Patent GB-544305-A (GB)
Title: Improvements in and relating to automatic coin freed vending machines and the like
IPC: G07F17/42
Filed: 1939-11-10
Abstract: 544,305. Coin-controlled vending machines with change-giving. KOOPERATIVA FORBUNDET FORENING, U. P. A., and LUNDQVIST, K. H. Nov. 10, 1939. No. 29838. [Class 27] Relates to coin-freed vending machines in which change is delivered to the purchaser according to the value of the coin or coins inserted in the machine, the change-delivering means co-operating with cams rotated through angles proportional to the value of the inserted coins. According to the invention the cams are divided into two groups geared together, one group comprising the cams controlling the delivery of the coins of lower value, these cams being adapted to be set in as many angular positions as the lowest-value coin is contained in the lowest-value coin of the higher-value group, the cams of the latter being rotated through gearing by the cams of the former group to an extent less than 360 degrees after those of the former group have rotated through more than 360 degrees. The machine may be of the kind described in Specification 440,763, in which tickets and change are delivered, and the coins may be counted or summed up as described in Specification 465,694. The apparatus is described in connection with Swedish currency and has six shoots 108 receiving 2Kr, 1Kr, 50, 25, 10 and 5 ore pieces respectively. Coins amounting to a value equal to or greater than the price of a ticket or other article are inserted in the coin shoots 108, where they lodge for summating purposes in the position shown at 138 in Fig. 16 above a coin receptacle 109 the shoot leading to which is laterally displaced. When the coins have all been inserted the purchaser depresses a first member (not shown) which slides rods 130 at each shoot. In each shoot in which a coin has been inserted the coin is pushed by the rods 130 and forces back a plunger 126 and a lever 6, until the coin is over the shoot leading to the receptacle 109, after which it passes to this receptacle where it is stored in readiness to be delivered as change. Each lever 6 that is rocked, each corresponding to a particular coin inserted slides the hub 21, Figs. 11 and 12, of a wheel 104 axially and thereby allows it to rotate through one tooth relatively to an arm 103 coupled to the next wheel, somewhat as described in Specification 465,694. The wheel 104 shown corresponds to a 10 ore piece and has 20 teeth and therefore rotates through 1/20th revolution. The wheel corresponding to a 5 ore piece has 40 teeth, and so on. Thus each wheel 104 corresponding to an inserted coin can rotate relatively to the next wheel through an angle proportional to the value of that coin. All the wheels are mounted on a shaft 4 and the total rotation of the lowest wheel relatively to the fixed shaft corresponds to the total value of the inserted coins. The wheels are rotated by a spring 7, Fig. 1, constantly kept wound up through a slipping clutch 37 by an electric motor (not shown) energised by a coin contact whenever a coin is inserted. The spring 7, through gearing 11, 13, 14, 23, constantly tends to rotate the lowest wheel 104 and a shaft 22 carrying cam or notched discs 5, 10, 25, 50, each shaped as shown in Fig. 20. A second group of cam discs 100, 200, corresponding to 1 Kr. and 2 Kr. pieces, is fixed to a shaft 26 which can be driven by the shaft 22 through a Geneva stop mechanism 33, 31, giving a 1 to 10 ratio, and a clutch or coupling pinion 36. Thus, when a number of coins have been inserted they are summed up by the wheels 104 and the shafts 22 and 26 are rotated through angles corresponding to the total value of the coins, the cam discs being then in positions in which the right change will be given. The cam discs are pre-set to angular positions corresponding to the price of the article to be sold, this being effected by rotating the shafts 22, 26 so as to set the cam discs correctly. The purchaser now operates a second member (not shown) which slides a pin 334, Figs. 1 and 19, to cause a shaft 42 to be driven by the motor wheel 106 and gears 39, 341 through 360 degrees after which this shaft stops again. As the shaft 42 rotates cams 112, Fig. 15, thereon, act through bell cranks 113 on plungers 114 forming the bases of the coin receptacles 109. The plungers are thus lowered to an extent determined by pins 115 thereon which engage either the high or the low parts of the cam discs on the shafts 22, 26. The shaft 42 also carries crank discs 121, Fig. 18, which rock toothed sectors 110 and slide ejectors 111 to eject a coin from each receptacle 109 in which the pin 115 has engaged a low part of the corresponding cam disc. After the article and the change have been delivered the bell cranks 113 and the ejectors 11 return to their normal positions. Zeroising is now effected, i.e., the cam discs 5, 10, &c., are returned to their normal positions by the shaft 42. For this purpose a number of cams 43, 44, 61, 65 on the shaft act through levers and links to (1) disconnect the shaft 26 from shaft 22 by rocking an arm 35 carrying the coupling pinion 36, (2) de-clutch the lowest wheel 104 from the gear 15 in the train between the spring 7 and the shaft 22 so that the latter shaft is rotated further in the clockwise direction until an arm 48 thereon abuts the end 47 of a lever rocked by cam 43, the shaft thus being stopped with the cams 5 to 50 in the zero position, and (3) rotate the shaft 26 counter-clockwise to the zero position through a link 59 and toothed sector 57.