US3165366A

US3165366A - Product delivery door for vending machines

Info

Publication number: US3165366A
Application number: US245495A
Authority: US
Inventors: Levine Mark
Original assignee: Continental Vending Machine Corp
Current assignee: Continental Vending Machine Corp
Priority date: 1962-12-18
Filing date: 1962-12-18
Publication date: 1965-01-12
Anticipated expiration: 1982-01-12

Description

Jan. 12, 1965 M. LEVINE PRODUCT DELIVERY DOOR FOR VENDING MACHINES 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Dec. 18, 1962 \nlilxl. vm m uvm mm u mm S a g g w Fl $3 "m m E am 7 5 m g .55: m S); a rwv E 8 m m :1 1%- 1 1 #5: l. o. m m m. P c

E N w e L K m M INVENTOR.

By g 9 W ATTOP/VEV Jan. 12, 1965 M. LEVINE PRODUCT DELIVERY DOOR FOR VENDING MACHINES 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Dec. 18, 1962 MARK LEVINE INVENTOR. BY9 W ATTOP/VZV Jan. 12, 1965 M. LEVINE 3,165,366

PRODUCT DELIVERY DOOR FOR VENDING MACHINES Filed Dec. 18, 1962 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 MAHK LEVINE INVENTOR.

ATTO/P/VEY Jan. 12, 1965 M. LEVINE 3,165,366

PRODUCT DELIVERY DOOR FOR VENDING MACHINES Filed Dec. 18, 1962 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 MARK LEVINE INVENTOR.

United States Patent 6) 3,165,366 PRGDUCT DELIVERY DOOR FOR VENDING MACHINES Mark Levine, Bethpage, N.Y., assignor to Continental Vending Machine Corp., Westbury, NY. Filed Dec. 18, 1962, Ser.'No. 245,495 8 Claims. (Cl. 31235) The present invention relates to product delivery doors used in hot and cold food and other types of vending machines. The invention does not relate to vending machines in which product delivery doors are neither used nor desired.

Illustrative'of the vending machines in which such doors are conventionally used are those which either heat or refrigerate, store and vend food products of various flinds and in various forms of packaging, such as platters or trays of hot foods, and dishes of ice-cream and other frozen of chilled desserts. In such machines delivery doors' are installed for various purposes, not the least of which is to serve as heat transfer barriers. The problem of heat transfer is essentially non-existent in vending machines which store and sell merchandise at ambient temperatures such as machines which vend cigarettes,'p ackaged candies, and personal articles.

access to the inside of the machine. In the illustrated form of the invention, the delivery tray is actuated by the product delivery door. When the door is opened, the delivery tray is tilted, thereby permitting removal only of the purchased product.

In the illustrated form of the invention, the delivery tray-is actuated by the product delivery door. When the door is opened, the delivery tray is tilted, thereby permitting removal only of the purchased product.

In the illustrated form of the invention, there are three food storage and heating sections disposed in side-by-side relation. The tiltable product delivery tray is centrally situated to receive anddischarge food products stored in the middle section. Non-tiltable delivery trays are situated on opposite sides of "the tiltable tray to deliver I products stored in the two end sections.

Another problem with which vending machine operproduct delivery door for vending machines of the character described, said product delivery door being adapted to protect the merchandise against theft, to serve as a heat-transfer barrier in order to assist maintaining the merchandise at predetermined temperatures, and to prevent entry of foreign matter which might contaminate the merchandise.

The invention will herein be described with respect to a hot food vending machine, but it will be understood that this is purely illustrative and is not intended to limit the application of the invention to this particular type of machine. The invention is applicable to all vending machines in which product delivery doors are used.

In the illustrated embodiment of the invention, as related to hot food vending machines, the following functions or operations occur in the sequential order given:

l) The product delivery door is maintained in latched or locked condition during thefood pre-heating cycle.

(2) The product delivery door is unlatched or unlocked after the food attains serving temperature and is adapted for vending.

(3) The product deliverydoor is temporarily latched or locked during the very short period in which a selected food product is ejected from the heating oven or section into the delivery tray.

(4) The product delivery door is unlatched or unlocked following said temporary latching or locking period, and it may now be opened (raised) to provide access to the delivered food product.

An important feature of this invention, as hereinabove indicated, is its prevention of unauthorized removal of merchandise. This feature is attained by means of a delivery tray which delivers the purchased product'by tilting from one positionto another. Its delivery position is such that it automatically closes off the storage section behind -or'above it, and'prevents unauthorized The details of the invention are illustrated in the accompanying drawing in which:

FIGURE 1 is an inside view of the product delivery door, including operating mechanism and product delivery tray, shown installed in a hot food vending machine. FIGURE 2 is a vertical section therethrough on the line 22 of FIGURE 1, showing the product delivery tray in lowered position, the product delivery door being also in lowered or closed position.

FIGURE 3 is a fragmentary enlarged section on the line 33 of FIGURE 1.

FIGURE 4 is an enlarged fragmentary section on the line 4--4 of FIGURE 1.

FIGURE 5 is an enlarged fragmentary section on the line 5--5 of FIGURE 1.

FIGURE 6 is an enlarged fragmentary section on the line 6-6 of FIGURE 1.

FIGURE 7 is a vertical sectional view resembling that of FIGURE 2, but showing the product delivery tray ,in elevated, delivering position.

FIGURE 8 is a front view of the delivery ends of the three food stortge compartments situated behind the product delivery door.

FIGURE 9 is a fragmentary front view of a vending machine in which the present invention is installed, showing the product delivery door in;lowered or closed position.

The drawings illustrate a hot food vending machine 8 having a product delivery ledge 9 projecting forwardly from its front wall. Immediately above said ledge is a product delivery door 10 which is a lift door, being mounted for vertical sliding movement between a front door plate 11 and a pair of guide rails 12. The door may be made of a sheet or plate of transparent plastic material, thereby serving the dual function of an insulator and a Window.

It will be understood that the product delivery door 10 is a manually operated door, being adapted for lifting by the customer to open position to provide access to the purchased product. When released by the customer after the purchased product is removed, it will automatically drop to its closed position.

Secured to product delivery door 10 is a latch bracket It will now be observed that locking bracket 16 is a bell crank, notch 15 being formed in its vertical component, and a link 18 being pivotally connected to its horizontal component. This link is connected to the plunger of a solenoid 19 which is rigidly mounted on a support plate 20 secured to a frame 20a in the vending ma- '3 chine. It will be apparent from the foregoing that locking bracket 16 is in locking engagement with the locking bar 14 when the solenoid is energized and said locking bracket occupies the position which is illustrated in FIG- URE 1 of the drawing This involves a counterclockwise movement of said locking bracket as viewed in said FIG- URE 1. It would require a clockwise movement of said locking bracket to cause it to disengage locking bar 14, and such clockwise movement would occur when the solenoid is disengaged. p

Also mounted on support plate 20 is a switch 21 having an actuating arm or lever 22. It will be noted that switch arm 22 'is engageable with locking bar 14 which it controls but this is not a part of the present invention and the circuitry is accordinglyneither shown nor claimed.

A bracket 23 of horizontal bar 24 moves integrally with the product delivery door when said dooris moved vertically either upwardly to open position or downwardly to closed position. Bar 24 is rigidly secured to said V v 4; I forward portion (right portion as viewed in FIGURE 2). This will facilitate'delivery of the food package.

At the same time, section 31a of the delivery tray will be swung upwardly to a predetermined elevated position,

' or closed position.

door by means of vertical side frame frame channels 25.

Door 10, side frame channels 25, horizontal bar 24 and bracket 23 constitute a single rigid assembly; It will be observed in FIGURE 6 that the plastic plate which constitutes door 10 is held within said side frame channels 25 which serve as its vertically extending side rails.

Bracket 23 is provided with side flanges 27 which support a cross pin 26. Pivotally mounted on said cross pin is a cam assembly 29 which is best shown in FIGURE 2. This cam assembly comprises a bracket 29a having a cam shaped element or elements 29b formed thereon at its upper end. It is the lower end of said bracket 29a which is pivotally mounted on cross pin 26. The upper end of bracket 29a bears against a fixed cross pin 30. The cam formations 29b bear against a product delivery tray 31 which is pivotally secured to the door body 33 by means of a hinge pin 32. p

Remembering that bracket 23 is rigidly connected to the product deliverydoorli) by means of bar 24 and side frame channels 25, it will be understood that when said door is manually lifted to open position, cam assembly 29 will also be elevated. However, it will also swing arcuately in counterclockwise direction about pin 26 as viewed in FIGURE 2. The upper end of bracket 29a will thereupon ride up on support pin 30 while cam formations 2% will cam the product delivery tray 31 to its upper, product-delivery position. Tray 31 moves upwardly and arcuately in clockwise direction about pin 32 as viewed in FIGURE 2.

It will now be noted that product delivery tray. 31 comprises two sections 31a and 31b which are joined to each other at an angle of approximately 150 degrees. This is not a critical angle, but simply indicates an acceptable relationship between these two sections for the purpose shortly to be described. Interrupted lines 310 represent a food product or package which is to be delivered by means herein disclosed. Section 31b of delivery tray 31 is tilted downwardly and rearwardly from the delivery opening.

This is the position of the delivery trayprior to raising the delivery door to open position. When the door is raised to its open position, as hereinabove described, delivery tray 31 will swing in clockwise direction as viewed in FIGURE 2, and section 31b thereof will thereupon assume either a horizontal position or a slightly tilted position in the opposite direction relative to the horizontal position from that shown in FIGURE 2. .In, other words, section 31b of the delivery tray will be tilted forwardly and rightwardly as viewed in FIGURE 2, its rear portion. (left portion as viewed in FIGURE 2) being elevated above its at which point it will serve as a theft barrier, preventing unauthorized removal of other merchandise stored within the machine.

A vertical lift guide tube 34 is welded or otherwise secured to bracket 23. It will be recalled that bracket 23 is connected to' the product delivery door bymeans of horizontal bar 24 and vertical channel frames 25. Consequently, lift guide tube 34 will move integrally with the product delivery door as said door is moved to either open Tube 34, extends 'through a pair of bushings 34a and 34b on a support bracket 34c. The support bracket issecured by conventional means to the frame of the machine, and it will therefore be understoodthat it is by this means that the lift guide tube-34 is itself guided 'for vertical aXial movement and said tube, in turn, is

thereby also able to guide the product delivery door in its vertical movement from closed to open position, and back.

A pin 35 extends through guide tube 34 and is held in place therein by means of cotter pin 36. This is best shown in FIGURE 3. Pin 35'is engaged by a pair of slotted

links

39 and 41. More specifically, these slotted

links

39 and 41 are pivotally mounted on bracket 340 by means ofv pins 42 and 43,'respectively. Slot 38 in link 39 and slot 40 in link 41 intersect to accommodate pin 35 above-mentioned. It will now be apparent that .when the The starting position is illustrated in FIGURE 1,'

I wherein the. product delivery door is in its'lowered or closed position. As the door is raised to its upper or open position, tube 34 will move upwardly with it and links 39 and 41 will pivot upwardly, to the extent of shortening thedistance between

pins

44 and 45. This will reduce the tension in spring 46. f

After the product delivery door has reached the top of its stroke, and the food product is removed from the machine, the 'door isreleased by the customer and it thereupon descends under its own weight or under spring tension, or by any other conventional means which may be designed into the machine. As the door descends, so willguide tube 34, thereby causing

links

39 and 41 to pivot downwardly to their relative positions in FIGURE 1.

The distance between

pins

44 and 45 will now increase, therebyrincreasing the tensionin spring 46. This will serve to cushion and retard the downward movement of the door, thereby preventing damage to the door or any of its associated parts, and also preventing injury to the I customer Injury has been known to occur in other machines when the door is inadvertently or accidentally released, while the customers hand is still inserted into the'door opening to remove the purchased product.

The present invention is illustrated in connection with p a hot food vending machine in which there are three food storage and heating compartments situated :behind the product delivery door.. This, ofcourse, is purely illustrative, as will readily be understood. Associated with thesethree food compartments are suitable product dispensing means which may be conventional or not, as desired.

product delivery tray 31 when said tray is in its relatively prone position shown in FIGURE 2. When the product delivery door is raised to open position, as above described, the product delivery tray 31 will tilt to its FIG- URE 7 position and thereby deliver the vended product. When the product delivery tray is elevated or tilted to its included delivery position of FIGURE 7, it blocks access through the exit door to any of the food storage compartments in the machine. To insure against unauthorized access to the inside of the machine through said exit door, the food delivery tray is provided with a pair of side wings or flanges 52 to preclude such access.

The foregoing is illustrative of the preferred form of this invention, and it will be understood that this form may be modified and other forms may be provided within the broad spirit of the invention and the broad scope of the claims. For example, it will be clearly understood that the particular type of mechanical linkage between the product delivery door and the product delivery tray is not critical. What is essential is that the product delivery tray tilt when the door is opened in order to deliver a selected and dispensed product and, at the same time, block unauthorized access to the inside of the vending machine. The precise latching or locking means on the product delivery door is not critical. What is required is any latching or locking means which will prevent unauthorized opening of the product delivery door.

What is claimed is:

1. Product delivery means for vending machines having at least one product storage compartment, and product dispensing means associated therewith, said product delivery means comprising a product delivery door and a product delivery tray, said door being movable between closed and open positions, said tray being movable between a product receiving position in which the tray is adapted to communicate with the product storage compartment and product dispensing means to receive a dispensed product, said product receiving position of said tray corresponding to the closed position of said door and said product deliv ery position corresponding to the open position of said door, a mechanical linkage operatively connecting said product delivery tray with said product delivery door, said mechanical linkage comprising a bracket connected to said door and a cam connected to said bracket and engaging said tray, whereby movement of the door from the closed to the open position causes the cam means to cam the tray from product receiving position to product delivering position, this being a tilted position wherein the tray serves as a barrier preventing unauthorized access to said product storage compartment and said product dispensing means.

2. Product delivery means for vending machines having at least one product storage compartment, and product dispensing means associated therewith, said product delivery means comprising a product delivery door and a partment and product dispensing means to receive a dispensed product, a mechanical linkage operatively connect-ing said product delivery tray with said product delivery door to cause said tray to move into its said product delivering position when the door is moved to open position, and whereby said tray is caused to move into product receiving position when the door is moved to closed position, said product delivering position of said tray being such as to block access to such product storage compartment and product dispensing means to prevent unauthorized product removal, and said product delivery door being vertically movable between its closed and open positions and manually movable in upward direction into open position and downwardly movable by gravity to closed position.

3. Product delivery means in accordance with claim 1, wherein a locking mechanism is connected to the door to prevent unauthorized opening thereof, said locking mechanism comprising a solenoid-actuated latch.

4. Product delivery means in accordance with claim 1, wherein the solenoid-actuated latch comprises a locking bracket connected to the door, a keeper for said bracket, said keeper comprising a notched bell crank, and a solenoid operatively connected to said bell crank, whereby energization of the solenoid causes the keeper to engage the bracket and whereby de-energization of the solenoid causes the keeper to disengage the bracket.

5. Product delivery means in accordance with claim 2, wherein spring means are provided to cushion the downward movement of the product delivery door to closed position.

6. Product delivery means in accordance with claim 2, wherein the cushioning means are operatively connected to the mechanical linkage between the product delivery door and the product delivery tray, said cushioning comprising a vertically movable member which is connected to the door, a pair of toggle bars connected to said vertically movable member and a spring interconnecting said toggle bars.

7. Product delivery means in accordance with claim 2, wherein a locking mechanism is connected to the door to prevent unauthorized opening thereof, said locking mechanism comprising a solenoid-actuated latch.

8. Product delivery means in accordance with claim 2, wherein the solenoid-actuated latch comprises a locking bracket connected to the door, a keeper for said bracket, said keeper comprising a notched bell crank, and a solenoid operatively connected to said bell crank, whereby energization of the solenoid causes the keeper to engage the bracket and whereby de-energization of the solenoid causes the keeper to disengage the bracket.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,682,942 Starkey Sept. 4, 1928 2,575,300 Schrager Nov. 13, 1951 2,932,427 Van Brunt Apr. 1, 1960 3,064,856 Council "7..---- Nov. 20, 1962

Claims

1. PRODUCT DELIVERY MEANS FOR VENDING MACHINES HAVING AT LEAST ONE PRODUCE STORAGE COMPARTMENT, AND PRODUCT DISPENSING MEANS ASSOCIATED THEREWITH, SAID PRODUCT DELIVERY MEANS COMPRISING A PRODUCT DELIVERY MOVABLE BETWEEN PRODUCT DELIVERY TRAY, SAID DOOR BEING MOVABLE BETWEEN CLOSED AND OPEN POSITIONS, SAID TRAY BEING MOVABLE BETWEEN A PRODUCT RECEIVING POSITION IN WHICH THE TRAY IS ADAPTED TO COMMUNICATE WITH THE PRODUCT STORAGE COMPARTMENT AND PRODUCT DISPENSING MEANS TO RECEIVE A DISPENSED PRODUCT, SAID PRODUCT RECEIVING POSITION OF SAID TRAY CORRESPONDING TO THE CLOSED POSITION OF SAID DOOR AND SAID PRODUCT DELIVERY POSITION CORRESPONDING TO THE OPEN POSITION OF SAID DOOR, A MECHANICAL LINKAGE OPERATIVELY CONNECTING SAID PRODUCT DELIVERY TRAY WITH SAID PRODUCT DELIVERY DOOR, SAID MECHANICAL LINKAGE COMPRISING A BRACKET CONNECTED TO SAID DOOR AND A CAM CONNECTED TO SAID BRACKET AND ENGAGING SAID TRAY, WHEREBY MOVEMENT OF THE DOOR FROM THE CLOSED TO THE OPEN POSITION CAUSES TH CAM MEANS TO CAM THE TRAY FROM PRODUCT RECEIVING POSITION TO PRODUCT DELIVERING POSITION, THIS BEING A TILTED POSITION WHEREIN THE TRAY SERVES AS A BARRIER PREVENTING UNAUTHORIZED ACCESS TO SAID PRODUCT STORAGE COMPARTMENT AND SAID PRODUCT DISPENSING MEANS.