US2191145A - Coin-controlled vending machine - Google Patents

Description

Feb. 20, 1940. T. .JELENK` 2,191,145

GOING.0NTR0LLED VENDING MACHINE Filed Nov. 19), `19257 2 Shsets-Sheet 1 A INVENTORQ -f-- 4Z 46 meedere gelen@ ATTORNEYS Feb. 20, 1940. T. JELENK COIN-CONTROLLED VENDING MACHINE lfiled Nov. 19, 1937 2 Sheats-Sheet 2 INV ENT OR. ,gleodare gelernt C/(Q m ATTORNEY S Fig -10 Patented Feb. '20, 1940 COIN-CONTROLLED VENDING MACHINE Theodore Jelenk, Brooklyn, N. Y., assignor to Ruth Jelenk, Brooklyn, N. Y.

Application November 19, 1937, Serial No. 175,360

3 Claims.

My invention relates to a new and improved coin-controlled vending machine.

The objects of my invention are to provide a simple and rugged and reliable device, and to provide improved means for preventing the admission of coins while the device is being operated, or when the machine is empty.

Another object of the invention is to provide a device which is substantially tamper-proof.

The invention will be described with reference to a preferred embodiment which is set forth in the description and drawings.

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of the improved device.

16 Fig. 2 is an inner elevation of the improved device, with the cover removed.

Figs. 3, 4 and 5 are respectively sectional views on the lines 3-3, 4-4 and 5-5 of Fig. 2, the cover being shown in position in Figs. 3, 4 and 5.

y) Fig. 6 is a sectional view on the line 3--6 of Fig. l.

Fig. 7 is a sectional view on the line 'I-l of Fig. 2.

Fig. 8 is a sectional view on the line 8 8 of g5 Fig. 3, showing the positions of the parts when the device is empty.

Fig. 9 is a partial perspective view of the device showing the coin in its operative position.

Fig. 10 is a partial rear view of the cover of the box.

'I'he device consists essentially of a body plate I, and a cover 2, which overlaps the edge ange Ia of said body plate I. Said cover is provided with a slot 3. The operating end 4a of the lever 4 projects through said slot 3.

As shown in Fig. 4, the body plate I is of channel shape and the cover 2 fits tightly and frictionally over the flanges Ia of the back plate I. For this purpose the cover 2 may be made of o metal which is somewhat resilient or springy.

The top wall of the cover 2 is provided with a coin slot 5 which registers with the top of the coin chute 6.

The coin drops through the chute 6, into a 45 supplemental chute Ea, which registers with the chute 6. The coin then rests upon the platform 1, whose flange 'la is connected to the body plate I.

The angular lever 4 is pivotally connected at 8 50 to the body plate I. A tension spring 9 is con nected at one end to an arm of the lever 4 and the other end of the tension spring 9 is connected to the body plate I by means of a pin I Il. The

lever 4 is therefore normally held in the posiu tion shown in full lines in Fig. 2, wlth the horiplate I.

By turning the lever 4 on the pivot 8, the arm I4 can be moved to and fro upon the supporting web I5.

Fig. 2 shows in full lines the normal position l5 of the arm I4 and Fig. 8 shows the position of said arm I4 when the lever 4 has been turned the maximum amount.

'I'he supplemental chute 6a is secured to the arm I2. Referring to Fig. 9, it can be seen that 20 the web I5 is provided with flanges I5a which prevent the movement of the slide to the right of the position shown in Fig. 9.

The latch 20 is pivotally connected at 2I to a depending 1front flange 'Ib of the platform 1. 25 This platform 'I is connected to body plate I. The latch 20 is provided with a head 22 and with a notch 23. When a coin is not located in the chute 6a, the notch 23 engages the adjacent portion of the arm I2, so as to lock said arm I 2 30 against all movement. The weight of head 22 maintains latch 20 in said operative position. Hence the lever 4 cannot be turned unless a coin is in the position shown in Fig. 9.

When the coin C is in said position, it rests 85 upon an inwardly bent arm of the latch ZIJ, thus turning the latch.2ll against the weight of the head 22 to the position shown in Fig. 9, whereby the arm I2 is released so that it can be moved to the left of the position shown in Fig. 9. 40

'I'he articles to be vended, such as bars of candy B, are held in a supply chute 30. This chute 30 is suitably connected to body plate I. The coin chute 6 is suitably connected to a wall of the supply-chute 30. A weight (not shown) can be placed in chute 30, on top of articles B, so as to urge them downwardly. Said chute has a cut-out bottom end-portion which. is adjacent the supplemental chute 6a. When the slide is moved to the left of the initial operating position shown in Fig. 9, the bottom object B will be discharged from the supplyfchute 30, after said slide and the coin C have been moved a predetermined distance. As soon as the coin C clears the inwardly bent arm of the latch 20, said invwardly bent arm is moved upwardly by the weight of the head 22. Referring to Fig. 9, the lefthand vertical face of said inwardly bent arm will contact with the right-hand vertical face of the coin C, if 'it is attempted to move the slide back to the initial operating position shown in Fig. 9, after the bottom article has been discharged, and before the coin has dropped oil! the platform 1.

Therefore, it is impossible to move the slide back.to said initial position so as to discharge a second article without inserting a new coin.

'Ihe coin C is oi' suiilcient size to engage the bottom article B.

Hence when the slide is moved to the left of the position shown in Fig. 9, the bottom article B is slid by the coin in unison with said slide until the bottom surface of the bottom article B is freed from contact with the cut-out bottom of' the supply chute 30.'

The cover 2 is provided with a partition 40. Said cover 2 is also provided with a door 4l which is hinged to the cover at 42. l

The piece of candy drops into the space between the front wall of the cover and said partition 40 so that it can be taken out through. the delivery opening 45.

A torsion spring 46 normally holds the door 4I in the normal full line position shown in Fig. '7. Fig. 1 also shows how the .momentum of the delivered article B moves the door 4I temporarily to the broken line position, whereby the article B can f'all to the bottom position shown in broken lines in Fig. 7. The door is then moved back by spring 46 to said normal position.

A curved guard plate 50 is rigidly connected to the inner wall of the cover and said plate 50 is provided with teeth 5I so as to hinder unauthorized access to the receptacle. Means are provided for preventing the insertion of a coin into the machine while the lever 4 is being operated to deliver an article. These means comprise a lever which is pivotally connected at 6I to the body plate. A tension spring 62 is connected at one end to the body plate and said spring 62 is connected at its other end to the lever 60 so that the lever 6U is held normally in position as shown in Fig. 2. In this position the top flange 60a of the lever 60 clears the top of the coin chute 6, so that a coin can be dropped into the chute 6 through the opening 5.

g As shown in Fig. 4, the rear ofthe lever 4 is provided with a lug 63 which abuts one of the edges of the lever 60. Hence when the lever 4 is turned clockwise, referring to Fig.2, the lever 60 is turned clockwise until its top flange 60a obstructsthe top of the chute 6. This obstructing position is shown in broken lines in Fig. 2 and it is shown in full lines in Fig. 8.

Means are also provided for preventing the insertion of coins into the device when the supply of candy or the like has been exhausted. These means comprise an angular feeler lever 65 which is pivotally connected to the body plate at 66. 'I'he vertical arm of said lever 65 is heavier than the top arm of said lever, so that (referring to Fig. 2) the lever 65 tends to turn in the counterclockwise direction. This turning is prevented by the contact between the vertical arm of the lever 65 and the articles B which are located in the chute 30.

However, when theV supply of articles B is exhausted or substantially exhausted, the lever 65 is free to turn to the position shown in Fig. 8. When the lever 65 is in this position, one of its arms is substantially horizontal. The top surface of the tip of said horizontal arm is cut away to provide a depression 65a and to form a vertical shoulder 61 in the top surface of said tip. The lever 60 has a horizontal flange 60a at the top thereof. When the lastl article is discharged,

this top flange 60a is in the broken line position shown in Fig. 2 so as to cover. the top'of the coinchute 6. 65 then abuts the left-hand edge of this flange 60a, thus holding the lever 6U against counterclockwise turning movement. The insertion of an additional coin through the opening 50 is thus prevented until the cover 2 is removed from the body plate and the supply-chute 30 has been filled with a fresh supply of articles.

The cover may be locked into position by suitable means. As shown in Fig. 3, the top wall of the cover is provided with a depending lug 66, which engages with an offset top portion of the body plate I.

Referring to Fig. 10, the cover is provided adjacent its bottom with inwardly extending lateral lugs 69 and 10. These lugs are also shown in Fig. 6.

A lock of any suitable type is provided, said lock having bolts 1| and 12 which can be moved in opposite directions so as to move in front of the lugs 69 and 1B and thus prevent the unauthorized removal of the cover. An ordinary key K is used for preventing opening of the lock and the shank of said key can extend through an opening in the partition 40. The lock may be of The vertical shoulder 61 of the lever any conventional type so that detailed description thereof is unnecessary.

The coins are accumulated in a receptacle R. When the slide and the connected supplemental chute 6a are moved sufficiently to the left of the position shown in Fig. 9, the coins C ride off the platform 1 and they drop into the receptacle R. The dropping of the coin is illustrated in broken lines in Fig. 8.

I have shown a preferred embodiment of my invention, but it is clear that numerous changes and omissions can be made without departing from its spirit.

I claim:

1. In a coin-operated vending machine, the combination of a coin-carrier which is movable back-and-forth in a discharge stroke and in a reverse stroke in a predetermined path, said coin-carrier being wholly open at its bottom and being biased to an initial operating position, a fixed platform located below said coin-carrier and adapted to slidably support a coin which is located in said coin-carrier, said platform being dimensioned to release the coin at the completion of said discharge stroke, a movable latch which is biased to a normal position in which it holds the coin-carrier against movement in its discharge stroke, said latch having a latch-portion thereof which projects above said platform in said normal position, said latch-portion being aligned with said coin-carrier to contact with the rim of a coin which is located in said coin-carrier when the coin-carrier is in its initial operatingv carrier, said latch being mounted wholly independently oi' said coin-carrier.

2. In a coin-operated vending machine which has a casing, a slide located in said casing and biased to an initial operating position, said slide being horizontally slidable in a discharge stroke away from said initial operating position and in v a reverse stroke to said initial operating position, ahorizontal platform located below said slide and fixed to the casing, a coin-carrier mounted on said slide, said coin-carrier being wholly open at its bottom, said platform being located and dimensioned to support the coin which is located in said coin-carrier in said initial operating position and during said discharge stroke and to release the coin at the end of said discharge stroke, a latch located in said casing and pivotally mounted in said casing wholly independ-4 ently oi' said slide, said latch having a notch, said latch being biased to a normal position in which a portion of said slide is located between the walls of said notch when the slide is in said initial operating position so that the slide is then held against movement, said latch having an arm which projects above the top of the platform p when said latch is in said normal position, said arm being aligned with said coin-carrier when said coin-carrier is in its initial operating position so that the rim of the coin then contacts with said arm and the weight of the coin then turns the latch to an inoperative position in which it releases the slide.

3. A'coin-operated vending machine comprising a casing, a supply chute. located in said casing and adapted to hold a supply oi.' the articles to be vended in superposed relation, saidsupply chute having a bottom which has a slot, said casing having an opening in its wall for admitting the coin, a main coin-chute located within said casing and adapted to guide the coin, a slide located below the exit end of said coin-chute. a supplemental coin-chute located on said slide and adapted to receive the coin from said main coin-chute when said slide is in initial position, an abutment connected to said casing and located to support the coin when it is located in said supplemental coin-chute with a portion of the coin aligned with said slot, said slide being mounted to move in a direction parallel to said slot so that the coin can push the bottom article in said supply chute, said supply chute having an opening in its wall through which the coin can eject the bottom article when the slide is actuated, a latch pivotally mounted in said casing independently of said slide and located and shaped to hold the slide in said initial position, said latch having a portion thereof located beneath the exit end of the supplemental coinchute when the slide is in its initial position, said latch being biased so that said portion thereof is normally located above the abutment to be depressed by the coin which is located in said supplemental coin-chute, the weight of said coin being adapted to move the latch to its inoperative position so that said latch then releases said slide, said abutment being shaped to permit the coin to drop off the same when the slide has been moved a predetermined distance to eject the bottom article of said supply chute.

THEoDoaE Jarama.

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