Ice cream cone automatic vending machine

An automatic vending machine for delivering stackable containers having edible product therein. A container discharge station--especially for cones--is provided with at least one stack of containers disposed in a position vertically above an arm for clampingly engaging the containers and movement of the containers below a product dispensing nozzle and into a delivery chamber. The cones are dropped one at a time from the one or more stacks through an opening in a plate into operative engagement with the arm. A guide structure is located vertically between the at least one container stack and the arm, guiding the dropping of the containers into association with the arm so that the containers will not be misaligned or inverted during dropping and will be positively guided into operative association with the arm. The guide structure includes a generally tubular member disposed below the plate and a chute disposed vertically below the tubular member and having a primary container-guiding portion thereof extending downwardly from the tubular member at an obtuse angle with respect to the vertical.

BACKGROUND AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
U.S. Pat. No. 3,413,052 discloses a system that, for the first time, 
provides for practical automatic vending of ice cream cones and the like. 
While the system shown in U.S. Pat. No. 3,413,052 is practical, there are 
certain problems associated therewith. One problem is the tendency for the 
cones or other containers to be misaligned or to become inverted during 
dropping of the cones from a stack into operative association with the 
delivery arm. 
According to the present invention, the problem of cone misalignment or 
inversion that is inherent in the prior art has been eliminated by 
providing a simple, inexpensive cone guiding means located vertically 
between the stack of containers and the arm for guiding dropping of the 
containers into operative association with the arm so that the containers 
will not be misaligned or inverted during dropping and will be positively 
guided into operative association with the arm. The guide means generally 
includes a tubular member disposed below the stack and having the bottom 
end thereof disposed directly above a chute. The chute has a generally 
open top and has a primary container-guiding portion thereof extending 
downwardly from the tubular member and disposed at an obtuse angle with 
respect to the axis of the tubular member. The generally tubular member 
may have angled wall portions thereof formed on the side of the member 
axis from which the chute extends downwardly at the obtuse angle in order 
to insure that the tubular member will not interfere with the dropping 
movement of the cone once it engages the chute. 
The chute container-guiding portion is preferably semi-circular in 
cross-section, having a diameter slightly greater than the greatest 
diameter of a container guided thereby. The clamping end of the container 
engaging arm is disposed below the chute as a continuation of the primary 
container-guiding surface thereof. 
It is the primary object of the present invention to provide an improved 
machine for the automatic vending of ice cream cones or the like. This and 
other objects of the invention will become clear from an inspection of the 
detailed description of the invention and from the appended claims.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
An automatic vending machine for delivering containers (i.e., edible cones) 
having edible product therein, (i.e., soft ice cream, frozen yogurt) is 
shown schematically at 10 in FIG. 1. The machine includes a container 
discharge station 11 for discharging containers one at a time into 
operative association with an arm 12 pivotally mounted to the machine 10 
for rotation about a first, generally vertical axis A--A (FIG. 4). The 
machine 10 also includes a container filling station 13 at which edible 
products is dispensed from a dispensing nozzle into the container 
automatically. The machine 10 also includes a delivery chamber 14 for 
receiving each product-filled container being vended, the consumer having 
access to the delivery chamber after the container filled with edible 
product is disposed within the chamber 14, and the arm 12 is removed from 
the chamber 14. 
As shown most clearly in FIGS. 2 and 4, the arm 12 has one end thereof 
having container-holding means 15 for receiving and holding containers 
adapted to have edible product delivered thereto, the means 15 including 
spring biased releasable clamping means including lever means 16 movable 
between first and second positions for alternatively clamping and griping 
a container therein. The clamping means 15 has an open top so that 
containers may be fed into operative association therewith from a position 
vertically above the means 15 without necessity of moving the lever means 
16 against the spring bias. The lever means 16 is pivotally mounted at 17 
to a main curved body portion 18 of the arm 12, the body portion 18 having 
a wire cone rest 19 associated therewith. A coil spring 20 or the like 
provides the bias for spring biasing lever means 16 so that the means 15 
is normally in a position clampingly engaging a container. 
The arm 12 also comprises means 21 for pivotally mounting the arm for 
rotation about a second, generally horizontal axis B--B, the means 21 
including a collar and rod arrangement (See FIG. 4). Product weight 
responsive means 22 are also associated with the arm 12 for terminating 
delivery of product to a container at the container filling station 13 
after a predetermined weight of product has been delivered to the 
container. The means 22 includes an adjustable first spring means 23 and 
in engagement with the arm 12 for biasing the arm container-holding means 
15 and in an upward direction about the second pivot B--B. The means 22 
also includes a microswitch 24, and microswitch actuating means 25 mounted 
to the arm 12 and movable against the bias of the first spring means 23 in 
response to product weight to actuate the microswitch 24. The position of 
the actuating means 25 relative to the arm 12 may be adjusted, as by 
providing the means 25 as a screw engageable a nut operatively connected 
to the arm 12. 
The edible product dispensed according to the present invention normally is 
pressurized during dispensing--i.e., soft ice cream or machine-dispensed 
milk shakes and the like. In order to negate the effects of the delivery 
pressure on the weight-response of the weight responsive means 22, second 
adjustable spring means 26 are provided for biasing the arm 12 for 
rotation about the second pivot B--B in a direction opposite the direction 
in which the first spring 23 biases the arm 12. The first and second 
spring means 23, 26 may comprise coil springs mounted to screw rods 27, 29 
respectively which are respectively engageable with interiorly threaded 
nuts 28, 30 to provide adjustment of the force exerted by the coil 
springs. 
The spring means 23, 26 and the weight-responsive means 22, and the means 
21 for pivotally mounting the arm 12 preferably are contained within a 
single housing 31, with a telescoping portion 35 of arm 12 extending 
horizontally outwardly from the housing 31, and the housing 31 mounted for 
pivotally movement about axis A--A. A ball joint 32 extends downwardly 
from the casing 31, and a lever 33 is mounted pivotally thereto, the lever 
33 operatively connected to a motorized power source for oscillation of 
the arm 12 about the axis A--A (see FIGS. 2 and 10). The connection 
between lever 33 and power source 34 may be any suitable connection such 
as shown in U.S. Pat. No. 3,413,052, and as shown in FIG. 10. 
If desired, adjustment of the length of the arm 12 may be provided by 
utilizing telescoping rod sections 35, 36 to make up the arm exterior of 
the housing 31. An adjustment 37 may be provided which bears on a flaten 
portion of a pin 38 extending between the telescoping members 36, 35 to 
provide for adjustment of the effective lengths of the sections 35, 36. 
Any other suitable length adjusting means may also be utilized. 
By utilizing the arm 12 with spring biasing and product weight-responsive 
means according to the present invention, product such as soft ice cream 
or the like may be readily dispensed accurately. Without utilization of 
product-weighting means, difficulties can some time result in the 
dispensing of the product since the density of the product can change 
significantly, and because of other particulars of the makeup thereof. 
Utilizing the structure shown in FIGS. 2 and 4, however, accurate 
dispensing of the product is possible. 
Means for automatically dispensing cones (or other similar containers) at a 
container discharge station 11, are shown in detail in FIGS. 5, 6 and 7. 
A plurality of generally vertically upstanding clear plastic tubes 40 or 
the like are provided, connected by suitable means such as metallic bands 
41 to suitable drive structures such as chains 42 driven by gears 44 and a 
motor 46. A stack of cones 10 is provided in each one of the tubes 40, and 
as the tubes 40 are revolved under power of the motor 46, the bottom cone 
in each stack engages the top of the plate 48 and slides therealong. An 
opening 50 is provided in the plate 48 in the path of the cylinders 40, 
with a guide tubular portion 52 extending downwardly from the plate 48 
around the opening 50, and a cone guide chute 54 is disposed in operative 
relationship with the tube portion 52 to guide the path of a cone that 
drops through the opening 50 and to portion 52 to a product-filling area 
below the bottom termination of the chute 54. The chute 54 terminates just 
above arm 12, as shown in FIG. 6. 
The cones are dispensed one at a time by the camming means 56. The camming 
means 56 includes two cam surfaces 58 disposed on either side of the 
pathway of the tubes 40, each tube 40 having a slit formed therein to 
allow penetration of the camming surface 58 thereinto. The camming surface 
58 is disposed a distance K above the plate 48, the distance K being 
greater than the height of the container (cone) but being less than--at 
least at the leading edge thereof--the height of the slanted cam portion 
CS of the second cone in the stack. The relative movement of the cones in 
the stack in a tube 40 with respect to the camming surface 58 results in 
the camming surface 58 engaging the slanting portion 24 of the 
next-to-the-lowest cone in the stack and raising that cone (and the cones 
in the stack disposed thereabove) upwardly slightly and supporting it in 
the vertical direction while the lowest cone in the stack drops through 
the opening 50 in plate 48, and subsequently is guided by the chute 54 
toward the dispensing arm 12. As the tube 40 continues relative movement 
with respect to the means 56, the formerly next-to-lowest cone in the 
stack--which is now the lowest cone in the stack--engages the lowering 
surface 60 (or rather the slanted portion 24 thereof engages the surface 
60), to ultimately lower the lowest cone in the stack into engagement with 
the top of the plate 48. The cones in the next stack in the next tube 40 
are simultaneously brought into operative engagement with the means 56 so 
that automatic one-at-a-time dispensing of the cones is continuous. 
When edible cones are used, a sanitary inedible covering may be provided 
therefor, as shown in commonly-assigned co-pending application Ser. No. 
891,316, filed Mar. 29, 1978. 
In order to insure that the containers will not be misaligned or inverted 
during dropping thereof through the opening 50, and will be positively 
guided into operative association with the arm clamping means 15, the 
guide means are provided as illustrated in FIGS. 6 and 7 in particular. 
The guide means includes the generally tubular member 52 and the chute 54 
disposed vertically below the tubular member 52, the chute 54 having a 
generally open top 55 and having a primary container guiding portion 63 
thereof extending downwardly from the tubular member 52 and disposed at an 
obtuse angle with respect to the axis C--C of the tubular member 52 (the 
axis C--C being generally vertical). The tubular member 52 has angled wall 
portions 53 thereof formed on the side of the member 52 axis from which 
the chute 54 extends downwardly at an obtuse angle .alpha.. The angle 
.alpha.--as shown in the drawings is about 124.degree.. The chute 
container-guiding portion 63--as shown in FIG. 7--is semi-circular in 
cross-section, having a diameter D slightly greater than the greatest 
diameter of a container guided thereby. A bracket 61 is operatively 
connected to the bottom of the plate 48 by a screw and nut arrangement 62 
or the like. The means 15 is disposed below the chute 54 as a continuation 
of the primary container-guiding surface 63 thereof. 
Utilizing the cone dispensing structure of FIGS. 5 through 7 it is possible 
to accurately dispense cones or other similar containers one at a time 
from stacks to the arm 12 without dropping, misalignment or inversion of 
the containers during movement from the stacks into operative engagement 
with the arm 12. 
The delivery chamber 14 for the machine 10 preferably comprises a cylinder 
70 having a bottom disc 71 and a top disc 72. The bottom disc 71 
comprises--along with suitable receiving pins such as shown in U.S. Pat. 
No. 3,413,052--receiving means in the delivery chamber 14 to receive each 
product filled container being vended after it is released from the 
container holding means 15. As shown most clearly in FIGS. 2 and 3, means 
73, 74 are provided mounted with the disc 71, 72 for effecting adjustment 
of the vertical position of the cylinder 70. The front face of the 
cylinder 70 comprises a first door 75, a second door 76 being provided by 
a second part of the cylinder 70 and rotatable therewith. The first and 
second doors 75, 76 are alternatively opened and closed, the first door 75 
blocking access to the delivery chamber 14 from exterior of the machine 
10, and the second door 76 blocking access from the delivery chamber 14 to 
the arm 12 and the other interior components of the machine 10. A handle 
77 is provided on the front face F of the cylinder 70 for effecting 
rotation thereof, and a slot 78 is formed in the door 76 to allow movement 
of the arm 12 into the chamber 14 to disposit a product-filled container 
on the receiving means 71. Abutment means 80 are provided as a ramp for 
engaging the lever means 16 when the container holding means 15 is within 
the delivery chamber 14, for moving the lever means 16 against the bias of 
spring 20 to release the container carried thereby, as more fully 
described in U.S. Pat. No. 3,413,052. A torsion spring 82 (see FIG. 3) is 
mounted in operative association with the cylinder 70 to return the 
cylinder to the position shown in FIG. 2 after release of the handle 77. 
Preferably, a dash pot 83 is provided for slowing the return movement of 
the cylinder 70 under the bias of spring 82 so that the consumer will not 
have his/her hand or fingers injured by the quick return of the cylinder 
70. 
The torsion spring may be eliminated if desired, and a pneumatic opener and 
closer may be provided as the element 83. The pneumatic opener and closer 
allows rapid opening movement of the door 75, but allows only slow closing 
thereof. Many suitable conventional structures are available for effecting 
this function. 
Mechanical latching means 84 are provided for latching the first door 75 in 
closed position until the arm item-holding means 15 has been completely 
withdrawn from the delivery chamber 14 after receipt of an item by 
delivery chamber 14. The latch means includes a latch member 85 and an 
over-center spring-biasing means 86 for holding the latch member 85 in 
either its latched or unlatched position until it is positively moved to 
the other position. The latch member 85 comprises a door-movement blocking 
portion 88 and a cam portion 89 disposed in a different plane than the 
door-movement blocking portion 88. The first door 75 (cylinder 70 axis) 
includes a blocking member 87 disposed in the same plane as the latch 
means door-movement blocking portion 88 and adapted to being engaged 
thereby, and means are provided associated with the first door 75 for 
resetting the latching means 84 to latch the first door 75 after opening 
movement thereof and removal of the item from the delivery chamber 14 so 
that the first door 75 is latched shut during the movement of the arm 12 
from into and out of the delivery chamber 14. 
The automatic resetting means includes a lever 90 that is movable into 
engagement with the flat surface of the cam portion 89 to rotate the latch 
member 85 in the counterclockwise direction about pivot E during closing 
movement of the first door 75 after opening thereof. The lever 90 is 
connected by a spring 104 to a pin 105 attached to the bottom of the 
cylinder 70, so that the lever 90 is moved over-center in response to 
pivotal movement of the cylinder 70. The mechanism 90 and cam 89 are 
preferably so positioned that it is necessary that the door 75 be opened 
more than one-half way before the latch member 85 is tripped back to 
latching position. 
Rod means 92 operatively connected to the arm 12 and latch means 84 are 
also provided for effecting unlatching of the first door 75 in response to 
movement of the arm 12 so that the first door 75 is unlatched by the rod 
means 92 after movement of the arm 12 out of the delivery chamber 14. The 
rod means 92 includes a rod (which may be adjustable in length) 93 
operatively pivotally connected at one end thereof to a ball joint 94 (see 
FIG. 4) associated with the arm 12, and pivotally connected at the other 
end thereof to a ball joint 94' associated with a lever 95. The lever is 
pivotally mounted for rotation about an axis by a pin 96 at one end 
thereof, the pin 96 also being movable against a spring bias from spring 
97 in a direction generally parallel to the axis about which the lever 95 
is pivotal. The lever 95 has cam means (slanted surface portion) 98 formed 
at the end thereof opposite the pivoted end thereof so that the lever 95 
may be cammed over a latch projection 99 with which its cooperates, which 
latch projection 99 is mounted on the latch member 85. When the lever 95 
is pivoted by the rod 93 in the clockwise direction as shown in FIG. 2, 
the cam means 98 engages the latch projection 99, and the lever is lifted 
upwardly--against the bias of the spring 97--so that it is cammed out of 
the way of projection 99 and does not effect any movement of the latch 
member 85. However, once the lever 95 passes the latch projection 99, by 
movement of the rod 93 the surface 100 of the lever 95 positively abuts 
the latch projection 99, and rotates the latch member 85 clockwise about 
the pivot E as shown in FIG. 2, to thereby effect unlatching of the latch 
means 84, the portions 87, 88 moving out of interfering relationship with 
each other. 
The latch member 85 further comprises cam surface means 108 (see FIGS. 2 
and 9) for engaging an actuator 110 for a microswitch 109, the movement of 
the latch member 85 to the latching position effecting operation of the 
microswitch 109 to thereby energize the steping motor 46 which drives the 
gears 44 and chains 42 to move the next tube 40 into operative association 
with the opening 50, so that the next container is dropped into operative 
association with the arm 12. Switch means 109--as shown in FIG. 9--also 
may effect closing of a switch connecting motor 34 to power, so that motor 
34 is not capable of energization unless the first door 75 has been 
relatched after opening and then closing thereof. A stop 111 may also be 
associated with the cam means 108 for providing a positive stop for the 
latch member 85 in its latching and unlatching positions, the positive 
stop 111 preventing damage to the over-center spring means 86. 
Operation of an exemplary structure according to the invention will now be 
described, with particular reference to FIGS. 8 through 10 which show 
schematics illustrating operation thereof. Operation of the machine 10 
starts with the arm 12 at the container discharge position 11, with a cone 
or other container received by the clamping end 15 of the arm 12. A 
consumer placing a coin in the coin slot activates a coin responsive 
switching system 124, which in turn energizes the motor 34 to rotate the 
plate 34' (see FIG. 10) 90.degree. to bring the arm 12 into position below 
the dispensing nozzle at the product dispensing station 13. The 
photo-electric assembly 115 (see FIG. 8) senses the movement of the arm 12 
into a position underneath the dispensing head, which causes the relay 116 
to be deactivated, closing switch 117 and therefore completing a circuit 
which effects energization of the dispensing head. Product is dispensed by 
the dispensing head until the predetermined weight of product desired has 
been dispensed, which is sensed by the switch means 24, and which may be 
adjusted by adjusting the tension on the springs 23, 26 and the position 
of the operator 25. When switch means 24 is actuated, the supply of power 
to the dispensing head is cut off and no more product is dispensed, and 
simultaneously the switch 119 is closed momentarily, the circuitry 120 
maintaining the supply of electrical energy to the motor 34 once the 
momentary completion switch 119 is closed so that the plate 34' drives the 
arm 33 from the station 13 to the delivery chamber 14, and then back to 
the original position 11 wherein the arm is out of the delivery chamber 14 
and in operative association with the container dispensing means station 
11. A cam 122 may be provided associated with the plate 34' for actuating 
the switch 121 of the circuit means 120 to terminate energization of the 
motor 34 once the plate 34' has returned to its original position (see 
FIG. 10). 
Movement of the arm 12 out of the delivery chamber 14 effects movement of 
the lever 95 into abutting engagement with the latch 99, which pivots the 
latch member 85 clockwise at about the pivot E (see FIG. 2) to provide 
unlatching of the first door 75. Since the first door 75 is unlatched, the 
consumer may now grasp the handle 77, and rotate the door 75 clockwise (as 
shown in FIG. 2) so that access to the delivery chamber 14 is provided, 
the second door 76 blocking entry from the delivery chamber 14 to the 
interior of the machine 10, such as access to the arm 12. After the 
consumer releases the handle 77, it moves under the bias of torsion spring 
82 back to its original position (FIG. 2) wherein the door 75 is closed, 
the dash pot 83 slowing the return movement. During the return movement, 
the lever 90 is moved into operative association with the cam portion 89 
of the latch member 85, so that the latch 85 is rotated counterclockwise 
about the pivot E, (see FIG. 2) back into latching engagement with the 
first door 75. 
During movement of the arm 12 into the delivery chamber 14, the abutment 
means 80 pivots the lever 16 against the bias of spring 20 to release the 
product-filled container so that it is deposited on the disc 71. The 
rotation of the latch member 85 back to the latching position effects 
movement of the cam surface 108 (see FIG. 9 in particular) to actuate the 
plunger 110 to operate the switch means 109, which is connected by the 
circuitry 112 to the stepping motor 46, which then rotates the next tube 
40 into position above the opening 50 so that the next cone drops down 
through the chute 54 into clamping engagement by the arm 12. The procedure 
may then be repeated by deposit of another coin into the coin receiving 
slot. 
It will thus be seen that according to the present invention an automatic 
vending machine has been provided which automatically delivers containers 
having edible product therein, such as cones filled with soft ice cream. 
While the invention has been herein shown and described in what is 
presently conceived to be the most preferred and practical embodiment 
thereof, it will be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art that 
many modifications may be made thereof within the scope of the invention, 
which scope is to be accorded the broadest interpretation of the apended 
claims so as to encompass all equivalent structures and devices.