Patent GB-330276-A (GB)
Title: Improvements in or relating to coin-controlled mechanism
IPC: G07F5/18
Filed: 1929-02-28
Abstract: 330,276. Cutler, E. N. Feb. 28, 1929. Delivery of articles stored in end- Less bands or piles.-In a coin.freed vending apparatus comprising a plurality of doors, slides, drawers &c. controlled by a single coin-freed or coin-actuated mechanism, each door &c. carries cam or like members which when the door is opened engage between movable elements and displace them in a guideway containing at one end a. resilient stop member and at the other a member freed or displaced by the release or actuation of the coin mechanism, the movement of the elements in each direction being limited so as to prevent the opening of a second door before the first is closed. Figs. 1 and 2 show a coin-freed vending machine forming the subject-matter of Specification 332,697, comprising two vertically sliding magazines e adapted to supply the articles d. to be vended into compartments normally closed by glazed doors b, c, hinged at b<3>, c'. The opening of either door causes curved members b<9> or c<9>, attached to the door hinges, to enter slots g<1> in a guide-tube g containing a number of balls h and each member displaces the balls a distance equal to the diameter of one ball. The movement of the balls at one end is limited by a spring stop g<2> and at the other by a stop on a lever i<1> controlled by the coin mechanism so as to allow the entrance of members of one door only at a time. The side walls b<1> c<1> of the doors b, c are provided with flanged edges b<4> formed with gaps b<5> above the ledges b'. The magazine comprises side walls e<1> connected by downwardly inclined partitions e<2> spaced apart at a distance equal to the depth of the aperture a<11> in the casing partition leading to the vending compartments. The partitions e<2> carry pins e<3> sliding in channelled guides, one of the pins resting when the doors are closed on the ledges b', c'. On the door b being opened the pin e<3> rides off the flange 67 and the magazine drops until the next pin e<3> rests on the outer flange b<4>. On the door being again closed, the gap b' will be brought below this pin and the magazine will drop until the pin rests on the ledge b' when the article above the next partition will slide through the aperture a" into the vending compartment. A catch member f normally limits the opening movement of the door by engagement with a stop b<6> on the flange b<4>. When the catch member is raised the door may be opened slightly farther so as to allow the magazine to be raised for re-charging, the pins e<3> passing through a gap b' in the flange b<4>. Fig. 10 shows a modified arrangement in which balls and sliding members h<1> are arranged in separate horizontal tubes g connected by vertical tubes g<5> also containing balls and sliding members, the opening of any one of the doors &c. carrying the cam or locking members j, k, j<1>, k<1>, j<2>, k<2> preventing the opening of the other doors. In another construction of apparatus for vending gramophone records and similar articles, the articles are arranged in piles resting on slides which are provided on their lower surfaces with cam bars or ribs which on a slide being operated pass through slots in a tube containing balls and displace the balls towards the coin mechanism. The slides are provided at their Tear edges with pivoted or spring catches adapted to engage the lowermost article of the pile when the slide is drawn out while permitting the slide to be pushed back without disturbing the next article above in the pile. " Empty " notices displaying. When the last article in the pile is abstracted, a hinged arm orplate falls into a position allowing an " empty " indicating plate to fall in front of a glared aperture in the casing. Coin action, multiple - coin. - The coin mechanism in Fig. 1 forms the subject-matter of Specification 331,276 and comprises a lever l carrying coin receiving compartments m<7>, m<8> for the reception of pennies and half-pennies respectively from shoots n, o communicating with slots n<1>, o<1>, the compartment in m<7> being set at a greater distance from the lever pivot l<1> to compensate for the difference in weight between pennies and half-pennies totalling the same value. The other end of the lever carries on a screwed stud l, interchangeable weighing members l<3> which are varied according to the amount required to operate the apparatus. The bottom of the compartments is formed by a slide p carried by a spring-pressed rod p<1>. The lever l normally obstructs the movement of a lever q carrying the arm i<1> engaging the end ball in the tube g. When the requisite coins have been inserted in the slots the lever l tilts so as to allow one of the doors b, c to be opened. The movement of the balls forces the lower part of the lever q outwards, thereby causing the upper part to engage the rod p' and move the slide p to permit the coins to fall into a receptacle a<19>. When the door is again closed the mechanism is reset, the rod q being returned to its normal' position by a spring q<2>. Fraud preventing. The under part of the lever l is provided with ratchet teeth l<6> and the upper end of the lever q is bevelled so as to prevent an attempt to shut and re-open a door quickly. Returning coins. Coins inserted after the lever l has been operated by the coins in the compartments m<7>, m<8> are diverted by the top m<2> of the coin receiving device into a return shoot a<24>.