US888291A - Vending-machine. - Google Patents

Description

No. 888,291. PATENTED MAY 19, 1908. A. E. WYATT.

VENDING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED D110. 28. 1906.

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No. 888,291. PATBNTED MAY 19, 1908. A. E. WYATT.

VENDING MACHINE. APPLICATION FILED DEO.28,1906.

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UNITED s A Es PATENT-OFFICE.

ALBERT E. WYATT, OF I-IOBOKEN, NEW JERSEY, ASSIGNOR TO THE GREAT AMERICAN AUTO- MATIC VENDING MACHINE COMPANY, OF HOBOKEN, NEW JERSEY, A CORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY.

VENDING-MA CHINE Application filed. December 28, 1906.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ALBERT E. l/VYATT, a citizen of the United States, residing in Hoboken, in the county of Hudson and State of New Jersey, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Vendin -Machines, of which the following is a speci cation.

This invention relates to apparatus for automatically vending articles of merchandise, in which a coin or token of value is in serted in the instrument and then by manipulating a certain member, the article of merehandise will be delivered from the machine, or will be deposited at some accessible place to be removed by the operator.

The object of the invention is to provide an improved form of mechanism, in which the coin forms an operative connection be tween the member actuated by the operator, and the means that engage one of the articles to cause it to be discharged.

In the drawings representing one embodiment of my invention, Figure 1 is a vertical section through the machine, taken on the line 11 indicated in Fig. 2. Fig. 2 is a horizontal section on the line 2-2 indicated in Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a horizontal section on the line 33 indicated in Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is a fragmentary view showing the members operatively engaged by the coin; and Fig. 5 is a view of one of the coin engaging levers shown separately.

The apparatus comprises a suitable box or receptacle shown as rectilinear and mounted on a suitable base B. The top member 10 is shown as permanently secured to the side members while the casing is provided with flanges 12 and 13 on opposite sides engaging the ends of the top member 10. One or more bent pins 14 project from the upper plate through suitable apertures 15 in the top member 10. A staple 16 secured to the plate 10 projects upward through a slot 17 in the removable plate 11, and by application of a suitable padlock 18, the top member is prevented from removal, the bent pins 14 retaining it in position. But upon removal of the top plate 11, the back plate or member 19, that has been held in position by the flange 12 is now removable.

The operative members that engage with the coin are princi ally mounted on an intermediate horizonta plate 20 at the lower part of the machine. Above this plate is arranged a chute 21 of a size to permit the articles 22 Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 19, 1908.

Serial No. 349,802.

to slide down the chute. When the chute is to be filled, it is pulled toward the rear after the removal of plate 19, the chute being hinged at 23 to permit such movement. The lowermost article in the chute rests on the plate 20 adjacent an opening 24 therein, and an outlet opening 25 is formed below this opening 24 by means of an inclined plate 26. By a suitable actuator, the lowermost article is advanced across this opening and from. underneath the chute 21, whereupon it will be free to fall through such opening 25 and be discharged or delivered from the machine. The chute does not extend entirely down to the plate 20 but has its lower end a sufficient distance above the plate to permit the side movement of the article for discharge.

The coin or token is passed into the apparatus through a coin chute 27 at the front of the machine, that is inclined and from which the coin is discharged into a hopper or cone 28 held a short distance above the plate 20. The coin rests on the supporting plate 20 adjacent an aperture 29 therein, and lies between an actuating lever 30, and a lever 31. Lover 30 swings on pivot 32 mounted on the plate 20, and the lever 31 is also pivoted on pin 32, and rests on top of the lever 30. The ever 30 has a coin engaging portion 33 that is curved to engage one edge of the coin at one side as indicated in Fig. 2, and when swung byits projecting handle portion 34 that extends through a slot 35 in one side member of the frame, will advance the coin across the opening 29 in the plate 20 through which opening, the coin will fall when released, into the space below the plate 20. The lover or article actuator 31 being movable on to of lever 30, will thereby swing above the p ane of the coin, but has a downwardly projecting lug 36 whose lower face rides on the surface of the plate 20, and which lug is rounded to engage the side of the coin opposite to that engaged by the portion 33 of the lever 30. The engaging face of this lug is undercut and inclined upwardly as shown in Figs. 1 and 5, and being slightly thicker than the coin, when the coin is engaged between this lug and the portion 33 of the actuating lever 30, the coin will be grasped in a position to prevent its falling through the opening 29.

The article engaging member com rises a lever 37 pivoted at 38 and having a b ock 39 at its extremity that engages the article 22 in the lowermost position, to discharge the arti- 'cle 22.

cle through the opening 25. The actuator 31 has an arm 40 that engages the lever 37 and swings it to cause the discharge of the article 22 in the described manner. But this can be effected only after a coin has been dropped in the chute and deposited between the rounded portions of the levers 30 and 31. The coin being in such position, the movement of the actuating arm 34 will cause the portion 33 of lever 30 to advance the coin;

and the latter engaging a lug 36 of the actuator 31 will swing such actuator, and through movement of lever 37 will discharge the arti- In the final position, the coin will be opposite the opening 29 in the plate 20, and above this osition, in fact as soon as more than one ha f of the coin has passed over the edge 41, the coin will be no longer supported by the plate 20 in a manner to prevent its falling through the aperture. But the rear edge of the coin will still be sup )orted by this portion 41 of the plate 20 while its opposite edge will be engaged by the undercut portion of the lug 36, and as long as tightly grasped between the two levers 30 and 31, the coin will be supported at this front edge portion, and therefor prevented from falling through the opening 29.

Means are provided for returning these levers in a manner such that the lever 30 will return before the acutator lever 31, thereby disengaging the coin at the undercut portion of the lug 36, permitting it to drop through the opening 29 into the compartment below. A spring 42 is stretched between a pin 43 on the plate 21 and the lever 30, that will return the lever to its normal position in which it is shown in Fig. 2 The article engaging lever 37 is returned bya spring 44 stretched between an arm 45 secured to the lever 37, and a pin 46 on the plate 20; but

this spring engages the lever a short distance removed from its pivotal point 38 and eXerts but a small force on the lever 37 to return it to its normal position which movement is retarded by reason of the engagement of the arm 40 with the lever, which must cause the actuator lever 31 to be returned to its normal position. The strength of this spring is such that it is not of sufficient resiliency to return both of these members owing to the considerable friction to be overcome. But this return movement is assisted at the intermediate part of the return movement of the lever 30, that is effected by the resiliency of spring 42. A pin 47 mounted on lever 30 engages the arm 45 secured to the lever 37, after the lever 30 has made a portion of its return movement. This engagement will assist the swing of lever 37 and the combined action of both springs will then serve to return the levers 37 and 31 to their normal position. By this means, the lever 30 will have accomplished a part of its return movement before the actuator 31 makes any return movement, and therefore the coin is no longer clamped between the two levers 30 and 31, and its support at its front edge on the undercut portion of the lug 36 being removed, the coin will fall through the opening 29. This means will prevent a subsequent operation of the lever 37, until a second coin is deposited in the chute, and therefore but one article can be obtained from the machine for each coin inserted. The lever 30 does not have the pin 47 effect the return movement of the actuator 37 and lever 31 until the intermediate part of the return movement of lever 30. And when lever 30 shall have reached the limit of its return movement, the other said levers will not have entirely returned to normal position. But at this stage the spring 44 will now be acting in a direction at right angles to the lever 37 and its strength will be sufficient to return the two levers 37 and 31 to-their normal position.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

1. In a check-controlled device, the combination of a receptacle provided with a horizontal plate, a check chute arranged to deposit a check at a certain place on the said plate, a swinging operating lever normally held at said place on the plate and provided with a curved abutment edge for engaging one side of the check, a companion swinging lever having an undercut abutment face arranged to engage the opposite edge of the coin in said position, said companion lever being advanced upon swinging of the operating lever by engagement of the check therebetween, said plate having an opening to receive the check upon being advanced by said levers, the portion of the coin adjacent the operating lever when in the advanced position being supported at the margin of said opening in the plate, means for ejecting an article on the movement of the companion lever to its advanced position, means for returning the operating lever, means for starting the return of the ejecting means, means connected with the operating lever for completing the return of said ejecting means, and means throughthe medium of which said ejecting means will effect the return of said companion lever after the partial return of said operating lever.

2. In a check-controlled device, the 'combination of a receptacle provided with a hori-, zontal plate, a check chute arranged to deposit a check at a certain place on the said plate, a swinging operating lever normally held at said place 011 the plate and provided with a curved abutment edge for engaging one side of the check, a companion swinging lever having a curved abutment face arranged to engagethe opposite edge of the coin in said position, said companion lever being advanced upon swinging of the operating lever by engagement of the check therebetween, said plate having an opening to receive the check upon being advanced by said levers, the portion of the coin adjacent the operating lever when in the advanced position being supported at the margin of said opening in the plate, means for ejecting an article on the movement of the companion lever to its advanced position, means for returning the operating lever, means for start- -ing the return of the ejecting means, means connected with the operating lever for completing the return of said ejectin means, and means through the medium 0 which said ejecting means will effect the return of said companion lever after the partial return of said operating lever.

3. In a check-controlled device, the combination of a receptacle provided with a horizontal plate, a check chute arranged to deposit a check at a certain place on the said plate, an operating lever normally held at said place on the plate and provided with a curved abutment edge for engaging one side of the check, a second lever having an undercut abutment face arranged to engage the opposite edge of the coin in said position, said second lever being advanced upon swinging of the first lever by enga ement of the check therebetween, said plate raving an opening to receive the check upon being advanced by said levers, the portion of the coin adjacent the operating lever when in the advanced position being supported by the margin of said opening in the plate, means for ejecting an article by the movement of the second lever to its advanced position, means for returning the operating lever when released to normal position, and independent means for returning the second lever and ejector means to normal position, said latter means being inoperative until engagement of the ejector means by said operating lever and thereby advanced for a part only of the return movement whereupon said returning means will continue the return movement of said ejector members to their normal position.

4. In a check-controlled device, the combination of a rece tacle provided with a horizontal plate, a c eck chute arranged to deposit a check at a certain place on the said plate, an operating lever normally held at said place on the plate and provided with an undercut abutment edge for engaging one side of the check, a second lever having a curved abutment face arranged to engage the opposite edge of the coin in said position, said second lever being advanced upon swin ing of the first lever by engagement of the c eck therebetween, said plate having an opening to receive the check upon being advanced by said levers, the portion of the coin adjacent the operating lever when in the advanced position being supported by the margin of said opening in the plate, means for ejecting an article by the movement of the second lever to its advanced position, a spring for returning the operating lever when released to normal position, a separate spring for returning the second lever and ejecting means to normal position after the operating lever has effected part of its return movement, said latter spring being inoperative until engagement of the artic e ejector by said operatlng lever and thereby advanced for a part only of the return movement, whereupon said second spring will continue the return movement of said ejector members to their normal position.

5. In a check-controlled device, the combination of a receptacle provided with a horizontal plate, a check chute arranged to deposit a check at a certain place on the said plate, an operating lever normally held at said place on said plate and provided with a curved abutment edge for engaging one side of the check, a second lever having an undercut abutment face arranged to engage the opposite edge of the check in said position, said second lever being advanced upon swinging of the first lever by enga ement of the check therebetween, the plate raving an opening to receive the check upon being advanced by said levers, the portion of the coin adjacent the operating lever being supported at the margin of said opening in the plate when in the advanced position, means for ejecting an article by the movement of the second lever to its advanced position, means for returning the operating lever when released to normal position, means for returning the second lever and ejecting meansto normal position after the operating lever has effected part of its return movement, means for returning the operating lever to the normal position, means for causing a partial return of the second lever and actuator means from the first lever at the intermediate part only of the return movement, and means independent of said returning means for returning the second lever and actuating means to normal position.

6. In a check-controlled device, the combination of a casing having a horizontal plate therein, a check chute arranged to deposit a coin at a certain place on said plate, a pivoted lever having a curved portion arranged to engage one edge of the check in said position, a second lever pivoted adjacent said lever and having an abutment portion arranged adjacent the opposite edge of the check in said position, said second lever being operative from the first lever upon swinging the latter by engagement of the check therebetween, an ejector lever arranged to be engaged by the second lever when advanced to eject an article, a spring arranged to return the operating lever to normal position, a spring connected with the second lever and ejector lever of insuflicient strength to move them when advanced to tuator the ejecting position, an arm on the ejector lever, a stop on the operating lever arranged to engage said arm after the operating lever has moved a portion of its return movement after said members have advanced to the ejecting position, to thereby return said actuator lever and second lever for a portion only of its return movement, said spring connected with the actuator lever being organized to thereupon return the actuator lever and the said second lever to normal position.

7. In a check-controlled device, the combination of a casing having a horizontal plate therein, a check chute arranged to deposit a coin at a certain place on said plate, a pivoted lever having a curved ortion arranged to en gage one edge of the c eck in said position, a second lever pivoted adjacent said lever and having an undercut abutment portion arranged adjacent the opposite edge of the check in said position, said second lever being operative from the first lever upon swinging the latter by engagement of the check therebetween, a second lever having a curved abutment face arranged to engage the opposite edge of the coin when in said position, said second lever being advanced upon swinging of the first lever by engagement of the check therebetween, said plate having an opening sufficient to receive the check upon being advanced by said levers, the portion of the coin adjacent the operating lever being supported by the margin of said opening in the plate in the advanced position, a spring connected to return the operating lever to normal osition, a spring connected with the second ever and ejector lever of insufiicient strength to move them when advanced to the ejecting position, an arm on the ejector lever, a stop on the operating lever arranged to engage said arm after the operating lever has moved a portion of its return movement after said members have advanced to the ejecting position, to thereby return said acever and second lever for a portion only of its return movement, said spring connected with the actuator lever being organized to thereupon return the actuator lever and the said second lever to normal position.

8. In a check-controlled device,'the combination of check receiving means, a pair of levers in position to engage a check therebetween, one an operating lever effective,

when the check is between said levers, to operate 1ts compamon lever, means for e ecting an article on the proper operation of said pair of levers, means for returning the operating lever, means for starting the return of the ejector, means connected with the operating lever for completing the return of said ejector, and means through the medium of which said ejector will effect the return of said companion lever after the operating lever.

9. In a check controlled device, the combination of check receiving means, a pair of swinging levers in position to engage a check therebetween, one an operating lever eflective, when the check is between said levers, to operate its companion lever, a swinging ejector, an arm on the companion lever in engagement with said ejector for swinging it on the proper operation of said pair of levers, means for returning the operating lever, independent means for returning the ejector and the companion lever together, said arm preventing the return of said ejector until the operating lever has partly returned, whereu on the check is released and the operatinglever engages the ejector to assist the return thereof and through the medium of said ejector and arm efiects the complete return of the companion lever.

10. In a check controlled device, the combination of check receiving means, a pair of swinging levers in osition to engage a check therebetween, saic levers having a common pivot, one an operating lever effective, when the check is between said levers, to operate its companion lever, a swinging ejector pivoted independently of said pair of levers, an arm on the companion lever in engagement with said ejector for swinging it on the proper operation of said pair of levers, means for returning the operating lever, independent means for returning theejector and the companion lever together, said arm preventing the return of said ejector until the operating lever has partly returned, whereupon the 'check is released and the operating lever engages the ejector to assist the return thereof and through the medium of said ejector and arm efiects the complete return of the companion lever.

Signed at Nos. 9 to 15 Murray street, New York, N. Y., this 27th day of December, 1906.

ALBERT E. WYATT. Witnesses:

FRED. J. DOLE, CHAs. LYON RUSSELL.

partial return of said

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