US3228554A

US3228554A - Vending machine for pads of paper or the like

Info

Publication number: US3228554A
Application number: US227165A
Authority: US
Inventors: Huffman Edgar Paul
Original assignee: Carolina Pad and Paper Co
Current assignee: Carolina Pad and Paper Co
Priority date: 1962-10-01
Filing date: 1962-10-01
Publication date: 1966-01-11
Anticipated expiration: 1983-01-11

Description

Jan. 11, 1966 5 p, HUFFMAN 3,228,554

VENDING MACHINE FOR PADS OF PAPER OR THE LIKE Filed Oct. 1, 1962 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 IN V EN TOR.

F5 Elli/x2 PAUL HUFFMAN j mww A TTOE/VEKS Jan. 11, 1966 E. P. HUFFMAN 3,228,554

VENDING MACHINE FOR PADS OF PAPER OR THE LIKE Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Oct. 1

United States Patent 3,228,554 VENDING MACHINE FOR PADS OF PAPER OR THE LIKE Edgar Paul Huffman, Belmont, N.C., assignor to Carolina Pad and Paper Company, Inc., Charlotte, N.C., a corporation of North Carolina Filed Oct. 1, 1962, Ser. No. 227,165 6 Claims. (Cl. 221-41) The present invention relates to a vending machine and more particularly to an improved vending machine for pads of paper or the like.

In conventional vending machines, the articles to be vended are normally contained therein in stacked relation with the bottom article in the stack alined with an opening through which the articles are successively dispensed. A pusher member engages the rearward edge of the bottom article in the stack and pushes the same outwardly through the opening. This pusher member normally is moved to dispense an article through the opening by a coin responsive slide which has means thereon for engaging the pusher member.

Conventional coin responsive slide mechanisms have means associated therewith for limiting the distance that the same can be moved inwardly when a coin has not been deposited therein. However, even with such stop means the slide can move through a considerable range of movement without a coin being placed therein and through a considerably greater range of movement with a coin therein without the coin being deposited in the coin collecting mechanism.

Several deficiencies have been encountered in the use of conventional vending apparatus, one of which is that the slide and therefore the pusher member may be reciprocated with a coin in position on the slide which reciprocation of the pusher member beneath the stack of articles will either damage the bottom article in the stack due to the frictional engagement therewith, or will cause anunauthorized vending of this bottom article through the opening in the front of the apparatus.

Another deficiency of conventional vending apparatus resides in the fact that the same are readily susceptible to tampering and unauthorized vending of articles by the insertion of a hooked member, wire, etc. within the opening through which the articles are to be dispensed, which may be engaged with the articles therein. The articles may be drawn outwardly through the opening in the apparatus by such members without the deposit of a coin in the apparatus.

It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide an improved vending machine which obviates the aforementioned problems and provides a vending machine constructed and arranged to prevent tampering and unauthorized vending of the articles therefrom.

Another object of the present invention is to provide an improved vending machine wherein a coin responsive slide is latched to a pusher member only when the slide is moved rearwardly to fully retracted position and wherein the slide is unlatched from the pusher member when the same reaches the extended position after each dispensing operation to thus prevent unauthorized reciprocation of the pusher member beneath the stack of articles.

A more specific object of the present invention is to provide an improved vending machine wherein an opening is provided and wherein means is mounted within this opening and is adjustable relative to the bottom wall of the opening to define a space therebetween accommodating articles of varying thickness to be dispensed and wherein said means extends substantially for the full length of said opening and curves outwardly and downwardly from said opening to close the opening to frontal view to thus prevent tampering and unauthorized vending of articles from the machine.

Some of the objects of the invention having been stated, other objects will appear as the description proceeds when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which- FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of the improved vending machine of the present invention with a portion broken away for clarity in viewing the elements disposed therebehind;

FIGURE 2 is a vertical section through the apparatus shown in FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 3 is a vertical section taken substantially along line 33 in FIGURE 2 with portions broken away;

FIGURE 4 is a horizontal section taken substantially along line 44 in FIGURE 2;

FIGURE 5 is a fragmentary enlarged sectional view taken substantially along line 55 in FIGURE 2;

FIGURE 6 is a view similar to FIGURE 5 showing some of the elements in a different operational position;

FIGURE 7 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view taken substantially along line 77 in FIGURE 4; and

FIGURE 8 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view taken substantially along line 88 in FIGURE 4.

Referring now to the drawings, and more particularly to FIGURE 1, the vending machine of the present invention is generally indicated at 10 and comprises a generally closed housing 11 including front, rear, side, top and

bottom walls

12, 13, 14, 15 and 16, respectively. Top wall 15 is pivotally mounted on rear wall 13 by a hinge 17 for provided access to the interior of housing 11 and is normally maintained in closed position by a lock 20 (FIGURE 2).

Front wall 12 has a horizontally disposed elongate opening 21 formed in a medial portion thereof and extending for substantially the full width thereof. A partition 22 is mounted on side walls 14 by suitable rivets 23 (FIGURE 3) extending through down-turned flange portions of partition 22 and through side walls 14 and partition 22 extends between rear wall 13 and front wall 12 (FIGURE 4) and has the front portion thereof resting on the bottom wall of opening 21.

A vertically adjustable member 24 is mounted on the inner surface of front wall 12 by bolts 25 which extend through vertically elongate openings 26 formed inmember 24 and into suitably internally threaded openings formed in front wall 12. Member 24 has a flange portion 24a extending outwardly through opening 21 in spaced relation to the bottom wall of opening 21 and the front portion of partition 22 resting thereon to provide a space therebetween through which a bottom article a of a stack of articles S is vended. Flange portion 24a forms a restriction in opening 21 to vary the effective size thereof to accommodate articles of varying thickness and curves outwardly and downwardly from front wall 12 a distance such that the outer side edge is disposed at an elevation no higher than the bottom wall of opening 21 to close the opening to frontal View. Side walls 14 have flanges 14a which extend outwardly at opposite ends of flange portion 24a to close the ends of the space between flange portion 24a and the bottom wall of opening 21.

It is noted that flange portion 24a is of a length substantially the same as the width of front wall 12 and extends substantially the full distance between side walls 14. It is further noted that the adjustability of member 24 relative to partition 22 and the 'bottom wall of opening 21 readily accommodates articles of varying thickness to be vended while the outwardly and downwardly curving j other end thereof opposite from the configuration of flange portion 24a effectively prevents tampering or unauthorized vending of articles from the vending machine 10.

Partition 22 has an elongate opening 27 formed therein which extends longitudinally from rear wall 13 toward front wall 12 and terminates at a point spaced rearwardly from front wallv 12. A pair of guides 28 are mounted on or formed integrally with the lower surface of partition 22 on opposite sides of opening 27 and slidably mount a pusher member 30 for sliding movement between a first position adjacent rear wall 13 and a second position spaced from the first position and adjacent front wall 12 to successively vend the articles through the space between flange portion 24a and the front portion of partition 22.

A flange member 31 is adjustably mounted on the rear edge of pusher member 30 by bolts 32 penetrating through a downtu-rned flange portion 30a on pusher member 30 and through vertically elongated openings in flange member 31. Flange member 31 has a forwardly projecting lip 31a at its upper edge which is adapted to overly a portion of the article being dispensed. It is noted that flange member 31 is adjustable relative to pusher member 30 such that lip 31a is disposed above pusher member 30 a distance equal to the thickness of the article to be dispensed such that the rear edge portion of the lower article in the stack will be received therebetween to hold the rear edge against upward movement during dispensing of the article to insure that an article is dispensed upon each movement of pusher member 30 from the first position to the second position. 7

A stud 33 is mounted on the bottom surface of pusher member 30 and extends downwardly therefrom into the path of travel of a slide 34 which is part of a coin responsive actuating mechanism 35. Actuating mechanism 35 also includes a housing 36 which is mounted on front wall 12 below opening 21 by bolts 37 and has a portion 36a extending outwardly from front wall 12 and a portion 36b extending inwardly through an opening in front wall 12 and rearwardly therefrom toward rear wall 13.

,Housing 36 slidably mounts slide 34 forsliding movement between an extended position (FIGURE wherein the inner end thereof is adjacent front wall 12 and a coin receiving opening 38 therein is exposed for receipt of a coin and a retracted position (FIGURE 6) wherein the inner end of slide 34 is adjacent rear Wall 13.

A stop mechanism 40 is mounted on portion 36b of housing 36 and includes a pivotally mounted member 41 which is biased in a manner not shown into engagement with slide 34 such that the end thereof enters coin opening 38 if a coin is not positioned therein and strikes the rear wall of opening 38 to prevent further inward movement of slide 34. A spring 42 is connected at one end to housing 36 and at the other end to the inner end of slide 34 for biasing slide 34 toward the extended position.

It is noted that housing 36 includes an opening (not shown) in the bottom of portion 3615, which when alined with opening 38 in slide 34 will permit a coin to fall downwardly into a coin collecting mechanism 44 which is in the form of an open top drawer slidably mounted on bottom wall 16 and in an opening in front wall 12. Coin collecting mechanism 44 is normally maintained in closed position by a lock 45.

A latch member 50 is pivotally mounted on the inner end of sl1de 34 by a screw 51 penetrating therethrough intermedrate its ends. Latch member 50 includes a hook portion 52 at one end and a follower portion 53 at its other end. Follower portion 53 has an opening therein which is disposed a guide member 54, which is mounted at one end on portion 36b of housing 36 by a bolt 55. Guide member 54 includes a first abutment 54a at the end mounted on housing 36. Abutment 54a is olfset laterally from the body of guide member 54 and is disposed in the path of travel of follower portion 53 thcrealong adjacent the retracted position of slide 34. Guide member 54 includes a second abutment 54b also disposed in the path of travel of follower portion 53 adjacent the extended position of slide 34.

In operation, a stack of articles S is deposited in vending machine 10 by pivoting top wall 15 upwardly after the same has been unlocked by a suitable ,key being inserted in lock 20. The bottom article in the stack rests on partition 22 and on pusher member 30. The top wall 15 is then moved to the closed position in which it is locked. by lock 20.

When an article is desired to be vended, a coin of suitable size is deposited in opening 38 in slide 34 and slide 34 is pushed rearwardly toward the retracted position. As slide 34 moves toward the retracted position, the inner end thereof engages stud 33 and pushes the same and hence pusher member 30, from the second to the first position. As slide 34 nears the retracted position, follower portion 53 of latch member 50 engages first abutment 54a on guide member 54 and upon further inward movement of slide 34, latch member 50 is pivoted counterclockwise, as seen in FIGURES 5 and 6, to position hook portion 52 behind stud 33 or on the opposite side of stud 33 from the inner end of slide 34.

With pusher member 30 in the first position, flange member 31 is disposed behind the rearward edge of the bottom article. Pusher member 30 is then moved for- Wardly upon movement of slide 34 from the retracted position toward the extended position by engagement of hook portion 52 of latch member 50 with stud 33. Flange member 31 engages the rearward edge of the bottom article with lip 31a moving between the bottom article and the penultimate article in the stack. Flange member 31 slides the bottom article forwardly along partition 22 and the forwardedge of the article or pad of paper is pushed outwardly through the space defined by flange portion 24a and the front portion of partition 22. Since the articles or pads of paper are relatively flexible, the same have no difliculty in negotiating the curve defined by the outwardly and downwardly curving flange portion. It is noted that the forward movement of pusher member 30 is sufficiently large to push the forward edge portion of the article or pad of paper outwardly of the outer end of flange portion 24a a suflicient distance that the same can be grasped and pulled from vending machine 10 by the customer.

As slide 34 nears the extended position, follower portion 53 of latch member 50 engages second abutment 54b disposed in its path of travel and upon further movement of slide 34 toward the extended position, latch member 50 is pivoted in a clockwise direction, as seen in FIGURES 5 and 6, to move hook portion 52 thereof from behind stud 33. It is noted that hook portion 52 of latch member 50 is only moved into position to engage stud 33 upon movement of slide 34 to the fully retracted position which is only possible when a coin has been placed in opening 38 in slide 34 and which will result in this coin being deposited in coin collecting mechanism 44. Reciprocation of pusher member 30 beneath the stack of articles without a coin in opening 38 or, if a coin is disposed in opening 38, without this coin being deposited in coin collecting mechanism 44 is thereby prevented.

It will therefore be apparent that an improved vending machine is provided which is constructed and arranged to prevent tampering and unauthorized vending of articles therefrom and which is provided with an improved mechanism for the pusher member to prevent damage to the articles to be vended due to reciprocation of the pusher member without the deposit of a coin in the coin collecting mechanism.

In the drawings and specification there has been set forth a preferred embodiment of the invention and, although specific terms are employed, they are used in a generic and descriptive sense only and not for purposes of limitation, the scope of the invention being defined in the claims.

I claim:

1. A vending machine for successively vending stacked articles, such as pads of paper and the like, said vending machine comprising (a) a housing having a horizontally disposed elongate opening therein through which the articles are to be vended, and article supporting means for supporting the stacked articles within the housing with the bottom article a-lined with said elongate opening,

(b) pusher means slidably mounted on said article supporting means for movement between a first position spaced rearwardly from said elongate opening and a second position adjacent said elongate opening to successively push articles through said opening,

(c) an elongate slide slidably mounted on said housing for movement between a retracted position wherein the inner end thereof is spaced rearwardly from said elongate opening and corresponds to the first position of said pusher means and an extended position wherein the inner end thereof is adjacent said elongate opening and corresponds to the second position of said pusher means, and

(d) latch means carried by said slide and engageable with said pusher means when said slide is moved to retracted position to latch said pusher means to said slide for movement therewith to the extended position, said latch means being disengaged from said pusher means when said slide reaches the extended position.

2. The structure set forth in claim 1 wherein said latch means comprises (1) a latch member pivotally mounted on the inner end portion of said slide for movement therewith and including a hook portion at one end and a follower portion at the other end,

(2) means disposed in the path of travel of said follower portion as the same moves with said slide toward the retracted position for pivoting said latch member to operatively engage said hook portion with said pusher means, and

(3) means disposed in the path of travel of said follower portion as the same moves with said slide toward the extended position for pivoting said latch member to move said hook portion out of engagement with said pusher means.

3. The structure recited in claim 1 wherein said pusher means comprises (1) a pusher member slidably mounted on said article supporting means,

(2) a flange member mounted on the rear portion of said plunger member for vertical adjustment to accommodate articles of varying thickness and having a forwardly extending lip at its upper edge overlying a portion of said pusher member and being adapted to receive the rear edge portion of the article to be dispensed therebeneath to hold the rear edge portion against upward movement, and

(3) a stud mounted on and depending from said pusher member into the path of travel of said inner end of said slide and said latch means carried thereby.

4. A vending machine for successively vending stacked articles, such as pads of paper and the like, said vending machine comprising (a) a housing having a horizontally disposed elongate opening therein through which the articles are adapted to be vended, and article supporting means for supporting the stacked articles within the housing with the bottom article alined with said elongate opening,

(b) a pusher member slidably mounted on said article supporting means for movement between a first position wherein the same is spaced reawardly from said 6 elongate opening and a second position wherein the same is adjacent said elongate opening,

(c) a flange member vertically adjustably mounted on the rear portion of said pusher member and being adapted to engage the rear edge of the article and to push the same forwardly and outwardly through said elongate opening as said pusher member moves from the first position to the second position, said flange member including a forwardly projecting lip at its upper portion overlying a portion of said pusher member and being adapted to receive the rear edge portion of the article being dispensed therebeneath to hold the rear edge portion against upward movement as said flange member pushes the article through said elongate opening,

(d) a stud mounted on and depending from said pusher member,

(e) an elongate slide mounted on said housing for sliding movement between a retracted posit-ion wherein the inner end thereof is spaced rearwardly from said elongate opening and corresponds to the first position of said pusher member and an extended position wherein the inner end thereof is adjacent said elongate opening and corresponds to the second position of said pusher member,

(f) a latch member pivotally mounted on the inner end portion of said slide for movement therewith and including a hook portion at one end and a follower portion at the other end,

(g) means disposed in the path of travel of said follower portion as the same moves with said slide toward the retracted position and being engageable with said follower portion for pivoting said latch member to operatively engage said hook portion thereof with said stud, and

(h) means disposed in the path of travel of said follower portion as said latch member moves with said slide toward the extended position and being engageable with said follower portion for pivoting said latch member to move said hook portion out of operative engagement with said stud.

5. A vending machine for successively vending stacked articles, such as pads of paper and the like, said vending r machine comprising (a) a closed housing including (1) front, rear, side, top and bottom walls, said front wall having a horizontally disposed elongate opening therein, and

(2) a partition mounted on said side walls intermediate said top and bottom walls and extending between said front and rear walls and adapted to suport the stacked articles thereon with the bottom article alined with said opening,

(b) elongate flange means adjustably mounted on said front wall and extending through said elongate opening therein and defining a restriction therein for varying the effective size of the opening to accommodate articles of varying thickness, said flange means curving outwardly and downwardly from said front wall to close said opening to frontal view,

(0) a pusher member slidably mounted on said partition for movement toward and away from said front wall between a first position wherein the same is adjacent the rear wall and a second position wherein the same is adjacent the front wall,

(d) a flange member vertically adjustably mounted on said pusher member and adapted to engage the bottom article to eject the same through said opening when said pusher member moves from the first position to the second position, said flange member having a forwardly extending lip at its upper portion overlying a portion of said pusher member and adapted to receive the rear portion of the bottom article therebeneath to hold this rear portion against upward movement as the bottom article is pushed outwardly through said opening,

(e) a stud mounted on and depending from said pusher member,

(f) an elongate slide mounted on said front wall for sliding movement between a retracted position wherein the inner end thereof is adjacent said rear wall and an extended position spaced forwardly from said retracted position and adjacent said front wall,

(g) a latch member pivotally mounted on the inner end portion of said slide for movement therewith and including (1) a hook portion at one end, and (2) a follower portion at the other end having an opening therethrough,

(h) a guide member positioned parallel to said slide and extending substantially between the retracted and extended positions thereof and being disposed in the opening in said follower portion of said latch member, said guide member having 1) first abutment means disposed in the path of travel of said follower portion adjacent the retracted position of said slide for pivoting said latch member in a direction to position said hook portion behind said stud, and

(2) second abutment means disposed in the path of travel of said follower portion adjacent the extended position of said slide for pivoting said latch member in the other direction to move said hook portion from behind said stud.

6. A vending machine for successively vending stacked articles, such as pads of paper and the like, said vending machine comprising (a) a housing having a horizontally disposed elongate opening therein, and article supporting means for supporting the stacked articles with the bottom article alined with said elongate opening,

(b) elongate flange means adjustably carried by said housing at said elongate opening and forming a restriction in said opening for varying the effective size thereof to accommodate articles of varying-thickness, said elongate flange means curving outwardly and downwardly from said housing to close said opening to frontal view,

(c) pusher means slidably mounted on said article supporting means for movement between a first position spaced rearwardly from said elongate opening and a second position adjacent said elongate opening to successively push the bottom article of the stacked articles through said opening, said pusher means including a vertically adjustable flange member adapted to engage the rear portion of the bottom article to eject the same through said elongate opening when said pusher means moves from the first position to the second position and having a forwardly extending lip at its upper port-ion overlying a portion of said pusher means and adapted to receive the rear portion of the bottom article therebeneath to positively hold this rear portion of the bottom article against upward movement as the bottom article is pushed through said elongate opening, and

(d) actuating means carried by said housing and engageable with said pusher means for moving the same between said first and second positions to sequentially vend the stacked articles through said opening.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 839,304 12/1906 Long 221-241 X 919,927 4/1909 Neumann et al. 221-36 X 1,466,492 8/1923 Stiriss 221 241 X 1,678,650 7/1928 Richardson et al. 221--241 1,720,588 7/1929 Cameron 22l36 2,373,217 4/1945 Allen 22144 LOUIS I. DEMBO, Primary Examiner.

RAPHAEL M. LUPO, Examiner.

Claims

6. A VENDING MACHINE FOR SUCCESSIVELY VENDING STACKED ARTICLES, SUCH AS PADS OF PAPER AND THE LIKE, SAID VENDING MACHINE COMPRISING (A) A HOUSING HAVING A HORIZONTALLY DISPOSED ELONGATED OPENING THEREIN, AND ARTICLE SUPPORTING MEANS FOR SUPPORTING THE STACKED ARTICLES WITH THE BOTTOM ARTICLE ALINED WITH SAID ELONGATE OPENING, (B) ELONGATE FLANGE MEANS ADJUSTABLY CARRIED BY SAID HOUSING AT SAID ELONGATE OPENING AND FORMING A RESTRICTION IN SAID OPENING FOR VARYING THE EFFECTIVE SIZE THEREOF TO ACCOMMODATE ARTICLES OF VARYING THICKNESS, SAID ELONGATE FLANGE MEANS CURVING OUTWARDLY AND DOWNWARDLY FROM SAID HOUSING TO CLOSE SAID OPENING TO FRONTAL VIEW, (C) PUSHER MEANS SLIDABLY MOUNTED ON SAID ARTICLE SUPPORTING MEANS FOR MOVEMENT BETWEEN A FIRST POSITION SPACED REARWARDLY FROM SAID ELONGATE OPENING AND A SECOND POSITION ADJACENT SAID ELONGATE OPENING TO SUCCESSIVELY PUSH THE BOTTOM ARTICLE OF THE STACKED ARTICLES THROUGH SAID OPENING, SAID PUSHER MEANS INCLUDING A VERTICALLY ADJUSTAVLE FLANGE MEMBER ADAPTED TO ENGAGE THE REAR PORTION OF THE BOTTOM ARTICLE TO EJECT THE SAME THROUGH SAID ELONGATE OPENING WHEN SAID PUSHER MEANS MOVES FROM THE FIRST POSITION TO THE SECOND POSITION AND HAVING A FORWARDLY EXTENDING LIP AT ITS UPPER PORTION OVERLYING A PORTION OF SAID PUSHER MEANS AND ADAPTED TO RECEIVE THE REAR PORTION OF THE BOTTOM ARTICLE THEREBENEATH TO POSITIVELY HOLD THIS REAR PORTION OF THE BOTTOM ARTICLE AGAINST UPWARD MOVEMENT AS THE BOTTOM ARTICLE IS PUSHED THROUGH SAID ELONGATE OPENING, AND (D) ACTUATING MEANS CARRIED BY SAID HOUSING AND ENGAGEABLE WITH SAID PUSHER MEANS FOR MOVING THE SAME BETWEEN SAID FIRST AND SECOND POSITIONS TO SEQUENTIALLY VEND THE STACKED ARTICLES THROUGH SAID OPENING.