Patent GB-925985-A (GB)
Title: Improvements in or relating to automatic vending machines
IPC: G07F5/24
Filed: 1958-09-25
Abstract: 925,985. Coin-freed vending apparatus. J. H. RUSSELL. Sept. 18, 1959 [Sept. 25, 1958], No. 30689/58. Class 27. [Also in Group XIX] A coin-freed vending machine has pulsegenerating means providing a number of pulses according to the value of a coin or coins inserted to set forward stepping switch means, a selector switch set according to the article to be purchased, article-delivery means arranged to release an article when the stepping switch means reaches the position set on the selector switch and change-control means whereby the pulses received after the set position is reached regulates the amount of change given. Coin-operated switches CS4-CS9, Fig. 1, are, with the exception of the penny switch CS4, connected to relays A-E which complete circuits for a stepping relay H so that pulses according to the coin value operate the coil UC1 of a first uniselector switch U1. For a shilling, the wiper of bank U12 is stepped round to its thirteenth contact when the relay C is de-energized and the closing of contact C3 completes a circuit between the fifth bank U16 and the self-interrupting contacts SC1 of the coil UC1 so that the uniselector switch is homed to zero position. For a two-shilling piece, the bank U12 is first pulsed to its thirteenth contact through contacts D1, D2 of relay D and then through contacts D4, D2 until it reaches the twenty-fourth contact. Bank U11 serves for both the penny and sixpence relays and banks U13 and U14 co-operate together with relay E for half-crowns. Contacts H2 of relay H are connected through line 100 and relay contacts G1, Fig. 2, to the coil UC2 of a second uniselector U2 which therefore receives the same setting pulses as uniselector U1 but will total the value of coins inserted one after the other as it does not receive the homing pulses. Uniselector U2 has four banks totalling 96 contacts, or a price of eight shillings, the first two banks U21 and U22 counting up to 48 pennies during a first revolution and then energizing a relay Y so that the banks U23 and U24 count the next 48. Before inserting money, the customer sets a selector switch having three banks SS1, SS2, SS3, Figs. 2 and 5, each with contacts corresponding to the number of articles for sale and connected to an outlet on the uniselector U2 ending one penny short of the price of an article. When the wiper on switch U2 reaches the outlet corresponding to the selected article, relay G is energized and further pulses from stepping relay H are transferred from coil UC2 to coil UC3 of a third uniselector U3, Fig. 3, so that this uniselector is moved a number of times equal to one more than the excess value in pennies of the coins inserted, the first movement bringing the uniselector into operation for counting the change required. A relay F closes the coin slots, looks the selector switch and connects a holding circuit through a switch SC, Fig. 5, which is opened once in each cycle by a cam. Uniselector U3 continues stepping until the first uniselector U1 stops and homes to zero, when the banks U37, U39, Fig. 4, are brought into circuit and a coin acceptance relay R, Fig. 5, is energized, through contact V1 of a normally-closed relay V, no-change switches NCS1, NCS2, contact UA6 of a normally-open jackpot relay UA, contact X2 of the normallyopen out-of-stock relay X and the contact S5 of the normally-open coin reject relay S. Contact R2 is closed to supply current to banks U31-U35 and through the outlets on which the wipers rest (corresponding to the amount of change required) to change-making relays J-Q, Fig. 3, which give change in the minimum number of coin combinations, excluding threepenny and two-shilling pieces. For example, if elevenpence is required in change, relay N (five pennies) and relay O (one sixpence) are energized by the wipers of banks U31 and U32 and their contacts 1-3 energize a locking circuit, coin-release solenoids CR1, CR2 and a motor relay T which energizes a change-giving motor 23 and de-energizes the banks U31- U35. The motor 23 drives a disc 21, Fig. 6, for each kind of change coin through a clutch 28, 29 which is engaged when the appropriate solenoid such as CR1 is energized. The disc has a number of holes 25 which bring coins from a supply tube 26 to a discharge hole 27 and the number discharged depends on the arc through which the disc is rotated. A switch disc 36 is driven by a slipping clutch 37, 43 when a lock 33 is released by the solenoid linkage and when the disc reaches the fifth of a series of contact arms 45 the solenoid is de-energized and the clutch 28, 29 disengaged but the motor 23 continues to turn until the lock 33 engages a radial slot in the disc and the motor relay T is de-energized. A roller 40 linked to the solenoid rides on the disc 21 and ensures the clutch 28, 29 can only disengage when the disc has rotated through an exact multiple of the angle between adjacent holes, the roller then dropping into one of the holes. The accept relay R is energized when the first uniselector U1 homes following the attainment of the price of the selected article; the contact R3, Fig. 4, then opens and extinguishes the machine-operating lamp MO, which is also extinguished while uniselector U1 is operating and while relay T is energized to drive the changegiving disc. The stepping of the wiper of bank U37 on to its main arc energizes relay Z and closing of contact Z3 supplies current to the self-interrupting contacts of the coil UC2 so that the second uniselector is homed. Contacts Z4 and Z5 de-energize the stepping relay H and relay Y and contact 26 energizes through the article selector switch a solenoid which releases the article. Contact Z2 energizes relay W and the self-interrupting contacts of the coil UC3 of the third uniselector are energized for homing of that uniselector. Relays Z, W and Y are then de-energized. Closing of contact R5, Fig. 4, energizes the accept solenoid 50 for the inserted coins and a motor 60 for delivering the released article. The whole cycle of events having been completed, the cam switch SC, which is operated by the delivery motor 60, releases the relays R and F and de-energizes and unlocks the main selector switch SS. Relay 6 releases and lamp MO is re-illuminated. If there are only a few coins left in the sixpence or shilling coin tubes, either the switch NCS1 or NCS2 changes over and a lamp NC is illuminated to indicate that the exact money must be inserted. When the exact money is inserted, the wiper of bank U36 moves one step from ,its zero contact and makes a circuit through a line 117 to the coin-acceptance relay R. If more than the correct money is inserted, the wipers of banks U36 and U38 move on to their main arcs so that the coin-reject relay S is energized through line 120 and all the money is returned. A contact S4 is used to break the locking circuits of relays F and R as the cam switch SC is not operated unless an article is delivered. The shilling switch NCS2 may be arranged to divert pulses requiring the giving of shillings in change to cause release of the equivalent value in shillings. Additional pennies for change are contained in four tubes in a turret rotatable through quarterrevolutions by a motor 62, Fig. 3. A normallyenergized relay V is de-energized by a switch ST when only a few coins are left in a tube and its contact V3 energizes the motor 62. If an article column becomes empty, a switch applies current to the appropriate contact of the selector bank SS3 and when this column is selected by a customer, a relay X is energized to illuminate a lamp OS and, if money is inserted, to energize the reject relay S through contact X1. A contact X2 opens to de-energize relay R. To provide for free delivery of an article after a predetermined number of sales, a stepping relay JA, Fig. 4, imparts small movements to a cam which eventually opens a contact JAC and causes relay UA to be energized. Closing of contact UA6 re-routes the current which otherwise serves the relay R and directs it to the relay S to reject the money inserted, the delivery motor being energized through contacts S2 and UA4 and the article-release solenoid through contact UA5. If the customer desires return of his money before it totals the price of a selected article, he operates a switch RS10, Fig. 4, to energize relay Z and cause uniselector U2 to home and reject the money by a mechanical action. According to whether the coin-reject relay S or the accept relay R is energized, a solenoid 50 or 51 is energized so that a coin reservoir 54, Fig. 9, for each denomination of coin is moved to the left and the coins fall through a hole 55 in a base 53 to a reject shoot 56 or the base is moved to the right and the coins fall to an acceptance shoot 57. Instead of three uniselectors, two may be used if the second one is arranged to count forward beyond the preset article value as the coins are inserted and then count back again to the preset value and release corresponding change.