the invention is as follows: v

A coin of the required denomination is placed in the slot 12 and runs down into the grooves 12 and seats in the seat 9a of the coin carrier, providing means for connect in" the shafts '8 and 15, thus bridging the opening between the limbsof the coin carrier.

The crank 7 is then turned to the right in Fig. 14 and the coin engages the lug 14, (see Figs. 13, 14 and 15), and turns the shaft15 and gear 17, thereby turning thegear 18, its shaft 19, the gear 21 and its shaft 22, and, acting through the spring'22a (see Figs. 5, 6, and 15), turns the shaft 22 and the cam sheet 23. The oscillation of the crank 7 issufficiently ample to turn the-crank pin 27 in the di rection of the arrows on and adjacent the cam wheel in Figs. 5 and 6, until the crank pin has swung down and passed a vertical, not shown, drawn from the horizontal axis of the cam wheel 23, when the manually tensioned spring 27 operates with a snap action to suddenly complete the revolution of the cam wheel to drive the gear 21 in the direction inwhich it was turned by the crank, thus completing the revolution of said gear 21 and the train of gears and shafts connected therewith.

'The snap action revolution of the gear 21 operates the gear 17, shaft 19, gears 39 and 4:0, shaft 11, gears 42 and 43 and completes the revolution of the cup delivering wheels 31, sothat when the cam 28 comes to rest a cup 0 has been delivered and hangs suspended by its rim 1) on the lip 1a.

The beverage delivery mechanism is timed to operate during the portion of the movement of crank 7 which follows the delivery of a cup to the position for being filled. As this mechanism, separately considered is described and claimed in my original application and forms no part of the present application a' more detailed description of its action is nothere required.

I claim: Y

1. A cup dispensing machine comprising cooperating rotatable members having peripherally screw threaded portions constructed and arranged to receive and move downwardly cups having edges adapted to engage said screw threaded portions, power transmitting means to actuate said members comprising shafting, a spring arranged first to retard and then accelerate the rotary movement of said shafting, and another spring to cooperate with the first recited spring to accelerate the rotary movement of said shafting after such movement has progressed through the aforementioned retarded portion thereof.

2. A cup dispensingmachine comprising cooperating rotatable members having peripherally screw threaded portions constructedvand arranged to receive and move downwardly cups having edges adapted to engage said screw threaded portions,power transmitting means to actuate said members comprising shafting, a spring arranged first to retard and then accelerate the rotary movement of said shafting, and another spring to cooperate with the first recited spring to accelerate the rotary movement of said shafting after such movement has progressed through the aforementioned retarded portion thereof, said spring which is eccentrically connected with said shafting being in two sections which normally cooperate yieldingly to maintain said shafting at a definite point of rest.

3. In a cup dispensing machine, mechanism adapted to move a cup toward a delivery position and then propel it suddenlyforward toward a' position for receiving liquid, a driven shaft operatively connected with said mechanism, a driving shaft to rotate said driven shaft, a spring section between said shafts, and a snap action spring comprising two upwardly diverging sections which are each anchored at one end'and attached at the other end eccentrically to saiddriven shaft in order to maintain said driven shaft normally ata definite position of rest and adapted, when said driven shaft is rotated to a point beyond dead center to impart to the aforementioned cup delivery mechanism the recit-ed suddenforward movement.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand at Salina, Kansas, this 25th day of February, 1931. I

FRANK A. MADDEN.

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