US2770418A - Control mechanism for vending machines - Google Patents

Description

Nov. 13, 1956 c. s. HEDGES CONTROL MECHANISM FOR VENDING MACHINES 2 Sheets-Sheet l Filed May 24. 1952 JNVENTOR. Ww/Q5 5 Haq/ges m;

ATTORNEY.

VNOW 13, 1956 c. s. HEDGES CONTROL MECHANISM FOR VENOING MACHINES 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed May 24, 1952 INVENTOR. War/e5 .5.' #eq/ges United States Patent C) CONTROL IVIECHANISM FOR VENDING MACHINES Charles S. Hedges, Kansas City, Mo., assignor to The Vendo Company, Kansas City, Mo., a corporation of Missouri Application May 24, 1952, Serial No. 289,858

3 Claims. (Cl. 23S-91) This invention relates to machines for automatically vending articles of merchandise, and has for its primary object the provision of control structure opcrably coupled with parts of the operating mechanism of the vending machine itself for limiting the number of articles that may be vended by the machine.

It is the most important object of the present invention to provide control mechanism for machines of the aforementioned type much in the nature of a counter wherein is provided an index disc that may be varied to suit the desires of the operator, all to the end that as the machine is successively placed in operation by purchasers of the vendable commodities, the index disc will be advanced and ultimately locked against further rotation.

Another important object of this invention is the provision of control mechanism as just above set forth wherein the index disc is provided with a stop that is engaged by a spring-loaded latch after rotation of the disc to a point where the stop is adjacent the latch, the latter in turn being coupled with a Sold Out plate for indicating to subsequent purchasers the inoperability of the machine, together with a slug rejector forming a part of the vending machine to automatically cause the latter to return subsequently inserted coins to the intended purchaser.

Another object hereof is -to provide stepping mechanism for the aforementioned index disc that includes a ratchet and pawl assembly together with a train of gears interconnecting the assembly and the disc, the stepping means in turn being operably connected with manual structure forming a part of the vending machine to the end that stepping takes place each time the operator places the vending machine in operation to secure an article of merchandise.

Other objects include the way in which the index disc is releasably connected with the train of gears to the end that the same may be varied to suit the desires of the operator; the way in which the pawl of the ratchet and pawl assembly is mounted on a swingable spring-loaded element; the manner of providing an oscillatable pin for actuating the swingable element; and many other more minor objects, all of which will be made clear or become apparent as the following specification progresses, reference being had to the accompanying drawing, wherein:

Figure 1 is a front elevational view of the control mechanism for vending machines made pursuant to the present invention, the cover therefor being entirely removed.

Fig. 2 is a vertical, cross-sectional view through the aforementioned cover illustrating the control mechanism hereof in elevation and at right angles to Fig. 1, parts being broken away for clearness.

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary, detailed, cross-sectional view taken on line III-III of Fig. l.

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary, detailed, cross-sectional view taken on line IV-IV of Fig. 1.

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary, detailed, cross-sectional view taken on irregular line V-V of Fig. 1; and

Fig. 6 is a transverse, cross-sectional view taken on line VI-VI of Fig. 2.

The particular type of vending machine with which the control mechanism about to be described is adapted for use, is of no particular consequence other than the fact that the same is operable through actuation of a driven shaft designated by the numeral 10 and illustrated in Fig'. 2 of the drawings. Such mechanism for automatically dispensing articles of merchandise one at a time upon insertion of a suitable coin or other medium, may be housed within a cabinet 12 shown fragmentarily in said Fig. 2.

The coin, or coins, is inserted through a slot (not shown) in the uppermost wall of a swingable cover 14 mounted on a door 16 hingedly secured in any suitable manner to the cabinet 12 and forming a part thereof. Through the medium of a suitable chute not herein illustrated, the inserted coin is directed to a slug rejector 18 housed behind cover 14 immediately below the top wall thereof. Upon reception of the coin, the customer may receive his article of merchandise simply by swinging a lever 20 downwardly from the position illustrated in Fig. 1 of the drawings. A stop not shown, limits the extent of downward swinging movement of the lever 20, which is substantially 106 degrees in the type of mechanism with which the control hereof is particularly adapted.

Lever 20 is operably connected with the driven shaft 10 through the medium of an endless chain 22 trained over a sprocket 24 that is in turn secured to a shaft 26 upon which the lever 20 is mounted. Endless chain 22 likewise passes around `another sprocket wheel 28 that is secured rigidly to a drive shaft 30 releasably coupled with the driven shaft 10. Such coupling includes a cross pin 32 on the drive shaft 30 and a suitable notched coupling member 34 on the driven shaft 10, to the end that the door 16 may be swung to and from a closed position such as illustrated in Fig. 2.

The control mechanism of this invention is operably coupled with the lever 20 for actuation thereby and includes a preferably circular index disc 36 loosely mounted on a short stub shaft 38 to one side of, and in parallelism with, the drive shaft 30. Shaft 38 is in turn mounted on a plate 40 that is secured to the door 16 in any suitable manner. The shaft 38 likewise, has a locking disc 42 rotatably mounted thereon between plate 40 and disc 36, together with a gear 44 that is secured to the disc 42 for rotation therewith on the shaft 38.

Locking disc 42 is provided with a plurality of pairs of peripheral notches 46 adapted to receive diametrically opposed pins 48 secured to the disc 36 and extending rearwardly therefrom. The disc 36 is'yieldably held biased toward the disc 42 with the pins 48 within a pair of corresponding notches 46 -through the medium of a spring 50 coiled about the shaft 38 and partially housed within a tubular actuating knob 52 forming an integral part of the disc 36.

A second stub shaft 54 also parallel with the drive shaft 30, has a small pinion 56 rotatably mounted thereon and always in mesh with the peripheral teeth of the gear 44. A ratchet wheel 58 is rotatably mounted on the shaft 54 for rotation with the pinion S6 to which it is attached. The shaft 54 carries a swingable plate-like element 60 having no connection with the pinion 56 but operably coupled with the ratchet 58, through the medium of a spring-loaded pawl 62 swingable on the plate 60.

Retrograde movement of the ratchet 58 is prevented by a second spring-loaded pawl 64. The plate 60 is held biased against a laterally extending pin 66 on a small disc 68 by means of a spring 70, the disc 68 being rigid to the drive shaft 30.

The index disc 36 is suitably calibrated as at 72 and is provided with a peripheral notch presenting a stop 74 engageable with a lateral extension 76 on a swingable Z-shaped latch 78. The latch 7S is held biased toward one end of its path of travel with the extension 76 riding along the peripheral edge of the disc 36 through the medium lof a spring 80 coupled with an elongated rod S2 that is in turn joined with the latch 73. Vertically reciprocable rod 82 is connected with a shaft 84 by means of a crank 86, shaft 84 having `a Sold Out plate S thereon above the slug rejector 13 and shiftable to and from a position where the same may be viewed through an opening in the top wall of cover i4 by a potential customer. A second crank 90 `on the shaft and swingable thereby, has a link 92 coupling the same with the usual gate (not shown) forming a part of the slug rejector i8, which gate, when swung to one end of its path of travel, deflects inserted coins to a coin-return box forming a part of the vending machine.

in operation, after insertion of a coin, the operator may swing the lever downwardly as aforesaid. This actuates the chain 22 and therefore, the shaft 3l) through sprocket wheel 28 for operating the vending machine mechanism within cabinet 12 by means of the driven shaft 1li. Simultaneously, step-bystep movement is imparted to the disc 36 each time the lever 20 is swung because of the fact that the laterally extending pin 66 on the disc 68, shifts or swings the plate 60 against the action of spring 70. Plate 6l), on its return movement as influenced by the spring 70, steps the ratchet 58 by virtue of pawl 62 carried by plate 60. When the ratchet 58 turns, the pinion 56 is rotated thereby to in turn rotate the gear 44 and the disc 36 because of the interconnection between pins 48V and the locking disc 42.

As soon as the disc 36 has been stepped a predetermined number of times to dispose the notch thereof in alignment with the offset portion 76 of latch '78, the stop 74 contacting the portion 76, will prevent further clockwise rotation of the disc 36 (viewing Fig. l). When the offset portion 76 drops into the notch of the disc 36, rod 82 will move upwardly, the crank 86 will be swung t-o rotate the shaft 84 and the Szold Out plate $8 will be moved to a point of view by those who may desire to purchase articles. Furthermore, as above made clear, the rotation of shaft S4 also renders the slug rejector 18 operable toy reject any further coins that may be inserted by those disregarding the Sold Out sign.

It is now manifest that the number of articles of merchandise that are to be vended by the automatic vending machine prior to its becoming inoperative in the manner just above outlined, may be governed as desired by the operator merely by resetting the disc 36. To do this, he need only grasp the knob 52, pull out wardly thereon against the action of spring 50 to disengage the pins 48 with respect to the locking disc 42, whereupon the index disc 36 can be rotated separately from the locking disc 42 and the stop 74 moved toward or away from the latch 78.

It is believed clear from the above that all of the mechanism herein described, and forming the subject matter of this invention, is housed behind the cover 14 which is normally locked to the dolor 16 and in thi-s lrespect the handle for the door i6 may likewise be housed behind the cover 14 if desired. In Fig. 2 it is clear that a slot 94 in the cover 14, clears the lever 20 when the cover 14 is swung to and from a closed position.

Reference may be had to my co-pending U. S. application filed on even date herewith, entitled Refrigerated Vending Machine for one type of vending machine having operating structure therewithin capable of actuation by swinging of lever 20 through the coupling It is contemplated that such machine be loaded with ice cream bars from boxes containing thirty (30) each, with an even number of boxes loaded each time. Through use of the six (6) slots 46 in plate 42, the

counter may be quickly reset in multiples of thirty (30) articles. If, however, a box is split, the knob 52 may be rotated without disengaging the pins 48 from slots 46, using extension 76 as a reference pointer. If the machine is not capable of functioning well when only a few articles remain to be vended, the counter may be Iset to become inoperative prior to full exhaustion of the storage chamber of the vendible commodity.

Having thus described the invention what is claimed as new and desired to be secured by Letters Patent is:

l. In a control mechanism having a rotatable index disc provided with a stop and a movable latch engageable with the stop; structure for imparting step-by-step, rotative movement to the disc, said structure comprising in combination a stub shaft; a ratchet wheel, a pinion, and a plate element all rotatably mounted on said shaft, the pinion and the ratchet wheel being interconnected; a gear secured to the disc in mesh with the pinion; an oscillatable shaft; a member mounted on the oscillatable shaft and having a pin thereon; spring means connected with said element and yieldably holding the latter biased against the pin; and a spring-loaded pawl on the element and engageable with the ratchet wheel for rotating the latter to rotate the pinion, the gear and the disc as the pin is oscillated to swing the element against the action of said spring means.

2. In a control mechanism having a first stub shaft, an index disc, rotatable on the first stub shaft, and provided with a stop, and a movable latch engageable with the stop;

structure for imparting step-by-step, rotative movementl to the disc, said structure comprising in combination a second stub shaft; a ratchet wheel, a pinion, and a plate element all rotatably mounted on said second stub shaft, the pinion and the ratchet wheel being interconnected; a gear coupled with the disc in mesh with the pinion and rotatable on said first stub shaft; an oscillatable shaft; a member mountedon the oscillatable shaft and having a pin thereon; spring means connected with said element and yieldably holding the latter biased against the pin; a spring-loaded pawl on the element and engageable with the ratchet wheel for rotating the latter to rotate the y pinion, the gear and the disc as the pin is oscillated to swing the element against the action of said spring means; and means for varying the position of said disc relative to said gear, including a plate rigid to the gear and rotatable on the first stub shaft, the disc being reciprocable along the first stub shaft toward and away from the plate,

a plurality of elements releasably interconnecting the disc and the plate, and yieldable means holding the elements interconnected.

3. In a control mechanism having a first stub shaft, an index disc, rotatable on the iirst stub shaft, and provided with a stop, and a movable latch engageable with the stop; structure for imparting step-by-step, rotative movement to the disc, said structure comprising in combination a second stub shaft; a ratchet wheel, a pinion, and a plate element all rotatably mounted on said second stub shaft,

-- the pinion and theratchet wheel being interconnected; a

gear coupled with the disc in mesh with the pinion and rotatable on said first stub shaft; an oscillatable shaft; a member mounted on the oscillatable shaft and having a pin thereon; spring means connected with said element l and yieldably holding the latter biased against the pin; a

spring-loaded pawl on the element and engageable with the ratchet Wheel for rotating the latter to rotate the pinion, the gear and the disc as the pin is oscillated to swing the element against the action of said spring means; and means for varying the position of said disc relative to said gear, including a plate rigid to the gear and rotatable on the rst stub shaft, the disc being reciprocable along the first stub shaft toward and away from the plate;

a` spring coiled on said first stub shaft for yieldably biasing the index disc toward said plate, anda plurality of pins mounted on that face of the disc proximal to the plate, said plate being provided with a series of peripheral notches for selectively receiving the pins.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 6 Muller et a1 Aug. 29, 1916 Cate et al. Sept. 28, 1926 Sheldrick May 29, 1928 Green Jan. 28, 1930 Gildmeister Aug. 30, 1932 Mills Feb. 6, 1940 Nicholson June 2, 1942 Hamlin Oct. 20, 1953

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