Patent GB-731583-A (GB)
Title: Improvements in or relating to vending machines
Inventor: FRY BENJAMIN WALTER
IPC: G07F11/06
Filed: 1953-10-06
Abstract: 731,583. Vending-machines. NATIONAL VENDORS, Inc. Oct. 6, 1953, No. 27447/53. Classes 27 and 116. A vending machine has several magazines each comprising a series of article-supporting shelves 95 which are supported at their rear ends by wires 91 passing through the links of a pair of chains 75 and are inclined upwardly with their forward ends slidable on flanges 61 of side-wall members and, on operation of a knob 25 after it has been coin-released, the chains are moved through a distance equal to the spacing of the shelves, the lowermost shelf falls to a downwardlyinclined position 95b where the article supported by it is visible through a window 225 and the shelf which previously occupied the position 95b falls away to release its article C to a delivery chute 227. Pulling out the knob 25 moves a slidable bar 29 to actuate interlock tumblers 35 to prevent pulling out of any of the other knobs 25 and, through a link 121, lever 119 and stud 127, raises a control bar 109. A detent 117 on the bar is thus moved clear of a tooth on a three-toothed escapement wheel 105 on the lower chain shaft 85 and, under the weight of the articles and shelves, the chains move until the escapement wheel engages a second detent 135 which has been lowered by a lever 131 pivoted on the control bar and on a stationary pin 149. All the shelves move down a short distance, the shelf which rests on ledges 155 in position 95b moving sufficiently for a retainer bar 159 to enter a hole 99 in the shelf. The upward movement of the bar 109, through a lever 207, pinion 203 and rack 201, also moves a pusher 197 so that the lowermost of a number of reserve shelves 95 stacked in the upper end of the magazine is pushed forward off a rear platform 189 so that ears 103 on the shelf move clear of forward ledges 191, the shelf falls on to a retainer 215 carried by the pusher and on to a lower forward support 213 and a T-shaped projection 97 comes into keying relation with guides 67. Upon the knob 25 being pushed back, or returned by springs acting on the bar 29, the control bar 109 moves down again, the detent 135 is raised and the detent 117 is lowered behind the tooth of the escapement wheel 105, to engage the next tooth of the wheel as the chains move down to complete their movement through the distance corresponding to the spacing of the shelves. The shelf in position 95b has its rear end lowered clear off the guides 67 and it then slides forward so that its ears 103 clear the ledges 155 and allow it to fall against a holder 163 on which it is retained by the bar 159 passing through the hole 99. The article C slides off the shelf through a hole 167 into the chute 227. Immediately following release of the shelf 95b, the lowermost shelf 95a reaches cut-outs 59 below the flanges 61 and swings down about the supporting wire 91 into the article display position, the impact with the ledges 155 being reduced by a leaf spring 157. Also, as the bar 109 moves down, the pusher 197 and retainer 215 are retracted, allowing the rear end of the reserve shelf to drop and engage a wire 91 and enabling the forward end to slide rearwardly off the support 213. The pile of shelves on the holder 163 may be removed through the hole 167 for replacement on the reserve stack by withdrawing the bar 159 from the opening 99 by means of a lever 169. Articles of different sizes may be accommodated by changing the spacing of the wires 91 on the chains and fitting an escapement wheel with a number of teeth appropriate to the spacing of the wires.