Patent GB-751338-A (GB)
Title: Improvements in vending machines
Inventor: SWEDE HARALD
IPC: G07F11/50
Filed: 1954-10-01
Abstract: 751,338. Vending apparatus. BERGBOM & CO. AKTIEBOLAGET. Oct. 1, 1954, No. 28328/54. Class 27 The transparent compartmented drum 3 of a vending machine normally rotates continuously but by operating an appropriate selector key 15 and then inserting appropriate coins, it may be stopped with a chosen vertical column of compartments 4 opposite doors 6 for a sufficient time to permit removal of an article from one of the compartments. The friction of a ball bearing 12 or of an adjustable slipping clutch normally causes the drum to rotate with a continuously-rotating shaft 9 but depression of a key 15 operates linkage 16, 17, 18 to interpose one of a number of stops 19 in the path of an abutment 20 mounted on the drum under each vertical column, the stops and abutments being arranged at corresponding radial distances from the drum centre. The link 16 also raises a U-shaped member 28 to interpose a pin 30 in the path of a spring-loaded lever 31 pivoted on a ring 34 frictionally driven by the shaft 9 and the link is held in raised position by frictional engagement with the side of a recess 26 in a flange 24. The stops are carried by longitudinallymovable rods 18 which engage the ends 38 of spring-loaded levers 40 pivoted at 39, the ends 38 straddling two or more rods according to the number of columns containing articles of the same price, and, as a stop is engaged by an abutment 20, a rod 18 pivots the appropriate lever 40 so that a pin or plate 44 enters a coin channel 42 to limit the number of coins insertable in the channel to correspond with the price of the desired articles, for example, as shown, three coins 64. When a door 6 is opened after insertion of the appropriate coins, a cam 56 acting on a pin 55 raises a bar 52 and a cam surface 50 at the lower end of the bar rotates a pawl 49 carried by a pivoted arm 48 about the lower end of the arm which is held fixed by a rod 46 engaging the last coin in the channel, so that the lower end of the pawl is disengaged from a tooth 53 on the bar. As the bar rises, pins 55 corresponding to other doors for the column of articles engage in slots 57 in the cams 56 to prevent these doors from being opened and a bevelled projection 58 on the bar enters a recess 59 corresponding to each column to rotate the drum slightly rearwardly, thus momentarily disengaging the abutment 20 from its stop 19 and withdrawing the pin 44 to release the coins. The bar 52 is also connected to a pair of coin channels 62 and 63 and moves them from a coin-return position to a position directing the coins to a coin box. After the door is shut again. the rod 46 is free to enter the empty coin channel and the pawl 49 engages the bar 52 to prevent the door being opened. The drum is still locked against rotation by the stop 19 but, after a complete revolution of the shaft 9 following engagement of the pin 30 and lever 31, an abutment 35 on the shaft 9 presses the lever 31 down to restore the U-shaped member 28, arm 16, key 15, rod 18 and stop 19 to their initial positions and allow continued rotation of the drum. The pins 44 may enter the coin channel at varying positions so that the machine may be adapted for coins of different values and they may be operated electrically from the keys 15.