US2079832A - Coin controlled mechanism - Google Patents

Description

May 11, 1937. H. s. BENJAMIN COIN CONTROLLED MECHANISM Original Filed July 12, 1935 2 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR d? ATTORN EY.S

May 1937- H. s. BENJAMIN COIN CONTROLLED MECHANISM Original Filed July 12, 1935 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\&&\\\\\\\\s ATTORNEYS Patented May 11, 193'? UNITED STATES PATENT QFFIQE Original application July 12, 1935, Serial No.

31,068. Divided and this application February 10, 1936, Serial No. 63,183

Claims.

This application is a division of application Serial No. 31,068 filed July 12, 1935, for Coin controlled vending machine, and relates more particularly to mechanism for controlling coins, tokens, slugs and the like inserted in a vending machine to release the vending mechanism.

An object of the present invention is to provide means for returning to the operator, a second coin inserted after the insertion of a first coin and before the machine has been operated to vend merchandise; and a fmt-her object is to provide means for locking said coin return means in operative position against displacement by the second inserted coin, .and for positively returning said coin return means to inoperative position upon each vending operation.

It is also an object to provide coin controlled means including stop means to prevent operation of the vending means, and to provide latch means to hold said stop means in inoperative position, said coin controlled means also including means operated by said vending means for positively resetting said latch means after release and for retracting coin return means.

It is a further object to provide a simple, compact, and positively operated mechanism for the purpose and having certain other new and useful features, all as hereinafter more fully set forth and as shown in the accompanying drawings wherein,

Figure 1 is a sectional view of a vending machine illustrative of an embodiment of the present invention and showing internal mechanism in elevation;

Fig. 2 is a horizontal sectional detail substantially upon the lines 2-2 of Fig. '1;

Fig. 3 is a similar section substantially upon the line 33 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is an elevation smilar to that of Fig. 1

- showing parts of the vending mechanism omitted and the coin controlled mechanism in normal or inoperative position, and

Fig. 5 is an elevational detail of the coin controlled mechanism substantially upon the line 5-5 of Fig. 4.

Illustrative of an embodiment of the present invention in an operative vending machine, the accompanying drawings show a suitable casing l, a plurality of merchandise chutes 2 from the lower open ends of which chutes, the merchandise in packages, is removed, one package at a time by means of feed blocks 3, and are discharged into a single chute 4 leading to a delivery cup 5. These blocks are rotated through the medium of gears 6 connected to said blocks and intermeshed for simultaneous rotation, motion being transmitted to said gears through an idler gear and a ratchet I, which ratchet is turned by means of an arm 8 mounted for free turning movement independently of said ratchet and carrying pawl 9 to engage said ratchet, said arm being connected to a vertically slidable plate [0 connected to said arm by a pin on said arm engaging a slot in said plate. To actuate this slide plate 10, a power shaft It extends through a vertical guide slot in the lower end of said plate and is provided with means for turning said shaft by hand. Mounted upon this shaft H is a cam member 12 shown in dotted lines arranged to engage a pair of pins or studs H! on said plate, one at each side of the vertical guide slot in said plate, said plate being normally held in raised position by the engagement of said cam beneath one of said studs. Upon rotation of said cam, said plate will descend. provided it is not held against such movement by latch mechanism hereinafter described, thereby swinging the arm 8 to engage the pawl 9 with the next notch of the ratchet I, so that upon further turning of said cam in the same direction, said plate will be positively raised by said cam coming into engagement with the other stud and rotate the said ratchet to eiTect the delivery of a package from some one of the several chutes or magazines 2, the construction, arrangement and operation of the mechanism thus far described being substantially the same as shown and described in my prior Patent No. 1,851,081.

To control the downward movement of said actuating plate It, so that, if other than a good coin be inserted, the plate will be stopped to prevent delivery of merchandise, the upper end of said plate is provided with a laterally extending lug it to engage a stop member I5 pivotally supported to be swung into and out of the path of said lug by means of a crank arm IE to which the upper end of a bar I! is pivotally attached. The lower end of this bar 91 is pivotally connected to the free end of a swinging arm is pivotally supported at its opposite end upon a coin chute I9 outside of said chute, which arm is formed with a notch or shoulder to engage a coin stop arm 2! having a laterally bent end 22 adapted to be projected through a side opening in said chute across the path of a coin passing down said chute when said stop arm 2! is released from said shoulder 26 and said arm is turned upon its pivot by means of a spring 23 tending to swing said stop arm toward said chute and normally hold it in latched position against said shoulder. To swing said coin stop arm ZI against the action of said spring 23 and bring it into latched or normal position with its end 22 held retracted from said coin chute, a semi-circular flange 24 is secured to one side of a circular head 25 rotatable with said power shaft I I to engage the lower end of said arm 2| when said head is rotated.

To release the arm I8 from engagement with the stop arm 2!, a trip plate 26 is pivotally supported at one end intermediate the ends of the bar I"! to extend transversely thereof and above a laterally extending pin 2? on said bar with its free end extending through an opening in the side of said coin chute I9, so that when a coin passing down said chute strikes said trip plate, said plate will be swung thereby against said pin therebeneath with sufiicient force to move said bar I i downwardly against the action of a light coiled spring 28 which is of just suflicient strength to overbalance the weight of said bar and attached parts, and unlatch said arm I8 from engagement with the coin stop arm 2i, the end 22 of which will be immediately projected across the path of the coin passing downv said chute and stop and support said coin until such time as the stop is withdrawn as hereinafter described, when it will pass on down said chute I 9 and thence into an inclined chute 29 leading to a coin box 30 at the bottom of the casing. This down movement of the bar I! swings the stop member I5 out of the path of the lug It on the plate In, so that said plate may move on downwardly, provided it be released and actuated as hereinafter described, all of the elements so far described and their operation being substantially the same as set forth in my hereinbefore mentioned patent.

The latching up of the bar I! and stop member I5 into normal position, as shown in Figure 2, is acomplished by a turning of the head 25 which brings its semi-circular flange 2% into engagement with the lower end of the coin stop arm 2I at the proper time, thus swinging said arm into position to engage a laterally extending lug 3| thereon, with the shoulder or notch 2!] on the arm I8. As shown in my prior patent, the spring 28 is relied upon to raise said bar and arm, but as this spring is necessarily weak, due to the fact that it must yield under the impact of a coin upon the trip plate 26 in .passing down the chute I9, in order to release the arm l8 from en.- gagement with the stop arm lug 3i, said spring might not function to raise said bar I I and arm I8 as it should but slightly overbalance the weight of said arm and bar, and therefore in the present construction, said bar I! is formed with a laterally extending lug 32 of considerable width, adjacent the pivotal attachment of said bar to said arm 18, and this lug is formed with an inclined end edge 33 adapted to be engaged by the upper edge of the lug 3! on the stop arm 2! when the upper end of said arm is positively swung toward said bar by the engagement of the flange 24 with its lower end. The bar I! and arm I8 are thus positively raised regardless of the operation of the spring 28, due to the down ward inclination of the end 33 of this lug 32 into engagement with which said lug 3i on said stop arm 2i comes, when said stop arm, is so swung.

Should the operator insert a proper coin in the coin chute I9 and before operating the machine, should he insert a second coin, he would get nothing for one of these coins, were it not that the present coin control mechanism is provided with means for returning to him, the second coin inserted, this means comprising a crank arm 34 secured to the same pivot shaft to which the stop arm I5 and crank arm I6 are secured, to turn therewith, said shaft being mounted in suitable bearings on a suitable bracket secured to the coin chute I9 at a considerable distance below its upper end. This arm 3d carries at its free end, a laterally projecting pin 35 to engage within a substantially L-shaped slot in the tail end of a lever 36 pivotally supported intermediate its ends outside of and adjacent said chute, and having at its opposite or lower end, a laterally extending deflector blade 31 adapted to be projected across the path of a coin passing down said chute i9, through an opening in a side wall of said chute when said lever 36 is turned by the turning of the arm 3t with the stop member I5 by the release of the latch mechanism through the medium of the first inserted coin striking the trip plate 26, as previously described. When said latch mechanism is tripped and the stop member I5 is turned thereby to the position shown in Figure 4, the lever 36 is simultaneously turned, projecting its deflector blade 37 across the path of the second coin passing down said chute. This blade is so arranged and positioned relative to the open upper end of a coin chute 38, see Fig. 5, leading laterally from said chute I9, that the second coin striking this blade will be deflected laterally into said chute 38 and therefore this second inserted coin will be returned to the operator by beingdelivered into the delivery cup 5.

To insure that the lever 36 will be held with its blade 3i projected into said chute 59 after said lever has been turned by the unlatching and dropping of the bar I1, one arm of the L-slot in the lever 35 into which the pin 35 projects, is curved concentric with the pivot of the arm 34, and therefore impact of a coin upon the blade 3? will not tend to jar the lever and cause it to rock, withdrawing the blade from across the chute sufiiciently to permit the coin to pass the blade.

This curving of said slot also permits the arm 34 and eifecting a quick withdrawal of the blade 37 after the stop member I5 has been moved toward position to stop the down movement of the actuating plate 60 which effects the delivery of merchandise.

With the present construction of coin control mechanism, the return of a second coin inserted before the machine is operated to deliver merchandise, is insured by the locking of the deflector 36 in operative position upon each insertion of a coin, and the positive latching up of the parts after each operation, in, position to be operated by the insertion of a succeeding coin also in.- sures against loss to the operator and makes for efficient operation, The present construction, arrangement and combination of parts provides a very simple, compact and eflicient mechanism for the purpose which may be modified in detail without departing from the spirit of the invention and such changes are contemplated.

What I claim is:

1. In a vending machine, the combination with merchandise delivery mechanism; of coin controlled mechanism for controlling the operation of said delivery mechanism and including a coin chute, a trip member projecting into said chute to be operated by a coin passing down said chute to release said coin controlled mechanism, a coin deflector, and means operated by said trip member to release said coin controlled mechanism and to project said deflector into said coin chute in timed relation to the operation of said trip member to deflect a second coin inserted in said chute.

2. In a vending machine, the combination with merchandise delivery mechanism, of coin controlled means for controlling the operation of said delivery mechanism, said coin controlled means including a coin chute and latch mechanism adapted to be released by a coin passing down said chute and including a member operated by said coin to release said delivery mechanism, a deflector projected by said member of said latch mechanism into said chute, and means operated by said delivery mechanism for resetting said latch mechanism and retracting said deflector from said chute.

3. In a vending machine, the combination with merchandise delivery mechanism; of coin controlled mechanism for controlling the operation of said delivery mechanism and including a coin chute, means within said chute for operating said coin controlled mechanism by the descent of a coin in said chute, a deflector for projection into said chute above and spaced from said operating means, and means for operatively connecting said deflector and said coin controlled mechanism to project said deflector into said chute upon operation of said operating means by said coin and to hold said deflector in operative position in said chute against displacement by impact thereagainst of a second coin inserted in said chute before said delivery mechanism has been operated to deliver merchandise.

4. In a vending machine, the combination with merchandise delivery mechanism; of coin controlled mechanism for controlling the operation of said delivery mechanism and including a coin chute, a trip member projecting into said chute to be operated by a coin passing down said chute to release said coin controlled mechanism, a coin deflector, and means connecting said coin controlled mechanism and said deflector operative to project said deflector into said coin chute and including interlocking means to hold said deflector in projected position against the impact of a second coin inserted in said chute before the operation of said delivery mechanism.

5. In a vending machine, the combination with merchandise delivery mechanism; of coin controlled mechanism for controlling the operation of said delivery mechanism and including a coin chute, a trip member for projection into said chute to be operated by a coin passing down said chute to release said coin controlled mechanism, a pivotally supported deflector, a member operated by said coin controlled mechanism, means connecting said member and deflector to swing said deflector by movement of said member and means for permitting movement of said member relative to said deflector and for locking said deflector in projected position.

6. In a vending machine, the combination with a coin chute, and merchandise delivery mechanism; of means for controlling the operation of said delivery mechanism, said means including latch mechanism operated by a coin passing down said chute to release said delivery mechanism, a deflector projected by said latch mechanism into said chute, simultaneously with the release of said latch mechanism, and locking means operated by said latch mechanism for locking said deflector in projected position.

7. In a vending machine, the combination with a coin chute, downwardly within which coins are fed by gravity, and merchandise delivery mechanism; of means for controlling the operation of said delivery mechanism, said means including latch mechanism and a trip member for said mechanism extending into said chute to be operated by a coin passing down said chute and to operate said trip mechanism for releasing said delivery mechanism, a deflector connected to said trip mechanism to be projected thereby into said chute above said trip member and simultaneously with the tripping of said trip member, to deflect from said chute, a second coin passing down said chute, and means operated by said latch mechanism for operating said deflector and for providing lost motion therebetween to permit operation of said mechanism in advance of the operation of said deflector and effect a quick operation of said deflector by the final operation of said mechanism.

8. In a vending machine including a casing, a coin chute extending downward in said casing, merchandise delivery mechanism in said casing, and means for controlling the operation of said delivery mechanism, said means including latch mechanism. and a trip member for said mechanism extending into said chute to be operated by a coin passing down said chute and to operate said trip mechanism for releasing said delivery mechanism, a deflector connected to said trip mechanism to be projected thereby into said chute above said trip member and simultaneously with the tripping of said trip member to deflect from said chute, a second coin passing down said chute, and means operated by the operation of said delivery mechanism for positively resetting said latch mechanism and retracting said deflector from said chute, said means being operatively connected with said delivery mechanism to be operated thereby.

9. In a vending machine, the combination with a casing, a coin chute in said casing, and merchandise delivery mechanism in said casing and including an operating member; of means for controlling the operation of said delivery mechanism, including a stop member, latch mechanism for holding said stop member in position to prevent operation of said delivery mechanism, said latch mechanism including a pivoted arm operatively connected with said stop member to operate the same, a second arm formed to engage and releasably hold said first named arm with said stop member in position to prevent opation of said delivery mechanism, said second named arm being operative to positively swing said first named arm to bring said arms into latching engagement with each other, means on said operating member of said delivery mechanism for operating said second named arm, and means operated by a coin passing down said chute for moving said first named arm to disengage it from said second named arm and release said stop member.

10. In a vending machine, the combination with a casing, a coin chute in said casing, and merchandise delivery mechanism. in said casing and including an operating shaft; of coin controlled means for controlling the operation of said delivery mechanism including a pivotally supported stop member adapted to be swung into the path of movement of a member of said delivery mechanism to prevent operation of said 10 for swinging movement longitudinally of said first arm. and provided with a lug to engage thereover and contact a shoulder thereon, said lug on said second named arm being adapted to also engage said end surface of said lug on said 15 bar when. swung toward said bar and positively raise said first named arm into engagement with said lug on said second named arm, a spring exerting an upward force on said bar sufiicient to overcome the weight of said bar and first named arm, a trip member supported adjacent said chute and extending transversely of said bar into said chute and adapted to be operated by a coin passing down said chute to move said bar downwardly and release said first named arm from. engagement with said lug on said second named arm, and means on said operating shaft of said delivery mechanism for swinging said second named arm to reset said latch mechanism.

HARRY S. BENJAMIN.

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