US3583598A - Beverage-vending machine - Google Patents

Abstract

A vending machine for bottled or canned beverages which includes a vending mechanism that is electrically operated to release the lowest container from a stack thereof onto a pivotable table for easing the further downward movement of the container to a place of access. The container in the vend position is held by a horizontal pivotable rod, which is held by a latching lever until the latching lever is moved by a solenoid-driven link. A ''''soldout'''' switch provides part of the control for the solenoid and includes a lever having a retention flange that projects through a slot in the frame of the machine.

Description

United States Patent [72] Inventor Forrest L. Austin Brooklyn Center, Minn. [21] Appl. No. 792,512 [22] Filed Jnn.2l, 1969 [45] Patented June 8, 1971 [73] Assignee The Cornelius Company Anoka, Minn.

[S4] BEVERAGE-VENDING MACHINE 19 Claims, 4 Drawing Figs.

[52] US. Cl 221/67, 221/273, 221/298 [51] Int. Cl 865g 59/00 [50] Field of Search 221/67,75, 273, 298, 312; 194/2, 10

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,188,304 l/1940 Surdenik 221/273X 2,438,503 3/1948 Holt 221/67X 2,583,217 1/1952 James 221/298 2,835,409 5/1958 Rankin, Jr. 221/67 3,107,812 10/1963 Payne et al. 221/312X 3,300,084 l/1967 Payne 221/67X 3,300,086 1/1967 Wood 221/67 FOREIGN PATENTS 398,145 2/1966 Switzerland 221/67 Primary Examiner-Samuel F. Coleman Attorney-Hill, Sherman, Meroni, Gross & Simpson ABSTRACT: A vending machine for bottled or canned beverages which includes a vending mechanism that is electrically operated to release the lowest container from a stack thereof onto a pivotable table for easing the further downward movement of the container to a place of access. The container in the vend position is held by a horizontal pivotable rod, which is held by a latching lever until the latching lever is moved by a solenoid-driven link. A sold-out" switch provides part of the control for the solenoid and includes a lever having a retention flange that projects through a slot in the frame of the machine.

BEVERAGE-VENDING MACHINE BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention This invention relates to a vending machine for vending bottles or cans and includes electromechanical mechanism for effecting such vending.

2. Prior Art The more sophisticated previous bottleor can-vending machines enable the purchaser to make a selection from one of several flavors upon depositing the proper coinage and depressing a selector button. Release of a selected can or bottle then ensues. Once the vending mechanism has physically released the article to be vended, the article moves under the force of gravity to a place of manual access. Such movement has heretofore involved or entailed a goodly amount of agitation of the product which, being carbonated, readily foams out of the container when the container is opened. When the bottle is of the thin throw-away type, bottle breakage in vending has taken place. Also, certain prior mechanisms have been complex and hence expensive to manufacture and susceptible to malfunction.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The beverage-vending machine has a gently pivotable table for easing a released container to a place of ready access in a manner wherein jarring and agitation of the container is minimized. A solenoid-driven link pivots a latch member which normally holds a pivotable rod in position to prevent release of the container that is in the vend position until the solenoid is momentarily actuated.

Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a beverage-vending machine for vending beverage containers, such as bottles or cans.

A further object of this invention is to provide a structure by which a container being vended will be let down slowly and slide to a position of access.

Another object of this invention is to provide a vending mechanism by which the article is vended gently so as to eliminate excessive agitation of the contents during vending.

Yet another object of the present invention is to avoid dropping a throw-away glass bottle on its neck or otherwise striking such neck during vending, to lessen the likelihood of bottle breakage.

A still further object of the present invention is to provide an article-release mechanism of the solenoid-actuated type of a particularly simple and reliable construction.

Many other advantages, features and additional objects of the present invention will become manifest to those versed in the art upon making reference to the detailed description and the accompanying sheets of drawings in which a preferred structural embodiment incorporating the principles of the present invention is shown by way of illustrative example.

ON THE DRAWINGS FIG. I is a fragmentary front elevational view of the article supporting and releasing mechanism associated with one station of a multistation beverage-vending machine provided in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a side elevational view of further structure forming a part of the article supporting and releasing mechanism of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3, appearing with FIG. 1, is a perspective view of a lowering table shown in FIG. 2; and

FIG. 4, appearing with FIG 1, is a side view of a sold-out mechanism employed with the structure of FIG. 1.

AS SHOWN ON THE DRAWINGS This invention is particularly useful when embodied in a beverage-vending machine such as illustrated in the drawings, generally indicated by the numeral 10. The beverage-vending machine includes a frame II, means on the frame 11 for supporting a superimposed stack of filled beverage containers, such means being identified at 12, means 13 for releasing the lowermost container, means 14 shown in FIG. 2 for lowering the released container, and a motor-driven cam 15 for regulating the lowering means 14. The beverage-vending machine 10 has a number of stations such as the one illustrated, each arranged to vend a specific flavor or brand of beverage provided in the respective superimposed stacks of-containers 16, the lowermost one of which is in a vend position. The means 12 for supporting the superimposed stack of containers 16 generally comprises oppositely facing walls as is known.

The releasing structure 13 is also the structure by which the superimposed stack is supported from below. The releasing structure 13 includes a horizontal rod 17, a latching lever 18 ,a link I9, and an electric solenoid 20. The horizontal rod 17 is locked in either of two positions as explained below, one of which is illustrated in FIG. 1. The distance between the center of the rod 17 and the adjacent wall 12 is greater than the radius of the container 16 so that the lowermost container 16, the one in the vend position, can rest on the rod 17 as shown in FIG. 1. Thereafter, other containers 16 are superimposed thereon, for example, in the staggered manner illustrated. The structure of the rod 17 is best shown in FIG. 2. The rod 17 is of sufficient length so that it is longer than any container to be vended. Near each end, it is respectively provided with a pair of upwardly extending support arms 21, 22, each of which arms is provided with a stub shaft 23, 24 which are coaxial with each other and which thus lie above the horizontal rod 17 to provide a pivotal axis for the rod 17 which is external to itself. The support arm 22 is disposed beneath an offset 11a in the frame 11 which serves to prevent any container 16 from engaging the support arm 22. The stub shafts 23 and 24 are of unequal effective length and extend in a common direction through a pair of bushing-type bearings 25, 26 which extend through openings in the frame 11. A nut and washer 27, 28 or a snap ring may be employed to hold the bearings 25, 26 in position, and at least one snap ring 29 serves to hold the horizontal rod 17 assembled with respect to the frame. Preferably, one of the stub shafts 23, 24 is slightly longer than the other so that when the horizontal rod 17 is being assembled into the bearings 25, 26, one of these stub shafts may first enter and then the other. The horizontal rod 17 also has a projecting end 30 of still longer effective length which extends through an arcuate opening 31 in the frame 11 remote from the pivotal axis of the horizontal rod 17.

With reference again to FIG. I, it will be noted that when the horizontal rod 17 is swung about the axis of the stub shaft 24 in a counterclockwise direction as seen, the container 16 can begin to move downwardly as soon as such swinging begins, and the container will be fully released when the space between the horizontal rod 17 and the supporting wall 12 engaged by the container 16 is equal to the maximum diameter of the container 16.

The latching lever 18 is supported on a pivot 32 carried by the frame 11 and is biased in a counterclockwise direction by a spring 33 so as to bring the lever 18 into contact with a fixed pin 34 carried by the frame 11, thereby limiting the extent of counterclockwise movement to the position illustrated. The latching lever 18 has a pair of oppositely directed surfaces 35, 36 which respectively and alternately engage a pair of oppositely directed surfaces 37, 38 located on the projecting end 30 of the rod 17. Thus the horizontal rod 17 is urged both by the stack of containers and by gravity against the latching lever 18. The latching lever 18 has a projection in the form of a pin 39 which extends rearwardly as shown and is embraced by means 40 which define a notch which opens laterally in the link 19. The solenoid 20 has a coil portion 41 which is secured to the frame and a reciprocable plunger 42 which is connected by a pin 43 to the link 19, the link 19 being biased in a clockwise direction by a spring 44 into engagement with a pin or abutment 45 secured to the frame 11. The link 19 has a cam surface 46 engageable with the abutment 45 in response to actuation of the solenoid 20.

A pair of switches 67, 47a are disposed to be actuated by the latching lever 18 which is here provided with an extension 48 for such purpose. The switch 47 is of the normally open type which is held closed, as illustrated, and electrically forms a part of the circuit that controls the solenoid 20 to insure a full stroke thereof. The switch 47 is used to decnergize the solenoid 20 in response to the latching levers 18 having been moved by a sufficient angular amount. Further, the solenoid 20 should not be initially energized unless the switch 47 is in the position illustrated which indicates that a previous vend cycle has been completed. The switch 470 is of the normally closed type and is held open, as illustrated. Its closing is used to energize a motor 58 described below. Thus, the switches 47 and 47a operate after the latching lever 18 of the releasing means 13 has released the next container ll6.

With reference to FIG. 4, the frame II is provided with a second pair of switches 49, 49a. The switch 49 has a normally closed portion and a normally open portion, and the switch 49a has a normally open portion. The switches 49, 49a have an actuator blade 50 of a resilient type. A plate 51 is urged by the blades 50 to extend into the path of one of the containers 16 at or above the vend position, and hence above the releasing means 13. In the absence of any such container, the resilient blades 50 will rock the plate 51 to the position drawn without significant opposition, whereby the set of contacts in the switch 490 is open. Such contacts are used in series with the power circuit to the vend solenoid 20 so that in the absence in that stack or station of a container to be vended, the associated solenoid 20 cannot be energized. The normally closed set of contacts in the switch 49 preferably are used to direct power to illuminate a small sign which, when illuminated, reads "make another selection or sold out. The normally open set of contacts in the switch 49 are connected in parallel with corresponding contacts of other stacks, to direct power to a credit relay (conventional and not shown) so long as there is a container in any of the stacks. Although sold-out switches per se are known heretofore, the actuation structure here provided is particularly simple to manufacture and install and to that end the plate 51 has an upper margin which is shaped as a retention flange 52 which projects pivotally through a slot 53 in the frame 11. When the plate 51 is swung downwardly to a substantially vertical position by the container 16 that has not been released, the switch 49a will not disable the releasing means 13.

With reference to FIGS. 2 and 3, it will be noted that immediately beneath each of the horizontal rods I7, there is the lowering means 14 onto which the released container 16 will drop for a very short distance. To this end, as seen in FIG. 3, the lowering means 14 includes a table 54 which is pivotally supported on a rod 55 at one end and which has an intermediate portion or roller 56. The upper surface of the table 54 is provided with a recess 57 extending along its length for receiving and guiding the released container, and as seen in FIG. 2, the horizontal rod 17 is normally disposed partially in this recess 57 so that it pivots therethrough in its arcuate movement. At the end remote from the rod 55, the table has a vertical slot 72 having a width receptive of the capped end of a bottle, and a length or extent along the recess 57 sufficient to enable clearing the end of the cap. By this arrangement, the table 54 can return to the position shown in FIG. 2 even if a bottle-container has not been manually lifted away from a partially overlying position with respect to the table 54. The length of the slot 72 along with the location of a conventional bottle-stop (not shown) determines the maximum length of bottle that can be so handled.

The driven cam engages the intermediate portion or roller 56 and normally holds the table 54 in a horizontal position as illustrated in FIG. 2. At the time that the solenoid is energized, a motor 58 having an internal gear train slowly turns an output shaft 59 through one revolution. The output shaft 59 is connected through connecting means generally indicated at 60 and comprising a linkage, to drive the cam 15. The linkage 60 includes a crank arm M which is connected through a pivot pin 62 to a link 63 which is connected through a pivot pin 64 to a crank arm 65 which is longer than the crank arm 61. Therefore, rotation of the shaft 59 will merely cause rocking of the crank arm 65 which is secured to a shaft 66 that extends horizontally below all of the various vending stations in the beverage-vending machine, as best seen in FIG. 1. The shaft 66 is supported at several points along its length by flangelike portions 67 of the frame Ill. To provide but one revolution per vend cycle, there is further included a switch 68 which has a normally closed section and a normally open section. The motor 58 can be energized through the normally closed section of the switch 68 and the switch 47a by external means in the form of a timer (not shown) which thereafter transfers control to the then closed contacts so that when the pivot pin 62 which projects toward the viewer returns to the position illustrated, the pin 62 will engage an actuator 69 of the switch 68. Thus, for each operation of any one of the solenoids 20, all of the tables 54 are rocked downwardly at a rate and to an extent determined by the slope of a cam surface 15a to enable the container to slide from the sloping table 54 in a gentle manner to a place of ready access.

As is conventional, in response to deposit of proper coinage, a selection circuit is energized. Then in response to the manual actuation ofa selection switch, the solenoid 20 is energized. Energizing of the solenoid 26 causes the link 19 to move upwardly and through the action of its notch 40 on the projection or pin 39, the latching lever 18 is pivoted in a clockwise direction to an extent to assure disengagement of the surface 35 from the surface 37. At this point, the horizontal lever 17 is free to pivot and to release the container 16 in the vend position as described before. For relatively heavy containers or for a stack of lightweight containers 16, the horizontal rod 17 not only moves by the distance needed to release the container, but is given added energy so that it moves by inertia for a considerable distance, up toward the end of the arcuate slot 31. Under the influence of gravity, it will return in a clockwise direction, but before it returns downwardly or before it can reach a straight down position, the latching lever 18 will have resumed the position illustrated so that clockwise swinging of the horizontal arm 17 is interrupted by the latching lever 18 whose surface 36 will be struck by the surface 38 of the horizontal rod 17. Where the force on the horizontal rod 17 from the containers is relatively light, there is a different dynamic response. Where the diameter of the container 16 is near the minimum, its weight is less and the container rests a little lower down than illustrated, so that its lowermost point is closer to the table 54. Under such conditions, following the disengagement of the surface 35 from the surface 37, the horizontal rod pivots so slightly that the projecting end 30 merely overlies and is later engaged by an upwardly directed horizontal surface 71 which connects the surfaces 35 and 36. The container 16 can then rest on the table 54, However, this movement of the latch 18 serves to energize the table motor 58, whereupon the table begins to tilt, enabling the container 16 to tilt downwardly and to thereby force the projection past the latching member. The container 16, being then tilted, slides smoothly off the table 54.

The upward movement of the link 19 will continue so long as the solenoid 20 is energized, and because of the notch 40, it tends to rock the latching lever 18 a corresponding period of time. However, before the upward movement of the link 19 has been completed, the cam surface 46 thereon will engage the abutment 45 and cause the link 19 to pivot in a counterclockwise direction. After a small amount of such pivoting, the lower edge of the notch 40 will be rocked out of engagement with the lower surface of the projection 39 whereby the latching lever spring 33 returns the latching lever 18 to the position illustrated, either promptly if the surface 7l is not then engaged, or as soon as the surface '71 is disengaged, as explained above. After the solenoid 20 has been deenergized, due to the effect of gravity on the plunger 42 and the link 19 and the bias of the link spring 44, the link 19 will return in a downward direction with the cam surface 46 still engaging the abutment 45 until a then adjacent surface 70 on the lower end of the link 19 engages the abutment 39. As the link 19 moves further downward, the surface 70 slides along the right side of the projection or pin 39 until the notch 40 is reached when, due to the action of the link spring 44, the link will snap to the position illustrated where the link engaged either or both of the abutments 45 and 39.

This structure is advantageous for the further reason that even if the plunger 42 were to stick in the solenoid coil 41, the latching lever 18 would prevent any jackpotting. Further, because of the normal reengagement of the projection 39 with the notch 40, the mechanism will not go through a subsequent vend cycle if any of various possible malfunctions or incomplete operations have taken place.

Although various minor modifications might be suggested by those versed in the art, it should be understood that I wish to embody within the scope of the patent warranted hereon, all such embodiments as reasonably and properly come within the scope of my contribution to the art.

I claim as my invention:

1. A beverage-vending machine comprising:

a. a frame;

b. means carried by said frame for supporting a superimposed stacked of filled beverage containers;

c. means movably secured to said frame for selectably releasing only the lowermost one of said stack of containers for downward movement, said releasing means including a horizontal rod pivotable about an external axis in an arcuate path;

d. lowering means movably carried by said frame onto which said one container may move when released for said downward movement, said lowering means having a recess along its length for receiving and guiding said one container in its movement, the arcuate path of said horizontal rod extending through said recess in said lowering means; and

e. means supported by said frame for regulating movement of said lowering means such that said one container is eased into further downward movement to a place of access.

2. A beverage-vending machine comprising:

a. a frame;

b. means carried by said frame for supporting a superimposed stack of filled beverage containers;

c. a horizontal rod pivotally supported by said frame for movement about an external axis in an arcuate path and normally releasably supporting the lowermost container in said stack, an end of said horizontal rod projecting through an opening in said frame remote from its pivotal axis;

d. a latching lever pivotally secured to said frame and normally acting on the projecting end of said rod for holding said horizontal rod in a container-supporting position;

e. an electric solenoid carried by said frame; and

f. a link arranged to be moved by said solenoid and to pivot said latching lever out of its normal rod-holding position.

3. A beverage-vending machine comprising:

a. a frame;

b. means carried by said frame for supporting a superimposed stack of filled beverage containers;

c. a horizontal rod pivotally supported by said frame for movement about an external axis in an arcuate path and normally releasably supporting the lowermost container in said stack, said rod having a pair of generally opposite ly directed surfaces remote from its pivotal axis;

d. a latching lever pivotally secured to said frame and having oppositely directed surfaces normally alternately and respectively engageable with said pair of oppositely directed surfaces on said rod for holding said horizontal rod in a container-supporting position;

e. an electric solenoid carried by said frame; and

f. a link arranged to be moved by said solenoid and to pivot said latching lever out of its normal rod-holding position.

4. A beverage-vending machine comprising:

a. a frame;

b. means carried by said frame for supporting a superimposed stack of filled beverage containers;

c. means movably secured to said frame for selectably releasing only the lowermost one of said stack of containers for downward movement;

d. lowering means movably carried by said frame onto which said one container may move when released for said downward movement, said lowering means including a table pivoted at one end and having a slot at the end opposite to said pivoted end through which slot the neck of bottle-type of beverage containers may pass; and

e. a driven cam supported by said frame for regulating movement of said table such that said one container is eased into further downward movement to a place of access, said cam acting on an intermediate portion of said table.

5. A beverage-vending machine comprising:

a. a frame;

b. means carried by said frame for supporting a superimposed stack of filled beverage containers;

c. means movably secured to said frame for selectably releasing only the lowermost one of said stack of containers for downward movement;

d. lowering means movably carried by said frame onto which said one container may move when released for said downward movement, said lowering means including a pivotally supported table, said table having a slot at one end thereof over which slot the beverage container moves and through which slot the neck of such container may pass; and

e. means supported by said frame for regulating movement of said lowering means such that said one container is eased into further downward movement to a place of access, said regulating means having a driving connection to effect pivoting of said table.

6. A beverage-vending machine, comprising:

a. a frame;

b. means carried by said frame for supporting a superimposed stack of filled beverage containers;

c. means movably secured to said frame and powered by a first motor comprising an electric solenoid for selectably releasing only the lowermost one of said stack of containers for downward movement;

d. lowering means movably carried by said frame onto which said one container may move when released for said downward movement;

e. means supported by said frame for regulating movement of said lowering means such that said one container is eased into further downward movement to a place of access;

f. a second electric motor secured to said frame; and

g. means connecting said second motor to said regulating means.

7. A beverage-vending machine according to claim 6 in which said connecting means includes a linkage arranged to reciprocate said regulating means in response to rotation of said second motor.

8. A beverage-vending machine according to claim 6, wherein said releasing means includes a. a horizontal rod;

b. a pair of support arms secured to said rod near the ends thereof and always extending upwardly therefrom; and

c. a pair of stub shafts respectively secured coaxially to said support arms above said rod, said stub shafts extending in a common direction through a pair of aligned bearings in said frame.

9. A beveragevending machine according to claim 6, wherein said connecting means includes a shaft rotatably carried by said frame and driven by said second motor, said shaft supporting and driving said regulating means as well as a plurality of additional regulating means arranged to regulate corresponding structure associated with other superimposed stacks of filled beverage containers.

10. A beverage-vending machine according to claim 6, including:

a. a switch connected to disable said releasing means and supported by said frame, and having an actuator blade;

b. a plate resiliently urged by said switch actuator blade to extend into the path of said containers above said releasing means, the upper margin of said plate projecting through a slot in said frame and formed as a retention flange of inverted U-shaped cross section pivoted directly on an edge of said frame that defines said slot and serves as a fulcrum.

11. A beverage-vending machine according to claim 6,

wherein said releasing means comprises:

a. a horizontal rod pivotable about an external axis in an arcuate path and normally supporting the lowermost container in said stack;

b. a latching lever pivotally secured to said frame independently of said rod and eccentrically to said axis, and normally holding said horizontal rod in a container-supporting position; and

c. a link arranged to be moved by said solenoid and to positively pivot said latching lever in a single direction out of its normal rod-holding position.

12. A beverage-vending machine according to claim 6, including a switch connected to start said second motor after said releasing means has released said one container to initiate movement of said lowering means with said one container.

13. A beverage-vending machine according to claim 12, wherein said switch is responsive to the released position of said releasing means for the starting of said second motor.

14. A beverage-vending machine according to claim 6, including a switch connected to deenergize said solenoid, said switch being responsive to said releasing means in its released position for the deenergizing of said solenoid.

IS. A beverage-vending machine comprising:

a. a frame;

b. means carried by said frame for supporting a superimposed stack of filled beverage containers;

c. a horizontal rod pivotably supported by said frame for movement about an external axis in an arcuate path and normally releasably supporting the lowermost container in said stack;

d. a latching lever pivotally secured to said frame independently of said rod in parallel with and eccentrically to said axis, and normally holding said horizontal rod in a container-supporting position;

e. an electric solenoid carried by said frame and having a plunger; and

f. a link connected to said solenoid plunger and arranged to positively pivot said latching lever in a single direction out of its normal rod-holding position.

16. A beverage-vending machine according to claim 15 which includes means biasing said latching lever toward said rod, and a pin carried by said frame and normally engaged by said latching lever and limiting pivoting thereof in response to the bias.

17. A beverage-vending machine according to claim 15 including:

a. a projection on said latching lever;

b. said link having a laterally opening notch normally embracing said projection on said latching lever;

c. means biasing said link for normally holding said notch about said latching lever projection;

d. a cam surface on said link; and

e. an abutment on said frame engaged by said cam in response to movement of said link by said solenoid to also pivot said link to disengage said notch from said latching lever projection.

18. A beverage-vending machine according to claim 15 which includes a switch actuated by said latching lever for controlling said solenoid.

19. A beverage-vending machine according to claim 3,

which includes a further surface on said latching lever disposed between said oppositely directed surfaces and engageable with said rod in a nonlatching manner.

Claims (19)

1. A beverage-vending machine comprising: a. a frame; b. means carried by said frame for supporting a superimposed stacked of filled beverage containers; c. means movably secured to said frame for selectably releasing only the lowermost one of said stack of containers for downward movement, said releasing means including a horizontal rod pivotable about an external axis in an arcuate path; d. lowering means movably carried by said frame onto which said one container may move when released for said downward movement, said lowering means having a recess along its length for receiving and guiding said one container in its movement, the arcuate path of said horizontal rod extending through said recesS in said lowering means; and e. means supported by said frame for regulating movement of said lowering means such that said one container is eased into further downward movement to a place of access.

2. A beverage-vending machine comprising: a. a frame; b. means carried by said frame for supporting a superimposed stack of filled beverage containers; c. a horizontal rod pivotally supported by said frame for movement about an external axis in an arcuate path and normally releasably supporting the lowermost container in said stack, an end of said horizontal rod projecting through an opening in said frame remote from its pivotal axis; d. a latching lever pivotally secured to said frame and normally acting on the projecting end of said rod for holding said horizontal rod in a container-supporting position; e. an electric solenoid carried by said frame; and f. a link arranged to be moved by said solenoid and to pivot said latching lever out of its normal rod-holding position.

3. A beverage-vending machine comprising: a. a frame; b. means carried by said frame for supporting a superimposed stack of filled beverage containers; c. a horizontal rod pivotally supported by said frame for movement about an external axis in an arcuate path and normally releasably supporting the lowermost container in said stack, said rod having a pair of generally oppositely directed surfaces remote from its pivotal axis; d. a latching lever pivotally secured to said frame and having oppositely directed surfaces normally alternately and respectively engageable with said pair of oppositely directed surfaces on said rod for holding said horizontal rod in a container-supporting position; e. an electric solenoid carried by said frame; and f. a link arranged to be moved by said solenoid and to pivot said latching lever out of its normal rod-holding position.

4. A beverage-vending machine comprising: a. a frame; b. means carried by said frame for supporting a superimposed stack of filled beverage containers; c. means movably secured to said frame for selectably releasing only the lowermost one of said stack of containers for downward movement; d. lowering means movably carried by said frame onto which said one container may move when released for said downward movement, said lowering means including a table pivoted at one end and having a slot at the end opposite to said pivoted end through which slot the neck of bottle-type of beverage containers may pass; and e. a driven cam supported by said frame for regulating movement of said table such that said one container is eased into further downward movement to a place of access, said cam acting on an intermediate portion of said table.

5. A beverage-vending machine comprising: a. a frame; b. means carried by said frame for supporting a superimposed stack of filled beverage containers; c. means movably secured to said frame for selectably releasing only the lowermost one of said stack of containers for downward movement; d. lowering means movably carried by said frame onto which said one container may move when released for said downward movement, said lowering means including a pivotally supported table, said table having a slot at one end thereof over which slot the beverage container moves and through which slot the neck of such container may pass; and e. means supported by said frame for regulating movement of said lowering means such that said one container is eased into further downward movement to a place of access, said regulating means having a driving connection to effect pivoting of said table.

6. A beverage-vending machine, comprising: a. a frame; b. means carried by said frame for supporting a superimposed stack of filled beverage containers; c. means movably secured to said frame and powered by a first motor comprising an electric solenoid for selectably releasing only the lowermost one of said stack of conTainers for downward movement; d. lowering means movably carried by said frame onto which said one container may move when released for said downward movement; e. means supported by said frame for regulating movement of said lowering means such that said one container is eased into further downward movement to a place of access; f. a second electric motor secured to said frame; and g. means connecting said second motor to said regulating means.

7. A beverage-vending machine according to claim 6 in which said connecting means includes a linkage arranged to reciprocate said regulating means in response to rotation of said second motor.

8. A beverage-vending machine according to claim 6, wherein said releasing means includes a. a horizontal rod; b. a pair of support arms secured to said rod near the ends thereof and always extending upwardly therefrom; and c. a pair of stub shafts respectively secured coaxially to said support arms above said rod, said stub shafts extending in a common direction through a pair of aligned bearings in said frame.

9. A beverage-vending machine according to claim 6, wherein said connecting means includes a shaft rotatably carried by said frame and driven by said second motor, said shaft supporting and driving said regulating means as well as a plurality of additional regulating means arranged to regulate corresponding structure associated with other superimposed stacks of filled beverage containers.

10. A beverage-vending machine according to claim 6, including: a. a switch connected to disable said releasing means and supported by said frame, and having an actuator blade; b. a plate resiliently urged by said switch actuator blade to extend into the path of said containers above said releasing means, the upper margin of said plate projecting through a slot in said frame and formed as a retention flange of inverted U-shaped cross section pivoted directly on an edge of said frame that defines said slot and serves as a fulcrum.

11. A beverage-vending machine according to claim 6, wherein said releasing means comprises: a. a horizontal rod pivotable about an external axis in an arcuate path and normally supporting the lowermost container in said stack; b. a latching lever pivotally secured to said frame independently of said rod and eccentrically to said axis, and normally holding said horizontal rod in a container-supporting position; and c. a link arranged to be moved by said solenoid and to positively pivot said latching lever in a single direction out of its normal rod-holding position.

12. A beverage-vending machine according to claim 6, including a switch connected to start said second motor after said releasing means has released said one container to initiate movement of said lowering means with said one container.

13. A beverage-vending machine according to claim 12, wherein said switch is responsive to the released position of said releasing means for the starting of said second motor.

14. A beverage-vending machine according to claim 6, including a switch connected to deenergize said solenoid, said switch being responsive to said releasing means in its released position for the deenergizing of said solenoid.

15. A beverage-vending machine comprising: a. a frame; b. means carried by said frame for supporting a superimposed stack of filled beverage containers; c. a horizontal rod pivotably supported by said frame for movement about an external axis in an arcuate path and normally releasably supporting the lowermost container in said stack; d. a latching lever pivotally secured to said frame independently of said rod in parallel with and eccentrically to said axis, and normally holding said horizontal rod in a container-supporting position; e. an electric solenoid carried by said frame and having a plunger; and f. a link connected to said solenoid plunger and arranged to positively pivot said latching lever in a single dIrection out of its normal rod-holding position.

16. A beverage-vending machine according to claim 15 which includes means biasing said latching lever toward said rod, and a pin carried by said frame and normally engaged by said latching lever and limiting pivoting thereof in response to the bias.

17. A beverage-vending machine according to claim 15 including: a. a projection on said latching lever; b. said link having a laterally opening notch normally embracing said projection on said latching lever; c. means biasing said link for normally holding said notch about said latching lever projection; d. a cam surface on said link; and e. an abutment on said frame engaged by said cam in response to movement of said link by said solenoid to also pivot said link to disengage said notch from said latching lever projection.

18. A beverage-vending machine according to claim 15 which includes a switch actuated by said latching lever for controlling said solenoid.

19. A beverage-vending machine according to claim 3, which includes a further surface on said latching lever disposed between said oppositely directed surfaces and engageable with said rod in a nonlatching manner.

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