US3162287A - Vending machine - Google Patents

Description

1964 D. LUPOVICI 3,162,287

VENDING MACHINE Filed May 29, 1963 INVENTOR Dal/I'd IUPUV/(l PAR (DNUL AGENT United States Patent 3,162,287 VENDING MACHINE David Lupoviei, 7482 Spring Road, Cote St. Luc, Quebec, Canada Filed May 29, 1963, Ser. No. 284,157 1 Claim. (Cl. 194-85) The present invention relates to a vending machine and, more particularly, to a coin-operated machine for dispensing discrete articles in solid state.

The main object of the present invention resides in the provision of a vending machine of the character described, embodying a manually-operated coin-controlled ejecting mechanism of improved, very simple, and yet fool-proof construction, whereby an article will be dispensed from the machine only upon insertion of a coin of the proper denomination, and only one article will be dispensed for each coin insertion.

Another object of the present invention resides in the provision of a vending machine of the character described, which is of very compact and simple construction and which enables to dispense articles of different compositions or brands by embodying a very simple selector mechanism.

Another object of the present invention resides in the provision of a vending machine of the character described, in which articles of any one of a plurality of brands or compositions can be ejected by using a single and common coin-controlled ejector mechanism.

Another object of the present invention resides in the provision of a machine of the character described, in

which means are provided for preventing dispensing of an article by tilting or shaking the machine.

The foregoing and other objects of the present invention will become more apparent during the following disclosure and by referring to the drawings, in which:

FIGURE 1 is a sectional elevation of the machine;

FIGURE 2 is a plan section;

FIGURE 3 is a partial vertical section on an enlarged scale taken along lines 33 of FIGURE 2; and

FIGURE 4 is a plan section on an enlarged scale of part of the elements shown in FIGURE 2.

Referring now more particularly to the drawings in which like reference characters indicate like elements throughout, the vending machine of the present invention comprises a circular base 1 supporting a cylindrical wall 2, in turn supporting a top circular wall 3. Top wall 3 is fixedly secured to the cylindrical wall 2 and defines therewith and with the base 1 a compartment for the coincontrolled ejecting mechanism of the machine.

A rotor 5, consisting of top and bottom flanged discs 6 and 7 respectively and of a plurality of circularly disposed upright channel-shaped compartments 9 secured to discs 6 and 7, is supported for rotation about a vertical axis by means of a ball bearing arrangement, shown at 8, disposed between bottom disc 7 and the top wall 3, and consisting of two plates secured to said disc 7 and wall3 and defining therebetween a circular ball race. This thrust bearing arrangement is of known construction.

Each compartment 9 serves to carry a plurality of stacked packages or articles A to be dispensed from the machine; each stack may consist of articles A of a different brand or composition. These articles A are visible through a cylindrical screen 10, which also prevents pilfering of the articles A. Screen 10 is secured to the peripheral edge of top wall 3 and supports in turn a top 3,162,287 Patented Dec. 22, 1964 cover 11 over the rotor 5, said top cover being provided with a channel-shaped ring 12, to which the top edge of the screen 10 is removably secured such that the cover 11 may be removed for refilling the compartments 9.

The rotor 5 may be rotated with respect to the base 1, wall 2, top wall 3, screen 10, and top cover 11 by means of an upright rod 13 welded at its lower end to the top flanged disc 6 at the center of the latter and protruding through top cover 11. This rod is provided with laterally protruding ornamental arms, not shown, over the top cover 11 to facilitate rotation of the rotor 5, so as to bring any one of the compartments 9 in vertical alignment with an article discharge chute 14 protruding from and secured to the screen 10 at the level of the lowermost article A of the selected stack of articles, as shown in FIGURE 1.

A tube 15 is secured to top wall 3 and extends through the same and its upper end carries a spring-loaded ball 15' engageable with any one of depressions 16 made in the bottom flanged disc 7 opposite each compartment 9. Thus, the spring-loaded ball arrangement resiliently maintains the rotor 5 in a properly adjusted angular position, such that the selected compartment 9 is maintained in vertical alignment with the discharge chute 14; for the ejection of the lowermost article A of the selected stack through the chute 14.

The coin-controlled ejecting mechanism for ejecting the lowermost article A of the selected stack through chute 14 is located within the compartment disposed underneath top wall 3, and comprises the following elements: 1

An operating lever 17 has its outer end protruding through a slot 17', made in the side wall 2 of the machine, and its inner end pivotally connected at 18 to the intermediate portion of a motion-transmitting lever 19, said lever 19 having an upwardly inclined end portion 20 and having its free inner end provided with an elongated slot 21 for pivotal and sliding connection to one end of a plunger 22 by means of a pin 23.

The plunger 22 consists of a straight rod slidably guided within a sleeve 24 carried by a bracket 24' secured to a base plate 25, which is in turn fixed in horizontal position on base 1. The pivot 18, serving as a pivotal connection for the two levers 17 and 19, is secured to the base plate 25.

The plunger 22 is arranged for reciprocating movement within sleeve 24 for extending through a hole 26 made in the top cover 3 in alignment with the lowermost article A of the selected stack of articles and, thus, in alignment with the discharge opening 14. Therefore, movement of plunger 22 will push lowermost article A in accordance with arrow 38, shown in FIGURE 1, to discharge said article through chute 14.

Both levers 17 and 19 are in partially overlapping position and their overlapping portions are each provided with a longitudinally extended elongated slit 27 and 28 respectively for receiving a coin C in edge-wise position, as shown in FIGURE 3.

Slits 27 and 28 are in register when the two levers 17 and 19 are in alignment.

A coin chute 29 is secured to the base plate 25 by means of bracket 29 and spacedly disposed above plate 25 above the path of the levers 17 and 19. Chute 29 comprises two spaced parallel walls joined together at their inner ends and along their top and bottom edges, and vertically disposed to form a passage for the insertion of a coin C in edgewise position. Said coin chute has an inas follows:

let at the outside of cylindrical wall 2 and an outlet defined by a bottom opening at the inner end and by a notch 13 made in one side wall immediately above the slits 27 and 28 of levers 17 and 19 in the retracted position of said levers.

The channel is downwardly inclined towards the notch 30 from the-u'nlet opening thereof.

Referring to FIGURE 4, the retracted position of the two levers 17 and 19 is shown in dot anddash lines and the ejection position of said two levers is shown in full lines. The retracted position of the two; levers is also shown in FIGURES 2 a11d3. The dash-and-dot-line position of part 20 of lever 19,sown in FIGURE-3, corresponds to the'ejecting position of said: lever '19.

The top face of the base plate is provided, with a 1'5 transversely curved notch or recess 31 defining a sho'ul-,

der 32 and disposed underneath the slits 27 and'28 in the retracted positions of the two levers.

Furthermore, 7

said top face is provided with a deeper transversely curved notch 33 defining with notch 31 a second shoulder 34,

which is disposed intermediate the first shoulder 32 and a, coin discharge opening 35 made through plate 25,"said normally locked in position.; l 1 v A tension coil spring 37 is'attached at one end .to

lever 17 and at the other end to base l'and ur'ges said lever 17 into a retracted bracket 29'.

position, in whichit abuts against opening 35 being in communication with a coin receiving 5 e box 35, throughan aperture made in base 1, said money 1 box 36 being removably secured" underneath base 1 and 12 5 A lug 39 protruding downwardly from the outer side t edgeof lever 17 is adapted to abut against the notched outer side edge of lever 19 and serves to return lever 19 into retracted position under the action of spring 37. A lug 4t}, upstanding from the outer edge of base. plate 25,

serves to limit. the'ejecting movement of the two levers by abutting lug 39. A coil spring 42 is secured to top wall 3 and extends upwardly in the discharge path of; I

the lowermost article A of the selected stack to prevent 0 invention operates discharge by tilting or shaking the machine.

The vending. machine of the present Whenthere is no coin inserted and lever 17 is operated in the direction arrow 41inits forward stroke, said lever simply pivotsfreely about within. s'1 its,27 amid- 2s 33 and, therefore, the forward stroke must be continued for full ejection and for the discharge of the coin into the coin'box, because'coin C prevents return of levers 17 and "19 into their retracted position, by abutting shoulder 34. p

This arrangement positively prevents, the discharge; of

more than one article A for each coin insertion.

.. As previously explained, anyone of the severalstacks of articles A can be rotated into vertical alignment with the plunger 22 and discharge chute 14 by simply rotating a suitable 'crank device secured to rod 13. Thus, the ejection mechanism of the invention is common to all of the several stacks 'of articlesA.

Articles A may consist of any type of stackable packagesandmay be,-fo r instance, packages-of concentrated powdered food products, such as instant coffee, tea, soup, or the like,;which'is adapted to' be mixed with hot water. Therefore,:the vending machine of the present invention is more particularly adapted tot be used in conjunction 'with'a hot water dispenser of the type described and claimed in a co-pending application by the same inventor.

, for holding a plurality of stacks-of solid state articles to be dispensed, adjusted rotation "of said rotor moving a selected stack .in vertical alignment with said discharge 'chute and with the lowermost article of said selected stack at a discharge station opposite said discharge chute, a base plate secured within said casing at a level below Jsaid rotor, ajguide sleeve secured to said base plate, axially aligned" with said discharge chute and said discharge station inwardly of the latter, a horizontally displaceable plunger= slidably inserted within and guided by said sleeve, and coin controlled. means to move's aid plunger between i v a retracted-position inwhich its, free end is spaced from pivot pin 18 and lever 19 remains stationary; When a i coin of the 1 proper denomination isinsertedthrough chute 29, said coin C rolls under gravity and drops a through the chute outlet of the coin chute directly into the registeringslits 27 and 28'of the levers 17 and 19 in the retracted position of'said levers, as shown in FIGQ I DRE 3. The coin C rests'in'the notch 31 of base plate 25 adjacentshoulder 32. Thus, the coin effects a niechanical connection between the two levers 17 and 19 and, upon pushing lever 7 in the direction of arrow 41,

a forward operating stroke is effected both by lever 17 and lever 19, which thus operates the plungerZZ. to eject an article A through article discharge chute "14.

During the operating forward stroke ofthe two levers,

the coin C, whichstraddles the two levers, leaves the chute 29 through side notch 30 and is transferred from said lowermost, article at said; discharge station. andan ejecting position in which-its free end extends across said discharge station, said means including said base plate, said base plate havingacoin discharge opening made therethrough, a; coin .box carried by said casing underneath said base plate. and in register with. said coin discharge opening, .acoin chute secured .to said base plate above the latter and having an inlet opening, at the exterior of said casing below said rotor and an outlet spacedabove base :plate and laterally offset fromthe discharge opening of .said base plate ya .movement transmission lever and an -,operatingle ver arranged in partially overlappin'gjposition and 'both pivotallyyconnected one to the other and to a 'said base plate and having their overlapping portions the position shown in FIGURE 3-to position opposite, 1

discharge. opening 35 made in base plate 25 and, there- ,fore, the coin drops through said opening into the coin box 36.

Upon release of lever positionunder the action of spring 37 and also pivots back the lever 19 into its retracted position, due to the fact that lug 39 engages said lever 19. However,.lug

39 allows free forward movement of lever 17 with respect to lever'19.

17, it is returned to its retracteddisposed at a level between said coin chute outlet and said base plate, one endrof-said operating lever protruding outwardly from said casing, one end portion of said transmission lever having an elongated slot, said plunger having a pin engaging said slot and formingv therewith a pivotal and sliding connectionfbetween said transmission lever and plunger, the overlapping portions of said levers eachi provided'with a coin receiving-slit, said slits being in register with each other when said levers are in align- I ment, said levers when'in alignment and 'in the retracted It will be noted that during transfer of the coin into 7 the discharge opening 35, the coin C, once it has passed shoulder 34, immediately drops into the deeper. recess position of Isaid'plunger, having their slitsin register with the outlet of said coin chute, said levers when in alignment and-in-the ejecting position of said plunger, having their slits in register withthe coin discharge opening of said base plate, said' levers movable duringan "operating stroke between a retracted position and an ejecting position, and, vice versa during areturnstroke,

5 6 spring means connecting said operating lever to said cas- References Cited by the Examiner ing and urging said operating lever into retracted position, UNITED STATES PATENTS and abutment means carried by sald operating lever and engageable with said transmission lever only upon return 371,257 10/87 Even 194 87 stroke of said operating lever to return said transmission 5 888,291 5/08 W 19488 lever to its retracted position and resilient abutment means 1,256,181 2/18 Smith 19485 Secured to said casing in the ejection path of the lower- ,765, 59 6/30 Cadwell 19485 most article at said discharge station to prevent discharge 1,991,736 2/35 Epstein 194-85 of said lowermost article through said discharge chute by tilting or shaking of the machine. 10 SAMUEL F. COLEMAN, Primary Examiner.

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