US2191585A - Vending machine - Google Patents

Description

feb. 27, 1940. F. F. PULVER 2,191,585

VNDING MACHINE Feb. 27, 1940. F. F. PULVER VENDING MACHINE s sneetsisneet 2 Filed Aug. 22. 1956,

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Feb. 27, 1940. F. F. PuLvER VENDING MACHINE Filed Aug.22, 193e` '3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Patented Feb. 27, 1940l UNITED STATES VENDING MACHTNE y Frank F. Pulver, St. Petersburg, Fla., assigner to Alliancel lInvestment Corporation,

Geneseo,

N. Y., a corporation of Florida a Application August 22, 1936, Serial No. 97,446

3 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in vending machines, and its objects are as follow: First, to provide a vending machine wherein there is an improved windup mechanism for a sounding device whichv coacts with an image that is movable in part by the same mechanism.

Second, to provide for the simultaneous operation lof the Wind-up mechanism and the goodsdispensing plate, by the insertion of the proper coin and the full pushing in of the` plunger.

Third, to provide a detent by which to hold the fly-fan of the wind-up mechanismback until the plunger has returned to its original position.

Other objects and advantages will appear in the following specification, reference being hadto the accompanying drawings in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective view ofthe vending machine, particularly illustrating the outside casing. v

Figure 2 is a front elevation of 'the vending mechanism, the casing being removed.

Figure 3 is a central, vertical section of the vending mechanism, taken 'on the line 3-3 of Fig. 2.

Figure 4 is a detail sideelevation of the plunger Adevice of the wind-up mechanism in the initial position, parts being in section.

Figure 5 is a sectional view of the plunger device illustrating a change in position of the parts `upon the insertion of a coin.

Figure 6 is a sectional view of the plunger 4device illustrating the act o f pushing the plunger.

Figure 7 is a partially sectional and elevational view illustrating the release of the coin upon the return of the plunger.

Figure 8 is a detail plan view of the plate latch.

Figure 9 is a front elevation of the plate latch.

Figure 10 is a side elevation of the wind-up mechanism motor in the initial position, matche ing Fig. 4, parts being in section.

Figure 11 is a similar viewof the` motor, showing it "wound for an operation andr matching Fig. 6 in position. v. l

Figure 12 is a similar View of the motor, showing a position in its cycle of operation.

Figure 13 is a rear elevation of the wind-up ymechanism.

Figure 14 is a vertical section `takengon the linev |4-l4 of Fig. 4.

Figure 15 is a vertical section taken onthe line |5-l5 of Fig. 5.

Figure 16 is a vertical section takenon the line lli-I6 of Fig. 5. l

Figure 1'7 is a detail vertical section takenon the line Il-ll of Fig. 16. 'f

'articles-may bev entirely different from those shown, without affecting the working Aof the invention.

The casing 2 has additional, but unglazed openings Ill, II, l2 and I3. The first of these makes ythe button l4"of a switch-over device accessible to the purchaser, which device, upon movement of the button to one side or the other, causes the switch-over device to release articles in one or the other ofthe stacks 8, 9. The second opening makes the` coinslot l5 accessible; the third opening makes the plunger 'H accessible and the fourth opening enables the purchaser to reach in and remove the vended article. The front of the 25 casing has any desired legends applied to it, those shown inthe drawing (Fig. 1) merely being suggestive. l

The frameworkl (Fig.2) comprises at least four legs I1. These are connected at the bottom in pairs by angle irons I8. The two pairs of legs are con- 1 nected by angle irons I9, 20, and all of the legs Aarey further connected by Aa top plate 2l which "has openings cut'through it at necessary places in order to provide passages for those parts of the mechanism that go through. An upright 22, which actually consists of Aseveral parts, but functionally is one part, extends upwardly from a place of'connection to the top plate 2|, and partly carries a support 234 (Fig. 3) which is further 40 carried-by the guide member 24 (Fig. 2) in which the vendible articles are arranged in stacks.

' It is to the support 23 that the image 6 is attached as at 25 (Fig. 2). The upright portion of the support 23 is faced with a mirror 26, which, in this instance, is a polished metal plate. The purpose of the mirror is to reect the image and. thereby to` apparently increase the depth of the View. -v

The previously v,mentioned switch-over device v does not form any partof the instant invention, I

but in order to enable the reader to intelligently follow this description it is briefly described thus:

The button I4 is attached to a rocker` 2l (Fig. 3)

arcuate slot 29 in a face plate 30. A small shaft 3l (Fig. 3) provides the pivot for the rocker` 21, the ends of the shaft being secured to the upright 22 and the face plate 30. A coin guard 32 is fastened to the rocker. A link 33 is pivotally connected at its ends to the rocker 21 and to a switch plate 34 (Fig. 2). This plate is pivoted at 35 to what is herein known as the goodsdispensing plate 36. The switch plate carries a pair of pushers 31, 38, (Fig. 2) arranged in angled relationship to each other, one or the other of which is brought into operative position 4behind the lowermost article of the respective stack as the button I4 is moved into the left lor vright position in th-e slot 29. According to the present adjustment, the button is in the left-end position, and the pusher 31 is elevated to the operative position behind the lowermost article 39 in the stack 8 as the consequence. A forward rock'- ing of the plate 36 will push the lowermost article out.

When the lowermost article 39 is displaced in the manner just indicated it falls into a chute 46 which directs the article to .a place in the casing 2 (Fig. 1) immediately behind the opening I3. The purchaser reaches through the opening and withdraws the article. This ends the brief description of the switch-over device.

A rockable shaft 4I has the goods-dispensing plate 36 permanently secured to it at 42 (Fig. 13). This shaft is conveniently made square in cross section (Fig. 3), although not necessarily so, its ends 43 being rounded so as to turn in holes inthe upright 22 and the portion 44 of the guide member 24 which thus provide journals. It is at this point that the wind-up mechanism is introduced and its construction is as follows: A back-plate 45 (Fig. 13)` is secured to the shaft 4I as at 46. This back-plate has angled sides 41, 48 (Figs. 13 and 16) which are perforated at 49 (Fig. 17), to admit the shaft 4I.

The angled side 41 has an extension 59 which provides an arm. Near its extremity this arm carries a pin 5I (Fig. 3) to which one end of each of a spring 52 and a link 53 are connected. The other end of the spring is anchored to the angle iron 26 and since the spring is contractile, it tends to keep the back-plate 45 in its normal forward position (Figs. 3, 4 and 5). A rocking of the plate 45 and of the shaft 4I which carries it, at the beginning of a vending operation, will be against the tension of the spring 52. This spring, when permitted, will restore the backplate and shaft to the original position` in completing the vending operation. Y

A third angled side 54 of the back plate 45 (Figs. 13 and 16) provides the supportfor one end of a pivot pin 55, the other en d of the pin being supported by the angled side 41. The bottom edge of the back plate has an opening 5 6 out into it (Fig. 16) and has other openings 51, 58 situated laterally of the opening 56. The various openings are spaced from each other by intervening tongues 59 which provide Vbackings for the coin 6I). 'Ihe coin is supported upon rests 6I, 62. The rst of these is formed from the metal which is bent away from the plate 45 in producing the opening 58.

The other rest 62 is formed by similarly bending a portion of the metal of a spring plate 63. Both rests are bent forwardly, and the distance between their adjacent edges is gauged to be slightly less than the diameter of the coin 66 (Fig. 16) thereby supporting the coin against the backing tongues 59 as long as the rest 62 of the spring plate remains in position in the opening 51. The rest 62 is subject to being displaced from said opening, and that occurs when the spring plate 63 is swung on the pivot pin 55 to which it is attached by means of its angled sides 64.

As shownin Fig. 13 as well as Fig. 4 et seq., the spring plate 63 is housed between the angled sides of the back plate 45. IThe third angled side 54 of the latter is cut suiliciently short (Fig. 16) to provide ample room for a laterallx7 extending detent 65 (Fig. 13). A light coil spring 66, Wound around the pivot pin 55, has its opposite ends press'ed against the respective plates 45, 63 (Fig. 5) so as to normally hold the two plates together. The spring plate 63 is adapted to be automatically swung on its pivot 55 toward the end of a vending operation (Fig. 7) because of its being detained by a plate latch 61.

This detention of the spring plate 63 exercises a drag o-n the back plate 45 which in the period of swinging of the spring plate is returning from a Vending operation accomplished by the dispensing plate 36. The purpose of exercisingthe foregoing drag is to prevent the back plate 45 from slamming forwardly as would occur by the unrestricted action of the'spring 52.

This plate latch hangs loosely from a pivot 66 on an angled bracket 69 which is fastened to the angle iron 26 (Figs. v8 and 9). A portion of the bracket is bent aside to form a stop 16 against which the latch 61 normally gravitates (Fig. 3), and against which it is forced by the forward pressure of the spring plate 63. when the latter returns with lthe back plate 45 (Fig. 7).

Immediately to the front of thedouble plate assemblage 45, 63 is a cylinder 1I (Fig. 3). The

right or forward end of this cylinder is secured at 12, for example by welding, to a supporting plate 13. This plate is screwed at 14 (Fig. 2) to the angle iron I9 and an extension v'I5 of the top plate 2l. The bore of the cylinder registers with a hole 16 in the front plate, through which the purchaser pushes with his yfinger (arrow a., Fig.

6) against the plunger 11 inthe cylinder. The

plunger is moved vinwardly of the cylinder by finger pressure, and outwardly by the pressure of a spring 18 behind the plunger.

This spring rests against a closure cap '19 which is secured a't 86 (Fig. 5) over the left or inward end of the cylinder 1I. A boss 8l on the cap has a central bore to guide thev stem 82 of the plunger. rSaid plunger has a lateral pin 83 (Fig. 5) that projects through a slot 84-in the adjacent side of the cylinder (Fig. 4) and then swingably carries ak dog 85. Said dog coacts with an adjacently fixed rack 86 rin preventing a premature return of the plunger 11 after the latter has been pushed in to begin a vending operation.

The rack 86 is part of a bracket 81'Which isat one end at 94 to the lower throat plate "9I.` `The two plates are virtually a unit. They are formed with slightly different curvature's (Fig. 4) so as to space the upright. portion 95 a slight 9| (Fig. 5). The upriglitpotidzn v95 isiriter- 'I'he`bracket 81 is uthus rigidly heldI Vdistance from the u'prightportion 96 'of the plate y the coin space.

locked with the ears 90 by a notch arrangement 91 (Figs. 4 and 15). Said upright portion has a pair of tangs 98 (Figs. 5k and 15) which are bent forwardly in substantial parallelism to the normal pitch of the back plate 45. The space between the two throat plates is so gauged that the tip of the stem 82 will not project beyond tangs 98 when the latterare bent to their proper inclination. In other words, the throat 99 lmust be clear and unobstructed forthe entrance of the coin 60.

The coin space is maintained by the ears 90. These project at (Figs. 4 and '7) a sufficient distance to the rear side `of the portion 95 to stop the back plate 45 in a position that will produce The rests 6I, 62 (Fig. 16) project into the coin space and initially support the coin in line with the plunger stem 82. The coin, being interposed between the swinging plate assemblage 45, 63, and thestem 82, convertsa full inward push on the plunger 11 into a vending operation. If a slug with a center hole were inserted in place of the coin, the stem 82 wouldgo through both said center hole and through the opening 56, and would merely turn the spring plate 63 on its pivot with no effect upon the vending mechanism.

A pin |0I (Fig. 4) on the side of the bracket 31 provides a mount for a lever I 02 (Fig. 3). 'Ihe forward end of this lever has a heel |03 which is adapted to be depressed by the lateral pin 83 when the plunger 11 is in its extreme forward position. The inward end |04 of the lever |02 is normally held up by the detent 65 (Figs. 3 and 13). The lever |02 is suiciently out of balance to cause the left end |04 todrop slightly when the detent 65 is displaced from its position thereunder when the plunger 11 is pushed inwardly.

A wire |05 extends up from the end |04 to the detent |06 of the fly-fan |01 of the motor generally designated |00 (Fig. l3). This motor is an inseparable part of the improved wind-up mechanism. This mechanism comprises allv of `the active parts already described in connection with Fig. 3, and the views depending thereon. In order that the motor may be understood, attention is directed to Figs. to 13 for the construction.

The previously mentioned link 53 is connected at its upper end to the wrist pin |09 of a dog disk IIO, which carries a pivoted dog III. The dog is so formed that gravity may be depended upon to keep it swung inwardly toward a ratchet wheel I I2, or if this fails, it may be pressed upon by a light spring (not shown) Said ratchet wheel is fixed on one end of an arbor I I3 (Fig. 13) which is loose on a shaft |I4 and with respect to which the dog disk |I0 can turn independently. The arbor carries a master gear I I5 which is the beginning of a gear train II6v that ends at the shaft ||1 of the ily fan |01. 'I'his train consists of successive increases in ratio so thata slight angular motion of the arbor I|3 results in a rate of rotation of the shaft I I1 which is high enough to cause the ily fan tol beat the air sufficiently rapidly to exercise a desired governing effect upon the motor.

One of the intermediate shafts |I8 (Fig. 10) of the gear train has a pin disk ||9aflxed to it. 'I'his disk has one or more pins |20 (two being shown) projecting from one of its side faces. These pins are intended to periodically strike the short end of an arm I2I that is pivoted at |22 to the motorframe I 23. A wire link |24 extends from the arm |2I to a connector |25 on the movable section |26 of a bellows |21. This bellows may be of any known construction, and it may comprise any equivalent contrivance for producing an impulse (a puff of air in this instance) for the working of a soundingv device |28. Said device is here shown in the form of a whistle (Fig. 2) which will emit a sound every time thev bellows is worked by the passage of a pin |20 across the inner end of the arm |2I.

The function of said arm is to lift the movable section |26. A weight |29 returns the latter to its closed position and it is upon this return that a puff of air is driven through the whistle I 28. Simultaneously with the foregoing lifting of the movable section |26, a second wire link |30, also joined with the connector. |25 (Fig. 3) turns the With this conclusion of the description of thev motor, attention is directed again to the coin slot I5 (Fig. l). This has a trough |34 (Fig. 3) cornmunicating with it. The trough is directed to- The sounding of the whistlev ward the coin throat 99 so that the coin takes the I (Fig. 1) takes the path indicated by dotted lines in Fig. 5, and ends in the full-line resting position upon the rests 6I, 62 (Fig. 16). now pushes the plunger 11 with one finger (arrow a, Fig. 6). Functionally, the plunger 11 and its stem 82 are one. 'I'he push is imparted to the abuttably positioned coin 60 by the stem 82, and

lit results in swinging the plate assemblage 45, 63'

from the position in Fig. 5 to the position in Fig. 6. As is presently seen, the plate 45 thus becomes the active part of the wind-up mechanism that is coupled to the motor |08.

The elevation of the-arm 50 puts the spring 52 under tension and at the same time moves the link 53 from the position in Fig. 10 to the position in Fig. 11, the arc of movement being indicated at b, in Fig. 11. The dog III of the motor |08 is thus moved to a new position in reference to the ratchet ||2 (Fig. 11) The movement of the lateral pin 83 from its position over the heel |03 (Fig. 3) enables the inward end |04 of the lever |02 to drop. 'I'he detent |06 thus falls from its unobstructing position (Fig. 3) to an obstructing position against the fly-fan |01, Where it remains until the plunger 11 returns to its original position.

Having pushed the plunger 11 all the way in (Fig. 6) the purchaser withdraws his finger. 'Ihe spring 18 (Fig. 5) forces the plunger forwardly The purchaser g, Fig. 7).

forward motion (arrow f, Fig. 7) the spring plate lags behind, incidentally exercising a drag on the back plate. This withdraws the rest 62 from beside the coin Gil, letting the letter fall (arrow The spring plate 53 stays in its detained position virtually during the entire return motion of the back plate. Inasmuch as the return of the plunger il is very rapid after the nger pressure has been released therefrom, it follows that the lateral pin 53 acts upon the heel H93 to raise the detent Hi8 from the fly-fan l'l approximately at Vthe very beginning of the return movement of the back plate 45.

The spring 52 simultaneously returns the 15 back-plate and pulls down on the link 53 (arrow h, Fig. l2). This causesthe operatic-n of the gear train. The ily-fan I'i governs the gear train and moderates the return motion of the back plate. As the gear train works, the pins 12B successively rock the arm 52S. Sounds are emitted from the Whistle l2@ simultaneously with the animation of parts of the image E.

The rocking of the shaft il by the initial push or" the plunger 'il (Fig. 6) also rocks the dispensing plate Et. The function of this plate, as previously brought out, is tovdisplaoe one of the articles 39 (Fig. 2). There is a simultaneous operation of the wind-up mechanism comprising all of the movable parts in 13, and the goodsdispensing plate 35.

As indicated before, the sole iunction of the dog 85 and the rack 8,6 is to prevent less than a full inward stroke of the plunger Il. If the purchaser should release the plunger after having pushed it only part way, the dog 85 will brace itself against the rack and hold -the plunger in a stopped position. It will be necessary to push the plunger all the way to make the dog clear the rack, and this is necessary in order to bring qu()A about a vending operation.

I claim:

l. In a vending machine, means to support a stack of vendible articles, a goods-dispensing plate disposed adjacent an end of said stack and having means by which to displace a vendible article from said stack upon movement of said plate, a turnable shaft fromwhich the dispensing plate is pendent, coin controlled means for turning the shaft, including a back plate also pendent from the shaft in laterally oiset relationship to the dispensing plate, a spring connected to the back plate being put under supertension by a coin-controlled movement in one direction of the back plate, and means exercising a'drag on the back plate upon vits return movement by action of said spring. 1

2. In a vending machine, means to support a stack of vendible articles, a goods-dispensingplate disposed adjacent anend of said stack and hav-` ing means by Which to displace a vendible article from said stack upon .movement of lsaid plate, a turnable shaft from, which the dispensing plate is pendent, coin controlled means for turning the shaft', including a back plate, also pendent from the shaft in laterally offest relationship to the dispensing plate, a spring connected tothe back plate being put under supertension by a coincontrolled movement in one direction of the back plate, an element' loosely carried by the back" 4from the shaft in laterally offset relationship to the dispensing plate, a spring connected to the back plate being put under supertension` by a coin-controlled movement in one direction of the back plate, an elementV loosely pivotedk tothe back plate, a spring tending to keep said element pressed against the back plate, and a dog to intercept said element at the end of movement of the back plate in said one direction, displacing said elementfrom the back plate against the tension of the respective spring upon its return movement and exercising a drag on said back plate.

FRANK F. PULVER.

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