US3156340A - Coin operated vending machine - Google Patents

Description

Nov. 10, 1964 J. H. ARKEs 3,156,340

COIN OPERATED VENDING MACHINE Filed May 3, 1961 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Nov. 10, 1964 J. H. ARKES com OPERATED VENDING MACHINE 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed May 3, 1961 INVENTOR. Jac/5 Edf/65, Z074 Nov. 10, 1964 J. H. ARKEs ,3,156,340

com oPERATED VENDING MACHINE f Filed May 3, 1961 3 Sheets-Sheet I5 INV EN TUR.

HC] i 2 5 United States Patent O 3,156,340 COIN OPERATED VENDING MACHINE Jack H. Arkes, '608 S. Dearborn St., Chicago 5, Ill. Filed May 3, 1961, Ser. No. 107,387 2 Claims. (Cl. 194-10) This invention relates to coin operated vending machines and has for its principal object the provision of a new and improved machine of this kind.

It is a main object of the invention to provide a coin operated machine for vending selected ones of a plurality of articles in the machine one at a time, which machine is of simple design that can be operated easily by inexperienced customers and is capable of being kept in proper working condition with a minimum of maintenance.

Another object of the invention is to provide a coin operated vending machine in which there are a plurality of article receiving cages, a motor individual to each cage, and a manually operated switch for selecting said motors one at a time, thereby to select the article to be vended by operation of the motor responsive to the insertion of a coin into the machine.

Another object of the invention is to provide a coin operated vending machine that contains no ratchets, pawls and the like, that require frequent accurate mechanical adjustment to maintain the machine in proper working condition.

Another object of the invention is to provide, in a vending machine, a mechanism for displaying the articles to be dispensed by the machine one at a time in sequence, each for a predetermined interval, which mechanism operates continuously so long as the machine is operative, thereby to build up customer interest in the articles.

Further objects of the invention, not specifically mentioned here, will be apparent from the detailed description and claims which follow, reference being had to the accompanying drawings in which a preferred embodiment of the invention is shown by way of example and in which:

FIG. 1 is a front elevational view of a preferred embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged scale view similar to FIG. 1, with the front of the device removed;

FIG. 3 is a side elevational view similar to FIG. 2, partly in section along the line 3 3 of FIG. l, looking in the direction of the arrows;

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary view of a base plate of the device;

FIG. 5 is a cross sectional View of a cage and base plate taken substantially along the line 5-5 of FIG. 4;

FIG. 6 is a plan view of a cage and the drive mechanisrn therefor, the cage being shown in section;

FIG. 7 is a schematic circuit diagram of the device;

FIG. 8 is an elevational view, partly in section, of a modified embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 9 vis a fragmentary plan view of the base plate shown in FiG. 8;

FIG. 10 is a plan view of the cage and base thereof shown in FIG. 8, the cage being shown in section;

FIG. 1l is a plan view 'of the dispensing disk of the embodiment shown in FIG. 8; l

FIG. 12 is a plan view of a modified form of dispensing disk;

FIG. 13 is a fragmentary plan view of a base plate upon which the dispensing disk shown in FIG. 12 will be mounted; and

FIG. 14 is a plan view of a cam disk of the type used with the dispensing disk of FIG. 12.

In its preferred form, the Vending machine is designed to dispense photographic slide transparencies in cardboard mounts, although application of the teachings of the invention to machines for vending other articles is contemplated.

Vending machines of the class to which this invention relates are located in public places that usually are some distance from the establishment of the owner of the machines. The individual machines are visited at regular intervals by a service man whose main function is to replenish the stock of articles in the machine. Such service men are not mechanics and notwithstanding this they frequently attempt to make mechanical adjustments in machines which apparently need adjusting. Since these men are not qualiied to make such adjustments properly, malfunction or failure of the machine oftentimes results.

The present invention seeks to improve upon prior art machines of which I am aware by providing a machine that requires no mechanical adjustments to keep it functioning properly. This is accomplished in a machine designed to dispense a plurality of different articles by providing a dispensing power supply for each article, each such supply being individual to one article. This eliminates the mechanical drive mechanism between a motor that -is common to a plurality of articles and the dispensing means individual to the article. It is such mechanisms that require mechanical adjustment from time to time to keep the machine functioning properly. Preferably this power supply consists of an electric motor for each different article lin the machine. Thus, if the machine is designed to selectively dispense eight different articles, eight motors will be provided. Small and relatively inexpensive motors ofthe clock-motor type are readily available upon the open market and such motors have been found to be satisfactory for the intended purpose. The motors are connected to the associated dispensing means by a simple linkage which requires no adjustment. Through this arrangement dirty contacts in the electrical circuits of the machine are the only source of trouble. The service men who visit the machines regularly to replenish the stock of articles therein are capable of cleaning the contacts when cleaning is required. Thus malfunction or failure of the machine is less likely than in prior art machines.

Referring now to the drawings, in FIG. 1 it will be seen that the vending machine of the present invention is housed in a suitable cabinet 1, on the front door 2 of which is located a Window 3 through which samples of the articles in the machine are visible. In the example shown, the articles are photographic slide transparencies. A iiuoroescent lamp L1, FIG. 7, is mounted behind the articles to render them plainly visible through the Window 3. A starter S and a ballast BAL are associated with a lamp L1 in the usual'manner.

Also located on the door of the machine is a manual switch 4 shown to have eight positions, one for eachA of the eight articles in the machine, Located at the bottom of the door is a dispensing chute through which the articles are delivered to the customer.

A coin chute 6 and a coin return receptacle 7 are also located on the door, as is a magnifying window 8 through which the articles are visible one at a time in sequence, in slightly enlarged form.

As will be seen in FIGS. 2 and 3, within the cabinet, base plates 10 and 11 are mounted upon suitable supports indicated generally at 9, each of these base plates supporting four cages, 12, 13, 14 and 15, being supported upon the plate 10 and located forwardly of the cages 16, 17, 18 and 19 on the rear plate 11. Mounted rearwardly of the base plates 10 and 11 and in substantial alignment therewith, are motor bases 20 and 21 each of which has an upwardly extending tlange 22. at its rear edge. The motor bases are xed in the cabinet in convenient manner, such as by cleats 23 xed on the side walls of the cabinet.

Located beneath the motor base 20 are four motors of which motor 25 is an example. The shaft of the motor projects through the motor base and supports a cam disk 26 to Which a rod 27 is pivotally connected and extended to the cage 12 where it is also pivotally connected. Motor base 21 also supports four motors 28 each equipped with a cam disk 29 to which a rod 30 is pivotally connected and extended to the corresponding cage in the rear row of cages.

As will be seen in FIG. 4, the base plates 10 and 11 contain square openings which are four in number, one for each of the cages supported upon the plate. Mounted upon the base plate and centered upon the opening therein, is the base 36 of the cage that is registered with that opening. Suitable means, such as screws 37, tix the base upon the base plate in such manner as to permit the base to rotate around its center.

Upstanding from the base 36 are three angles 38 which together support a plurality of articles 4G stacked in such manner that each article is rotated through with respect to the articles that are adjacent to it. The base 36 contains two square openings superimposed on each other and rotated through 45 with respect to each other. Through this arrangement the bottom article in the stack drops through the base 36 and is supported upon the base plate 10 and is offset 45 with respect to the opening 35 in the plate.

Projecting from one of the angles 38 of the cage is an arm 41 t-o which one end of a rod 27 is pivotally connected. The disk 26 to which the other end of the rod 27 is connected contains two cam valleys 42 with one of which the spring assembly, indicatedl generally at 43, is registered when the motor is at rest. The spring assembly 43 supported upon the ange 22 of the motor base contains normally open springs A and normally closed springs B and C.

Located above the cages 12 and 16 upon a suitable support is a motor 51 the shaft of which carries a Geneva disk 52 that carries a pin which engages the companion disk 53 to rotate the latter disk a denite distance for each revolution of the disk 5 2. Connected to the disk 53 through a suitable gear mechanism 54 is a display rack 55 that contains a number of spaces corresponding to the number of different articles in the machine, the rack in the example shown containing eight such spaces. Mounted within the rack is` a lamp 56 that is lighted so long as the machine is conditioned for operation. Light shining through the transparency and through an opening in a plate 57 renders the slides mounted in the display rack visible through the magnifying window 8, one at a time in sequence. In one instance, each slide is visible for approximately tive seconds.

The customer thus observing the slides selects the one that he desires to purchase and then operates the manual switch 4 to the number corresponding to the number of the selected slide'. He then inserts a quarter in the coin chute 6 to initiate a dispensing operation of the slide.

The coin thus deposited is conveyed into the coin mechanism 60 and if acceptable thereto trips the machine to initiate a dispensing operation and falls into the coin receptacle 61. The details 0f the coin mechanism 60 form no part of the present invention since suitable mechanisms are readily available upon the open market.

As will be seen in FIG. 7, closing of the contacts 62 by the coin passing through the mechanism 60 closes a circuit from AC1 through the normally closed C springs in the eight cam spring assemblies, of which 43 is an example, through the winding of the relay R to AC2, operating this relay. At its springs RA, relay R closes an auxiliary circuit for itself to maintain the relay operated independently of the springs 62 which are operated but momentarily. At its B contacts, the relay opens the obvious circuit of the coin mechanism magnet CM, permitting that magnet to restore, thereby to insert a deector 63 into the chute 6 to cause a second coin inserted in the machine before the dispensing cycle is completed to be returned through the coin return 7.

At its make contacts RC, the relay closes a circuit through the switch 4 assumed to be positioned to select slide 1, thence through the winding of the motor M1 to operate that motor. Upon operating the motor rotates the cam 26, moving the springs out of the valley 42 into engagement with the dwell of the cam, thereby to move the A springs of the spring assembly 43 into engagement to close the obvious alternate circuit for the motor M1; thus operation of the motor continues until the springs are again registered with a valley 42 in the cam. At the B springs, a point in the circuit of the coin mechanism magnet CM is opened to prevent reoperation of that magnet so long as the motor is in operation. At the C springs, the circuit of relay R is opened, permitting that relay to restore thereby insuring that the motor will stop when its circuit is opened by the opening of the A springs.

Since there are two valleys 42 in each of the cams, the motor will operate the disk 26 through 180. This movement actuates the rod 27 thereby to rotate the cage through 45 bringing the bottom slide into registration with the opening 35, permitting that slide to drop through this opening onto the dispensing chute from which the customer removes it. This rotation of the cage brings the next slide into engagement with the base plate 10 in readiness for thc next operation of that cage.

From the foregoing, it will be apparent that in order to obtain a desired slide, all the customer has to do is operate the manual switch to the position corresponding to the number of that slide and to insert a coin in the coin chute of the machine. The operation from there on is entirely automatic and thoroughly reliable since the mechanism is such as t0 be inherently properly adjusted.

Photographic slide transparencies mounted in cardboard are so thin that cross-stacking thereof is necessary to insure dispensing the slides one at a time. In case the articles to be dispensed are somewhat thicker, such as, for example, photographic slide transparencies mounted in plastic, cross-stacking of the slides is not necessary.

In FIGS. 8 to ll, inclusive, I have shown a modification of my invention arranged to dispense such thicker square articles. In this modification the base plate contains a square opening 71 as before, and a cage indicated generally at 72 is mounted upon the base 70 with the base 73 of the cage supported slightly above the base plate 70. Upstanding from the base 73 are four angles 74 positioned to support the articles 75 stacked with their edges in alignment. The base '73 contains an arcuate slot 76 through which the end of the dispensing rod, such as 27 for example, may project.

Mounted upon the base plate 'i0 and below the base '73 of the case is a dispensing disk 77 the thickness of which is slightly less than the thickness of the article to be dispensed. The dispensing disk 77 contains superimposed square Vopenings 78 disposed 45 from each other and the end of the dispensing rod, such as 27, is registered in a perforation 79 in the disk.

It will be noted that the perforation in the base 73 is disposed 45 out of alignment with the opening 71 in the base plate. The bottom article which is within the dispensing disk is therefore 45 out of alignment with the opening 71 and is resting upon the base plate 70. During a dispensing operation as above explained, the disk 77 is rotated through 45 and the bottom article therein thus brought into registration with the opening 71 through which the article drops onto the chute 5 leading out of the machine. This 45 rotation of dispensing disk registers the next article with the other square opening in the disk, permitting that article to drop into the disk in readiness for the next dispensing operation.

The teachings of my invention will also be applied to machines for dispensing rectangular or other shaped articles that have a longitudinal axis that is longer than the transverse axis of the article. In FIGS. 12, 13 and 14, I have shown arrangements for dispensing such articles. The base plate 80 contains an opening 81 shaped to receive the article, and the dispensing disk 82 contains an opening 83 similarly shaped. The articles to be dispensed are stacked in a cage not shown, since that cage corresponds to the cage shown in FIG. except for the shape of the opening in the base thereof. The cage is located so that the articles stacked therein with their edges in alignment, register with the dispensing disk opening 83 in the position in which it is shown in FIG. l2. This dispensing disk contains a perforation 84 into which an operating rod, such as 85, FIG. 14, is registered. The cam disk 86 in this embodiment of the invention is provided with a single valley 87 with which the spring assembly 88 is registered when the disk is at rest. Dispensing the article is initiated as before and the disk 86 is rotated by the motor through 360. The irst half revolution moves the rod 85 upwardly, as seen in FIG. 14, thereby to rotate the dispensing disk 82 counterclockwise through 45 to bring the article in the opening 83 therein into registration with the opening 81 in the base plate 80. The article falls through this opening. The remaining articles in the stack are supported upon the dispensing disk 82 and during the second half revolution of the cam disk 86 the dispensing disk 82 is rotated clockwise, as seen in FIG. 12, to register the opening 83 therein with the bottom article in the stack. When the disk 86 approaches 360 of revolution, valley 87 is moved into registration with springs 88 and the circuit of the motor is thereby opened.

It will be noted in FIG. 6 that the rod 27 is connected to disk 26 at such a point that longitudinal movement of the rod at a minimum per degree of rotation of the disk as the valley 42 moves into registration with the spring assembly. As will be seen in FIG. 14, rod 85 is similarly connected to the disk 86. Through this arrangement, desired alignment of the dispensing disks is not aiected by slight coasting of the motor after the circuit through it has' been opened. Through this arrangement dispensing disk 82 is maintained in dispensing position long enough to insure that the article will fall through opening 81 even though the motor continues to operate and disk 86 continues to rotate.

From the foregoing, it will be seen that the coin operated vending machine of my invention is of simple construction that can be manufactured at low cost, without sacrificing quality. Since the machine lacks ratchets, pawls and the like, which must be maintained in proper mechanical adjustment to insure proper operation of the machine, it is thoroughly reliable and capable of being maintained in proper operating condition by relatively inexperienced service men. Customers desiring to purchase an article from the machine are required to perform only two operations to`select and dispense an article.

Throughout the foregoing description and in the drawings, the machine has been described and shown as containing eight ditferent article cages. The teachings of the invention are not limited to any particular number of different cages since by providing a cage and motor for each different article and a contact point in the manual switch for each motor, any number of diierent articles can be dispensed by the machine. Throughout the description photographic slide transparencies have been described as the articles, and while such application of the machine is contemplated the teachings thereof are by no means limited to application in machines for dispensing slide transparencies, and application to the dispensing of other articles is contemplated.

While I have chosen to illustrate my invention by showing and describing a preferred embodiment of it, I have done so by way of example only, as there are many modications and adaptations which can be made by one skilled in the art within the teachings of the invention.

Having thus complied with the statutes and shown and described a preferred embodiment of my invention, what I consider new and desire to have protected by Letters Patent is pointed out in the appended claims.

What I claim is:

l. An article vendin g machine comprising:

(1) a plurality of cages each rotatable around its own axis;

(2) a plurality of square articles to be dispensed in each cage disposed therein, with each article turned 45 With respect to the articles adjacent to it;

l, (3) base plate means upon which said cages are mounted, said means containing an opening beneath each cage, which openings are shaped to conform to the shape and size of the articles;

(4) means including a motor individual to each cage for rotating .the cage through an are of 45;

(5 a manually operable switch for 4selecting said motors one at a time by preparing a circuit to the selected motor;

(6) a relay common to said motors and operable to close the motor circuit prepared by said selector switch;

(7) a coin chute mechanism common to said motors;

(8) and a circuit for said relay closed by the pas sage of a coin through said coin mechanism to operate .the relay and thereby close the prepared circuit to the selected motor over which circuit that motor operates to rotate the cage and thereby register the bottom article with the opening in the base plate means thereby to dispense that article.

2. An article vending machine comprising:

(l) a plurality of cages;

(2) a plurality of square articles to be dispensed in each cage, each of which articles is aligned with the articles adjacent to it;

(3) base plate means containing an opening for each cage, which openings are shaped to conform to the shape and size of the articles;

(4) a dispensing disk for each cage, rotatably mounted upon said base plate means and containing two openings each shaped to conform to the shape and size of the articles, which openings are superimposed and oset 4,15 with respect to each other in the plane of the disk;

(5) means for supporting said cages on said base plate means with the articles therein aligned with the opening in the disk that is offset 45 from the opening in the base plate means, into which disk opening the bottom article in Ithe cage is positioned;

(6) means including a motor for each disk for rotating that disk through an arc of 45 (7) a manually operable switch for selecting said motors one at a time by preparing a circuit to the selected motor;

References Cited in the tile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 665,152 wheeler Jan. 1, 1901 15 Thrasher Feb. 18, Morrison Nov. 24, Clawson Dec. 31, Du Grenier Nov. 8, Solinski Jan. 15, Andrews et al. Feb. 6, Sadler Dec. 16, Krasney Apr. 2'8, Gore June 16, Helsing Sept. 15, Radcliffe Cet. 18,

FOREIGN PATENTS Great Britain of Great Britain Feb. 23,

Claims (1)

1. AN ARTICLE VENDING MACHINE COMPRISING: (1) A PLURALITY OF CAGES EACH ROTATABLE AROUND ITS OWN AXIS; (2) A PLURALITY OF SQUARE ARTICLES TO BE DISPENSED IN EACH CAGE DISPOSED THEREIN, WITH EACH ARTICLE TURNED 45* WITH RESPECT TO THE ARTICLES ADJACENT TO IT; (3) BASE PLATE MEANS UPON WHICH SAID CAGES ARE MOUNTED, SAID MEANS CONTAINING AN OPENING BENEATH EACH CAGE, WHICH OPENINGS ARE SHAPED TO CONFORM TO THE SPAPE AND SIZE OF THE ARTICLES; (4) MEANS INCLUDING A MOTOR INDIVIDUAL TO EACH CAGE FOR ROTATING THE CAGE THROUGH AN ARC OF 45*; (5) A MANUALLY OPERABLE SWITCH FOR SELECTING SAID MOTORS ONE AT A TIME BY PREPARING A CIRCUIT TO THE SELECTED MOTOR; (6) A RELAY COMMON SAID MOTORS AND OPERABLE TO

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