US1941637A - Coin chute - Google Patents

Description

Jan. 2, 1934. w A. TRATscH COIN CHUTE 2 Sheets-Sheet l Filed Dec.

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Jan. 2, W. A, TRTSCH COIN CHUTE Filed Dec. 23, 1931 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 FI E. 3|.4

*"a" *vn`l m5 I m i T O fH6 WATHATS Patented Jan. 2,- 1934 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE Application December 23, 1931 Serial N0. 582,852

8 Claims.

This invention relates to releases for merchandise for vending machines and more particularly to electrical releases which are coin controlled, the invention having for its object to provide a construction simple in parts and more eflicient in operation than those heretofore proposed.

With this and other objects in view the invention resides in the novel details of construction and combinations of parts as will be disclosed more fully hereinafter and particularly pointed out in the claims.

Referring to the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification in which like numerals designate like parts in all the views,

Fig. l is an elevational view of the invention, showing the wiring of the several parts;

Fig. 2 is a bottom view of the trip switch for controlling the current to the operating motor, said View being taken substantially on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1 and looking in the direction of the arrow;

Fig. 3 is a vertical sectional view also illustrating the trip switch and its control features, said view taken as on the line 3v-3 of Fig. 1 and looking in the direction of the arrow;

Fig. 4 is a vertical sectional view through one of the coin chutes illustrating a coin releasing device, said view being taken as on the line 4 4 of Fig. 1 and looking in the direction of the arrow; and

Fig. 5 is an elevational view partly in section illustrating a portion of the merchandise releasing mechanism.

In order that this invention may be better understood, reference is made to U. S. Letters Patent 1,831,893 granted Nov. 17, 1931 to Walter A. Tratsch for Improvements in release for vending merchandise, since this invention is directed to mechanism which is coin controlled and for operating the merchandise release illustrated in said patent. 1n other words, the electric control mechanism disclosed according to this invention is a substitution for the mechanical nonelectric mechanism partially disclosed in said patent and more fully disclosed in U. S. Letters Patent 1,766,152 granted June 24, 1930 to Walter A. Tratsch entitled Control mechanism for Vending machines. Said patents disclosed coin-controlled mechanisms for moving a travelling ribbon step by step to successively release articles of merchandise, and the present invention covers an electrically operated mechanism for similarly moving said ribbon.

In the accompanying drawings, 1 indicates generally a coin chute made of non-conducting ma.d terial, electrically speaking, and provided with a plurality ofv coin grooves such as indicated at 2 and 3, there being illustrated two such grooves in Fig. 1, but it is to be understood that one or more such coin grooves may be provided in accordance with the cost of the articles of merchandise to be vended. That is to say, this invention contemplates a release for merchandise having Varied monetary values, and therefore for merchandise the cost of which is one cent, live cents, ten cents, or twenty-five cents, it would be necessary to have only a single grooved coin chute for the reception of a coin of the denomination equivalent to the monetary value of the article of merchandise. On the other hand, an article of merchandise 'to be vended, for example, for fifteen cents would necessitate either a triple grooved coin chute each groove to receive a nickle, or a double grooved coin chute one groove to receive a nickle, and the other groove to receive a dime. For other articles of merchandise, the value of which was an amount necessitating a combination of other and differing pieces of coin, there would be necessitated requisite variations of a single or double grooved coin chute. For the purpose of readily locating an obstruction, the grooved side of the coin chute block 1 is preferably covered with a sheet 4 of transparent material.

Each coin groove has associated therewith a pair of separated metallic electrical conductors, arranged in a horizontal plane. That is to say, and with reference to Fig. l there is provided a stationary metallic contact block 5 whose inner end is in the same vertical plane with the outer edge of the groove 3, and similarly there is provided another stationary metallic contact block 6 whose inner end lies in the vertical plane of the outer edge of the other groove 2. The central dividing rib 7 between the two coin grooves has mounted therein a metallic contact strip member 8 whose ends such as 9 and 10 extend into the coin grooves and are bent downwardly therein, said ends being yieldable with respect to a coin passing through the groove, all as should be clearly understood. The ends 9 and 10 extend only a slight distance into each coin groove or chute, just sufficiently far to intercept and hold a coin that is passing downwardly in the groove.

This condition is clearly illustrated in Fig. 1, the coin indicated at 11 having come to rest through frictional engagement with the stationary contact block 6 and the yieldable end 10 of the intermediate electric contactstrip member 8,

and the other coin indicated at 12 being shown as travelling down the groove 3 to be stopped ultimately by frictional engagement with the other stationary contact block 5 and the other yieldable end 9 of said strip 8. The strip 8 is seen to be positioned in the same horizontal plane with the stationary blocks 5 and 6 so that, when both coins 11 and 12 are stopped in frictional engagement with said blocks and the strip member 8, the coins will bridge the gaps in an electrical initiating or control circuit.

This circuit is formed as follows: current from any suitable source not shown, passes over the wire 15 to a binding post 16 on a bus bar 17, thence to a second binding post 18 thereon, thence over the Wire 19 to the stationary contact block 6, through the coin 11, strip 8, coin 12, to the other stationary Contact block 5, thence over the wire 20 to and through a coil 2l, thence over the wire 22, to and through a resistance element 23, thence over the wire 24 to a binding post 25 of another bus bar 26, thence to a second binding post 27 thereon, and thence over the wire 28 back to' said source.

In Fig. 1 the coil 21 has been conveniently illustrated as the coil of an ordinary electric buzzer or bell, the wire 28 having been permanently secured to one end of the double coil, the other end of the coil being grounded as usual to the buzzer mounting 29 carrying the binding post 30, the wire 22 being attached to said binding post.

The coil 21 has associated therewith an armature 35 pivoted as at 36 and having an extending spring arm 37 adapted to engage a fixed member 38 whereby the members 37 and 38 will cause a spring tension to be placed on said armature tending to move the latter away from the poles of the coils 21. The usual adjusting screw 39 is pro-- vided for regulating the gap between the poles of vthe coils and said armature. From the foregoing description it will therefore be readily understood that, when the coins 11 and 12 bridge the gaps between the electric contact members in the coin chute, current will ow to and through the coils 21 and attract the armature 35, holding the latter until the current through the coils is broken, or the armature is moved away from said coils.

Preferably7 secured to the mounting 29 of the coils 21 is a block 40 of insulation having adepending portion 41, said insulation having secured thereto two spring contact fingers 42 and 43 whose inturned ends almost contact but which are normally open. The contact finger 42 is connected as by the wire 44 to a binding post 45 on a bus bar 46 having a second binding post 47 from which leads a wire 48 connected to the motor 49, the other connection from the motor being the wire 50 leading to a binding post 5l on the bus bar 17.`

The other contact finger 43 is connected as by the wire 52 to the binding post 25 on the bus bar 26. From these connections it will thus be apparent that, when the circuit is closed thro-ugh the spring contact fingers 42 and 43, current will ow from the source over the wire 15 to the bus bar 17, thence over the wire 50 to and through the motor 49, thence over the wire 48 to and through the bus bar 46, over the wire 44 to the spring finger 42, thence to the rspring finger 43, over the wire 52 to the bus bar 26 and back to the source over the wire 28.

The motor 49 has its shaft connected through any suitable speed gear reduction, generally indicated at 55, to a main operating shaft 56, the outer extremity of which passes through a suitable supporting bearing 57. On this shaft is secured a collar 58 (see Figs. 1 and 4) which has rigidly secured thereto and radially extending therefrom a blade 59 adapted, in its revolution about the shaft, to cause a release of the coins 1l and 12 from their circuit closing positions.

The coin release is clearly illustrated in Figs. 1 and 4 and will be seen to include an upper bar 60, an intermediate bar 61, coin shovers 62 and 63 (one for each coin groove), and a lower bar 64. All of these bars are secured across the grooved face of the coin chute block 1, the upper bar serving to secure ends of springs for tensioning the coin shovers, the intermediate bar positioned substantially in the plane of the coin engaging electrical contact members 5, 8, 6 and limiting the upward movement or return of the coin shovers 62 and 63, and the lower bar provided with kerfs (one for each shover) to receive and guide the shovers inwardly of the coin grooves to insure engagement of said shovers with the held coins.

The shovers 62 and 63 are identical in construction and therefore only one will be fully described. With particular reference to Fig. 4 the shover 63 extends substantially parallel to the plane of the coin chute block 1, and has its lower end or foot 65 turned outwardly in a direction toward the operating shaft 56, the foot 65 being so positioned with respect to said shaft that the.

blade 59, in its movement in the direction of the arrow, will strike said foot 65 and cause a downward movement of the shover 63. In this connection it should be observed that the blade 59 is of a dimension (see Fig. 1) to simultaneously operate both shovers, and said shovers are disposed longitudinally and centrally of their respective coin grooves.

The upper end or head 66 of each shover is turned inwardly toward the coin chute block and has attached thereto one end of a coil spring 67 the other end of which is secured to the uppermost bar 6D, said spring to hold the shover 63 under tension and normally in its inactive or raised position, which position is limited by a shoulder 68 engaging the under side of the holding bar 61. This shoulder is formed by an oblique cut in the shover providing the inclined surface 69 the purpose of which will presently appear. The transparent cover sheet 4 is provided with a suitable slot indicated at 70 for receiving therethrough the inturned head 66 of each shover.

From the foregoing description it will therefore be seen'that when the blade 53 carried by the operating shaft 56 strikes the foot 65 of each shover, the latter will be moved downwardly against the tension of its spring. When this occurs the inclined surface 69 will engage a side of the middle or holding bar 61 and, in the continued downward movement of the shover, cause the head 66 to extend through the slot 70 of the covei` plate, entering the coin groove at a point above the periphery of the coin such as 11 held by the electric contact. members. In the still further downward movement of the shover, said head will engage the edge of the held coin, forcing the latter entirely past the yieldable electric coni tact member, thus permitting the coin to drop under the urge of gravity through the remainder of its groove and fall into a suitable coin box provided therefor.

The blade 59 remains in contact with the foot of each shover until the held coin has fully passed the yieldable electric contact members, after which 'said blade, in its circular movement, slips oif of the tensioned shover which is then free to fly upwardly until the-shoulder 68 brings it to rest in the position shown in Fig. 5. In connection with this operation it should be stated that the upper bar extends an appreciable distance from the face of the coin chute block whereby the spring 67 will be positioned at a slight angle to the vertical, thus insuring the shoulder 68 performing its duty as a stop against the holding bar 61.

As hereinbefore stated, the spring fingers 42 and 43, when closed or joined in electrical contact, are adapted to close the operating circuit including the motor 49, but it is to be understood that said fingers will not cause a closing of this circuit until the requisite coins have been inserted and have closed the gaps in the control circuit including the coil 21. There is provided a trip switch for controlling the operating or motor circuit, which switch is in turn governed by the control circuit 'and includes the spring ngers 42 and 43.

That is to say, on the under side of the block of insulation 40 there is pivoted as at 75 a hori-l Zontal metallic switch member generally indicated by the numeral 76 having three operative elements, said elements being arranged so that they are nearly equidistant from each other. One of these elements is an arm 77 having associated therewith a knife blade 78 adapted to make lne-- tallic and electric contact with the slightly separated spring fingers. The extremity of the arm 77 is adapted to strike a stop 79 likewise mounted on the insulation 40, and when said end is against said stop, the knife blade will not be in contact with said lingers. Figs. 2 and 3 clearly show this construction, the arm 77 clearingly passing between the fingers in their more widely separated portions.

The second element of the switch member 76 is another arm 80, the end of which is adapted to be struck and moved by the lower end 81 of the armature 35 when said armature is attracted by its magnet 2l, the relative angular positions of the arm and the knife blade '78 being such that the latter will be moved into the electrical contact with both of the spring fingers when the armature is attracted to its magnet, thereby closing the circuit through said lingers and starting the motor 49. This position of the switch member 76 is shown in dotted lines in Fig. 2.

The third element of the switch member 76 is a depending pin 82 carried at the end of a third arm 83, said pin adapted to be struck a blow suflicient to swing the switch member about its pivot and move the knife blade 78 out of electric contact with the spring ngers 42 and 43. This disengagement is occasioned when the main operating shaft 56 has assumed a predetermined position.

Suitably mounted on the cabinet of the machine is a bracket 84 having an extension 85 pivoted to which as at 86 is a vertical three armed lever 87, one arm 88 of which receives an end of a coil spring 89 the other end 90 of which is secured to the bracket arm 85, the purpose of said spring to position the lever 87 as shown in Fig. 3. Said lever has an upwardly extending arm at the extremity of which is mounted a transverse pin 91 which is adapted to strike the pin 82 of the switch member 76. The third arm of the lever 87 comprises a downwardly extending tapered point 92 extending into the circular path of a trip arm 93 carried by a collar 94 rigidly mounted on the operating shaft 56.

From the foregoing it will now be understood that, when the control circuit through the coil 21 is closed by the proper coins, the armature 35 will be attracted by the coil, causing the switch member 76 to move to a position to close the motor operating circuit through the spring 1ingers 42 and 43, whereupon the operating shaft 56 will be rotated. During the rotation of this shaft, the blade 59 carried thereby will operate the coin shovers 62 and 63 to force the held coins past the yieldable electric contact members in the coin chute, thereby breaking theV control or starting circuit and causing the armature 35 to move away from the poles of the coil 21 under the urge of the armature spring 37. However, the switch member 76 will still remain in the position indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 2 thereby continuing the ow of current through the motor 49 and the operation of the shaft 56.

After the control circuit has been broken, the shaft 56 will advance the trip arm 93 toward and against the spring tensioned depending arm 92 of the lever 87, rocking said lever slowly about its pivot and moving the horizontal pin 91 in a direction away from the vertically depending pin 82 of the switch member 76. However, the arm 92 is short and therefore the trip 93 will soon pass off the lower end thereof, whereupon the lever 87 will be snapped byy the action of its spring 89, causing a quick, sharp blow of the pin 91 against the pin 82. This blow is suflicient to swing the switch member 76 about its pivot into theposition shown in full lines in Fig. 2 with the knife blade 78 out of electrical contact with the spring ngers 42 and 43, resulting in a breaking of the circuit through the motor and causing a cessation of rotation of the operating shaft 56. The speed reduction gearing is made such that there will be only one revolution of the operating shaft 56 for each requisite insertion of predetermined coins, and the members 59 and 93 are so mounted on said shaft that the former will operate sufficiently in advance of the latter to clear thecoin chutes of the held coins. Further, the friction of the motor and its moving parts is such that, when the motor operating circuit is broken, the blade 59 will come to complete rest at a sufficient distance from the feet of the coin shovers so that the latter will be in their inactive positions indicated in Fig. 4, with their heads 66 entirely out of the coin grooves, thus permitting subsequently inserted coins to control circuit.

The vending of the articles of merchandise again close the is accomplished during the rotation of the operating shaft 56. On the end of said shaft there is rigidly mounted an eccentric 100 about which is secured a ring 101 preferably made in two halves to facilitate its placement on the eccentric, any suitable means being employed to prevent the ring from riding off the eccentric, and in Fig. 1 these members are illustrated as provided with a groove and intertting rib. The lower member of the eccentric ring has a downwardly extending boss 102 bored to receive the upper end of a rod 103 which is secured in said boss as by the set screw 104. This rod 103 corresponds to the rod 40 disclosed in U. S. Letters Patent 1,831,893, and the lower end of said rod is pinned to a block 105 slidable in an elongated slot 106 of a lever 107 pivoted at one end as at 108 to a vertical frame member 109 of the merchandise magazine. The other end of said lever has pivotally mounted thereon a detent 110 adapted to engage a tooth 111 of a metallic ribbon 112 slidable in a box-like guide 113 provided therefor bon to the lever 107.

A spring 115 normally forces the detent 110 to the position shown in Fig. 5 against a stop 116 carried by the lever 107 and therefore, when the rod 103 is moved downwardly by the action of the eccentric 100, said lever will be oscillated about its pivot and the detent 100, in engagement with a tooth lil, will move the ribbon downwardly as seen in said figure and ultimately slip ofi' said tooth at the point of tangency between the plane o1 the edge of said ribbon and the arcuate path oi' the point oi said detent. In the upward movement of the lever 107 the detent 110 will move about its pivot against the tension oi the spring 115 and slide over the edge of said ribbon until the detent reaches the next tooth with which it will actively engage on the next downward movement of said lever.

The throw of the lever 107 is governed by the dimension oi' the eccentric as well as the position of the rod connection with said lever, the latter being adjusted by means oi the slidable block 105 and the threaded engagement 1l7 oi' the rod with the lever. The parts are dimensioned and proportioned with respect to the spacing of the teeth lll or' the ribbon so that the ribbon will be moved a distance equal to the spacing of its teeth with each downward throw or" the lever 107. Also it will be understood that the teeth 111 oi' the ribbon are spaced in accordance with the spacing oi' the hinged shelves 118 upon each of the latter oi which an article of merchandise is positioned. The parts just described are similar in construction and action to the similar parts disclosed in Fig. i or" the U. S. Letters Patent 1,831,893.

From the foregoing description it will thus be apparent that by this invention there is provided a release mechanism for articles to be vended which electrically operated and coin controlled. rIhis is accomplished through the provision of an electric control circuit including the source oi current, the contact members 5, 8 and 6 associated with the coin chute, the electric magnet 2l, and its armature 35, the gaps between the contact members 5, 8 and 6 being closed when the requisite coins of predetermined characteristics are intercepted by the yieldable ends 9 and 10 of the contact strip 8. By predetermined characteristics of the coin is meant a coin of a diameter that will electrically bridge the gap just mentioned and permit conductivity of current from one contact member to the next. Obviously if a coin such as a dime is inserted in the coin groove intended for a nickle, the control circuit will not be closed since the dime would be insufiicient in diameter to fill the space or gap between such contact members as 5 and 9. When the requisite coins have come to rest in the plane of these contact members, current will ilow through the electromagnet and attract the armature 35.

There is a second electric circuit for operating the motor 49, which circuit includes the same source of current for the control circuit and a trip switch as well as said motor, the trip switch 'comprising a pivoted member adapted when moved in one direction by the armature 35 to close the circuit through the fingers 42 and 43, thus energizing 'the motor and causing revolution of the shaft 56 at a greatly reduced speed from that of the motor.

This shaft provided with `three cams l59, '9 3 and 100 for respectively actuating the shovers such as 62 and 63 for releasing the intercepted coins from their circuit closing positions, for causing movement of the pivoted member 76 of the trip switch to be moved in the opposite direc# tion, for breaking the motor operating electric circuit through the fingers 42 and 43, and for causing actuation or release of the vending merchandise.

The shaft 56 is thus seen to be a common means actuated by the motor for accomplishing these three operations through the instrumentality of the said three cams. Also it is to be observed particularly from Fig. 4 that the coin shovers are normally disposed outside of the coin chute and that the oblique surface such as 69 of each shover provides a means for wedgingly forcing the head 66 of each shover into the coin shaft for engagement with the intercepted coin. From Fig. l it will be seen that the electromagnet and the motor are connected to the same source of current, but disposed in parallel relation, and that the electromagnet and the contact members 5, 8 and 6 are respectively connected in series.

It is obvious that those skilled in the art may vary the details of construction and arrangements of parts without departing from the spirit or" the invention, and therefore it is not desired to be limited to the foregoing except as may be required by the claims.

What is claimed is:-

l. In a device of the character described the combination of a coin chute and a device therein for intercepting a coin to initiate the actuation of a movable member; an ejector to release the intercepted coin to terminate the actuation of the movable member; and rotary means for actuating the ejector, said means mounted in the median plane of said chute.

2. In a device of the character described the combination of a coin chute and a device therein for intercepting a coin to initiate the actuation of a movable member; an ejector to release the intercepted coin to terminate the actuation of the movable member; and rotary means for actuating the ejector, said means mounted between parallel planes substantially perpendicular to the face of the chute, said planes disposed within the confines of the edges of said chute.

3. In a device of the character described the combination of a coin chute and a device therein for intercepting a coin to initiate the actuation of a movable member; and ejecting means to release the intercepted coin to terminate the actuation of `the movable member, said vmeans actu- 1 ated by a plurality of elements, one rotary, all of said elements mounted between parallel planes substantially perpendicular to the face of the chute, said planes disposed within the coniines of the edges of said chute.

4. In a device of the character described the combination of a coin chute and a device therein for intercepting a coin to initiate the actuation of a movable member; and ejecting means to release the intercepted coin to terminate the actuation of the movable member, said means actuated by a slidable element and a rotary element the latter having swiping action Von the former.

5. In a device of the character described the combination of a coin chute and a device therein `for intercepting a coin to initiate the actuation of a movable member; and ejecting means to release the intercepted coin to terminate the actuation of the movable member, said means actuated by va slidable element and -a rotary .element the latter having swiping action on the former, both of said elements commonly mounted between parallel planes substantially perpendicular to the face of the chute, said planes disposed Within the coniines of the edges of said chute.

6. In a device of the character described the combination of a coin chute and a device therein for intercepting a coin; a shaft extending across the face of said chute in spaced relation thereto, actuation of said shaft initiated by the interception of the coin, said shaft adapted to have a predetermined revolution; an ejector to release the intercepted coin prior to the termination of revolution of said shaft; and means for actuating the ejector, said means including an element carried by said shaft and having a portion operable substantially in a plane disposed Within the confines of the edges of said chute.

7. In a device of the character described the combination of a coin chute and a device therein for intercepting a coin; a shaft extending across the face of said chute in spaced relation thereto, actuation of said shaft initiated by the interception of the coin, said shaft adapted to have a predetermined revolution; a coin-engaging memher operable in a plane disposed Within the connes of the edges of said chute, said member for releasing the intercepted coin prior to the termination of revolution of said shaft; and means for actuating said member, said means including an element carried by said shaft and having a portion operable substantially in the plane of said member.

8. In a device of the character described the combination of a coin chute and a device therein for intercepting a coin; a shaft extending across the face of said chute in spaced relation thereto, actuation of said shaft initiated by the interception of the coin, said shaft adapted to have a predetermined revolution; an ejector operable in a plane disposed Within the confines of the edges of said chute to release the intercepted coin prior to the termination of revolution of said shaft, said ejector slidably mounted adjacent said chute and having an extension directed toward said shaft as Well as another extension adapted to enter said chute and engage an edge of the intercepted coin when said ejector is moved; and means for actuating the ejector, said means including an element carried by said shaft and adapted to engagel the rst mentioned of the extensions of said member to move the latter.

WALTER A. TRATSCH.

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