US925595A - Vending apparatus. - Google Patents

Description

H. J. POTTER.

I VENDING APPARATUS. APPLICATION FILED MAR. 24, 1909.

925,595. Patented June22, 1909.

7 T 3 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

mtented. June '22, 1909.

APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 24, mos.

H. J. POTTER.

VENDING lll l b L Patented June 22, 1909.

H. J. POTTER.

VENDING APPARATUS.

E MW APPLICATION FILED MAE-24,1909.

IIIILI lxllll FIII I HARRY I. POTTER, OF WATERTOWN, MASSACHUSETTS.

VENDING arenas-nus.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented June 22, 1909.

Application filed-March 24, 1909. gerial No. 485,533.

tertown, in the county of Middlesex and State of Massachusetts, have invented new and useful Vending Apparatus, of which the following is specification This invention relates to apparatus for dispensing flat articles, and more especially to vending machines in which. the article delivered is inclosed in an envelop or otherwise formed into a package presenting an irregular feeding surface.

As its principal objects the invention provides simple means to efi'ect certain delivery MIC to guard the articles in the machine against removal, unless it is operated in a proper mann ,r.

Other obiects and thcmanner in which all are attained will hereinafter, appear.

In the annexed drawings, forming a part of this specification: Figure 1 is a side elevation oi one embodiment of my invention, the upper portion of the ackage-recciver being broken away; F 2 is a partial vertical section on the line 2-2 of l* ig. 1; Fig. 3 is full vertical section on the line 3-3 of Fig. 2, showing the elements of the apparawe in their normal position; Fig. i is a sectional detail illustrating the feeding elements after the advance of package has he un; Fig. 5 is a view similar to Fig. 3 with the elements in the position assumed at the completion of the primary feed; Fig, 6 is a bottom plan vlew of the recmrccatory delivery'means; and Figs. 7 and 8 are details inperspective of cooperating members of the coin-controlled mechanism.

Similar characters are applies to like parts throughout the several figures of the draw- The apparatus is provided with an inclosing casing having a base portion 10,-which contains the feeding or delivery mechanism and a chamber serving as a bank or repository for the checks or coins through which the machine'is to operated, and upper portion 11, rising above the base for considerable distance, to furnish a receiver the articles which are to be dispensed. These articles may be, for example, folded drinking cups contained in square envelops A, which are of such transverse dimensions as to substantially fill the receiver horizonportion thereof,

tally, but of comparativelyslight thickness,

so that a considerable number may be stored At the bottom of the receiver,

Within it. separating it from the chamber ,in'the base portion, is a horizontal plate 12in which is an opening having side portions 13, 13 and an intermediate portion 13Kof less Width than the-side portions. Through this opening thefeed mechanism operates. 11 11 the front of the casing just above the sur '7 throat of some length through Which the packages are delivered.

face of the plate1-2 is a slot 14 providing a Situated in proximity to the plate-opening are guide members, which may be conveniently in vthe form of rods, of which two pairs 15, 15 eX- tend across the portions 13, 13 of the opening-wall, .while a third pair 16, spans the portion 13 (Fig. 6). These extend in the direction of the delivery-slotbut are in a plane below and parallel to it.

Upon the guide-rods 16 slides a carrier 17 having pivoted upon it, by means of a trans versesha'l't 1.8, two pivoted primary feeding members or spurs 18, which may either occupy an erect position in contact with stoppins 19 and with their points extending into the receiver intersecting the plane of the dclivery-opening, or which may be inclined toward andbelow the deiivcry-opening resting upon stop-pins 20. in the first instance they will engage, through the opening at 13*, the lowermost package in the receiver and upon forward movement will advance it toward the delivery-opening, While in the sec end they will slide idly beneath such package,

Upon the rods 15, 15 are mounted carriers 91 1 having pivoted upon them ates 22,

22, which norm ally occupy a vertical position at the inner end. of the delivery-slot and are provided with cxtended -front contact faces furnishing a closure for all but the central They tend at all times to assuniethis erect position through the ten sion of comparatively light s rings .23, which draw the gates against t 1e vertical forward edges of the carriers 21 and at times in the operation of the apparatus they may he forced upwardly by the contact 01' depending arms 24 with pins '24 rising from the late 12. y

T 1e carrier 17 receives motion from What is here shown as coin-controlled mechanism:

i B, which will be later described, while it causes the travel of the carriers 21 through gearing, which may consist of rack-teeth 25 and 26 projecting from the adjacent sides of the carriers 17 and 2]., respectively, and lyingin different horizontal plane's, these having meshing with them pairs of pinions 27, 27 of different diameters, the upper pinion of each pair, cooperating with the racks 25, being smaller. 'lhese pinions are rotatable about shafts 28 secured to bars 29 extending across the opening 13-13. Considering the size of the pinions and noting that the racks with which they cooperate lie up n their opposite sides, it will be evident that the carriers 21 will be moved in the opposite direction to that in which the carrier 17 travels and at a greater speed.

Secured to the inner wall of the base portion 10 of the casing, by a flan e 31, is a short sleeve 32 in which is rotatably mounted an actuating member 33, including a crank 34 fixed to the member 33 outside the casing and being adapted for manual operation. The throw of the crank is limited by. an extension of the sleeve outside the casing, one sto -face 35 cooperating therewith in its norme. or idle position, and an opposite face 36 determining the extreme forward travel during delivery. A spring 37 is preferably'attached to the actuating member and to the sleeve 32, it lying within an annular recess within the former and exerting its tension to force the crank against the stop-face 35.

The inner end 39 of the actuating member is partially cylindrical, extending circumferentially through somewhat less than 270, and this furnishes a bearing for one end of a shaft 41, the 0 posite end of which. is jour naled in the we 1 of the casing. The portion of the shaft within the member at 39 is pro Vided with two intersecting slots 42, 42 sym- ,metrically arranged at angles of 00 with one another, the relation oftlie elements being suchthat when the crank is in contact with the face two of the ends of these slots will be just outside or clear of the ends of the partially cylindrical portion 39, as most clearly appears in Fig. 3 of the drawings. Fixed to the shaft below the portion 13 ol' the opening in the bottom of the receiveri a four-armed cam or contact member 43, each arm during its revolution being adapted to contact with a pi'ojection44 depending from the carrier 17, and then to' clear said projection leaving a space through which it may return to cooperate with the succeeding arm of the cam. Extending from the end of the actuating member is an arm 4.5 having a linger 46 lying just in front of the Gttl'l'lCl-Iii'fljection 44. The shaft 41, adjacent to the walloi' the casing in which it is journaled, has fixed to it a ratchet-wheel 46 which is engaged by a pawl 46* pivoted upon the easing. This limits the rotation of the shaft to one direction, and also retains the shaftslots in their proper relation to the actuating member and other elements of the apparatus. v

In the front of the base portion. 10 of the casing is a slot 47 which will just admit a check or coin of the size by which it is desired the apparatus shall be operated. From the slot a chute 48 is inclined downwardly toward the actuating member and cooperating end of the shaft, it terminating in proximity to the former and opposite one of the slots 42 in the latter in its normal position. From the underside of the inner extremity of the chute a guardineinber 49 encircles the actuating member toa point nearly op osite the edge of the second slot 42, the ower extremity of which is left open. It should be observed that the normal. relation of the coincontrolled mechanism to this chute and guard, and of the cam 48 to the carrier-projection, is positively maintained, the position of the actuating member being fixed by the contact of the stop-face 35 with the crank, and that of the shaft and cam by the engagement of the ratchet and pawl.

The package-receiver being supplied with the articles to be dispensed, when a coin Got the proper denomination or check of the correct size is introduced into the slot 47, it

slides down the chute and enters that slot 42 has seated itself in the slot with its lowermostcdge in contact with the encircling wall of the actuating member, its upper edge projects beyond the slot into the path of the end of said actuating member. Therefore, when the crank is turned from against the stop-face 35, in the direction indicated by the arrow in Fig. 1, the actuating member striking the coin will be locked to the shaft, causing these elements to rotate as a unit. This brin s one of the cam-arms, which is lying direct y behind the projection 44 of the carrier 1-7, against said projection advancing it in the direction of the delivery-opening, while the finger 46, which is fixed to the actuating member, moves in front of said projection. At the end of the previous operation of the apparatus the spurs of the carrier 17 were erected by contact of their portions below the pivots with the stop-faces 50 on the )late 12 or other relatively fixed portions of the apparatus into ei'igagcment with the bottom package in the receiver, and consequently upon the forward travel this package is slid beneath that next above it toward the delivery opening. The movement of its com- 1 r panions in the same direction is prevented by ceases 4), the travel of their carrier is communicated to the carriers 21 but in the reverse direction, these moving rearwardly and withdrawing the gates from the delivery-opening, the latter as soon as they pass out of contact with the wall of the casing being forced into an inclined position by the package and slid .ing beneath it without appreciable resistance.

Tins primary feeding movement continues until the parts have assumed the position illustrated in Fig. 5, at which time the actuating crank will have been stopped by engagement with the sleeve-face 36. hi ow the package is projected for a short distaniie through the delivery-slot, so that it may be, if desired, grasped by the operator of the machine and withdrawn. In this case the pull upon the package tilts the spurs toward the slot so that they no longer have any active engagement with said package. If instead of thus withdrawing the package the user of theapparatus releases the crank, it will be returned to its initial position by the spring 37. The gates when they pass beyond the end of the package, in their rearwariil movement, erected by their springs andby contact with. the pins 24F", so that their upper edges lie at the back of the package being de livered and beneath the next package at points not very far from its center. This inward travel of the carriers 21 and the gates is more rapid and of greater extent than that of the carrier 17, to insure said gates wholly clearing the package being operated upon. The reverse rotation of the actuating memher, under the influence of the spring, brings the finger 46 against the p Faction l i of the carrier 17, the actuating member being new closing position.

permitted to move indcpi tly oi the shaft, since when the latter had finished its forward throw the slot containing the coin has rotated through 96", so that said coin passes the guard 49 and falls from the mechanism B into the bank below. Until the completion of the primary feed, the coin is positively retained. in the shaft-slotby the guard. The pressure of the finger 46 against the carrier-projection moves it rearwardly and through the gearing advances the gates, which, contacting with the end of the par tially ejected package, continue its delivery until they arrive at their normal or slot- T he gates thus act as secondary feeding members, moving alternately with and in the opposite direction to the primary feeding members; All the elements have now been restored to their initial positions exceot the shaft il, which has brought the secont. coin-receiving slot 42 opposite the end of the chute and the succeeding cam-arm into cooperation with the carrier projection.

in addition to their closure of the deliveryopening and their secondary feeding function, the gates also serve to support the stack of packages above that which 18 being delivered, for suppose that the user of the. apparatus, as first described vnthdrewthe package partially fed, re hlS hold upon the crank. I The gates being withdrawn from the delivery opening would leave this clear, so that with a hooked instrument a second package might be extracted, were it not for the fact that the baiance of the stack falling upon the tons of the erect gates is held above. the slot, and this support continues eifective until said gates reach the delivery-openin As they new renderthe iliicit withdrawal of the package impossible, on account of their closing all but the contracted central portion of the slot, the packages may safely fall into the position shown in Fig. 3, where "they are engaged by the spurs of the primary feed, ready for the next operation of the apps. ratus.

I claim:

1. A vending apparatus comprising a casing having a delivery-opening, means for mounted to travel within the casing, and

means for imparting a feeding movement to the gate, the gate in said movement passing beneath and being adapted toserve as a sup port for the articles in the receiver.

4. The combination with an article-receiver provided with an opening, of a memher for closing the opening, and means for.

moving the member from the opening into cooperation with the side of the article farthest removed from said opening.

' 5. The combination with a casing adapted to receive a stack of articles and being provided with an opening, of means for feeding the lowermost article of the stack through the opening, and means acting both as a closure for the casing-opening and as a support for the articles above that which is be ing fed.

6. The combination with a casing adapted to receive a stack of articles and being provided with an. opening, of means for feeding the lowermost article of the stack through the o ening, and a closure for the opening mova le to the rear of the articles being thus fed.

7. The combination with a casing adapted to receive a stack of articles and being provided with an opening, of means for feeding the opening,

across the opening,

the lowermost article of the stack through movable beneath the article beinghfed, and means for erecting the closure at t e rear of said article.

8. A vending apparatus comprising an article-receiver, primary feeding mechanism for the articles, means'for alternately moving said primary feeding mechanism in 0 posite directions, secondary feeding mec anismfor the articles, and means for transmitting movement from the primary to the.

secondary feeding mechanism.

9. A vending apparatus comprising an article-receiver, primary feeding mechanism for the" articles, secondary feeding-mechanism forfs'aid articles, and means for transmittin movement from the primary to the secondary feeding mechanism in a reverse direction.

10. A vending apparatus comprising an article-receiver, primary feeding mechanism for thearticles, secondary feeding mechanism for said articles, and means for transmittin movement from the primary to the secon ary feeding mechanism in a reverse direct'ion and'at an increased speed.

11. A dispensing apparatus comprising a package-receiver provided at its bottom with an opening, a plurality of carriers movable across the open ng, package-engaging members mounted upon the carriers, teeth proa tilting closure for the opening ceases jecting from the carriers, and pinions meshmg wit the t 14. A dispensing apparatus comprising a package=receiver provided at its bottom with an opening, a plurality of carriers movable across the" opening, package-engaging members mounted upon the carriers, a rack upon each carrier, a shaft situated between the carriers, and inions of different diameters upon the shaft and meshing with the racks of adjacent carriers,

15. The combination with a package-receiver, of feeding mechanism for the packages, mechanism, and means whereby movement of the actuating member effects a portion of the delivery of a package and a reverse movement completes said delivery.

16. The combination with a package-receiver, of feeding mechanism for the packages, an actuating member the feeding mechanism manuallymovable in one direction, a s ring for moving the actuating member in t 1e opposite direction, and means whereby the manual movement of the actuating member effects a portion of the delivery of the package and the movement under influence of the spring completes said delivery.

17. A dispensing apparatuscomprising a package-receiver provl an opening, a carrier movable across the opening, a feedlng member pivoted upon the carrier, an actuating member adapted for manual operation, a contact member which may be moved by.the actuating member to cause the travel of the carrier, said actuating member being also movable independently of the contact member, and a member fixed to the actuating member and cooperating with the carrier to cause reverse movement.

Signed at Boston, in the county of Suffolk and State of M assachusetts, this 13th day of March, 190$).

HARRY J. POTTER. Witnesses:

SYLvANUs H. COBB, CHARLES A. GRANT.

an actuating member for the feeding ed at its bottom with

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