US2014304A - Vending machine - Google Patents

Description

Sept. 10, 1935.

VENDING MACHINE Filed sept. 24, 1954 R. R. WESTFALL 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Pa 2pk A?.

T12 MMT,

ATTORNEY Sept. 10, 1935.` R R, WESTFALL 2,014,304

VENDING MACHINE Filed Sept. 24, 1954 2' sheets-sheet 2 ATTORNEY Patented Sept. 10, 1935 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE to American Coin Machine Company,

Los

Angeles, Calif., a ccrpcration of California Application September 24, 1934, Serial No. I745,315

3 Claims.

This invention relates to vending machines.

An object of the invention is the provision of a vending machine adapted to be operated by a coin Vwhich when of the right type will be positioned so that when a manually-operated lever is actuated the coin will engage a package and move the same from the magazine to be discharged through an open-ended chute.

` Another object of the invention is the provision of a vending machine which is coin-controlled and which has provision for throwing out slugs to prevent the slug from releasing packages in a magazine when a manual lever is operated.

' A further object of the invention is the provision of a vending machine having a slot to receive a coin with a guide for directing the coin upon an abutment attached to a manually operated lever, the guide also including means for directing slugs away from the abutment so that the slugs will be discharged through an opening to the exterior` of the housing, the coin being supported by the abutment in position to engage the lowermost package in the magazine and acting `as a positive means for removing the package so that it will be discharged to the exterior of the housing when the lever is actuated.

This invention will be best understood from a consideration of the following detailed description, in View of the accompanying drawings forming a part of the specication; nevertheless, it is to be understood that the invention is not conned to the disclosure, being susceptible of such changes and modications as dene no material n departure from the salient features of the in- #vention as expressed in the appended claims.

In the drawings:

Figure l is a vertical section of the vending machine taken along the line I I of Figure 2,

Figure 2 is a vertical section taken along the "line 2--2 of Figure l,

Figure 3 is a horizontal section taken along the line 3 3 of Figure 2,

Figure 4 is a fragmentary view in perspective of the lower end of a magazine for storing articles 'to be vended,

Figure 5 is a View in perspective-of a removable guide for coins,

Figure 6 is a view in perspective of a manuallyoperated means for causing the coins to remove the article from a magazine, and

Figure 7 is a view in perspective of a modified form of the slot and coin-receiving member.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, lil designates the bottom of a housing which is preff-erably lformed of metal. The housing also includes a front wall II, a rear wall I2, and side walls I3 and I4.

A cover I5 is hinged at I6 and is provided with a flange l1 adapted to engage over the upper end of the front wall Il. A hasp I8 is` secured 5V` at I9 to the front wall and projects through a `slot in the usual manner in the flange I1. A lock 20 is adapted to be received by the hasp.

A partition, generally designated by the numerl al 25, has its longer portion in hat engagement-Iv with the rear wall i2. The upper end of the partition, as shown at 26, is curved inwardly and terminates adjacent one wall of the magazine 21. The lower end of the partition adjacent the bottorn I0 is curved forwardly, as shown at 28, and 15 then inclined downwardly towards the front end of the bottom where it is received by a flange 25 formed integrally with said bottom.

The front wall I-l is provided with an opening 4, 30 adjacent the lower end so that articles dis- 20` pensed from the magazine 21 may be removed from the housing after they have been discharged towards the opening by the inclined portion 3I of the partition.

The magazine 21 is provided with two compart- 25` ments 32 and 33. Each compartment has side walls 34 and 35 formed of metal with the end of the side walls, as shown at 36 and 31, inturned suiliciently to engage the packages 38 for retaining the packages in superimposed relation. The 30 side walls 35 of each compartment, as shown in Fig. 3 are in fiat contact with each other and may be secured together in any approved manner. The outer side walls 34 are connected to the side y walls i3 and I4 of the housing. 35'

Brackets 4B have an upwardly extending flange 4I which is secured to the flanges 35a of the walls 35 of the magazine 21. The downturned flanges 42 of the brackets are secured to the front and rear walls as shown in Fig. 1. These brackets 40 support the upper end of the magazine centrally of the housing.

The lower ends of the walls 34 and 35 are provided with inturned flanges 43 which are adapted to support the lowerrnost package 38 and these 45 flanges terminate short of the width of the walls 34 and 35 so that when they are moved forwardly towards the open end 44 of the compartments, they will be released from the magazine and dropped to the inclined portion 35 of the partition 25. It 50 will be noted that the lower ends of the anges 3,8 and 36a are cut away adjacent the lower portion suiciently to permit the discharge of a package from a compartment, as shown at 45.

The bottom of the magazine, as shown more particularly in Figs. 1 and 2, is supported upon brackets 46 which have vertical walls 41 secured to the side walls I3 and I4 and depending flanges 48 spaced from the side walls for a purpose which will be presently explained.

A shaft 58 is provided with journals, as shown at 5|, in the members 41 and the side walls I3 and I4. Substantially 90 segments 52 are secured to the shaft 50 in spaced relation and are in the form of blocks which have a curved outer face 53. An edge of each of these blocks is at, as shown at 54, to receive and support a coin 55.

Each of these blocks is provided with a triangularly-shaped lug 56 which has an inclined coinengaging face 51 adjacent the fiat face 54 of each block. As shown more particularly in Fig. 6 the lugs 56 and 56a are formed integrally with the blocks and with the shaft 56. 'Ihe lug 56 is oppositely disposed to the lug 56. A leaf 54a is secured to each lug and spaced from the flat face 54 to provide a pocket for a coin.

` Ahandle 66 is rigidly secured to the shaft 50 and is provided with a notch 6I adapted to be received yby a pin 62 secured to one of the members 41 in the side wall I4. The pin 62 supports the arm 69 in an inoperative position. Said arm projects beyond the housing and moves through a slot 65 formed in the front wall I I.

A coin chute is shown more clearly in Fig. 5

and comprises an inclined wall 66 and a wall 61 inclined substantially at right angles to the wall 66. Ears 68 are formed integrally with the walls 61 and are secured at 69 to the side walls I3 and I4 of the housing. The right angular portion 10 of thev combined walls 66 and 61 project through an opening in the front wall I I where the Wall 61 is provided with a pair of slots 1I to receive the coin. The wall 66 is provided with an opening generally designated by the numeral 12 into which project lugs 13. The opening at its lower end is f partially defined by inwardly projecting arms 14 'tacle 86 may be moved towards the front or rear of the housing. Projections 83 are formed on the front wall S4 of the receptacle 80 and are adapted to engage the front wall I I ofthe housing for spac- .ing the front wall of the receptacle from the inner face of the front wall of said housing in order to permit slugs to pass downwardly along the front wall I I of the housing and to be discharged adjacent the opening 36.

The upper end of the receptacle has an inclined front wall 85 and a rear inclined Wall 86, thereby reducing the opening at the upper end of a receptacle which is adapted to receive a coin after the package has been discharged from the -inclined portion 3| of the partition 25.

The operation of my device is as follows: When a coin of proper denomination is placed in one of the slots 1I it will passover a lug 13 and be guided by a flange 15 across an arm or bar 14 and 4thence onto the fiat face 54 of a block 52. A portion of the periphery of the coin will rest upon the inclined surface 51 of either the lug 56 or 56a as the case may be and a portion of the periphery will engage the depending flange 48 on the bracket 46, thereby retaining the coin in an operative position as shown in Figs. 1 and 2 and adapted to engage a package 38 in the magazine 21 when the arm 60 is operated.

The arm 60 is then elevated and moves through the slot 65 whence the shaft 58 will be rocked as will a block 52 and the coin 55 will be moved by the flat face 54 of the block. Due to the engagement with the lowermost package 38 in one of the compartments of the magazine 21 the coin will force the package outwardly through the open lower portion of the compartment of a magazine until the package will fall by gravity off the flanges 43 and be deposited upon the inclined surface 3| whence it will move towards the opening 3D of the front wall II.

When a slug is placed in the slot 1I instead of a coin, the slug will be attracted by the magnet 'i6 and be moved away from the lug 13 towards the center of the opening 12. The slug will then fall centrally of the openings 12 instead of moving downwardly on to the flat face 54 of one of the blocks 52. As the slug falls from the plate it will drop downwardly towards the inclined face 85 of the receptacle 8U and pass through the space located between the front wall I I and the front wall 84 of the receptacle 88 and be deposited adjacent the opening 30 at the front end of the housing.

Thus it will be seen that when a coin of proper denomination is placed in a slot 1I and the handle 68 is operated the coin will act as a positive means for forcing the package 38 from the magazine 21. On the other hand if it be attempted to operate the machine by a slug, the slug will be discharged from the device and the package will remain unmoved within the magazine.

The inner edges of the flanges 48 terminate substantially short of the vertical position of the coin and this position is reached when the article has been moved outl of the magazine. At this point the coin is released by the flange and the inclined edge 51 of a lug 56 or 562b causes the coin to roll from its retained position and be discharged into the receptacle 80.

When a token or slug having a central opening is placed in the device the lug 13 will enter said opening and thus tilt the token or slug so that the token will fall through the opening 12 and into the delivery chute.

A modified form of the slide and coin-receiving device is shown in Fig. 7. This slide comprises a flat plate 9| having a pair of openings 92 intermediate its ends and an angularly disposed plate 93 with perforated attaching anges 94. The plate 93 is provided with spaced slots 95 to receive coins which will slide over the member Si. The plate is provided with V-shaped lugs 96 projecting into the openings 92 for a purpose which will be presently explained.

A magnet 91 is located on the portion of the plate between the openings 92 and is adapted to draw slugs towards the magnet so that they will slide upon the portion 98 of the plate and then drop vertically downwardly to one side of the coin receptacle 80.

At each outer side of the openings 92 is provided a flange 99 adapted to aid in guiding legitimate coins along a straight line.

Depending from the plate 9| are attaching flanges |80 and these attaching flanges are supported by means of inclined flanges IGI projecting inwardly from the plate 9|. Inclined at an angle from the inner edges of the flanges I 6I are anges |02 which are adapted to engage a coin for a purpose which will be presently explained.

A shaft |53 has pintles IM rotatably mounted in openings IBS in the flanges Iilil. An operating handle I06 is rigidly connected with a shaft Hit and is adapted to be operated in the same manner as the handle Gti shown in Fig. 1.

Connected to the shaft H33 or integrally formed therewith is a flat plate Ii@ which is rockable with the shaft. This plate normally is disposed in a plane which is offset from the plane of the plate 9|. A lug l I I depends from the plate 9i and is offset therefrom to normally maintain the plate I I0 in position.

A second plate I I2 is secured to the intermediate portion of the plate i l@ and has its ends spaced from the ends of the plate Iiil, as shown at H3. This space is sufficient to receive a coin as shown in dotted lines. An intermediate portion im of the plate H2 has its outer surface in the same plane with the adjacent surface of the plate 9i and forms a track for a slug which has been drawn away from the normal path by the magnet Sl. The bowed portion H5 of the members H3 forms a side wall which is engaged by the coin.

The operation of this construction is as follows: When a legitimate coin is placed in one of the slots 95 it will slide downwardly over the lug Sit and be guided by the flange Eli until it is received within the pocket between the ends of the plate III) and the bowed-out ends H3 of the plate M2. In this position the coin is engaged by the por'- tion I i5 of the plate l if and the edge of the fia-nge I2 and the coin will remain in this position until the handle li is rocked sufficiently to move the coin off the outer end of the iiange i. During this movement, however, the coin will engage the package in the same manner as shown in Fig. l and move the package from the magazine. Directly after the package has been removed the coin will have been moved away from the outer end of the flange Iii? so that it will drop through the spaced plates Il and H2 and then fall into the receptacle 8B.

If a token or other circular device is placed into the slots 95 and these tokens have a central opening this opening will be aligned with the V- shaped lug 96 and the lug will cause the token to be revolved slightly on the lug and it will fall through the opening S52.

If on the other hand a slug is placed into a slot 95 it will be attracted by the magnet Si and will move away from the opening 92 and travel downwardly over the portion 98 of the plate Eil and then over the portion Hd of the plate H2 and be discharged to one side of the receptacle. Thus it will be seen that when a token having a central opening or a slug is placed in the device the token or slug will be deposited into the space through which the article ordinarily is discharged and which can be removed through the opening 30.

It must be borne in mind that since the token or slug will not fall into one of the pockets between the plates Il and II2 the token or slug cannot be utilized for moving the package from the magazine.

I claim:

l. A vending machine comprising a housing, a rock shaft in the housing having a flat surface which will aid in guiding a coin along a definite path, a block secured to said shaft and provided with a fiat face in alinement with the flat surface, the flat face being inclined to the horizontal and providing a support upon which the coin will lie, a lug secured to the block and having an inclined face, means for rockably supporting the shaft in the housing and having means engageable with the coin and cooperating with the inclined face of the lug for retaining the coin against said flat face during a predetermined rocking angle of the shaft, means for supporting in a horizontal plane, a package to be dispensed, said coin when retained by the block adapted to engage an end of the package and force the package clear of the horizontal package supporting means when the shaft is rocked.

2. A vending machine comprising a housing, a rock shaft in the housing, a U-shaped member projecting laterally from the shaft adapted to receive a coin and be retained at an acute angle to a horizontal when the shaft is normally at rest, a lug having an inclined face located within the U-shaped member, said lug and a leg of the U- shaped member being substantially parallel to the shaft, means for rockably supporting the shaft in the housing, said means including means engageable with the coin and cooperating with the inclined face of the lug for retaining the coin in the U-shaped member so that the projecting portion of the coin will be in a position to engage one end of a package to be dispensed, a discharge chute, a supporting means for said package disposed in a horizontal plane, said coin when the shaft is rocked forcing the package off the supporting means into the discharge chute.

3. A vending machine comprising a housing, a rock shaft in the housing and provided with a fiat face against which the coin is adapted to lie, a leaf connected to the shaft in spaced relation with the flat face of the shaft, means for supporting the shaft and provided with an extension adapted to engage the coin and retain said coin between the leaf and flat face with the coin projecting beyond the leaf until the shaft is rocked suiiiciently to release the coin from the extension, a discharge chute, means for supporting an article to be dispensed in a horizontal position and across the path of the moving coin so that when the shaft is rocked the article will be dislodged by the coin and forced into a falling path to enter the chute.

RALPH R. WESTFALL.

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