Patent GB-941922-A (GB)
Title: General merchandising machine
IPC: G07F11/46
Filed: 1960-02-09
Abstract: 941,922. Coin-freed vending apparatus. AUTOMATIC CANTEEN CO. OF AMERICA. Feb. 9, 1960 [Feb. 25,19591, No. 4468/60. Heading G4V. A coin-freed machine for vending a variety of articles, such as complete meals, comprises a refrigerated or heated cabinet 10 within which a number of compartmented carriers 206 are carried on chains 200, 204 driven by a motor 254: a timer 272 energizes the motor at intervals so that the carriers are paraded past a double-paned window 38 and a customer's pressbutton switch 302 can also energize the motor so that a carrier containing the desired article can be brought into register with a column of sliding access dodrs 56. Each door 56 is pressed towards the closed position by a spring-loaded lever 66, Fig. 5, and can only be moved a short distance to the right before a cam 104 meets a lug 114 on a stop lever 92. In moving to the right, the cam allows a switch 108 in a solenoid circuit to close and, when sufficient coins have been inserted to rotate a coin register to a value corresponding to the price of articles in a particular tier, the solenoid for that tier operates to move the corresponding lever 92 to a position clear of the cam 104, in which position the lever is locked by a spring finger 132 moving beneath its end. The operation of one switch 104 prevents a circuit being completed for any of the switches 104 of the other doors so that only one door can be opened. The chains 200,202 are carried by sprockets on four shafts 186,188,190 and 192 and one of the shafts is supported in bearings in spring-loaded slides in order to maintain tension in the chains. The compartmented carriers 206 have apertured brackets 220, Fig. 4, which fit over the elongated pins of the two chains, the pins of the upper chain being relatively longer to facilitate placing the carriers on the chains. A fan 230 circulates air round the cabinet and through vents 226 in the carriers. The motor 254 driving the chains is periodically energized by the timer 274 and moves all the carriers past the window 38 until a flange 286 on the back of one of the carriers has moved through a complete cycle back to its initial position, where it opens a switch 284 in a first motor circuit. One revolution of the motor shaft represents a chain movement equal to the width of a carrier and an arm 266 on the sprocket shaft 192 actuates a switch 270 in the motor circuit once in each revolution so that, after opening of the switch 284 or when a customer energizes the motor 254 by the pressbutton switch 302, the carriers always stop with one carrier in registry with the doors 56. Each time the motor is energized a lock solenoid 138, Fig. 5, is energized and rotates a bar 126 carrying the spring fingers 132 so that the stop lever 92 of the opened door is released. A second switch in parallel with the switch 302 is also operated by an arm on the shaft 192 but after a short delay sufficient to prevent a customer jogging the chain motor by closing the door and opening it quickly before the lock solenoid has had time to operate. A thermostatically-operated switch prevents operation of the machine if the refrigerating system breaks down. Switches are also provided for energizing the motor 254 for reloading and for preventing operation of the coin register if the machine is empty.