US3031101A - Dispensing mechanism - Google Patents

Description

April 24, 1962 C. K. DASHER DISPENSING MECHANISM Filed Sept. 2. 1960 2 Sheets-Sheet l ATTORNEYS April 24, 1962 C. K. DASHER DISPENSING MECHANISM Filed Sept. 2. 1960 ill- 33 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 V INVENTOR 52/ 7/5544 (Jew/16 &7

ATTORNEY 5 United States This invention relates to a dispensing mechanism, and more particularly to a mechanism for dispensing packaged commodities or the like by means of a drop shelf arrangement.

A primary object of this invention is the provision of an improved dispensing mechanism having a plurality of shelves upon which a package or other commodity may be positioned so arranged that the lowermost shelf may be released to fall by gravity to a commodity dispensing position, and each successively positioned upper shelf similarly released by a single movement of an operating lever.

An additional object of the invention is the provision of a device of this character having a pawl and ratchet mechanism for step-by-step movement by individual actuation of an operating lever successively to release a plurality of superposed shelves to discharge the commodity carried thereby into an operating chute or the like for reception by the purchaser.

A still further object of the invention is the provision of such a device which may be reset so that the shelves are in commodity receiving position in a single operation.

A very important object of this invention is the provision of a dispensing mechanism characterized by extreme simplicity of construction and having a minimum of operating parts, which is sturdy and durable in construction, reliable and elficient in operation, and relatively simple to manufacture, assemble, and utilize.

Still other objects reside in the combinations of elements, arrangements of parts, and features of construction, all as will be more fully pointed out hereinafter and disclosed in the accompanying drawing wherein there is shown an illustrative embodiment of the inventive concept.

In the drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of the operating mechanism of one form of the invention, certain of the shelves being indicated in commodity receiving position, and certain others in discharge position.

FIGURE 2 is a perspective view of one of the shelves in operative position as taken from the underside of the front of the device.

FIGURE 3 is a rear elevational view of the device of FIG. 1, certain non-essential parts of the mechanism being schematically indicated in dot-ted lines.

FIGURE 4 is a sectional view taken substantially along the line 4-4 of FIG. 3 as viewed in the direction indicated by the arrows.

FIGURE 5 is a sectional view taken substantially along atet the line 55 of FIG. 3 as viewed in the direction indicated by the arrows; and

FIGURE 6 is an exploded fragmentary perspective view of the ratchet and pawl operating mechanism of the device.

Similar reference characters refer to similar parts throughout the several views of the drawing.

Having reference now to the drawing in detail, the dispensing mechanism of the instant invention is generally indicated at 10 and comprises a channel-shaped plate 11 including a rear wall 12, and side wall portions 13. A plurality of spaced shelves 14 adapted to contain merchandise to be dispensed include reduced portions 15 which are adapted to be positioned between the side walls 13, and which have affixed to their undersides shelf brackets 16 of generally U-shaped configuration including apertured legs 17, through the apertures of which extend hinge pins 18, which also extend through oppositely positioned aligned apertures in the side Walls 13. Suitable lock nuts 19 serve to hold the pins in related assembly for the pivotal mounting of the shelves.

Secured to the underside of each shelf bracket 16 is an actuating lever 20, which is provided with a slot 21 through which the pivot rod 18 extends. An elongated slot 21 extends substantially the full length of the plate 12 of channel member 11 in alignment with the actuating levers 20. As best shown in FIG. 2, the slot 21 terminates just below the lowermost of shelves 14. A steel tape housing 25 mounted on the top of plate 12 contains a spring steel closure tape 26 which extends in one position of adjustment substantially the full length of slot 21 and serves as a closure therefor. With the tape in the closed position it is apparent that the actuating levers 20 are held in vertically aligned position, and being perpendicular to the shelves 14 will thus hold the shelves 14 in horizontal position. Equally obviously, when the tape 26 is removed to expose the slot, in a manner to be more fully described hereinafter, the shelves will pivot as shown in the lower portion of FIGS. 1, 3, and 4 under gravity to discharge position.

The lower end of tape 26 is secured to the upright leg 30 of an L-shaped ratchet resetting plate 31, the horizontal leg 32 of which is providel with a perpendicular flange 33, the purpose of which will be more fully described hereinafter. A slot fill spacer 34 is positioned between the plate 31 and the tape 26, and the securing means may take the form of screws or rivets 31a as desired.

A trip pawl generally indicated at 35 is pivotally mounted on a pin .36 carried by plate 31, the pin extending through an opening 37 in the pawl and being secured in position in any desired manner as by a split ring 38. Pawl 35 is provided with a triangular head 40, at the apex of which the opening 37 is located, with a ratchet point 41 projecting on one side and a stop point 42 extending on the other side. A stem 43 extends from the base of the triangular head 41 and an offset operating handle 44 extends laterally therefrom to a point outside of channel-shaped member 11 and adjacent the perpendicular flange 33.

A ratchet bar spacer 50 is fixedly secured to the rear side of plate 12 adjacent slot 21 and carries a pair of ratchet rack holding lugs 51, adjacent its upper and lower extremities. The lugs 51 extend through vertically elongated slots 52 in a ratchet rack bar 53, provided with ratchet notches 54 in spaced apart relation on the side thereof adjacent the ratchet pawl point 41. The notches 5-4 have inclined upper sides 55 and fiat lower sides 56 so that the pawl point 41 will ratchet as the bar is moved downwardly. Suitable split spring rings 57 serve to hold ratchet bar '53 against displacement.

The arrangement is thus such that when the resetting plate and its associated tape 26 are in the lowermost position, the shelves are all held in extended horizontal position by means of the actuating levers 20. Suitable means, to be more fully described hereinafter, are provided for moving the ratchet bar 53 upwardly substantially the distance of one shelf at a stop. This is efiected by the engagement of the point 41 of the trip pawl with the flat undersurface 56 of an adjacent notch 54, the pressure of the stop point 42 against the perpendicular flange 33 causing the slide to rise with the ratchet bar, and consequently forcing a portion of the tape 26 back into the tape housing 25. As this is effected the actuating lever 20 of the lowermost shelf 14 is free to swing into the slot 21,- whereupon the associated shelf 14 drops by gravity to drop its merchandise downwardly into a Suitable chute 59 or similar discharge opening (see FIG. 1). The step is sequentially repeated with each shelf, the ratchet bar 53 being allowed to drop downwardly after each step while the point 41 of the pawl ratchets over the inclined surface 45 of the adjacent notch. The tension of the tape 26 serves partially to hold the slide in its uppermiost position to which it has been moved, but in any event the slide can only fall a very limited distance, at which time it is engaged by the flat under surface 56 of an adjacent notch.

Obviously, when it is desired to move all of the shelves back to horizontal position, for reloading or the like, it is only necessary for an operator who has access to the mechanism to grasp the operating handle 44 and press it towards the perpendicular flange 33, which action releases the pawl point 41 from engagement with any adjacent notch, and moves the same out of the range of the ratchet bar, whereupon the assembly including the resetting plate and its associated tape may be moved downwardly to the bottom of the slot 21. As the tape passes each actuating lever 20 the associated shelf is obviously forced outwardly to horizontal position.

Any desired conventional means may be employed for actuating the ratchet bar 53 and, in the illustrative embodiment shown, take the form of a link 60 which is pivotally connected as by means of a pivot 61 to the lower extremity of ratchet bar 53. A second link 64 is pivotally connected as by means of a pivot 65 to the other end of link 60, and the other end of link 64 is in turn pivotally connected as by means of a pivot 66 to a reciprocatory operating bar 67. A mount of any conventional form may be provided and is generally indicated as of channelform at 68. The lower side walls 13 of channel member 11 are secured to the side walls of member 68 in any desired manner as by rivets or bolts. An outer housing 69 may be provided, and is preferably enclosed, as is the entire assembly which is mounted in a conventional vending casing 70 of any desired form. Suitable coin actuated mechanism 71 of conventional design may be employed to control the operation of the actuating lever 67. The mounting and arrangement of the device comprise no part of the instant invention, and are shown here schematically and for illustrative purposes only, the invention residing in the assemblage of shelves and their actuating mechanism as hereinbefore described.

From the foregoing it will now be seen that there is herein provided an improved vending mechanism which accomplishes all the objects of this invention, and others,

including many advantages of great practical utility and commercial importance.

As many embodiments may be made of this inventive concept, and as many modifications may be made of the embodiment hereinbefore shown and described, it is to be understood that all matter herein is to be interpreted merely as illustrative, and not in a limiting sense.

I claim:

In a dispensing mechanism, in combination, a vertical supporting plate having an elongated vertical slot therein, a plurality of shelves each pivoted at one edge on said plate, an actuating lever on each shelf adjacent said slot, a coiled flexible tape mounted at the top of said plate and extensible to close said slot, a reset plate secured to the free end of said tape, a pawl pivotally mounted on said reset plate, a ratchet bar having a plurality of notches therein vertically mounted adjacent said slot, said notches being positioned apart a distance equal to the space between adjacent shelves, operating means to lift said ratchet bar a distance of one shelf space comprising a handle and angularly disposed links pivotally secured to said handle, to each other and to said bar, said notches engaging said pawl upon upward movement of the said bar thereby lifting the said reset plate and moving said tape upwardly into said housing to expose said slot adjacent the actuating lever of a single adjacent shelf, wherebysaid actuating lever is permitted to move into said slot and said shelf falls by gravity to drop its contents, said reset plate having a perpendicular flange thereon engaging with said pawl to limit pivotal movement thereof when engaged by said notches, and upon downward movement of the said bar to bias the said pawl from the path of the said notches, and an operating lever extending from said pawl for moving said pawl out of engagement with said notches for downward movement of said slide block to reset said shelves, said pawl being triangular in shape and pivoted at its apex and having an operating point engageable with said notches and a locking point on the opposite side of its pivot for engagement with said perpendicular flange, said ratchet bar having elongated vertical slots therein and lugs fixed to said vertical plate engaging in said slots for limiting the vertical movement of said ratchet bar and to prevent displacement of the said pawl from engagement with said notches.

Richardson July 4, 1930 Gabriclsen et a1. Aug. 28, 1951

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