Patent GB-988141-A (GB)
Title: Improvements in and relating to vending machines
IPC: G07F11/50
Filed: 1960-04-27
Abstract: 988, 141. Coin-freed vending apparatus. R. H. F. CARTER, and NIXSON & CO. (LITTLEHAMPTON) Ltd. April 27, 1961 [April 27, 1960; Dec. 29, 1960; April 7, 1961], Nos. 14788/60, 44644/60 and 12701/61. Heading G4V. A vending machine comprises a magazine 4, Figs 1 and 2, which has compartments 8 arranged in helical formation and is so supported that it may descend by gravity in a helical path to bring each compartment in turn into register with a closable access opening, means operable when an inserted coin is in position to serve as a link or coupling element to unlock or unlock and open a pivoted closure flap 27 for the access opening, and means controlled by the flap to allow the magazine to advance to bring another compartment to the opening. The access opening and flap 27 are provided in the main hinged door 9 of an enclosing cabinet 1. The helical rotation of the magazine is provided by pins 3 either on the magazine or a fixed support 2 engaging a helix on the support or magazine as the case may be. As shown in Fig. 1 the pins are provided on the support and the helix is formed by the undersurface 7 of a sleeve 6, the helix being less than one convolution and engaging, say, only three of the pins at one time; the pins may be screwed into the support so that they tend to be tightened as the magazine descends. The edges 11 of the radial divisions forming the compartments provide inducing stops co-operating with a catch 16 pivoted to the cabinet and with a stop 33 carried by the flap 27. The catch 16 is operated by an intermediate lever 18 bearing in cam fashion on a master lever 20 which is mounted on the flap 27 and has a tail 22 by which an initial amount of opening is given to the flap when its locking bolt 32 is withdrawn. When a coin is inserted, it falls to rest on two pins 37, Fig. 4, on a fixed plate 39 and when a pin-pointed lever 40 is operated by an external handle 41 the coin couples it to the spring- loaded bolt 32 and withdraws the latter from engagement with a conical-headed grooved pin 30 on the flap handle 29. A plate 44 on the bolt ensures that a second coin, if inserted, is held up. The spring-loaded master lever 20, through its tail 22, then swings the flap about its horizontal pivots through an angle of 10-30 degrees until a lever 47 pivoted on the main door 9 and engaging a cam 34 on the flap adjacent one of its pivots prevents the flap moving further. The other end of the lever 47 is coupled by two pins to the bolt 32 and prevents its premature return. Before the flap 27 is initially opened by the master lever 20, the edge 11 of a compartment division is engaged by the stop 33 on the flap but, when the stop is withdrawn, the master lever is also withdrawn from the intermediate lever 18 and the catch 16 is allowed to spring into position for engagement by an edge 11 after a small amount of rotation of the magazine. The purchaser then opens the flap fully and the cam 34 moves the bolt 32 further so that the plate 44 ensures release of the coin if it has not already been released. When the goods have been removed from a compartment, the flap is closed and the cam 34 releases the lever 47 to allow the bolt 32 to return for engagement by the pin 30. The final closing movement of the flap returns the master lever into contact with the intermediate lever 18 and the catch 16 is pressed back against its spring, thus freeing the magazine for rotation until an edge 11 meets the stop 33, which is again in blocking position. During charging of an empty magazine, the catch 16 rides over the edges 11 as the magazine is raised and turned but moves into locking position to prevent undesired downward movement. In the modification shown in Figs. 6 and 9, the master lever 132 co-operates directly with the catch 107 through an adjustable screwed pin 134 when the main door 102 is closed and the stop corresponding to the stop 33 of the first embodiment is provided at 135 on the pivoted flap 110. When the flap 110 is nearly closed,a quadrant 136 engages a pawl 137 and prevents the flap from being re-opened but, on final closing of the flap, the quadrant rides past the pawl. The bolt 122 for the flap 110 is engageable with a groove 116 in a pin 114 having an external finger knob and the conical end of the pin engages a spring- loaded plunger 119 to hold back the bolt ready for engagement with the groove when the flap is closing. When the magazine has made its final movement, the stop 135 engages a slide as the flap 110 is closed and removes a cam surface from below an "empty" sign so that it falls to a position visible through a window in the flap. The coin-receiving mechanism 123 has a plate 146 adjustable relative to a track 143 to take coins of different diameters and the spacing of the plate 146 from a mounting plate 148 is such as to hold up too-thick coins. Too-thin coins fall through a slot 152 and coins which are too small in diameter are held up in an aperture in the plate 148. The magnet 163a holds up ferromagnetic coins. The plate 144 on which the track 143 is formed is hinged so that it can be tilted by an external knob to release trapped coins.