US811571A - Vending-machine. - Google Patents

Description

PATENTBD FEB. 6, 1906.

A. MERCKBNS. VENDING MACHINE. APPLIUATIGK nun rm. B, 1905 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 6, 1908.

Application filed February 3. 1905. Serial Ho. 244.695.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, Answer MEnoxENs, a

citizen of the United States, residin atEast Orange, in the county of Essex an State of New Jersey, have invented an Improvement in Vending-Machines, is a specification.

My invention relates to vendin -machines, and articularly to that class 0 automatic vending-machines in whicha o'oin of predetermined denomination is inserted through a slot and passes through a coin-tester to such a position in a suitab e ejector that through the intervention of the coin a package or other article to be vended is ejected by theopsrsvended the coin of predetermined denomination will be returned. My improved vending-maohine will therefore not only eject all devices other than the coin intended to operate it, but will also deliver the goods or re-- fund the money to a bone fide vendee.

In carrying out my invention I employ a suitable casing, means 0 erated through the intervention of a coin o nomination for ejecting t e packages to be vended, means for returning the said coin when the machine does not deliver the packa es, and means for ejecting from the mee me all articles. inserted other than the coin of predetermined denomination intended to operate it,. all of which will be hereinafter more particularly set forth.

In the drawings; Figure 1 is a section and partial elevation of an automatic vendingma'chine,illustratin my' provements therein. Fig. 2 is an en elevation of the frame in which the coin-tester is mounted. Fig. 3 is a section on line a: w of Fig. 1 looking toward the rear end of the frame in which the cointester is mounted, and Fig. 4 is a front elevetion of the plates forming the coin-chute and the parts associated therewith.

0. represents the front board of a suitable casing, which, may be made in any'forrn adapted to contain the mechanism for operat:

' ing the machine and the packages to be vend'edi b is a frame preferably made of metal and of which the following redeterimned de- -set in the casing in the requisite position. Within the frame I) I employ a coin-tester c, conveniently comprising a fixed plate or member 2, a movable plate or member 3 hinged on a rod 4 and normally maintains in position with itsinner fees in contact with the lower edge of the fixed plate 2 by; means of a spring 5. The lower end of t 6 fixed plate 2 is greferably rounded or provided with a longitu inal groove by which construction a coin-passage is provided between said fixed and movable plates. The outer member of the frameh is provided with a suitable slot 0' the fixed and movable plates 2 3, respectively, of the coin-tester. The movable plate 3 is provided with an arm 6, extending from the upper front end of the same, with its lower edge across the up or portion of'the slot 0', so that in inserting t e coin the movable plate 3 is swung aside by the edge of the coin coming in contact with the lower edge of the arm 6. The movable plate 3 is also rovided with an inclined contact-arm extending from the lower forward edge of the same, whose function will be hereinafter set forth. The coin-tester is also preferabl provided with a and any other devices known to the art for arresting a spurious coin or any other device in the coirvtester.

(1 represents a gravity-plate which is pivot ed at 10 to the inner surface of the frame I) in such a position that normally the arm d of the gravity-plate is clear of the slot 11 in the inner face of the frame b and in alinernent with the coin-passage between the fixed and movable plates of the coin-tester, the gravitypla te being held in this position by its arm which normally rests against the inner end of that portion b of the fixed plate which passes through the inner portion of the frame T as indicated in Fig. 2. The gravit -plate also provided with-a finger (i w 'ch preferably projects at viilglht angles therefrom and whose function also be hereinafter set e represents a receptacle adapted to contain the packages 12 to be vended, which, as is common in machines of this class, are soper-imposed in piles within the receptacle 4; and are maintainsd in ition therein by means of a suitable weig t. f, also adaptedto fit within the receptacles. The weight f is provided with a projection f in such a posiare exhausted.

tion that when thepackages in alineme'nt with the coin-passage between magnet 8, a suitable hinge washer-arrester,

d is

forth.

from the receptacle to a suflicient extent the projection f will contact with the finger d of the gravity-plate d, and thereb cause the arm (1 thereof to be swung in i i'ont of the slot 11 and across the path of the coin through the coin-tester with its eilgeagainst the stop b as indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 2.

g is a slidable ejector secured to the inner end of a push-rod h, whose outer end passes through the front board a. The ejector g is provided with a slot 13, adapted to receive the coin, and the push-rod h is provided with a sleeve 14, the said ejector g bein normally held in osition against a stopar h by means 0 a helical spring 15, hearin at one end against the stop-bar h and at the other end against the sleeve 14, passing within the recessed portion of the same, as indicated, if so desired.

2' represents a hopper located directly beneath the opening 11 at the end of the passage in the coin-tester, and 16 is a chute leading from the hopper 'i to a point directly above the slot 13 in the ejector g and b 1 means of which the coin after passing throu the tester is delivered to the ejector g. i t

, will be manifest that in this position the coin itself is employed as the medium by which the lowermost package in the superimposed pile will be ejected upon the push-rod It being i moved inward.

It represents a eoin-receptac1e, and the upper portion 17 thereof is preferably utilized as a slide upon which the ejector 9 moves. This portion of the coin-receptacle is provided with a slot 18, through which after the lowermost package has been removed from the superimposed pile the coin used in ejecting the same will pass directly through the slot 13 in the ejector g and through the slot 18 into the coin-receptacle is.

Z a hopper situated immediately behind the front board a and directly beneath the coin-tester c. The hopper Z communicates with a chute 19, which is in communication with the chute 20, through which the packages to be vended are passed, so that articles passing through either of the chutes 19 20 arrive at the same place and from which they may be obtained. The push-rod I1 is preferably provided with an arm m, which is socured at one end in the sleeve 14, fixed on said push-rod and extending upwardly beneath the side of the hopper l and provided .tt its upper end with a rod 71, extending parn'lel with and immediately behind the front board a. The rod n is provided with a pin 7', ant. the relation and posit ion of these parts is such that when the rod It pushed inwardly the pin 1 strikes the inclined contactarn1 7, secured to the movable plate 3 of the cointester and swings said plate aside.

From the foregoing description it will be seen that l have referred to my improved apparatus in the singular; but it will be manifest that in any given machine the parts may be duplicated at pleasure without departing from the nature and spirit of my invention.

In the o eration of the mechanism, assumin that t e receptacle e for the packages is fil ed, the gravitylate will be insueh a position thatits arm d will not interfere with the passage of a coin of predetermined denomination properly inserted throu h the slot 0 in the outer face of the frame The coin having passed to its position in the slot 13 of the ejector g, the lowermost packa e 12 in the superimposed pile of packages wil be ejected from the pile by the pressure exerted thereon by the coin in movin the push-rod h inwardly, whereupon the pac age passes throu h the chute 20 and the coin drops through t e slot 18 into the coin-receptacle. Should, however, the packages beexhausted from the receptacle e, or nearly so, as shown in the drawings, to such an extent that the projection f, secured in the weight f, contacts with the finger d of the gravity-plate, causing the arm d thereof to swing to the dotted position shown in Fig. 2 across the ath of the coin, the coin will be arrested in t 1e coin-tester in the position shown in Fi 1, whereupon by moving the rod 7: inwar l the finger i" will strike against the inclined contact-arm 7 and swing the movable plate 3 to the position shown in dotted lines in Fig. 3, whereupon the coin will drop into the hopper l and descend by the chute 19 to that place where otherwise the package to be vended would have been delivered.

It will be evident that the projection f may be placed in such a position that there may be as many packages remaining in the ile in the receptacle e as may be desired; lint in practicethe projection f will be so placed as to cause the coin to be arrested in the coin-tester when the machine shows that the rece tacle e is emptied of its aekages. It will a so be apparent that shonl it be attempted to operate the machine by means of a spurious coin or other device, which the cointester arrests in its passage throu h the same, all such spurious coins and other evices having been arrested will fall into the hopper I either upon the ush-rod h being moved inwardly or upon t e insertion of another coin into the machine, and thereby these Will also I be delivered, by means of the chute 19, at the same place where the packages are delivered when the machine is properly operated.

1 claim as my invention- '1. in an automatic vending-machine, the combination with a casing, a package-receptacle and a coin-chute, of devices for retaining a good coin in said chute and operative only when the package-receptacle is empty, a

ush-rod and means actuated upon operating the push-rod to release the coin from the chute.

iro

2. In an automatic vending-machine, the combination with a casing, 13. package receptacle and a coin-chute, of devices f or retainin a good coin in said chute and operative 3 orily when the packageqeceptacle is empty, it push-rod, means actuated upon operating the i push-rod to release the coin from the chute, and means for refunding the coin. l

3. In an automatic vending-machine, the l, combination with a casing and a receptacle for packages to be vended, of a frame, a plate E fixed in said frame in an inclined position, a movable plate hinged adjacent to said fixed 1 late with an intervening coin-passage, means or retaining a coin between said plates when 1 the receptacle is empty, a ush actuated upon pushing sai rod for libel-av ing the coin from its position between said l plates, and means for refunding the coin when 1 so liberated, V

4. In an automatic vending-machine, the combination with a casing and a receptacle for packages to be vended, of a frame, a fixed plate mounted in an inclined position within said frame, a movable plate adjacent to said fixed plate with an intervening coin-passe e, a gravity-plate pivoted in said frame at 519 lower end of the said coin-passage, means for closing the coin-passage oysaid gravity plate when the package-receptacle is empty, means for liberating the coin from its position within the coin-passage and against the said gravity-plate, and means for refunding the coin when so liberated.

5. In an automatic vending-machine, the combination with a casing and a receptacle for packages to be vended, of a frame, a fixed plate mounted in an inclined position within said frame, a movable plate adjacent to said fixed plate with an intervening coin-passe e, a gravity-plate pivoted in said frame at t-.e lower end of the said coin-passe e, a weight adapted to fit within the said pagkagereceptacle, a projection on the same adapted to engage the said avity-plate to swing the same across the said coin-passage when the machine is empty, and means for liberating the coin from its osition within the coin-passage and against t c said gravity-plate.

-rod, means s 6. In an automatic vending-machine, the combination with a casing and a receptacle for packages to be vended, of a frame, a plate fixed in said frame, a movable plate hinged adiacent to said fixe'd plate with an intervening coin-passage means for retaining a coin between said plates when the machine is em ty, an inclined contact-arm secured to sai movable plate, means for moving said movable plate through the intervention of said inclined contact-arm to liberate the coin from the coinassage, and means for refunding the coin w on so liberated.

7. In an automatic vending-machine, the combination with a casing and a receptacle for packages to he vended, of a frame, a plate fixed in said frame, a movable plate hinged adjacent to the said fixed plate with an intervenin coin-passage, a push-rod, means for retaimn the coin between said plates when the mac 'no is empty, an inclined contactarm secured to said movable plate, an arm fixed to said ppsh-rod, a rod secured to said arm, a finger ed in the said rod in such position as to contact with the said inclined contact-armwhen the push-rod is moved inwardlv, and means for refunding the coin,

8. in an automatic vending-maclnne, the combination with a casing and a receptacle for packages to be vended, of a frame, a plate fixed in saidirame, a movable plate hinged adjacent to the said fixed plate with an inter vening coin-passage, a push-rod, means for retaining the coin between said plates when the package-receptacle is empty, an inclined contact-arm secure to the said movable plate, an arm fixed to said push-rod, a rod secured to said arm, a finger fixed in the said rod in such position as to contact with the said inclined contact-arm when the push-rod is moved inwardly, a hop er, and a chute leading therefrom for refun ing the coin.

Signed by-me this 3d day of February, 1905. i

AUGUST MERCKENS.

Witnesses HARRY EDWARDS,

JUNIUS Pnnnnnron WILSON.

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