US3082912A - Newspaper vending machine - Google Patents

Description

March 26, 1963 c. L. HAWKS 3,082,912

NEWSPAPER VENDING MACHINE Filed May 25. 1959 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 Clarence L. Haw/rs /0 INVENTOR.

BY ecu Wavy 3m March 1963 c. L. HAWKS 3,082,912

NEWSPAPER VENDING MACHINE Filed May 25, 1959 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Clarence -.L. Hawks INWQHVTOR.

March 26, 1963 c. L. HAWKS 3,082,912

NEWSPAPER VENDING MACHINE Filed May 25, 1959 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 Clarence L. Haw/rs ZNVENTOR.

4 Sheets-Sheet 4 C- L. HAWKS NEWSPAPER VENDING MACHINE wkth i March 26, 1963 Filed May 25, 1959 Clarence L. Hawks v INVENTOK BY fizwm United States Patent Ofitice 3,082,912 Patented Mar. 26, 1963 3,982,912 NEWSFAPEB VENDENG MAQHENE Clarence L. Hawks, Rte. 1, Fruita, 3010. Filed May 25, 1959, Ser. No. 815,515 3 Qiaims. (Cl. 221213) This invention relates to a new and useful newspaper vending machine, and more particularly to a newspaper vending machine which is adapted to dispense newspapers or similar relatively flat articles one at a time in response to movement of an operating lever, the movement thereof being permitted or restricted by a coin-operated control means.

The main object of this invention is to provide a news paper vending machine that may be operated to dispense newspapers or the like one at a time only after a predetermined number of coins have been inserted in an equal number of corresponding coin slots.

Another object of this invention, in accordance with the preceding object, is to provide a dispensing mechanism for the n wspaper vending machine that will positively dispense or place at least a portion of the article being dispensed outside of the vending machine so that the articles may then be grasped and entirely removed therefrom.

A further object is to provide a dispensing mechanism for a newspaper vending machine that will positively engage and dispense from the vending machine a newspaper or similar article without rendering damage to the relatively thin paper material that would make the print thereon illegible.

A still further object, in accordance with the preceding object is to provide a dispensing mechanism for a newspaper vending machine that will, when moving in one direction, move toward, engage, dispense, and move away from an article being dispensed so that the article may then be withdrawn from the vending machine without the dispensing mechanism causing damage thereto during the process.

Yet another object, in accordance with the preceding objects, is to provide a dispensing mechanism for a news paper vending machine having a cyclic motion that will have a starting point, move to a position to engage the article being dispensed, engage the article, dispense the article, and then be disengaged from the article and return to the starting position being capable of reverse movement throughout the entire cycle except between the dispensing point and the starting point without causing damage to the article being dispensed.

Another object is to provide a newspaper vending machine that will be capable of being operated in response to the insertion of a number of coins of various denominations into an equal number of coin slots with means for rendering one or more or all of the slots inoperable to the extent that the articles may be dispensed without having coins placed in those slots thereby changing the cost of the items being dispensed.

And a final object to be specifically enumerated herein is to provide a newspaper vending machine of relatively simple construction requiring but a small number of machined parts so that the vending machine will require little maintenance, be of sturdy construction, be simple to operate, and be economically feasible.

These together with other objects and advantages which ill become subsequently apparent reside in the details of construction and operation as more fully hereinafter nism which is used to maintain one newspaper in position to be dispensed from the dispensing slot at all times;

FIGURE 2 is a fragmentary perspective view of the newspaper vending machine with the front and one of the sides thereof being broken away and with various components of the vending machine omitted in order to clarify the construction of the operating and dispensing mechanisms, parts of the housing being shown in section;

FIGURE 3 is an enlarged horizontal sectional view taken substantially upon the plane indicated by the section line 33 of FIGURE 1 showing the double track rack that guides the feed mechanism through its dispensing cycle;v

FIGURE 4 is a transverse vertical sectional view taken substantially upon the plane indicated by the section line 44 of FIGURE 3, illustrating the details of construction of the coin operated control mechanism;

FIGURE 5 is an enlarged fragmentary longitudinal sectional view similar to FIGURE 3 but showing the feed rack in the double track rack; and

FIGURE 6 is an enlarged fragmentary longitudinal vertical sectional view taken substantially upon the plane indicated by section line 66 of FIGURE 3.

The newspaper vending machine of the instant invention is generally referred to by the reference numeral 8 and comprises a housing assembly generally designated by the reference numeral 16 having therein a coin controlled mechanism, an operating assembly, a magazine or storage assembly, and a dispensing assembly generally referred to by the numerals 12, 14, 16 and 18 respectively. The housing assembly 10 comprises a framework of angle members generally referred to by the reference numeral 29 and has end walls 22, top wall 24, bottom wall 26, and front and rear walls 28 and 30. The front wall 28 has a viewing window 32 so that the headlines of the papers or the like contained within the vending machine 8 may be seen from the outside, a plurality of coin slots 34 through which coins may be inserted, and a slot 36 through which the operating handle 38 of the operating assembly 14 extends.

The magazine or storage assembly 16 includes an inclined ramp 40, see FIGURE 1, on which a wheeled follower 42 or the like is placed to keep the newspapers 44 in a side-by-side relation disposed vertically so as to positionthe newspaper 44 remote from the wheeled follower 42 in position to be dispensed from the dispensing slot 46 which is formed in one of the end walls 22 adjacent a described and claimed, reference being had to the ac dispensing'assembly 18. A hinged closure 43 is adapted to seal the dispensing slot 46 when the latter is not being used to dispense a newspaper 44 from the vending machine 8.

It is to be understood that the hinged closure 4-8 may have a spring means urging it toward the closed position, and also that the wheeled follower may be provided with suitable supports so as to insure that it will maintain a substantially vertical position within the housing assembly 10 With attention now drawn to FIGURES 5 and 6 in particular, it will be seen that the movement of the dispensing assembly 18 is effected by movement of pivot bar 50 through a sliding pin and slot connection 52 which connects the double-hinged link assembly 54 to the feeder rack 56 that has projecting from the upper and lower surfaces thereof a pair of guide lugs 58 which are disposed in the grooves of the upper and lower double groove rack elements 60 which effect a cyclic movement of the feeder rack 56 upon the reciprocation of the pivot bar 5%. The two double groove racks 60 are identical in that they effect the same cyclic motion to both the upper and lower ends of the feeder rack 56, and therefore it is deemed necessary to describe only one of the same herein. Each of the double groove racks 60 has therein a pair of identical double-track grooves 62, and with attention drawn more particularly to FIGURE 3 of the drawings it will be seen that each double groove 62 comprises a pair of parallel grooves with one groove 64 adjacent to and in parallel relation to the newspapers 44. The second groove 66 is adjacent the front wall 28 of the housing assembly 10 and is in communication with the ends of thegrooves 64 at corresponding opposite ends by means of diagonal grooves 65. It is to be understood that the lugs 58 travel in the grooves 64 and 66 in a counter-clockwise direction and that when positioned at the extreme right, as seen in FIGURE 3, that the rack 56 is in that position immediately after the feeder rack 56 has dispensed a newspaper 44- from the dispenser 8.

With attention now drawn more particularly to FIG- URE 5 of the drawings, it will be noted that the feeder rack 56 can be seen in a position dispensing a newspaper 44 from the vending machine 8 and that the guide lugs 58 are disposed in the slot 64. The feeder rack 56 has projecting from its side adjacent the newspapers 44 a plurality of engaging elements 68 which are adapted to engage the newspapers 44 during the movement of the feeder rack 56 through the grooves 64 toward the dispensing slot 46. Further, it will be noted that the double-hinged link assembly 54 enables the feeder rack 56 to progress through its cyclic path during the reciprocating movement of the pivot bar 50.

The operating assembly 14 comprises an operating handle 38 which is pivotally secured to the angle members 28 of the housing assembly as at 70, see FIGURE 2. The pivotal movement of the free end of the operating handle 38 elfects the pivotal movement of the drawbar 74 which is also pivotally secured at one end to the angle members 20 as at 76. The pivotal movement of the drawbar 74 is effected by means of a pair of connector bars 72 which are pivotally secured atone end to operating handle 38 and at the other end to one end of drawbar 74. That end of drawbar 74 is disposed substantially directly beneath the corresponding end of operating handle 38. The end of the pivot bar 50 remote from the sliding slot and pin connection 52 is also pivotally secured tothc housing 10 as at 78, and thereis secured intermediate the ends of pivot bar 50 one end of connecting element 80 which has pivotally secured toits free end as at 82 the corresponding ends of a pair of connecting straps 84 the other ends of which are pivotally secured to drawbar 74 intermediate the ends thereof as at 86. 7

With reference to FIGURES 2 and 6 in particular, it will be noted that the upward movement of the free end of the operating handle 38 will effect upward movement of the free end of the drawbar 74 which will in turn, by means of connecting straps 84 effect the clockwise rota tion of the pivot bar 50 causing movement of the feeder rack 56 toward the operating handle 38.

Referring now more particularly to FIGURE 4 of the drawing, it will be noted that there is provided, in communication with each of the coin slots 34 a coin chute 88 which is in communication with a coin box 90 at its lower end. Each of the coin chutes 88 has an opening 92 in the forward edge thereof. There is also provided a stop pin 94 in alignment with the upper edge of the opening 92 adjacent the remote edge of each coin chute 88. Pivotally secured to operating handle 38 a spaced distance forward of and in alignment with each of the coin slots 88 is a coin-trigger 96. The coin triggers 96 are pivotally secured to the operating handle 38 by means of a transverse pin 98 and his to be understood that the coin triggers 96 may be spaced along the transverse pin 98 by any suitable manner so that each of the coin triggers 96 will be in alignment with one of the coin chutes 88. Each of the coin triggers 96 has an enlarged lower end with a cam surface 100 thereon which is adapted to extend through the corresponding openings 92 and into the coin chutes 88. The enlarged lower end portions of 4. each of the coin triggers 96 present an obstruction to coins passing downward through each of the coin chutes 88 and the opposite ends of each of the coin triggers 96 are provided with notches 182 which are adapted to engage p the upper limits of the opening 104 which is formed in thetrigger lock frame 106.

The operating handle 38 also has pivotally secured thereto by means of pivot pin 108 a plurality of rocker arms 110. The rocker arms 110 are equal in number to the coin triggers 96 and have pivotally secured to the upper end of each one end of a connecting rod 112, the other end of which is pivotally secured to the corresponding coin trigger 96 above the transverse pin 98. Secured between the upper end of each rocker arm 110 and the operating handle 38 is an expansion spring 114 which resiliently urges each of the coin triggers 96 into engagement with a trigger lock frame to restrict the upward movement of the free end of the operating handle 38.

Fixedly secured to the bottom wall 26 of the housing 10 is an upstanding support 116 which has pivotally secured thereto by means of pivot bolt 118 a plurality of cam elements 120 equal in number to rocker arms 110. Each of the cam elements 120 is suitably spaced in position on pivot bolt 118 and is in alignment with the corresponding rocker arm 110. One end of each of the cam elements 120 has a control rod 122 pivotally secured thereto and on the other end a cam surface 124 which is adapted to engage the adjacent surface of the corresponding rocker arm 110. The upper ends of the control rods 122 are passed through retaining elements 126 that are suitably secured to the adjacent side wall 22 of the housing assembly 10, each of the retaining elements 126 being adapted to frictionally engage the corresponding control rod 122 to retain it in adjusted positions.

Secured to each of the cam elements 12!) adjacent the end having the cam surface 124 thereon is one end of an expansion spring 128, the other end of each being suitably secured to one of the angle members 20 as at 130. It will be noted that upon the upward movement of either the control rods 122 that the corresponding. cam element 120 is pivoted so that its cam surface 124 engages the adjacent edge of the corresponding rocker arm 110 to pivot it about pivot pin 108 to move the notch 102 of the corresponding coin trigger 96 from engagement with the trigger lock frame 106. It will also be noted that the point 13am which one end of the expansion springs 28 are secured is located so as to in effect cause the expansion spring 128 to yieldingly retain the corresponding cam element 120 in adjusted position either in engagement with the corresponding rocker arm 110 or in a position with the cam surface 124 thereof a spaced distance from the adjacent edge of the rocker arm 110. The cam surface 108 on the enlarged lower end portion of each of the coin triggers 96 stop the downward travel of the coin 132 through the corresponding coin chute S8, and it will be noted that when the operating handle 38 is raised that when the correct coin 132 is positioned between the cam surface 100 and the stop pin 94, that the coin 132 will act as a cam to move corresponding notch 102 out of engagement with a trigger lock frame against the force of the expansion spring 114. It is to be understood that the control rods 122 are to be moved as desired in order to pivot the corresponding coin triggers out of engagement with the trigger lock frame if it is desired that the corresponding coin chute 88 is not to be used to stop a customer from inserting a coin. into a coin slot which will not have any effect upon the coin controlled mechanism.

It is to be understood that any number of coin chutes 88 and the corresponding cooperating elements may be provided in order to provide the dispensing of articles from the vending machine 8 costing different amounts. For example, if four chutes 88 were provided together with an equal number of related corresponding elements,

two of the coin chutes for nickels, one of the coin chutes for dimes, and the other for quarters, the vendingmachine 8 could be set to dispense articles priced at five set intervals from nothing per article to 45 cents per article. For example, as shown in FIGURE 4, if the vending machine 8 was set to dispense articles costing a dime, all of the coin triggers except one cooperating with a ten cent chute would be pivoted to an inoperative position leaving only that one coin trigger 96 engaging the trigger lock frame 106 to stop the upward movement of the operating handle 38. If a dime or coin 132 was inserted in the operative chute S8 and positioned between the cam 'surface 100 and the stop pin 94, as the free end of the operating handle is moved in an upward direction the cam surface 100 would raise the coin 132 until it engaged the stop pin 94, further movement of the operating handle then effecting the pivotal movement of the corresponding coin trigger 96 moving its notch 102 out of engagement with the trigger lock frame 106. Without a coin trigger 96 restricting the movement of the operating handle 38 it could be moved in an upward direction until the feeder rack 56 is moved to the extreme left position of FIGURES 3 through 6 whereupon the downward movement of the operating handle 38 would cause the lugs 58 to move through the groove 64 whereupon the engagement element 68 would engage a newspaper 44 and move it through the dispensing slot 46.

It is to be understood that the grooves 64 and 66 and the connecting end passages may be formed in a unitary track rack or that suitably shaped blocks 136 and 137 may be secured by fasteners 138 to form the desired shaped groove. The blocks 136 define the outer end peripheral edges of the isosceles trapezoidal path formed by the grooves 64, 66 and 65 and the blocks 137 define the inner peripheral edges of the isosceles trapezoidal path. Further, any convenient means may be utilized such as expansion spring 140 to return the operating handle 38 to a position where the feeder rack 56 will have disengaged completely from the newspaper 44 and be positioned at the end of the groove 62 adjacent the delivery slot 46 in position to dispense the next newspaper 44 from the vending machine 8.

With attention drawn now more particularly to FIG- URES 3 to 5 the edge of each of the blocks 137 encircled by the double-track grooves 62 adjacent the dispensing slot 46 is provided with an irregular surface as at 142 to restrict the backward movement of the feeder rack 56. Further, the blocks 136 defining the ends of the grooves 64 and 66 remote from the delivery slot 46 are each provided with a pocket 143 having a cam surface 145 for laterally offsetting the position of the feeder rack 56 from the grooves 66 into the grooves 65 extending toward the newspapers 44 upon movement of the feeder rack 56 to the ends of the double track grooves 62 remote from the delivery slot 46 whereby it is assured that initial operation of the handle to dispense a news paper will effect forward movement of said rack through grooves 65 extending toward the newspapers 44 and not rearward movement through the groove 62 remote from the newspapers 44. A person using the vending machine 8 could therefore not move the operating handle 38 to return or to move the feeder rack 56 in a reverse direction after a newspaper 44 has been partially dispensed from the vending machine 8 thereby allowing the operation of the dispensing mechanism in the correct manner only. After the newspaper 44 has been dispensed, as the operating handle 38 is released, the expansion spring 140, see FIGURE 4, will return the free end thereof to its lowest position which will move the feeder rack 56 to the end of the double-track groove 62 adjacent the dispensing slot 46 whereupon the lugs 58 will have moved past the non-return springs 144. It is therefore to be understood that once a paper has been dispensed through slot 46 that the feeder rack will automatically be positioned adjacent that end of the housing assemblylt) with the coin triggers 96 having their notches 102 in engagement with a trigger lock frame 106 thereby locking the operating handle 38 against movement unless the correct coins 132 are inserted into the corresponding coin chutes 88.

Although the engaging elements 68 have been illustrated for the purpose of dispensing newspapers from the vending machine 8 it is to be understood that suitable engaging elements would be used for different articles that are to be dispensed from the vending machine 8.

The foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention as claimed.

What is claimed as new is as follows:

1. An article vending machine comprising a housing, a dispensing slot in said housing, means for storing a plurality of articles in said housing in side-by-side relation with one of said articles in a position to be dispensed through said slot, a movable operating handle, said operating handle being operatively connected to a feeder mechanism, said feeder mechanism being engageable with said one article to dispense the latter through said dispensing slot upon movement of said handle in one direction, coin control mechanism means controlling the movement of said operating handle, said feeder mechanism including a feed rack disposed adjacent said articles and having article engaging elements on the side adjacent said articles, mounting means mounting said feeder rack in said housing for cyclic movement through a substantially isosceles trapezoidal path, the two non parallel sides of said path being inwardly convergent toward said articles and the two parallel sides thereof being substantially parallel to said articles, said mounting means defining, in the first non-parallel sides of said path extending away from said articles toward said slot, means preventing reverse movement of said feeder rack therethrough and non-return means at the juncture of said first non-parallel side extending away from said articles toward said slot and the first parallel side preventing reverse movement of said feeder rack from said first parallel side into said first nonparallel side, said mounting means also including means at the juncture of the end of the first parallel side adjacent the end of the second non-parallel side for laterally deflecting said feeder rack from the end of said first parallel side remote from said slot into the adjacent end of said second non-parallel side remote from said articles upon movement of said rack along said first parallel side to the end thereof remote from said slot.

2. The combination of claim 1 wherein said feeder rack has a pair of projecting lugs on opposite ends thereof, said rack being disposed between a pair of double groove racks with each having a double track groove and comprising said mounting means defining said path, each pair of lugs being slidably disposed in one of said double track grooves whereby to positively guide the movement of the feeder rack, each double track groove comprising a pair of parallel grooves substantially parallel to said articles, the corresponding ends of said grooves being in communication by means of diagonal grooves, said diagonal grooves being inwardly convergent whereby when said rack is positioned with its lugs in the base groove at the end remote from said dispensing slot, the forward movement of said rack through the adjacent diagonal groove and the parallel groove adjacent said articles toward said dispensing slot will effect the engagement of said one article by said article engaging elements and the movement of the article through the dispensing slot, the further forward movement of the feeder rack through the diagonal groove adjacent said dispensing slot moving the feeder rack out of engagement with said article into the end of the parallel groove remote from said articles adjacent the dispensing slot.

3. The combination of claim 1 wherein saidv mounting means includes means prohibiting rearward movement of said lugs through said second non-parallel side remote from said dispensing slot into said first parallel side remote from said articles.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 435,370 Stevens Aug. 26, 1890 8 H01: Mar. 31, 1903 Halvorsen Dec. 15, 1914 Turney Feb. 19, 1918 Hotaling Nov. 19, 19 18 Germain Mar. 23, 1920 Pfund Dec. 26, 1922 Mitchusson J an. 3, 1928 Nelson Apr. 9, 1929 Fry "June 3, 1930 Nelson Ian. 13, 1931 Graham Sept. 12, 1950

Claims (1)

1. AN ARTICLE VENDING MACHINE COMPRISING A HOUSING, A DISPENSING SLOT IN SAID HOUSING, MEANS FOR STORING A PLURALITY OF ARTICLES IN SAID HOUSING IN SIDE-BY-SIDE RELATION WITH ONE OF SAID ARTICLES IN A POSITION TO BE DISPENSED THROUGH SAID SLOT, A MOVABLE OPERATING HANDLE, SAID OPERATING HANDLE BEING OPERATIVELY CONNECTED TO A FEEDER MECHANISM, SAID FEEDER MECHANISM BEING ENGAGEABLE WITH SAID ONE ARTICLE TO DISPENSE THE LATTER THROUGH SAID DISPENSING SLOT UPON MOVEMENT OF SAID HANDLE IN ONE DIRECTION, COIN CONTROL MECHANISM MEANS CONTROLLING THE MOVEMENT OF SAID OPERATING HANDLE, SAID FEEDER MECHANISM INCLUDING A FEED RACK DISPOSED ADJACENT SAID ARTICLES AND HAVING ARTICLE ENGAGING ELEMENTS ON THE SIDE ADJACENT SAID ARTICLES, MOUNTING MEANS MOUNTING SAID FEEDER RACK IN SAID HOUSING FOR CYCLIC MOVEMENT THROUGH A SUBSTANTIALLY ISOSCELES TRAPEZOIDAL PATH, THE TWO NONPARALLEL SIDES OF SAID PATH BEING INWARDLY CONVERGENT TOWARD SAID ARTICLES AND THE TWO PARALLEL SIDES THEREOF BEING SUBSTANTIALLY PARALLEL TO SAID ARTICLES, SAID MOUNTING MEANS DEFINING, IN THE FIRST NON-PARALLEL SIDES OF SAID PATH EXTENDING AWAY FROM SAID ARTICLES TOWARD SAID SLOT, MEANS PREVENTING REVERSE MOVEMENT OF SAID FEEDER RACK THERETHROUGH AND NON-RETURN MEANS AT THE JUNCTURE OF SAID FIRST NON-PARALLEL SIDE EXTENDING AWAY FROM SAID ARTICLES TOWARD SAID SLOT AND THE FIRST PARALLEL SIDE PREVENTING REVERSE MOVEMENT OF SAID FEEDER RACK FROM SAID FIRST PARALLEL SIDE INTO SAID FIRST NON-PARALLEL SIDE, SAID MOUNTING MEANS ALSO INCLUDING MEANS AT THE JUNCTURE OF THE END OF THE FIRST PARALLEL SIDE ADJACENT THE END OF THE SECOND NON-PARALLEL SIDE FOR LATERALLY DEFLECTING SAID FEEDER RACK FROM THE END OF SAID FIRST PARALLEL SIDE REMOTE FROM SAID SLOT INTO THE ADJACENT END OF SAID SECOND NON-PARALLEL SIDE REMOTE FROM SAID ARTICLES UPON MOVEMENT OF SAID RACK ALONG SAID FIRST PARALLEL SIDE TO THE END THEREOF REMOTE FROM SAID SLOT.

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