US3107789A - Towel dispensing machine - Google Patents

Description

Oct. 22, 1963 .J. 'r. SHORT 3,107,789

TOWEL DISPENSING MACHINE Original Filed July 25, 1958 I 8 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR ATTORNEYS Get. 22, 1963 J. T. SHORT TOWEL DISPENSING MACHINE 8 Sheets-Sheet 2 Original Filed July 25, 1958 INVENTOR Joe 2361101??- ozz/ae, MfiaM ATTORNEYS Oct. 22, 1963 J. SHORT TOWEL DISPENSING MACHINE Original Filed July 25, 1958 8 Sheets-Sheet vf5 ATTORNEYS Oct. 22, 1963 Original Fi e d July 25, 1958 J. T. SHORT TOWEL DISPENSING MACHINE 8 Sheets-Sheet 4 ATTORNEYS J. T. SHORT TOWEL DISPENSING MACHINE Get. 22, 1963 8 Sheets-Sheet 5 olfiginal Filed July 25 1958 ATTORNEYS Oct. 22, 1963 J. T. SHORT 3,1 7,78

TOWEL DISPENSING MACHINE g M (549' Z I INVENTOR I E" Jae 215m h y m m ATTORNEYS Oct. 22, 1963 J. T. SHORT TOWEL DISPENSING MACHINE 8 Sheets-Sheet 8 Original Filed July 25, 1958 INV E NTOR Joe 1! Short WQQ MAQM ATTORNEYS United States Patent 3,107,789 TOWEL DISPENSENG MACHWE Joe T. Short, West Point, (3a., assignor to Cailaway Mills Company, La Grange, Ga., a corporation of Georgia Continuation of application Ser. No. 751,649, July 25, 1958. This application July 6, 1961, Ser. No. 123,947 5 Claims. (Cl. 209-88) The present invention relates to a machine for dispensing clean towels in exchange for soiled towels deposited therein. This application is a continuation of my co-pending application Serial No. 751,049, filed July 25, 195 8, now abandoned.

It is common practice in shops and factories to make wiping towels available to workmen for use in wiping machinery, equipment, work in progress, and finished items. The disappearance of such towels through loss or theft has been a serious economic consideration and has been a major factor in the cost of making such towels available. Machines have heretofore been developed which were designed to operate on the principle of supplying clean towels in exchange for soiled towels deposited in the machines. So far as I am aware, such prior machines have not gone into widespread use in spite of the obvious economic advantages which would be possessed by a satisfactory machine for that purpose. It appears that one defect in the prior machines has been that the mechanisms for receiving the soiled towels have not been sufficiently certain and selective in their operation to reasonably assure that clean towels would be dispensed only in exchange for soiled towels of comparable dimensions. Some such prior machines have attempted to rely on the weight or" the soiled towel to determine whether it would be accepted in exchange for a clean towel. That principle of action has presented difiiculties because soiled towels will vary considerably in weight by virtue of differences in the amount or character of the contaminants thereon. The clean towel dispensing mechanisms of some prior machines have operated on the principle of attempting to remove a clean towel from a stack of towels through some form of gripping or snagging action. It appears that such prior dispensing mechanisms have not been sufiiciently certain in operation to dispense a single clean towel for each soiled towel deposited in the machines and such mechanisms also appear to have had a tendency to tear or otherwise injure the towels.

The machine of the present invention overcomes the primary deficiencies which have been found to exist in prior towel dispensing machines of the type under consideration. The soiled towel receiving and accepting or rejecting mechanism includes a power driven conveyor over which the soiled towels are conveyed one at a time. A pair of switch actuating arms are longitudinally spaced along the conveyor to be deflected by a towel passing along the conveyor. If a soiled towel passing along the conveyor has suiiicient minimum dimensions to assure that both switch actuating arms are held deflected at the same time, an accepting circuit is energized to cause the soiled towel to be accepted by the machine. If a fragment of a towel or some other article having insufiicient minimum dimensions to hold the two switch actuat ing arms deflected at the same time is deposited in the machine, the accepting circuit is not energized and the ice towel fragment or other article is rejected by the machine. In alignment with the conveyor beyond the delivery end thereof is a trip plate which actuates a switch to deenergize the machine in case the trip plate is struck by some elongated rigid object inserted in the machine in an attempt to dishonestly obtain clean towels.

In the machine of the present invention the clean towels are arranged in bundles, each of which includes a plurality of towels. The bundles of clean towels are placed in a battery of shelves which move in a closed path past a clean towel dispensing opening. A bundle of clean towels may be manually removed through the clean towel dispensing opening from a shelf which is in alignment with that opening. The shelves are advanced one by one into alignment with the clean towel dispensing opening each time that the machine has caused the acceptance of soiled towels equal in number to the clean towels in a bundle.

The primary object of the present invention is to provide an improved machine tor dispensing clean towels in exchange for soiled towels deposited in the machine.

A further object of the invention is to provide towel dispensing apparatus of the type described which will accept only soiled towels of certain minimum dimensions and will reject fragments of towels or other articles of less than such minimum dimensions.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a towel dispensing machine which will simultaneously dispense a plurality of clean towels after sequential acceptance by the machine of a like number of soil-ed towels.

Another object of the invention is to prvoide a towel dispensing machine which can be easily and quickly loaded with a supply of clean towels.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a towel dispensing machine in which the dispensing mechanism is simple and reliable in operation and has no tendency to tear or otherwise damage the towels.

A further object of the invention is to provide a towel dispensing machine having soiled towel accepting or rejecting mechanism which will function to accept soiled towels of certain minim-urn dimensions, irrespective of variations in the weight of such towel-s which might be caused by differences in the amount or character of contaminants thereon.

A further object of the invention is to provide a towel dispensing machine of the type described which will automatically become inoperative and will signal its inoperative condition when an attempt is made to operate the machine by depositing an improper or unauthorized object therein.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a towel dispensing machine which is diflicult to cheat and which will discourage dishonest efforts to obtain clean towels without depositing appropriate soiled towels in the machine.

The foregoing and other objects and advantages of the invention will be more fully understood from the following detailed description which has reference to the accompanying drawings wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of a machine embodying the invention;

FIGURE 2 is a view similar to FIGURE 1 but illustrating the door of the machine in open position;

FIGURE 3 is a vertical sectional view taken in the a direction of the arrows along the line 33 of FIG- URE 1;

FIGURE 4 is a vertical sectional view of a portion of the apparatus illustrated in FIGURE 3;

FIGURE 5 is a vertical sectional view taken in the direction of the arrows along the line 5-5 of FIG- URE 4;

FIGURE 6 is a vertical sectional view taken in the direction of the arrows along the line 66 of FIG- URE 1;

FIGURE 7 is a view partly in vertical section and partly in side elevation of a portion of the clean towel storage and dispensing mechanism;

FIGURE 8 is a view partly in front elevation and partly in vertical section of a portion of the clean towel storage and dispensing mechanism;

FIGURE 9 is a top plan view of one of the shelves for holding a bundle of clean towels;

FIGURE 10 is a sectional view taken in the direction of the arrows along the line l(i1t) of FEGURE 9; and

FTGURE 11 is a wiring diagram of the machine.

Description 0 the Soiled Towel Receiving Mechanism The machine includes a cabinet designated generally by the reference numeral 11 and provided with a swinging door 12. A soiled towel receiving opening 13 is provided in the door 12. The opening 13 is at least partially closed by a swinging door 14 which is pivoted at 15. The insertion of a soiled towel through the opening 13 will swing the door 14 about its pivot 15 and will close a normally open conveyor switch 16 by means of a link 17 which is pivoted at 18 to the door 14. The closing of the switch 16 energizes a conveyor motor 19 which is supported by an angle bracket 2% secured to a side plate 21 attached to the door 12. The conveyor motor 19 is provided with a gear reducing unit 22 and is operative to drive a shaft 23 of a belt conveyor through the means of sprockets and a chain 24. The shaft 23 is journaled in the side plate 21 and in a similar side plate 25. A second conveyor shaft 26 is similarly journaled in the side plates 21 and 25. A roller 27 is fixed on the shaft 23 and a similar roller 28 is mounted on the shaft 26. A belt conveyor 29 runs on the rollers 27 and 23.

Switch actuating arms 39 and 31 are pivotally mounted at 32 on the side plates 21 and 25. The free ends of the arms and 31 carry a shaft 33 which is movable in arcuate slots 34 in the side plates 21. and 25. A towel engaging roller 35 is mounted on the shaft 33 in position to be elevated by passage thereunder or" a soiled towel on the conveyor belt 29. Elevation of the roller 35 raises the free ends of the switch actuating arms 36 and 31 and serves to close a switch 36. Similar switch actuating arms 37 and 38 are pivotally mounted on a shaft 39 which extends between the side plates 21 and 25. The free ends of the arms 37 and 38 carry a shaft 40 which is movable in arcuate slots 41 in the side plates. A roller 42 is mounted on the shaft 4%} and is capable of being elevated by a towel passing along the conveyor belt 29. Elevation of the roller 42 moves the arms 37 and 33 to close switch 43.

The rollers 35 and 42 are longitudinally spaced along the conveyor belt 29, as clearly shown in the drawings. The switches 36 and 43 are connected in series in an electric circuit which controls a solenoid 44. The solenoid 4-4 is connected by a link 45 and a crank arm 46 to a shaft 47 which is journaled in bearings 48 secured to the side plates 21 and 25. A barrier 49 is secured to the shaft 47 and normally occupies the full line position illustrated in FIGURE 4, in which position it closes access from the delivery end of the conveyor to a soiled towel storage compartment 50. A chute 51 extends from the lower edges of the side plates 21 and 25 and from adjacent the shaft 47 to a rejected towel discharge opening 52 in the door 12.

The closing of the switch 16 to energize the conveyor motor 19 also energizes a soiled towel distributing motor 53 mounted on a bracket 54 secured to the side plate 25. The motor 53 drives flexible soiled towel deflector blades 55.

A trip plate 56 is pivotally mounted at 57 between the side plates 21 and 25. The trip plate 56 is positioned in alignment with the conveyor and beyond the delivery end thereof. Any rigid or semi-rigid object such as a piece of wood or a roll of paper passing along the conveyor belt 29 will strike the trip plate 56 to open a normally closed switch 58 to de-energize the machine until the objectionable object is removed and the machine is reset, as later described.

A swinging gate 59 is pivotally mounted on the shaft 39 and is provided at its lower end with teeth 68.

A fusible type fire extinguisher F (FIG. 6) is preferably positioned above the soiled towel compartment :30 to extinguish any fire which might start in the soiled towels from spontaneous combustion or other causes.

Operation of the Soiled Towel Receiving Mechanism One end of a soiled towel may be inserted through the soiled towel receiving opening 13 until the door 14 is moved to close the switch 16. Closing of the switch 16 energizes the conveyor motor w and also energizes the soiled towel distributing motor 53. The towel is conveyed along the conveyor and, if the towel is of full size, the roller 35 will be elevated and the roller 42 will be subsequently elevated prior to the time that the roller 35 returns to its normal position. The switches 36- and 43 will thus be closed concurrently to energize the solenoid 44-. Energization of the solenoid 44 serves to move the barrier 49 from the full line position of FIGURE 4 to the position 49:: shown by broken lines in that figure. The towel then drops from the delivery end of the conveyor and strikes the flexible blades 55 driven by the motor 53. Those blades serve to rapidly pull the towel away from the conveyor and to toss it at random into the soiled towel storage compartment 56 In the event a fragment of towel or a fabric article of less than minimum dimensions is inserted through the opening 13, the action is the same as that described above except for the fact that the roller 35 will first be raised and will then descend prior to the time that the roller 42. is elevated. Under these circumstances the switches 36 and 43 are not concurrently closed and the solenoid 44 will not be energized. The barrier 49 remains in its full line position shown in FlGURE 4 and when the towel fragment or other piece of fabric drops from the delivery end of the conveyor it is directed through the chute 51 to the rejected towel discharge opening 52.

The teeth 69 on the swinging gate 59 cooperate with the conveyor belt 29 to prevent the towel from being withdrawn from the machine once it has entered the machine a distance suiiicient to pass under the gate 59. A dishonest user is thus prevented from actuating the device with a regulation towel and then withdrawing that towel for use in again actuating the machine.

In the event a rigid or semi-rigid article such as a piece of wood or a roll of paper is inserted through the opening 13, that article will be conveyed by the conveyor but will strike the trip plate 56 to open the switch 58. The machine is thereby rendered inoperative until the unauthorized article has been removed from the machine and the machine has been reset in the manner hereinafter described.

Description of the Clean Towel Dispensing Mechanism The clean towel storageand dispensing mechanism in cludes a battery of generally U-shaped shelves 61 having their closed ends 62 secured by angle members 63 to the links of supporting chains 64 and 65. Each U-shaped shelf is designed to receive and retain a bundle of soiled towels. For the purpose of illustration in this application it is assumed that each bundle will contain five clean towels folded in the manner best illustrated in FIGURES 9 and 10. The shelves 61 are each provided with spring fingers 66 struck therefrom,- which act as clamps to retain the bundles of towels within the shelves. The open ends of the U-shaped shelves are provided with central notches 67 to facilitate withdrawal of the bundles as hereinafter described.

The chains 64 and 55 run on sprockets 68 on a shaft 69 which is journaled in the side walls 70 of the clean towel housing designated generally by the reference numeral 71. The chains 6 and 65 also run on sprockets 72 fixed to a driven shaft 73 similarly joumaled in the side walls 70. The clean towel housing 71 includes a wall 74 which forms a closed oval path adjacent the open ends of the U-shaped shelves 61.

A dispensing motor 75 is energized in the manner hereinafter described. The motor 75 is provided with a gear reduction unit 76 to drive a chain 77 which in turn drives a countershaft 78 journaled in suitable bearings 79 secured to the side wall 70. An intermittent worm 80 is fixed to the countershaft 78 and drives a worm wheel 81 which is fixed to the shaft 73. Also fixed to the countershaft 78 is a cam 32 which functions to open a dispensing motor stop switch 83 after the countershaft 78 has made one revolution.

The wall 74 is provided with a clean towel dispensing opening 84. Fixed to the door 12 is a funnel-like member 85. The larger end of the funnel-like member 85 is normally closed bya sliding door 86 which is preferably of transparent material. The sliding door 86 is provided with a handle 37 by which it can be moved upwardly in tracks 88. The smaller end of the funnel-like member 85 overlies the clean towel dispensing opening 84 when the door 12. is closed.

A portion of the wall 74 of the housing 7-1 is designated by the reference numeral 89 and is hinged at 90. The portion 89 of the wall 74 normally occupies the position shown in full lines in FIGURE 7 but may be lowered to the position shown in broken lines in that figure and also shown in FIGURE 2. In its lowered position the wall 89 forms a shelf for reception of a stack 91 of bundles of clean towels. In its lowered position the shelf 89 is supported by a prop 92., as clearly illustrated in FIG- URE 2.

An empty signal switch 106 is mounted on the wall 70 and is provided with a switch actuating arm 106a. The arm 106a is spring biased toward the full line position shown in FIGURE 8 and has its lower end positioned just above the clean towel dispensing opening 84. As long as bundles of clean towels are in the shelves 61 which are approaching the opening 84 the arm 106a is held in the dotted line position of FIGURE 8 by the edges of the bundles of clean towels. When the supply of bundles of clean towels becomes exhausted, the arm 106a moves to the full line position of FIGURE 8 to actuate the switch 106 to de-energize the machine and to illuminate an empty signal lamp, as hereinafter described.

Operation of the Clean Towel Dispensing Mechanism The battery of shelves 61 can be loaded with bundles of clean towels by lowering the shelf 89 to the position illustrated in FIGURE 2 to thus expose a number of shelves 61. A bundle of towels can be taken from the stack 91 and inserted in each of the thus exposed shelves. A foot-operated loading switch 93 serves to energize the dispensing motor 75 to expose additional shelves. This operation is continued until all shelves 61 have been filled with bundles of clean towels except those shelves 61 which will coincide with the smaller end of the funnellike member 85 when the door 12 is closed. The shelf 89 is then raised to its full line position shown in FIG- URE 7. The door 12 is closed and locked by the lock mechanism 94-.

It has been assumed for the purpose of this description that each shelf 61 contains a bundle of five clean towels. It will thus be necessary for a user of the machine to deposit five soiled towels into the machine in order to obtain a bundle of five clean towels. The user inserts the soiled towels sequentially one by one into the soiled towel receiving opening 13. Each time the soiled towel receiving mechanism receives and accepts a towel of authorized dimensions, a stepping relay (hereinafter described) is actuated. When five soiled towels have been accepted by the machine, the dispensing motor 75 is energized and the countershaft 78 will be driven through one revolution before the motor 75 is de-energized by the cam 82 and switch 83. Turning of the countershaft 78 through one revolution drives the shaft 73 through an angle sufficient to advance the chains 64 and 65 an amount to bring one filled shelf 61 into position to coincide with the smaller end of the funnel-like member 85. The sliding door 86 is then raised and the exposed bundle of towels can be manually removed from its shelf 61. No other bundle of clean towels will be accessible to the user of the machine until an additional five soiled towels have been deposited in the machine.

Electrical Components of System The electrical system is fully illustrated in FIGURE 11. Power is supplied to the apparatus through the ordinary power main (not shown) connected to the apparatus by means of a conventional plug 95. Power lines 96 and 97 direct power voltage to the various components of the apparatus.

The apparatus is controlled by a power relay 98 which has one side of its operating coil connected to power line 97 and the other side connected through a power reset switch 99 to power line 96. The reset switch is a push-button momentary operation type switch that is manually closed when the apparatus is desired to be placed in operation, and which completes a circuit for the operating coil of the power relay 98 to cause the relay to energize. Normally open contacts 100 of the power relay establish a holding circuit for the relay shunting the reset switch 99'. This holding circuit includes a trip plate actuated switch 58, so that the power relay 98 remains energized after the reset switch is operated until such time as the switch 58 is opened by an object striking the trip plate 56, as described above.

The power relay 98 also has normally open and normally closed contacts which include a movable contact 101 connected to power line 96, a stationary contact 102 with which the movable contact is normally in engagement, and a second stationary contact 103 which is engaged by the movable contact when the relay 98 operates. Stationary contact 102. is connected to one side of a reset lamp 104, while the other side of the lamp is connected to power line 97 through fuse10'5. Therefore, when the power relay 98 is not energized, the reset lamp is operated through the normally closed contacts of the power relay.

The stationary contact 103 of the power relay 98 is connected through the empty signal switch 106 (shown in its normal condition when clean towels are in the machine) vto one side of the operating coil of a conveyor relay 107. The other side of this operating coil is connected through the conveyor switch 16 to power line 97. Since the first side of the operating coil of relay 107 is connected to power line 96 through the empty signal switch 106 and the power relay contacts 101 and 10 3, the relay 107 is energized when the starter switch 16 is closed by elevation of the door 14 when a soiled towel is inserted in the machine.

The normally open contacts of the conveyor relay 107 connect one side of the conveyor motor 19 to power line 96 when the relay is ope-rated, while the other side is connected directly to power line 97 The distributor motor 53 is connected in shunt across the intake motor so that,

arovgvss when relay 187 is energized by elevation of the door 14, both the conveyor motor 19 and the distributor motor 55 begin operation.

As indicated above, the conveyor motor 19 drives conveyor belt 29 to move a towel inserted in the machine from door 14 toward the storage compartment 59. The roller 35 controls the switch 36 and closes the normally open contacts of that switch when a towel passes between that roller and the conveyor belt. In its advance along the conveyor 29 a towel of sufiicient minimum dimensions also elevates roller 42 while roller 35 is still elevated. Elevation of roller 42 serves to close two sets of normally open contacts of switch 43. One set of these contacts is connected in shunt with the starter switch contacts 16 so that, when the towel advances to a position between roller 42 and the conveyor belt, a holding circuit around the starter switch 16 is established and the relay 1%)? is maintained energized, despite passage of the trailing end of the towel through the door 14 and return of that door 14 to its normal position to open switch 16.

The stationary contact of the other set of contacts of switch 43 is connected through the normally open contacts 101 and 1% of power relay 98 to power line 9-6. The movable contact is connected to the movable contact of switch 36, controlled by roller 36. The cooperating stationary contact of switch 36 is connected to one side of the advance coil 168 of stepping relay 109, while the other terminal of the operating coil is connected to power line 97. As a result, when a towel passes between rollers 35 and 42 and conveyor 29 in such manner that both rollers are elevated and both switches 36 and 43 are closed concurrently, a power circuit for the stepping relay 168 is established. The stepping relay includes the usual ratchet wheel controlled by the advance lever 11% operated by the advance coil N3, and by the reset lever 11!. controlled by the reset coil 112 of the stepping relay.

The stepping relay 1&9 has a movable contact 113 so operable with each of five stationary contacts. Only the fifth one of these stationary contacts has a connection, and that connection is to one side of the operating coil of dispensing motor relay 114. The other side of this relay coil is connected through power relay contacts 1M and 193 to power line 96. The movable contact 113 of the stepping relay is connected directly to power line $7 so that, when the stepping-relay has advanced to the position in which movable contact 113 is in engagement with its fifth stationary contact, a power circuit is established for the operating coil of dispensing motor relay 114.

The dispensing motor relay 114 has two pairs of normally open contacts. The stationary contact 115 of one pair is connected to one side of dispensing motor 75, while the cooperating movable contact is connected di rectly to power line 97. The other side of the dispensing motor 75 is connected through contacts 1491 and 103 of power relay 98 to power line 96. As a result of these connections, when the dispensing motor relay illitis energized, the dispensing motor 75 is connected across the power lines and is in turn energized to advance one bundle of towels into position, as described above. The other set of contacts of dispensing motor relay 114 is connected as a holding circuit for the relay coil, so that the tea will remain energized after the stepping relay is returned to its normal condition from its fifth position. The stationary contact 116 of this set or contacts is connected to one side of the operating coil of relay Eld- (that side which is connected to the fifth contact of the stepping relay), while the cooperating movable contact is connected through the dispensing motor stop switch 83 to power line 97.

As indicated above, the apparatus also includes a barrier 49, the position of which is controlled by solenoid 44 and which is normally in position to prevent a towel from going to the storage compartment 50. Solenoid 4d has one terminal of its operating coil connected to power line 6 through the normally open contacts of power relay 9%, while its other terminal is connected through the normally open contacts of an acceptance relay 118 to power line 97. The acceptance relay has one terminal of its operating coil connected through the normally open switches 36 and 43 and the normally open contacts of the power relay Q3 to power line as. The other terminal of the operating coil is connected through a half-wave rectifier 119 directly to power line d7. As a result of these connections, the acceptance relay is energized each time the stepping relay advance coil is energized to energize solenoid 44, and move the barrier 49 to a position such as to permit a soiled towel to pass from the conveyor belt 29 into the storage compartment 50.

it will be seen that in order for the acceptance relay llllll to be energized it is necessary that both switches 36 and 43 be closed, and for these switches to be closed there must be a towel on the conveyor belt 29 of sufficient dimensions to maintain both rollers 35 and 42 elevated at the same time. However, when the towel is in position to be discharged into the storage compartment St it has passed beyond these rollers and the switches as and 43 are open, so that the solenoid 44 would not be energized at the correct time to send a towel to the storage compartment 5%. Therefore, a delay circuit for the acceptance relay 128 is provided, that circuit including a capacitor 124} connected directly across the operating coil of the relay. The relay 118 is of the direct current type, as indicated by the provision of rectifier 119 in its circuit. When the relay 118 is first energized the capacitor 120 is charged. When the towel passes beyond the roller 35 and subsequently beyond the roller 42, to

thereby open switches 36 and 43 successively, acceptance relay 118 is maintained energized by discharge of the voltage across capacitor 126 through the operating coil of the relay, until sufilcient time has elapsed for the towel to pass beyond the barrier 49. Relay 118 and solenoid 44 then drop out.

The normally open contacts of acceptance relay 118 also connect an electrical counter 121 across the power lines when the relay is energized to cause the counter to advance its numeral representation by one digit each time the acceptance relay is energized. The power connection to the counter is established by connection of one side of the counter through power relay 98 to power line 9d and by connection of the other side of the counter through the contacts of acceptance relay 113 to power line 97.

As indicated above, the dispensing motor is energized each time the dispensing motor relay 114 is operated. As further indicated, the stationary contact 116 of that relay and its cooperable movable contact establish a holding circuit for the relay through dispensing motor stop switch 83. The stop switch 83 is opened at the end of one revolution of the countershaft 78 to deenergize the dispensing motor relay and to thereby open the power circuit to the dispensing motor 75.

The stepping relay 109 automatically advances into successive ones of its positions each time its advance coil 163 is energized. The return coil 112 of the relay has one of its terminals connected through the power relay 98 to power line 96 and its other terminal connected to the fifth stationary contact of the stepping relay. Thereby, when the stepping relay advances to its fifth position, the return coil 112 is energized to return the movable contact 113 of the stepping relay to its initial or zero condition. The stepping relay is actually shown in its first position as if one soiled towel had already been deposited in the machine. By increasing or decreasing the number of effective stationary contacts on the stepping relay 1639, it is possible to dispense a bundle of clean towels after acceptance by the machine of a greater or lesser number of soiled towels. In any event, the nu1nber of clean towels in a bundle will be equal to the number of effective stationary contacts on the stepping relay.

The apparatus is also arranged for convenient loading of towels into the shelves 61 under the control of an operator. This is provided for by the foot-operated loading switch 93 which is normally open. One side of the loading switch 93 is connected directly to power line 97, while the other side is connected through the operating coil of dispensing motor relay 114 and power relay 98 to power line 96. Each time the foot-operated loading switch 93 is closed, the dispensing motor relay 114 operates to energize the dispensing motor 75 to advance the shelves 61 by one position. The five towels in a bundle can then be placed in a dispensing shelf and the next shelf advanced into loading position by operation of loading switch 93.

At the beginning of the description of this electrical system it was indicated that the reset lamp 104 was energized when the power relay 98 was not operated. The apparatus is also provided with a run lamp 122 which has one of its terminals connected to power line 97 and its other terminal connected through empty signal switch 196 and the normally open contacts of the power relay 98 to power line 96. As a result of these connections, the run lamp 122 is lighted whenever the power relay is energized to indicate that the machine is in operating condition.

The empty signal switch 106 has a movable contact 123 which normally engages a pair of fixed contacts to complete various of the power circuits described above. In addition, however, the switch 196 is provided with a fixed contact 124 which is normally out of engagement with the movable contact 123 but which is engaged thereby when the empty signal switch is actuated by movement of the switch actuating arm 106a to the full line position of FIGURE 8, as described above. The movable contact 123 is connected through the normally open contacts 101 and 103 of the power relay to power line 96, while the stationary contact 124 is connected through an empty lamp 125 to power line 97. Therefore, when the empty signal switch 106 is operated the empty signal lamp 125 is illuminated.

The empty signal switch 1% in its normal condition also provides part of the power circuit for various of the operating elements of the machine. Specifically, relay 107 is connected through the normally closed contacts of the empty signal switch to one of the power lines. Therefore, when the empty signal switch 106 is opened, it is impossible to energize the conveyor motor, so that no more towels can be accepted by the machine and the various other relays and motors cannot be energized.

I have illustrated and described what I regard as the preferred embodiment of my invention. It will be apparent that various alterations and modifications may be resorted to without departing from the broader scope of the invention as defined by the following claims.

Iclaim:

1. In apparatus for dispensing clean towels in exchange for soiled towels deposited therein, a cabinet having a soiled towel receiving opening, a rejected towel discharge opening and a soiled towel storage compartment therein, a conveyor to convey towels from said receiving opening into said cabinet, an electric conveyor motor for driving said conveyor, a switch for energizing said motor, switch actuating means at said receiving opening for actuating said switch to energize said conveyor motor upon insertionof a towel through said receiving opening, a pair of switch actuating arms longitudinally spaced along said conveyor to be deflected by a towel moving along said conveyor, switch means actuated by deflection of each of said arms, a barrier at the delivery end of said conveyor normally closing the entry to said soiled towel storage compartment and directing towels discharged from said conveyor toward said rejected towel discharge opening, and motor means energized by concurrent closure l@ of both said switch means to move said barrier to open the entry to said soiled towel storage compartment.

2. In apparatus for dispensing clean towels in exchange for soiled towels deposited therein, a cabinet having a soiled towel receiving opening, a rejected towel discharge opening and a soiled towel storage compartment therein, a conveyor to convey soiled towels inserted through said receiving opening, a pair of switch actuating arms longitudinally spaced along said conveyor to be deflected by a towel moving along said conveyor, a switch actuated by deflection of each actuating arm, a chute leading from the delivery end of said conveyor to said rejected towel discharge opening, a movable barrier in the path of towels discharged from the delivery end of said conveyor, said barrier being movable from a first position in which it directs towels into said chute to a second position in which it directs towels into said soiled towel storage compartment, motor means for moving said barrier from said first position to said second position, and an electric circuit including said switches in series connection and said motor means whereby said barrier is moved from said first position to said second position when a towel of sufiicient dimensions to hold both said switch actuating arms deflected at the same time passes along said conveyor.

3. In apparatus for dispensing clean towels in exchange for soiled towels deposited therein, a cabinet having a soiled towel receiving open-ing and a soiled towel storage compartment therein, a conveyer to convey soiled towels inserted through said open-ing, a pair of switch actuating arms longitudinally spaced along said conveyor to be deflected by a towel moving along said conveyor, a switch actuated by deflection of each actuating arm, a movable barrier at the delivery end of said conveyor closing the entry to said soiled towel storage compartment, motor means for moving said barrier to open entry to said storage compartment, an electric circuit including said switches in series connection and said motor means whereby said barrier is moved to open entry to said storage compartment when a towel of sufficient dimensions to hold both said switch actuating arms deflected at the same time passes along said conveyor, and a swinging gate positioned along said conveyor between said actuating arms, said gate being free to swing in the direction of advance of towels along said conveyor and cooperating with said conveyor to grip towels to prevent their retraction from the apparatus through said soiled towel receiving opening.

4. In apparatus for dispensing clean towels in exchange for soiled towels deposited therein, a cabinet having a soiled towel receiving opening and a soiled towel storage compartment therein, a conveyor to convey soiled towels inserted through said opening, a pair of switch actuating arms longitudinally spaced along said conveyor to be deflected by a towel moving along said conveyor, a switch actuated by deflection of each actuating arm, a movable barrier at the delivery end of said conveyor closing the entry to said soiled towel storage compartment, motor means for moving said barrier to open entry to said storage compartment, and an electric circuit including said switches in series connection and said motor means whereby said barrier is moved to open entry to said storage compartment when a towel of suflicient dimensions to hold both said switch actuating arms deflected at the same time passes along said conveyor.

5. In apparatus for dispensing clean towels in exchange for soiled towels deposited therein, a cabinet having a soiled towel receiving opening and -a soiled towel storage compartment therein, a conveyor to convey towels from said opening into said cabinet, an electric conveyor motor for driving said conveyor, a switch for energizing said motor, switch actuating means at said opening for actuating said switch to energize said motor upon insertion of a towel through said opening, a pair of 11 switch actuating arms longitudinally spaced along said conveyor, switch means actuated by each of said arms, a barrier below the delivery end of said conveyor closing the entry to said soiled towel storage compartment, motor means energized by concurrent closure of both said switch means to move said barrier to open the entry to said soiled towel storage compartment, a movable trip plate positioned in alignment with said conveyor and beyond the delivery end thereof whereby said trip plate will be engaged by an elongated rigid article which might be inserted through said soiled towel receiving opening, and switch means actuated by movement of said trip plate to de-energize said conveyor motor.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 325,348 Langrave Sept. 1, 1885 859,801 Cassot July 9, 1907 1,275,808 Wentz Aug. 13, 1918 2,138,645 Rey Nov. 29, 1938 2,572,121 Dosbeng Oct. Q3, 1951 2,901,145 Black Aug. 25, 1959

Claims (1)

1. AN APPARATUS FOR DISPENSING CLEAN TOWELS IN EXCHANGE FOR SOILED TOWELS DEPOSITED THEREIN, A CABINET HAVING A SOILED TOWEL RECEIVING OPENING, A REJECTED TOWEL DISCHARGE OPENING AND A SOILED TOWEL STORAGE COMPARTMENT THEREIN, A CONVEYOR TO CONVEY TOWELS FROM SAID RECEIVING OPENING INTO SAID CABINET, AN ELECTRIC CONVEYOR MOTOR FOR DRIVING SAID CONVEYOR, A SWITCH FOR ENERGIZING SAID MOTOR, SWITCH ACTUATING MEANS AT SAID RECEIVING OPENING FOR ACTUATING SAID SWITCH TO ENERGIZE SAID CONVEYOR MOTOR UPON INSERTION OF A TOWEL THROUGH SAID RECEIVING OPENING, A PAIR OF SWITCH ACTUATING ARMS LONGITUDINALLY SPACED ALONG

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