US969844A

US969844A - Coin-controlled vending-machine.

Info

Publication number: US969844A
Application number: US44685908A
Authority: US
Inventors: Clement C Clawson
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1908-08-04
Filing date: 1908-08-04
Publication date: 1910-09-13
Anticipated expiration: 1927-09-13

Description

G. G. GLAWSONV COIN CONTROLLED VENDING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED AUG. 4, 1902.

969,844, Patented Sept-13,1910.

3 BHEBTB-SHEET 1.

Ry, z. i l

G. G. OLAWSON.

COIN CONTROLLED VENDING MACHINE.

APPLIQATION FILED AUG.4, 1908. 969,844. Patented Sept. 13,1910.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

H v M- k Foy Ml? N W M W LH W WHMHW G. G. CLAWSON. COIN CONTROLLED VENDING MACHINE.

APPLICATION IILBD no.4, 1908.

969,844, Patented Sept. 13,1910.

3 BEEBTB-BHEET 3.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CLEMENT C. CLAWSON, OF FLAGTOWN, NEW JERSEY.

COIN-CONTROLLED VENDIN G-MACHIN E.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CLEMENT G. CLAW- SON, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Flagtown, in the county of Somerset and State of New Jersey, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in CoinControlled Vending-Machines, of which the following is a specification.

The invention relates to improvements in coin-controlled vending machines, and it consists in the novel features and structure hereinafter described, and particularly pointed out in the claims.

While my invention is capable of embodiment in machines adapted for the sale of various articles, I present the same herein, for illustration, in a machine intended for the sale of flat rectangular packages containing a towel and a piece of soap wrapped therein, and said machine comprises a cabinet to contain a stack of the packages, a stationary plate at the bottom of the cabinet containing an opening whose edges are on the same vertical planes as the inner walls of the cabinet, a rotary goods-ejector plate directly below said stationary plate and having an opening corresponding with the opening therein, a base-plate directly below said goods-ejector plate and having an opening corresponding with the opening in said stationary plate but at opposite portions always out of register therewith, and suitable receptacles below said base-plate to receive the coins and temporarily support the packages discharged from the stack by the goods ejector. Then the ejector-plate is in its initial position the stack of packages, at its corners, rests on the base-plate with the bottom package within the opening in the ejector-plate, said opening then being in register with the opening at the bottom of the cabinet and out of register with the opening in said base-plate, and when the ejectorplate is moved to its operated position its opening and the package therein are turned into register with the opening in said baseplate and out of register with the opening at the bottom of the cabinet, whereby the package in the ejector-plate becomes unsupported and falls through the opening in the base-plate and the stack is left supported, at its corners, on said ejector-plate. iVhen the ejector-plate is returned to its initial position, its opening passes into register with the opening at the bottom of the cabinet and the stack settles down on the base-plate, the

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed August 4, 1908.

Patented Sept. 13, 1910.

Serial No. 446,859.

bottom package entering the opening in the ejector disk or plate and resting at its corner portions on said base-plate.

The invention will be fully understood from the detailed description hereinafter presented, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective view, partly broken away, of a vending machine, constructed in accordance with and embodying my invention; Fig. 2 is a detached perspective view of one of the packages sold by the machine; Fig. 3 is a horizontal section, partly broken away, through the cabinet of the machine, about on the dotted line 33 of Fig. 1, the ejector plate being indicated in its initial position preparatory to the machine being operated; Fig. i is a substantially corresponding section of the same illustrating the ejector plate in its operated position, the aperture in said plate then being in vertical line with the aperture in the base plate on which it rests; Fig. 5 is a vertical sect-ion through a portion of the machine on the dotted line 55 of Fig. 3, the ejector plate being indicated in its initial position by solid lines and in its operated position by dotted lines; Fig. 6

is a detached perspective view of the lower portion of the cabinet and plate secured to the bottom thereof and forming a chamber to receive the rotary goods ejector plate; Fig. 7 is a detached perspective view of the goods ejector plate; Fig. 8 is a detached perspective view of the base plate to which a coin receptacle and a receptacle for the goods sold are secured and upon which the bottom plate shown in Fig. 6 is secured with the goods ejector plate shown in Fig. 7 resting within the circular chamber represented in Fig. 6; Fig. 9 is a detached sectional view through a portion of the assembled plates represented in Figs. 6, 7 and 8, and is presented to illustrate the operation of the spring dog which prevents the rotation of the goods ejector plate at improper times, Fig. 9 showing a coin in the coin hole of the ejector plate with the spring dog riding over it in regular operation of the machine; and Fig. 10 is a like view of the same illustrating the operation of the dog in preventing the rotation of the ejector plate when a coin is absent from the coin receiving hole in said plate.

In the drawings, 15 designates the cabinet of the machine, 16 a removable front plate 25.

door for the same, 17 a stack of packages held within said cabinet and to be sold, and 18 a suitable weight placed upon the upper end of the stack 17 for assuring the downward feed of the packages.

Upon the lower end of the cabinet 15 is secured a frame comprising a plate 19 having an upwardly extending flange 20 to receive the lower edges of the cabinet 15 and a downwardly extending flange 21 which rests upon a base-plate 22 and forms, with an auxiliary flange 23 (Fig. 6), a cylindrical chamber for the rotary goods-ejector The plate 19 has formed in it within the outline of the flange 20 an opening 26 which is in vertical line with the inner surfaces of the cabinet 15 and of an outline corresponding with the packages 17 to be sold by the machine. At one portion the flange 21 curves inwardly to form the receiving space 27 for the coins to be fed in the machine, and said flange 21 at the space 27 and along a line extending to one side thereof is cut away, as at 28, to form a runway for the handle 29 of the goods ejector plate 25.

Adjacent to the runway 28 and pivotally secured to the underside of the plate 19, within the outline of the flange 21, is a dog 30 which is acted upon by a spring 31. The operating end of the dog 30 constantly presses downwardly against the goods ejector plate 25, and when a coin 32 is in the receiving hole 33 of said plate, the dog 30 will permit the plate 25 and coin 32 to ride along under it in the manner denoted in Fig. 9. Should, however, an attempt be made to operate the plate 25 without the coin being in the hole 33, the dog 30 would have its operative end projected into said hole 33 and check the movement of the plate 25, in the manner indicated in Fig. 10. The dog 30 prevents the operation of the plate 25 when the hole 33 is empty, or when a. coin deficient in thickness is placed in said hole, or when a coin or piece or metal of greater than the predetermined thickness is placed in said hole, and also when a washer is placed in the hole 33. If a coin or piece of metal of greater than the predetermined thickness is placed in the hole 33, the dog 30 will engage its edge and stop the movement of the plate 25, and should a washer be placed in the hole 33, the downwardly projecting end of the dog would enter the hole in the washer and operate to prevent any further movement of the plate 25.

The goods ejector plate 25 is a plain flat plate having an opening 34 therein corre sponding with the opening 26 in the plate 19 and encompassed by an upwardly extending edge-flange 35 which gives to the plate 25 around the opening 34 a depth or thickness equal to the thickness of the individual packages 17, which, one after another, enter the opening 34 and are, by the rotation of the plate 25, moved to a positlon at which they may descend or fall through said opening. The hole 33 in the plate 25 1s of a dimension to snugly receive a five cent piece or such other coin as may be determined upon, and the plate 25 about the hole 33 should be of the same thickness as the coin to be placed'in said hole so that when the coin is in the hole, the upper surface of the coin may be on a level with the upper surface of the plate. The plate 25 is formed with an operating handle 29 and also with a segmental slot 36 which permits of the passage of a screw from the hole 37 (Fig. 6) 1n the plate 19 to the hole 38 (Fig. 8) in the base plate 22 without interfering with the rotation of the plate 25. The plate 25 is received snugly within the lower edges of the

circular flanges

21, 23, and is concealed within the chamber formed by said flanges except at the handle 29 which always projects outwardly and with the exception of that portion of the plate which maybe exposed at the opening 27 for admitting the coin to the hole 33 in said plate 25.

The base-plate 22 affords a support for the goods ejector plate 25, and closes the lower end of the chamber formed by the

flanges

21, 23. At their rear edges the

plates

19, 22 abut against the wall to which the cabinet 15, inan angular relation, may be secured by suitable brackets, not shown. The baseplate 22 has formed in it a hole 39 of rectangular outline corresponding in size and shape with the hole 34 in the plate 25 and the hole 26 in the plate 19. The plate 22 is also formed with a hole 40 which is slightly less in diameter than the coin receiving hole 33 in the plate 25 and is directly below said hole 33 when the latter is in the position to receive a coin, the latter resting at its edges on the plate 22 over the hole 40 and within the hole 33. If a small coin or piece of metal should be placed in the hole 33, it would not be supported around the edges of the hole 40 but would fall through said hole. The plate 22 is also formed with an opening 41, the latter being in a position to permit a coin in the hole 33 to fall through it when the goods ejector plate 25 has been moved to its operated position. Below the plate 22 is secured a receptacle 42 having a front opening 43. Each package discharged by the ejector plate 25 falls into the receptacle 42 and may be removed through the opening 43 thereof. Upon the side of the receptacle 42 is provided a coin receiver or receptacle 44, the latter being hinged at its lower inner edges to the side of the receptacle 42 and provided with a lock 45 for securing it in its closed position.

In the. employment of the invention the packages 17 will be stacked within the cabi-.

net 15, and the goods ejector plate 25 being in its initial position shown in Figs. 1 and 3, the lower package of the stack will be within the hole 34: of said plate 25, as shown in Fig. 5,but will be prevented from falling through said hole 34 because of the fact that it is resting at its four corners on the base plate 22. When the ejector plate 25 is in its initial position the hole 34 therein has its side and end edges on the same vertical, plane with the hole 26 in the plate 19, and at this time the entire stack of packages finds its bearing upon the plate 22 whose hole 39 is not on the same vertical plane with the hole 34k in the plate and hole 26 in the plate 19, but lies angularly across the plane of said

holes

31, 26, thereby exposing portions of the plate 22 to what may be said to be the corners of the stack of packages. The hole 39 in the plate 22 is always in cross-angular relation to the hole 26 in the plate 19 indicated in Fig. 3, and when the plate 25 is in its initial position, its hole is directly on the same vertical. plane with said hole 26. After a nickel has been placed in the hole of the plate 25 the latter may be rotated within the

flanges

21, 33, the handle 29 moving along the recess 28 until the hole 34: in said plate moves into an angular relation to the hole 26 in the plate 19 and into exact parallelism with the hole 39 in the plate This movement of the plate 25 results in the bottom package 17 inclosed within its hole 34 moving with the plate and passing into exact vertical alinement with the hole 39 in the plate 22, the result being that when the plate 25 reaches its operated position, the package which was confined in the hole 34: is left unsupported and falls through the hole 39 and into the receptacle 42, whence it may be taken by hand through the front opening 43. At each end of the recess 28 is formed a shoulder against which the handle 29 will strike for arresting the plate 25 in its initial position and in its operated position. The only moving parts the machine possesses are the goods ejector plate 25 and dog 30, and with each movement of the plate 25 from its initial position shown in Figs. 1, 3 and 5, to its operated position shown in Fig. 4, one paclc age 17 will be left unsupported and fall into the receptacle 42. During the movement of the ejector plate 25 from its initial position to its operated position, said plate, while moving the bottom package to a position to fall through the hole 39 in the plate 22, supports all of the remaining packages in the stack, said plate angularly turning the lower package into vertical line with the hole 39 and at the same time causing the sides and ends of its hole 34 to cross the corners of the hole 26 in the plate 19, said edges, represented by the flanges 35, taking the position indicated by dotted lines in Fig. 5 and supporting the entire stack of packages above them. Upon the return of the ejector plate 25 to its initial position, the edges of the hole 3t will pass into exact vertical line with the edges of the hole 26 in the plate 19, and upon attaining such position the entire stack of packages will settle down and become supported on the plate 22, as before, the bottom package of the stack passing into the hole 3-t of said plate 25 preparatory to being carried to its discharging position upon the next operation of said plate 25. When the plate 25 is in its initial position the stack of packages is therefore support-ed directly on the plate and when the plate 25 is moving toward and is at its operated position, the stack of packages, less the bottom package, rests, at its corners, on said plate 25.

I have hereinbeit'ore sntlicicntly described the operation of the dog 30. l

The plate '19 covers the movable goodsejector-plate 25 and in the construction shown extends below the edges of the cabinet 15, but it is not essential, though preferable, to extend the plate 19 below the edges of the cabinet since the cabinet is open at its lower end and corresponds at said opening with the polygonal openings in the goodscjcctor-plate 25 and base-plate 22.

The chamber within the cabinet correspends in crosssectional outline with the shape of the rectangular packages 17, which are all of uniform rectangular edge outline and uniformly stacked one upon the other, the side walls of said chamber serving to confine the stack of packages and guide the same as it gradually lowers through said chamber. The packages 17 are square in edge outline, and the openings 26, 3-tand 39, respectively, in the bottom of the cabinet, plate 25 and plate 22 are of uniform size and square in edge outline.

One of the advantages of my invention is that the openin s 26, 34 and 39 are always directly below one another, although not having their edges on the same vertical planes with one another, and the result of this is that the chamber in the cabinet may have smooth plain walls, that the apparatus is strong and compact, that it may dispense packages which are square in edge outline and that the packages may be uniformly stacked one upon another, as distinguished from being cross stacked as expressed and shown in the prior art.

I have shown and described the details of the most satisfactory embodiment of the invention known to me, without intending to confine my claims to such embodiment further than the claims themselves indicate.

What I claim as my invention and desire to secure by Letters-Patent, is:

1. In a vending machine, a cabinet con taining a vertical chamber which is rectangular in cross-section and adapted to snugly receive a stack of uniformly piled rectangular packages to be sold, the bottom of said chamber being entirely open, as at 26, for the descent of said packages, a rotary goods ejector plate below and free of said cabinet and having a rectangular opening 34 corresponding with and directly below the open lower end of said chamber and being of a depth to receive the lower one of said packages and of an outline to engage the edges of said package for turning it individually on its central vertical axis, and a base-plate 22 below said rotary goods ejector plate having a rectangular opening 39 corresponding with and directly below the open bottom of said chamber and said opening 3% and standing in cross-angular relation to the open bottom of said cabinet so that said base-plate may support the stack of packages at the four corner portions of the same over said opening 89 in the inoperated position of said goods ejector plate and said goods ejector plate support said stack at its four corner portions when in its operated position, said ejector-plate having means for operating it, combined with a receptacle 42 below the said plate 22 to receive the packages which fall through said opening 39, said receptacle being provided with an opening 43 for the removal of the packages therefrom; substantially as set forth.

2. In a vending machine, a cabinet containing a vertical chamber which is rectangular in cross-section and adapted to snugly receive a stack of uniformly piled rectangular packages to be sold, the bottom of said chamber being entirely open, as at 26, for the descent of said packages, a rotary goods ejector plate 25 below and free of said cabinet and having a rectangular opening 34: corresponding with and directly below the open lower end of said chamber, and being of a depth to receive the lower one of said packages and of an outline to engage the edges of said package for turning it individually on its central vertical axis, and a base-plate 22 below said rotary goods ejector plate having a rectangular opening 39 corresponding with and directly below the open bottom of said chamber and said opening 34 and standing in cross-angular relation to the open bottom of said cabinet so that said base-plate may support the stack of packages at the four corner portions of the same over said opening 39 in the inoperated position of said goods ejector plate and said goods ejector plate support said stack at its four corner portions when in its operated position, and a frame at the lower end of the cabinet comprising a plate 19 having an upwardly extending flange 20 to receive the lower edges of the cabinet and downwardly extending flanges 21, 23 engaging the said base-plate and affording a chamber for said goods-ejector plate, said ejector-plate having means for operating it, combined with a receptacle 42 below the said plate 22 to receive the packages which fall through said opening 39, said receptacle being provided with an opening 43 for the removal of the pack ages therefrom; substantially as set forth.

Signed at New York city, in the county of New York, and State of New York, this third day of August A. D. 1908.

CLEMENT C. CLAWSON. Witnesses HERMAN GUsTow',

CHAS. C. GILL.