Patent GB-432834-A (GB)
Title: Improvements in coin operated vending apparatus
IPC: G07F5/18
Filed: 1934-08-10
Abstract: 432,834. Coin-freed article-delivery apparatus with change-giving. STEWART, J. E., 350, 5th Avenue, New York, U.S.A. Aug. 10, 1934, No. 23188. Convention date, Aug. 15, 1933. [Class 27] Relates to a coin-controlled electrically-operated vending machine for selective delivery from a number of piles of articles of the same or different values, change being given for the difference between the price of the article selected and the amount of money inserted. According to the invention, the insertion of coins actuates circuit controlling means which totalize the units of coin value and close at certain points parallel circuits of the delivery devices, manually operated means closing contacts at other points to complete selected circuits and effect delivery of an article and change, if required. In the apparatus described the unit of coin value is 5 cents and the machine takes nickels, dimes, and quarterdollars, coinage inserted in excess of 25 cents being returned. The insertion of coins completes circuits from the negative side of the supply line to one or more fixed contacts a ... e, Fig. 1. A push button 18, Fig. 12, corresponding to the selected pile of articles 12 is then pushed in to close a corresponding set of contacts 32 and complete the circuit of a motor 22 to effect delivery from the selected pile 12. Change in nickels is delivered by electromagnets from change tubes 26 according to the number of circuits to contacts a ... e completed by the insertion of coins. Change in cents is also delivered from auxiliary changetubes 288 if the price of an article is not a multiple of 5 cents. Coin action, weight.- The nickels, dimes, and quarter-dollars are inserted in shoots 40, 42, 44, Fig. 11, and pass through testing-devices 116b, 116<a>, 116 respectively which reject counterfeits and coinage in excess of 25 cents. A nickel passing down shoot 40 tilts an arm to release a catch and allow spring contacts 56 to close and energize an electromagnet 46 the core of which rises to open the contacts and to rotate through one step by means of a pawl and ratchet drive an insulating cylinder 90 provided with a contact strip 100, 102. A dime in the shoot 42 acts similarly, but the cylinder 90 is rotated through two steps. The portion 100 of the contact strip engages successively with contacts 106a ... 106e in an arcuate insulating block to complete successively the circuit between the fixed contacts a ... e and the negative side of the line, the circuit being made through a contact 106, line 162 contacts 158, 156 in an arcuate insulating block surrounding a cylinder 134 having a contact strip 150. If a quarter-dollar is inserted in the shoot 44, the cylinder 134 is rotated by an electromagnet 50 and closes contacts 158a ... 158e which are connected to the contacts 106a ... 106e, the quarterdollar thus having the same effect as the insertion of 5 nickels. The cylinders 90, 134 are rotated against the action of springs and are held in their rotated position until delivery is effected by pawls on a shaft 94, Fig. 1. Coins, testing.-The testing devices each comprise a magnetic core 164, Fig. 11, to provide a fluctuating magnetic field in the coin shoots, through which the coins pass before they energize the magnets 46, 48, 50. The effect of the magnetic field is to cause counterfeits to pass to reject shoots 184. Also, if the coils 166 surrounding the cores 164 are not energized, goods coins will be returned through the reject shoots. The insertion of coins releases catches 178 to allow spring contacts 176 to close and energize electro-magnets 174 the cores 172 of which rise to open the contacts 176 and allow contacts 170 controlling the coils 166 to close. Contacts 110, 112, 114, which engage the contact strip portion 102 of the cylinder 90, also control the coils 166. When a nickel is inserted and the cylinder 90 moved through one step, the contact 110 is disengaged from the strip 102 and the circuit of the tester 116 is opened, so that, if a quarter-dollar is now inserted, it will be returned. After the insertion of 4 nickels or 2 dimes, contact 112 is also disengaged from the strip 102 and the circuit of tester 116a is opened, so that any dimes now inserted will be returned. The insertion of a quarter-dollar or 5 nickels similarly causes the circuit of tester 116<b> to be opened, so that any further coins inserted will be returned, thus rendering it impossible to insert more than 25 cents of coin value at a time. Delivery of articles stored in piles.-When a button 18, Figs. 1, 12, is pushed in, an arm 220 thereon provided with an insulating block 222 presses contacts 218a .. 218e inwardly to close circuits between the fixed contacts a ... e and contact strips 202a ... 202e, Fig. 20. The contacts 218a .. 218e connected to the strips 202a ... 202e engage vertical contact strips 232, Fig. 19, connected by spring blades 236a ... 236e to the strips a ... e. The strips 232 with their blades 236 are carried by a member 230 adjustable in height for price variation. For example, if the member 230 is moved down so that blade 236a does not engage with contact strip a but with strip b, at least 10 cents must be inserted before the mechanism will be set to vend an article. The adjustment also cuts out one of the change magnets 30, Fig. 20. The contact 218a and strip 202a associated therewith is connected to a relay 208 for closing the circuit of the motor 22 and actuating a rod 250 to hold the button 18 in the depressed position until delivery is completed. The other strips 202b ... 202e are connected to change delivery magnets 30b ... 30e. When a button 18 is pushed in, it moves balls 246a, Fig. 1, and members 246 along a guide tube 244 to lock the remaining buttons. The relay 208 moves the rod 250 so that a tongue 258 thereon engages a hole 256, Fig. 12, on the depressed button to retain this pushed in. A projection 266 on the rod 250 closes contacts 264 to complete the motor circuit. The motor through a flexible shaft 306, driving disc 302, and link 327, Fig. 1, rocks a shaft 20 provided with a series of arms 274. The actuated button 18 has pushed in a slide 16 to bring a pin 268, Fig. 12, thereon into the path of the corresponding arm 274 which moves the slide further to deliver the bottom article from the pile 12 to a delivery shoot. The disc 302 carries two cams 308, 310, Fig. 20. The cam 308 closes at contacts 320 an independent circuit for the motor immediately the latter starts. Just before the disc 302 has made one revolution the contacts 320 are opened and contacts 326 are closed by the cam 310 to short circuit the stator winding 332 of the motor and cause this to stop. A rod 384, Fig. 1, actuated from the disc 302 rocks a shaft to return the rod 250 to its initial position opening the switch 264 and allowing the button 18 to be returned by an arm 278 under the control of a dashpot 282. The rod 384 also through a shaft 388, Fig. 1, and arms 386, 394, 372 rocks the shaft 94 so that the cylinders 90, 134 return to their initial position. The slide 16 is returned by a spring 272. Change-giving mechanism.-The change from the tubes 26 is delivered by apertured slides 28 connected to the cores of the electromagnets 30b ... 30e. Cents from the auxiliary tubes 288, Fig. 12, are delivered by slides 290 connected by tongues 292 to the slides 16. Coin-discharging mechanism ; returning coins.-The inserted coins pass from the shoots 40, 42, 44 to a receptacle 38, Fig. 12, provided with two pivoted doors 348, 350. If return of the coins is desired, an extra button 18a, Fig. 1, similar to the buttons 18, is pushed in. This locks the buttons 18 and through linkage opens the door 350 to discharge the coins in receptacle 38 to a return shoot. The shaft 94 is also rocked to reset the cylinders 90, 134 to their initial position. When an article and change are delivered, however, the rod 384 actuates linkage to open the door 348 and discharge the coins to a money-box.