US2515363A - Vending machine - Google Patents

Description

July 1950 c. J. WARREN 2,

I VENDING MACHINE Filed Oct. 6, 1945 .4 Sheets-Sheet 2 82 INVENTOR.

v CHARLES J. WARREN FIG. 4'. BY

y 1950 c. J. WARREN 2,515,363

, VENDING MACHINE Filed Oct. 6, 1945 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 1 N VEN TOR. c Ha 2L E 5 J. wA 1225M 4 TTOPNEY y 18, 1950 c. WARE|1 2,515,363

VENDING MACHINE Filed Oct. 6, 1945 4 .Sheets-Shee t 4 A 2 3 3 97 4 /O 98 ,2?) i 99 2 0 o 99 l lo, I mun-ii. 82 9 8 o 0 9I90 o O INVENTOR. CHARLES J. wA/eeE/v BY ma ma ATTORNEY Patented July 18, 1950 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE,

Charles .IwWarren, Los Angeles, *Galifi, assignor to Theodore A.' Woolsey, Pasadena, Calif.

Application October. 6, 19,45,.Serial nouezmsos -11Glaiins. (01. 225-21) This invention .relates to check-controlled vending. apparatus of the general character embodied in imy United States Letters *Patent No. 2,370,276, issued February "27, 1945, which 'discloses and claims a mach'inefor'dispensing,'under thecontrol of aco'in, any and'all" fluid substances including liquid .such asffruit juices, milkpcarbonated liquids, or other beverages.

The machine of the above identified-patent discloses means toplace acup'an'd "dispense'a' pre sponseto the depositof a coin'intofthe machine; to deliver a cup to liquid-receiving position wherein the'cup is accessible'formanua'l' removal upon dispensing'the liquid into the cup; to maintaiinth-e and palatable consumption; to guard against tampering with or clogging the liquid discharging mechanismyto insure filling of a"cup"with-a-predetermine'dquantity of the iiq11id'before perm-i-t- I v A determined quantity ofiliquid thereinto in're- 1 supply of liquid in a cooled statefor preservation ting removal of'the'cup by the customer to'guarti P against injury of persons incident 'to' tampering with the machine; to'render'the machine sanitary at the liquid-dispensing"station Of'the machine;

to enable several cups o'f liquid" to be dispensed in rapid succession'in' response' to the deposit of a like number of coinsyand'to provide-a machine whichis attractiveand' inviting inappea'ranceg is sanitary, 'self contain'e'd, and retains wasted or spille'dliquid, as we'll as'being'particularlyadapted machine andthe areaaboutsame;

It is an object of the present invention-*-to "provide 'a check-controlled *vendingmachine for any and all'fluid materials, which is=-structur2i1-ly characterized-'by--means having all cf-the -fu-nc- "'tional" advantages 'of' the patentedmachine above identified, and which in addition,- accomplishes the operations of placing the 'cup in position to receive "liquid, discharging *the predetermined chine 'so as to "place the-'machina-Within' the financial reach 'of the greatest possible-number "of 'prospec'tiveusers.

It is' another object of thepresentfinvention to provide a vending machine of the above described character whose-mechanism for moving a cup froma supply thereof to thefilling position, "and for delivering the filledcup-to the customer "for use at locations "requiring neat-ness of the,

2 for manual removal, includes .a rotary carrier which 'isstructura'lly characterized and "associated with -the machine in a manner for the cup-filling operation to take place Within "the sanitary interior of thema'chine, with'the'l-iquid dispensing faucet or outlet "being inaccessible from exteriorly of the machine so as-to 'beiully protected against contaminationby'fiies and other insects and foreign matter rin'the atmosphere, as well as rendering the cupinaccessi-ble to the customer untilthefiiling operation-has been completed,"to thus positively prevent "premature re- .movalof 'a'cup'from'the carrier "during the-filling operation, with-the attending-discharge and Waste .ofliquifd ontothecarrier.

it-1's -afurther-"object -of--the presentinvention to providearotary-cupcarrier and-actuatingand locking mechanism-therefor whichare absolutely "positive and accurate in 0perati-on--to*de1iver a single -cup to the customer-in response to ea-ch coin deposited into the -machine, and-which --is -adequately protected against becoming dammed *by -a-cu-p inadvertently -or--carelessl-y --replaced on the -carrier after "having been used by the c-us- "tomer wherebyto obviate '-loss-ef-revenue frominoperativenessofthe machine by jammed-mechanism,--an'd-the'attending annoyance to-a customer upon'being unable to usetheqnachine.

It-is-a-stillfurther object of thepresent invention'tcprovidea liquid vending machine having "astorage-receptacle of relatively large capacity in-wh-ich a pre-car-bonatedbeverage; for-example, can be initially chargedwith a-sufliciently high pressure -to-insurethatthe entire contents of the receptaclewil-l--beelevatedautomatically'as re- --quired to replen-ishthe supply of liquid in-a relatively small capacity-refrigerated "dispensing tank, --in-wh-ich-lat-ter-apredetermined low-pressuresuf- --ficient to preventloss-of-carbonation is=maintained, with "the liquid being maintained at a predetermined level in the-"dispensing tankirrespective cf-the withdrawalofliquid therefrom, in order that the-hydrostatic pressure -'-i0r -the 'gravity'fimv of liquid from-thedispensing tank-to avalve-controlled dispensing-outlet, will remain the same," to insure thedeliver-y of a measured quantityofiiquid-to a'cup'ateach-operation of the machine.

=VVith theseand-other objects :in view, atheism- "ventionresides -in the: combinations, arrangements and functional relationships ofelements asset dorthin theiollowing specification -and particularly pointed out in the appendedsclaims.

"-In the accompanyin'g drawingsz I Figure -1 is aview-showing in front elevation 3 one form of vending machine embodying this invention;

Figure 2 is an enlarged vertical front view with the cabinet or casing of the machine in section to expose the mechanism and units of the invention in elevation;

Figure 3 is an enlarged fragmentary horizontal sectional view taken on the line 3-3 of Figure 2;

Figure 4 is a fragmentary perspective view of actuating mechanism for the cup carrier embodied in the invention;

Figure 5 is a fragmentary horizontal sectional view taken on the line 5-5 of Figure 2; a

Figure 6 is a view in front elevation of the cup carrier shown in Figure 5;

Figure 7 is a horizontal sectional viewtakenon the line 'l-l of Figure 2, and illustrating the normal locked position of the cup carrier; x V

Figure 8 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view taken on the line 8-8 of Figure '7 Figure 9 isa view similar to Figure '7 and illustrating the cup carrier unlocked for movement by its actuating mechanism;

Figure 10 is a vertical sectional view of the dispensing tank for carbonated liquids, embodied in the invention, and 1 Figure 11 is a horizontal sectional view the line lI-ll of Figure 10. f

Referring specifically to the drawings, the invention in its illustrated embodiment is composed of a relatively tall and narrow rectangular cabinet I5 of metal, providing a base it, back wall ll, side walls I8 and a front door i9 mounted on a vertical hinge 20, and extending from the base to the open top of the cabinetwhich is closed by a hinged cover 2l, the door l9 and the cover 2| being locked together by a single lock 22.

Supported on the base 16 beneath a horizontal taken on position on the turntable 33 between two adjacent walls 38 thereof.

For an angular distance of 240 degrees, an arcuate guard wall 45 of a height corresponding to that of the walls 38, confines cups on the turntable against lateral displacement therefrom,

' with theremaining 120 degrees at the front of partition 23 is a removable receptacle 24of relatively large capacity in which is stored under pressure a carbonated beverage to be dispensed. A discharge pipe 25 extends vertically downward through the neck of the receptacle to a point close to the bottom of the latter, and is controlled by a regulating valve 26 in the neck of the receptacle as shown in Figure 2. The original pressure in the receptacle 24 may be as high as 240 #/sq. in., and, in any event, must be sufficiently high to elevate the entire contents of the receptacle as required, to an insulated dispensing tank I 21 supported in the upper portion of the. cabinet [5 as shown in Figure 2.

The beverage in the dispensing tank 21 is automatically maintained in acooled state suitable for preservation and palatable drinking, by a conventional type of thermostatically controlled refrigerating unit 28 whose refrigerating coils 29 are horizontally disposed in the tank 21 and are included in the usual fluid circuit of the unit as is well known in the art. 7

The bottom of the dispensing tank 21 is provided with an outlet 3lt connected to a valve which may be in the form of a faucet 3! whose spout 32 is disposed above a cup carrier designated,

generally at C and including a turntable 33 fixed to a vertical shaft 34 journaled in a bearing plate 35 resting upon and fixed to spaced, upstanding lugs 36 on a base plate 31 secured to the partition 23, all to mount the carrier C for rotation about a vertical axis. The carrier C also includes a plurality of vertical partition walls 38 of which three are shown in the present instance equally spaced 120 degrees the turntable through openings 5| in the latter.

The tray50 is provided with an outlet spout 52 disposed to discharge the drained liquid into a removable container 53 suitably supported in the cabinet l5. A shutter-controlled opening 54 in the door It is provided for the deposit of used cups into the container 53 so as to enable the area surroundingthe machine to be kept neat and clean. I

In the normal locked position of the carrier C shown in Figure 3, which corresponds to the position of the actuating mechanism for the carrier designated generally at A in Figure '7, the cup dispenser 4i isdisposed to deposit a cup onto one segment of the turntable 33 which constitutes a cup loading station S; the faucet. 3i is disposed to discharge liquid into a cup on the segment of the turntable 120 degrees in advance in a clockwise direction as viewed in Figure 3, which constitutes a cup filling station Si; whereas the remaining 120 degree segment of the turntable which registers with the delivery opening in the front door 19, constitutes a cup delivering station For each insertion of a coin into a coin slot til in the front'of the cabinet l5, 2. cup from the magazine 40 is caused to be deposited onto the turntable 33, and a cup previously deposited on the turntable caused to be filled with a predetermined quantity of liquid from the tank 21 and advanced from the filling station S1 to the deisopened, all automatically by mechanism formof angular distance apart,., and radiating from, the center of the turntable 33as shown in Figures ing no part, per se, of the present invention, and fully described in my Patent No. 2,370,276 above referred to. v I

Fixed to'the shaft 6| is a cam H1 disposed to engage and actuate the cup release lever 42 of the cup dispenser H to deposit a .cup onto the turntable 33 at the cup loading station S durq 5 ing a portion ldf ra revolution of itheshait. A *second'eam 1 is f xe'dto theshaft 6! fahi"isln- "gage-d by a "r oller lz onfa' rocker arm 1-3 frro'uiited "ona fixed'pivot l 4-'on abraeket F15 secured to'one side'- wall *[Bjdf thecalbirietfIB. "A "spring 16 urges the arm 13 in a 'direoti'onto Ina'in'tain the-roller 12 in engagement'with the team! I ,-a'nd the-'ar'm -'I='3 is operatively connected to the -'handle I! 'o'f-the valveofthe'faueet'm by a link 18, allto positively open the 'fauoet during a predetermined portion of a revo'liiti'on f the shaft 6 I, and to close the "faucet--durihgthe rernainder of' the revolutidn.

n th'i'rfd'cam 80 'isfixed to LtIie sha'ft SI a as "receivedin a fCII'k' 8 I for-med atone end'b'f ii/"r661;- "er arm I32 pivoted intermediate-its enqsat as on "abracket "securedto the-side wants anupivotally connectedat its dther end by a p'in'" an'd slot egfineeuon as to briehd ofah aLCtHatihg'I'nember 86 i'n th'e fOrm of a nat bar mounted in brackets 81 on the base plate 31 for horizontal reciprocat ing movement. v

P'ivotally-moilht'ed at{131F011 theme" ber86-is a 'paw1 9I urge-uin oneuirecti on by -"a springez. 'Inthe'nornial looked position 'Of tfie tllfritable as shown i-n' Fi'gure7,the paw1-I engagesa fixed cam 93 having a'roiind'e'd-" nose 94 ahdsupnortd on 'th'e plate 3"! inthe-pa'tm of movemeiitof the p'awl by the bar '86, the pawl' having been raised to 'a ndn-drivin'gor releasing' position by the cam, against 'the bias'in'g action of the spring 82-. v

Pivotall y mounted at "95 on the pl'at'e "'31, and normall y urged' to locking positionbya spring 96, is "a locking e1ement or de 9? having a locking lug 98 adapted to enterlany me ofFthre'e'equally spaced locking recesses 9'9 for'nied in the peripher y of a loeking disklflfl fixed'to theshaft34 so a's tolock the turntable33 against rotation. Projecting l'ate'rallyfrom the actuating member86 is an unlocking p'in 'I 0 I disposed to engage ashoulder 102 011 the locking "element fl'l during move- 'ment of the'actuating m'ember'in one direction, and to move the locking element tor-the unlocking positionshown in Figure Q'Wherein the locking lu'gt'fl has -been moved out ofa recess 99 in the locking disk I00, so as to freethesame and hence -thecar'rier C formovemen't by the pawl 8 I inresponse to movement of I the actuating :m'ember; 86 in the reverse direction. v 1

'For=this purpose the locking-disk Ito-is provided with 'pins I03, one for each "recess 99 and "equally spaced circumferentiany-in positions for one ofthe pin's toall'w'ays be disposed in the'p'ath of movement of I the pawl by the actuating m'e'mher in the aforesaid'revers'edirection, for engagement by the bill I04 of the pawl whiche'fie'cts The witness of the-carrier are eachprovided with.

a horizontal-slot III! at the levelo f the arm [06 to permit the Walls to pass the arm during ro- 'tation of the carrier. =Each of-thewetllstB-isiprovidedon-its leading side and at a-higher-level than the arm I06, witha vertically extending camming projection I08 adapted to co act with the arm- I 06 in response to-rotation'of; the carrier, =to-discharge therefrom, any-cup left on or 're- :pl'aced on "the turntable'after th'e' -eu'p" has been a's will be later 'eration' of the machine.

' e nne c I or ith'e refrigerating 60118 29.

fully aestriteEi iii' tfi 'oi? "it?viillbe' notedthatthe liqiii'd under rlativefy ""hig hpressur'e in the storagereceptacle 24, i-s cenducted to fthedispensing tank 21 through apip'e IH' "having "a 'separabiejcoupiin'g H2 to permit convenient'rplacment trane'I'nptied receptac1e "witha filledone-torepleriish the supply 'of' lidui'd in the r'nachi'ne. Theup'pereud or thepipe :1 n is provided with a-coritrolval ve H3, and is connected to a junction-fitting l'l flat thebotto'm of "the-dispensing tank 21, to which fitting'is'also ted the deed and return lines I I5 'an d-EIIG Suported vertically from the "fitting I Mw -in "communication with thefpipe l I I is' an irilet tube II which extends upwardly into the tank "321 to a point 'just below a horizontal ipartition. H8

whidh'divides*the"-interior of the tank into';a lower beverage ehanrbe'r -I' I 9- and an upper, fpressureor gas chamber I20. The partition I I 8 has a =relativly large po'rt l 2 I formed to provide a valve seat, and adapted. to be controlled "by a (relief valve I22 urged to close thei port'by a spring =I23,

ing 'sc'rew I2 4 threadedlymoun'tedin 'the top of will'be later -full'y described.

' The*upp"er"end of the inlet tubeI-l 1 -is'provided 'with ahead "I 26 having an inlet port -I-2-1-controlledby a disk valve I28 with which is opera- -tivelyassociated a-floatzl'29in the form of a double convex fihollow, air-tight'body having an axial opening therethrough freely receiving the inlet tube Ill to slidably mount the-fioat-thereon for rising and lowering movements by'liquidin-the beverage chamber H9. At equally-spacedintervals clrc'umferentially, actuating levers 1 ISI are z'pivoted intermediate their ends at I32 on the 'he'ad I26 topfiovide long arms I33 whose outer ends bear against the top'surface of the float I29 adjacent its periphery, and short arms I31 hearing against the top: surface of the valve I28 for co-action therewith in controlling the flow of beverage-into thechamber I IS in the operation of the invention which is 'as follows Let'it be assumed that the carrier 6 is locked in'th'e position-shown in Figures '3, 5 ,and'7, and

that by hand or otherwise, cup a has been placed on'the =turn'tab1e 3-3 in the compartment thereof at th'e'c'up=fil1ing station SI as shown in Fig- "ure 3. Let it also be'assumed thata-receptacle '24 "containing "the beverage to be dispensed, is

connected to "the dispensing tank 21, and that the float I29 has co acted with the levers lal to 'clo'se-the valve I28, thus predetermining the level at which the liquid will stand in the l dislpensing'tank. It Will-be noted that the-loading of the spring I 23 is such that it will remain clos edto maint'am a maximum pressure-of about 4#/sq. in. in the b'everage chamber H9, or a pressure at least sufficient to maintainca-rbon- 'ation of the liquid in "such chambe -and'that the valve 122 will open 'in opposition to the "spring I23 should the. pressure in the beverage chamber exceed this predetermined pressure-so as to vent the'excess pressure -into the chamber I20, whereby'to' insure thata uhifo'rmzpres- "sure will be constantly maintained tin the bevera'ge chamber irrespective of the r'gradual -1ow- -ering of the superior high lpressure used all to :cbviatepossible-jamming-of the ma- ;7 ;provided-in the'receptacle originally yber [Iillxbythe loading-of the'spring of the check valve I25, to insure that carbonation of -;the beverage in the chamber I I9 will be maintained with but a slightly lowered pressure which ,will have only a negligible efiect on the quantityof beverage dispensed from thechamber II9 during the cup filling operation. 7

Upon the deposit of a coin into the slot 60,

current is supplied to the motor 65 to rotate Zthe shaft GI in a counterclockwise direction as viewed in Figures 2 and 4, through exactly one *r'evolution; under the control of the mechanism '('not ts'hown) fully disclosed in my Patent No.

2,370,276; 'During the initial portion of this one revolution of the shaft BI, the cam II co-acts with the roller I2, rocker arm I3 and link I8, -to open the faucet 3|, during which the cam I9 actuates the cup release lever 42 of the cup dispenser 4| to drop a cup in the compartment of the'turntable 33 at the cup loading station S,

as indicated at b in Figure 3.

As the cam 'I'I recedes, from the roller I2, the spring I6 co-ac'ts with the arm I3 and link T8 to close thetfaucet 3i, it being understood that the timingof the mechanism is such that the faucet 3| will be open only so long as to dispense theexact amount of beverage from the uniformly pressured supply in the chamber II9, to fill the cup 11 to a predetermined level. As beverage discharges from the chamber I I9 with the attending lowering of the float I29, the valve I28 will open sufiiciently to replenish the quantity of beverage dispensed, so as to maintain the predetermined uniform level of beverage in the chamber II9.

operation.

In the unlocked position of the dog 91 as shown in Figure 9, the pawl 9| has just ridden over one of the pins I03 on the locking disk I00, and the bill I94 of the pawl is disposed to engage such pin as the return movement of the actuating, bar 86 to the left as viewed in this figure, is now initiated, so as to rotate the carrierC in the clockwise direction as viewed in Figures 3, and '7. The dog 91' is now freed of the pin IIJI so that the spring 99 will urge the lug 98 of the dog into engagement with the periphery of the locking disk N10, for reentry into the next succeeding one of the recesses 99 when 120 degrees of movement of the carrier has been completed to dispose the compartment of the car-v o rier containing thefilled cup or at the delivery station S2, for removal by the customer.

The rounded nose 94 of the cam 93 is engaged by the bill I94 of the pawl 9! so as to raise the latter against the action of the spring 92, clear of that pin I03 being driven by the pawl, thus operatively disconnecting the pawl from the carrier C, and sufficiently prior to completion of 120 degrees. of movement thereof for the inertia of the carrier to be compensated for, and relocking of the carrier by the dog 91 insured.

Should the cup 0. after use, be inadvertently or. carelessly replaced on the carrier C instead of being dropped into thewaste container 53 through the ripening it. at eih rwise diseases of, the stopg|96 and the projection I09 on the vcarrier wall 38 immediately following this cup,

will co-act by a circumferential wiping action upon the cup,.to roll same from the carrier during the next operation of the machine, so as to positively prevent jammin or defective operation of the machine by such cup.

From the foregoing description, it Will be manifest that during each cycle of operation of the machine, an empty cup will be deposited on thecarrier C, concurrently with filling of a previously deposited cup with a predetermined quantity of liquid or other fluid material from a supply thereof,all within'the sanitary interior of the machine, and that following the filling operation, the normally locked carrier will be unlocked for a sufficient interval for the filled cup to be delivered to a delivery station exteriorly of the machine for removal from the carrier by the customer.

I claim:

In a vending machine, a cabinet having a delivery opening; a carrier mounted in the cabinet for rotation about a vertical axis and having vertical Walls dividing the carrier circumferentially into a plurality of compartments; means locking the carrier against rotation with one of. its compartments exposed in said delivery opening; a .cup dispensing mechanism; a liquid dispensingmechanism; means for actuating said cup dispensing mechanismto deposit a cup in one compartment of the carrier within the cabinet; means for actuating said liquid dispensing mechanismto discharge liquid into a cup previously deposited into a second compartment of the carrier in advance of said one compartment and within the cabinet; means for unlocking said carrier followingthe liquid discharging operation; means for imparting sufficient rotational movement to the carrier upon unlocking same, for the compartment thereof carrying the filled cup, to be exposed insaid delivery opening, and for a third compartment of the carrier to be disposed toreceive a cup from the cup dispensing mechanism while the last deposited cup has been advanced by the carrier to a liquid-receiving position with respect to the liquid dispensing mechanism; means for relocking the carrier following its aforestated movement; and co-acting means on the carrier and at the delivery opening, operable in response to said aforestated movement, to move from the exposed compartment of the carrier, any previously used cup replaced thereon, so as to prevent jamming of the carrier by such cup. I

2. Ina vending machine, a cabinet having a delivery opening; a carrier mounted in the cabinet for rotation about a vertical axis and having vertical walls dividing the carrier circumferentially into a plurality of compartments; means locking the carrier against rotation with one of its compartments exposed in said delivery opening; a cup dispensing mechanism; a liquid dispensing mechanism; means for actuating said cup dispensing mechanism to deposit a cup in one compartment of the carrier within the cabinet; means for actuating said liquid dispensing mechanism to discharge liquid into a cup previously deposited into a second compartment of the carrier in'advance of said one compartment and within the cabinet; means for unlocking said carrier following the liquid discharging operation; means for imparting sufiicient rotational movement to the carrier upon unlocking same, for the compartmentthereoi carrying he filled posed to receive a cupv from, the cup i nsin l meehan miwh leth astdep edcun has een advanced by the carrier, toial quid-receiving po iti nw t respect,tethe. iquiddisn s sm e e i means e e oek ns. h a lows, teafe estateedmovement; said. car e wa ls,

havin slots and rtieal' am. sur aces p t n asezthe-upn r porti n of a. up. re ti the rrier; an av fi e anister; di p se in h path of; movement, of saidslots and adapted to n a e h ewe por ion ofthe n or co -ac i h-said/eam sur aces, in response to the afore-v tated vem nt'oi hev car ier, t o l. f om the x o ed. ompar ment oi the carrier, any pr i ue u ed. unreplae dt ereon, s as to pr vent ammin i heearry we an,

In a vendinsmaehina a, cabine havi g. delivery' opening; a, carrier, mounted in the v Cabinet. ornota ien a out. a. vertical a nd. v de in o a plura t oi emna tm s; a up dispensing-mechanism; aliquid dispensingmechn e means fe ae uei ns id ut pensin m c an m o. epo i a u neeomp ment of; the carrier. within the cabinet; means for ae n t ns said i idin m cha s to discharge liquid into caisecond cup previously deposited in, afcompartrnent of the carrier in advanceioi said. onecornpart nent and within the cabinet; amovably mounted locking element having a lockinglug; the; carrier. havin locking recesses; means, urging the locking element to a o k n pes tien here n t i q k i slu ill have locking engagement with one. of said. recesses; a reciprocably mountedactuating bar; means for reciprocating said bar; means on, said bar 00-, acting with theilocking elementto move, same to an nm king pos t a p d termined timed relationship to the cupfilling operation; means onsaid barandcarrier co-acting to rotate the latter through a sufficientangular distance foll wneeu fil i g o ati n. o h fil ed cup to be exposed in saiddelivery. opening; means by-whichsaid unloclringmeansis caused to release the,looki-ng element during the aforestated rotationofi thacarrier soas to render said urging means freetomestore the locking, element to locking positionrfoz .relockingoithe carrier when he e oi s a d. e ati n. hereo s compl d; nd. m a s Q-e t n with said.- carri rota n means to disrupt its operative connection to the carrier s uiflciently prior to completion of the aforestated rotational moveme t of the carrier to compensate for its. inertia and insure relockns the carr e y. aid lee s neu l'em n 4. In; amending machine, a cabinet having a delivery openingfa carrier mountedin the cabinet. for rota ion ahouta er ieal. ax and ivid d into a, plurality of co n-partrnents; a cup dispensin me hanism; a l u dispe i g mechnism; for. actua ing a we dispensing mechanism to deposit a cup in one compartment of the carrier within, the cabinet; means for actuating said liquid dispensing mechanism to discharge liguid into a seoond; cup previously deposited in a compartment of the carrier in advanoe of said; one compartment and within the cabinet; movalolv mounted locking elementhaving a loc lging lug; the carrier having locking ree$ee me n r g the oe s e eme o a locking position wherei its locking 111g; will have locking engagement withone of said recesses; a re'ei r e ly mo n ed actua n ba e s on saidilbar e -aet ns with. he kins ment to movesame to an unlocking position in a predetermined timed; relationship to the cupfilling operationyapawl mounted on said bar; means yieldingly urgingsaid, pawl to an active position;

circumferentially spaced pins on said carrier,

with one of which; said pawl is adapted-to co-act following the cup filling operation and unlocking of the carrier, to rotate the latter through a suiiicient angular distance for the filled cup to be exposed in said delivery opening; said unlockin means releasing the locking element after the aforestated rotation of the carrier has been initiated'so as to render the first said urging meansfree to restore the locking element to locking position for relocking of thej carrier when the aforestated rotation thereof has been complete f i 5. In a vendi ng machinaa cabinethaving a delivery opening; a carrier mounted in the cabinet for rotation about a vertical axis and; divided into a plurality of compartments;- a cup dispensing mechanism; a liquid: dispensing mechanism; means foractuatingsaid cup dispensing mechanism to deposit a cup in one compartment of the carrier. within the cabinet; means for actuating said liquid dispensing mechanism to discharge liquid into a second cup previously deposited in a compartmentof the carrier in ad,- vance oi said one compartment and within the cabinet; a' movably mounted locking element having a locking lug; the carrier having locking recesses; means urging thelocking element to a locking position wherein its locking lug will have locking engagement with one of said recesses; a reciproqably mounted actuatingbar; means forreciprocating said bar; means onsaid bar-co-acting with the locking element to move same to anunlocking position in a predetermined timed relationship to the cup filling operation; a pawlj mounted on said bar; means yieldingly urging said pawl to an active position; circumferentially spaced pins on said carrienwith one of which said pawl is adapted to co -act following the cup filling operation and unlocking of the carrier, to rotate the'latter through asuflicient angular distance-for the filled cup to be exposed in said delivery opening; means by whic h said unlocking meansis caused to release the locking element after the aforestated rotation of the carrier has beeninitiated, So as to render the first said urging means free to restore thelocking element to lockingpositionfor relocking oi the carrier when the aforestated rotation there: of has been completed; and a fixed cam disposed to be engaged by and to move said pawl to an inactive position wherein it; is disengaged from said one of the pins sufiiciently prior to completion of the aforestated rotational movement of the carrier to compensatefor its inertia and insure relocking of the" carrier, by, said lockingelement.

6. In a vendingmach-ine, a cabinet having a very Op n a err r m un d i he binet for rotation about a vertical axis and divided into a plurality of compartments; a cup dispensingmechanism a liquid 'disp ens ing n ech to a locking position wherein its locking lug tially spaced pins on said carrier which said pawl is adapted to pass idly during said one stroke of said bar, for engagement of the pawl with one of said pins during the return stroke of said bar,

to effect rotation of the carrier through a suffi cient angular distance following the cup filling operation, for the filled cup to be exposed in said delivery opening; means by which saidunlocking means is caused to release the locking element after the aforestated rotation of the carrier has been effected, so as to render said urging means free to restore the locking element to locking position for relocking of the carrier when the aforestated rotation of. the carrier has been completed. r

7. In a vending machine, a turntable mounted for rotation about a vertical axis and having ver-- tical walls dividing it circumferentially into a plurality of compartments; means for locking the turntable against rotation in aposition wherein its compartments are respectively correlated with a loading station, a filling station, and a delivering station; a cup dispensing mechanism adapted to deposit a cup into that compartment of the turntable at the loadingstation; a liquid dispensing mechanism adapted to dispense liquid into a previously deposited cupin that compartment of the turntable at the filling station; means for actuating the locking means to unlock the turntable substantially upon completion of the filling operation; means operable following completion of the filling operation to rotate the turntable sufliciently to dispose the filled cup at the delivering station for removal of the cup from the turntable; and means i for actuating the locking means to relock the turntable when. the aforestated rotation thereof has been completed. 8. In a vending machine, a turntable mounted for rotation about a vertical axis and having vertical walls dividing it circumferentially into a plurality of compartments; means for locking the turntable against rotation in a position wherein its compartments are respectively correlated with a loading station, a filling station, and a delivering station; a cup dispensing mechanism adapted to deposit a cup into that compartment of the turntable at the loading stationya liquid dispensing mechanism adapted to dispense liquid into a previously deposited cupin that compartment of the turntable at the filling station; means for actuating the locking means to unlock the turntable substantially upon completion of the filling operation; means operable following completion of the filling operation, to rotate the turntable sufficiently to dispose the filled cup at the delivering station for removal of the cup from the turntable; means for actuating the locking means to relock the turntable whenthe aforestated rotation thereof has been completed; and means on the turntable and at the delivering stationco-acting in response to said aforestated movement of the turntable, to move therefrom, any cup left or replaced in the compartment of the turntable atthedelivering station,so as to prevent jamming of the turntable by such cup.

9. In a vending machine, a turntable mounted for rotation about a vertical axis and having vertical walls dividing it circumferentially into a pluralityof compartments; means for locking the turntable against rotation in a, position wherein its compartments are respectively correlatedwith a loading station, a filling'station, and a delivering station; a cup dispensing mechanism adapted to deposit a cup into that compartment of the turntable at the loading station; a liquid dispensing mechanism adapted to dispense liquid into a previously deposited cup in that compartment of the turntable at the filling station; means for actuating the locking means to unlock the turntable substantially upon completion of the filling operation; means operable following completion of the fillin operation, to rotate the turntable sufficiently to dispose the filled cup at the delivering station for removal of the cup from the turntable; means for actuating the locking means to relock the turntable when the aforestated rotation thereof has been completed; said walls having slots and vertical cam surfaces adapted to engage the side of a cup resting on the turntable; and a fixed cam stop adapted to pass through said slots and to engage the opposite side of a cup resting on the turntable, for coaction with any one of said cam surfaces in moving the cup from the turntable during rotation thereof,,so as to prevent jamming of the machine by a used cup replaced on the turntable.

10. In a vending machine, a carrier; means mounting said carrier for rotation about a vertical axis with only a portion of the carrier accessible at a delivering station; means for locking the carrier against rotation with the other inaccessible portions ofthe carrier at loading and filling stations, respectively; means for dispensing a predetermined quantity of a fluid material into a cup on the carrier at said filling station; means for depositing a cup on the carrier at the loading station; means for actuating the locking means to unlock the carrier substantially at the completion of the cup filling operation; means for rotating the carrier through a partial revolution sufiiciently to advance the deposited cup to the filling station and the filled cup to the delivering station; means for actuating the locking means to relock the carrier when moved as aforestated; and means controlling the carrier-rotatin means to operatively disconnect same from the carrier sufficiently prior to completion of the aforestated carrier movement, to compensate for inertia of the carrier and insure relocking thereof at the completion of such movement. I

11. In a vending machine, a carrier; mean mounting said carrier for rotation'about a vertical axis with only a portion of the carrier accessible at a delivering station; means for locking the carrier against rotation with the other inaccessible portions of the carrier at loading and filling stations, respectively; means for dispensing a predetermined quantity of a fluid material into a cup on the carrier at said filling station; means for depositing a cup on the carrier at the loading station; means for actuating the locking means to unlock the carrier substantially at the completion of the cup filling operation; means for rotating the carrier through a partial revolution sufficiently to advance the deposited cup to the filling station and the filled cup to the delivering station; means for actuating the lockin means to relock the carrier when moved as aforestated; and means on the carrier and at the delivering station, operable in response to the aforestated movement of the carrier, to move therefrom any previously used cup replaced thereon at the delivering station, so as to prevent jamming of the machine by such cup.

CHARLES J. WARREN.

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

Number 14 UNITED STATES PATENTS Name Date Samuelson Apr. 5, 1921 Cook Dec. 5, 1933 McLellan Oct. 28, 1935 Lear Mar. 24, 1936

Images