Untitled record

Application filed. May 10,

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, Frank Morris Hume, a subject of the King of Great Britain, and a resident of Vegreville, in the Province of A15 berta and Dominion of Canada, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Vending-Machines, of which the following is a specificatiton.

My invention is an improvement in vend10 ing machines, and has for its object to provide a machine of the character specified especially adapted for vending packaged goods, wherein a plunger is provided for ejecting the packages, and a coin released 15 lock for preventing the movement of the plunger until released by the insertion of a coin, and a follower for moving the packages beneath the plunger, operated by the movement of the plunger to advance the 20 packages.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the improved machine:

Fig. 2 is a vertical section;

Fig. 3 is a horizontal section;

Fig. 4 is a detail view of the plunger and its connections;

Fig. 5 is a top plan view of the slide and locking bar, with the plunger in section;

Fig. 6 is a view of a part of Fig. 5, showing the parts in different positions;

Fig. 7 is a section on the line 7—7 of Fig. 2; and

Fig. 8 is a perspective view of the latch 35 and its mountings.

In the present embodiment of the invention, a casing 1 is provided, having a magazine 2 in which the packages 3 of goods are arranged, and at the forward end of the 40 magazine there is an outlet 4 in the bottom of the same, through which the packages may be pushed by the plunger 5 which is mounted to slide in the casing vertically at this point. In front of the magazine is a 45 coin chamber or receptacle 6, and below the opening 4 is a delivery chute 7 having its bottom inclining downwardly and forwardly to the outlet 8 of the chute. The foremost package in the magazine is held di50 rectly above the opening 4, and to prevent its accidental disengagement a plate spring 9 is secured to the bottom of the magazine at this point, the spring extending slightly into the path of movement of the package.

The plunger 5 has intermediate its ends and at the top of the coin chamber 6, when

1918. Serial No. 233,769.

the plunger is elevated, a transverse slot or opening 10, and within this opening is adapted to engage a locking bar 11, the oar being normally pressed into engagement 60 with the opening of the plunger by a coil spring 12 arranged between the bar and a bracket or keeper 13 which is secured to the top of the coin chamber.

A slide 14 is mounted to move in a slot 65 in the front of the casing in the coin, receiving chamber 15, which is directly above the com holding chamber 6. This slide is normally pressed toward the plunger by means of a coil spring 16 arranged between 70 the slot and the bracket 13, and it will be noticed that the outer end of the slide is upturned to form a finger piece for convenience in manipulating the same. The casing just’ above the coin receiving cham- 75 ber has a slot 17 through which a coin of the proper denomination may be inserted, and there is a guide chute 18 below the slot for guiding the coin toward the bar 11 and the slide 12. so

Referring to Figs. 5 and 6, it will be noticed that the bar 11 has a notch 19 in the edge adjacent to the slide 14, and the slide has a similar notch 20 normally registering with the notch of the bar, and both bar 85 and slide are mounted to move in guides 21 in the casing. These notches 19 and 20 have an aggregate width corresponding to the diameter of the coin to be inserted, and normally they stand directly beneath the 90 chute 18, so that when a coin is dropped through the slot it will fall into the notches 19 and 20. When now the slide is pulled outwardly Iby means of the finger-piece it will be evident that because of the engagement of 95 the coin with the notches 19 and 20 the locking bar 11 will be moved with the slide, thus releasing the plunger so that it may be moved downward.

Referring to Figs. 5 and 6,. it will be 100 noticed that the outer corner of the notch or recess 20 is beveled, as shown at 22, for a purpose to be presently described, and the dividing wall of the chambers 6 and 15 has an opening 23 through which the coin 24 105 may drop, when it has served its purpose, into the holding chamber 6.

When the locking bar is pulled outwardly by the slide it would .immediately be returned to locking position when the slide is no released, were not some means provided for holding it in outward position. The said ¢2 1,319,084 means is a jpawl or latch 25 which is pivoted to a pair oi lugs 26 on a species of carriage 27 which is mounted to slide in a casing 28 held by the bracket 13 before mentioned.

This carriage has outwardly extending pins 29 which move in slots in the casing wall, and coil springs 30 are arranged between these pins and other pins 31 on the casing wall, the springs acting normally to press 10 the carriage toward the plunger. This pawl or latch 25 is adapted to engage a pin 32 on the locking bar, when the locking bar has been withdrawn from out the opening in the plunger by the slide, and to hold the 15 locking bar in withdrawn position until the pawl is released by a pin 33 on the plunger.

Referring especially to Fig. 8, it will be noted that that end of the latch remote from the pin 32 is in position for engage20 ment by the pin 33 when the plunger is depressed to almost the full extent of its downward movement. The plunger moves in a guide 34 held rigidly in the casing, and it carries a cam 35 near its lower end, which 25 is adapted to engage an extension 36 on the carriage, to move the carriage slightly away from the plunger just as the plunger commences its downward movement.

A follower 37 is arranged at the rear of 30 the packages 3, for moving the packages toward the plunger, and the follower has pins at its ends to which are connected springs 38. Flexible members 39 are connected with the other ends of the spring, 35 and these flexible members pass -forwardly over pulleys 40 on the walls of the casing and upwardly to wind upon reels 41. These reels are secured to a shaft 42 journaled transversely of the casing in a bracket 43 40 which is supported by the casing above the magazine. This shaft is provided at its center with a pin wheel 44, the said wheel having radial pins arranged at spaced intervals, and the pins are adapted to be engaged 45 by a plate spring 45 held in a groove 46 in the rear wall of the plunger. This spring engages a pin each time the plunger moves downward, and moves the shaft 42 a sufficient distance to move the packages to bring 50 another package beneath the plunger when the plunger shall have lifted.

The springs permit the movement of the reels before the follower moves, that is, before the plunger lifts. On the upward 55 movement of the plunger the spring 45 moves idly past the pins. A ratchet wheel 47 is secured to the shaft adjacent to the pin wheel, and this ratchet is engaged by a spring pressed pawl 48, the pawl prevent60 ing reverse movement of the ratchet wheel and of the shaft. The plunger is provided with a handle 49 at its top, and the upper wall of the casing at the magazine has a door 50 for permitting the placing of pack65 ages in the magazine. This door may be held locked by a lock 51 as shown. A door is also provided in the money receiving chamber, for permitting the money to be withdrawn.

The plunger is moved upward by coil 70 springs 51 which are arranged between the plunger and the guide 34. It will be noticed that the plunger has a cross head 52 at its lower end and that the springs are connected at one end with the cross head. 75 The springs are arranged at opposite sides of the plunger.

In operation, with the parts in the position of Fig. 2, when a coin is inserted through the guide chute it will fall into the 80 registering notches 19 and 20. The slide is now pulled outwardly, bringing with it the locking bar and the locking bar is locked or held in outward position by the latch 25. As soon as the pull on the slide 85 relaxes the coin will drop through the opening 23 into the coin holding chamber, and the slide will return to its inward position. The locking bar, however, is held by the pawl. The plunger is now moved down- 90 ward, and a package is pushed, out into the delivery chute 7. As the plunger moves downward, the spring 45 engages a pin. moving the reels and putting the springs 38 under tension. The first downward 95 movement of the plunger moves the carriage outward, which takes with it the locking, bar. The continued movement of the plunger to completely drive out a package brings the pin 33 into contact with the adjacent 100 end of the latch, releasing the same from the locking bar, and: when the plunger moves! upwardly the locking bar again engages the opening 10. As soon as the plunger has moved upwardly past the packages 105 in the magazine they are pushed forward by the follower.