Coin Actuated Vending Machine.
Year: 1894

page_text: Date of Application, 23rd Oct., 1894-Accepted, 8th Dec., 1894
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Coin Actuated Vending Machine.
I, JOSEPH PAUL BERETTA, a citizen of the United States of America, residing at
No. 7011 Stony Island Avenue, Chicago, Cook County, Illinois, U.S.A., Gentleman,
do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what manner the same is to
be performed to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement and accompanying drawings
My invention relates to a certain new and improved device for the delivery of
articles of merchandise to the public upon the placing of a proper coin in an
opening adapted to the reception thereof, and the operation of a suitable handle,
conveniently located and extending outside of the casing of the machine.
The invention consists in certain improvements pointed out in the claims.
appended hereto and embodied in the preferred construction described below.
Said construction consists in its preferred form:
1. Of a suitable casing containing a coin-receiving opening and a money box
to retain the coins until taken up by the collector.
2. Of a storage receptacle adapted to contain a supply of the goods to be sold,
and provided with auxiliary devices adapted to present the separate packages of
said goods, one after another, at the delivery opening.
3. An automatic gate controlled by the packages of merchandise and adapted
to close the coin-receiving opening when the supply is exhausted.
4. Suitably operated delivering devices adapted to discharge said packages one
at a time from the delivery opening.
5. An operating handle provided with coin actuated connecting devices put in
operation by the passage of a suitable coin through the same and adapted to
operate the delivering devices.
6. Means for disposing of coins of less size than those desired.
7. Means for displaying coins of the proper size to aid in the prevention of
fraud hy means of counterfeit coins.
8. Means for changing and attracting attention to advertisements by the
movement of the operating handle.
The drawings by means of which said preferred construction is illustrated
consists of 16 figures, of which,
Figure 1 is a front elevation of the entire apparatus ;
Figure 2 is a vertical transverse section in line 2-2, of Figure 1 and looking in
the direction of the arrow 2;
Figure 3 is a similar section in line 3-3, of Figure 1, looking in the direction
of the arrow 3, and having certain unimportant and duplicate parts cut away to
enable the other parts to be shown on a larger scale;
Figure 4 is an enlargement of a portion of Figure 2;
Figure 5 is a detail sectional view, the plane of the section being indicated by
the line 5-5, in Figure 8, and looking in the direction of the arrow 5, in the same
figure;
Figure 6 is also a detail section in line 6-6, of Figure 9, and looking in an
opposite direction from that of the previous sections as indicated by arrow 6, in
the same figure;
Figure 7 is a broken view of certain parts seen in looking at the section shown
in Figure 4 from the arrow 7, of said figure;
Figure 8 is a front elevation of a portion of the machine with the front cover
removed;

page_text: Figure 9 is an inclined transverse section cut in line 9-9, of Figure 3, and
looking downward as indicated by the arrow 9.;
Figure 10 is an inclined section in line 10-10 of Figure 4, looking in the
direction of the arrow 10;
Figure 11 is a rear elevation of certain internal portions of the machine just
forward of the rear cover or back thereof;
Figure 12 is an enlarged front elevation of certain devices for displaying the
coins to view; Figure 13 is a similar view showing certain parts in a different
position;
.
Figure 14 is a section of Figure 12 in line 14-14, looking in the direction of
the arrow 14;
Figure 15 is a view looking down upon the parts shown in Figure 4, as indicated
by the arrow 15, and Figure 16 is a similar view showing the parts in a different
position.
The case is lettered A (see Figs. 1 and 2) and is here shown as large enough
to contain a number of duplicate machines for the delivery of as many varieties of
merchandise. Said casing contains a series of slots, a, one for each machine of
just sufficient size to receive the proper coin. A locked and hinged door, a', with
mirror in front furnishes access to the main portion of the interior and a locked
and sliding drawer extending through the entire width of the casing as shown in
section at a', in Fig. 2, is properly located to receive the coins after the same have
passed through the operating devices of the different machines.
Within the interior of the casing and just back of the door, a', are a series of
shelves, B, inclined downward and backward and provided at their rear ends with
gates, b, hinged upon horizontal axes and resting under the influence of gravity
each upon the one next below. Behind the shelves, B, sufficient room is left for
the passage of the packages of merchandise and at the lowest shelf a trough, b¹,
commences leading to a tray, b, from which the goods can be reached from the
outside of the machine.
In filling the machine, the door, a', is opened, the trough, b', is first filled, then
the space behind the shelves, B, and afterwards the shelves themselves. As these.
packages, X, are discharged through the gate, D, those from the top shelf roll
backward into the vertical passage behind the same, the packages in the other
shelves being kept in place by the gates, b, which are held shut by the packages, X,
which rest against them. The shelves will thus be emptied from the top downward
until all the packages are discharged through the gate, D.
A hinged arm, c, is located immediately above the lowest package of merchandise
in the spout, b', and is arranged to be held upward by the packages in the position
seen in Figure 3, as long as any of the packages remain to be sold. This arm is
pivoted at its free end to a curved rod, c, which extends upward and is pivoted to
one arm, c, (see Fig. 6) of a bent lever which is pivoted at c', and whose other
arm, c, carries a shut-off gate, C, adapted, when closed, to prevent the insertion of
coins in the slot, a. As long as the arm, c, is held upward by a package of
merchandise, these parts will remain in the positions shown in Figures 3 and 6.
When, however, the last package is discharged all of said parts drop downward
under the influence of gravity and the shut-off gate, C, drops in front of the
slot, a.
.
The mechanism for delivering the packages, ✗, one at the time, through the
spout, b', consists of a pair of sliding gates, D, D', (see Fig. 3). These gates are
operated by means of links, d', d', pivoted at one end to the gates and at the other
end to the opposite sides of the pivoted frame, F, by means of which the two gates
are alternately opened and closed cutting out one package of merchandise every
time the gate, D, is opened and allowing the next package to advance to said
gate every time the gate, D', is opened. Each of these gates is carried by sliding
rods, d' (see Figs. 4 and 10), to which they are connected by means of ears, d.
The sliding rods are guided in eyes, d, formed upon a bracket, a³, secured to the
casing.

page_text: The bracket, a, extends upward and to the front of the casing where it carries
suitable chute, leading from the slot, a, and inclined downward and backward,
so that the coins may roll back to the operating devices beyond. An operating
handle, E, is pivoted upon a shaft, e, and extends out through a slot, a', in the
front of the casing, the portion outside of the casing being adapted to be grasped
by the hand. The handle extends inward beyond the pivot (see Fig. 5) and
carries at its inner end a block, e', pivoted to the handle at e, the handle passing
through a slot in the block. A spring, e, is also secured to the inner end of the.
handle pressing upon the end of the block. Said block carries upon its back a
short curved trough, e, adapted when in the proper position to act as a continuation
of the trough, a. The pivoted block, e', has upon one side, namely that shown
in Figure 5, a lug, e, having a cam-shaped shoulder, e', extending laterally over
the inner end of the trough, a', as will be seen in Figure 4, and the bottom of
said trough is high enough to stop the proper coin at Y in said figure, resting
against said cam-shoulder, e', at its starting point (see Fig. 4). This shoulder is
so shaped with respect to the bottom of said trough at o (see Fig. 4) that as the
outer end of the handle, E, is lifted, the coin, Y, rolls along the trough and
presses upward against the shoulder, e', raising and holding the upper end of the
pivoted block, e, until the position shown in Figure 6 is reached, when said
shoulder, e', has passed completely over the coin and the latter rolls through the
trough, e, into a tube, a, (see Fig. 4) having a flaring mouth, a', adapted to,
receive it. Upon the opposite side of the pivoted block, e', which is shown in
Fig. 6, is a second lug extending upon both sides of the pivot to form oppositely
pointed pawls, or detents, e, e, and upon the pivot, e, which will be seen in
Figure 8 to be a rod of some considerable length is also pivoted an oscillating
frame, F, which, as before stated, is connected to the delivery gates by means of
the links, d, and which has upon the side of the pivot, which bears upon the
outside gate, D, a weighted portion, f. Upon the opposite side of the pivot it
has at its respective ends a sector-shaped plate, f¹, (see Fig. 6) and arm, f*,
(see Fig. 3). The convex edge of the plate, 1, contains two notches, f, f³,
adapted to be alternately engaged by the pawls, e, elo, and also a third notch, f',
adapted to be engaged by a gravity pawl,, pivoted at f, to the bracket, a³.
Both the handle and the oscillating frame are shown in their normal position
in Figures 3 and 4, that is the outer portion of the handle is shown as far down
as it will go and the swinging frame has reached its limit of movement under
the gravity of the weighted portion, f. If the proper coin is placed in the slot, a,
when the handle is in the position shown in Figure 4 it will stop at Y. If now
the handle be raised slightly as shown in Figure 5, the coin tilts the pivoted
block, e', until the pawl, e, enters the notch, f, and, at the same time, the opposite
end of the block lifts the pawl, f, from the notch, f, thus releasing the oscillating
If now the
frame from the bracket, a, and engaging it with the operating handle.
handle be still further raised, the coin rolling along the shoulder, e', will hold
the pawl, e, in place until the limit of the desired motion is reached when the
coin rolls onward, the spring, e, releases the pawl, e, and the oscillating frame
returns to its normal position because of the weight, f, where it is checked by the
rubber bumper, z, (see Fig. 6). As soon as the handle is released, it drops down
of its own weight. The raising of the handle thus opens the gate, D, to release
the lowest package of merchandise and shuts the gate, D', to cut off the next,
and the return of the oscillating frame closes the gate, D, and opens the gate, D',
to allow the next package to take the place of the one which has just been
discharged.
The mechanism above described, is complete and sufficient so far as the actuation
It is, however,
of the delivery mechanism by the proper coin is concerned.
desirable that certain auxiliary devices be added to prevent the manipulation of the
5 machine by means of a coin of smaller size than that desired, the insertion of larger
coins being prevented by the size of the slot. When the handle is in its most
usual position, which is that seen in Figure 4, there is sufficient space between the

page_text: shoulder, e, and the bottom of the trough, a', to allow a coin of smaller size to roll
beneath said shoulder and a thin plate, g, attached to the pivoted plate, e', turns
said coin to one side into a tube, G; through which it has an unobstructed passage
to the money drawer, a². This plate, g, is fastened to the pivoted block, e', and
moves with the latter so as to not be in the way of the lug, e", when the latter is
brought downward by the raising of the outside handle. As the shoulder, e', tends
to approach the bottom of the trough, a', when the handle is raised, provide
another by-pass to take care of the small coins when the handle is not in the
position seen in Fig. 4. To do this I make a portion, as, of the trough, a', adjacent
to the slot, a, independent of the remainder of the trough and give it a slight'
lateral tension, so that if unresisted it will swing to one side into register with a
tube, g', (see Fig. 4) leading to the tube, G, the entrance to said tube being
sufficient to admit smaller coins, but not those intended to operate the machine..
To force this portion, as, of the trough, a', into line with the remainder of said
trough when the handle is in the position seen in Figure 4, I provide an arm, g,
best seen in Figures 4, 15 and 16, said arm having a cam-surface, g³, and the
portion, a, of the trough being provided with a lug, 9, adapted to slide under said '
cam-surface until the two portions of the trough, a', are brought into line. This
occurs every time the handle is raised and as soon as it is lowered, the portion, a³,
of the trough, a', being released springs to one side into register with the
by-pass, g'.
As it is sometimes found that machines of this class are defrauded by means of
metal disks of the same size and shape as the desired coins I have provided
check upon this sort of manipulation by adding to my machine means for exposing
to view a few of the coins last inserted which have actuated the merchandise
delivering apparatus. To do this I have carried the trough, a', to the front of the
casing as seen in Figure 4, and inserted in it a glass window, H, seen in Figure 1,
and shown in the enlarged views in Figures 12 and 13. At the end of this glass
window are two gates, h, h', carried by a sliding plate, h, guided in a bracket,
secured to the casing. The plate is moved back and forth by means of a link, h³,
pivoted at one end to the plate, *, and engaging at the other end with a
pin, h, by means of a slot, h', to allow of a certain amount of lost motion because
of the greater range of movement of the oscillating frame, F, which carries the
pin, h. The two gates, h, ', in Fig. 12, are arranged so that the former closes
the tube, a', when the sliding plate, 13, is down, as seen in Figure 12, and the other
closes said trough, at a distance beyond sufficient to admit a single coin, when said
plate is raised. As the plate is moved with the frame, F, and as the latter operates
the delivery mechanism it will be seen that one of the coins in the tube, a, will be
passed through the gates, h, h', every time a package of merchandise is passed
through the gates, D, D', so that if a certain number of coins be placed in the'
tube, as, to start with the same number will always be in sight through the
window, H, and the coins in view will be those last inserted in the slot. Thus an
attendant by passing the machines can see at once whether any fraud has been'
attempted and such fraud will also be evident to the public, which facts it is
thought will act as a check upon persons otherwise inclined to operate these
machines by means of disks of metal made of the proper size and shape.
It
In the upper portion of the case, A, is journalled a drum, K, upon the surface of
which are displayed a series of advertisements and a window, k, is provided in the
casing adapted to furnish a view of one of these advertisements as the same 'is
brought in front of the window by the rotation of the drum. Just above the
troughs, a', a rod extends from side to side of the entire machine, said rod being
seen in side elevation at k', in Figure 8 and in cross-section at k¹ in Figure 4.
is journalled in ears, ², upon the brackets, a³, and has a series of arms, k', (see
Fig. 3) carrying at their ends a series of slotted links, k, pivoted to said arms and
engaging by means of the slots one of the cross-rods of the oscillating frames, F:
At one end of the machine the rod, k', carries an arm or crank, k, (see Figs. 8°
and 9) connected by means of a link, k, with a lever, k', pivoted at one end to the

page_text: link and weighted at the other end. Said lever is fulcrumed upon the spindle, 4*,
of the drum, K, and has a side arın, ³, which carries a gravity pawl, 10, adapte.l
to engage with pins, k", extending from the end of the drum to move said drum in
the proper direction to bring the advertisement into view before the window, k. A
second gravity pawl is pivoted to the casing and adapted to engage with the
same pins to prevent rotation of the drum and a cam-shoulder, k, is provided
upon the lever, &, in the proper position to raise the pawl, k", from the pins, 1,
when the lever is tilted for the purpose of moving the drum. There is pivoted
to the casing a hammer, 4, and a bell, A, is secured to said casing in position to
be struck by the hammer which is thrown against said bell by means of a
spring, A pawl, 7, is pivoted to the hammer arm and extends out into the
path of the free end of the lever, A. Said pawl engages with the hammer arm
when it is forced downward by means of a stop, 18, but can be moved freely in the
opposite direction. Whenever one of the oscillating frames, F, is tilted by the
insertion of a proper coin and the raising of the operating handle, said frame
draws down the link, k, to which it is attached turning the cross-rod, k', upon its
axis and lowering all of the other links, k, which, however, do not disturb the
other oscillating frames, F, by reason of the slots in the liuks, . As said cross-
rod is turned, the lever, k', at the top of the casing is tilted ringing the bell and
turning the roller sufficiently to change the advertisement in view, the attention of
the operator being called by the bell to the new advertisement as soon as it comes
in sight.
In the front of the casing and at one side of each slot I place a glass window, m,
and behind said window in a glass jar I display a sample of the goods to be
procured by the insertion of the proper coin in the adjacent slot.
In the above description I have endeavored to explain specifically the exact
construction and arrangement of the different portions of my invention to enable
the same to be thoroughly and easily understood by persons skilled in the art. I
do not, however, intend to thereby limit myself to the exact details, but will proceed
to point out in the following claims the different features and combinations thereof,
which I consider essential to the embodiment of said invention.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is:
1. In a device of the class described, the combination with a suitable casing
containing the necessary auxiliary devices, of mechanism for delivering a definite
quantity of merchandise from the interior of the casing, a coin chute, an operating
handle adapted to be grasped by the hand and a coin-operated pawl adapted to
engage the delivering mechanism and pivoted to the handle above the coin chute in
position to be raised by said coin and thereby engaged with the delivering
mechanism; substantially as described.
2. In a coin actuated vending machine, the combination with a suitable casing
containing a receptacle for merchandise and suitable delivering mechanism, of a
pivoted operating handle extending within the casing, a block pivoted upon said
handle and bearing a pawl adapted when in the proper position to engage and
operate the delivering mechanism, a coin chute having a bottom eccentric with
relation to the handle pivot and a lug upon the block extending over the chute and
having a cam-surface oppositely arranged to the eccentric bottom of said chute,
containing a shoulder adapted to engage the proper coin between it and the
eccentric bottom of the chute and thereby throw the pawl upon the pivoted block
into engagement with the delivering mechanism, and a surface adjacent to said
shoulder adapted to roll along the top of the coin and retain said pawl in engage-
ment until the action of the delivering mechanism is completed; substantially as
described.
3. In a device of the class described, the combination with the casing having
suitable coin-actuated delivering devices and an operating handle, of a coin chute

page_text: and a by-pass, said coin chute having a movable portion provided with a spring
adapted to put it into register with the by-pass and means connected with the
operating handle for forcing said movable portion into register with the remainder
of the chute when said operating handle is in proper position for the insertion of a
coin in the machine; substantially as described.
4. The combination in a coin actuated vending machine with a suitable casing
containing a receptacle for merchandise, a coin chute, an operating handle and
coin actuated delivering mechanism adapted to be engaged with said handle by the
passage of the proper coin, of a by-pass for smaller coins, and a switch adapted to
divert said smaller coins into said by-pass, said switch being connected with the
operating handle, whereby it may be removed from its working position by the
movement of the handle; substantially as described.
5. In a coin-actuated vending machine, the combination with a suitable casing
containing a merchandise receptacle and coin-actuated mechanism for delivering
said merchandise, of a movable advertising surface, a bell, adjacent thereto, a
hammer adapted to strike the same, connecting devices between said advertising
surface and said delivering mechanism adapted to move said advertising surface,
and connecting devices between said delivering mechanism and said hammer
adapted to operate the latter as each package of merchandise is discharged from
the casing; substantially as described.
Dated this 8th day of October 1894.
JOSEPH PAUL BERETTA.