AN APPARATUS FOR VENDING INDIVIDUALLY MARKED ARTICLES

Abstract: Apparatus for vending individually marked articles, such as lottery tickets. The apparatus comprises, a magazin of articles, a feeding device and a coin slot for actuating the feeding device. Known lottery ticket automats do not very well attract buyers, wherefore they have not attained any greater distribution. The buying of lottery tickets can be made more pleasant and more interesting, if the apparatus is provided with a means for reading the individual information of the tickets and with a display device which visually indicates the content of the information in such a manner that the buyer immediately sees what prize he has possibly obtained.

Description: An apparatus for vending individually marked articles The present invention relates to an apparatus for vending individually marked articles, such as lottery tickets, said apparatus comprising a magazin of articles, a device for feeding the articles out from the apparatus and a coin slot for actuating said feeding device. Vending machines for lottery tickets having the construction described above are previously known. A disadvantage of these automats is that they do not at¬ tract buyers to such an extent as living sellers of lot¬ tery tickets and they have therefore not attained any- greater distribution. This can partly be due to the fact that a lottery ticket, which usually contains a number only, does not give any clear * information on the possible prize, bat this information must be obtained elsewhere. The object of the present invention is to provide an apparatus for vending " lottery tickets, which attracts buyers to a considerably greater degree than previously known automats. The apparatus according to the invention is characterized in that the apparatus comprises a means for reading the individual information on the article standing next to be fed out, a display device which visu¬ ally indicates the content of the information, such as a lottery prize, and a device with a memory, said device controlling the display device. As the apparatus is pro¬ vided with a display device which visually indicates the possible prize, e.g. by means of a simple code, the buyer immediately sees the amount of the prize in a simple and pleasant way, which should increase the willingness to buy. The display device can consist of lamps which can be lit up in different combinations or of rotatably mounted wheels which are positioned side by side and the peripheral surface of which is provided with symbols. According to a preferred embodiment, the apparatus according to the invention consists of a housing con¬ taining a magazin of lottery tickets, each one of which is individually marked with a code which indicates the amount of the possible prize. The housing also com¬ prises a device for feeding lottery tickets out from the apparatus, and a coin slot for actuating said feeding device. According to the invention, the apparatus is pro- vided with a means which by means of a laser beam reads the individual information on the lottery ticket which is next to be fed out from the apparatus. The informa¬ tion is transferred from the reading means to a micro¬ processor, in the memory of which data is recorded with regard to the prize corresponding to the obtained in¬ formation. The microprocessor sends the information on the prize further to a display device which is located on the front side of the housing and which consists of a number of lamps, preferably of different colours, which provide a visually readable code. This code is printed- or painted on the front side of the housing, the prize being disclosed therewith, whereby the buyer can obtain information on the prize by comparing the printed codes with the code displayed on the display device. When the buyer has obtained the ticket, he can claim the prize against the ticket at a place for claiming the prizes. The display device can alternatively consist of rotatably mounted wheels which are positioned side by side and the peripheral surface of which is provided with symbols, whereby a certain combination of symbols gives a certain prize, which is indicated on the front side of the housing. In place of lottery tickets, which are usually made of paper, it is possible to vend different kinds of tickets or discs made of paper, plastic or metal by means of the apparatus according to the invention. The main point is that the articles are provided with an individually readable marking.

Claims: Claims: 1. Apparatus for vending individually marked arti¬ cles, such as lottery tickets, said apparatus comprising a magazin of articles, a device for feeding the articles out from the apparatus and a coin slot for actuating said feeding device, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that the apparatus comprises a means for reading the indivi¬ dual information on the article standing next to be fed out, a display device which visually indicates the con¬ tent of the information, such as a lottery prize, and a device with a memory, said device controlling the dis¬ play device. 2. Apparatus according to claim 1, c h a r a c - t e r i z e d in that the reading means operates by means of a laser beam for reading the information on the articles. 3» Apparatus according to claim 1, c h a r a c - t e r i z e d in that the display device in a manner known per se consists of lamps to be lit up in different combinations. 4. Apparatus according to claim 1, c h a r a c - t e r i z e d in that the display device consists of rotatably mounted wheels known per se, which are posi- tioned- side by side and the peripheral surface of which is provided with symbols. 5. Apparatus according to claim 1, c h a r a c - t e r i z e d in that the controlling device is a microprocessor.

Inventors: ANTAS BENGT, ANTAS, BENGT
Applicants: SELLMATIC OY
Application year: 1985
Main classification: G07C15
IPC codes: G07C15, G07F17