US2639207A - Vending machine - Google Patents

Description

May 19, 1953 A.vz|sKA 2,639,207

VENDING MACHINE Filed June 4. 1947 3 Sheets-Sheet l @swear IN VEN TOR.

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May 19, 1953 A.r zlsKA y 2,639,207

VENDING MACHINE Filed June 4, 194'7 s sheets-sheet 2 INVNTOR; 2 i

May 19, 1953 A. zlsKA VENDING MACHINE Filed Jun@ 4. 1947 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTOR.

A fr0/emana through said alined recesses and suitably connected to the spiders are a plurality of tubular cup holding hoppers 35 open at their upper ends as at 36. These hoppers are generally cylindrical in shape but are open at the peripheries of the spiders as at 31.

Slidably mounted in vertically alined sets of openings 38 and 39 of the spiders are discharge rods 40. There is one discharge rod located inwardly of each cup holding hopper 35. Each discharge rod has an upper collar 4| adjustably mounted thereon which is adapted to engage the underside of the top spider 32 to limit upward movement of the discharge rod. Spaced a substantial distance below the collar 4| is a fixed pin or collar 42. Positioned between each pin or collar 42 and the bottom spider 33 and surrounding the discharge rod is a coil spring 43. The extreme lower end of each discharge rod projects through its opening 39 in the bottom spider 33, and is provided with an inwardly directed lug 44 having an inclined upper surface 45.

Referring now to Figs. 4, and 6, the lower end of each cup holding hopper is equipped with a rigidly connected tubular fitting 46 having apertured ears 41 projecting from opposite sides thereof. Doors 48, each substantially semi-circular in outline, have projecting apertured ears 49. Pivot pins 50 extending through the alined apertures of the ears 41 and 49 hingedly connect the doors to the bottom tting 46 of each tube, the ears 49 being rigid on the pivot pins 50 to rock therewith.

The pins 50 yhave mounted loosely thereon sleeves 5|. Integral with each sleeve and projecting upwardly from the bottom of the hopper is a cup holding arm 52 having a curved cupengaging portion 53 at its upper end. Also rigidly connected to each sleeve 5| is an ear 54 which projects laterally outwardly from the hopper. Each ear has a rigidly mounted pin 55. Integral with that ear 49, on each side, which is adjacent the pin 55 is an outwardly projecting lug 56.

When the bottom doors 48 of a hopper are closed as in Fig. 4, the lugs 56 are engaged over the pins 55 as is clear from Fig. 6. As a result, the yielding springs 51 (see Fig. 4) are prevented from moving the cup holding arms 52 inwardly. When the doors 48 are in the open position of Fig. 5, however, then the lugs 56 are swung to a position to release the pins 55. This enables the arms 52 to be urged inwardly by the tension of the band springs 51 into the openings 52' to the position of Fig. 5. During such movement the sleeves 5| on which the arms 52 are mounted are rocked on the shafts 50. The cup-engaging end portions 53 of the arms 52 are thus moved to the position shown in Fig. 5 to form stops which limit downward movement of the shoulder 58 of the cup B of Fig. 4 after said cup has dropped to the position of Fig. 5. In the meantime, the bottommost cup A has been dropped out of the bottom of the hopper into the discharge chute 25. It is apparent, therefore, that the mechanism just described positively prevents the discharge of more than one cup at a time.

'I'he opening and closing of the bottom doors 48 is under the control of the discharge rods 40. Each rod has rigidly connected thereto a crosshead 59. Pivoted to the ends of the crosshead 59 are the ends of links 60. The other ends of the links 60 are pivotally connected to arms 6| which are rigidly connected to the pivot pins 50. The links 68 pivoted to the crosshead 59 constitute a toggle joint.

As a result of this arrangement, if a pull rod 40 is moved downwardly from the position of Fig. 4, to the position of Fig. 5, it will carry the crosshead 59 downwardly, move the links 60 from the position of Fig. 4 to the substantially vertical position of Fig. 5, and rock the arms 6| and pivot shafts 50 through an arc of approximately 90. In view of the fact that the door ears 49 are rigidly connected to the pivot pins 58, this will cause opening movement of the bottom doors 48 from the position of Fig. 4 to the open position of Fig. 5 to permit the bottommost cup A to fall out of the hopper as heretofore explained. When the pull rod is released, its spring 43, acting against the collar 42, will return the rod to the raised position, close the doors, and swing the cup holding arms 52 back to the cup-releasing position of Fig. 4. In closed position the crosshead 59 which constitutes the knee of the toggle joint is above center so that the weight of the cups will not tend to open the doors.

Mounted on the front of the cabinet is a dial housing 62. Projecting outwardly and at a slight angle upwardly within the dial housing is a bearing 63 in which a shaft 64 is journalled. The outer end of the shaft 64 projects through the bearing and carries rigidly on its outer end a gear 65 having a dial 66 secured to its cuter face. The dial is formed with peripheral slots or recesses 61 at circumferentially spaced intervals. Each slot 61 communicates with the periphery of the dial and is adapted to aline with the open lower end of a coin-receiving slot 68 formed in the dial housing 62. There is one of the peripheral slots 61 for each of the hoppers 36 carried by the rotatable merchandise holding unit within the cabinet. When one of the peripheral slots E1 is in registration with the coin-receiving slot 68 it indicates that its respective hopper is in proper registration with the discharge chute 25, and in proper position for coaction with the discharge mechanism. In addition, each peripheral slot 61 increases the effective lengt-h of the coin-receiving slot 63 just enough to permit the reception of a nickel (or other required coin) when one of the peripheral slots is in proper registration. Thus, a coin can only be inserted when one of the hoppers is in a proper position of rotation. The peripheral slots 61 may be labelled to indicate the nature of the merchandise in the respective hoppers. For example, in Fig. 3, V indicates that vanilla ice cream is in the cups of those hoppers which correspond to the peripheral slots labelled V. Similarly, C designates chocolate ice cream.

The dial gear 65 is in mesh with a smaller gear 69 and the latter is rigidly mounted on a suitably journalled shaft 10. The outer end of the shaft 10 carried a knurled wheel or knob 1| which may be manually rotated to cause rotation of the selector dial 66.

In order to transmit rotating movement from the dial shaft 64 to the merchandise holding unit it is preferred to utilize a flexible shaft section 12. One end of this shaft section is connected to the inner end of the shaft 64. The other end is rigidly connected to a stud shaft 13 journalled in a bearing 14. The shaft 13 carries a rigidly mounted bevel gear 15 which meshes with a bevel gear 16 rigidly mounted on the spider sleeve 29.

Extending downwardly from the coin-receiving slot 68 and suitably shaped and positioned Ato avoid lthe shaft 64 and bearing 63 is a coin chute 11. The upper end of the chute has its opening vpositioned to register with the coin receiving slot which are indicated schematically at |23. Suitable refrigerating apparatus suitably located in the cabinet may be connected to said coil to cause the circulation of a suitable refrigerant in a wellknown manner. For certain types of installations it is entirely satisfactory to insert Dry Ice or some other refrigerant in a container such as the container |24 supported on the cap 30 of the spider. The container may have a removable cover |25 and the top I6 of the main cabinet may also be removable.

Summary of operation If a person desires to purchase a cupful of ice cream from the machine, assuming that the machine is being used for vending ice cream, it is first necessary to rotate the knob to cause resulting rotation of the selector dial 66 until the slot 6l corresponding to a desired flavor is in registration with the lower end of the coin-receiving slot 68. If there is still merchandise in the selected hopper the nap will be in the position of Fig. 12 to permit insertion of the coin. If the hopper is empty the flap will prevent insertion and the word Empty will show through the coin-receiving slot 68. The customer will then know that he must continue turning the knob until a filled hopper is brought into operative position.

After the coin has been inserted it will fall through the chute ll, and if it is a proper coin it will pass through the slug ejector box 18 and into the chute 19 to bridge the electric contact pins 80. As before explained, this will rst cause energization of the solenoid 93 and a downward movement of the pull rods 96 and 40 to open the bottom doors 48 of a selected hopper, the parts being in the position of Fig. 5. During such opening movement the arms 52 will move inwardly to the position shown in Fig. to prevent the discharge of more than one cup at a time, as heretofore explained.

Immediately following the discharge of the cup the switch 9| will be closed as heretofore explained, to energize the solenoid 83. This causes a pull on the coin control rod |02, and operation of the push rod |05 to eject the coin into the coin receptacle. As before explained, this will first break the circuit to the solenoid 93. Next, the spring 98 will urge the pull rod 96 and core 95 upwardly to open the switch 9| and break the circuit to the solenoid 88.

It is apparent from the above that the machine makes it possible to quickly select a preferred flavor and obtain the discharge of a cupful of the ice cream. At the same time, due to the reduction gearing between the knob 1| and the dial, the merchandise holding spiders cannot be made to spin fast by tinkering children. The machine provides a simple method of notifying the customer when a particular hopper is empty. In fact, it positively prevents the insertion of a coin when this is the case. The discharge doors, together with the mechanism are so worked out as to insure the proper delivery of a cupful of ice cream in response to the insertion of a proper coin while positively preventing the discharge of more than one cup at a time.

Various changes and modifications may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention, and all of such changes are contemplated as may come within the scope of the claims.

What I claim is:

1. In a vending machine having a cabinet, a vertically disposed cup holding hopper in said cabinet having side openings, hinge pins supported for rocking movement on opposite sides of said hopper at the lower end thereof, complementary door sections rigidly connected to said hinge pins and projecting inwardly therefrom, lugs connected to said door sections and projecting outwardly from said hinge pins, cup holding arms pivotally mounted on said hinge pins adjacent the side openings of the hopper, yielding means normally urging said arms inwardly into said openings to prevent downward movement by gravity of cups thereabove in the hopper, means on said arms engaged by said door section lugs when the door sections are closed for preventing said inward movement of the cup holding arms. and means for controlling opening and closing movement of said door sections.

2. In a vending machine having a cabinet, a vertically disposed cup holding hopper in said cabinet having a side opening, a hinge pin supported for rocking movement on a side and at the lower end of said hopper, a door rigidly connected to said hinge pin and projecting so as to obstruct the lower end of said hopper, a lug connected to said door and projecting outwardly from said hinge pin, a cup holding arm pivotally mounted on said hinge pin adjacent the side opening of the hopper, yielding means normally urging said arm inwardly into said opening t0 prevent downward movement by gravity of cups thereabove in the hopper, means on said arm engaged by said door lug when the door is closed for preventing said inward movement of the cup holding arm, and means for controlling opening and closing movement of said door.

3. In a vending machine having a cabinet, a vertically disposed cup-holding hopper in said cabinet having a side opening, a hinge pin supported for rocking movement on a side and at the lower end of said hopper, a door rigidly connected to said hinge pin and projecting so as t0 obstruct the lower end of said hopper, a cupholding arm pivotally mounted independently of said door on said hinge pin adjacent the side opening of the hopper, means normally urging said arm inwardly into said opening to prevent downward movement by gravity of cups thereabove in the hopper, a lug on the door engageable with said arm in a manner to move the latter clear of said cups in response to closing movement of said door.

ADAM ZISKA.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 443,062 Wle et a1 Dec. 16, 1890 1,254,085 Tarasch Jan. 22, 1918 1,570,909 Mills Jan. 26, 1926 1,604,804 Buttereld Oct. 26, 1926 1,654,877 Hill Jan. 3, 1928 1,696,035 Haach Dec. 18, 1928 1,784,587 Farrar Dec. 9, 1930 1,830,805 Myer Nov. 10, 1931 1,832,264 Swanke Nov. 17 1931 1,855,441 Crouse Apr. 26: 1932 1,867,496 Cable July 12, 1932 1,975,540 Folger Oct. 2, 1934 1,988,054 Smith Jan. 15, 1935 2,445,958 Lindstrom July 27, 1948 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 24,125 Great Britain of 1909

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