US3340979A - Vending machine and electrical control circuit therefor - Google Patents

Description

Sept. l2, 1967 1. E. HOWARD, JR

|NVENT0R James E. Howard ,Jr BY ATTORNEY Filed July 20, 1966 VENDING MACHINE AND ELECTRICAL CONTROL CIRCUIT THEREFOR United States Patent Oiice '3,340,979 Patented Sept. 12, 1967 3,340,979 VENDING MACHiNE AND ELECTRlCAL CONTROL CIRCUIT THEREFOR James E. Howard, Jr., Feeding Hills, Mass., assignor to Westinghouse Electric Corporation, Pittsburgh, Pa., a corporation of Pennsylvania Filed July 20, 1%6, Ser. No. 566,639 4 Claims. (Cl. 194-10) The present invention relates to vending machines and more particularly to an electrical control circuit for electrically operated post-select vending machines.

U.S. Patent No. 3,209,946 to I. E. Kalista, issued Oct. 15, 1965, and assigned to the same assignee as the subject patent application, discloses a multi-choice electrically operated coin-controlled vending machine of the postselect type which is provided with an electrical control circuit arranged to vend selected merchandise at a single given price. It is desirable to enable not only a choice of selection to be made, but to provide for a`choice of selections at two different prices, depending on the selection chosen. The present invention is an improvement over the aforementioned patent to provide a multi-price control circuit therefor.

It is the principal object of the present invention to provide an electrically operated multiple column vending machine with an improved and simplified control circuit that will enable the machine to be operated to vend a choice of articles at either a low or high price, depending upon the article chosen.

In accordance with the invention, a multiple column vending machine is provided with individual article vending gates for each column and with a common operating mechanism that is electrically operated and adapted to be selectively connected to a particular vending gate by an electrically controlled solenoid during each vending operation. The control circuit of the present invention is arranged to initiate the vend cycle and energize a particular chosen solenoid when the requisite coinage in the amount of a low or a high price, depending upon the article desired to be vended, is deposited, and the manually operated selection switch button is depressed. A coin acceptor switch of any known type having one set of normally open contacts to be closed upon receipt of coinage in the amount of a low price and a second set of normally open contacts to be closed upon receipt of coinage in the amount of the high price is provided. Manual selector switches for controlling the solenoids for both high and low price article columns are provided and the circuits of both the low and high price switches are connected in series with each other and to the low price acceptor switch contacts while the high price selector switch circuits are connected in series with each other only and to the high price acceptor switch contacts. However, the respective circuits for energizing the respective solenoids for a low price article gate mechanism are through the selector switches in series with the low price acceptor switch contacts only, while the respective circuits for energizing the respective solenoids for a high price article gate mechanism are through the high price selector switches'in series with the high price acceptor switch contacts only. Thus, only one selector switch is effective to energize a respective solenoid provided that the respective low or high price acceptor switch contacts are closed upon receipt of the coinage of the requisite low or high price, depending upon the price of articles sought to be vended. As will later be mentioned in detail, suitable holding circuits and cycle switch contacts are provided to maintain the selection solenoid energized during most of the vend cycle, to complete the vend cycle, and to reset the coin acceptor switch contacts to their normal open positions before the initiation of a subsequent vend cycle.

Another feature of the invention is the provision of a respective holding circuit relay for each solenoid to be energized each time the respective selection solenoid is energized and when energized to maintain the selected solenoid energized through the major portion of the vend cycle. The holding contacts of each holding circuit relay are connected in series holding circuits with each other such that only one selected solenoid and associated holding relay may remain energized during the vend cycle. The holding circuits are extended through cycle switch contacts so that the holding circuit for any then energized solenoid and relay is broken just before the end of a vend cycle while the electric dispensing motor is continued to be energized to the end of the vend cycle by then operated cycle switch contacts.

Yet another feature of the invention is the circuit provision to reset the coin acceptor switch contacts upon the energization of respective holding circuit relays. Those holding circuit relays associated with low price selection solenoids are provided with contacts wired in circuit with the reset solenoid for the low price acceptor switch contacts while those holding circuit relays associated with high price selection solenoids are provided with contacts connected in circuit with the reset solenoid for the high price acceptor switch contacts in a manner to reset the corresponding acceptor switch contacts each time a vend cycle is initiated.

Further objects, features, and the advantages of the invention will be apparent with reference to the following specification and drawing, in which:

FIGURE 1 is a circuit diagram, and

FIG. 2 .is a fragmentary schematic illustration of a multiple column multiple choice, multi-price vending machine embodying the control circuit of the invention.

Referring to the drawing, the mechanical details of the vending machine will not be described except generally in reference to the fragmentary and diagrammatic illustration of FIG. 2. If mechanical details of a vending machine to which the control circuit of the invention may be used are required, reference may be made to U.S. Patent No. 3,118,567, granted Jan. 1, 1964, to Meigs W. Newberry and `assigned to the assignee of the present application. For purposes of understanding the functioning of the control circuit of the invention, it should be understood that the vending machine is comprised of a cabinet 10 having a plurality of article storage columns 11, 12, 13 and 14 from which articles may ibe vended during a |vendi cycle. For example, columns 11 and 12 may contain `articles intended to be vended at a high price while columns 13 and 14 may be a-rranged to contain articles to be vended at a low price. The common operating member or bar 15 is arranged to be reciprocated vertically during each vend cycle by the operation of an electric motor 16, cam and lever linkage 17 and 18 and a vend cycle switch 19. The arrangement is such that one revolution of the shaft 20 driven by the electrical vend motor 16 iseffective to reciprocate the common operating bar 15 upwardly and then downwardly once for each vend cycle. The respective gate mechanisms operating lifter plates for each article storage column 11-14 are shown diagrammatically at 21- 24. As described'in detail in the aforementioned patent to Newberry, whenever a respective lifter plate `2124 is reciprocated upward and downward during a vend cycle, the gate mechanism (not shown) will be effective to dispense a single article from the associated article storage column. For example, when the lifter plate 21 is reciprocated vertically, an article will be dispensed lfrom the article storage column 11. The common operating member or bar 1S is provided with a plurality of respective solenoids 31-34 arranged to provide a driving connection from the common operating bar to an associated lifter plate when a corresponding selection solenoid is energized. For example, if the selection solenoid 31 is energized, lifter plate 21 will be provided with a driving connection to lbe lifted to vend an article lfrom a selected one of the article storage columns 11-14.

p Referring now to FIG. 1 of the drawings, a more detailed description of the control circuit of the invention will lbe made. Electrical power conductors are shown at 40 and 41 and it will be seen that one terminal of the electric motor 16 is connected to the power conductor 41 and its other terminal is adapted to be connected to the power conductor 40 at times during the vend cycle. A coin acceptor switch is shown in dotted block outline at 42 and is provided with normally open low price contacts 43 and normally open high price contacts 44. The acceptor switch contacts 43 and 44 are of the latching type and are operated whenever the requisite coinage is deposited in such manner that, for example, the deposit of ten cents in coin would cause contacts 43 to be closed while the deposit of fteen cents in coinage would cause acceptor switch contacts 44 to be closed. Separate coin accepting slots for high and low price vending could be provided as is obvious to those skilled in the art. Resetting solenoids 45 and 46 are provided inthe coin acceptor to reopen any then closed coin contacts 43 or 44 whenever the - respective reset solenoid 45, 46 is energized during a vend cycle and before a subsequent vend cycle is initiated. The details of the coin acceptor switch 42 are not shown and they may take various forms as may be supplied iby various manufacturing suppliers who are well known in the art. For example, a suitable coin acceptor switch arrangement having the functions described yfor the switch shown by the dotted block outline 42 is available from the National Rejectors Corporation in St. Louis, Mo.

The respective selection solenoids 31-34 are provided with one of their coil terminals connected through conductor 47 to the power conductor 41. The other terminal of each selector solenoid such as the solenoid 31 is adapted to -be connected through the associated selector switch and coin acceptor contacts to the power conductor 40. For example, solenoid 31 is adapted to lbe connected through normally closed empty switch contacts 51 and operated contacts `61 of the manual selector switch pushbutton 6i) and through a series circuit of normal closed contacts 72 of the manual pushbutton selector switch 70 and through the normally closed contacts 101 of the cutoi relay 100 to the high price acceptor switch contacts 44 and to the other power c-onductor 40. Similarly, the other terminal of the high price selection solenoid 32 is adapted to be connected through the normally closed empty switch contacts 52 and the operated contacts 71 of the manual pushbutton switch "70 through the normally closed cutoff relay contacts 101 and the high price accept-or switch contacts 44 to the power conductor 40. Thus, both high price selection relays 31 and 32 may be energized through series circuits of the series connected manual selector switches 604 and 70 and the high price acceptor switch contacts 44.

The other coil terminal of the low price selection solenoid 33 is adapted tc be connected through normally closed empty switch contacts 53 and operated contac 81 of the selection switch 80 and through normally closed series contacts 73 and 63 of pushbutton switches 60 and '7 0 through normally closed cuto relay contacts 102 and to the low price acceptor switch contacts 43 and to the power conductor 40. Similarly, the other coil terminal for the low price `selector solenoid 34 is adapted to be connected through empty switch contacts 54 and operated contacts 91 of the pushbutton selector switch 90 in series with the normal contacts 82 of the pushbutton switch 80 and normal contacts '73 and 63 of the pushbutton switches 70 and et?. This energizing circuit for the selection solenoid 34 is adapted to be further extended through normally closed cutoff relay contacts 102 and the low price acceptor switch contacts 43 to the power conductor 40. Thus, it will be seen that the manual pushbutton switches 60, 70, and are wired in series energizing circuits such that the low price selection switches S0 and 9) are wired in series with the lhigh price selector circuit switches 60 and 70 to the low price acceptor switch contacts 43 while the energizing circuits orf the high price selector switches 60 and 70 are `wired in series with each other and to the high price acceptor switch contacts 44. Thus, if a customer has deposited coinage or" a low price effective to close only the acceptor switch contacts 43, the operation of pushbuttons 60 and 7 d will not be effective to energize their corresponding related high price selection solenoid 31 or 32, and at the same time it will be impossible to `operate either of pushbutton switches 80 and 90. However, if either pushbutton 80 or 90 is operated singly while the low price acceptor switch contacts 43 are closed, the associated solenoid 33 or 34 will be energized. Correspondingly, if coinage in the amount of the high price is deposited so that acceptor switch high price contacts 44 are closed, the operation of either pushbutton 60 or 7 0 by itself will be effective to energize the corresponding high price selection solenoid 31 or 32 although simultaneous operation of more than one pushbutton, either high or low price, would be ineffective to energize any of the selection solenoids 31-34. Also, the operation of either pushbutton 80 or 90 under the conditions of only the acceptor switch contacts 44 being closed would be ineiective to energize either of the associated solenoids 33 or 34.

The previously described arrangement of selector switch circuits for the pushbutton switches 60, 70, 80 and 90, together wit-h the coin acceptor switches 43 and 44, enables a selected one of the selection solenoids 31-34 to be momentarily energized, provided that the requisite coinage has Ibeen deposited in the coin acceptor switch. In order to maintain the selected solenoid in the energized condition during the vend cycle thus initiated, a correspondin-g one of holding switch relays -14()l is energized simultaneously with the momentary energization of the respective associated selection solenoids 31-34. Each holding circuit relay 110, 120, and 140 is provided with associated holding switch contacts 111, 121, 131 and 141 which are connected in series relation with other contacts of said relays such that only one holding circuit relay 110, 120, 130 or 144B may be energized at a time. For example, the holding circuit for relay may lbe traced through its holding circuit contacts 141 and the normally closed contacts 132, 122 and 112 through any one of the normally closed empty switch contacts 55-58 and the normally closed cycle switch contacts to the power conductor 40. Similarly, the holding circuit for holding circuit relay 130 may be traced through its operated contacts 131 and the normally closed series contacts 122 and 112 of holding circuit relays 120 and 110 to the previously mentioned empty switch contacts l55-58 `and the cycle switch contacts 150. Similarly, the holding circuit for relay 120 may be traced through its operated contacts 121 and the normally closed series contacts 112 of -holding circuit relay 110. The holding circuit for holding circuit relay 110 may be traced through its operated contacts 111 to the empty switch contacts 55-58 `and the cycle switch contacts 150. Thus, it is apparent that only one of the holding circuit relays 1111, 120, 130 or 140 may be energized during a particular vend cycle.

The operation of any one of the `holding circuit relays 110, 120, 136 or 140 is also effective to energize the vend motor 16 through any one of the operated contacts 113, 123, 133 or 143 and at the same time the cutoff relay 160 is energized to open the contacts 101 and 102 and open any energizing circuits for the manual pushbutton switches 60, 70, `80 or 90. As the vend motor 1'6 runs during the vend cycle, the cycle switch cam 19 is eifective towards the end of the Vend cycle to move the cycle switch 150 tfrom the normal closed position shown to the operated position which-opens the holding circuits for any then operated holding circuit relays 110, 120, 130 or 140 and the associated selection solenoid 31-34. When the cam 19 moves the cycle switch 150 from the norm-al position shown to the operated position, the motor continues to be energized through operated holding switch motor contact 151. Atthe end of the vend cycle the holding switch 150 is again restored to the normal position shown and the circuit to the motor through motor contact 151 is opened and the motor is deenergized.

In the foregoing, there has been described the circuits for operating a selected one only of the selection solenoids 31-34 provided that the requisite coinage has ibeen deposited to close either the low price coin switch 43 for the lo-w price selection solenoids 33 and 34 or the high price acceptor switch contacts 44 for the high price selection solenoids 31 and 32. At the time that the associated holding relay 110, 12.0, 130 or 140 is energized simultaneously with its corresponding selection solenoid 31-34, circuits are completed to energize the respective acceptor switch reset solenoids 45 or 46 for the associated acceptor switch contacts 43 or 44. For example, if a ten-cent article has -been ordered and coinage has been deposited to close the coin acceptor switch contacts 43, the su'bsequent operation of either solenoid 33, 34 and simultaneous operation of either holding circuit relays 13D or 140 will close either contacts 134 or 144 to complete an obvious energizing circuit to the reset solenoid 45 of the low price coin switch contacts 43, causing those contacts to be restored to their normally open condition before the initiation of a subsequent vend cycle. On the other hand, if coinage in the amount of a high price such as a fifteen-cent selection has 'been deposited to cause coin acceptor switch contacts 44 to be closed, then the operation of either selection solenoids 31 and 32 and the simultaneous energization of their respective holding circuit relays 110 and 120 will be eiTective to close either contacts 114 or 124 to energize the high price reset solenoid 46 through the obvious circuits, thus resetting to the open condition the acceptor switch contacts 44 before the initiation of a subsequent vend cycle.

Various modifications may be made within the spirit of the invention.

What is claimed is:

1. A vending machine comprising a plurality of dispensing mechanisms;

a common operating mechanism for said dispensing mechanisms adapted to be operated during each vend cycle;

a respective solenoid for each dispensing mechanism, a driving connection adapted to connect said common operating mechanism to a selected dispensing mechanism in response to the energization of each said solenoid during a vend cycle;

a rst power supply conductor, a second power supply conductor;

a plurality of selector switches including a first group of switches adapted to control the selection of articles to be vended at a low price and a second group of switches adapted to control the selection of articles to be vended at a high price and each selector switch adapted to control a respective one each of said solenoids;

a coin acceptor switch having a tirst set of contacts to be closed upon receipt of coins in the amount of the low price and second set of contacts to be closed upon receipt of coins in the amount of the high price;

means providing a first circuit extending through the first and second group of selector switches in series and through the rst set of acceptor switch contacts when closed upon receipt of coins in the amount of the low price to said first power supply conductor, means providing a second circuit extending through the second group of selector switches in series and through the second set of acceptor switch contacts when closed upon receipt of coins in the am-ount of the high price to said rst power supply conductor; each selector switch in the irst group of selector switches being operable, when manually actuated, to connect -a solenoid controlled thereby from said second power supply conductor to said first power supply conductor through said rst circuit and said acceptor switch low price contacts, and to open the first circuit to the selector switches later in the series of the first group of selector switches and, when in nonactuated condition, to open the first circuit to the solenoid controlled thereby, and to continue the first circuit to the selector switches later in the series of the first group of selector switches,

each selector switch in the second group of selector switches being operable, when manually actuated, to connect a solenoid controlled thereby from said second power supply conductor to said iirst power supply conductor through said second circuit and said acceptor switch high price contacts, and to open both said irst and second circuits to the selector switches later in the series of both said iirst and second groups of switches and, when in non-actuated condition, to open the second circuit to the solenoid controlled thereby, and to continue the second circuit to the selector switches later in the series of the second group of selector switches and to continue the iirst circuit to the selector switches later in the series of said iirst and second groups of selector switches;

a Vend cycle switch having normally closed vend cycle contacts connected to said lirst power supply conductor and adapted to be open near the end of each vending cycle;

and a plurality of holding circuit relays each connected in parallel with a respective one of said solenoids to be energized upon energization of the respective solenoid and having contacts connected in a series holding circuit adapted to be connected through the normally closed contacts of said vend cycle contacts to said iirst power conductor, each holding relay when energized adapted to extend the series holding circuit to maintain the respective solenoid energized during the vend cycle and to open the holding circuit extending lthrough the holding relays later in the holding circuit series, the holding circuit for the respective solenoid being broken upon the opening ofthe vend cycle switch contacts near the end of each vending cycle.

2. The vending machine of claim 1 in which there is further provided:

an electric motor adapted to operate said common operating mechanism during each Vend cycle;

circuit means connected between said first and second power conductors and including contacts of each of said holding relays together with the normally closed cycle switch contacts and connected to energize said motor whenever a respective holding relay is energized while the normally closed contacts of said cycle switch are closed;

means connecting said cycle switch for operation by said motor to open said normally closed contacts near the end of each Vend cycle and deenergize any energized one of said solenoids and holding relays;

said cycle switch having motor contacts to be closed when said normally closed cycle switch contacts are opened near the end of each vend cycle; and

a circuit extending from said first and second power conductors through said motor contacts to maintain the energization of said motor to the end of the vend cycle whereupon the operation of the cycle switch recloses itsnormally closed contacts and opens its motor contacts to deenergize the motor at the end of the vend cycle.

3. The vending machine of claim Z in which there is provided:

rst electrical means for resetting the coin acceptor low price switch contacts to their open position, and second electrical means for resetting the coin acceptor high price switch contacts to their open position;

each of said holding relays connected in parallel with a respective solenoid controlled by a selector switch in the rst group of selector switches having contacts to be closed upon energization ofthe respecting holding relay to extend a circuit to energize the rst electrical resetting means, and each of said holding relays connected in parallel with a respective solenoid controlled by a selector switch in the second group of selector switches having contacts to be closed upon energization of the respective holding relay to extend a circuit to energize the second electrical resetting means.

4. The invention of claim 1 in which there is provided:

iirst electrical means for resetting the coin acceptor low price switch contacts to their open position, and

Vo o

second electrical means for resetting the coin acceptor high price switch contacts to their open position;

each of said holding relays connected in parallel with a respective solenoid controlled by a selector switch in the first group of selector switches having contacts to be closed upon energization of the 'respective holding relay to extend a circuit to energize the first electrical resetting means, and each of said holding relays connected in parallel with a respective solenoid controlled by a selector switch in the second group of selector switches having contacts to be closed upon energization of the respective holding relay to extend a circuit to energize the second electrical resetting means.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,679,917 6/1954 Andres 194-10 3,193,138 7/l965 Cox et al. 221-129 X 3,209,946 10/ 1965 Kalista 221--125 3,227,307 1/1965 Auerbach et al. 221-129 X 3,232,400 2/1966 Hendrickson 221-129 X 3,278,079 l0/l966 Guard 221-125 SAMUEL F. COLEMAN, Primary Examiner.

Claims (1)

1. A VENDING MACHINE COMPRISING A PLURALITY OF DISPENSING MECHANISMS; A COMMON OPERATING MECHANISM FOR SAID DISPENSING MECHANISMS ADAPTED TO BE OPERATED DURING EACH VEND CYCLE; A RESPECTIVE SOLENOID FOR EACH DISPENSING MECHANISM, A DRIVING CONNECTION ADAPTED TO CONNECT SAID COMMON OPERATING MECHANISM TO A SELECTED DISPENSING MECHANISM IN RESPONSE TO THE ENERGIZATION OF EACH SAID SOLENOID DURING A VEND CYCLE; A FIRST POWER SUPPLY CONDUCTOR, A SECOND POWER SUPPLY CONDUCTOR; A PLURALITY OF SELECTOR SWITCHES INCLUDING A FIRST GROUP OF SWITCHES ADAPTED TO CONTROL THE SELECTION OF ARTICLES TO BE VENDED AT A LOW PRICE AND A SECOND GROUP OF SWITCHES ADAPTED TO CONTROL THE SELECTION OF ARTICLES TO BE VENDED AT A HIGH PRICE AND EACH SELECTOR SWITCH ADAPTED TO CONTROL A RESPECTIVE ONE EACH OF SAID SOLENOIDS; A COIN ACCEPTOR SWITCH HAVING A FIRST SET OF CONTACTS TO BE CLOSED UPON RECEIPT OF COINS IN THE AMOUNT OF THE LOW PRICE AND SECOND SET OF CONTACTS TO BE CLOSED UPON RECEIPT OF COINS IN THE AMOUNT OF THE HIGH PRICE; MEANS PROVIDING A FIRST CIRCUIT EXTENDING THROUGH THE FIRST AND SECOND GROUP OF SELECTOR SWITCHES IN SERIES AND THROUGH THE FIRST SET OF ACCEPTOR SWITCH CONTACTS WHEN CLOSED UPON RECEIPT OF COINS IN THE AMOUNT OF THE LOW PRICE TO SAID FIRST POWER SUPPLY CONDUCTOR, MEANS PROVIDING A SECOND CIRCUIT EXTENDING THROUGH THE SECOND GROUP OF SELECTOR CIRCUIT EXTENDING THROUGH THROUGH THE SECOND SET OF ACCEPTOR SWITCH CONTACTS WHEN CLOSED UPON RECEIPT OF COINS IN THE AMOUNT OF THE HIGH PRICE TO SAID FIRST POWER SUPPLY CONDUCTOR; EACH SELECTOR SWITCH IN THE FIRST GROUP OF SELECTOR SWITCHES BEING OPERABLE, WHEN MANUALLY ACTUATED, TO CONNECT A SOLENOID CONTROLLED THEREBY FROM SAID SECOND POWER SUPPLY CONDUCTOR TO SAID FIRST POWER SUPPLY CONDUCTOR THROUGH SAID FIRST CIRCUIT AND SAID ACCEPTOR SWITCH LOW PRICE CONTACTS, AND TO OPEN THE FIRST CIRCUIT TO THE SELECTOR SWITCHES LATER IN THE SERIES OF THE FIRST GROUP OF SELECTOR SWITCHES AND, WHEN IN NONACTUATED CONDITION, TO OPEN THE FIRST CIRCUIT TO THE SOLENOID CONTROLLED THEREBY, AND TO CONTINUE THE FIRST CIRCUIT TO THE SELECTOR SWITCHES LATER IN THE SERIES OF THE FIRST GROUP OF SELECTOR SWITCHES,

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