US2432415A

US2432415A - Newspaper dispensing apparatus

Info

Publication number: US2432415A
Authority: US
Publication date: 1947-12-09
Anticipated expiration: 1964-12-09

Description

Dec. 9, 1947. L. HATCHER ET AL NEWSPAPER DISPENSING APPARATUS Filed Feb. 27, 1945' 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 5 5 b D 5 5 5 5 5 Hb Ill? IT Lazzi@ ,/Yaczef @eel WjYdZckev INVENTORS.

` Dec' 9, 1947 L. HATcHL-:R ETAL 2,432,415

NEWSPAPER DISPENSING APPARATUS l INVENTRS. 7,7'2 n y Dec. 9, 1947. i L HATCHER ET. AL 274323115 NEWSPAPER DISPENSING APPARATUS Filed Feb. 2?,.1945 3 sheets-sheet s s N ai@ INVENToRs. Clieel @m11 Patented Dec. 9, 1 947 UNITED STATES PATENT oFFIcE NEWSPAPER DISPENSING APPARATUS Lou's Hatcher, Washington, D.` C., and' Creel W. Hatcher, Valley Forge, Pa.

l This invention relates to apparatus designed primarily for dispensing newspapers although it isto be understood that it can be used for dispensing other items such as magazines, pamphlets, and the like.

It is an object of the invention to provide an apparatus which can be check controlled and which, when actuated, will operate to remove one newspaper or the like from a magazine and deliver the same to the customer.

Another object is to provide new means by which the engaged article can be dispensed without regard to its thickness and which will automatically reset itself after each delivery operation.

With the foregoing and other objects in View which will appear as the description proceeds, the invention consists of certain novel details of construction and combinations of parts'hereinai'ter more fully described and pointed out in the claims, it being understood that changes may be made in the construction and arrangement of parts without departing from the spirit of the invention as claimed.

In the accompanying drawings the preferred form of the invention has been shown.

In said drawings Figure 1 is a vertical longitudinal section through the apparatus, the same being shown provided with a supply of newspapers or the like to be dispensed.

Figure 2 is an enlarged side elevation of the dispensing mechanism and illustrating various positions assumed by the article engaging portion of the apparatus during the operation of picking up and delivering an article.

Figure 3 is a View partly in elevation and partly in transverse section showing a portion of the magazine and adjacent parts, portions being broken away.

Referring to the fiW res by characters of reference I designates acasing formed of any desired material and provided with a partition 2 which can include longitudinal and end supporting strips 3 on which are mounted floor lates i1 spaced apart at their inner edges to provide a slot 5 extending longitudinally of the partition. The casing I and partition 2 cooperate to form. a magazine or chamber for holding newspapers A or the like to be dispensed. A guide rod 5 is located beneath the slot 5 and is fixedly connected at its ends to the frame formed by the strips 3 and slidably mounted on this rod is a sleeve 'I having a lug 8v extended upwardly therefrom through the` slot 5. A follower y particularly in Fig. 1.

9 is hingedly connected to the lug and is normally supported in an upwardly and rearwardly inclined position by a stop arm I0 extended from the sleeve I and through the slot 5 as shown A coiled spring II is mounted on rod 6 and asserts a constant thrust against sleeve 1 so that, in the absence of anyY blocking means, said sleeve and the follower connected thereto will be positioned at the front or delivery end of the partition.

The partition 2- terminates backwardly from the inclined front wall I2 of the casing and this front wall constitutes the front of a chute I3 which extends throughout the width of the partition and downwardly from said partition to a trough I4 at the lower end of the chute. This chute constitutes the outlet for merchandise dispensed by the machine.

A stopy flange I5 is extended above the partition for a short` distance and is preferably in line with the back wall I6 of chute I3. Extended into the chute from the lower portion of this flange and below the levell of the `top of the stop flange I5 are upwardly and forwardly curved fingers I'I which can be widely spaced. Any desired number of these ngers can be used and they cooperate with the top` flange to form a supplemental catching device as hereinafter explained. The front wall I2 of the chute is provided on its back surface and above the level of flange I5 and fingers I'I with a stripping plate I8 which can be angular in cross section and extends throughout the width of the interior of the chute, this plate overhanging a portion of the chute as shown.

A shaft I9` is journaled within the casing I and` is adapted to be driven by worm gearing 2i) receiving motion from an electric motor M or other suitable source of power. This motor can be started and stopped by any suitable mechanism which can be check controlled if desired. A crank arm 2l is connected to each end portion of shaft I9 so as to rotate therewith and it is intended that, during the operation of the apparatus, one article will be dispensed during each complete rotation of shaft i9., This shaft is normally positioned with the crank arms 2l extended forwardly in substantially horizontal positions and both of the crank arms are pivotally connected at 22 to the lower ends of the sides of a dispensing means including a frame 23. The top of this'frame is formed of a connecting bar 24 which is held detachably to the sides of the frame in any suitable manner, as by means of spring clips or tongues 25. The

bar can be provided with flattened ends 26 (see Figure 2) which are in detachable engagement With the sides of the frame but fit snugly in said the frame 23 is operated in the manner herein- I after described. More than two sets of needles can be used. For example, a second set of needles 28 can be extended from the bar in a direction opposite to the needles 2l and one set of needles can be longer than the other so as to adapt the apparatus for use in dispensing articles Widely differing in thickness by adjusting bar 24.

At a point between the ends of each side bar of frame 23 there is provided a fulcrum element including a yoke 29 pivotally supported at the center by a pin 3o mounted in a depending bracket 38 secured to frame 3. A rod 3| is mounted for reciprocaton within each yoke and has a guide block 32 iixedly positioned on an intermediate portion thereof. The side bar of frame 23 nearest each yoke is slidable longitudinally in the block 32 carried by the yoke and springs 33 are mounted on rod 3l between block 32 and the ends of yoke 23 so as to urge the block 32 normally toward the center of the yoke. Thus the frame is free also to slide transversely with the rods 3|, such movement being restrained by the springs. It is to be understood that the parts are so located and proportioned that when a horizontal stack of newspapers or the like, indicated at A, is positioned between flange I and the follower 3, the spring II will be held under compression and obviously the degree of compression will increase in proportion to the length of the stack. It is. to be understood that the newspapers or the like when placed on the partition plates 4 and back of the ange I5 will have their folds lowermost. When at the point of starting, the dispensing mechanism is positioned with its bar 2d located at point a in Fig. 2. When the newspaper is to be dispensed the gearing 23 is set in motion by check controlled means such as moto-r Mor the like and will cause the cranks 2| to make one complete rotation from the point X in the direction indicated by the arrow in Fig. 2. During the rst part of this rotation the lower end of the frame 23 will swing toward the right in Figure 2 along a short arcuate path past the axis of the shaft I9. Since the frame 23, intermediate its upper and lower ends, passes through the blocks 32 of the fulcrum elements, the short swinging movement of the lower end lof the frame will produce a swinging movement of the bar 24 at thefupperend, but in the opposite direction. In other words the bar 2li will move from position a across the chute to position b and cause the needles to drive into the first newspaper in the magazine. The bar will then move in an upward direction until it reaches position c.Y During this time the forward springsv 33 have been placed under compression because of the pressure exerted thereagainst by the side bars of frame under the action of the crank arms 2|. The engaged newspaper will be slid upwardly by the needles until the bottom or fold portion has risen well above the flange I5. As bar 24 reaches .position c the cranks 2| move toward the vertical center of shaft I9 with the result that the front springs 33 which previously had been placed under compression will expand as thrust blocks 32 are moved to positions substantially at the centers of the yokes 29 where the two Springs 33 are equalized. While the blocks are thus located the crank arms 2| will continue their counter-clockwise movement and when said cranks move to the left in Figure 2 over the axis of rotation of shaft I9, the bar 24 will travel in an arcuate path in a direction op- VV.posite to the path traveled by the cranks and move from position c to position d. This movement will continue as the crank arms travel toward the left in Fig. 2. During such movement the Vpins yon which the rst newspaper or the like is impaled will carry the same forwardly within the chute I3 until the bar comes into contact with the stripping plate |8. Further counter-clockwise movement of crank arms 2| will pull the frame 23 downwardly from position d to position e and this operation will result in placing the rear springs 33 under compression. As continued counter-clockwise movement of the crank arms takes place, bar 24 will be pulled to a position below the stripping plate I8 whereupon the compressed rear springs 33 will snap bar 24 forwardly from position e to position a, which was the point of starting. As the impaled newspaper or the like cannot follow the bar because of the position of the stripping plate I8, the needles on the bar will be withdrawn from engagement with the newspaper A or the like and said paper permitted to gravitate through the frame and downwardly within the chute I3.

It has been determined through experiment that if any part of a folded newspaper is engaged. and pushed upwardly when its fold is lowermost, 'and the newspaper is in position against other newspapers in a horizontal stack, -all parts of the engaged newspaper will move as one body. Therefore it is not necessary for the needles to penetrate the entire thickness of the engaged newspaper in order to insure proper delivery. Consequently newspapers of different thicknesses can be delivered without requiring adjustment. However, in order to insure against any failure should newspapers of considerable thickness be placed in the magazine, one or more sets of needles of greater length could be brought into position to engage the newspapers if so desired. It is for this reason that a second set of needles has been indicated at 28.

If by any chance the newspaper to be dispensed should drag a second newspaper out of proper position back of flange I5, said second newspaper would be disposed back of the fingers I'I when relieved from pressure by the movement of the rst newspaper from position c to position d. Thus it would be retained where it could be engaged and delivered during the next operation of the apparatus.

In Fig. 2 the crank arms 2| have not been shown in their normal positions but are in an intermediate position. `The point of starting of the cranks when bar 2d is at position a has been indicated generally at X and during the one complete rotation of the crank arms they will start at this point X and stop when they arrive at the same point.

What is claimed is:

l. In a dispensing apparatus the combination with a delivery chute, a magazine opening thereinto and a stop at the chute end of the magazine,

of means for pressing a stack of articles toward the stop to hold one of the articles against the stop, a bar extending transversely of the magazine, means on the bar for penetrating the article to be dispensed at a point in said article between the edges of the article, and means for moving the bar in an endless path to successively drive said penetrating means into the article to be dispensed, shift the bar to disengage the penetrated article from the stop, move the bar from the magazine and into the chute to convey the engaged article into the chute, and return the bar to its point of starting, said means including a spring positioned to exert yielding pressure through the bar and the penetrating means against the article to be dispensed while said article is being disengaged from the stop.

2. In a dispensing apparatus the combination with a delivery chute, a magazine opening thereinto and a stop at the chute end of the magazine, of means for pressing a stack of articles toward the stop to hold one `of the articles against the stop, a bar extending transversely of the maga zine, means on the bar for penetrating the article to be dispensed at a point in said article betwe-en the edges of the article, means for moving the bar in an endless path to successively drive said penetrating means into the article to be dispensed, shift the bar to disengage the penetrated article from the stop, move the bar from the magazine and into the chute to convey the engaged article into the chute, and return the bar to its point of startingysaid means including a spring positioned to exert yielding pressure through the bar and the penetrating means against the article to be dispensed while said article is being disengaged from the stop, and a stripping device positioned in the chute in the path of the engaged article.

3. In a dispensing machine the combination with a delivery chute, of a magazine opening thereinto for holding a series of articles to be dispensed, a stop at the chute end of the magazine, means for pressing said articles toward the stop, a fulcrum element pivotally mounted, a

frame movable longitudinally and transversely on and relative to said fulcrum element and including a bar extended transversely of the articles to be dispensed, a needle extending from the bar, means for simultaneously rocking the frame and fulcrum element and reciprocating the frame longitudinally and transversely relative to the ful- Crum element thereby to move the bar in an endless path within the chute to successively drive the needle into one of said articles at a point befor restraining said transverse movement of the frame.

4. In a dispensing apparatus the combination with a delivery chute, of a magazine opening thereinto, a stop at the chute end of the magazine, a supplemental catching device extending into the chute below the level of the top of the stop and spaced from and diverging upwardly from said stop, yielding means for pressing the articles to be dispensed in the direction of the stop, a frame, means for reciprocating and rocking the frame, said frame including a cross bar positioned for reciprocation and oscillation in the chute, and means carried by the bar for successively penetrating one of the articles to be dispensed, lifting said article above the stop, and conveying the article into the chute.

5. In a dispensing apparatus a magazine having an outlet end, a stop at said end, yielding means for automatically pressing toward the stop the articles to be dispensed, a frame lmounted for up and down and back and forth reciprocation and simultaneous rocking, said frame including a bar extended transversely of the articles to be 'dispensed, means on the bar for penetrating the article to be dispensed, means for actuating the frame to move the bar in an endless path and in a direction to successively drive the penetrating means into one of said articles at a point between the edges of the article, shift the penetrated article away from the stop, and convey the article through the outlet end of the magazine, and yielding means for restraining the back and forth reciprocation of the frame.

6. In a dispensing apparatus a magazine hav- 'mg an outlet end, a stop at said end, yielding means for automatically pressing toward the stop the articles to be dispensed, a, frame mounted for up and down and back and forth reciprocation and simultaneous rocking, said frame including a bar extended transversely of the articles to be dispensed, means on the bar for penetrating the article to be dispensed, and means for actuating the frame to move the bar in an endless path and in a direction to successively drive the penetrating means into one of said articles at a point between its edges, shift the penetrated article away from the stop, and convey the article through the outlet end of the magazine, normally tensioned opposed springs for restraining the black and forth reciprocation of the frame, and means supported in the path of the article being conveyed for stripping said article from the penetrating means while outside of the magazine and successively placing one of the springs under compression and then releasing the same, thereby to accelerate return of the penetrating means to article engaging position.

7. In a dispensing apparatus a magazine having an outlet end, a stop at said end, yielding means for automatically pressing toward the stop the articles to be dispensed, a frame mounted for simultaneous reciprocation and oscillation, said frame including a bar extended transversely of the articles to be dispensed, means on the bar for penetrating the article to be dispensed, and means for actuating the frame to move the bar in an endless path and in a direction to successively drive the penetrating means into the article to be dispensed, shift the penetrated article away from the stop, and convey the article through the outlet end of the magazine, said frame operating means including .a rotatable crank engaging the frame, a yoke mounted for rocking movement, a guide block centered in the yoke and-slidably engaged by the frame, and opposed springs in the yoke for holding the block normally centered in the yoke. i

LOUIS HATCHER. CREEL W. HATCHER.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the 'lie of this patent:

Chesnut et al. Sept. 21, 1926