US992774A - Coin-controlled apparatus for vending-machines. - Google Patents

Description

- '0. J. HorALING. COIN GONTROLLD APPARATUS POB VENDING MACHINES.L

APPLICATION FILED AUG. 2, 1910.

Patented May 23 Y, Du

WITNESSES:

0. J. HOTALING. COIN GDNTRQLLBD APPARATUS POR .VENDING MACHINES.

PPLIUATION FILED AUG. 2. 1910..

Patented May 23, 1911.

ATTORNEYS OMAR J. HOTALINQ OF JOHNSTOWN, NEW YORK.`

COIN-CONTROLLED APPARATUS FOR VENDING-MACHINES.

To all whom "it may concern:

Be it known that l, OMAR J. lf'lo'ramxo, a citizen of the llnited States, and a resident of Johnstown. in the county of Fulton and State of New York, have invented a new and Improved Coin-(Tontrolled Apparatus for Vending-Machines. of which the following is a full. clear, and exact description. y

This invention relates to coin-controlled apparatus for use i-n connection with different kinds of vending machines, and has reference more particularly to apparat-us of this class associated with .an operating lever or member of the vending machine, and comprising a displaceable stop for limiting the travel of the member, normally inoperative' means for displacing the stop through the movement ofthe member' itself, and means for rendering the first-mentioned means operative by the member when a coin is introduced into the apparatus.

The object of the invention is "to provide' a simple and etiicient coin-controlled appa ratus which can be used with different kinds of vending machines, which serves to pre- `vent the operation Aof the machine with which it is employed unless the suitable predetermined coins are introduced into the coin slot, which canbe adjusted to operate with one or more coins of differentkinds, which requires comparatively little power to actuate it, which does not modify or otherwise affect the operation of the vending machine itself, and which is so constructed that unauthorized or improper operation thereof is accomplished only 4with diiiiculty. The invention consists in` the construction and. combination of parts to be more fully described hereinafter and fully set forth in the claims;

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification, in which similar charactersofreference indicate corresponding parts in all the views, and in -whichy Figurezl is a side elevation of an embodiment of my invention; Fig. 2 is a front elevation of the apparatus showing parts in cross section: Figx a transverse section of part of the device. showing -the coin passage; Fig. 4 is an enlarged view similar to Fig. Q, showing certain of the parts .in different positions; Fig. 5 is a side elevation of a detail o f `modified form; and Fig. (Slis a View similar to Fig., 5, showing a detail of further modliied form.

specification of Letzersiratent. Apiiioatioii med August 2,

Patented May 23, 1911.

1910. `serial No, 575,061.

Before proceeding'to a `more detailed eX- planationof my invention, it should be clearly understood that while the coincontrolled apparatus is particularly useful withthe type of vending machine shown in my United States Patent application, Serial No. 537,452, filed January 11, 1910, it can also. be advantageously employed with other vending machines employing an operating lever or member b v means of which the coincontrolled mechanism itself can be operated. As will appear more clearly hereinafter, it

can be adjusted for use with one or more.

coins, and it is thus adapted for the vending of articles havingl different values. For example it can be employed With a machine for selling daily papers kat one cent apiece, or with papers costing two or three cents.

`The scopeof the machine is dans increased,

and the necessary alteration isslight, so that little inconvenience results therefrom. Cerl tain of the details form no part of myinvention, and can be varied in accordance with individual preferencev and special conditions, without departing from the underlying spirit` of the invention.

eferring more particularly tothe drawinos I have shown the-o eratinvr lever or. C 7 b pivoted member l0 of a .vendin machine,

mounted to swing about a suitab e pivot 11,.

at one en d thereof.` The lever lextends removably through a slotted guideway 12 formed between spaced parallel bars 13 and 14. The bar 13 has extensions 15 to which the bar 14 is secured by means of screws 16 or in any other suitable manner.` The 4bar 13 can be fastened to a Wall or other part of the vending machine, by means of screws 17, or the like".

The bar 14 has mounted thereon a coin casing 18 Ain which is formed a slot 19; constituting the coin passage through which the coins travel. A suitable coin chute or like device (not shown), is used 1n 'connection with the vending machine for directing the coins to the coin passage. The slot 19, forming the coin passage, is open at the front of ldie casing 18, and has pivoted therein the coin keeper 20, consisting of an elongated, comparatively thin strip of metal, pivotally mounted at its upper end by means of a suitable pin 21. A light spring 22 is fastened to the lower portion of the coin cas,-r ing, yand .t the corresponding extremity of the keeper. It tends to displace the keeper from its normal position Within the slot, and

substantially parallel to the length thereof. The keeper, at its inner end has a projection 23 for a. purpose which will appear hereinafter. A releasing member 24 consisting of a bell crank lever having a long arm 25 and a short arm 26, is pivotally mounted by means of a screw 27 or the like, upon the bar above the coin casing. j The arm 26 at the lower end has a laterally disposed finger 28 which extends transversely of the keeper 20, and in a normal position ot' the releasing member engages the keeper and tends to ,hold it in operative position within the coin passage slot. The arm 25 at its free end has a laterally disposed finger 29 which is engaged by a strip spring 30 secured upon the operating lever 10. The spring 30 when the. lever is in its normal elevated position, holds the releasing member in a normal position such that the keeper 2O is operative.

A movable stop 31 is mounted upon the coin casing bymeans of an offset strap guide 32, held in place by means of screws 33, or in any other suitable manner. The stop 31 has the end provided with a bevel 34 at the under side, and at the rear end has an extension 35 pivotally connected by means of a pin 36 with a lever 37. The latter is movably mounted by means of a pin 38 upon a bracket 39, carried by the bar 14. The lever 37 forms one element of a lever system which comprises in addition, a lever 40 movably mounted by means of a pivot pin 41 upon a bracket 42 carried upon the back plate 43 of the coin casing. The levers 37 and 40 are connected at their lower ends by means of a link 44 which is pivoted atthe extremities of the levers by means of suitable pivot pins or rivets 45. A strip spring 46 is mounted upon an extension 47 of the bar 14 and engages at the lower end of the lever 40, to hold the lever system in a normal position such that the stop 31 is projected into the path of the operating member 10 in the guide way 12, as is shown most clearly in Fig. 2.

The coin casing has cylindrical openings 48 and 49 formed therein, which extend transversely of the coin passage 19, and are located respectively at opposite sides thereof, the opening 48 registering with the opening 50 in the bar 14. Thew opening 48 at the end adjacent to the opening 50 has an enlarged part 51 which is equal in diameter to the opening 50. At the other end the opening 48 has an inwardly disposed iiange 52 forming a eonstricted neck, and has at the outside of the flange an enlarged part 53. The opening 49 at the end adjacent to the coin passage 19 has an en` larged part 54. The back plate 43 of the coin casing has a circular recess 55 which is adjacent to the opening 49 and communicates therewith through a reduced opening 56. I employ a plunger device for actuating `member 58 located in the opening -member 57 and engages the stop 31 through the lever system. The plunger device consists of an inner member 57 located in the opening 48, and an outer 49. The member 57 has an enlarged head 59 which guidingly engages within the opening 48 and which is provided with a laterally eX-h tended crown 60 having the outer surface 61 beveled, which is located movably in the opening 50 oi. the bar 14, and is adapted to scat in the enlarged part 51 of the opening 48 when the member 57 is retracted, as is shown in Fig. 4. At the other end, the member 57 has a laterally extended disk 62 adapted to seat in the enlarged part 53 of the opening 48 when the melnber 57 is projected. A spring 63 is mounted upon the the flange 52 and the head 59. It tends normally to hold the member 57 projected so that the beveled end face 61 of the crown 60 projects into the path of the operating member 10. The member 58 at the rear end has an enlarged head 64 which normally seats in the recess 55 and is engaged by the upper end ot the lever 40. At the other end, the member 58 has a laterally extended disk 65 which is movable in the enlarged part 54 of the opening 49. A helical spring 66 is mounted about the member 58 and engages the disk 65 and the back plate 43. It tends to hold the member 58 in position such that the head 54 seats in' the recess 55.

The operating member 10 in its normal position is elevated as shown in Fig. 1. The member 57, under the influence of the spring 63, is positioned with the crown 60 projecting into the guideway 12. The member 58 under t-he influence of the spring 66 is positioned with the head 64 seated in the recess 55, and the disk 65 with its end face substantially flush with the wall of the coin passage 19. The end face of the disk 62 is substantially flush with the opposite wall of the coin passage. The spring 46, when the head 64 is retracted, holds the lever system so that the stop 31 projects into the guideway 12. Then a coin is introduced into the coin passage sothat the vending machine can be operated, it is brought to a. stop between the disks 62 and 65 by the stop projection 23 of the member 20, which is located at a suitable point of the keeper for this purpose. After the coin is in place, the operating member 10 is depressed and moved along the coin passage. gagement with the beveled end face of the crown 60 and thereby displaces the member 57 against the tension ot .the spring 63. The interposition of the coin 67 between the disks permits the movement of the member 57 to be transmitted to the member 58 so that the head 64 is forced outward and actuates the lever 40. The movement of the lever 40 is transmitted through the link 44 and the lever lt comes into enchine cannot be operated. The lever system the lower end is so constructed that the movement of the member 58 is multiplied materially in being. transmitted to the tively slight movement on the part of the stop, so thata comparahead 64 is sufficient to move the stop completely out of the path of the operating member. When a coin is not positioned between the disks 62 and 65, a movement of the member 59 cannot be transmitted to the member 58.

'After the operating member passes beyond the stop 31, the spring 30 no longer engages the arm 25 of the releasing member, and this gravitationally swings from engagement with the keeper. The spring 22 then displaces the keeper, as is shown in Fig. 3, and-the coin can fall from between the disks of the' plunger device, and escape at ofthe coin passage into a suitable coin receptacle, not shown. In Figs. 5 and 6,. however, of the keeper 20. In the first of these the keeper 68 is similar in all respects to `the keeper 20, with the exception of the projection 69, which is located lower upon the keeper than is the. projection 23. Thisnecessitates the` introduction of more than one coin; for example, two= coins can be positioned between the plunger disks. In other Y words, if it lis desired to vend newspapers costing two cents apiece,

it is necessary to insert two separate cents, is supported' by the projection 69, and the Second of which is held in position between the plunger disks, by the first one. In Fig. 6 I have shown a keeper 70 having the pro,- jection 71 so positioned that three coins must be introduced before the 4device will operate.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent:

1. Apparatus ofthe class described, com-i prising an operating member,.a stop noI-.

mally operative to limitathe movement of said member, a plunger device adapted to receive a coin and having a part adapted to be actuated by said member, and a second part adapted to be actuated by saidA first y part when a coin is interposed between said parts, means for directing a coin into position between saidl parts,` and an operativeconnection 'between said second part and said stop. j

2. Apparatus of the class described, comprising an operating member, a displaceable stop for limiting-the travel of said member, elements for operatively connect'- are shown modified forms y the iirst of which' ing said member and said stop to permit said s top to be displaced ,by a movement .of said member, and mea/.ns for introducing a coin between said elements, said elements to render the same relatively operative being normally inoperative with respect to one another.

3. Apparatus of the class described, comprisingV an operating member, a displaceable stop for limiting the tra-vel of said member,

elements for operatively connecting said member and said stop to permit said stop to be displaced by an'initial movement of said ,.member, means for :introducing a coin between saidv elements, said elements being normally inoperative with respect to one another, and means operable by a further movement of said member for displacing a coin from between said elements.

4. Apparatus of t-he class described, comprisingv an operating member, a displaceable stop for limiting the travel of said member,

'elements for operatively connecting said member and said stop, to permit saidstop to be displaced by an initial movement of said member, a coin passage for introducing a coin between said elements, said elements being normally inoperative with respect to one another, a keeper for holding said coin in position betweensaid elements,y and means controlled by said operating member for maintaining said keeper in an operative position during a part of the travel of said member.

5. Apparatus of the class described, comprising an operating member, a displaceablestop for limiting the travel of said member and normally said member, a coin passage, plunger parts arranged at opposite sides of said passage, one of said parts normallyprojecting into the path of said member, and a lever system projecting into the path of y for operatively connecting the other oi? said parts and said stop. f

t3. Apparatus of the class' described,vco1n prising any operating member, a displace able stop for limiting the travel of said memberand normally projecting vinto the path of said member, acoin passage, plunger parts arranged at opposite sides pf said passage, one of said parts normally projecting into the path of said member, a lever system for operatively connecting the other of said parts and said stop, a keepeji` mov- `ably mounted ladjacent to said passage, and

serving to hold a coin in position between said parts, and a member controlled by said operating member and serving to positionLA said member operatively until said operating member passes said first part of said plunger. l

7. Apparatus of the class described, comprising an operating member, a stop normallyprojecting into the path of said member to limit the travel thereof, a casing having a coin passage, plunger parts movably arranged in said casing at opposite sides ot said passage and adapted to be operatively connected by the interposition of a coin therebetween, springs tending to hold said parts in normal. positions such that one of said parts projects into the path of said member, and a lever system operatively connecting the other of said plunger parts and said stop, whereby said operating member can actuate said stop to ldisplace the same from its path.

S. Apparatus of the class described, comprising an operating member, a stop normally projecting into the path of said member to lilnit the travel thereof, a casing having a coin passage, plunger parts movably ar 'anged in said casing at opposite sides ot said passage and adapted to be operatively connected by the interposition of a coin therebetween, springs tending to hold said parts in normal positions such that one of said parts projects into the path of said member, a lever system operatively connecting the other of said plunger parts and said stop, whereby said operating member can actuate said stop to displace the same from its path, a. keeper movably carried by said casing at. said passage and adapted to hold a coin in position between said parts, and a releasing member normally. engaging said keeper to hold the same in operative 'position and'controlled by said operating member.

9. Apparatus of the class described, comprising an operating member, adisplaceable stop, a coin-receiving device operatively connected with said stop and adapted to be actuated by said member, said coin-receiving device being normally inoperative, and being rendered operative by the introduction of a coin, a movable member normally operative to hold a coin in position at saideoinreceiving device, a spring tending to release said keeper, a releasing member normally holding said keeper in an operative position, and a spring carried by said operating member and engaging said releasing,r member to hold the same operative during the initial part of the travel of said operating member.

10. Apparatus of the class described, comprising an operating member, a guideway for said operating member, a coin-casing mounted adjacent to said guideway and having a coin passage therethrough, said coin casing having registering openings therethrough at opposite sides of said passage, plunger parts mounted in said openings, springs tending to hold said parts in normal positions, such that the adjacent ends ot' said parts are separated at said coin passage to receive a coin therebetween, the -first of said parts normally projecting into the path of said operating member, a lever system operatively connecting the second ot' said parts and said stop, and serving to multiply the movementl of said second part in transmit.- ting the movement to said stop, a spring for holding said lever system in a normal position, a keeper pivotally mounted in said coin passage and having means for holding a coin in position .between said plunger' parts when said keeper is in an operative position, a spring tending to display said keeper, a pivoted, releasing member engaging said keeper to hold the same in an operative position, and a member carried by said operating member, and engaging said releasing member, to hold said releasing member operative until said operating member passes beyond said lst plunger part.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

OMAR J. HOTALING. Witnesses:

TIMOTHY Knox, ANDREW S'rALEY.

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