US2159905A - Vending machine - Google Patents

Description

May 23, 1939. F. M. MoNlNGl-:R 2,159,905

VENDING MACHIANE Filed Oct. 14, 1936 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 BY' W ATTORNEYS.

May 23, l939 F. M. MONINGR i, 2,159,905

vENDING MACHINE Filed oct. 14, 195e 4 sma m-smmA s 9 y I v v INVENToR.

fP/V/f Maly/N65@ BY W A TToRNEYs f May 23, 1939.A

F. M. MONINVGER VENDING MACHINE Filed oct. 14,'1936 4 sheets-sheet 4 v IN V EN TOR.

FPA/wr f. fam/65e #Lm A TTORNEYS.

Patented May 23, 1939 earner certes vENDING MACHINE Frank Meningen Les lineales. Callie assigne er, te.. Snrtsmans. Meniife eorlieraltieil. ef. Neva#a tn'hutiilg (lointains,v Ine.,

tur 11g. and 1,495. angeles. Cabin.

Thiszinventionrelates. tdvending, on dispensing machines, and has` for. anl object the provision. oi amacbine adapted to.dispense.round or spher. cal objects. Wheieas the'. device of; the. present inventionv has. been designed primarily for use` in` dispensing golf' balls, itv should be understood that it is of equal'= utility. in. vendingother rQund orl sphericak obects, such as gum. or candy inthe form of' balls; marbles, tennis, or other types, of balls, or the like. WithA this broad object in view the. present invention; .constitutes anA improve: ment @ver that forming the.- subject matter of` Patent Number 1i, 9 52,2if1=,A issued March 2U, i934, to Clarence F;

A more detailed; object. .of the present invention is. .to provide ay dispensing machine of the generali character described wherein. a new prin. ciple of Operation of the mechanism for releasing a. predetermined number oid the sphericai objects 20, is` introduced, amo-rig theadvantages. o-ff which are more prompt and. positive release of the ,objects to be dispensed each time the machine is actuated, and more positive retention of thev .other objects, intended to be kept Within the storage 25 magazine, whereby .greater vassurance is. gained that the person operating the. machine. will rereceive full measure and not more .oi the articles. to which ne is entitled.r

A further object. Lis. to provide a dispensing machine having, among others, the advantages above referred to, `and. the .opera-tion ci which is dependent .ii-non mechanical means, only, i.. e., does not invoive the use of electromagnets or other electrically operated devices, whereby the device is adapted for successful .operation witheut the inconvenience kof connecting it .toy a source of electrical ener-gy, andeven ein cemmunites where no `electr-ical energy is available.

A further object is to provide an improved and simpiied and highly Aeicient type of storage magazine wherein all the articles to be vended are arranged in aereuitcus single row, al1 portiene (1f-which :are lat all times visible to hersens in front of the machine. This is a detail which enhances 4the value of lthe vending machine as such, since itis a well :known principle of sales engineering that the appeal of objects offered for sale to possible purchasers is greatly increasedby exposing 4these articlesto thefullviewof passers by, thus making them conscious of the desirable features of the articiesandimpressingumn them their ready availability.

A further object is te provide a vending .machine having the above described characteristics, in the design ef .which particular .attention :has

been. paid to simplicity and economy Off @instr-lief. tiert. without impairing the. pcsitiveness. and: dependabllity of= its operation, not, Qii'lt. foi: ith@ purpose Of'reducine. itsccst of manufacture. but.

aise, for the purpese oi reducing the ever-,alldi- 5 f mansions of the assembled machu-ie; so as to. enr;V large. the eld of its adaptabilitv` by. increasing the. number.V of. lbcations in. which, it is adapted' tothe installed; e

The entien pessesses. 9th rebieetsiear.. 10 turesoi-advantase, SQmeO going, will be seti-.Orth in he iel tion. 0.1? the,v preferred. ferm 0f cmy i is illustrated. the drawings. ase l. forming a part ef the. Seeeifreatiea. It is te. be. under-steed; that l tio. nei 1i.. it. myself te the snowing matie by the seid. drawings.. and; deserte: tion, as. I- admet, veriatieils 0f: the. preferred form mini the seo-pe et my iatentieri forth inthe. .e1a1;1frf1lsy J Referring.- .te the drawings; Fiel-1re .1; is a new in freni eie ten of the. enlarging this view the magazine is hereE u x fietaeheii item tee einer eielaeets ai .iles neus e; machine,-

gere 2 a rear elevation er1. e redueefi seal@ Showing the assembled meehiiief. et

rieure is atea plea Figurer. 4, is a View end- ,eleiaiien the i1-ire@- tion 'bf view beine indicate@ .by trie. arrow 4 ier. li'ie.` .2..

fi-'ieure 5 is e detail. View in freni elevation ef tile ,Siep meeealesm wherebye .predetermined number et Qbieets is released fram the dispensing For the purpose 0f; clarity Ofidiselesure this is here .shewn detached .from .the remainder ofthe meeiiie f 4o Figure 631e e perepeetve View ef the strutture Shown 11.1

Figure 7: ie a tes elan View ef the Strutture Shawn in Fie.- 5

Figure a transverse. vertieel seetional view. the plane efeeetierl heine taken. geen the 8-3 Aof Fie. 7I .and the .direction` ,0i new beine indicated les.' the arrows.,

Fieuref? is a View Similar .t0 Fie. .8 but. with the plane Of section indicated by the line E19. of Fis. 7 and thev direction ci view by the arrows.Y AFigure 101s a perspective view of .the .eoinf actuated means for operating the y.machine and for predetermning the number 0f objects to be. dispensed at eachaetuation, .andalso showing a portion of the mechanism for resetting the machine to put it in readiness for the next actuation.

In terms of broad inclusion the present invention contemplates the provision of a dispensing machine adapted to release a dierent number of the articles to be dispensed, this number depending upon the manner in which the operator actuates the machine. In other words, by depositing a coin of a certain denomination, in its proper coin slot, a predetermined number of objects will be delivered to the operator, that number being appropriate to the denomination of the coin, whereas if a coin of different denomination is used and deposited in the proper coin slot, a different number of objects will be delivered, this number again being appropriate to the denomination of the coin. The mechanism whereby these results are accomplished is designed to yield an improved and simplied type of construction whereby positiveness of operation is assured so as to prevent all possibility of delivery of more of the dispensed objects than the operator is actually entitled to receive and yet to cause the machine to operate satisfactorily and with the utmost sureness to deliver the proper number of objects.

Whereas the dispensing machine of the present invention is adaptable by slight modification for use in dispensing a wide variety of spherical or round objects, the modification chosen for illustration and description in the present specication is designed to dispense golf balls. It comprises a housing II, the predominating feature of which is a magazine I2, preferably of rectangular form and relatively thin in comparison to its height and width, inasmuch as it is intended to accommodate thereinside only a single row of the golf balls I3 to be dispensed. Secured to the back of the magazine I2 and adjacent its lower edge is a relatively small housing I4 for theaccommodation of the dispensing mechanism; and at one side of the housing II is a receptacle I6 having ahinged lid II which receptacle is adapted to receive the golf balls I3 released from the magazine I2 and there be made available to the operator.

Inside the magazine I2, the front face of which preferably is formed of glass I'I, a .plurality of wedge shaped tongues I8 project from both side walls. These tongues I8, which are arranged in alternation with each other, extend not quite all the way across the magazine, thereby leaving an opening I 9 at the end of each tongue large enough to permit a golf ball I3 to drop therethrough from the outer end of one tongue I8 to the inner end of the next tongue therebelow. These tongues being wedge shaped, a circuitous or zigzag path is provided for the single row of golf balls I3, thus making it possible to store a relatively large number of balls in such a manner that they are urged at all times by gravity toward a delivery opening 2| which is provided in one of the side walls of the magazine I2 adjacent the bottom thereof. An inlet opening 22 is also provided adjacent the top of the magazine I2 in position to permit the ball I3 to be inserted on` top of the uppermost tongue I8. Preferably a locked cap 23 is provided for the opening 22, so that unauthorized persons cannot have access to the interior of the magazine. rI'he outlet opening 2I leads to the receptacle I E so that balls I3 released from the magazine I 2 drop into the receptacle I6 whence they can easily be removed by the operator merely by lifting the hinged lid I'I.

Means are provided for releasing a predetermined number of the golf balls I3, which number however is dependent upon the manner in which the machine is operated; that is to say, by operating the machine in one particular way, a certain number of golf balls may be released to the receptacle I6, and by operating it in another way another certain number of balls I3 will be released. This releasing mechanism, which is contained within the auxiliary housing It, is best shown on Figs. 5 to 9, inclusive, comprising a rigid bar 3I mounted preferably at its ends on the opposed side walls 32 of the auxiliary housing Iii and extending closely adjacent and parallel to the back wall 33 of the magazine I2. A plurality of tubular guides 34 are rigidly mounted upon the bar 3I, each of these extending preferably to the back wall 33 of the magazine I2 and having reciprocably mounted therein a pin 33, each of which is sufficiently longer than the associated guide 3i to permit it to extend, under certain conditions to be described hereinbelow, through the wall 33 and into the magazine and into the path of the golf balls I3 in their movement along the inclined plane of their support toward the delivery opening 2I. Each of the pins 35 is provided with a shoulder 31 (see Fig. 9) and a coil spring 38 under compression between the shoulder 31 and that end of the guide SII which is proximal to the magazine I2 continuously urging the pin 36 away from the magazine. In other words, the coil springs 38 are at all times urging the pin 36 or stop out of the path of the golf balls I3.

Behind the rod 3I and parallel thereto a shaft dI is revolubly mounted, also preferably in the side wall 32 of the auxiliary housing M. This shaft is continuously urged to rotate by means of a drum 42 upon which a tape 43, of metal or other material, is wound. A coil spring MI is under tension between the outer end of the tape d3 and the back wall of the auxiliary housing III, the parts being so arranged that the energy exerted by the spring IM continuously urges the shaft Il to rotate.

The shaft 4I carries a plurality of cams li, one such cam being associated with and disposed in registry with each of the pins, or stops, 36. These cams 46 are so disposed upon the shaft III that their respective high points are progressively angularly offset from each other about the axis of the shaft III. is opposite to that in which the shaft is urged to rotate by the spring lili as the distance of the cams d6 increases from the wall of the magazine I2 in which the delivery opening 2I is provided. In other words, when the cam 46 proximal to the wall in which the delivery opening 2! is so positioned that it engages its associate pin 33 and forces it into the magazine I2, the next adjacent stop has not quite reached its position of engagement with its associated pin, the stop 43 be- 5.-'

yond that is still farther from its position of engagement with its associated pin, and so on.

Thus it may be seen that the distance through which the shaft II is permitted to rotate determines which of the stops 36 will be thrust into. the

magazine and into the path of the golf balls. The normal position for the shaft 4I, i. e., the position assumed thereby when the machine is inoperative. is with the cam IIS which is proximal to the delivery opening 2l in engagement with its associated pin 3B. For convenience during the further description, this cam will be identified by the numeral M, and its associated Stop or pin by the numeral 48.

,An additional stop 5I, similar to the stops 36 The direction of this offsetting .3.;

amamos' and: 68? previously described',y is supported at suit'- able elevation above the bar k by mean-sf of, a bracket 521 mounted upon` an arm 63: extending rigidlyfromV the bar 31T.. The pin or stop 5l is pressed by' a spring' (not shown in. a manner similar to that of the. previously describedpinsi- 36` and 48, being mounted in a guide' tube 54 `which is rigid with the bracket 5I;4 Instead of being engaged by' a cai-n; however, the pin 511i is` adapted to be pressed into operative position byV means of an obliquely extending finger .'16i which is rigidly mounted upon la vertically reciprocable; rack 51 slidably mounted upon the rigid arm 53. .'I-he teeth 584 'ot the rack 5-1 are engaged with a pinion 5S which is carried by the shaft H, the parts being 4so proportioned and arranged that when the shaft 4I? rotates in that direction which causes either H, the cams 46 Vto engage their respective stops 36 in their order of those stops or their distance from the-Wall 4in which the delivery opening 2| is provided, theV pinion 58 will cause the rack 5-1 to be raised bringing the inclined linger 56 into engagement with its stop 'di at such time that after the last pin 36 carried by the hor-i'- zontalbar 3i is, extended and then retracted, the

upper pin 5I will be pushed intoy operative position vVilhereasvr any appropriate spacing -for the pins 48, 36 and 5| may be employed, that arrangement which is preferred for the present modifie-ation can be best understood by reference to Fig. 1-, which shows the rst pin ,-36--a spaced V`from the pin 48 far enough yto receive but one rgolf ball I3'. `4The second pin 36--b is sov spaced from the pin :i6-a that two golf balls i3 are spaced therebetween, making a total oththree4 balls between pin 36b and the -pi-n 4B The pins 36---12v and 36--c `accommodate fourballs therebetween, thus making atotal of seven balls between the pin- 48 and the -pin 36--e The upper pin A5l is 4spaced a, considerably greater distance from the -pin Sii-c, accommodating Il balls therebetween, or atotal of eighteen between the pinl and the -pin 48, K

The pinshave been arranged to `accommodate balls therebetween in accordance with the above description inasmuch Yas 'the lcoin actuated mechanism is intended to be operated by coins Vci diierent denominations, in the 'present modification by a ten-cent piece, a twenty-ve-cent piece, a fifty-cent piece and one dollar, The mechanism is so arranged, as will be described yhereinbelow, that when a ten-cent -piece'is deposited, one ball will be delivered; a twenty-ve-cent -piece, three balls; a fifty-cent piece, seven balls, and -a dollar, eighteen balls; the purpose being to urge the operator to use a coin of larger denomination because of the proportionally greater number of balls he receives lfor -his money. 'Ifhe coin actuated mec ihanisrn consists of a=plurality of arms 66, 61, 68 and '69, -mounted 'for rocking movement about a vertically kextending jpintle 1l, each of the arms V66 to 69, inclusive, is provided with a separate spring 12 urging the associated end of that arm toward the jrack 51 and intoposition above a stop lrcarried thereby., The sspacing between 'the .several arms 66 jtol, inclusiveis such that by removingthe lowermost arm 66 from the ypath of lthe stop 1-3 the rack Y51 visn-permitted to rise 4far roiigh -to pemttheshaft 4l to turn farer'ioug'h Vto remove the cam 41 from `itsrenga'genient with the pin and to cause the Afir-st cam W6 tto push Iits lassociated stoppin `35i-41, into the magasine. r'hi's'will release one golf ball I3. The Ispacing'heini/eenthe remaining armsl 61, 68 and 69, is the same; `thus when the two lowermost. arms 66 and 61 are. both withdrawn from the path of the stop 13, the pin 48 will first be retracted, the pin .3G- a will be extended and then retracted, and the pin. 36-b will be extended and lett extended,v thus releasing three golf.' bal-ls. In a similar manner, withdrawal ofV the three lowermost arms 66,. 61 and 68 will re'-Vv lease the seven balls between the pin 48 and the pin 36-c, and retraction of all the armsy 66, 6.1

68 and 69 will release the entirey eighteen ballsV between the pin 48 andi the pin 5l.

Preferably a separate coin receiver is provided for each of the arms 66 to 69 inclusive. The coin receiver 116, associated with the lowermost arm 616, comprises a plate 11 havin-g an aperture large enough to. receive a ten-cent piece therein, adapted to be brought into registry with 'a similar aperture 18 in. the guide- 16 through which the plate 'l1 is -reciprocable The inner end 8| ot the plate 11 is bent upward far enough to engageonly thearm 66'. Suitable mechanism (not shown) is provided for preventing movement of the plate 11 unless a` coin of the proper denomination is employed.

The remaining arms 61, 68 and 69 are provided with individual coin receivers 82, 83 and 84, respectively, which are similar to the receiver 16, except that their respective apertures are of appropriate sizes toreceive twenty-five cents, Titty cents and one dollar respectively, and with the further exception that their inner ends 861, 81 and v88, respectively, are adapted to engage two, three and four of the arms, respectively. Thus, for example, when tlfre` fifty-cent coin receiver is actuated, the three lowermost arms 66, 61 and 68 will be removed 'from the .path of the Astop 13. It is-'believed that the result of operation of each of the other coin mechanisms will be understood.

Means are provided for returning the parts to initial position for subsequent operation. In the present modication this return mechanism is. actuated by the operator when he `raises the cover 4l1 of the receptacle i6, which he must do in order to receive the golf balls which have been released from the magazine I2. As stated hereinabove, the cover l1 is 'mounted for pivotal movement. It carries an arm 9| (Figs. 2 and 10)., so proportioned and arranged that when the cover Y I1 is raised the inner end of the arm 9| moves downward into engagement with the upper end of the rack At1,` preferably seating within a suitable'socket 92 there provided and-forces the rack' downward. It is believed that the manner of operation of my improved dispensing `machine will be apparent lfrom `the above `description of its constituent parts. Suiiice it -to say, therefore, that each `time the machine is operated a number of golf balls, determined -by the 'denomination of theccin employed, will be released Yfrom the machine to vthe receptacle i6 from which they can be removed by `the operator merely by raising the lid l1, and then when the operator Vraises the lid so as to secure theballs which he has purchased, themachine will be reset forsubsequent operation.

`I claim:

1. In a device of the characterdescribed,1amagazine for storing a plurality of objects y-to be dispensed and having an outlet opening fordelivery of said objects, means guiding said objects in a predetermined path toward said outlet,a plurality of movable stops mounted adjacent the path-of said objects in moving toward said opening, said stops being disposed at successively greater distances from said opening to receive a diierent number of said objects between the stop proximal to said opening and each of the others of said stops, means yieldably urging all of said stops out of operative position, said proximal stop being normally maintained in operative position, a shaft rotatably mounted adjacent said stops, a plurality of cams rigid with said shaft, each in position to engage one of said stops and force it into operative position, said cams being progressively angularly offset with respect to each other about the axis of said shaft whereby they actuate said stops successively in their order of distance from said delivery opening, and means for rotating said shaft.

2. In a device of the character described, a magazine for storing a plurality of objects to be dispensed and having an outlet opening for delivery of said objects, means guiding said objects in a predetermined path toward said outlet, a plurality of movable stops mounted adjacent the path of said objects in moving toward said opening, said stops being disposed at successively greater distances from said opening to receive'a different number of said objects between the stop proximal to said opening and each of the others of said stops, means yieldably urging all of said stops out of operative position, said proximal stop being normally maintained in operative position, a shaft rotatably mounted adjacent said stops, a plurality of cams rigid with said shaft, each in position to engage one of said stops and force it into operative position, said cams being progressively angularly offset with respect to each other about the axis of said shaft whereby they actuate said stops successively in their order of distance from said delivery opening, means for rotating said shaft, and means for limiting the extent of rotation of said shaft, said limiting means being variable to eiect actuation of a selected number of said stops.

3. In a device of the character described, a magazine for storing a plurality of objects to be dispensed and having an outlet opening for delivery of said objects, means guiding said objects in a predetermined path toward said outlet, a plural ity of movable stops mounted adjacent the path of said objects in moving toward said opening, said stops being disposed at successively greater distances from said opening to receive a different number of said objects between the stop proximal to said opening and each of the others ofvsaid stops, means yieldably urging all of said stops out of operative position, said proximal stop being normally maintained in operative position, a shaft rotatably mounted adjacent said stops, a plurality of cams rigid with said shaft, each in position to engage one of said stops and force it into operative position, said cams being progressively angularly oiiset with respect to each other about the axis of said shaft whereby they actuate said stops successively in their order of distance from said delivery opening, means for rotating said shaft, a pinion carried by said shaft, a rack enmeshed with said pinion and mounted for longitudinal reciprocatory movement, an abutment carried by said rack, a plurality of spaced detents normally disposed in the path of said abutment, and means for moving a selected number of said detents out of the path of said abutment.

4. In a device of the character described, a magazine for storing a plurality of objects to be dispensed and having an outlet opening for delivery of said objects, means guiding said objects in a predetermined path toward said outlet, a plurality of movable stops mounted adjacent the path of said objects in moving toward Said opening, said stops being disposed at successively greater distances from said opening to receive a different number of said objects between the -stop proximal to said opening and each of the others of said stops, means yieldably urging all of said stops out of operative position, said proximal stop being normally maintained in operative position, a shaft rotatably mounted adjacent said stops, a plurality of cams rigid with said shaft, each in position to engage one of said stops and force it into operative position, said cams being progressively angularly offset with respect to each other about the axis of said shaft whereby they actuate said stops successively in their order of distance from said delivery opening, means for rotating said shaft, a pinion carried by said shaft, a rack enmeshed with said pinion and mounted for longitudinal reciprocatory movement, an abutment carried by said rack, a plurality of spaced detente normally disposed in the path of said abutment, means for moving a selected number of said detents out of the path of said abutment, an additional stop mounted in position to extend into said path of said objects and spaced therealong the greatest distance of any of said stops from said delivery opening, means yieldably urging said additional stop out of operative position, and means carried by said rack for actuating said additional Stop only after all of said cams have released their respective stops.

5. In a device of the character described, a magazine for storing a plurality of objects to be dispensed and having an outlet opening for the delivery of said objects, means guiding said objects in a predetermined path toward said outlet, a plurality of movable stops mounted adjacent the path y of said objects in moving toward said opening, one of said stops being proximal to said opening and the other stops being arranged at different distances therefrom along said path to accommodate a different number of said objects between said proximal stop and each of said other stops, means for successively effecting withdrawal of said stops from said path in the order of their distance from said opening and for positively thrusting a stop further from said opening into said path before withdrawal of any one of said stops is completed.

6. In a device of the character described, a magazine for storing a plurality of objects to be dispensed and having an outlet opening for the delivery of said objects, means guiding said objects in a predetermined path toward said outlet opening, a plurality of movable stops mounted adjacent the path of said objects in moving toward opening, one of said stops being proximal to said opening and the other stops being arranged at different distances therefrom along said path to accommodate a different number of said objects between said proximal stop and each of said other stops, means for successively effecting withdrawal of said stops from said path in the order of their distance from said opening and for positively thrusting a stop further from said opening into said path before withdrawal of any one of said stops is completed, and variable means for limiting the extent of action of said withdrawal-effecting means.

7. In a device of the character described, a magazine for storing a plurality of objects to be dispensed and having an outlet opening for the delivery of said objects, means guiding said objects in a predetermined path toward said outie't, a plural ity of movable stops mounted adjacent the path of said objects in moving toward said opening, one oi said stops being proximal to said opening and normally in operative position and the other stops being normally in inoperative position and arranged at diierent distances therefrom along said path to accommodate a different number of said objects between said proximal stop and each of said other stops, yieldable means urging each of said stops out of said path, positioning means for placing said stops into quantity selecting positional relation with respect to predetermined numbers of said objects, said positioning means comprising cam means for forcing said stops into said path in number grouping selecting position, and means for actuating said cam means.

8. In a device of the character described, a magazine for storing a plurality of objects to be dispensed and having an outlet opening for the delivery of said objects, means guiding said objects in a predetermined path toward said outlet, a plurality of movable stops mounted adjacent the path of said objects in moving toward said opening, one of said stops being proximal to said opening and the other stops being arranged at difierent distances therefrom along said path to accommodate a diierent number of said objects between said proximal stop and each of said other stops, yieldable means urging each of said stops out of said path, cam means for forcing said stops into said path, and means for actuating said cam means, said cam means being interconnected and arranged to force one of said stops into said path before the cam associated with the stops nearer to said opening move to releasing position.

FRANK M. MONINGER.

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