Abstract:
An apparatus for individually dispensing printed articles such as newspapers comprises a housing and a movable table in the housing for carrying in readiness a stack of printed articles on the table. A removal device permits access to a printed article in respect of which payment has been made and a feed pushes a respective printed article out of the apparatus. An actuator is provided for activating the feed. A drive displaces the table by a desired travel length to the article-removal position, under the control of sensing and control device for controlling the travel length of the table. A braking and stopping means is operable to stop and release the drive in the operating cycle of the apparatus.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The invention concerns generally a dispensing apparatus for the separate dispensing of printed articles, for example for the sale of printed articles such as newspapers and the like by means of an automatic sales machine. 
     The term printed article is used hereinafter in this specification to denote any form of printed article which can be dispensed separately and individually by a dispensing apparatus, for example newspapers, magazines, journals and the like. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     A typical form of dispensing apparatus for printed articles such as for the sale of newspapers includes a displaceable table disposed in the apparatus housing, for supporting in readiness a stack of printed articles arranged on the table. The apparatus includes a removal means such as to permit access to a printed article, once suitable payment has been made for same. A feed means is operative to push the respective printed article for which payment has been made, out of the apparatus housing. 
     Reference may be made in this respect to German utility model No 298 23 295 describing an apparatus of such a general configuration, comprising more specifically a stationary table on which a stack of newspapers is disposed. The stack is covered by a dispensing slide or carriage on which a removal slot is provided. Arranged on the slide or carriage is the feed means which, after payment has been rendered for the printed article required, permits access to the uppermost article on the stack by virtue of pushing that article forwardly, and that article thus issues from the slot to be taken by the purchaser. In that apparatus the feed means is activated by lifting the cover of the housing. 
     A disadvantage with a dispensing apparatus of that kind is that the position of the removal means is continuously changing as the stack of articles is consumed, and precautionary measures have to be taken in order to permit access to the stack of articles, over the entire height thereof. As the stack heights can be between 30 and 40 cm, it is a relatively complicated and expensive matter to ensure that access can be afforded to the stack over such a height. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     An object of the present invention is to provide a dispensing apparatus for printed articles from a stack thereof, which permits such an article to be removed from the stack in a simple and inexpensive manner without the location at which the article is removed from the stack varying as the height of the stack alters. 
     Another object of the present invention is to provide a dispensing apparatus for the sale of newspapers by means of an automatic sales machine, which is so designed as to ensure that the newspapers to be dispensed are always presented to a prospective purchaser at at least substantially the same position, together with a reduced possibility of more than two newspapers being dispensed from the apparatus at the same time. 
     Still another object of the present invention is to provide a printed article-dispensing apparatus of which the operating structure is reliable and robust to withstand the possibly harsh operating conditions under which it may be expected to work. 
     In accordance with the principles of the present invention the foregoing and other objects are attained by a dispensing apparatus for separately dispensing printed articles, such as for the sale of newspapers by means of an automatic sales machine, comprising a housing and a displaceable table accommodated in the housing, the table being designed to hold in readiness a stack of printed articles disposed thereon. The apparatus further includes a removal means which permits access to a printed article for which payment has been made, and a forward feed means for pushing out a respective printed article for the purchaser to receive. An actuating means is adapted to activate the feed means. The apparatus further includes a drive means for displacing the table by a desired travel length, in conjunction with sensing and control means for controlling the table travel length. A braking and stopping means is operable to stop and start the drive means as required. 
     It will be noted at this point that some forms of copier machines have displaceable tables on which the copy paper is stacked and which are moved with a stepwise movement to the correct removal height, but it will be observed that this principle cannot be applied to dispensing apparatuses for automatic newspaper sales machines as the latter are required to be of a very robust and strong structure and capable of continued operation irrespective of climatic influences. The construction according to the invention provides that the stack of printed articles such as newspapers, after removal of the uppermost article from the stack, is displaced by the desired travel length until the sensing and control means stop the drive means by way of the braking and stopping means. 
     In a preferred feature of the invention the drive means for displacing the table comprises a spring which displaces the table until the sensing and control means activate the braking and stopping means. 
     In another advantageous feature of the invention the braking and stopping means is coupled to a cable drum with a holding cable which is wound thereon, wherein the free end of the cable is fixed to the table. That provides an extremely simple and accurately controllable feed means which, when the cable drum is released, by virtue of the spring force, advances the table with the desired displacement, while braking and arresting the cable drum stops the cable-unwinding step which involves the cable being unwound from the cable drum and which is produced by virtue of the feed movement of the table, so that the spring cannot further move the table. 
     A preferred feature of the invention provides that the sensing and control means effect control when the next printed article to be dispensed is to be positioned at the removal means. Depending on the geometrical configuration of the removal means, a feed movement for a printed article could also occur only when a second article has been pushed out, in which case however the removal means in the form of a suitable slot must be of a height corresponding to at least two printed articles one upon the other. That however could then result in undesired or unauthorised removal of more than one article from the apparatus, as the removal slot allows space for appropriate manipulation operations if the person implementing such operations has thin fingers or appropriate implements. 
     A further preferred feature of the invention provides that the sensing and control means include lever means which by way of cable and roller means actuate a brake on the braking and stopping means. The lever means advantageously lie directly or indirectly on the uppermost article in the stack and move down when that article has been pushed out of the stack. As a result of that downward movement, the brake on the braking and stopping means is released by way of the cable and roller means and the brake is actuated again when the lever means are raised, by virtue of the advance movement of the table. 
     In another preferred feature of the invention the braking and stopping means has a gear transmission arrangement which reduces the output rotary speed at the cable drum. That makes it possible to achieve extremely accurate positioning of the respective uppermost printed article in the stack, in relation to the removal means. Furthermore the brake can involve very low levels of braking force, although high spring forces must be involved in order to move the table. 
     A preferred feature of the invention also provides that, upon oppositely directed movement of the table, when the apparatus is loaded with a stack of printed articles, the holding cable is wound on to the cable drum. That can advantageously be effected by a winding cable which is adapted to be wound on the cable drum in opposite relationship to the holding cable which is connected to the table. In that assembly the winding cable can alternatively be secured with the free end to the side of the table which is towards the printed articles carried thereon, or, possibly on a separate device, it can be wound on to the drum under a spring stress and can be unwound therefrom against the spring stress, the greater the degree of movement of the table in the direction of the removal means. 
     In another embodiment the cable drum can be acted upon directly or indirectly by a winding spring, in such a way that, when the table is loaded with printed articles, the cable drum is caused to rotate to wind the holding cable on to it. 
     In a further preferred feature of the invention the apparatus has stop means for holding the table in the filling position for loading thereof with printed articles. 
     Desirably the housing has an opening which is closable by a door and which is opened for loading with printed articles, the door activating the stop means in the opened condition of the door. 
     Further objects, features and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the description hereinafter of preferred embodiments thereof. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING 
     FIG. 1 is a diagrammatic view of a first embodiment of a dispensing apparatus according to the invention showing the displaceable table, drive means, sensing and control means and braking and stopping means, 
     FIG. 2 shows a further embodiment of a dispensing apparatus, 
     FIG. 3 is a view of the detail indicated at A in FIG. 2, 
     FIG. 4 shows a further embodiment of a dispensing apparatus according to the invention, 
     FIG. 5 shows an alternative configuration of the sensing and control means, 
     FIG. 6 is a detail view showing a cable drum with winding spring, and 
     FIG. 7 is a diagrammatic view of a further rewinding structure and stop device. 
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     Referring firstly to FIG. 1, shown therein is a diagrammatic view of a dispensing apparatus for the separate or individual dispensing of printed articles, for example as illustrated newspapers, which are to be sold by being dispensed from an automatic sales machine upon suitable payment for same. The dispensing apparatus comprises a housing generally indicated by reference numeral  1  and a displaceable table which is generally indicated at  30  and which is disposed in the interior of the housing  1 . In the illustrated embodiment in FIG. 1 the table is displaceable upwardly in a vertical direction in order by such movement to bring the uppermost printed article constituting a stack  2  thereof in the housing  1 , to the level of a removal means as diagrammatically indicated at  3  in FIG. 1, for example in the form of a removal slot. It will be seen therefore that, as printed articles are successively removed from the stack  2  thereof in the housing  1 , the table  30  will be displaced upwardly so that the uppermost article in the stack  2  is always at the level of the removal means  3 . 
     Reference numeral  5  in FIG. 1 indicates a forward feed or advance means  5  which is disposed in the housing  1 , for pushing a respective printed article  2  out of the housing  1  through the removal means  3 . The feed means  5  is activatable by way of actuating means generally indicated at  6 . The feed means  5  can be a feed means as is described in German utility model No 298 23 295.2 to which reference is made for suitable incorporation of the contents thereof in this specification. 
     The table  30  is held in position in the housing  1  by rollers  46  which bear in rolling contact against the walls of the housing  1 . The table  30  is urged upwardly within the housing  1  by a drive means generally indicated at  31 . In the FIG. 1 embodiment the drive means comprises a spring  31 . The upward displacement of the table  30  by means of the spring  31  is regulated by sensing and control means  33 . A braking and stopping or securing means  32  co-operates with the sensing and control means  33 . The braking and stopping means  32  is coupled to a cable drum  34  having a holding cable  35  which can be wound on to and unwound from the cable drum  34 . The free end of the holding cable  35  which is wound on to the cable drum  34  is fixed to the table  30  at the underside thereof. It will be seen therefore that the spring  31  can move the table  30  with the stack of printed articles  2  arranged thereon, in the upward direction within the housing  1 , only when the braking and stopping means  32  is released. The braking and stopping means  32  co-operates with a gear transmission arrangement  42  which is operable to reduce the output rotary speed applied at the cable drum  34 . 
     The sensing and control means  33  have lever means indicated at  45  which, by way of cable and roller means  37 , actuate a brake  36  of the braking and stopping means  32 . The brake  36  acts on a predetermined gear of the gear transmission arrangement  42 , which gear can be suitably provided with a brake drum. By virtue of a suitable choice in respect of such a gear forming part of the gear transmission arrangement  42 , only very low actuating forces are required to cause the brake  36  to come into operation. 
     The housing  1  is provided with an opening  39  for loading the table  30  with the stack of printed articles  2 . The opening  39  is closed by an openable door  38 . The door  38  is operatively connected to the braking and stopping means  32  by way of stop means  43  in order to provide that the table is held in the filling position for loading an at least partly empty dispensing apparatus with printed articles. The door  38  is thus operable to activate the stop means  43  to bring the braking and stopping means  32  into operation, when the door is in the opened condition. 
     Referring now to FIG. 2, diagrammatically shown therein is an alternative structure in accordance with the invention, in regard to mounting the sensing and control means  33  to a side wall of the housing  1 . The detail indicated at A in FIG. 2 in respect of the sensing and control means  33  is shown on an enlarged scale in FIG.  3 . It will be seen from FIGS. 2 and 3 that a pull lever  45  is supported pivotably about an axis indicated at  47 , which is fixed to a side wall of the housing  1 . The free end of the lever  45  is provided with an adjusting device  48  which rests on the topmost printed article in the stack  2  thereof. In FIG. 3 the level to which the uppermost printed article in the stack  2  has to be raised is indicated by an arrow bearing the letter H. When a printed article has been removed from the stack  2  the lever  45  of the sensing and control means  33  drops downwardly on to the printed article disposed therebeneath. Due to that downward movement, the brake  36  of the braking and stopping means  32  is released by way of the reduced pull applied by the vertically extending control cable  37 , and thus the drive means  31  is enabled for operation. The spring of the drive means  31  can thus lift the table  30 , in which case the holding cable  35  whose free end is connected to the table  30  is unwound from the cable drum  34 . As the cable drum  34  co-operates with the gear transmission arrangement  42 , that upward movement of the table  30  is not a sudden and abrupt movement but is a controlled conveyor movement which is damped and moderated by the action of the cable drum  34  and its co-operation with the transmission arrangement  42 . During the upward movement of the table  30  at the same time the lever  45  of the sensing and control means  33  is pivoted into the horizontal position by the printed article which is now the topmost printed article of the stack  2 , and the brake  36  is correspondingly actuated by the adjusting device  48 , when the printed article-dispensing height H is reached. The rotary movement of the cable drum  34  is now stopped by way of the gear transmission arrangement  42  and the table  30  is retained in the position that it has now achieved, at the appropriate height for dispensing of a further article from the removal slot in the housing  1 . 
     Reference will now be made to FIG. 4 showing a diagrammatic view of a further embodiment of the invention, in which the sensing and control means  33  comprise an electronic control unit which is responsive to angular inclination of the feed means  5  for advancing the topmost printed article on the stack  2  forwardly through the removal slot and out of the housing  1 . The feed means  5  has a pivotable carrier  5 ′ having a pivot axis indicated at  5 ″, to which is coupled a sensor operable to output a signal to the braking and stopping means  32 , in dependence on the angular position of the carrier  5 ′. The illustrated structure has two springs  31  for moving the table  30  upwardly in the housing  1  as articles are removed from the stack  2  thereon. The table  30  can be guided in the housing  1  by virtue of a simple angled configuration at the edges of the table. In this embodiment the removal means  3  is disposed at the front side of the housing  1 , in which case the feed means  5  is activated to push a printed article from the stack  2  and out of the housing  1 , upon actuation of a vertically guided slider generally indicated at  6  in FIG.  4 . The slider  6  has an opening  3 ′ from which the printed article can be removed when the opening  3 ′ in the slider  6  is aligned with a dispensing opening  3 ″ in the front wall of the housing  1 . 
     FIG. 5 shows an alternative form of the sensing and control means  33  for controlling the travel length of the table  30 , that is to say the upward stroke movement thereof for progressively raising the stack so that the topmost printed article of the stack  2  is at the appropriate level in the housing  1  of the apparatus, for the topmost printed article to be removed from the stack. In this embodiment the lever  45  is connected rigidly to a cam disk  44 . Upon downward pivotal movement of the lever  45  the cam disk  44  releases a second pull lever  45 ′ which is in the form of a double-armed lever and which acts on the brake  36  by way of the vertically extending cable  37 . 
     When the dispensing apparatus is in its completely emptied condition, the table  30  is at its topmost position and the holding cable  35  has been completely unwound from the cable drum  34 . For the purposes of filling the apparatus again with printed articles, the door  38  is opened and then the table  30  is pushed downwardly within the housing  1  by hand, in which case at the same time a spring  41  which is shown in FIG.  6  and which is integrated in the cable drum  34  drives the cable drum  34  in rotation and thus causes the holding cable  35  to be wound on to the cable drum  34  again. A gear ring  34 ′ which co-operates with the gear transmission arrangement  42  is connected to the cable drum  34  by way of a freewheel device as diagrammatically indicated at  49  so that the rotary winding-on movement of the cable drum  34  is not impeded by the gear transmission arrangement  42 . 
     An alternative embodiment of such a rewinding assembly has an additional winding drum which is indicated at  49  in FIG. 7, with a winding cable which is indicated at  40  in FIG. 7, and also at  40  in FIG. 4, with the winding cable  40  being wound on the cable drum  34  in opposite relationship to the holding cable  35  of which the free end is secured to the table  30 . When therefore the table  30  moves upwardly, the winding cable  40  is rolled on to the cable drum  34  and is unwound therefrom again when the table  30  is pushed down by means of the winding spring  41  which acts on the winding drum  49 , whereby the winding cable  40  is wound on to the winding drum  49 . 
     Opening of the door  38  to the housing  1  provides that a brake acts on the winding drum  49  by way of stop means  43 , to prevent unintentional movement of the table  30  in an upward direction, when the door is in the opened condition. 
     As an alternative to separate spring actuation during rewinding of the holding cable  35 , the winding cable  40  can be fixed by way of suitable roller arrangements on the top side of the table  30 . By virtue of the table  30  being pushed down, at the same time a pulling force is applied to the winding cable  40  and thereby the cable drum  34  is rotated back in the opposite direction and thus the holding cable  35  is wound on again. This structure also has stop means which act on the winding cable  40  in order to arrest the table  30  in any filling position thereof. When the door  38  is closed again, the stop means release the winding cable  40  so that it can be wound on to the cable drum  34  again, during the usual procedure for successive individual removal of printed articles from the stack. 
     It will be appreciated that the above-described embodiments of the apparatus according to the invention have been set forth solely by way of example and illustration of the principles of the invention and that various modifications and alterations may be made therein without thereby departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.