US2504990A - Newspaper vending machine - Google Patents

Description

S. LESCHIN NEWSPAPER VENDING MACHINE Abril 25, 1950 Filed Feb. 2,' 1945 4 Shegts-Sheet 1 0 wmou 232cm NM MEI INVENTOR Samuel Leschzin A ORNEY S. LESCHIN NEWSPAPER VENDING MACHINE April 25, 1950 r 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Feb. 2, 1945 INVENTOR Samuel fiesckz'w BY 6 H ATTORNEY April 25, 1950 s. LI-ESCHIN 2,504,990

NEWSPAPER VENDING MACHINE Filed Feb. 2, 1945 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTOR 68 fiamael fiesckzin,

/ BY g TORNEY April 25, 1950 v s. LESCHIN 2,504,999

NEWSPAPER VENDING MACHINE Filed Feb. 2, 1945 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 32 I v e YIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII/ Y I l l l lllllll-lllllk INVENTOR fiamzzezfiescka'm BYW E Q 2 AT RNEY Patented Apr. 25, 1950- NEWSPAPER VENDING MACHINE Samuel Leschin, New York' N. Y., assignor to International Vending Machine Corporation, New York, N. Y., a corporation of New York Application February 2, 1945, Serial No 575,746

2 Claims.

This invention relates generally to an apparatus for dispensing newspapers and. the like, and more particularly to a dispensing apparatus whose operation is coin controlled.

One of the objects of my invention is an improved arrangement whereby the insertion of a proper coin and the operation of a control lever will eject a newspaper and also return one or more smaller coins which represents the difference between the price of the paper and value of the inserted coin.

Another object of the invention is an improved arrangement whereby the inserted coin will be returned when the reservoir is empty.

One of the features of the invention is an arrangement which functions uniformly regardless of the number of papers contained in the machine.

The general object of my invention is the provision of a simple and efficient arrangement for vending newspapers.

For the attainment of these objects and such several other objects as may hereinafter appear or be pointed out, I have illustrated an embodiment of my invention in the drawings wherein:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the disclosed embodiment;

Figure 2 is a horizontal section taken on line 22 of Figure 1 looking in the direction of the arrows;

Figure 3 is a vertical section taken on line of Figure 2; Figure 4 is a section taken on line 4-4 of Fig- .ure 1;

, nism' FigurelO is a cross section centrally through the pusher mechanism of Figure 9;

Figure 11 is a section like Figure 10, showing the pusher forced inwardly; and

Figure 12 is a perspective view of a coin packet. The vending machine casing is shown in Figure 1. It is comprised of a front wall I 0, rear wall 1 I and side walls, top and bottom, to define a container for the operating mechanism and the stack of newspapers to be operated upon thereby.

The opening 12 receives the coin whereby the vending operation is effected and this coin is returned through opening l3 when the supply of newspapers has been exhausted. The relatively larger and horizontally elongated mouth M which opens into trough l5 permits the removal of a newspaper moved into the trough from a stack upon the insertion of a co n and the operation of a mechanism shortly to be described. The casing is shown as provided with the depressed space [6 into which extends the outer end ll of the plunger whose operation can be effected to discharge a newspaper into the trough 15 only after a proper coin has been inserted in the opening I2.

Upon reference to Figure 2 which shows the interior of the casing as seen from above. it will be observed that the relatively narrow section at the right contains the o erating mechanism and the remaining and relatively wider section contains the newspaper stack, and reference will no be made to Figure 3 which shows a vertical section through front and rear walls It and H, wherein is shown platform 28 upon which the newspapers are stacked flat to form a vertically extending file or stack, the platform being dir ensione l to the dimensions of the newspapers. This platform is inclined upwardly forwardly, that is in the direction of the front wall 10, for the reasons that will shortly be pointed out. The platform is elevated above the bottom of the casing to a level which approximates the bottom wall of the depressed space IS in the front wall I ll of Figure 1, and terminates at its front a substantial distance short of the front wall ID to leave a substantial space between it and the front wall, within which space there is the aforementioned trough I5 preferably although not necessarily shaped as shown, my invention contemplating that the mechanism to be described, move the topmost paper from the stack in the direction of the front wall so that it drops into the trough E5 in about the position shown in dotted lines of the paper P in Figure 3. This trough opens into the mouth or opening l4 whose size is such that the hand can be inserted 'thereinto and paper removed from the trough therethrough.

A coin inserted into the opening I 2 in the front wall is passed through a mechanism generally termed a slug rejecter which tests the coin for magnetism, weight, and size characteristics and disposes of it if it fails to meet the requirements in all three respects, in a direction other than for controlling the operation of the machine as hereinafter to be set forth. A coin accepted by the slug rejector is fed thereby into the stationary conically shaped coin hopper 30 which centers it at its bottom in a manner and for the purposes now to be described. The member I! which forms the operating end of the plunger and is accessible for manual operation from. outside the casing is secured at its inner end to the plunger proper shown on an enlarged scale in Figures 9 and 10 of he drawing. This plunger is mountedfor a manual push and pull reciprocation by handle Ill and overlies a fixed platform33-immediately therebeneath (see Figure A) and-is provided with a circular opening 34 therethrou'ghin which may be received a coin entered through front opening 5 2 and accepted by theslug rejectorv and passed thereby into the hopper 30 when the plunger is in its normal and retractedjposition of Figure 4 wherein opening 34 in the plunger registers with and -is immediately beneath the bottom discharge mouth of hopper 30.

The platform -33 which-underlies the plunger 32 is provided with asimilarcoin receiving opening 35, however so positioned that it registers with the opening 34 of the overlying plunger 32 only whenthe plunger is atits innermost position of Figure fiat-which positionthecoin is discharged from the plunger coin receiving opening 34 into and through the coin dischargeopening 36 in the 7 platform 33- and into-a coin-compartment (not shown).

Upon-reference to Figures 9-and- 10 ofthe drawings it will further be observedrthat-the plunger 32 is slotted at 38 centrally diametrically of the coin receiving opening 34 of the plunger, the slot being directed inwardly that is toward therear of the casing and that the plungeris-also slotted at- 39 to provide an endabu-tment wall 40.-

The coinhopper 30 is secured-to the frame of the machine inany preferredor desiredmanner as by extension 4! fastened-to wall 42 to which iss'ecured brackett2 which carries the freely oscillating pintle 43 to-whiclr are secured the looking arm M'and the releasing arm 45. The assembly 43, 44 and =45-form,in efiect, a bell crank lever andfunction as'will now bepointed out. The'locking-lever 44 projects into the-slot 39in the plunger and presents its frontwall-in the path of the plunger abutment-wall from which it is normally spaced a short'distance as is shown in Figure 9. so that this arm 44 which is bias'edcounte-rclockwise by spring-41 will assume a'posit-ion wherein it will limitthe inward push of plunger 32 to the short distance of its spacing from abutment wall lfl-and prevent: an inward throw of the plunger for" a sunicient distance tooperatethe mechanism. The releasing arm 45, which is the other-armpf the bell crank; extends into the .diametrical slot 38 to present its lower'orfreeend in-the path of the coin c which: has been entered into thecircular'openingM of the plunger. .This end ofrarm -is curved" on its outer face as shown at dfi and is so positionally related in level to thatpf the" coin c that upon-inward movement oftheplungerthe coin willengage this free end 46 and cam-it clockwise" and thus'cause; locking lever 44 to move clockwise and out of the path of the abutment 'wall' 40.

It will beobserved' that'theend '46-. of the lever '45 is shown in Figure. lfl-asspaced a less distance fromcoin 0 than is the end of the lever :44 from abutment- wall 40, 50 that the-initial inward movement of the plunger will i causethe coin carried forwardly therewith,-;toengageaand Smove arms 45 and 44 clockwise and the latter out of the path of abutment wall 40 before it can engage the end of locking arm 44. If, however, there is no coin 0 held in the opening 34 of the plunger, the abutment wall 56 will engage the straight end wall of arm 44 and lock the plunger 32 against further inward movement.

At the extreme inner end of the plunger 32 is the downwardly extending abutment flange 48 which may be of any preferred or desired character and which is illustrated in the drawings as secured to the lower face of the plunger and as projecting rearwardly therebeyond. The full in- -Ward movement ofthe plunger 32 permitted by 'theipresence-of-a:coin therein, will cause this 15':

abutment wall 48- to engage a roller :9 carried on the outer end of an arm 59 which is fixed to and extends outwardly from the lower end of a shaft or rod:5l mounted in top and bottom bearings 52 and 53 (see Figure 4) for free rotation about a vertical axis. .Shaft or rod 5! is provided with a longitudinallyoutwardly extending key 55.

The assembly now to be described is carried by the shaft or rodf5 Lto freely gravitate downwardly thereon.- This assembly comprises a member 56 shaped as shown in Figure 6 to engage the key 55 so that while. it is free to slide along the rod, it is held tomove angularly therewith. Flanges 5'! which. extend oppositely. from the key engaging walls 56 and .55 secure the member 56 to a base member 58 in any preferred or-desired manner, as by screws. A headed screw-Bl secured to block 58 forms a pivot post aboutwhich the block 60 may oscillate about a horizontal axis. An arm or bar B2is receivedthrough an. opening in the block 6% (see. Figures 4..ande6) with its inner end extending-beyond the block and engaged by one end of the spiral spring 63, the other end of which is securedto a pin or-screw. carried by member 56. The major length of arm or bar 52 extends 64, carrying articlepick-up means, is hollow or tubular to receive therewithin the cylindrically contoured member 66 having its outer end 6'! enlargedand extending beyond this hollow end as shownin Figure .6. This enlarged outer end is shown as seating on the outer end wall of this hollow end 64. .-A pin -68 engaged transversely throughmember 35 extends through slot 59 in the hollow endM. Slot 69 extends circumferentially so-that the end member 55, 68 can have a limited oscillation relatively to the bar or arm 52. A spiral spring Illabout arm 62 has one end engaged with pin 68 and the other end engaged with member ll, shown as a-screw or threaded post secured to arm 62. =Extendingdiametrically through the headed or enlarged end 6'! is a pin 12 shown as cylindrical and lockedin adjusted position a by threaded member M. This pin. 12. terminates in the pointed end 13.

From the description thus far given it will be understood that with a coin in position in the opening inthe plunger32, an inward-push upon the handle end I! will release the locking lever 44 to-permit a fullinward throw of the plunger and that in this throwthe abutment wall 48 (Figure 4) will engage the roller 43 and oscillate the shaft or rod 5| to swing the pointed end-13 of the pin "counterclockwise from its full line position of Figure 2 to its dotted line position in that figure and in 'so'doing-will movethe topmost newspaper engaged by pointed end 13, from off the stack and into the trough l5 (seeFigure 3) The spring 53 functions to hold thearm 32 inclined downwardly as shown in Figure 4 and this, combined with the free downward gravitating movement permitted .the aforementioned assembly, holds the pointed end I3 at the front end 61 of arm 62 in contact with the top most newspaper. The assembly referred to will act in the manner set forth regardless of the height of the stack and as long as a single newspaper remains on platform 2!], because the assembly always floats downward to engage clination of the newspapers incident to the inclination of the platform Ell will further assure the maintenance of the engagement of pin l3 until the paper has been discharged into the trough and also prevent the accidental movement by friction of a second newspaper.

I will here premise that the vending machine herein disclosed contemplates that the coin to be accepted by the coin rej ector is of a larger denomination than the cost of the paper. I therefore imake provision for thereturn of change for the difference. For example, assuming that the only coin acceptable for operating the machine is a nickel and the cost of the newspaper is 3, the

apparatus is devised to return 2 in change. This provision comprises the followin mechanism: in Figure 4. I show a vertically extending reservoir 80 whose relative, position may be as in the sectional showing of Figure 2 wherein the reservoir is shown as generally oblong in cross section and contoured and dimensioned to receive in vertically stacked relation, fiat packets 8| of the character shown in Figure 12 of the drawing. These packets may comprise only a flat board with a plurality of circular openings therein of the size to receive in the particular disclosure herein, one, two or three pennies. For the broad purl s s O y vention these openings can extend through the packet since the coins will beheld in each packet because of their stacked relation. As a result, a packet such as shown in Figure 12 can be employed to return either 1, 2, or in change.

. The reservoir Bil has the bottom of its front and rear walls 82 and 83 cut away as shown in Figure 4 so that the access can be had to the lowermost packet through the bottom of the rear wall to eject that lowermost packet through the bottom of the front wall. The mechanism for ejecting the lowermost packet is shown in Figures 4 and 5 and comprises a bracket 84 extending upwardly from the innermost end of the plunger 32 and therefore movable with the plunger. A horizontally positioned rod 85 is secured to the bracket and extends therefrom in the direction of the front wall of the packet reservoir and carries an ejecting finger 36 which is secured to the rod 85 in any preferred or desired manner as by the sleeve 81 and the threaded securing member 88, so that the posit on of the sleeve 81 can be adjusted along the rod 85. Upon viewing Figure 5 wherein the operating plunger is shown as pushed in to its limit, the end of the finger 86 will be on the level with and to the rear of the lowermost packet 8|, it being remembered that this inward push of the operating plunger has already ejected a paper into the trough as shown in Figure 3. The operator is now required to pull the plunger outwardly in order to get his change as can be seen by comparing Figure 5 which shows the initiation of this outward movement with Figure 4 which shows its completion, during which increment of movement, the finger 86 will have engaged this lowermost packet 8| and moved it to the left in Figure 4 and extended slot 65.

depressed space It in which the plunger handle I! projects. It will be understood, therefore, that on the inward movement of the plunger 32 a newspaper is deposited in the trough and on the outward movement of this plunger, the coin packet is deposited in the depressed space I 8.

Figure 5 shows the angular positions of the shaft 5| and of the parts carried thereby including the newspaper engagin arm 62 and the roller carrying arm 50, when the plunger 32 has been pushed inwardly to move the topmost newspaper into the trough. I will now explain an arrangement whereby this shaft 5| and the aforementioned parts carried thereby are returned to their normal position of Figure 4 upon outward retraction of the plunger to expel a coin carrying packet. This arrangement comprises a spiral spring 92 secured at one end to an inner frame at 93 and with its other end engaged with the outer end 94 of hooked rod 95 received and held in the bore of the enlarged portion 96 of rod 5i adjacent its 'upper end. This spring 92 oscillates shaft 5iclockwise as the plunger is withdrawn or pulled outwardly, which in turn swings arm 62 from its dotted line position of Figure 2 to which it has been moved by the inward push of the plunger back to its full line starting position of that figure. The extent of this return movement of shaft 5! and arm 62 is limited by arm '56 secured to arm 62 somewhat as shown in Figures 4 and 6 so that its end 15 will engage the back wall of the frame when arm 62 has reached the angular position shown in full lines in Figure 4.

Reference has been made to the limited oscillation permitted pin 53 in the circumferentially Spring Til biases the pin 68 clockwise as shown in Figure '7 to direct the pointed end 13 of pin 12 forwardly, that is in the direcinclination of platform 2i! cooperates to this end.

In the return swing of the arm 62 under the impulse of the spring 92, pin 73 will have a wiping engagement with the newspaper which is now on top Without piercing or scratching it. The wiping engagement will be facilitated by the fact that the member 66 is free to oscillate in slot 69 (see Figure 7) My invention contemplates further that the newspaper discharging operation of the plunger 32 be prevented when there is no newspaper on the platform upon insertion of a proper coin into front opening l2. An arrangement to this end is shown in Figures 2, 4, 5 and 8. This arrangement comprises a lever I00 comprised of an upper portion wil shown as extending generall horizontal, a lower portion lllll also shown as generally horizontal and the intermediate inclined portion [00 connecting the two. This lever Hill is mounted to oscillate about a horizontal pivot (not shown) which is disposed within the slug rejector casing, the pivot being located adjacent point wil This oscillation is effected by member I03 which is carried by and reciprocates with rod 35. Thi member I03 has roller IM at its upper end for free rotation and engaging beneath the intermediate portion 10 when the plunger is fully retracted. When pivoted lever Hill is in its lowermost position of Fig. 4, a coin inserted in the machine passes through the slug rejector (if it be a good coin) and into hopper 38. This permits plunger l1 and slide 32 to be moved manually rearwardly and the paper delivered. When, however, the

enter end-of lever I99 is the elevated position of Figsfi; ashutter' -(not shown) in the slug rejector pauses the coin to bereturned to the customer.

Thus, it is necessary to provide means for retaining lever H19 in elevated position after the supply of papers has been exhausted, which means will now be described.

"Theinward' push of the plunger carries with "it the roller I94 to swing member 199 from its position in Figure 4 to its position in Figure 5 "and it will be here stated that in this position of Figure 5 member I90 interposes a shutter'into the normal path of the coin to the hopper 39,

todivert thecoin to the discharge opening IS in the" front wall'of the machine and that in its position of Figure 4- this shutter is withdrawn from out'of this path, to permit free passage of the cointo the hopper. This shutter element has not lever I06 being biased normally to its dotted line positions of this figure by the weight of the mem- "ber "I99 but held to its full line position in Figure 8 by the weight of any newspaper or papers present on platform 29. Upon the discharge of the lastpaper from platform 29, this lever E99 will assume its dotted line position of Figure 8 to present the member I99 underneath the projection H0 which is carried by and extends laterally from portion I90 of the member I99 as shown in Figure 2 so that the member I99 will be held in its elevated position of Figure 4 todivert the coin into the aforementioned discharge opening [3.

Having thus described my invention and illustrated its use, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A machine for vending flat articles comprising a housing, aframe within the housing, a rear- 'wardly' and downwardly-inclined support upon whichthe articles to be vended are supported in superimposed relation, a trough for receiving the 4 articles as they are delivered, one by one, from the support, and a horizontally-pivoted arm provided with pick-up means at its outer end for moving gnores-o the uppermost' article in the pile'into' the trough, means for supporting the arm comprising a vertical post'mounted in theframe adjacent one end of the inclined support,- an a'rmsupport slidably mounted on the post for free gravitational movement thereon, the arm being pivotally mounted on the support adjacent its inner end, and spring means between the inner end of the arm and the support which urgesthe outer end of the arm downwardly relative to the support.

2. A machine for vending'flat articles comprising a housing, a frame within the housing, a rearwardly and downwardly-inclined support upon which the articles to be ven'ded are supported in superimposed relation, an open trough at the front of the housing for receiving the articles as they are delivered, one by one, from the support, and a horizontally-pivoted arm'provided with pick-up means at its outer end for moving the uppermost article in the pile into' the trough, means for supporting the armcomprising a vertical post mounted in the frame adjacent one end of the inclined support, anarm support slidably mounted on the post for free gravitational movement thereon, means for keying the support to thepost and means for rotating the post-through an arc, the

arm being pivotally mounted on the support adjacent its inner end, and spring means between the inner end of the arm and the support which urges the outer end ofthe arm downwardly relative to the support.

SAMUEL LESCHIN.

"REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED: STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,525,690 Peterson Feb. 10, 1925 1,720,588 Cameron July 9, 1929 1,812,232 Berland June 30, 1931 1,817,740 Dunn Aug. 4, 1931 1,946,183 Williamson Feb. 6, 1934 2,180,326 Traversy Nov. 14, 1939 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 106,426 Great Britain -e of 1917

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