US817912A - Vending-machine. - Google Patents

Description

.No. 817,912. y PATENTED APR. 17, 1906.

` 0. A. GUNDER.

VENDING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 16.1905.

2 SHEETS-SHEET l.

PATENTED APR. 17, 1906.

C. A. GUNDER. VENDING MACHINE. APPLIOATION FILED JUNE 16.1905.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

@nous m35 UNITED sTATEs PATENT oFFIoE.

CLAUDE A. GUNDER, OF J EFFERSONVILLE, INDIANA, ASSIGNOR T() AMERI- CAN VENDING MACHINE CO., OF JEFFERSONVILLE, INDIANA.

VENDING-MACHINE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

raten/ced April 17, 1906.

Application led June 16,1905. Serial No. 265,599.

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, CLAUDE A. GUNDER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Jeffersonville, in the county of Clark and State of Indiana, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Vending-Machines, of which the following is a specification.

Machines of the type actuated by coin are frequently operated by slugs, dummies, and other articles simulating the prescribed coin. This invention deals Wlth means to obviate this practice by diverting articles other than the predetermined coin away from the coinactuated mechanism, thereby preventing defrauding of the machine.

It frequently happens that the machine becomes choked by slugs lodging therein, thereby putting it out of commission. This invention obviates this difliculty, since it provides for clearing the machine of obstructing matter at each operation of the vending-slide.

The invention consists of a coin-race having a movable wall and an open bottom, the latter being of a Width and length to insure the dropping therethrough of a slug or like article a fraction smaller than the given coin,

' structure and minor details Without departsaid coin-race inclining transversely, preferably away from the movable wall, to render more certain the rejection of the slug. A magnet located at one side of the coin-race attracts iron slugs latgrally, the side wall being cut away to provide a ready escape.

For a full description of the invention and the merits thereof and also to acquire a knowledge of the details of construction of the means for effecting the result reference is to be had to the following description and accompanying drawings.

While the invention may be adapted to different forms and conditions by changes in the ing from the spirit or essential features thereof, -still the preferred embodiment is shown in the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a front view of a vending-machine embodying the invention, the upper portion being broken away and the bottom portion being partly in section. Fig. 2 is a vertical transverse section on the line x of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a longitudinal section of the fraud preventive mechanism on a larger. scale. Fi 4 is a side view of the mechanism! shown in ig. 3. Fig. 5 is a perspective view of the fraud-preventlve mechanism. Fig. 6.

is a detail perspective view oi' the movable or pivoted side of the coin-raceway. Fig. 7 is a detail View showing the means for locking the vending-slide when the magazine is empty.

Corresponding and like parts are referred to in the following description and indicated4 in all the views of the drawings by the same reference characters.

The cabinet-work for inclosing the foods to be vended and the operating mec ianisms may be of any design and construction according to the whim and caprice of the constructor.

The cabinet is indicated by the referencenumeral 1, and within thel same is arranged the magazine Z for containing the goods to be vended in the form of packages. The vending-slide 3 is operated by means of an arm 4, extended from a rock-shaft 5, which is operable from a point without the machine in any convenient manner. The goods when discharged from the magazine drop upon the oval plate 6, from which they are removed in the usual Way. The coinway has a portion arranged at the rear of the cabinet, as shown at R. and a portion 9 at one side in connection w iti the part 8. The coin 1() is received in a pocket or opening formed at one end of the vendin -slide 3, and an edge portion projects into t e ath of the lowermost package of goods. T erebyupon movement of the vending-slide said package is pushed laterally from beneath the pile and caused to drop into the receptacle 6. These parts may be of any construction and are subordinate or adjunctive in nature to the present invention, which relates most especially to the fraud-preventive mechanism,

The coin slot, through which the prescribed coinis introduced into" the machine, is represented at 11 and the coin-race eX- tends therefrom at a downward inclination and terminates at its inner lower end some distance from the receiving end of the coin- Way 8, whereby provision is had for rejection of a slug, dummy, or other article that may be employed for operating the machine. The

coin-race comprises a bottom 12, a fixed side wall 13, and a movable side wall-n 14, which latter is preferably pivoted, and for 'this pur- -is open, as shown at 17, to provide a ready an inner ledge 18 of a width to engage with the rim of the operating-coin, but will not engage with a slug or like article having-a diam"- eter slightly less than that of the prescribed coin. A hook 19 at the upper end of the side 14 engages under the upper portion of the bottom 12 and holds the side 14 in close engagement with said bottom. A spring 20 exerts a lateral pressure against the movable side 14 to maintain it' in a given position. The arm 21 is pendent from the movable side 14 and is adapted to be engaged by atri 22, connected with or operated by means o? the vending-slide 3. An extension 23 of the arm 21 constitutes a stop and engages with the bottom 12 or other portion of the mechanism so as to limit the mward movement of the side 14 under the influence of thespring-20. The coin-race inclines transversel the inclination being from the movable si e 14 downward toward the fixed side 13, whereby the article introduced through the coin-slot 11 maintains close engagement with the side 13 by gav'itative action, with the result that the igher edge clears the sup orting-ledge 18 should the article be of a ess diameter than the o erating coin. The lower end portion of the side 13 is cut away so as' to provide a lateral discharge for slugs or dummies of ironor other magnetizable material. An extension 24 is provided in contiguous relation tothe space formed by cutting away the lower ceive the s ug or dummy and form a su port therefor during its vlateral Inovement,w yereby it is prevented from dropping through the A magnet 25' is located at one side ofthe coin-race and eX-v opening 17 of the bottom 12.

erts an influence uponiron slugs or dummies which are attracted and' caused to dis-.

charge laterally from'therace.

The vending mechanism embodying-the invention is adapted to be actuated in the' usual manner upon depositing a coin of determinate value in the slot 11. Upon introducing a slug having a diameter slightly less than that of theprescribed coin sai slugwill drop through the'opening 17 but should it be a trie larger than the prescribed coin it will stick in the coin-race, as frequently the case, and" interfere with the subsequent operation of the machine. y This objection is over-A come in the present instance by the movable side 14, since upon operating the vendingslide the trip 22 being actuated presses the' side 14 upward or outward, thereby releasing the slug and permitting it to drop through the opening 17 and clearing the machine for' proper operation upon introducing a coin of given value in the slot 11. An iron slug or dummy even though' of exact size cannot pass through the coin-race, because of the influence ortion of the side 13 so as to're aimiez of the magnet 25, which draws' the same to one side and causes a lateral discharge thereof. A coin of given value after being passed through the 'slot 1 1 glides along the com-race and is received in the coinway 8 and passes along the same until it reaches the opening or pocket in the vending-slide, which latter when actuated inthe usual manner effects delivery of the goods to be obtained.

A weight 26 rests upon the packages or goods in the magazine 2 and has a pendent projection 27, which'when-the magazine is em ty enters an opening 28 of the vendingsli e and holds it open, thereby preventing operation of the machine, and at the same tlme holding the coinway open, so that a coin dropped'into the machine will return to the custdmer.

Having-thus described-'the invention, what is'claime'd as new isi 1. In a vending-machine, a transverselyinclined coin-chute provided with a trans'- versely-widened bottom o ening and with an entrance-opening designe to direct'the coin or the like face downward into the chute, so that its rim will ride along one of the side edges bounding the bottom opening and said chute beingalso rovided at' the lower end of the lowermost si e wall with a cut-away 4portion providing a lateral discharge, andthe chute being alsol provided' on the opposite `side with an extension 1n contiguous re ation to the lateral discharge, as and for the pur- :pose setforth.

2. In a vending-machine, the combination loo with an'article-ejecting device and-means for .actuating the same, of acoin-chut'e provided .with an open bottom, a stationary wall bounding o ne side of said opening, a pivoted wall movable laterally on the bottom at` the other side ofthe opening therethrough' and provided with a base-supporting ledge'extending normally parallel to the oppositeside' edge' of the bottom opening, the plvotedwall being provided at its'free end with a depending arm designed to abut against the outer side of the bottom to limit vthe inward movement of said wall, and the chutel being arranged inan obliquedplane anddesigned to receive a-coin on its si e whereby it will slide down'the' chute while it is supported at diametricallyopposite points on. its face by the bottom at one side and the baseledge on the pivoted wall atthe opposite side, and a rojection'lcarried by the ejecting device an, varranged in the path of the arm whereby the actuation of the ej'ecting device will swing' the said pivoted side.

3, ,In a vending-machine, the combination with an article-ejecting .device and means for actuating the same, of a coin-chute provided with an open bottom, a stationary wall bounding one side of said opening, wall movable laterally on the bottom at the other side of the opening therethrough and a pivoted IIO provided with a base-supporting ledge extending normally parallel to the opposite side edge of the bottom opening, the pivoted wall being provided at its free end with a depending arm designed to abut against the outer side of the bottom to limit the inward move'- ment of said Wall, and the chute being arranged in an oblique plane and designed to receive a coin on its side whereby it will slide down the chute while it is supported at diametrically opposite points on its face by the bottom at one side and the base-ledge on the pivoted wall at the opposite side, a spring secured at its upper end to the bottom of the chute and at one side edge thereof, with its free end engaging the outer side of said pivoted wall, and a projection carried by the ejecting device and arranged in the path of the arm whereby the actuation of the ejecting device will swing the said pivoted side.

4. In a vending-machine, the combination `with an article-ejeeting device and means for est actuating the same, of a transversely-inelined coin chute provided with a transversely-widened bottom opening and with an entrance-opening designed to direct the coin or the like face downward into the chute so that its rim will ride along one of the side edges bounding the bottom opening, and said chute being also provided opposite said side edge with a pivoted wall having a bottom or base flange designed to coact with said edge to support the coin, a depending arm secured to the free end of said pivoted wall and a projection carried by the ejecting device and arranged in the path of the arm whereby'the actuation ofthe ejecting device will swing the said pivoted side.

In testimony whereof I aiX my signature in presence of two witnesses.

CLAUDE A. GUNDER. Witnesses:

GEO. H. HoLZBoG, HELEN MOYNAHAN.

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