Article ejecting device of automatic vending machine

An article dispensing device is incorporated into an automatic vending machine capable of storing articles having a cylindrical or substantially cylindrical shape resembling bottles or cans in stacks, and of dispensing the articles in response to a dispensation command. The article dispensing device has a fixed plate serving as a wall defining an article dispensing passage, and holding a dispensing mechanism for dispensing the articles one at a time, and a movable unit disposed opposite to the fixed plate. The movable unit has a frame attached to the body of the automatic vending machine, a shiftable plate supported on the side walls of the frame by pivot pins fitted in slots formed respectively in the side walls and provided with a positioning projection projecting from at least one end thereof so as to engage with steps of a stepped positioning edge formed in the side wall selectively according to the diameter of the article passing through the dispensing passage. A biasing means for biasing the shiftable plate is provided so that a lower end portion of the shiftable plate protrudes into the dispensing passage.

TECHNICAL FIELD 
The present invention relates to an automatic vending machine for vending 
articles, such as bottled or canned beverages and, more particularly, to 
an article dispensing device for an automatic vending machine separately 
storing a plurality of kinds of articles differing in diameter from each 
other, and having dispensing passages of widths respectively conforming to 
the articles to dispense the articles smoothly. 
BACKGROUND ART 
Automatic vending machines have come into wide use in recent years in the 
fields of various commercial items. The diffusion of automatic vending 
machines for vending bottled beverages and canned beverages is 
particularly remarkable and consumers are able to buy bottled beverages 
and canned beverages easily any time they want. Although bottles and cans 
containing beverages have different outside diameters, respectively, most 
of the bottled and the canned beverages can be vended by automatic vending 
machines. 
Incidentally, a dispensing passage of an automatic vending machine suitable 
for passing an article will be clogged if an article having a diameter 
greater than that of the article for which the dispensing passage is 
designed is delivered into the dispensing passage and, if an article 
having a diameter smaller than that of the article for which the 
dispensing passage is designed is delivered into the dispensing passage, 
the article will pass through the dispensing passage, drops and it is 
possible that many articles are discharged accidentally at a time. 
Accordingly, if articles to be vended by the automatic vending machine are 
changed and new articles having an outside diameter different from that of 
the articles which have been vended are to be vended by the automatic 
vending machine, the width of the dispensing passage must be changed to a 
width conforming to the outside diameter of the new articles. 
Referring to FIG. 19, when changing the width of each of dispensing 
passages 3 connected to the lower ends of divisional passages 2, an exit 
plate 4 disposed behind the dispensing passage 3 is moved by hand or the 
exit plate 4 is replaced with another exit plate having a thickness 
different from that of the exit plate 4 to adjust the width of the 
dispensing passage properly. 
Generally, the dispensing passage 3 is defined by a fixed plate 6 holding a 
dispensing mechanism 5 capable of dispensing articles A one at a time and 
fixed to the body of the automatic vending machine, and a exit plate 4 
disposed opposite to the fixed plate 6. As shown in FIG. 20, the exit 
plate 4 is held in place by fitting pins 7 and 8 projecting from the 
opposite sides of an upper end portion and a lower end portion thereof in 
positioning slots 9 and 10. The plurality of lower positioning slots 10 
are formed in a shape resembling the inverted letters U at positions 
respectively corresponding to the diameters of articles. The plurality of 
upper positioning slots 9 are formed continuously in a shape resembling 
continuous cranks. The exit plate 4 disposed at a position a, b, c or d 
conforming to the outside diameter of the articles A by placing each of 
the lower pins 8 in the bottom of one of the positioning slots 10. 
Referring to FIG. 21, in another automatic vending machine, the exit plate 
4 is supported so as to be moved to either of two positions corresponding 
to the positions b and d shown in FIG. 20. As illustrated in FIGS. 22A and 
22B, an width adjusting plate 11 is attached to the exit plate 4 by 
engaging hooks 12 formed by raising portions thereof so as to project from 
the back surface thereof with holes formed in the exit plate 4, the exit 
plate 4 thus provided with the width adjusting plate 11 is disposed at the 
position corresponding to the position b shown in FIG. 20 to set the width 
adjusting plate 11 at a position corresponding to the position a shown in 
FIG. 20 for an article A.sub.1 having a minimum diameter (FIG. 22A), and 
the exit plate 4 provided with the width adjusting plate 11 is disposed at 
the position corresponding to the position d shown in FIG. 20 to set the 
width adjusting plate 11 at a position corresponding to the position c 
shown in FIG. 20 for an article A.sub.3 having a medium diameter (FIG. 
22B). 
The replacement of articles having a diameter with those having a different 
diameter is executed frequently every year when replacing hot articles 
with cold articles and vice versa, when a new item is introduced into the 
market and when replacing articles which are in good demand with those 
which are not in much demand. and the width of the passages must be 
adjusted every time the articles are changed. The adjustment of the width 
of the passages requires heavy work because operations for changing the 
width of the passages are carried out by touch in a stained position in 
the lower portion of the automatic vending machine as shown in FIG. 19. 
Since the result of width adjustment cannot be visually confirmed, the 
ratio of cases where correct width adjustment cannot be achieve is very 
high. Therefore, only limited operators are able to operate the automatic 
vending machine under the present circumstances. Accordingly, the width 
adjusting function is rarely used, the width of the passage is kept fixed 
in most cases, and the width adjusting function is kept idle. 
The number of the automatic vending machines for vending beverages on the 
domestic market of Japan estimated by the related trade is well over 
2,500,000 and the commercial useful life of the automatic vending machines 
is in the range of about five years to about seven years. Therefore, the 
old automatic vending machines are replaced with new ones every year at a 
considerably high ratio. However, the width adjustment of the passages is 
necessary because the rest of the automatic vending machines are used 
continuously for the rest of their useful lives. Particularly, when 
changing articles at the turn of the seasons, the width of the passages of 
many automatic vending machines must be changed in a short period. 
Therefore automatic vending machine makers need a huge sum of money to 
secure and train the personnel necessary for width adjustment and to 
repair automatic vending machines clogged with articles having 
inappropriate diameters loaded into the automatic vending machines by 
mistake. 
Prior arts intended for alleviating difficulties in carrying out the work 
for width adjustment are proposed in JP-A No. 7-21457 (cited reference 1) 
and JP-A No. 7-160941 (cited reference 2). 
The prior art disclosed in the cited reference 1 operates temporary 
stopping flaps for small-diameter cans and large-diameter cans by solenoid 
actuators to make the width of the passages conform to the size of 
articles. The prior art disclosed in the cited reference 2 adjusts first 
to third stoppers by solenoid actuators to make the width of the passages 
conform to the size of articles. 
Both those prior arts are applicable only to automatic vending machines 
which vends articles of limited sizes and is not applicable to automatic 
vending machines which vends various articles of different outside 
diameters. The prior art which operates the flaps has difficulty in 
adjusting the relation between the solenoid actuators and the flaps, and 
troubles are liable to be caused by the unsatisfactory relation between 
the solenoid actuators and the flaps. 
DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION 
The present invention has been made with an intention to facilitate the 
management of an automatic vending machine by omitting all the manual 
adjusting operations and making articles which are dispensed through a 
dispensing passage determine the width of the dispensing passage, and to 
provide a dispensing device capable of being easily incorporated into the 
dispensing passage of an existing automatic vending machine without 
requiring modification of the automatic vending machine and having the 
least necessary thickness along the width of the dispensing passage. 
The present invention provides, as means for solving the foregoing 
problems, an article dispensing device for an automatic vending machine 
having a body and capable of storing articles having a cylindrical or 
substantially cylindrical shape resembling bottles or cans in stacks, and 
of dispensing the article in response to a dispensation command, 
comprising; a fixed plate serving as a wall defining an article dispensing 
passage, and holding a dispensing mechanism for dispensing the articles 
one at a time; a movable unit disposed opposite to the fixed plate; in 
which the movable unit comprises: a frame attached to the body of the 
automatic vending machine; a shiftable plate supported on side walls of 
the frame by pivot pins fitted in slots formed respectively in the side 
walls, and provided with a positioning projection projecting from at least 
one end thereof and so as to engage with one of steps of a stepped 
positioning edge formed in the side wall selectively according to the 
diameter of the article passing through the dispensing passage; and a 
biasing means for biasing the shiftable plate so that a lower end portion 
of the shiftable plate protrudes into the dispensing passage. 
Preferably, the slots are inclined downward away from the fixed plate to 
make the height of the steps of the stepped positioning edge big. It is 
desirable to dispose a shock absorbing means for absorbing shocks that may 
be exerted by an accelerated dropping article and for guiding the article 
toward the fixed plate in an upper portion of the frame. 
It is preferable to employ two shiftable plates disposed one above the 
other to further ensure defining the passage. When two shiftable plates 
are employed, it is desirable that the lower shiftable plate has a big 
height, the lower shiftable plate is provided with pairs of positioning 
lugs in an upper portion and a lower portion thereof, and to form pairs of 
stepped positioning edges in an upper and a lower portion of the side 
walls of the frame. Although it is preferable that the height of the lower 
shiftable plate is greater than that of the upper shiftable plate, the 
height of the lower shiftable plate may be substantially equal to that of 
the upper shiftable plate. 
The shock absorbing means may include a shock absorbing member which can 
move back when the circumference of the article comes into contact with 
it. The shock absorbing member may be provided with pivot pins at its 
opposite ends, may be supported on the opposite side walls of the frame by 
slidably fitting the pivot pins in guide slots formed in the opposite side 
walls, and may be resiliently biased toward the fixed plate. This shock 
absorbing member does not need any vertical space, and is capable of 
absorbing shocks exerted thereon by the falling article and of guiding the 
article smoothly into the dispensing passage. The shock absorbing member 
may be provided with pivot pins at its opposite ends, and a recess capable 
receiving the pivot pin may be formed in an upper portion or a lower 
portion of one end of each guide slot on the side of the fixed plate or 
recesses capable of receiving the pivot pin may be formed in an upper and 
a lower portion of one end of each guide slot on the side of the fixed 
plate so that the shocks is absorbed by both a primary shock absorbing 
effect of an action to drive the pivot pins of the shock absorbing member 
out of the recesses by the shocks exerted on the shock absorbing member by 
the article and a secondary shock absorbing effect of an action to drive 
the pivot pins for movement along the guide slots. The shock absorbing 
effect of the shock absorbing member will be further enhanced if a 
pneumatic shock absorbing bag for attenuating the acceleration of the 
dropping article perfectly so that only the weight of the article acts on 
the shock absorbing member is interposed between the shock absorbing 
member and a spring biasing the shock absorbing member. 
Each of the slots for supporting the shiftable plate may be a straight slot 
having a bent portion in one end thereof on the side of the fixed plate or 
may be inclined stepped slot having steps corresponding to the steps of 
the stepped positioning edge to further ensure positioning of the movable 
unit. 
The shock absorbing means may comprise a support plate extended between and 
pivotally supported on upper portions of the opposite side walls of the 
frame so as to extend obliquely upward toward the fixed plate, and a shock 
absorbing plate supported by a shaft on the free end of the support plate. 
If an upper end portion of the shiftable plate is connected by a shaft to 
a lower end portion of an inclined plate extended between and pivotally 
supported on upper portions of the side walls of the frame, the opposite 
ends of the connecting shaft are fitted for movement in inclined support 
slots formed in the side walls, and the shock absorbing plate is disposed 
so that its back surface is in contact with the circumference of the 
connecting shaft, the shock absorbing plate absorbs the acceleration of 
the dropping article, moving the shiftable plate to a predetermined 
position, and the shock absorbing plate guides the article smoothly to the 
dispensing passage so that the article can be dispensed stably.

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION 
A first embodiment of the present invention will be described hereinafter 
with reference to the accompanying drawings. 
FIG. 1 shows an automatic vending machine 1 to which the present invention 
is applied in a state where a front door 13 is open. A plurality of racks 
14 as shown in FIG. 2 capable of being drawn out are installed in the 
automatic vending machine 1, and an article dispensing device of the 
present invention is disposed at the lower end of each of the racks 14. 
Usually, four kinds of articles can be stored in each rack 14. Therefore, 
four article dispensing passages 3 are formed for the four kinds of 
articles. Article supply openings 3a are formed in an upper portion of the 
rack 14, and articles A are supplied through the article supply openings 
3a into the article dispensing passages 3. The articles A are packed in 
zigzag passages 2. 
FIG. 3 is a sectional view of one of the article dispensing passages 3. In 
FIG. 3, indicated at 6 is a fixed plate of a construction similar to that 
of the fixed plate of the conventional automatic vending machine, and at 
15 is a movable unit in accordance with the present invention. The 
dispensing passage 3 through which the article A is dispensed is a space 
between the fixed plate 6 and the movable unit 15. Other two surfaces are 
defined by walls forming the body of the machine. 
A conventional dispensing mechanism is supported on the fixed plate 6 
having a thin, U-shaped cross section. The fixed plate 6 has side walls 16 
formed by bending opposite side portions of a plate through a right angle. 
Hooks 17 and 18 are formed at the upper and the lower end of each of the 
side walls 16. The hook 17 is engaged from below with a fixed shaft 19 of 
the rack 14, and the lower hook 18 is engaged from above a shaft 20 of the 
rack 14. 
As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, an exhaustion detecting arm 21 is supported for 
turning on an upper middle portion of the fixed plate 6 and is biased by a 
spring 22 so as to extend into the dispensing passage 3 as shown in FIG. 
3. When the exhaustion detecting arm 21 projects in a state as shown in 
FIG. 3, i.e., when the passage 2 is empty, a switch S provides a sellout 
signal. When the switch S provides a sellout signal, a sellout indicating 
lamp, not shown, for indicating the sellout of the corresponding articles 
placed on the front door 13 is lighted. 
An article dispensing plate 23 for catching the lowermost article, and a 
stopper 24 for holding the second lowermost article are disposed below the 
exhaustion detecting arm 21. The article dispensing plate 23 and the 
stopper 24 form a dispensing mechanism 5 which dispenses articles one at a 
time. 
A base end portion of the article dispensing plate 23 is supported for 
swing motion on a shaft 26 fixed at positions corresponding to support 
portions 25 on the back surface of the fixed plate 6. A U-shaped swing 
frame 27 is supported for swing motion on the fixed shaft 26. A 
crank-shaped connecting rod 28 extended through a lower end portion of the 
swing frame 27 has one end connected to a plunger 29a included in a 
solenoid actuator 29 attached to the back surface of the fixed plate 6. 
When the solenoid of the solenoid actuator 29 is energized, the connecting 
rod 28 turns the swing frame 27 from a vertical position to a horizontal 
position. Indicated at 30 is a return spring. 
A lower portion of a lifting member 31 is supported pivotally on the 
connecting rod 28 combined with the swing frame 27. A movable shaft 32 is 
extended through and supported on an upper end portion of the lifting 
member 31. The opposite end portions of the movable shaft 32 are fitted in 
vertical slots 34 formed in support walls 33 formed on the back surface of 
the fixed plate 6 by raising portions of the fixed plate 6 so as to move 
along the slots 34. 
The movable shaft 32 can be brought into engagement with projections 35 
projecting from the upper end of the article dispensing plate 23. A cam 36 
is disposed near one side of the upper end of the article dispensing plate 
23. When moved downward, the movable shaft 32 engages with the cam 36 to 
swing the article dispensing plate 23 to an article dispensing position. 
The stopper 24 has lower support legs 37 pivotally supported on the fixed 
shaft 26, a cam slot 38 is formed in a portion extending upward of the 
support legs 37, and the movable shaft 32 is extended through the cam slot 
38. When the movable shaft 32 is positioned at a lower position, the 
stopper 24 is retracted behind the front surface of the fixed plate 6 to 
release the second lowermost article. When the movable shaft 32 is 
positioned at an upper position, the stopper 24 is projected from the 
front surface of the fixed plate 6 to hold the second lowermost article. 
A description will be given of the movable unit 15 disposed opposite to the 
fixed plate 6 so as to form the article dispensing passage 3 together with 
the fixed plate 6. 
The movable unit 15 shown in FIGS. 3 to 15 is built in a construction 
capable of being installed in the rack 14 of the automatic vending machine 
1 whenever necessary. The movable unit 15 is designed so as to be 
installed in an existing automatic vending machine. 
In the first embodiment shown in FIGS. 3 to 15, a frame 40 has a shape 
resembling the letter U as viewed in a plane, a shock absorbing device 42 
is disposed in an upper section of a space between side walls 41 of the 
frame 40, a first shiftable plate 43 of a small height is disposed below 
the shock absorbing device 42, and a second shiftable plate 44 of a height 
about twice as large as that of the shiftable plate 43 is disposed below 
the shiftable plate 43. The shiftable plate 43 will be called a first 
shiftable plate, and the shiftable plate 44 having a height greater than 
that of the first shiftable plate 43 will be called a second shiftable 
plate in the following description for convenience. 
The shock absorbing device 42 has a shock absorbing plate 45 of a length as 
close to the distance between the opposite surfaces of the side walls 41 
of the frame 40 possible. As shown in FIG. 10, the shock absorbing plate 
45 is an elongate plate having support arms 46 formed by bending 
longitudinally opposite end portions thereof at right angles. Pivot pins 
47 projecting from the outer surfaces of the support arms 46 are fitted 
slidably in horizontal guide slots 48 (FIG. 3) formed in the side walls 41 
of the frame 40. End portions of the support arms 46 are bent outward to 
form stoppers 49. The stoppers 49 engage with the inner ends of the guide 
slots 48 to limit the advancement of the shock absorbing plate 45 toward 
the fixed plate 6 in order that the width of the dispensing passage may 
not be reduced below a predetermined width. The predetermined width is 
slightly greater than the radius of the article having the largest 
diameter among the articles to be vended by the automatic vending machine. 
Longitudinal side portions 45a of the shock absorbing plate 45 are bent 
backward substantially at right angles, and ridges formed by bending the 
side portions 45a are rounded so that the circumference of the article may 
not be damaged or dented by a high impact exerted thereon when the falling 
article collides against the ridges of the shock absorbing plate 45. 
A middle portion of a curved plate spring 51 having the shape of a circular 
arc is fixed with a pin to a back wall 50 of the frame 40, and the 
opposite ends of the plate spring 51 are in contact with the back surface 
of the shock absorbing plate 45 as shown in FIG. 14. The plate spring 51 
flexes resiliently to absorb shocks exerted on the shock absorbing plate 
45. A slot 52 capable of receiving the lower bent portion 45a of the shock 
absorbing plate 45 is formed in the back wall 50 of the frame 40 to enable 
the shock absorbing plate 45 to make a sufficiently long backward stroke. 
Referring to FIG. 9, guide plates 53 having legs 53a formed by shaping thin 
spring plates are attached to the side walls 41 of the frame 40 by fixing 
the legs 53a to the upper end portions of the side walls 41 by spot 
welding or the like to prevent the article from being tilted by collision 
thereof against the upper ends of the side walls 41 when the article drops 
into a space between the side walls 41. The upper portions of the guide 
plates 53 are bent away from each other to form a downward tapered guide 
passage therebetween. 
The first shiftable plate 43 has a width equal to that of the shock 
absorbing plate 45. Opposite side portions of the first shiftable plate 43 
are bent substantially through a right angle to form support arms 54 as 
shown in FIG. 11. Pivot pins 55 projecting from the outer surfaces of the 
support arms 54 are fitted in stepped slots 56 formed in the side walls 41 
of the frame 40 so that the first shiftable plate 43 is able to turn on 
the pivot pins 55. 
Each stepped slot 56 is inclined downward away from the dispensing passage 
3. The stepped slots may be formed in a straight form in the side walls 
41. 
The first shiftable plate 43 has positioning lugs 57 projecting from the 
opposite sides of a lower end portion thereof. Each positioning lug 57 
engages with one of steps 58.sub.1, 58.sub.2 and 58.sub.3 of a stepped 
edge 58 of a positioning opening formed in the side wall 41. The 
differences between the adjacent ones of the steps 58.sub.1, 58.sub.2 and 
58.sub.3 are the same. When the positioning lugs 57 are in engagement with 
the step 58.sub.1, 58.sub.2 or 58.sub.3, the first shiftable plate 43 is 
at a position a, b or c. The inclination of the stepped slots 56 
corresponds to that of an inclined line along which the steps 58.sub.1, 
58.sub.2 and 58.sub.3 are arranged. The first shiftable plate 43 is 
positioned at a position d for the article having the largest diameter, 
where the first shiftable plate 43 is in close contact with the back wall 
50 of the frame 40. When the first shiftable plate 43 is at the position 
d, the upper and the lower bent portions 43a of the first shiftable plate 
43 are received in slots 59 formed in the back wall 50 of the frame 40. 
A middle portion of a curved plate spring 60 having the shape of a circular 
arc is fixed with a pin to the back wall 50 of the frame 40, and the 
opposite ends of the plate spring 60 are in contact with the back surface 
of the first shiftable plate 43 as shown in FIG. 14. The first shiftable 
plate 43 can be moved to the position d against the resilience of the 
plate spring 60. 
Projections 61 project upward from the base portions of the support arms 54 
so as to project slightly from the line including the upper edge of the 
first shiftable plate 43. If the article strikes against the upper edge of 
the first shiftable plate 43 and tries to turn the first shiftable plate 
43 excessively clockwise, as viewed in FIG. 3, the projections 61 come 
into contact with the back wall 50 to limit the clockwise turning of the 
first shiftable plate 43 so that the first shiftable plate 43 can be 
quickly set in a vertical position for actions to determine the width of 
the dispensing passage. Another pivot pin may be formed beside each of the 
pivot pins 55 so as to come into contact with the lower edge of the 
stepped slot 56 to limit the clockwise turning of the first shiftable 
plate 43 instead of limiting the clockwise turning of the first shiftable 
plate 43 by the projections 61. The second shiftable plate 44 disposed 
below the first shiftable plate 43 is the same in structure as the first 
shiftable plate 43, except that height of the second shiftable plate 44 is 
about twice that of the first shiftable plate 43. The second shiftable 
plate 44 is formed in such a big height in order that the dispensing 
passage 3 is formed in a sufficiently big length to ensure a successful 
dispensing operation. 
As shown in a fragmentary perspective view in FIG. 12, opposite side 
portions of the second shiftable plate 44 are bent substantially through a 
right angle to form support arms 62 extending obliquely upward. Pivot pins 
63 projecting from the outer surfaces of the support arms 62 are fitted in 
stepped slots 64 formed in the side walls 41 of the frame 40 so that the 
second shiftable plate 44 is able to turn on the pivot pins 55. The 
stepped slots 64 are similar in shape to the stepped slots 56. 
The second shiftable plate 44 has positioning lugs 65 and 66 projecting 
from the side edges thereof. The positioning lugs 65 are at positions near 
the support arms 62, and the positioning lugs 66 are formed in a lower end 
portion of the second shiftable plate 44. The positioning lug 65 and 66 
engage with steps 67.sub.1, 67.sub.2 or 67.sub.3 of stepped edges 67 of 
positioning openings formed in the side wall 41. The second shiftable 
plate 44 is in close contact with the back wall 50 of the frame 40 for the 
article having the largest diameter with the upper bent portion 44a 
thereof received in the slots 59 formed in the back wall 50 of the frame 
40. In this state, the lower bent portion 44a of the second shiftable 
plate 44 lies below the lower edge of the back wall 50. Thus, the second 
shiftable plate 44, similarly to the first shiftable plate 43, is able to 
be positioned at a position a, b, c or d. 
A middle portion of a curved plate spring 68 having the shape of a circular 
arc is fixed with a pin to the back wall 50 of the frame 40, and the 
opposite ends of the plate spring 68 are in contact with the back surface 
of the second shiftable plate 44 as shown in FIG. 14. The second shiftable 
plate 44 can be moved between the positions a and d against the resilience 
of the plate spring 68. 
Incidentally, the positions a, b, c and d correspond to the outside 
diameters of 47 mm (article A.sub.1), 53 mm (article A.sub.2), 60 mm 
(article A.sub.3) and 66 mm (article A.sub.4), respectively, of currently 
used cans containing beverages. 
The least working width of the movable unit 15, i.e., the distance between 
the front surface of the first shiftable plate 43 or the second shiftable 
plate 44 and the back surface of the back wall 50 of the frame 40 in a 
state where the first shiftable plate 43, the second shiftable plate 44 
and the shock absorbing plate 45 are retracted to their backmost positions 
is equal to the sum of the thickness of the first shiftable plate 43 (the 
second shiftable plate 44, the shock absorbing plate 45), the thickness of 
the back wall 50 of the frame 40 and the thickness of the plate spring 51 
(60, 68), which is several millimeters smaller than the thickness of a 
marginal space in the dispensing passage 3 of the automatic vending 
machine. 
Although the article dispensing device in the first embodiment is provided 
with the first shiftable plate 43 and the second shiftable plate 44, the 
article dispensing device may be provided with only the second shiftable 
plate 44, and it is most preferable to dispose the shock absorbing device 
42 above the second shiftable plate 44 to absorb shocks exerted by the 
dropping article and to surely secure the dispensing passage of a 
necessary width by the combination of the shock absorbing device 42 and 
the second shiftable plate 44. It is desirable to use the first shiftable 
plate 43 in addition to the second shiftable plate 44 when shocks exerted 
by the falling article cannot be absorbed only by the shock absorbing 
device 42. 
Base end portions of support arms 69 provided in their free end portions 
with recesses 69a are pivotally supported on the outer surface of the side 
walls 41 of the frame 40 at positions on the side of the fixed plate 6 in 
middle portions of the side walls 41 of the frame with pins 70 as shown in 
FIG. 14. The movable unit 15 is installed in the automatic vending machine 
so that the opposite end portions of the shaft 20 holding the lower 
portions of the fixed plate 6 are received in the recesses 69a of the 
support arms 69. As shown in FIG. 14, the movable unit 15 is inserted from 
below into a space between the fixed plate 6 and a passage plate 71 
disposed in the dispensing passage 3 of the automatic vending machine as 
indicated by the arrow Y, and the support arms 69 are engaged with the 
shaft 20 so as to receive the opposite end portions of the shaft 20 in the 
recesses 69a to support the frame 40 of the movable unit 15 in place as 
shown in FIG. 15. Thus, pressure acting downward on the frame 40 when the 
article is dispensed presses the back wall 50 of the frame 40 against the 
passage plate 71. Therefore, the greater the pressure acting on the frame 
40, the greater is the pressure for firmly holding the frame 40 in place. 
The frame 40 in this embodiment is a plate having a U-shaped cross section. 
However, the back wall 50 is not necessarily indispensable if a plurality 
of rods are extended between and fixed by staking or the like to the side 
walls 41. Side plates included in the automatic vending machine may be 
used as the side walls 41. 
The operation of the article dispensing device in this embodiment will be 
described hereinafter. 
The shock absorbing plate 45 of the shock absorbing device 42 of the 
movable unit 15 disposed in the dispensing passage 3 is advanced to its 
front limit position by the resilience of the plate spring 51, the first 
shiftable plate 43 and the second shiftable plate 44 are held at their 
front limit positions by the resiliences of the plate springs 60 and 68, 
respectively, with the pivot pins 55 and 63 at the left end positions, as 
viewed in FIG. 3, of the stepped slots 56 and 64, the first shiftable 
plate 43 and the second shiftable plate 44 inclined so that the lower end 
portions thereof extend into the dispensing passage 3, and the positioning 
lugs 57, 65 and 66 not in engagement with any steps of the stepped edges 
58 and 67. 
When the articles A are stacked in the rack 14 of the automatic vending 
machine, the lowermost article A drops onto the upper end of the shock 
absorbing plate 45, pushes the shock absorbing plate 45 out of the way and 
drops down. When the article A pushes the shock absorbing plate 45 out of 
the way against the resilience of the plate spring 51, the dropping speed 
of the article A is reduced, so that the article A move stably downward. 
During downward movement through a region corresponding to the first 
shiftable plate 43, the article A shoves the first shiftable plate 43 to 
the right, as viewed in FIG. 3 or 7, to a position conforming to the 
outside diameter of the article A. If the article A is the article A.sub.1 
having the smallest diameter, the pivot pins 55 of the first shiftable 
plate 43 move slightly to the right on the uppermost steps of the stepped 
slots 56, the first shiftable plate 43 turns on the pivot pins 55 into a 
vertical position, the positioning lugs 57 come into engagement with the 
foremost steps 58.sub.1 of the positioning edges 58 to inhibit the further 
turning of the first shiftable plate 43. Thus, the first shiftable plate 
43 is held fixedly at the position a. While the articles A.sub.1 are 
dispensed, the first shiftable plate 43 is held at the position a to serve 
as one of the walls defining the dispensing passage 3. The articles 
A.sub.2, A.sub.3 and A.sub.4 shove the first shiftable plate 43 to the 
positions b, c and d, respectively. 
During the downward movement of the lowermost article A through a region 
corresponding to the second shiftable plate 44, if the article A is the 
article A.sub.1, the positioning lugs 65 and 66 of the second shiftable 
plate 44 come into engagement with the steps 67.sub.1 of the positioning 
edges 67 corresponding to the outside diameter of the article A.sub.1 to 
hold the second shiftable plate 44 fixedly at the position a so that the 
front surface of the second shiftable plate 44 is flush with that of the 
first shiftable plate 43. Subsequently, the article A is stopped by the 
article dispensing plate 23 supported on the fixed plate 6 and kept on the 
article dispensing plate 23 until a dispensing command is given. 
The article A is dispensed by an article dispensing operation which is the 
same as the conventional article dispensing operation. When a sale button 
placed on the front door 13 of the automatic vending machine 1 is 
depressed, the solenoid of the solenoid actuator 29 held on the fixed 
plate 6 is energized to pull the plunger 29a against the resilience of the 
return spring 30, whereby the swing frame 27 is turned through the 
connecting rod 28 toward a position where the swing frame 27 is set in a 
horizontal position, and the lifting member 31 is moved upward to lift up 
the movable shaft 32. Consequently, the article dispensing plate 23 is 
released, the article dispensing plate 23 is turned by the weight of the 
article A on the shaft 26 so as to sink beneath the surface of the fixed 
plate 6 to dispense the article A. 
At the same time, the raised movable shaft 32 extended through the cam slot 
38 of the stopper 24 turns the stopper 24 so as to project from the 
surface of the fixed plate 6 and holds the stopper 24 at an article 
holding position. Consequently, the second lowermost article A is kept on 
the stopper 24. 
The solenoid of the solenoid actuator 29 is de-energized after the article 
A has been dispensed. Then, the plunger 29a is returned to its initial 
position by the return spring 30, the swing frame 27 swings to a position 
where the swing frame is set in a vertical position, the lifting member 31 
is lowered to lower the movable shaft 32, and the movable shaft 32 pushes 
the cam 36 of the article dispensing plate 23 as the same is moved 
downward and engages with the base potion of the article dispensing plate 
23 to lock the article dispensing plate 23 in a position projecting from 
the surface of the fixed plate 6. 
The stopper 24 is released when the movable shaft 32 is lowered, and the 
next article A is allowed to drop onto and kept on the article dispensing 
plate 23. 
If a wrong article A of a diameter greater than that of the normal articles 
A mingled accidentally with the normal articles A, the wrong article A 
pushes the shock absorbing plate 45 further out of the way, hits against 
the upper end of the first shiftable plate 43 and turns the first 
shiftable plate 43 clockwise, as viewed in FIG. 3. Consequently, the 
positioning lugs 57 are disengaged from the steps 58.sub.1 of the 
positioning edges 58, are moved to the right, as viewed in FIG. 3, and the 
positioning lugs 57 engage with the steps conforming the outside diameter 
of the wrong article A. The wrong article A shifts the second shiftable 
plate 44 in the same manner, and is dispensed when a dispensing command is 
given to the automatic vending machine. Such a problem can be solved 
simply by taking the dispensed wrong article to the shop responsible to 
the management of the automatic vending machine to ask the shop to 
exchange the wrong article for an article the consumer wanted to buy. 
However, if such a problem arises in the conventional automatic vending 
machine, the automatic vending machine will be clogged with the wrong 
article, and a maintenance technician must be called to restore the 
automatic vending machine to its normal condition. 
In the movable unit 15 of this embodiment, the shock absorbing device 42, 
the first shiftable plate 43 and the second shiftable plate 44 are 
arranged in that order. However, the shock absorbing device 42 may be 
omitted and two shiftable plates similar to the first shiftable plate 43 
may be employed, three shiftable plates similar to the first shiftable 
plate 43 may be employed or the first shiftable plate 43 and the second 
shiftable plate 44 may be replaced with each other. 
In all cases, the dispensing passage 3 of a width conforming to the 
diameter of the articles A is secured as long as the dispensing passage 3 
is packed with the articles A, the shiftable plates are advanced to the 
front limit positions when the dispensing passage 3 is empty, and the 
shiftable plates are shifted to form the dispensing passage 3 in a width 
conforming to the outside diameter of articles supplied into the 
dispensing passage 3. 
If a wrong article of a diameter greater than that of normal articles 
mingled with the normal articles, the dispensing operation of the 
automatic vending machine may be interrupted. If it is desired to stop the 
dispensing operation of the automatic vending machine in such a case, the 
movable unit 15 is shifted upward, and the positional relation between the 
upper end of the second shiftable plate 44 and the exhaustion detecting 
arm 21 supported on the fixed plate 6 is adjusted. 
FIGS. 16A to 16C show shock absorbing devices in modifications of the shock 
absorbing device 42 shown in FIG. 3. In these shock absorbing devices, 
side walls 72 are disposed at end portions of the shock absorbing plate 
45, and shafts 73 and 74 are provided on the side walls 72 so that the 
shafts 73 and 74 are spaced in a forward-backward direction. The shafts 73 
and 74 are extended through guide slots 75 formed in the side walls 41 of 
the frame 40, and a recess 76 capable of receiving the shaft 73 is formed 
in one end of the guide slot 75 on the side of the fixed plate 6. A corner 
R in the edge of the guide slot 75 between the recess 76 and a straight 
section of the guide slot 75 is rounded to enable the shaft 73 to slide 
out of the recess 76. 
In the shock absorbing device shown in FIG. 16A, the recess 76 is formed so 
as to protrude upward from each guide slot 75. The shaft 73 is kept always 
in the recess 76 by the resilience of a spring 51. When an article A hits 
against a shock absorbing plate 45, the shock absorbing plate 45 is turned 
counterclockwise on the shaft 74, the shaft 73 is moved gradually out of 
the recesses 76, and then the shock absorbing plate 45 is moved slowly 
backward along the guide slots 75 to absorb shocks exerted by the article 
A thereon. Thus, the shock absorbing device exercises an enhanced shock 
absorbing effect. 
In the shock absorbing device shown in FIG. 16B, an upper recess 76 and a 
lower recess 76a are formed in so as to protrude upward and downward, 
respectively, from each guide slot 75 to make the shaft 73 move between 
the upper recess 76 and the lower recess 76a in order that the backward 
movement of the shaft 73 is retarded and the shock absorbing plate 45 
starts sliding backward with a delay for the further enhanced shock 
absorbing effect. In the shock absorbing device shown in FIG. 16C, only a 
lower recess 76a is formed to make the shaft 73 enter the lower recess 76a 
first, and then the shaft 73 moves out of the lower recess 76a, which is 
effective in absorbing shocks. 
FIG. 16D shows a shock absorbing device 42 in a further modification. An 
elongate bag 80 made of a highly elastic, resilient material, such as 
polypropylene, an elastomer raw rubber or the like, and provided with a 
vent 81 is interposed between and bonded to a shock absorbing plate 45 and 
a plate spring 51. When shocks are exerted on the shock absorbing plate 45 
by an article A, the bag 80 is compressed and becomes flat gradually 
discharging air through the vent 81 to absorb the shocks. After the 
article A has passed the shock absorbing plate 45, the bag 80 sucks air in 
through the vent 81 and expands. Thus, the bag 80 impedes the accelerated 
downward movement of the article A perfectly, and this shock absorbing 
device does not need any thickness for the bending of the plate spring 51. 
The recesses 76 and 76a may be formed, in addition to those formed at the 
end of each guide slot 75, in each guide slot 75 at positions 
corresponding to the positions a to d shown in FIG. 8 to exert resistance 
against the backward movement of the shaft 73 until the shaft 73 reaches a 
position corresponding to one of the positions a to d. 
Referring to FIG. 17 showing an article dispensing device in a second 
embodiment according to the present invention employed in an automatic 
vending machine, an inclined plate 84 is disposed between side walls 83 of 
a frame 82 and is supported for swing motion at its upper end by a shaft 
85 on the side walls 83 of the frame 82, the upper end of a shiftable 
plate 86 is connected to the lower end of the inclined plate 84 by a shaft 
87, the inclined plate 84 is biased toward a fixed plate 6 by a spring 89 
interposed between a back wall 88 of the frame 82 and the inclined plate 
84, and the shiftable plate 86 is biased toward the fixed plate 6 by a 
spring 90 interposed between the back wall 88 of the frame 82 and the 
shiftable plate 86. 
The opposite ends of the shaft 87 supporting the shiftable plate 86 at its 
upper end are fitted in horizontal slots 91 formed in the side walls 83 of 
the frame 82. Positioning lugs 92 and 93 project from the opposite side 
edges of an upper and a lower portion of the shiftable plate 86, 
respectively. Each of the positioning lugs 92 and 93 are engaged with one 
of steps 94.sub.1 to 94.sub.3 of a corresponding one of positioning edges 
94 formed in the side walls 83 of the frame 82. 
A shock absorbing device 42 comprises a support plate 96 supported for 
swing motion at its lower end by a shaft 95 disposed below the shaft 85 
pivotally supporting the inclined plate 84 between the side walls 83 of 
the frame 82 so as to extend obliquely upward from the shaft 95, and a 
shock absorbing plate 98 connected to the upper end of the support plate 
96 by a shaft 97 or hooked on the upper end of the support plate 96. A 
lower portion of the shock absorbing plate 98 extends downward beyond the 
upper end of the shiftable plate 86 to a position somewhat below the shaft 
87. The position of the upper end of the shock absorbing plate 98 is 
slightly nearer to the back wall 88 of the frame 82 than the position of 
the center of an article having the largest diameter of those of articles 
which can be vended by the automatic vending machine. The support plate 96 
is biased by a spring 99. 
When one of articles A stored in a rack 14 enters a dispensing passage 3, 
the article A hits against the upper end of the shock absorbing plate 98, 
and pushes the shock absorbing plate 98 out of the way according to its 
diameter as it moves downward. Consequently, the shaft 87 supporting the 
shiftable plate 86 at its upper end is forced to move toward the back wall 
88 of the frame 82 against the resilience of the springs 89 and 90, each 
of the positioning lugs 92 and 93 engages one of the steps 94.sub.1 to 
94.sub.3 corresponding to the position of the shaft 87 or comes into 
contact with the back wall 88, and the shiftable plate 86 defines a 
dispensing passage 3 together with the fixed plate 6. 
While the dispensing passage 3 is empty, the shiftable plate 86 is kept in 
an inclined position as indicated by continuous lines in FIG. 17 by the 
resilience of the springs 89 and 90, the positioning lugs 92 and 93 are 
disengaged from the steps of the positioning edges 94, and the shaft 87 
supporting the shiftable plate 86 at its upper end returns to its initial 
position corresponding to the front ends of the slots 91. 
A control system for controlling the article dispensing device will be 
explained by way of example with reference to flow charts shown in FIG. 
18. 
In FIG. 18, a flow chart 1 shows a normal vending procedure and a flow 
chart 2 shows a replenishing or size changing procedure. 
Referring to the flow chart 1, the article vending device is on standby in 
step S.sub.1. A query is made in step S.sub.2 to see if the articles need 
to be changed. If the response in step S.sub.2 is negative, a query is 
made in step S.sub.3 to see if articles are in stock. If the response in 
step S.sub.2 is affirmative, the procedure shown in the flow chart 2 is 
started. If the response in step S.sub.3 is negative, a sellout lamp is 
turned on in step S.sub.4. 
If articles are in stock, coins equivalent to a specified amount of money 
are deposited in step S.sub.5. A query is made in step S.sub.6 to see if 
the amount of money deposited in the automatic vending machine coincides 
with the specified amount of money. If the response in step S.sub.6 is 
affirmative, an article select button is depressed in step S.sub.7, the 
solenoid of the solenoid actuator 29 is energized in step S.sub.8, one 
article is dispensed in step S.sub.9 and the procedure is ended. If any 
article is not dispensed, the procedure returns to step S.sub.2. 
Referring to the flow chart 2, the front door 13 is opened in step 
S.sub.10, the rack 14 is pulled out in step S.sub.11, and a query is made 
in step S.sub.12 to see if the articles are to be replaced with other 
articles. If the response in step S.sub.12 is affirmative, the interior of 
the rack 14 is inspected in step S.sub.13 to see if there are any articles 
in the rack. If there are stock articles in the rack 14, the stock 
articles are removed from the rack 14 to empty the latter in step 
S.sub.14. If there is no stock article, an article indication is changed 
in step S.sub.15. 
The rack 14 is replenished with articles in step S.sub.16 and a query is 
made in step S.sub.17 to see if the rest of the rack 14 need 
replenishment. If the response in step S.sub.17 is affirmative, the 
procedure returns to step S.sub.11. If the response in step S.sub.17 is 
negative, the rack 14 is returned into the automatic vending machine in 
step S.sub.18, the front door 13 is closed in step S.sub.19 and the 
procedure jumps to the procedure of the flow chart 1. 
In the procedure of the flow chart 2, step S.sub.11 for pulling out the 
rack 14 and step S.sub.18 for returning the rack 14 into the automatic 
vending machine are not always necessary. 
As is apparent from the foregoing description, according to the present 
invention, the dispensing passage through which cylindrical articles, cans 
or bottles containing beverages, are dispensed one at a time is defined by 
the fixed plate and the movable unit, and the width of the dispensing 
passage changed automatically by the article moving through the dispensing 
passage according to the diameter of the same article. Therefore any 
manual work for adjusting the width of the dispensing passage necessary 
when the articles are replaced with other articles are not necessary at 
all, which facilitates the management of the automatic vending machine. 
Since the shiftable plate of the movable unit is shifted to a position 
conforming to the outside diameter of the article passing through the 
dispensing passage to adjust the width of the dispensing passage to a 
width conforming to the outside diameter of the article, even a wrong 
article having a diameter different from the normal articles and mingled 
with the normal articles can be dispensed without clogging the dispensing 
passage. Therefore, trouble to call a maintenance technician to repair the 
automatic vending machine can be saved, service personnel need not be 
dispatched, a procedure for the redress of grievance of the shop is 
simplified, downtime during which the automatic vending machine is not 
operating due to repair work can be reduced, troubles to make purchasers 
unpleasant and to spoil purchasers image of the enterprise can be reduced, 
and the breakdown of the automatic vending machine can be prevented. Thus, 
the present invention provides a great economic effect. 
Furthermore, since the article dispensing device does not need any 
electrical means at all, the same can be easily installed not only in 
automatic vending machines of a new type but also in automatic vending 
machines of an old type, and the movable unit is capable of functioning 
with high reliability.