US2815774A - Automatic dispenser control system - Google Patents

Description

H. CAREW AUTOMATIC DISPENSER CONTROL SYSTEM Dec. 10, 1957 .Filed June 20, 1952 3 Shets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR HERMAN GAREW LMWHu wfi ATTORNEY Dec. 10, 1957 H. CAREW 2,815,774

' AUTOMATIC DISPENSER CONTROL SYSTEM Filed June 20, 1952 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 I r 29 Flg. watel; syrup solenoid solenoid INVENTORT HERMAN CAREW ATTORN EY Dec. 10, 1957 H. CAREW 2,815,774

AUTOMATIC DISPENSER CONTROL SYSTEM Filed June 20, 1952 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 water syrup solenoid solenoid INVENTOR HERMAN CAREW WWW-(W ATTORN EY AUTOMATIC DISPENSER CONTRQL SYSTEM Herman Carew, Easton, Pa., assignor, by mesne assignments, to American Can Company, New York, N. Y., a corporation of New Jersey Application June 20, 1952, Serial No. 294,604

7 Claims. (Cl. 141-174) This invention relates to dispensing apparatus and particularly to apparatus of the type wherein a beverage is dispensed in predetermined quantity from a bulk container therefore into a suitable portable container such as a paper cup.

More particularly, the invention is adapted to be embodied in the automatic cup-dispensing system used in bulk beverage dispensing machines of the coin-controlled type.

Some cup-dispensing mechanisms are of the type wherein the terminal cup is held in a position to be dropped instantly when the coin mechanism of the dispenser is operated, the remainder of the stack being supported by said mechanism above and separate from the terminal cup. A cup dispensing mechanism of this type is disclosed in U. S. Patent No. 2,433,736, issued December 30, 1947 to Herman Carew and assigned to Dixie Cup Company. =It has proved eminently satisfactory in operation and many are now embodied in bulk beverage dispensers.

However in some cases, because of the way the cup dispenser is installed, it is possible for the terminal cupv to be stolen with the result that when a cup is called for after the coin mechanism has been operated no cup is dispensed with the beverage and the latter goes directly down the drain. This results in an irate customer and occasionally in a damaged machine.

With a dispensing system made in accordance with the present invention, means are provided whereby, in the absence of a cup in the terminal position at the time the coin-responsive mechanism is operated, the electric circuit controlling the flow of the beverage is made in effective temporarily but the timing motor reoperates the cup dispensing system to move the next cup in the stack to the terminal position, whereupon the beverage dispensing system is restored to normal operation, the aforesaid cup drops beneath the dispensing nozzle and the beverage flows into that cup, after which the machine is left in the proper condition for performing its normal cycle when the coin mechanism is next operated. All this takes place in response to a single actuation of the coin-responsive mechanism.

An object of the invention is to provide a bulk beverage dispensing system for obtaining the results set forth above.

Another object is to provide a bulk beverage dispenser having an automatic cup dispensing system normally operated in conjunction with it, in which provision is made for operating the cup dispensing system independently of the beverage dispenser when it is desired to test the cup dispensing system without causing flow of the beverage.

However, in the system hereafter described, the machine automatically recycles following the insertion of the required sum until the next succeeding article, such as a cup, is dispensed. As previously stated, when the invention is used in conjunction with a bulk beverage tes Patent vendor, the flow of beverage is prevented until a cup has first been dispensed to receive it.

In the drawings,

Fig. 1 is a fragmentary plan view of a cup dispensing unit built according to that disclosed in the aforesaid Carew patent together with certain other parts including a portion of the subject matter of the present invention.

Fig. 2 is a section taken on line II-II of Fig. l with certain details omitted for the sake of clarity.

Fig. 3 is a vertical section taken on line IIIIII of Fig. 1 showing how the cups are supported on their dispenser, only one of several supports being shown.

Fig. 4 is a wiring diagram of a cup and beverage dispensing system embodying the invention and showing the circuit when the terminal cup is properly positioned.

Fig. 5 is a view similar to Fig. 4 but showing the system when there is no cup in the terminal position.

In the drawings, and referring particularly to Figs. 1 and 2, the cup supporting and dispensing mechanism is shown as a pair of parallel plates 10 and 11 suitably spaced to receive therebetween mechanism including gearing and worms as hereafter referred to. The mechanism comprises, in the main, a series of circularly arranged equally spaced cup dispensing worms 12 designed to release a cup instantly when the worms are rotated in one direction. The worms are designed to support the terminal cup 13 by their lower ends 14, while the remainder of the stack is supported by the next succeeding cup 15 which in turn is supported near the upper ends of the worms in spaced relation to the terminal cup 13.

Each of the worms is provided with a gear 16 at its A lower end. These gears are driven in the same direction by a ring gear 17. Gear 17 is driven by a series of gears 18, 19 and 20, the latter gear being attached to a shaft 21 driven by an electric motor 22. This motor, which may be the timing motor for the beverage dispensing system, also operates, through the shaft 21, certain cams for purposes hereafter described. These cams include a cam 23 which rotates in the direction of the arrow (Fig. 4), to open a normally closed switch 24. When the switch is opened the circuit to motor 22 is broken and rotation of shaft 21 is stopped. The cam is so disposed with relation to switch 24 that the motor circuit is broken just at the time a cup has travelled down.

worms 12 and reaches their lower ends 14. When the motor is next energized, the worms 12 are again rotated to drop the terminal cup 13 instantly while the succeeding cup 15 is disengaged from the stack and travels down the worms to replace the cup 13. Thus in a single cycle of operation of the worm gears 12 the terminal cup is dispensed and is replaced by the next succeedingcup from the stack, as described fully in the aforesaid Carewv patent. The structure justdescribed is that disclosed in the aforesaid Carew patent to which reference is made for greater detail.

The shaft 21 also carries cams for operating switches in circuits controlling the flow of beverage into the cup immediately dispensed. In the embodiment shown, provision is made for controlling beverage flow in a machine having syrup or other flavoring material, and a diluent such as water, supplied from separate sources. For example, the cam 25 has a lobe controlling the closing of a normally open switch 26, the latter being connected in series with a solenoid 29 which controls the flow of syrup. Likewise, the cam 27 has a lobe controlling the closing of a normally open switch 28 connected in series with a solenoid 3E) controlling the flow of the diluent, such as water. Obviously, if the beverage is pre-mixed, one of the cams, and its switch and solenoid can be omitted. It will he understood that the showing of the beverage dispensing system is purely schematic and that the features "ofinvention to be hereafter described are adaptable to any electrically operated beverage dispenser.

As has been stated, it is important in a coin-controlled beveragedispenser, that a cup be available to receive the beverage when the coin-responsive mechanism is initially operated. In a cup dispenser of the typedis'closed herein,-it' is possible under certain"conditionsfiforthe lowermost or terminal cup to be'stolen. When this' happens, no cup is immediately available to receive-'thebeverage dispensed-when the coin-responsive mechanism is next operated. According tothe present invention, provision is made for permitting the cup dispenser to recycle automatically upon a single operation of the'coin mechanism, to dispense the next succeeding cup, whilethe circuits controlling the beverage flow' aremade ineffective until that cup has been dispensed.

One way of doing this is toprovidea feelerzadapted to contact the brim of the lowermostcup when thatcup is properly positioned, said feeler being pivotally mounted so as to move inwardly toward the axis of said dispensing means and cup stack, in the absence of 'a cup in the terminal position, and thereby permit operation of a switch which interrupts-the circuit to the-beverage flow control switches but at the same time allows the timer motor tooperate through another cycle, after which, a cup having moved to the terminal--position,-- the feeler is moved'outwardly from its innermost position, or no cup" position aforesaid so'that it contacts the periphery of the newly-provided terminal cup to permit the switch operated' thereby to restore the control of the beverage dispensing circuit to'the timer mot-or. When this has been done, the timer motor again cycles, a cup drops and the beverage which has been paid for fiows.

Referring to Fig. 1, the feeler 31 is fastened to a lever arm 32 pivotally'mounted on the shaft 33 of driving gear 18. The end 34 of the feeler projects between two adjacent worms 12 to contact the brim of the terminal cup 13. A spring 35 attached near the outer end of the lever arm 32-tends to move feeler 31 toward the brim of the cup. An adjustable stop member 33a is provided adjacent the end of lever 32-opposite the end to which the spring35 is attached. This stop 33a limits the movement of lever 32 in a counterclockwise direction about pivot33. Spring 35 tends 'to'counterbalance the force of "the spring (not shown) which moves pushbutton 37 outwardly against portion 38 of lever 39. A single pole, double" throw-switch 36 isprovided adjacent the outer end oflever 32. This switch,-which is of the type springbiased in one position, has a push button which moves it to'its oth'erposition when the push button 37 is contaced bythe, upper arm 38' of a lever 39, the latter being centrally pivoted as at 40. This leveralso has a lower arm 41and an outwardly extending arm 42, the latter being in-line with the-pivot and disposed at right angles to .the" arms 38 and-41. The lever arm 42 has a slot 43 within which is received one end of a projecting-member 44, the other end 'thereofbeing fastened to the outer end of lever 32.

The lower arm 41 of lever 39 is adapted, under certain conditions, to pass through-a slot 45 formed in the periphery of a cam disc 46, the latter being attached to and rotatable with the shaft 21. The normal position of lever 39 and its arm 41 is that shown in Figs. 1 and-4, that is,with the arm 41 to the right of disc 46, as viewed facing these figures. This is the position it assumes when the end 34 of feeler 31 is contacting the brim of terminal cup 13.

The cam disc 46 rotates 360 degrees during the complete cycle of the timer motor. The slot 45 provides an opening throughwhich the arm 41 of lever 39 may pass at a predetermined time 'in-the cycle. Thus, the slot 45 may provide such an opening during about 20 degreesof the total rotation of disc. During the remainder-of thecycle the cam disc prevents-21111141 from so moving -However the-slot-45 is so disposed on the disc that in the absence of a cup in the terminal position, the feeler end 34 moves inwardly to permit the arm 41 to move through the slot just prior to the time the beverage normally would be dispensed. Movement of the arm 41 through the slot at this time causes lever=39 to permit movement of movable contact 49 away from fixed contact 47 and into engagement with fixed contact 48. The timer motor then recycles automatically, moving the next succeeding cup to the terminal position. Just prior to the time that cup reaches the terminal position, arm 41, which .has been bearing against the left-hand surface (Fig. 5) of disc 46, slips through the slot, it being forced in'this direction by the pressure of the spring (not shown) which normally tends to urge movable contact 49 into engagement with fixed contact 47. The timing of the movement of arm 41 in this direction is such that it causes end 34 of feeler 31 to be removed from thepath of thedescending cup just prior to the time that cup assumes the terminal position.

Referring to Fig. 4, where the switch '36 is shown diagrammatically, it will be noted that it comprises a pair of fixed contacts 47 and 48 between which'is a movable contact member 49. The latter is normally biased by a spring (not shown) into engagement with the fixed contact 47. However, when a terminal cup 13-is not in position at the lower ends 14 of worm gears 12, the movable contact member is forced to the opposite position so that it engages the fixed contact 48 (Fig. 5). To do so the arm 41 of lever 39 must pass through'the slot 45 in cam disc 46 as just described.

Contact 47 is disposed in series with a conductor 50 to which the syrup switch 26 and water switch 28 are connected in parallel. A normally closed manuallyopened switch 51 is also connected in series-with conductor 50 and is disposed between the contact 47 and those switches for a purpose to be hereafter described. Movable contact member 49 is connected in series with line conductor L ,'and normally closed empty switch 52, the latter switch being operated to open position by well-known means when the cup supply is substantially exhausted.

Switches 26 and 28 are connected in series withsolenoids 29 and 30 respectively, the circuitsfor each being in parallel and leading to-a'conductor 53 connected with line conductor L A normally open coin-responsive switch 54 is also-provided. This switch, which is of the momentary contact type, is in series with IIlOlOT'ZZflH a circuit including line conductor'L empty'switch '52, conductors 55 and'56, conductor 57, the motor, canductor 53 and line "conductor L The coin-responsive switch 54 and the timer switch 24 are connected in parallel, it being understood that the'timer switch is normally held open by cam 23 when the machine'is at rest. However, when coin-responsive switch 54 is mementarily energized,'the motor22 is started and cam 23 releasesswitch 24 to permit the motor to continue to run until the cam 23 has made acomplete cycle, whereupon the switch 24 is opened by the cam and the motor circuit is deenergized.

However, should there be no cup in the terminal position, movable contact member 49 is moved by lever 39 to disengage the member from fixed contact 47 and. into engagement with fixedcontact 48. As lever 39 rotates on its pivot 40, its lower arm 41 passes through slot 45 in cam disc 46 to the left handside ofthat disc, as shown in Fig. 5. The movement of movable contactmcmber 49 away from fixed contact 47 breaks the circuit to the syrup and water switches26 and 28. At thecsame'time, motor 22 continues to rotate because a circuit'is set up from line conductor L through member 49, contact :48, conductor '58, conductor 57 and motor 22, thence, through the motor-and conductor-53w lineaconductor L It :will

. be noted that this circuit -shunts timer switch 24 and allows motor 22 to recycle. 7

However as the feeler 34 has been .moved out of the path of the next 'cup descending to the 'tertninaljpo's ition at the bottoms 14 of worm gears 12 because the lever arm 41 has moved back through slot '45 'of cam disc 46, as just described, that cup or receptacle can descend freely. This movement of the 'feele'r istimed to take place just before the said receptacle reaches the terminal position. Movement of the arm "41'to'the right '(Fig. 1) through slot 4'5 enables contacts 47 and 149 to re-enga'ge so that the beverage flow controlling solenoids are reenergized, the timer motor 22 recycles automatically, the new cup drops and the beverage flows into it, the sequence being such that the new Cup drops before the beverage flow is initiated. The fe'eler 34 is so balanced that after it has made the movementljust 'described (away from the descending cup) it will contact'the brim of "that cup-or receptacle and will not move-inwardly toward the axis of the dispenser again unless and until the terminal cup has been forcibly removed. The vertical edge of the feeler 34 which contacts the terminal 'cup is 'of such height that in normal operation that edge is contacted by the brim of the next descending cup or receptacle before that cup reaches the terminal position. Thus the feeler can never move inwardly toward the axis of the dispenser unless the terminal cup has been forcibly removed. A primary reason for the use of cam disc 46 is to prevent chattering movement of feeler 34, thus affecting the operation of switch 36 and its contacts 47, 48 and 49. The spring 35 and the spring (not shown) controlling the movable contact member 49 are delicately balanced. If it were not for the cam disc 46 which provides a positive means for positioning the lever arm 41, there might be such movement of the movable contact member 49 between the fixed contacts 47 and 48 as to throw the whole cycle off timing.

An added feature of invention is the provision of a normally closed switch 51 in the circuit between the fixed contact 47 and the beverage control switches 26 and 28. When the service man holds this switch open manually it is possible to test the cup dispenser by closing the coin-operated switch without having any beverage dispensed during the testing period.

Starting with the position shown in Fig. 4 which shows cam 46 with opening 45 and lever end 41 of lever 39 at the completion of a normal cycle, when a cup 13 is in a position to be dispensed and a coin is inserted, the motor 22 is energized through switch 54 and the mechanism starts and goes through a normal vending cycle. During such cycle, the lever 39 does not enter into the function of the unit because of continuous pressure transmitted from the cup through lever 34, 32.

Should no cup 13 be present in the dispensing position when the coin is deposited, the spring 35 shown on Fig. 1 pulls the lever 32 connected to lever 39 and causes the lever end 41 to engage the inner face of cam 46 and exert a pressure thereagainst. When a coin is inserted and the cycle commences, the cam 46 begins to rotate, rotating until slot 45 reaches a point opposite the lower end 41 of lever 39, whereupon the lever end 41 moves through the slot and the pivot lever 39 will tilt on pivot 40 from the position shown in Fig. 4 to the position shown in Fig. 5. This motion of lever causes breaking of contact 47, 49 and closes contact 48, 49. Breaking contact 47, 49 renders the commodity solenoids 29, 30 inoperative, allowing the completion of one cycle without dispensing the commodity. Closing contact 48, 49 bypasses normal cycle stopping switch 24 operated by cam 23. However, since the circuit of motor 22 has been closed by contact 48, 49, the motor continues to operate, rotating the shaft 21 and cam 46, causing the slot 45 to again pass lever end 41 of lever 39. During the preceding cycle when no commodity was dispensed, a cup 13 has been moved into dispensing position, as shown 6 in Fig. 4. This cup exerts pressure on feeler. 3'4 and lever 32 and lever 39, causing lever end '41'tobear ai s Qata f te "of can; 4'6? gna i t a :Pas th h slot -45 and return to its normal vending position shown in Fig. 4.

It will 'be 'ap parent from the fore going description that the invention provides a novel system for ensuring-the ileliverybf a purchased article 'from an automatic dispensing device despite the absence of an article in the position .from which "it is normally intended to be disreus While only two embodiments of the invention have "been shown and described, it is readily apparent that other .fo rms might :be adopted, all coming within the scope. of the "following clain 1's.

I c ai 1. Ina :device for automatically dispensing a plurality of stacked nested receptacles individually and successively, electrically operated means for dispensing the terin'i nal receptacle "in said stack, electrically responsive coin-operated means for initiating "the operation of said dispensing means, timer means "controlling the cycle of :operation or said dissensing means and automatic means *respons'iveto "the absence of an article in the terminal position for causing the timer means to re-cycle automatically in response to a single operation of the coinresponsive means.

2. Structure according to claim 1 in which the automatic re-cycle controlling means responsive to the absence of a receptacle in the terminal position includes a feeler member and a switch operated thereby, said feeler member contacting the periphery of said receptacle.

3. Structure according to claim 1 in which the terminal receptacle is supported below, in axial alignment with and spaced from the remainder of the stacked receptacles in a position to be dropped instantly when the dispensing cycle is initiated.

4. In a machine for automatically dispensing a beverage into a portable receptacle, the receptacle being first dropped from a stack thereof, said receptacle being the terminal article of said stack and being separated from and disposed beneath said stack, the combination in said machine of automatic coin-operated means for controlling the dropping of said receptacle and the flow of said beverage into the receptacle, means responsive to the absence of a receptacle in the terminal position for preventing the operation of the beverage dispensing system after the dispensing cycle is initiated by actuation of the coin-responsive mechanism, said means including electrically controlled means for causing the machine to recycle, dispense a receptacle and restore the beverage dispensing system to normal operation, all in response to the initial operation of the coin-operated mechanism.

5. In a device for automatically dispensing a plurality of stacked nested receptacles individually and successively and in which the receptacle to be immediately dispensed is supported at a dispensing station separate from but in axial alignment with the remainder of the stack, said separate receptacle-supporting means and said stack supporting means comprising a common unit, the combination with said unit of electrically operated driving means therefor, means for timing the operation of said driving means normally through a single dispensing cycle coin-operated means for initiating the operation of said driving means to dispense the separate receptacle at the dispensing station and simultaneously to advance the next succeeding receptacle in the stack to the dispensing station, said unit and its driving means normally completing a single cycle in response to the initial operation of the coin-operated means, and means responsive to the absence of a receptacle at the dispensing station when the coin-operated mechanism is initially operated to cause the timer means to recycle automatically and b deliver a receptacle upon a single operation of the coinoperated means.

6. In a system wherein a beverage is dispensed automatically from a bulk container therefor into a portable receptacle dispensed from a stack thereof, means for dispensing the terminal article from the stack, means comprising an electrical circuit for controlling sequentially the dispensing of a receptacle and then a predetermined quantity of beverage into the receptacle, a normally closed manually opened switch in the portion of the circuit controlling the beverage flow, said switch, when opened, rendering the beverage m control circuit inoperative while leaving the circuit for the receptacle dispensing means in a condition to be operated independently and means in the latter circuit for causing operation of the receptacle dispensing means at will.

7. Apparatus in which a stack of nested receptacles are adapted to be individually dispensed, means aligned with the bottom of the stack for dispensing the terminal receptacle, said means being so constructed and arranged that the terminal receptacle to be immediately dispensed is separated from the stack but supported by the dispensing means in axial alignment with the stack in a position to be immediately dispensed on actuation of the dispensing means, electrically controlled means including a timer for operating said dispensing means through a complete cycle of operation to dispense the aforesaid terminal receptacle and replace it with the next succeeding receptacle in the stack, movable means normally contacting the periphery of said terminal receptacle, said movable means being so mounted as to move inwardly toward the axis of the dispensing means in the absence of a receptacle in the terminal position and an electrical circuit controlled by said movable means in its inner position to cause the timer means to be recycled automatically whereby to move the next succeeding receptacle to the terminal position and dispense it.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,634,036 McLellan June 28, 1927 1,789,018 Opitz June 13, 1931 1,857,881 Scott et al. May 10, 1932 2,433,736 Carew Dec. 30, 1947 2,512,573 Walters June 20, 1950 2,548,241 Reynolds et al. Apr. 10, 1951

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