Patent ID: 7975875
Filing Date: 2011-07-12
Classification: A47F,F17C,G07F

Abstract:
1. A mechanical gas bottle dispensing machine for dispensing gas-filled bottles, the machine comprising: a main structure including a slope conveyor for conveying the gas-filled bottles by gravity toward a dispensing opening extending through the main structure adjacent a lower end of the slope conveyor; and a completely mechanical bottle release system, without electric actuators, mounted on the main structure for retaining the gas-filled bottles away from the dispensing opening, the mechanical bottle release system allowing mechanical selective release of a lowermost one of the gas-filled bottles adjacent the dispensing opening upon insertion of a token therein, the mechanical bottle release system including: a filled-bottle release mechanism mounted on the main structure, the filled-bottle release mechanism allowing mechanical selective release of the lowermost gas-filled bottle adjacent the dispensing opening; a handle mechanism mechanically operatively connecting to the filled-bottle release mechanism to selectively operate the filled-bottle release mechanism; and a token receiving mechanism mechanically operatively connecting to the handle mechanism to allow activation of the handle mechanism upon insertion of the token therein, the filled-bottle release mechanism including a bottle abutting member pivotally mounted on the main structure between a locking position and a release position and having generally opposite first and second ends, wherein the first end abuttingly retains the lowermost gas-filled bottle adjacent the dispensing opening away therefrom when in the locking position and wherein the first end releases the lowermost gas-filled bottle while the second end abuttingly retains a second lowermost one of the gas-filled bottles adjacent the dispensing opening away therefrom when in the release position; the handle mechanism including a handle member pivotally mounted on the main structure between first and second handle positions and having generally opposite handle first and second ends, the handle second end mechanically operatively connecting to the bottle abutting member to displace the bottle abutting member between the locking and release positions when the handle member is in the first and second handle positions, respectively, the handle first end being activatable by a user upon insertion of the token into the token receiving mechanism, the token receiving mechanism including; a main body having a token guide channel extending therethrough with a token receiving slot and a token release slot located adjacent channel first and second ends, respectively; a slide member slidably mounted on the main body along the token guide channel adjacent the channel first end and actuatable by the user between a retracted position and an inserted position, the slide member selectively and abuttingly displacing the token along the token guide channel from the channel first end when in the retracted position to the channel second end upon insertion of the token into the token receiving slot when in the inserted position; and a handle release mechanism mounting on the main body adjacent the channel second end and operatively connecting to the handle member adjacent the handle first end, the handle release mechanism being selectively operable between handle locking and handle release configurations, the handle release mechanism being operable from the handle locking configuration to the handle release configuration by the token reaching the channel second end upon sliding of the slide member relative to the main body, the handle release mechanism being selectively operable from the handle release configuration to the handle locking configuration after the token having exited the token guide channel from the token release slot upon retraction of the slide member from the channel second end toward the channel first end, the handle release mechanism includes; a plunger member slidably mounted on the main body adjacent the channel second end and having generally opposite first and second plunger ends, the first plunger end being selectively in abutment contact with the token; an elongate slab pivotal mounted on the main body about a slab pivot axis and having first and second slab ends generally opposite relative to one another about the slab pivot axis, the first slab end being in selective abutment contact with the plunger second end; a handle connecting member slidably mounted on the main body and, having generally opposite first and second member ends, the first member end pivotally and slidably connecting to the second slab end, the second member end movably connecting to a handle locking pin for selective release of the handle first end from the first handle position, wherein the slab pivots between slab first and second positions wherein the handle first end is locked by and released from the handle locking pin when the slab is in the slab first and second position, respectively; and a latch member movably mounted on the main body and latching the slab into the slab second position when the slab reaches the slab second position.