US2603332A - Fleischer - Google Patents

Description

July 15, 1952 c. FLEISCHER 2,603,332

COIN-OPERATED VENDING COMPARTMENT Filed March 10, 1948 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Fig. 3

IN V EN TOR.

BY (Zharlea fgpischer I ha cur-q,

July 15, 1952 c. FLEISCHER 2,603,332

COIN-OPERATED VENDING COMPARTMENT Filed March 10, 1948 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 1a 4 l3 r. as J): l2 11- h F'ic.6

U INVENTOR.

Charles Fleischer y 1952 c. FLEISCHER COIN-OPERATED VENDING COMPARTMENT a Sheets-Sheei 3 Filed March 10, 1948 INVENTOR. BY Charles F'ltiQGbQl mxsew Patented July 15, 1952 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFIC 2,603,332 COIN -PERATED VENDIN G COMPARTMEN T Charles Fleischer, Miami, Fla. Application March 10, 1948, Serial No. 13,967

4 Claims. 1

The invention relates to a coin-operated vending compartment.

The vending compartment to which the invention may be applied in particular is of the type which is arrangeable in groups of superposed and laterally related individual compartments for the dispensing of merchandise deposited therein, the compartments being accessible from the rear thereof for replenishment thereof and having individual front doors, normally closed, but openable upon the introduction into coin-receiving mechanisms of appropriate coinage.

It is one of the objects of the invention to provide a vending compartment which will be simple in construction and compact in assembly.

It is another object of the invention to provide a vending compartment structure such that the merchandise therein may be within the view of the attendant stationed therebehind.

A further object is to provide a compartment of the character and for the purposes described wherein the door may be readily and positively actuated upon the insertion of the coin into the slot provided therefor.

Still another object is to provide a vending compartment which may be readily and conveniently replenished with merchandise upon the removal of the contents thereof.

Another object is to provide a vending compartment having visual signal means to indicate when the door thereto is open and barrier means interposed in the rear accessway of the compartment to prevent the deposit of merchandise therein while the door is in open position.

Other advantages of the invention will become apparent from the description thereof hereinafter set forth.

According to the invention, the vending compartment has a stationary merchandise-supporting platform, a pair of side walls and a top, and has an open back to permit ready access thereto. The compartment is provided with a normally closed front door and means urging the door into open position, latching means normally restraining the door into closed position, and coin-actuated means operatively associated with the latching means whereby to release and permit the door to swing in pivotable movement to open position. The vending compartment is adapted for arrangement in structural framing, in superposed and laterally spaced relation with a plurality of other like compartments to form a common vending apparatus for the accomodation of plural merchandise items individually encased.

The invention is exemplified in a vending com partment embodied in the accompanying drawings in which the views are as follows, like reference numerals designating identical parts in the several views:

Fig. l, a front elevation of an arrangement of a plurality of the vending compartments in common grouping;

Fig. 2, a sectional elevation, in part, of the barrier means and Fig. 3, a rear elevation, in part, ofthe view shown in Fig. 2;

Fig. 4, a section taken on line 4-4, of Fig. 5;

Fig. 5, a partial front elevation of the vending compartment;

Fig. 6, a section taken on line.B6, of Fig. 4;

Fig. 7, a section taken on line 1--'l of Fig. 8;

Figs. 8, 9 and 10, a side elevation of the coinactuated door releasing mechanism.

The vending compartment defines an openback chamber having a stationary platform I for the support of the merchandise to be vended, a top 2, and a pair of opposed side walls 3.

The compartment is normally closed by a frontal door, Figs. 4 and 5, having a transparent panel 4 supported within a marginal frame 5. The frame 5 is pivoted at the top thereof by a hinge 6 to the frontal framing structure I, in which a plurality of the vending compartments are arrangeable to form a group for the accommodation of a plurality of individual merchandise items.

The hinge B has a suitable spring 8 which is designed to urge the door in pivotal movement toward its open position as shown in dash lines, Fig. 4.

The door is held in its normally closed position, against the influence of the spring 8, by a latching mechanism comprising an inclined closer rod 9, pintled at its upper end in a bracket i0, secured against the inner face of the door frame 5.

At its lower end, the closer rod 9 is pivoted to the outer end of a crank l I, as by a pivot pin l2. The crank I I is pivoted at its other end to a side wall 3, as by a pivot pin 13, about which the crank is rotatable by an upwardly extending trigger M formed thereon.

When the trigger i4 is oscillated between its full line position and dash line position, Fig. 4,

the crank II is pivotable therewith. With the door in closed position, the closer rod 9 has its pivot pin 12 past dead center in relation to the pivot pin [3, and the closer rod cannot, in consequence, be moved in response to the influence of the springv 8 tending to pivot the door toward its open position. When the trigger I4 is pivoted from its full line position sufficiently to carry the pivot pin l2 away from its dead center relationship with the pivot pin 13, it will be seen that the closer rod 9 becomes operable to shift in response to the force exerted by the spring 8 and permits the door to swing outwardly toward its open position.

The trigger I4 is movable from its normal full line position by a coin-actuated pusher mechanism arranged on an upright plate 15 paralleling the outer'face of the side wall 3 and spaced therefrom by filler members It, to provide a coin receiving passage H.

The pusher mechanism'consists of a horizontally disposed pusher bar is having a central, longitudinal slot [9 adapted for engagement by a pair of horizontally spaced supporting screws 20 carried by the plate I5, whereby the pusher bar may move in reciprocal relation to the plate Adjacent the rear end thereof, the pusher bar carries an inwardly projecting .pin 2!, extending through suitable slots, (not shown) formed in the adjacent plate l and sidewall :3, so as to normally engage the trigger 14, when advanced thereagainst.

When the pusher bar is movedrearwardly, the pin 2| is brought into engagement with the trigger whereby to pivot the crank so as to disengage the pivot pins l2 and I3 from their past dead center relationship, thereby releasing the closer rod 19 to permit the outwardpivotal movement of the door to "its open position, as will be understood.

Adjacent the front end thereof, the :pusherbar I has an inwardly projectingpin '22, extending into the coin passageway H, through a slot (not shown) formed in the plate 15. Thepin 22 is adapted to be engaged by a coin inserted into the passageway through a slot Ila formed in the frontal framing structure (Fig.5), whereby the pusher bar 1.8 .is moveable rearwarclly upon the application thereto of the thrust imparted to the coin during the insertion thereof into the slot Ila.

The rearward movement of the pusher .bar is controlled by a pair of jaws .23 (Figs. 7 to 1'0), terminating atthe frontends thereof in:inwardly directed feeler points '24, forming the upperiand lower limits defining the slot 11a. The "jawsare extended rearwardly to form levers 25, fulcrumed to the plate 'l5,;as by fulcrum pins 26, and .terminating in inwardly projecting stop members '21. The pusher bar has a pairof shoulders 28 formed adjacent the rear end thereof whichare adapted for engagement by the stop members 21 to limit the'rearward movement of thepu'sh'er bar.

Adjacent the forward end thereof the jaws have a pair of inwardly projecting teeth 29, engageable with a corresponding pair of notches 39, formed in the head portion of the pusher bar, and contractible thereon under the influence of a spring 3| having its ends fastened to the jaws. Thus, the pusher bar 18 is inoperative to move rearwardly until the jaws have been expanded by a coin of pre-determined diameter whereby to disengage the teeth 29 from the notches 30. It will be seen that when thejaws are expanded, the stop members 21 converge upon the rear end portion of the pusher bar and engage the shoulders 28.

The longitudinal spacing of the pins 2| and 22, the stopmembersfl .and notches formed by to the'feeler points 24, such that when the coin is introduced into the slot, the jaws are expanded as illustrated in Fig. 9, sufficiently to permit the pusher bar to begin its rearward movement. When the coin has passed its largest diameter through the feeler points 24 the jaws contract over the diminishing periphery of the coin, as illustrated in Fig. 10, thereby disengaging the stop members 21 and permitting the pusher bar to continue its rearward movement to trip the trigger I4. Thus, the pusher mechanism is inoperative unless the jaws can contract over the diminishing periphery of the entering coin, thereby preventing the operation of the mechanism by an instrument, such as a knife blade of the same width as the coin inserted into the slot to effect the opening of the compartment door.

After the coin has passed the jaws and effected the completion of the rearward movement of the pusher bar, it may drop through the space H, into a coin chute (not shown) with which the passageway may be adapted to communicate.

The'door is returned to its closed position by the manipulation of the trigger [4 to its .full line position, in a manner which will be understood from the foregoing description. The pusher bar is provided with a beveled head 32, whereby to spread the teeth 29 to permit their 're-engagement with the notches 30.

In the'embodiment of the invention illustrated in Figs. 2 and 3, the vending compartment is provided with a barrier mechanism operative to obstruct the rear opening of the compartment and functioning as a visualsignal to inform the attendant when the door is in open position, so as to prevent the inadvertent replenishment of the compartment while the door thereof is not secured.

The barrier consists of an obstructive bar 33, disposed laterally of the compartment near the rear access opening thereto, :and supported by a suitable arm 34, which may be formed by a convenient extension of the latching mechanism hereinbefore described as, for example, by an upward extension of the trigger 14 (Figs. 2 and 3), adapted for pivotal movement therewith.

When the trigger I4 is oscillated in the door opening operation hereinbefore described, the barrier 33 is carried thereby to'substantially the position shown in dash lines whereby to obstruct the rearportion-of the compartment to prevent the attendants inadvertent replenishment of the compartment while the door thereto is in open position. The barrier functions, at the same time, as va'visual signal means whereby to inform the attendant that the merchandise from the compartment has been withdrawn. The barrier has utility, also, in cooperation with the trigger |4 and supportingarm 34 extended therefrom, as

:ahandlemeans for the manipulation of the door closing assembly.

Theiinvention thus provides a vending apparaitLIS which is simple in construction and compact inassembly, affording a ready and convenient vending device for confections and the like in public '"places such as theater lobbies and similar locations. Patrons are enabled to purchase merchandise upon the deposit of a coin and attendants are enabled to readily and conveniently replenish the vending compartments without the harassment and fatigue resulting from waiting upon a clamoring crowd and making change. The attendant is afforded a substantially clear view for the observation of the compartment inthe shoulders .28, :aremre-determined inrelation terior and .readyaccess thereto Ifor Jthe replenishment thereof, without the necessity of operating rotative drums or the like. He may be instantly informed of the withdrawal of merchandise from the compartments and is impeded in the replenishment thereof during the open condition of the front discharge opening.

Of course, the invention is susceptible of a variety of modifications and changes in design, proportions and arrangement, without departing from the scope of the appended claims.

Having thus described the invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A coin-operated vending compartment comprising, in combination, a merchandise supporting platform having a pair of side walls and a top thereover defining a. chamber having an open back afiording rear access thereto for the replenishment thereof, a swingable door normally closing said chamber at the front thereof, means biasing said door to open position, latching means normally locking said door against said biasing means, a rockable handle operatively connected to said latching means for the actuation thereof, coin-impelled means operable to rock said handle for the release of said latching means to open said door and project said handle rearwardly of said chamber to signal said door opening, said handle being manually retractible for the actuation of said latching means to re-lock said door.

2. The invention as defined in claim 1 and: said handle including a barrier member adapted, when in projected position, to obstruct the rear access to saidchamber and prevent the inadvertent replenishment thereof.

3. In a coin-operated vending compartment defining a chamber having an open back afi'ording rear access thereto for the replenishment thereof, a normally closed swingable front door biased toward open position, and latching means normally restraining said door against said biasing means, the combination of a rockable handle to actuate said latching means, coin-impelled means to rock said handle for the release of said latching means to open said door and project said handle rearwardly of said chamber to signal said door opening, said handle being manually retractible for the actuation of said latching means to re-lock said door.

4. The invention as defined in claim 3 and: said handle including a barrier member adapted, when in projected position, to obstruct the rear access to said chamber and prevent the inadvertent replenishment thereof.

CHARLES FLEISCHER.

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

UNITED STATES PATENTS

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