Patent GB-1212857-A (GB)
Title: Liquid dispensing apparatus
Inventor: LINDSAY DAVID ALEXANDER
IPC: G07F13/02
Filed: 1967-10-13
Abstract: 1,212,857. Coin freed vending machine for liquids. D. A. LINDSAY. 14 Oct., 1968 [13 Oct., 1967; 23 April, 1968], Nos. 46866/67. and 19146/68 Heading G4V. [Also in Divisions B1 and B8] A vending machine for dispensing a liquid or a mixture of liquids has a coin-freed control mechanism (Figs. 2, 3) actuated by a handoperated member 9 movable to a first operative position to initiate pumping of a liquid or liquids into a measuring cylinder 2 and, after pumping is terminated, movable to a second operative position to open a valve 29 for dispensing the liquid or liquids. As described, an inserted coin C, having been tested by conventional means, is received on a pivoted supporting plate 27. When the member 9 is pushed in, a slidable, rotatably mounted rod 12 is displaced against the-force of a spring 14 and an axial finger 16 rides over the peripheral surface of the coin C which acts as a cam, to actuate a switch 17 to pump liquid into the cylinder 2. A spring-loaded latch 18 has two detents (not shown) which successively engage the finger 16 to prevent the rod 12 from prematurely returning to its initial position, and to maintain the pressure of the finger 16 against the switch 17 respectively. When the measuring cylinder 2 is full a float valve 5 closes and the pressure of liquid in a communicating cylinder 20 deflects a diaphragm 21 (Fig. 2) carrying a pin 22 which pivots the coin supporting plate 27 to release the coin C into a coin box (not shown), and also abuts a lug 23 on the latch 18 and lifts it against a spring out of engagement with the finger 16 which is spring-returned, together with the rod 12, to its original position. The deflection of the diaphragm 21 may also cause any further inserted coins to be returned, and may actuate a totalizer register. The customer then pulls out the member 9, whereby a stepped bar 32 pivots a bifurcated rod 33 embracing rod 12 to open a spring-closed valve 28 which delivers the contents of the cylinder 2 through a hose 7 (Fig. 4). The valve 28 is prevented from opening when the rod 12 is in its pushed-in position, by engagement of a pin 35 on the rod 12 with the bifurcated end of the rod 33. The flow system for mixing oil with petrol is shown in Fig. 4. The switch 17 actuates an oil pump motor O.M. to pump oil along a pipe 37 via a non-return valve 38 into a metering cylinder 40 which is already filled with oil. A metering piston reciprocable within the cylinder 40 is thereby displaced to the left (Fig. 5, not shown) against the force of a return spring (41), the oil on the left hand side of the piston being expelled along a pipe 39 via a non-return valve 39a and a pipe 1 into the measuring cylinder 2. The oil pump is by-passed when the piston reaches the end of its travel. The metering piston actuates a switch 46 at the beginning of its displacement to cause a petrol pump motor PM to pump petrol along the pipe 1 to the cylinder 2. When the cylinder 2 is full, the oil pump cuts out, the wiring arrangement (Fig. 7, not shown) being such that the petrol pump is thereby cut out also. On release of the member 12 due to the displacement of the diaphragm 21 a recycling valve 42 is opened under the action of a spring (not shown) to transfer oil to the far side of the metering piston as the latter returns under the action of the spring 41 to re-open the switch 46 ready for the next machine cycle. The desired petrol-oil ratio is set by selecting one of a plurality of operative stops (Fig. 5, not shown). In a modified coin mechanism for accepting two coins, the support plate is set at a lower level and the second coin is supported on the first and acts as an abutment. The measuring container may be an adjustable volume container. The oil tank may have a level indicator which prevents insertion of a coin or causes coins to be returned when the oil falls below a critical level.