US2185872A - Automatic sales apparatus - Google Patents

Description

Jan. 2, 1940. R. sTRA AUTOMATIC SALES APPARATUS Filed Oct 23, 1936 4 Sheets- Sheet l \NVE T E Jan. 2 1940. R. sTRA AUTOMATIC SALES APPARATUS 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Oct. 23. 1956 R. STRA Jan. 2, 1940.

AUTOMATIC SALES APPARATUS Filed Oct. 25', 1936 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 5M2, 1940. v RSTRA' 2,185,872

AUTOMATIC I SALES APPARATUS Filed Oct. 23, 1956 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 UHIHHIHI Kene' $+ra,

INV OK Patented Jan. 2, 1940 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE AUTOMATIb SZEZZ APhARATUS v v I Application October 23, 1936, Serial No. 107,140 In Belgium October 23, 1985 "5 Claims. -(o1; 194-71) My invention relates to the automatic distributing apparatus, working by the introduction of coins or of counters.

The main object of the inventionis to permit the sale of a great variety of goods at different prices, without the necessity for the consumer to proceed to any previous adjusting manipulation of the coin mechanism of the apparatus, the payment being efiected" in introducing successively through one and the same slot for all the articles and whatever'may be their price, a number of coins or of counters, the value or the size of which corresponds to the price' of the article which has been chosen.

A second'object of the invention is to ensure that the discharge of an article is prevented (blocked) so long as-there has not been'intro-.

duced into the apparatus a number of coins or of counters corresponding to the price of one of 30 etc., which can be acquired individually and successively by prepayment for each article, said apparatus being adapted to distribute the articles contained in both typesof receptacles through a single distributing opening.

35 A fourth object of the invention is to provide a distributing apparatus which comprises a plurality of receptacles for differently priced articles, respectively, and which can be usedas an ordinary table (for-restaurants, tea-rooms, etc.)

Another object of the invention is to reduce to a minimum and to groupthe projecting parts of the apparatus which are necessary for the ma-. nipulation of theapparatus so as to permit its 45 utilization as an ordinary table. With this object in view, my invention essentially consists in the special arrangements and combinations of parts hereinafter fully described and pointed. out in the annexed claims.

50 On the annexed drawings:

Figures 1, 2, and3 show a distributing apparatus according to the inventionand represent more especially a coin locking mechanism working with a variable number of coins. Figure 1 55 is a vertical cross-section, Figure 2 is a view par,

tially in plan and partially in horizontal crosssection, Figure 3 is a view of details.

Figures 4, 5, 6 show various embodiments of the device used for obturating with a variable amplitude the distributing opening. v 5

Figures 7 to 12 show a series of forms of embodiments for the coin locking mechanism.

In the example shown, the apparatus forms the upper portion of a table and comprises a fixed casing I mounted on a column Ia and closed atthe top by a cover 3 provided with a glass 2. e

Inside of the casing l is situated a rotating plate 4 which supports receptacles 5 radially arranged, the contents of which can be removed by the consumer by a single payment and receptacles S containing a plurality of articles adapted to be removed successively by a prepayment for each article. i

The vertical edge of the casing I has a distributing aperture 1 which may be closed by a shutter 8. e I v Theplate 4 can be rotated from the outside of the apparatus so as to bring one of the receptacles or;6 containing the article which has been chosen by .the' consumer in front of the distributing aperture 1.

The device for actuating the plate 4 is situated in front of theshutter 8 and is supported, by the drive of the shutter 8 with which it can be bodily connected. The actuating means'for the shutter 8 and the drivingmeans for the plate 4 comprise a handwheel [6 which is supported by the shutter 8 and which acts, for instance by friction, on a roller lBa arranged at right angles with respect to the handwheel and acting, for instance also by friction, on a flange 4 of the plate 4. I i

In consequence, when the hand wheel'lB is caused to be rotated, the plate 4 is also put in 40 rotation through the intermediary of the roller lGa.

The opening of the shutter 8 depends upon-the actuating of a rod I1 which extends radially .on the base of the casing land which may be held i in the closed position of the'shutter'8 by a coin locking device of the kind hereinafter described.

The rod I1 is provided at its extremity Site" uated towards the centre of the apparatus with teeth l8 cooperating with an oscillating pawl 19 and terminated by'a notch 20 adapted. toreceive the end of a locking hook 2| having a boss 22 and'two small pins '23 which can slide and oscillate, in slots 24 of a support 25. The hook I .21 is subjected tothe action of aspring 26.;

Moreover, means are provided in order to avoid the accessibility for the consumer to more than one receptacle 5 or 6 at each manipulation.

To this end, the shutter 8 can be opened only if a receptacle 5 r 6 is situated exactly in front of the opening 7 and this result is obtained by a hook 21 which at this moment liberates the general locking hook 2| and which is actuated by a. pushing member 28 and a lever 29 submitted to the actionof bossesv3fl fixed under the plate 4 in positions which correspond to the positions which the receptacles 5 or 6 must exactly occupy to permit the opening of the shut ter 8.

Moreover, the plate 4 is prevented from moving as soon as the shutter 8 beginsto be opened and to this end, projecting parts-34am. pro-- vided under the plate 4 in a numberi-corre-- sponding to the number of the receptacles 5 or 6. The rod i! has a notch 35 into which'fits-theextremity 55 of alever 3! adapted. to oscillate about a pivot 38. and. subjected to. the action of a spring 39. From the: lever. 37 projects. a fork 45' so. that when the rod-t1- is actuated, it carries along the lever 3.? whichsupports the fork. 4e and thelatterimmobilises the projecting part 34 which is in front otitand consequentlyalso the plate 4-.

The coins or counters are introduced through a single slot 3| intoa-duct-comprisingaeoin selector 32. of known type. situated'underneath the slot 3| so that counterfeit coins are directed towards a receptacle: 33 w-hilst the good; coins penetrate into the coin locking. device of the apparatus.

The coin locking mechanism comprises a...sup port 25 which carriesat its lower part'a duct 4| in which the. coins are adaptedto bestopped at diiferent heights and being adapted to oscillate around aavertical pivot 4 3. fixed. underneath the support 25; The duct-M-has. openings 44, 45, 46 for the passage of stops for the coins..

In each ofthe openings- 44; 45. and -46-.pro=ject the extremities 48 of-.movable rods.49 49 and. 49 forming coin stops. at different heightsin the duct 4|. Eachirodtw 49 493 iscurved upwards and forms horizontal branches 50 55 of the branch 59 in rolle-rs =5|- 5H and. which are adapted to oscillate about a pivot-52 fixedon the support 25.

The movable plate 4 carries at itscentral-part a cylindrical support-53'which is. provided. with cams-54 acting'on one onthe otherof the rollers 5| or-5 W. The element 53 is optional as thecams 54 may be supportedby any'suitablev means on the plate 4; for instance theymaybe. supportedb-y the receptacles 5 or 6.

The apparatus so constructed operates. in. the following manner: 5

The container 5 or E-containing the article which has been chosen by the consumer is brought by the manipulation of the handwheel lfiin front of .the opening. I andth'e-tnumber of coins required for the discharge) of one -article is =introduced through the: slot 3|.

Iflthe container of theLarticle which has-been chosen only .requiresa single'icoin' for the extraction of one article, there is on the: support 53 no cam operating on one or the-other of the rollers 5| 51 One coin being th-useintroduced it issdirected into the-'duct ll andis'stopped in'this-by the extremity 48 of the-rod 49 A'pull -bein'g then-exerted on the rod IT, thelatter moves andcarries 59 which terminata-withthe exception with it horizontally the hook 2|, the pins 23 of which slide in the slots 24 of the support 25- During this horizontal displacement, the boss 22 of thehook 2| comes in contact with the edge of the coin C; the consequence is that the hook 2| is tilted and liberates the rod This permits the opening of the shutter8 and the removal of the article which has been chosen by the consumer.

Continuing itsmovement; the rod liberates the duct 4| which under the action of a spring 42 pivots about the axis 43 carrying with it the coin which being no longer supported by the extremity of the rodr49 descends in the channel to fall into the coin receptacle of the apparatus. During its returrrmovement, produced by the consumer, the rodtll meetstheduct-M, causes it to oscillate in an--inver.ted direction and brings it back to its original position against a stop 41 of the support '25.

If. the price of the article. to be distributed necessitates two. coins, a. cam-54 is located .so-as to act on roller 5| whereby the rod 49 is caused tooscillate around the pivot 52 and the extremity 48.-.of-.rod 49 is withdrawn from the duct 4|. When. the. two coins have been introduced, the first coinis stopped in the duct 4| by the-extremity 48 of the. rod 49 -which has not oscillated and the second coin takes up a position on the upperedge of the first one and can cooperate with the.hook 2| in the abovedesoribed manner.

Ifthe price of the articlerequires three coins a cam 54 is arranged so es-to act-on the rod 49 which owing to one c1avw55 v carries-with it the rod. 49 The-extremities 48 of said rods. 49 and 49 are withdrawn from; the duct 4| and. the first coin introduced is stopped by the extremity of the rod. 49 whilst the two other coins come one 7 above the other, the last coin of the number which is required cooperating in the abovedescribed manner. with the hook 2|.

It is easy to understand the apparatus may be constructed to operate with a number of coins less or. more than three, which permits in the latter'case of increasingthevariety of the prices of'the articles which can be sold. To this end it is only necessary-to reduce or to increase the length-of the duct 4| and-the number of the rods49-and also of :their actuatingmembers.

In order toamaintain a complete closure of the-shutter 8whenthe apparatus is at rest and to ensure a suitable contact between the different elements l6;- Ifiaand 4, the device-is so designed that the action of thespring; 394s. only felt at the commencementlof the opening manipulation and at the end-of the closing manipulation sothat the consumer'should'not':have-to maintain the shutter-v 8. inits-Jopenedposition during all the manipulation. This is .obtained, by the fact that the. extremitytfiof. the. lever 31 is. displaced according. toan arc of-a-.circle and leaves the notch 35 of the rod. H in view of. the fact that the lever 3T oscillates around the pivot 38. The ex.- tremity.36. only comes again into the notch 35 when .the latter is in front of it on the return of the rod H.

The receptacles 6 which can contain each, a plurality oi" articles which can be obtained successively by a separateprepayment for each article comprise a frame 56 forming a box the upper'part of which is open. At the, bottom of the box-there is a radially sliding plate 51 one end of which supports-araised part 60; which, at each distribution of one article can pass throughanopening fil" made in the'frame 56, ex-

tains above the distributing openingBZ the following articles of the pile. The plate 51 is actuated simultaneouslywith the rod l1 and the shutter 8, for instance by means of a hook 58 which is provided at the other end of .plate and whichicooperates when it is brought in front ,of the shutter 8, with a hook 59 fixed on the. latter.

A movable'stop 63- of suitable shape fixed to the box 56 holds in cooperation with the raised part 60 the article of the pile which follows the sions of the receptacle or of the article being in front of the distributing opening, the extent of the shuttermovement being adjusted automatically.

In the embodiment according to Fig. 4, the.

under the plate 4, thus limiting the stroke of the rod and consequently the width of opening of the shutter.

In the embodiment according to Fig. 5, one of the arms of the lever 68 is replaced by a toothed sector 16 co-operating with the rod H.

In this'figura'the'hook 27 shown-in Fig.1 and also the lever 29 and the bosses 30, do not exist andare replaced by a rib fixed'to the plate 4, and by a projecting part 14 fixed to the rod IT. This projecting part can only be introduced into the recess 18 of the rib 11 if a receptacle 5 or 6 is exactlyinfront of the opening 1. The stroke of the rod may be restricted by reducing the length of the portion 78. The ribs permit the use, with the sliding shutter, of compartments 12 and 13 of diiferent widths.

According to Fig. 6, the shutter co-operates -with the locking device through a sector 82 to v provided with a sector 81 having edges 88 adapted to pass into the notches 85 or 85 of the rim, to permit the opening of the shutter.

Figs. 7 to 12 show modifications given by way of example of the method of arresting coins in the duct of the locking device. i

In each of the following embodiments, the duct 4| is in a fixed'relation with respect to the support 25.

In the 'embod-iment'according to 'Figs.-'Z and 8 thestopping of the coins is effected in the interior of the-duct 4| by, sliding pins H1 (1 H1 which pass through the 'duct 4| and which can be actuated transverselyin vthe duct by the rods 1' 49 49 49 described the cams 54; I

The pins H1 above under the action of H1 and llllhave apart H8 of reduced "diameter which when brought in .the'

path of theduct allows passage of the coins, whilst the first coin of the number required is arrested by the first pin having its part ofgreater' diameter in the pathof the duct.

If itis' supposed that the price of ,the'article requires two coins, then the rod 49 is actuated by a cam 54 and is caused to oscillate; the stop can then slide in thesense indicated by the arrow F2 under the action of a spring |3|land take the position indicated on the drawing, The part of less diameter is placed in the coin path formed by the 'duct and the first coin which has been introdu'ced is arrested by the part of greater diameter of the stop I I1 the second coin being superposed above the first. Afterwards, a movable member (not shown)- acts on the rods 49 and 49 so as to cause them to oscillate and the slidin 5 of the stops H1 and H1 under the action of their springsl I8 in the sense of the arrow F2 brings their parts of reduced diameter into the path of the coins which then fall down into the collector.

In the embodiment according to Figs. 9 and 10, the stops are formed as pins |3| which are each provided with a notch I20 and which instead of 9 moving transversely in the duct 4| oscillate in the latter each under the action of a lever I I9 integral with the pins. Each lever H8 is actuated by driving members, such as rods, levers, etc., which receive their, motion simultaneously or separately from members such as thecams 54 of Fig. 2, corresponding to the receptacle being in front out the, distributing opening, the'number of stops l3| which-are actuated depending upon the number,

the positionand the'dimen' si'ons of the said cam or other member. During the opening of the distributing door, a movable member acts on one of the driving :members of the levers 9 so as to bring all the pins I! withtheir notch into register with" the path of the duct, so that the coins are no longer arrested and fall down.

,In the embodiment according to Figs. 11' and 12, the duct 4| is provided with, a cylindrical member i2! which projects over the whole of its length into the duct 4|. Thev member |2| is provided with a longitudinal groove I22 which can be brought into register with the slot of the duct.

The cylindrical member |2| is furthermore provided with projections or stops I23 which are provided on the receivers. To this end it can be 7 provided with a toothed sector I24 cooperating with a rack I25. The latter may carry atone end thereof a member which is subject to the action of the cam corresponding to the receiver in front. I of the distributing opening.

The importance of thesliding motion ofthe rack I25 and consequently the amplitude of the rotation of the cylinder |2| is determined, in this example, by the thickness of the corresponding cam. I

During the opening movement of the door, a

suitable movable member actuates the rack I25 so as to cause the cylinder |2|- to rotate whereby path of the' du'ct and the coins, being no longer supported by any of the stops l23,'falldown into the collector.

QbViously, the casing may have any suitable shape (rectangular, square, circular, etc), corresponding to that of an ordinary table.

' What I-claim is:

1. In an automatic vending machine, a stationary casing, 'a rotatable magazine in said casing, said magazine consisting of a plurality of radially disposed receptacles for various articles having different prices, respectively, a discharge opening in said casing, a door for said opening,

means projecting to the outside of said casing for rotating said magaz'inewhereby any of said receptaclescan be positioned in front of said discharge opening, locking means for said door including a movable member connected With'said doorand-adapted to'be actuated from the outside of said casing and a latch element resiliently engaging said movable member and free to be displaced therewith '-a short distance at the beginningof the -latter-s movement, and a coin controlled mechanism for releasing said locking means, said mechanism comprising a coin duct, a plurality of movable stops associated with the coin-duct and-spaced longitudinally thereof, each of said-stops corresponding to one of said diiferent prices and being adapted when in one position to support in said duct a number of edgewise'disposed-coins representing said corresponding price with the rim of the uppermost coin projecting into the path of said latch element and forming a-cam surface causing disengagement of the latch element from the movable member when the latter is actuated and when in another position to permit passage of coins through the duct, means ,to move said movable stops, and means associatedwith the individual receptacles, respectively, and'construc'ted and arranged to actuate the. movable means to position the stop means correspondingto the price of the selected article as active coinsupport in said coin duct When thelreceptacle containing the selected article has been brought in front of the discharge opening.

2. An automatic vending machine, as claimed in claim 1, in which all saidmovable stops project normally into said coin duct and the means associated with the individual receptacles include cams mounted on the rotatable magazine, said means for moving the stops comprising levers the -longitu'tlinal groove 122 is' b'rought into the projecting 'Withtheir freeends intotheipaths of,

said cams, the cams associated with "the individual receptacles,respectively, being shaped a'nd arranged to actuate, upon positioning of "a receptacle containing a selected article in front of said discharge opening, the lever of at least'one of the stops corresponding to a price 'lesst'han that of the selectedarticle was to 'withdraw from the coin duct all the stops disposed at higher levels than that corresponding to the price of the selected article.

3. An automatic vending machine, as claimed in claim 1, in which said means for moving the stops comprise pivoted two-armed leversfhaving each=one end thereof formed integral with one 02f said stops, the latter projecting normally into that of the selected article so as to withdraw from the coin duct all the stops disposed at higher levels than that corresponding to the price of the selected article.

4. An automatic vending machine, as claimed in claim '1, in which said movable stops are 'formed'as axially -slidable pins extending transversely of said duct atone end thereof, each of said pins having a portion of sufilciently reduced diameter to allow passage of the coins past said pin when its reduced portion is brought into register with said duct.

5. An automatic vending machine, asclaimed in claim 1, in which said means for moving the stops includes a rotatable cylindrical member disposed parallel to and projecting peripherally into said coin duct, said stops being formed as spirally offset steps in said cylindrical member, and each of said cooperating means is shaped and arranged to cause a rotation of said cylindrical member about a predetermined angle when its associated receptacle is positioned in'frontof said discharge opening, whereby the stop corresponding to the price of the selected article is brought into operation position in the coin duct.

RENE: STRA.

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