Patent GB-652392-A (GB)
Title: Improvements in or relating to a coin controlled dispensing apparatus
IPC: G07F11/58
Filed: 1947-12-31
Abstract: 652,392. Coin-freed article-delivery apparatus. HAMILTON, T. F. Dec. 31, 1947, No- 35045. Convention date, May 3, 1944. [Class 27] Delivery of articles stored on conveyers. - Apparatus affording a selection from several kinds s or articles has a plurality of conveyers on which they are stored and a motor r which can be moved selectively into driving engagement with any of the conveyers and which is positively stopped after it has driven the conveyer an amount necessary to deliver one of its articles. The apparatus shown has four superposed conveyers 32-35, each constructed as a removable unit and carrying a different brand of beverage in bottles 37 which are accommodated bet w e e n upstanding transverse flanges 36 on the conveyers and with their neck and butt ends alternating. For the stepwise movement of the conveyers, one end pulley shaft 49 of each is connected through a chain and sprocket gear, as 55, 56, with a respective driving spindle 60, 61, 62, and 63, the opposite ends of which are slotted for engagement by a tongue 71, Fig. 9, at the end of a shaft 70 driven by a motor 64 through reduction gearing. The motor 64, with its shaft 70, is mounted as a unit on a frame 66 which can be rocked about a pivot 65 to engage the tongue 71 with any one of the driving spindles 60-63, the frame being connected through a link 80, a crank and reduction gear with a selector handle 76. Rotation of this handle by the operator rocks the motor frame to engage the shaft tongue 71 with the spindle 60-63 of the conveyer from which delivery is required, insertion of a coin then energizing the motor to drive the conveyer forward to discharge one bottle over its end and to a delivery opening 115. The motor circuit is broken after one revolution of the shaft 70, corresponding to one delivery step of the conveyer, at a switch 85 actuated by a cam 82 on the shaft, a step 86 in the cam then abutting a detent 87 positively to limit the rotation to one revolution exactly. The detent 87 is withdrawn, together with a motor brake 90, by a solenoid 88 in parallel with the motor and energized with it. The shoot 101, down which the bottles fall to the opening 115, is bridged by transverse springs to check their fall, and a trap door in the lower part prevents ingress of warm air to the storage compartment which is heat insulated and cooled by air circulated from a refrigerator unit through passages 30a, 30b. Empty bottles are returned through spring loaded flaps 146 and on to storage turntables which are stepped round as the flaps close-to behind an inserted bottle. Coin action and general operation; coindischarging mechanism; returning coin.- The inserted coin passes down a shoot 118, Fig. 16, and comes to rest on a support 131 and between wings 128 depending from a slotted rod 120. In this position it thrusts aside a switch actuating arm 133 to close a starting circuit for the motor 64, the circuit being maintained for one revolution as above by closure of the cam actuated switch 85. Switch mechanism breaks the motor circuit to prevent operation if the selector handle has not been correctly located. The slotted rod 120 is rockable about its axis in alternative directions by solenoids 125, 126. A bottle, in its passage down the delivery shoot, closes contacts to energize the solenoid 126 which rocks the rod in the direction to discharge the coin into the cash till 135. The actuated driving- spindle 60-63, towards the end of its revolution, depresses a bar 95, Fig. 9. to close a switch 93 which energizes the other solenoid 125 to rock the spindle 120 in the opposite direction. If, owing to non- delivery of a bottle for any reason, the coin still remains on the support 131, it is then discharged on to a return shoot 136 for recovery by the operator.