Patent GB-695867-A (GB)
Title: Improvements in coin-operated article dispensing systems
IPC: G07F5/18
Filed: 1950-02-10
Abstract: 695,867. Coin freed machines delivering selections of articles at different prices. COMMUNICATION ENGINEERING PTY., Ltd. Feb. 10, 1950 [Feb. 15, 1949], No. 3486/50. Class 27. A deposit must be inserted in a vending machine before articles for purchase may be selected. The selected articles are delivered only when further money is inserted to bring the total amount inserted up to the total price of the articles. An order is cancelled and the money inserted, less the deposit, returned when a refund button is pressed: the deposit is also returned if the total price of any articles selected does not exceed it, or if the means for collecting the deposit has been made ineffective by a control preset by the proprietor. The machine illustrated includes a dispensing system of the type in which articles are released, when selected, from their various shelves to fall on to a final delivery conveyer: the conveyer is driven to deliver the articles to the customer only after insertion of the total price and is driven in the opposite direction to return' the articles to a store for subsequent sorting and redistribution to the shelves should the customer cancel his order or not complete payment. Selecting articles for purchase. A relay M (Fig. 1) is operated by insertion of a deposit of not less than sixpence and at m' provides an earth for operation of a key-set K1, K2 &c. which controls a digital selecting circuit SRG similar to that of Specification 659,601. The key-set provides eight groups of fifty keys, each key selecting one of four hundred articles. Each group of fifty keys is arranged in a selection frame carrying a sample of the article selected by each key, and to each of the eight groups there corresponds one winding of four relays B, C, D and E, whose contacts b2, c2, d2 and e2 are arranged to mark one of four wires leading to the section SRG1 of the selecting circuit SRG which deals with the first (most significant) digit. Each key in each group also places earth on a corresponding contact on one of two banks KS1, KS2 of a four-bank 25-outlet rotary stepping switch KS1-KS4 and all the keys are connected to a relay J which causes the stepping switch to hunt for the earthed contact. Wires to the sections SRG2 and SRG3 of the selector SRG corresponding to the second and third digits are marked by banks KS3 and KS4 of the switch KS in conjunction with contacts of relays A and N each operated in series with one winding of each of the relays B, C, D and E, and with contacts of relays F and G in series respectively with the banks KS1 and KS2. During operation of the selecting circuit SRG it is isolated by contacts k1, k2, k3 of a relay K. Contacts b1, c1, d1, el, f6, g6, and n6 prevent a faulty signal to the selecting circuit SRG as a result of pressing two keys simultaneously. Coin action; electric connection, multiple coin. As each penny, sixpenny or shilling piece is inserted it temporarily bridges corresponding contacts dsc, mdsc or ssc (Fig. 2) to cause a relay DA, MD or S to convey a pulse to one of the counting circuits described below. Counting apparatus; totalling coins inserted. Coin-slit closing devices. To open the coin-slits the customer must move an operating lever which also closes a "start" key SK (Fig. 2) operating a relay PD which locks at pd1 and at pd5 (Fig. 3) operates a relay HH which locks at hh10 and at other contacts prepares the coin-totalling apparatus. Contact hh6 (Fig. 4) disconnects a homing circuit for a switch SS1 which subsequently steps in response to pulses on its driving magnet SM from contact sl of the shilling insertion relay S. Sixpences are counted on a scale of two circuit MC, CA, MS (Fig. 3) operated by pulses at md from the sixpence insertion relay MD. When contacts md first close relay MC operates and at mc1 prepares a holding circuit through relay CA, which is therefore operated and held when contacts md open. When the contacts md again close relay, MS is operated over (operated) change-over contacts ca1 Contacts ms2 release the relays MC and CA after contacts ms1 have locked relays MS to the earth over contacts md, and relays MS releases when contacts md again open, so restoring the system to its original condition. Carry-over to the shillings-counting switch SS] (Fig. 4) is effected by contacts ms3 during the temporary operation of relay MS. Pennies are counted by a switch PS1-PS4 (Fig. 3) the driving magnet PM of which receives pulses from contacts da of the penny-insertion relay DA. A homing circuit normally connected to all the contacts of the first bank PS1 of this switch is disconnected from contacts 1-5 by relay contacts hh5 when the customer operates the " start" key as described above. When however six pennies have been inserted the switch steps automatically until it reaches its home contact. Carry-over to the sixpence-counting circuit is effected by contact t1 of a slow-release relay T connected to contact 6 of the second bank PS2 of the switch. Counting deposit. The first operation of CA as a result of inserting a sixpence or. six pennies, or of S as a result of inserting a shilling, closes contacts ca2 or s2 (Fig. 3) to operate relay H which locks at h1 and at h2 (Fig. 2) closes the circuit of the relay M (Fig. 1) to permit selection. Contacts h4 release relay PD (Fig. 2) and contacts h3 prepare the holding circuit of relay PC. Checking tender against price. As articles are selected their prices are totalled as described in Specification 666,442 and the total marked on wires of cables 4, 5 (Figs. 4 and 3) by rotary switches SA3, PA3. When his selection is complete the customer moves the operating lever to close the coin-slits and operate a " finish " key FK (Fig. 2) the lever then locking in this position. The contacts FK close a circuit for relay PC which locks at pcl. Contacts pc3 (Fig. 2) release the relay M (Fig. 1) to prevent further selection and contacts pc4 (Fig. 3) release relay PX. Contacts pc2 and px 1 (Fig. 4) add a halfpenny to the total price if contacts 1hp are operated indicating an odd number of halfpence in the price. Contacts pc5 (Fig. 4), pc6 and px2 (Fig. 3) close circuits over switch bank SS3 for comparing the amount tendered with the price marked by switches SA3, PA3 (Fig. 4) on the switch banks SS3 (shillings), PS3 (1d. to 5d.) and PS4 (6d. to 11d.). When in response to coin insertions as described above the wipers of these banks reach the marked (earthed) contacts relays SC (Fig. 4) and DD, DC or DE (Fig. 3) are operated, the relay DE being operated if relay MC is operated as a result of insertion of an extra sixpence instead of a smaller amount in pence. The contacts scl (Fig. 4) of relay SC prepare a circuit for relay SD should an extra shilling be inserted instead of a smaller amount in pence. The contacts sc2, dd2, de, dc2 and sd and contacts ca4 (closed when an odd number of sixpenny amounts has been inserted) close a circuit for one winding of relay SG when a sufficient sum has been inserted. Relay SG locks at sgl over its second winding and switch-bank TS1. Contacts sg2 prevent operation of the refund relay R (see Returning coins below) and other contacts of the relay SG cause the coins to be discharged, the selected articles to be delivered and the circuits to be restored to their normal condition as described below. Relay SG also operates over contacts h5, ta2, px4 and r2 if the total price is less than the deposit. Discharging coins. Collecting deposit. The inserted coins are discharged to the coin receiver when a magnet CCM (Fig. 2) is temporarily operated both by closure of contacts sg3 when the total price of the selected articles has been inserted, and (earlier to cash the deposit) by closure of contacts tc2 when the total price of the articles first exceeds the deposit. After each such operation the magnet CCM is released by contacts ax, bx of a slow-release relay AX or BX which is normally operated over the back-contacts sg3 or tc2. The relay TC (Fig. 3) is operated to cash the deposit when the second contact of bank PS4 is earthed indicating that the price registered by wiper PA3 (Fig. 4) has reached sevenpence, or when relay TA (Fig. 4) is operated to close its contact ta1 by an earth placed on the second contact of bank SS3 by movement of the wiper of bank SA3 to register a shilling. Operation of the magnet CCM releases the mechanical lock on the operating lever if this has been moved to operate key FK. If the deposit is always to be refunded the circuit for operation of magnet CCM from contact fc2 is broken by a manually operated switch (not shown). Returning coins. Should the customer wish to cancel his order he presses a button RB (Fig. 2) which is connected mechanically to return the inserted coins less the deposit if it has already been discharged. The button RB also closes the circuit of relay R (Fig. 4) which holds at r1, disconnects the delivery relay SG at r2 and at r3 (Fig. 2) closes a circuit for operation of relay SR which effects the return of the selected articles to the store and restores the circuits. Delivering articles. Cancelling order: returning articles to store: restoring circuits. Operation of relay SG when the sum of money inserted reaches the total price of the articles selected prepares at sg4 (Fig. 2) a circuit for the relay SR. When the inserted coins are discharged they bridge contacts cbd in passing to the coin receiver so that relay SR operates and holds at sr1: relay SR may also operate over contacts r3 of the refund relay R. Contacts sr3 (Fig. 4) close a circuit over interrupter springs tm for the driving magnet TM of switch TS the wipers of which normally lie on the last contacts of the banks as shown. After the resulting initial step the magnet TM receives driving impulses over the wiper of bank TS3 in series with a relay TN forming part of a reflex circuit TN, TX generating pulses of low repetition frequency: this action provides sufficient delay to ensure