US1998625A - Delivery device - Google Patents

Description

April 23, 1935. c; R. KIRK DELIVERY DEVICE Filed Feb. 5. 1934 III! III'IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIA warren s'rA'res PATENT OFFlCE DELIVERY DEVICE Claude R. Kirk, Chicago, 111., assignor to John F. Meyer, Flintridge, Calif.

Application February 5, 1934, Serial No. 709,896 11 Claims.

This invention relates to delivery devices of the kind adapted for use in vending and amusement machines wherein articles of merchandise or prizes are delivered to the operator machine.

from the In the application of Percy C. Smith, Serial No. 691,633, filed September 30, 1933, Patent No.

1,984,997, granted December 18, 1934 a de vice of the kind to which this invention a livery deppertains is shown and described and that delivery device comprises a movable member including a pocket and having an opening through which articles of merchandise or prizes from the machine may pass into the pocket and through which opening the articles of merchandise or prizes may be removed from the pocket after delivery thereinto.

Among the objects of the invention of that application are to prevent surreptitious removal of displayed and dispensable articles and prizes from a vending or amusment machine; to entrap articles delivered from the machine in a delivery device from which they may be removed when desired;v

to mount the delivery device to permit movement thereof between article receiving and article'dispensing positions; to limit movement of the delivery device in such receiving and dispensing positions; and to prevent access to the machine through the delivery device when it is in dispens ing position. My invention also has the foregoing objects and in addition thereto the salient object of my invention is to prevent the accumulation of small articles of merchandise or prizesin' the delivery device and ancillary'objects are to collect small articles of merchandise and prizes not removed from the delivery device by the operator in a separate receptacle; to expedite removal of articles of merchandise and prizes from the delivery device; and to prevent articles of merchandise and prizes of a predetermined size from passing from'the delivery device moved by the operator.

A selected embodiment of my inventio until ren is illustrated in the accompanying drawing wherein Fig. 1 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view of an amusement and vending machine in which my novel delivery device is mounted; and

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary sectional detail view taken substantially on the line 2-2 on Fig, 1. The preferred form of novel delivery device illustrated in the accompanying drawing includes a casting generally indicated by 3. The casting comprises side Walls 4 and 5 and includes a plate 6 adapted to be disposed in and to close 0 the machine with which my delivery used, as will be explained hereinafter.

pening in device is A Wall 1 extends between the upper ends of the side walls 4 and 5 substantially medially from the center portion of the inner side of the plate 6 and a curved wall 8 extends from the upper end of the plate 6 to the merging of the inner end of the wall 1 with the upper ends of the side walls 4 and 5. Another wall 9 extends between the lower forward parts of the side walls A and 5 and includes a web III which projects forwardly when the deliverydevice is mounted in the machine and this web' I0 is located below the upper end of the Wall lower part of the 9. Bars extend between the plate 6 and the lower part of the wall 9 at spaced intervals, as best illustrated in Fig. 2, for a purpose to be set forth; The

web It, the upper part of the plate 9, the lower part of the plate 6 and the adjacent part of the wall of the machineprovide 'a pocket 12 which will be explained more fully hereinafter, A plate I3 extends between the lower rear parts of the side walls 4 and by screws 14 or 5 and is suitably joined thereto the like fitting in bosses IS on the plate 13. The side walls 4 and 5, the plate 6 and the walls .1,

the casting 3 whi 8 and 9 are integral parts of Ie the plate 13 is a separate part.

I have illustrated my novel delivery device in a vending and amusement machine of the kind shown in the patent to John F. Meyer, 1,927,877,

patented, September 26, 1933.

machine include a horizontal table'or platform I The illustrated vertical front wall It and 1 enclosed by the Sal front and other walls of the machine. That part of the front wall l6 above the table 11' is equipped An opening the table I opening. The frame 19 a size substantially equal is provided in'the front wall 16 below I and a frame 19 is mounted in this encloses an opening of to the area of the plate 5 and the opening and plate are shaped complementary so that the plate 5 closes the opening. Trunnions 6 are journaledi portmy deliveryv between the full Fig. 1.

An opening 2| 20 in the lower part of the plate n the frame I!) to rotatably supdevice for oscillatable movement and broken line positions of isprovided inthe table :1 and a delivery chute 22 is mounted in this opening and includes a delivery part 23 having an open-lower end which is curved. The rear edges of the side walls 4 and 5, the wall 8 curved complementary to end of thedelivery part and the plate l3 are the curved open lower 23 so as to be movable past said openv lower end. A flange 24 is provided at the upper edge of the plate 6 and this flange abuts a complementary flange 25 on the upper rail of the frame I9 to retain my novel delivery device in article receiving position, that is to say, with the opening 24 defined between the lower edge of the wall 8 and the upper edge of the wall I3 in alignment with the open lower end of the delivery part 23. My novel delivery device is mounted to be normally urged by gravity into article receiving position. I

Theillustrated machine includes a pick-up device 25 which is operated in the manner described in the heretofore referred to Meyer patent to pick up articles from the table I! and carry them to a position above the delivery chute 22 and when the pick-up device attains this position it is opened and the articles fall into the delivery chute 22 and pass through .the.=delivery part '23 thereof and the opening 24 into the pocket 26 of my novel delivery device.

A handle 2 is providedon the outer upper side of the plate 6 and this handle "may be grasped to pivot the delivery device from the full .line position of Fig. 1 into the broken line position thereof which is determined by the stop 26' on the side wall 4, which stop engages the frame 19 to limit pivotal movement of the delivery device. When the handle 21 is sograsped and the delivery device is so pivoted, the wall 8 closes ofi access through the opening in the frame I9 until the leading edge of theyopening 24 moves into alignment with the frame I9 and at this time the lead ing edge of the plate I3 will have moved across the open lower end of the deliverypart 23 and this plate will be closing off the delivery .part of the chute 22 and therefore access into the machine and to the articles on the table II is effectively shut off by my delivery device and consequently surreptitious removal of articles from the machine is prevented.

When articles of merchandise or .prizesor other productspass into the pocket 25 of my delivery device when it is "in a position like that shown in full lines in Fig. 1, the articles collect at the bottom 'of the pocket 26, that is to say, between the lower parts of the wall 9 and the plate I3 and the side walls A and 5. However, when the handle 21 is grasped and the delivery device is pivoted into the broken line position, the'iarticl'es of merchandise or prizes or the like move into the front of the delivery device and collect on the wall I. Ihis wall is rounded toward the opening 24 and therefore the operators hand may be inserted through the opening 24 to scoop the articles of merchandise or the like over the curved wall "I and out through the opening 24. Often small articles of merchandise such as pieces of candy or the like are delivered into the pocket 26 and the operator may not always remove all of this candy or the like from the pocket. Itiis desirable to prevent such candy or other smallpieces of merchandise from collecting in the pocket and this is attained in the delivery device of my invention, for as the delivery device is pivoted from the broken line position into the full line position the articles of merchandise previously collected on the inner surface of the wall I slide-along this wall toward the adjacent part of the inner surface of the plate 6, which is beveled inwardly a short distance below thejuncture of the wall I with the plate 6 as indicated at 28, and any small articles remaining in the pocket 26 slide over this bevel 28 and pass through the opening 29 between the upper end of the wall 8. and the lower end of the plate "6, and these articles collect in the pocket I2 where they remain until the delivery device is again pivoted from the full line position of Fig. 1 into the broken line position thereof. When the delivery device is pivoted into the broken line position the opening 30 from the pocket I2, which is the side thereof opposite the upper part of the wall 9, faces downwardly and consequently any articles of merchandise collected in the pocket I2 fall from this pocket through the opening 30, and such articles are collected in a receptacle 3| mounted below the delivery device on a shelf 32 in the machine. The receptacle 3| is arranged to be removable from the machine and consequently it may be emptied from time to time. There may be many articles of merchandise and prizes which should be retained in the delivery device and not discharged in the manner described in the event they are not removed by the operator. Pencils, pens, cigarette holders and the like are examples of such articles of merchandise or prizes, and the bars II are provided to prevent such articles from passing through the opening 29. Thebars are located to prevent articles of such predetermined size from passing through this opening into the pocket I2 and obviously may be arranged in other positions than those illustrated in the drawing,

the particular location being indicated by the nature of the articles that it is desired to prevent passing into the pocket I2.

It is manifest from the foregoing description that I have provided a delivery device in which articles of merchandise delivered from the machine are entrapped and that access into the machine through the deliverydevice is prevented. Furthermore, the delivery device is mounted so as to be oscillatable between article receiving and article dispensing positions. Furthermore, the accumulation of small articles of merchandise or prizes in the delivery device ,is prevented and if such articles are not removed from the delivery device they are collected in a separate receptacle from which they may be removed as desired. However, articles of a predetermined size may be prevented -from passing from the pocket even though they are not removedfrom the pocket :by the operator upon a given operation of the delivery device.

While I have illustrated and described a selected embodiment of my invention it is to be understood that this is capable of variation and modification and I therefore do not wish to be limited to the precise details set forth but desire to avail myself of such changes and alterations as fall within the purview of the following claims.

I claim:

l. A delivery device comprising a body having a pocket therein and an opening through which articles may pass into and be removed from said pocket, means supporting said bodyfor pivotal movement and normally in position with said opening adjacent the upper part thereof whereby articles passing through said opening will pass into the lower part of said pocket, said body having a second opening therein communicating with the upper part of said pocket whereby when said body is pivoted to cause articles to move from the lower part of said pocket into the upper part thereof the articles will pass out through said second opem'ng upon movement of said body back into said normal position unless the articles are removed through the first-named opening from the upper part of said pocket prior to movement of said body back into said normal position.

2. A delivery device comprising a body having a pocket therein'and an opening through which articles may pass into and be'removed from said pocket, means supporting said body for pivotal movement and normally in position with said opening adjacent the upper part thereof whereby articles passing through saidopening will pass into the lower part of said pocket, said body having a second opening therein communicating with the upper part of said pocket whereby when said body is pivoted to cause articles to move from the lower part of said pocket into the upper part thereof the articles will pass out through said second opening upon movement of said body back into said normal position unless the articles are removed through the first-named opening from the upper part of said pocket prior to movement of said body back into said normal position, and means for preventing the passage of articles of a predetermined size through said second opening.

3. In a delivery device of the class described, a body, means mounting said body for oscillatable movement between article receiving and article dispensing positions, said body having a pocket therein into which articles may be passed when said body is in article receiving position and from which articles may be removed when the body is in article dispensing position, and means in said body through which articles not removed from said pocket upon movement of said body into article dispensing position may be automatically discharged from said pocket upon movement of said body back into article receiving position.

4. In a delivery device of the class described, a body, means mounting said body for oscillatae ble movement between article receiving and article dispensing positions, said body having a pocket therein into which articles may be passed when said body is in article receiving position and from which articles may be removed when the body is in article dispensing position, means in said body through which articles not removed from said pocket upon movement of said body into article dispensing position may be automatically discharged from said pocket upon movement of said body back into article receiving position, and means for preventing passage of articles'of a predetermined size through said means through which articles may be automatically discharged.

5. In a delivery device of the class described, a body having a pocket therein and an opening affording access to said pocket and through which articles may pass into said pocket or be removed from said pocket, means supporting said body for movement between article receiving and dispensing positions, said body having an article receiving part in said pocket and onto which articles may move when said body is moved into article delivery position, and means communieating with said pocket adjacent said article supporting part to collect articles moving onto said article supporting part and not removed therefrom through said opening, the articles moving into said means communicating with said pocket upon movement of said body back into article receiving position.

6. In a delivery device of the class described, a body having a pocket therein and an opening affording access to said pocket and through which articles may pass into said pocket or be removed from said pocket, means supporting said body for movement between article receivmoved into article delivery position,

ing and dispensing positions, said body having an article receiving part in said pocket and onto which articles may move when said body is means communicating with said pocket adjacent said article supporting part to collect articles moving ontoisaid article supporting part and not removed therefrom through said opening, the articles moving into said means communicating with said pocket up'on movement of said body back into article receiving position, andmeans for preventing the passageof articles of a predetermined size into the means communicating with said pocket.

7. Ina delivery device of the class described, a body having a pocket therein, means supporting said body for movement between article receiving and dispensing positions, means positioning said body whereby articles may pass into one end thereof when said body is in article receiving position, means for limiting movement of said body whereby when said body is in article dispensing position articlespreviously passed thereinto collect at the end thereof opposite that in which the articles are originally received, and means intermediate the ends of said body and adapted toreceive and discharge articles not removed from the end of said pocket opposite the end in which the articles are originally received;

8. In a delivery device of the class described, a body having a pocket therein, means supporting said body for movement between article receiving and dispensing positions, means positioning said body whereby articles may pass into one end thereof when said body is position, means for limiting movement of said body whereby when said body is in article dispensing position articles previously passed thereinto collect at the end thereof opposite that in which the articles are originally received, said body having a slot therein intermediate the ends of said pocket, and means for directing articles not removed from the end of said pocket opposite the end in which the articles are originally received into said slot whereby said articles may be discharged from said pocket.

9.,In a delivery device of the class described, a body having a pocket therein, means supporting said body for movement between article receiving and dispensing positions, means positioning said body whereby articles may pass into one end thereof when said body is in article receiving position, means for limiting movement of said body whereby when said body is in article dispensing position into collect at the end thereof opposite that in which the articles are originally received, said body having a slot therein intermediate the ends of said pocket, means for directing articles not removed from the end of said pocket opposite the end in which the articles are originally received into said slot whereby said articles may be discharged from said pocket, and means for preventing articles of a predetermined size from passing through said slot.

10. In a delivery device of the class described, a body having a pocket therein, means supporting said body for movement between article receiving and dispensing positions, means positioning said body whereby articles may pass into one end thereof when said body is in article receiving position, means for limiting movement of said body whereby when said body is in article dispensing position articles previously passed thereinto collect at the end thereof opposite that in in article receiving articles previously passed therewhich the articles are originally received, said body having a slot therein intermediate the :ends of said pocket, means for directing articles not removed from the end of said pocket opposite the end in which the articles are originally received into said slot whereby said articles may be discharged from said pocket, and means for collecting articles passing from said body through said slot. c.

11. In a delivery device of :the class described, a body having .a pocket therein, means supporting said body for movement between article receiving and dispensing positions, means positioning said body whereby articles may pass into one end thereof when said body is in'jartic'le receiving position, means for limiting'movement of said body whereby when said body is in article dispensing position articles previously passed thereinto collect at the end thereof opposite that in which the articles are originally received, said body having a slot therein intermediate the ends of said pocket, means for directing articles not removed from the end of said pocket opposite the end in which .the articles are originally received into said slot whereby said articles may be discharged from said pocket, means for collecting articles passing from-said body through said slot, and means for preventing articles of a predetermined "size from passing through said slot.

CLAUDE R. KIRK.

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