US2518095A - Coin controlled vending machine - Google Patents

Description

Aug. 8, 1950 M. c. TAYLOR COIN CONTROLLED VENDING MACHINE 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Dec. 16, 1944 INVENTOR.

.mw R H W// a Aug. 8, 1950 M. c. TAYLOR com CONTROLLED VENDING MACHINE 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Dec. 16, 1944 "'5 mm a I I Aug. 8, 1950 M. c. TAYLOR 2,518,095

COIN CONTROLLED VENDING MACHINE Filed Dec. 16, 1944 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 I I N V EN TOR. 7721/20/2 ,jay/afl BY Aug. 8, 1950 M. c. TAYLOR 2,518,095

COIN CONTROLLED VENDING MACHINE Filed D ec. 16, 1944 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 IN V EN TOR. I

777//f0/2 ay/0W Aug. 8, 1950 v M. c. TAYLOR 2,518,095

' com CONTROLLED VENDING MACHINE Filed Dec. 16, 1944 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 77124500 div/2 Patented Aug. 8, 1950 UNITE D S TATE 5 PATENT OFFICE Milton. 0.. Taylor, Chicago, IlL, assignor to The Bastian- Blessing companyg'chicago, 111., a corporation of Illinois Application December 16, 1944, Serial No. 568,474

4' Cl ims- I'he presentinvention. relates. to a check controlled dispenser or vending. machine and more particularly a device for vending packaged pier-- chandise when a predetermined. Price in. one. or more coins is deposited as the-purchase price in the device.

Although the present invention can be usedfor self-powered as well, as. for manually operated dispensers it ispreierably constructed for hand powered dispensers. whereby the. coin. transaction is taken care of upon the. forward. stroke of a manual y reciprocated mechanism. and the. ,dis pensing of the packaged article is. accomplished on the back. s ro e of the mechani m A, further. important object of the, invention is to provide a coin controlled mechanism which can be readil changed, in. the field to, function with ri u comb nati n of coins inc ding pennies, nickels and dimes in various combinae tions so at ce han esc n. be nco porated mmed a ly in a ew s cond nd without a1term th fu am ntal or anizationot the a s A her bject, of: th invention is to. provide a c n cont o l d m cha ism wh h. n b set and reset readily at will to. take any number of coins of the same denomination to make up od'd prices where one ormorethan. one coin of the one denomination may be required with or without acoinor another denomination for such prices;

Another importantobject of the invention is the provision for the ready changingof interchangeable. in: handling devices in event of service: problems and the ready resetting of-the coin. metering elements already present in themachi-ne in: event of price changes or a change in the package dispensedyor a shufiling' or the" coin hand-ling devices for use in other machines.

further object of the invention is toprovide a scavenging" coinreturn which is automatic ineventinsu-fiici'ent coins are deposited for one purchase or excessive coins are left over after the one purchase which are insuhici'ent for a second purchase; thescavenging operating to clear al-l' coinhandlingelements whether the insufficiency is due to slugs-or coins retained any plaoein'thedetecting device.

It: is an: object or the invention also to provide a mechanism which closely-"follows the legal con*- cept of a purchase and sale by hand in;- that the authenticity of the tokens used in making the purchase is determined; then the amount; of tokens is-cheeked-andif the amount is'insuflicient to makeup the purchase price; the; tokens are returned immediatelyso-that there i'snc question 2 as to the adequacy of the consideration being determined immediately when the so-called request fordelivery ismade as when the manual control is operated upon its forward stroke. Thereafter the moment the coins are accepted, an article has to be delivered before the machine returns to its ready position for thenext purchase. The manual control is prevented from recycling itself or losing its control to deliver a package until its full reverse movement which delivers the article is accomplished.

A further object of the invention isto provide controls for various sized coins which are inter changeable in a main assembly and made up of a major portion parts that are identical to reduce inventory .and repair supplies carried on. hand by service stations.

A further objectofthe invention is to providencoin controlled dispenser which is simple to manufactu-re, use and maintain, easy to. operate and comparativelyiinexpensive to produce and repair. These being among the objects of the present invention other and further objects will appear from thedrawings',.the description relating there.- to and the appended claims: Fig; 1 is afront elevational' view of a. packaged goods dispenser embodying the preferredfltorni. of the invention;

Fig. 2 is a horizontal section taken through the dispenser shown in Fig. 1 illustrating. the location (if packaged goods on a rotary'manually driven dispensing drum;

Fig. 3 is an: enlarged perspective. view of the working parts' and. elements embodying the prefiierred form of the coin, control for obtaining manual actuation of the dispensing drum;

Fig; 4 is an enlarged plan. view of a simplified coinccntrol for handling. one ormore coins;

Figh isaside elevation of" the elements shown in- Fig 4-; I Fig. 6. is a perspective view'of a removable coin handling device forminga part oi? the invention;

'7' is a side elevation of the deviceil'lustrated in Fig; 5-; Fig. 8 an e'dgewiseview of the device shownv in" Fig. '6 taken from the side thereof and Fig. 9 i'sa' diagrammatic view of an arrangement by which coins of more than two denominations cam he handled;

so Throughout the several views like le ters refer to like assemblies and} like numerals refer to. like parts or" elements;

The: organization of the" embodiment, illustrated is such that for the. purposes. of desorib- 66 mg it, it can be divided into sub assemblies,

namely, the article storage and delivery arrangement A, the manual drive assembl B, the coin detector C, the coin handling unit D, the scavenger E operable when the correct price has not been deposited, the coin accepter F operable when the correct purchase price has been deposited, and the transmission mechanism G interconnecting the drum and manual drive for operation when the correct purchase price has been disposed.

Article storage and delivery The arrangement for storing and dispensing articles, such as the bottles I shown in Fig. 2, is the device disclosed and described in the application, Serial No. 549,146, filed by W. S. Connell, B. F. Boettcher and C. M. Holmen, August 12, 1944, now Patent No. 2,435,177, dated January 27, 1948, reference to which is hereby made.

The bottles I0 are stacked in vertical rows as held in place by channel members I I carried on a drum I2. The bottles in the rows, are arranged at an angle of approximately 35 to the horizontal so that they can slip one by one from the bottom of each stack as the drum is rotated to index the stacks, one after another, over a delivery opening as at I3 into and through which the bottom bottle of each stack is dropped when released from the stack.

The storage drum I2 is pivoted for rotation on a shaft I4 and is provided with a gear wheel I5 in mesh with the spur gear- I6 driven through a sprocket chain I! from a sprocket wheel I8. Rotation of the drum takes place in a clockwise direction as viewed in Fig. 2 with an anti-reversing device I9a preventing rotation of the drum in the opposite direction at an time while the dispenser is in operation.

As more particularly shown in the above mentioned application, the bottles and drum are stored in a refrigerated compartment 20 defined by insulated side walls 2 I, an insulated back door 22 which provides access for repair and maintenance and front closures including a narrow insulated front door 23 and an armored door 24. The drum is recharged with bottles when the armored door 24 and the insulating door 23 are opened. The armored door 24 covers and .protects the coin control mechanism, this mechanism being thereby located outside of the refrigerated compartment where it can be readily servicedwithout Wasting refrigeration and is free from the deleterious effects of cold and condensed moisture in the refrigerated compartment.

A handle 25 which is a part of the drive assembly B extends through a slot 26 in an embossed portion 21 upon the armored door where it is available for manipulation as by reciprocation through an arc of 120. With this arrangement whenever the handle 25 is operated to drive the sprocket gear I8, movement in a clockwise direction takes the handle 25 to a position where it picks up the drive of the sprocket gear I8 and the back motion thereof rotates the sprocket gear I8 to index the drum as already described. The 120 movement of the handle 25 is enough to index the next stack of bottles into position and discharge the lower bottle thereof through the opening I3.

7 Coined controlled apparatus generally In describing and claiming the invention the. word coin is used in its generic sense because the invention is concerned with the number of coins deposited and not their authenticity. Therefore, the word coin as used herein includes tokens,

checks and other forms of medium of exchange, preferably made of metal or acceptable substitutes.

The coin controlled apparatus is located protectively behind the armored door 24 as indicated generally at 28 where it is disposed under a decorative panel 30. The coin receiving slots are indicated at 3| and the coin return receptacle at 32. The slots 3| and the receptacle 32 are preferably carried by the door and are provided with suitable tracks to transmit the coin to and from the coin control mechanism 28.

The coin controlled mechanism is mounted on the wall of the cabinet by brackets and bolts 33 which support side members 34 and 35 as identified in Figs. 2 and 3. The side members are in turn braced with tie brackets 31 and provided with vertically disposed grooves 36 affording tracks for receiving the coin detectors C and coin handling units D in supported cooperative relationship.

Although all the working parts of the coin control mechanism can be supported on both of the.

side members a third member 38 is employed for purposes of illustrating the invention to carry the strain of the transmission mechanism driving the sprocket gear I8. The supported elements, as will be seen in Fig. 2, are provided full access upon three sides for examination and servicing. Moreover, the anti-reversing device 19% on the drum prevents a reverse movement of the coin control mechanism as well as the drum, and the weight of the drum provides an inertia which retards the back movment of the handle 25 to serve more or less as a dash pot and thereby prevent an unduly fast operation of the mechanism.

The coin detector C is that part of the apparatus which safeguards the machine from the use of fraudulent coins or tokens in it. Although the detector shown relates to legal tender coins, same may be any one of a number of devices which utilize tokens or checks sold for use in the machine and for this reason the term coin detector is used in a generic sense to include all detectors which reject fraudulent coins or tokens.

Coin detector C Except as used in the present invention for the purposes of automatic scavenging, the coin detector is of the usual construction, including a mounting plate 40 having flanges 4I received in the grooves 36 in the side members 34 and 35 to support the mounting plate 40 directly above the coin control mechanism D. Although the coin detector and coin control mechanism may be constructed as a single unit upon a single mounting plate, similar to 40, it is preferred for purposes of convenience and a better understanding of the invention that the two plates are separated from each other along the line 42 as viewed in Fig. 3.-

The detector has a chute opening 43 at the top thereof which receives a coin deposited in one of the slots 3| and conducts the coin past a magnet 44 against a bouncing plate (not shown) which tests the coin for authenticity and passes it downwardly into the coin handling mechanism D if the coin is accepted. If the coin is not accepted, the magnet 44 either retains the coin against its face or the bouncing plate propels the coin into a coin return chute ending in receptacle 32 (Fig. 1). In view of the fact that the ferrous slugs will cling to the surface of the magnet 44, a scavenging lever 45 is pivotally mounted upon moved to the coin accepting position by the head 95, the push rod 66 is also moved from its initial resting position. In event, however, a coin is lacking and reciprocation of the head 95 is had, movement of the head 95 is dissipated through the opening 91 without changing the position orf the well 15 or the position of the push rod 66.

There being two heads 95 in the embodiment being described reciprocation of the heads 95 is had through a double cam slot I cut in a disc member 99 keyed to the shaft IOI driven by the handle 25. A follower I02 carried at the elbow of a lever I03 mounted in fixed relationship at I04' and free at the other end I05 to drive a link I06, is employed to actuate the heads 95. In Fig. 4 the heads are shown in the position they assume when fully advanced with the coins present in both the wells 15 at that station, the handle 25 having been virtuall advanced almost to its full position preparatory to its back movement. In this position the cam rise I01 has carried the lever I03 and the link I06 to their maximum advanced position. Each head 95 is carried by one end of an L-shaped lever I09 whose other end is pivoted as at I08 on a bracket I I0 secured to the side frame 35. The elbovw III of the lever is driven from the link I06 by a walking beam II2.

To the extent that the invention has been described thus far, only one coin handling mechanism has been described although several heads have been mentioned. One of the objects of the present invention is to provide a construction wherein coins of different denomination can be employed for the purchase price, such as a 5 piece and a penny if a 6 purchase price is desired for the machine. coins can be employed as will be presently seen, it being appreciated that the dog 18 can be adjusted up and down the bar 16 to any position which will permita predetermined number of a particular coin to be deposited in the well 15. With the present invention more than one coin handling mechanism can be employed, two being shown in Fgs. 1, 2, 3 and 4. The walking beam I I2 shown in Fig. 4 operates two heads 95, either of which dissipate their energy through the opening 91 if no coin is present in their respective wells 15 at the appropriate stations. This expenditure of effort leaves the two wells 15 in their original position. Any coins present in the coin handling apparatus are ready for discharge upon the coin return side of the separator 94. This is also true if only one coin of the two required is present. The eifort of the cam; I01 is expended through the opening 91 in which there is no coin. On the other hand if there are coins present in the wells 15 where the heads 95 engage them, both wells 15 are moved to the coin receiving side of the separator 94. A slight relief II3 beyond the cam I01 releases the heads 95 from pressed contact with the coins so that the coins may be free to drop out of the respective well 15 past the now cleared stop 84.

With this arrangement in the use orf the walking beam II2, the absence of a coin in the topmost position or station of either well 15, permits the efiort of the cam to be expended without moving the well 15 from the coin return side of the partition 94 and it remains only to scavenge the coins from the coin mechanism by pushing the rod 66 to return the coins for insuflicient funds. However, if coins are present in both wells where the heads 95 engage them, the purchase price is accepted by moving the well 15 inwardly and releasing the coins to drop into the Other combinations of.

8 till. Once the coins are accepted, it only remains to discharge the article from the drum upon the back stroke of the handle 25.

A second cam is provided upon the disc 99 comprising an axial cam II 9 on the bottom as viewed in Fig. 3 for axial movement of a follower II 4 carried by one end of a lever I I 5 pivoted interme diate its ends as at II6 to the bracket H0. The other end II1 of the lever II5 operates a push rod I I8 having a, cam I20 at the top thereof. The push rod H8 is held in contact with the end II1 by [a tension spring I2I and the push rod is supported for sliding movement by a slideway element I22 secured to the side frame 35 by screws I23.

The cam I20 engages a follower roller I24 mounted on one end of a lever I25 which is pivotally mounted as at I26 upon a bracket I21 fastened to the side frame 35 by bolts I28. The follower I24 operates two arms I30 to force the free ends I3I thereof inwardly along a predetermined path of movement, the arms I30 being held in a retracted position by a torsion spring I32.

The push rods 66 on the coin handling unit are in the path of movement of the ends I3I whenever the coin well 15 is in its restin position, namely, the position in which coins discharged therefrom would be returned to the purchaser in the receptacle 32. Thus whenever insuflicient coins are present in either or both of the coin wells 15 of Fig. 4, movement of the cam I01 is expended by the heads without moving the well 15 to the coin accepting position and the cams I01 and H9 are so timed that the ends I3I thereafter move into contact with the push rods 60 immediately following the full stroke of the cam I01.

In event, however, that coins are present in the wells 15 for the heads 95 to engage them, the heads will expend the effort of the cam I01 in moving the wells 15 to their coin accepting posilion and in this movement will carry the push rods 66 out of the path of movement of the ends I3I.

Thus on the advanced stroke of the handle 25, the coin handling mechanism determines whether or not there is suflicient coin to make up the established purchase price, and, if there is, moves the coin well to a position accepting the coin. If thr re is not sufiicient coins for the purchase price, the ends I3I contacting push rods 66 operate to scavenge the machine completely and return the coins present in the machine to the prospective purchaser.

Transmission G A third cam I33 upon the disc 99 on the opposite side thereof from cam II9 operates a follower I31 which controls the action of a walking beam I34, one end of which operates a pull rod I35 and the other end a latch member I36. This actuation of the follower I31 takes place after the heads 95 have been moved to their advanced position by the cam I01, namely while the pin I02 (Fig. 4) is in the relief trailing the cam I01. A latch member I38 cooperates with the latch member I36 by means of a slot I40 in the member I38 through which the member I36 slides vertically. The slot is so formed that in one position of the member I38 the member I36 can slide freely downwardly and upwardly while in another position downward movement of the member I36 is blocked by a portion of the member I38 bordering the slot, disposed under the chin of the member I36. The left-hand end of the member -I-38, as viewed in Fig. 3, "projects beyond the-side;member '35 to 1a p sition adjacent the end of the-slide plate 158. When the slide plate 53 is moved rearwardly itzcauses the member I-38 to rotate through a small 'arcin -a clockwise "direction as viewedfrom above- Immediately prior to the actuation of the follower -I'."'5 the other latch member I38 as shown in Fig. "3 is either carried by the slide plate 58 (Fig. 8-) to ajposition blocking downward movement of the latch member I36 when the heads 95 move the wells I to coin receiving position or is left in its resting position permitting the latch member I36 to pass downwardly through the slot I 38 therein whereby the action "of the follower I3'I is dissipated if the wells and slide plate 58 supporting them are not shifted to the coin receiving position.

Y This :latching or non-latching of the two inexhbers I35 and I38, determines whether or not the pullrod, 535 is actuated. If the members [Maud I323 latch with each other, as when the well I5 is pushed to its coin accepting position, the latch ing engagementserves'as a pivotal support which cooperates with the fol-lower 'I 31 to drive theother end ofthe 1e er I34 downwardly to force the pull rodl35 downwardly. The upper end of the pull rod is secured to the outer end of an arm 139 which controls a yoke I4'I of a clutchass'embly which includes a triple toothed ratchet I49 and a carrier I 43 supporting a pawl I44 normally held out of engagement with the ratchet by a collar I42. The carrier is rigidly carried by the shaft I9 while the ratchet I49 is journalle'd 'on' the shaft I9.

The yoke spans the collar I42 and forces it downwardly whenever actuated by the arm 139 to provide-space between the collar I42 and the pawl carrier I43. A pin I45 rigidly supports the pawl I44 as journalled in the pawl carrier I43 and at the lower end thereof has -journalled thereon a follower I46 which drops into the spac'e estab lished between the collar 14-2 and pawl carrier I43 when the yoke I4I forces their sep'aratidn on the forward stroke of the handle 25. A spring I50 urges the follower to enter the space thus provided.

The follower I46 holds the collar I42 dowii throughout the reverse movement of the handle 25 and releases a dog I56 rigidly secured "to' 'tl"i"e pin I45 to permit a spring I5! freedom to urge the pawl I44 into engagement with the ratchet I49. This relation continues throughout the re verse movement until-the follower I46 engages a suitable reliefwhich permits the other I 42 to rise under the influence of a compression spring I41 held in place by the set screw collar I48 on the shaft I9,

Thus as the handle 25 a proaches the error er its forward stroke the force of the darn 'lf31 expended to draw the yoke 'I4I downw my if r the proper purchase price has been deposited iii the machine. By the time the forward stroke of the handle 25 is completed; the yoke; I41 has re tracted the sleeve I42 far enough for the follower I46 to drop inwardly under the influence of the tension spring I50 and release the pawl for en'- gagement with the ratchet I49.

Whenever the pawl I44 is free to engage the ratchet, it will engage one of the three notehefs [5| provided for that purpose upon the ratchet as spaced 120 from each other.

ment will occur with a sexr correeuse ncrement when the forward stroke of the handle is comabreast V '10 plete'd. Thereafter upon the back stroke of the handle 25, thefpawl will force the sprocket gear f8 secured to the ratchet to turn and index the drum rertne bottle on the b'ottomofthe next 5 advancing column to drop out through the den livery opening I 3. When the back stroke is completed the sleeve I42 snaps upwardly and prevents the repetition of this action of the pawl I44 iii until the proper purchase price is again deposited inthe Purchase price adjustment :Thedeterminatioh and checking of the proper 1 3 purchase price is had by the setting of the dogs '58 in cooperation with "the "respective coin wells E5. the "dog 'is set in top position on both of two sa s wens receiving nickels and pennies, res'pe'ctiyely the purchase price is determined to be 6; namely, one nickel and one penny. In event the desired purchase priceis 7 the dog upon the penny well-is dropped down'to the second position to permit two pennies above it in the Well.'

If the purch se price is 8, the penny dog is m dropped another notch to permit three pennies to enter the well. This can be done alsowith nickels. Regardless of the number of coins to be assessed, the lastcoin making up the required number must be present at the station where the ahead "95operat'es and in all instances the heads 95 determine whether or not the last coin is present in the well as indicative that all the other coir'is required for thepurchase are also present in the well ahead of the coin checked.

Operation when the proper purchase price is deposited injithe dispenser the authenticity of the coins or tc'ikehs are determined by the coin detector and the coins deposited in the wells. When the wells are full, the maehine is ready to make a delivery.

The handle 25 is advanced from its resting positihh in Fig '1 to the position where the cam "tth top coins and moves the wells over I ih'receivingposition after which the cam H 9 comes into operation to drive the ends I3I of the lei/ fs; I39 in the direction of the push rofdstfil However, the push rods 66 by this time are out of the path of the movement of the ends to I31 andthe machine is freeto accept the coins. Immediately thereafter the relief II3 releases the head enough "for the top coins to drop out and follow any other coins ahead of them into the till. -I ri tne ie an nm the latch members I35 5 and 138 have been brought into engaging positio'n 'a'i'id the final forward movement of the -0 after return stroke o'f thehandle 25 drives the.

sprocket gear is to index the drum to its next station at which station the lowermost bottle drops on" of the "drum and passes down and through the delivery opening I3.

in event,- owev r; insufficient coins arejdeposited in 'the jr'nachine or an exeessfof c'o'ins'is left in the ina'chine following the preceding pur chasewithoi t the excess being s'uihcient to n stitutea; proper purchase price, thei'nove" entiof the eads 9'5 sd iy'enby the arn it? is a; e

in the sittserwanoet afiecting the po the wellsor the positionfof the "push rods ce. There fter the' cam n9 drives the',follower""ll4' 7 with the ends of the push rod 66. Further forms effective. This cam drives the heads handle '25 causes the lever 134 bedriven downward movement of the handle 25 causes the ends I3I to push the rods 66 whereby the pull rod 41 scavenges the coin detector and the push rod 86 scavenges the coin handling unit of any coins present in or above the wells by rotating the dog 18 to carry the stop 84 out of the path of any coins present in the well.

It will be appreciated that suitable channels leading from the coin detector return will converge with the outlet of the return of the coin control mechanism and ultimately reach the return receptacle 32 shown in Fig. l. The latch members I36 and I38, of course, remain in the position shown. The latch member I36 harmlessly expends the effort of the cam I33 and follower I31 by permitting it to move downwardly through the slot I40 unopposed by the member I38. As a consequence of this, the pawl I is held out of engagement with the notch II and the return stroke of the handle accomplishes nothing.

This latter action of the coin handling mechanism on the forward stroke which is referred to herein as a scavenging action will repeat itself whenever the handle 25 is operated intentionally or playfully with insufficient coin present in the device to make a purchase. These keep all detectors wiped clean and the coin handling mechanism empty automatically.

Thus it will be seen that on the forward stroke of the handle 25 the question of the adequacy of consideration for the purchase is determined immediately and any coins deposited are returned if the funds are insufficient. In event, however, the coins are accepted on the forward stroke the article expected is delivered on the reverse stroke of the handle 25. The dispenser embodying the invention thereby more closely operates in a way characteristic of sales by hand delivery.

Full stroke mechanism A full stroke mechanism in both directions may be provided for the handle 25, if desired, which assures that once the handle is started in its forward direction, a full stroke of the handle will have to be completed before it can be started back in the opposite direction and a full stroke mechanism is provided so that the handle once started in the opposite direction cannot be advanced again in the forward direction until full retraction of the handle is had. In this way there is no possibility of more than one article being delivered for a single purchase price or more than a single purchase price accepted with each article delivered. Such a full stroke mechanism is indicated above the disc 99 where a ratchet I52 having teeth I53 therein is engaged by a lock I54 operable for reverse action by means of the camming roller I55 pivotally mounted upon the ratchet I52. However, any suitable full stroke mechanism may be employed for movement of the handle 25 in both directions.

Coin handling unit D The function of the walking beam II2 can be incorporated in devices handling more than two denominations of coins. As shown in Fig. 9, the link I06 actuates a walking beam I60, one end of which checks the presence of pennies in the device and the other end of which detects the presence of quarters or a combination of nickels and dimes which is equivalent to a quarter through a second walking beam IGI. Upward movement of the link I06 will exert its efiort 12 in any one of three places; namely, through the one cent rod I62 and through the quarter rod I63 or the link I64 operable in turn to exert its portion of the energy through a leverage I65 and leverage I66 or leverage I61 which checks for the equivalent of a quarter.

The device as shown in Fig. 9 is set for a 27 purchase. The two pennies are present, the action of the link I06 causes the push rod I62 to force the pennies over to coin receiving position provided the other end of the walking beam I60 is supported also by suitable coin. If a 25 piece is present in the machine the push rod I63 will force the 25 coin well over to its coin accepting position and the purchase will be completed. However, in absence of a quarter, five nickels will be equivalent thereto in which case one end of the walking beam I6I determines whether or not the first nickel is present, and the lever piece I66 determines whether the fifth nickel is present. If both of these nickels are present, the nickel well carrying the five nickels is pushed to the coin receiving position, it being understood that the lever I65 is shown in the position opposing I66 only for purposes of understanding the operation of the device in the diagrammatical showing made of the relationship involved. In actual construction the two levers I65 and I 66 will be moved in the same direction. However, if only one nickel is present and two dimes, then the lever I61 will cooperate with the lever I65 to force the nickel and the dime wells over to coin receiving position.

Various combinations of these levers can be worked out when the principle is understood that each depends upon action of the other as a check upon whether or not all the coins required for the purchase price are present.

In any one of the embodiments shown and described herein, the dispenser can be set to operate upon a coin of a single denomination merely by blocking the action of the head in whichever coin handling mechanism a coin is not required. Under such circumstances the coin handle mechanism for that particular coin can be removed very quickly from the machine and without affecting its operation. On the contrary if the dispenser has been set to operate with one coin, it can be reset quickly for coin operation involving two or more denominations by removing the stop holding the head 05 involved and dropping into the guideways the necessary coin detector and control mechanism necessary to handle the coins involved. The setting of the dogs I8 on each mechanism determines the number of each coin required to operate the machine.

Having thus described the invention it will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art how the objects are accomplished and how various and further modifications and changes can be made therein without departing from the spirit of the invention, the scope of which is commensurate with the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. In a device of the class described, a pair 01' fixed coin chutes, a slidable plate supported beneath said chutes and having two apertures therethrough for the passage of coins, resilient means for holding said plate in such position that said apertures are in alignment with said chutes, a pair of coin receptacles each holding one or more coins, said coin receptacles being carried by said slidable plate and one receptacle being disposed beneath each of said chutes, a pivoted lever element disposed at the top of each of said recep- 13 tacles, one end of each element being disposed so as to project therein into coin engaging position when rotated in one direction and to be retracted from said position when rotated in the opposite direction, a beam pivotally attached to each of said elements at a point spaced from the coin engaging end thereof, a movable support for said beam, said beam being pivotally attached to said support at a point intermediate the points of attachment of said elements, cam means for advancing and retracting said support, said beam and elements being so arranged that if coins are present in the tops of said receptacles said elements will bear against same to move said plate out of alignment with said chutes when the support is advanced, and means controlled by said plate for dispensing an article each time said plate is moved out of alignment with said chutes.

2. In a device of the class described, a pair of fixed coin chutes, a slidable plate supported beneath said chutes and having two apertures therein for the passage of coins, resilient means for holding said plate in such position that said apertures are in alignment with said chutes, a pair of coin receptacles each holding one or more coins, said coin receptacles being carried by said slidable plate, one receptacle being disposed beneath each of said chutes, a pivoted lever disposed at the top of each of said receptacles, one end of each lever being disposed so as to project into said receptacle in coin engaging position when rotated in one direction and to be retracted from said position when rotated in the opposite direction, a beam pivotally attached to each of said levers at a point spaced from the coin engaging end thereof, a movable support for said beam, said beam being pivotally attached to said support at a point intermediate the points of attachment of said levers, manually actuated means for advancing and retracting said support, said beam and levers being so arranged that if coins are present in the tops of said receptacles the ends of said levers will bear against same to move said plate out of alignment with said chutes when the beam is advanced, and means for dispensing an article each time said plate is moved out of alignment with said chutes.

3. In a device of the class described, a pair of fixed coin chutes, a pair of movable coin wells each holding one or more coins disposed beneath said chutes, each of said coin wells being normally in a position in alignment with one of said chutes, means for urging said wells to said aligned position, a pivoted lever element disposed at the top of each of said wells, one end of each lever element being disposed so as to project therein into coin engaging position when rotated in one direction and to be retracted from said position when rotated in the opposite direction, a beam pivotally attached to each of said elements at a point spaced from the coin engaging end thereof,amovplurality of movable coin receptacles normally I positioned in alignment with said chutes and movable to a second position out of alignment therewith, coin receiving means disposed below said receptacles in alignment therewith when the receptacles are in the second position, stop means for determining the number of coins receivable in each of said receptacles and normally preventing the passage of coins out of said receptacles, said receptacles having stations occupied by said coins when a predetermined set of coins has been deposited, a pivoted lever for each of said stations, one end of each lever being disposed so as to project therein into coin engaging position when rotated in one direction and to be retracted when rotated in the opposite direction, a walking beam for rotating said levers, said beam being pivotally attached to each of said levers at a point spaced from the coin engaging end thereof, a movable support for said beam, said beam bein pivoted on said support at a point intermediate the points of attachment of said levers, and manually actuated means for advancing and retracting said support, said levers bearing against coins in said stations to move said receptacles to said second position out of alignment with said coin chutes and away from said stop means when said support is advanced and all of said stations are filled.

MILTON C. TAYLOR.

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

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,549,936 Wagner et al. Aug. 18, 1925 1,629,211 Giambra May 17, 1927 1,699,353 Grant Jan. 15, 1929 1,731,829 Seidel Oct. 15, 1929 1,773,632 Nicholson Aug. 19, 1930 1,782,249 Wolnik Nov. 18, 1930 1,922,915 Hails Aug. 15, 1933 2,330,186 Jetseck et al Sept. 21, 1943 2,279,664 Du Grenier Apr. 14, 1942 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 149,457 Austria May 10, 1937

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