Improvements in vending machines
Year: 1898

page_text: Improvements in vending machines,
.
I, EDWARD SHAW, of Broad Street House, in the City of London, Engineer, do
hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows
-
In the Specifications of my former Letters Patent No 12996 dated 12 June 1896
and No. 9919 dated 20 April, 1897, I have described vending machines of a kind
in which predetermined quantities of goods are delivered from bulk and in
exchange for a proper coin, and it 18 to vending machines of this kind that my
present invention relates
In order that the nature of my invention may be understood I will describe,
by way of example, a construction of compound vending machine in which my
improvements are included, but it is to be understood that my invention may be
carried out in a variety of forms and that some of my improvements may be
employed without others
A compound machine according thereto may comprise a series of compartments
or drums (hereinafter referred to as diums) each adapted to contain goods, such
as sweets, of a different kind in bulk and mounted on a tube or hollow axis 60
as to be capable of being rotated, one at a time, through suitable coin-controlled
actuating mechanism in approximately vertical planes, said drums being provided
internally at or near their periphenes with radially arranged buckets or scoops
that pick up sweets and drop them into delivery hoppers or tubes which lead
into a common shoot that conducts the sweets to an automatic weighing device,
which, when it tips, discharges the swects into a compartment whence they can
readily be withdrawn and at the same time causes the disconnection of the drums
from the actuating device and thus prevents further quantities of sweets being
withdrawn until another coin 18 inserted.
The several drums may be driven from coin-controlled actuating mechanism
that is common to all the drums and can be geared with any desired dium, it
may be through one or other of a series of clutches that can be set at any time
BO as to connect the actuating mechanism with any particular dium, thus, on
the insertion of a proper coin into the coin slot of the machine, sweets may
be obtained wholly from one drum or from several drums as may be desired
In one arrangement of such a compound machine there are four drums mounted
side by side on a large hollow axis fixed horizontally in an enclosing casing
parts of which close the ends of said axis The diums each comprise a couple
of dished annular metal plates bolted face to face by their outer edges to a peri-
pheral ring, the exterior of which 18 toothed, whilst the interio 18 provided
with buckets or scoops for picking up one at a time the sweets with which the
drums are charged through openings fitted with air-tight pressed-metal lids or
doora The joints between the hollow axis and the drums are made air tight
by means of felt or other packing rings, which may be saturated with lubricant,
arranged between each two drums and between the two outermost drums and
the enclosing casing With the toothed ring of each drum grais a pinion these

page_text: pinions are all loose upon a common shaft and are formed as part clutches,
corresponding longitudinally movable part-clutches being mounted on the said
shaft so as to 1otate therewith
The pinion-clutches are provided with spring-pressed clutch-levers which are
operated by a series of face cams mounted on a cam shaft that extends to the
exterior of the machine and has fixed to its outer end an index by which it can
be turned so as to cause the engagement of any particular clutch. The cams
are so arranged that only one pinion clutch can be in engagement at a time
A dial or series of windows exhibiting the sweets to be sold, or descriptions
thereof, is arranged so that, according to the position of the index, that pinion
clutch will be engaged which will connect to the pinion shaft, the pinion of
that dium which contains the kind of sweets indicated by the index
In line with the pinion-shaft 19 a short spindle that extends to the extenor
of the machine and is there provided with a handle by which it can be freely
turned in one diection Within the casing of the machine and immediately
beneath a coin slot therethrough there is fixed on the spindle a com holder, said
spindle being also provided with a part clutch that is caused by the movement
of the handle, after the insertion of a coin, to engage with a corresponding part
clutch on the pinion shaft, which is then operated by the continued movement
of the handle.
Within the hollow axis is an inclined trough or shoot, into which sweets fall
from the hoppers located within the drums; the lower end of the trough or shoot
is tubular and extends through the casing, where it is provided with a door that
normally makes an an-tight joint therewith The door is adially fixed to a
transverse shaft that is geared to a bevel wheel cariving a lever arm adapted,
on the handle being actuated, to be moved by a coin if there be one in the
coin-holder, so as to turn the transverse shaft and thereby open the door against
the action of a spring
The transverse shaft is also geared to a pinion that
engages with a cucular rack upon the longitudinally movable part of the clutch
that connects the actuating spindle with the pinion shaft, which are thus con-
nected by the movement of the transverse shaft driven by the com After the
coin has moved the lever the required distance, the transverse shaft is held by
a trigger or catch and the coin is discharged from the holde Beneath the
mouth of the sweet shoot is a weighing device, the scale heam of which is tipped
when the proper weight of sweets has been delivered into the bucket on pan
carried thereby, as the bucket or pan falls it turns over and delivers the sweets
into a compartment or chamber whence they can be withdiawn, it may be by
means of a screw conveyor operated from the exterior of the machine The
movement of the bucket or pan operates the above mentioned tugger or catch,
it may be by coming in contact with a wire or the like connected therewith, and
thus releases the transverse shaft which together with its connected gear is
returned by its spring to its normal position, thereby shutting the door of the
shoot and preventing access of au to the drums and throwing out of engagement
the clutch between the pinion shaft and the actuating spindle so that further
rotation of the handle cannot effect the delivery of sweets until another coin 18
inserted On the discharge of the sweets from the bucket or pan the scale beam
18 returned to its normal position by the balance weight and the bucket or pan
again set so as to receive sweets from the shoot
The machine may be provided with paper delivery mechanism adapted to be
operated each time the sweet delivery mechanism is operated Paper, in the
form of bags or sheets each of which has one edge or corner turned under, are
piled up in a suitable box with a portion of its bottom cut away and, it may
be, with a rearwardly inclined front, the arrangement being such that the turned
under edge or coiner projects through the bottom of the box The casing of the
machine just below the bottom of the paper box is slotted and a hooked lever
arm is so pivoted that as it is rocked about its pivot it will engage with the

page_text: turned under edge or corner of the lowermost sheet or bag and pass it through
the slot in the casing so that the customer can take hold of and withdraw the
sheet or bag from the machine The hooked lever arm is rocked forward by
an arm on the heieinbefore mentioned transveise shaft coming in contact there-
with or with another lever arm that is linked thereto. The hooked arm reverts
instantly to its original position by the action of a spring after having passed
out the corner of the paper bag. Preferably the hooked lever arm is carried by
a bracket on the inside of a door that forms part of the casing and which enables
access to be obtained to the paper box and also to the money box. In the front
of the machine is a glass window, through which the weighing mechanism
and an inclined coin trough or guide extending from the coin holder to the
money box may be visible
The airangement is such that there will always be exposed to view the last
few, say eight or ten coins inserted, the coin last inserted always occupying one
definite position The entry of a fresh coin moves on those already in the trough
or guide so that the coin nearest the money box diops into it. By this means
any person standing in front of the machine can see whether a proper coin has
been inserted, and, further, whether any one of the eight or ten coins in view
18 not a proper one This affords a ready means of enabling the use of discs
other than proper coins to be observed It is intended to place on the machine
a notice indicating the position occupied by the coin last inserted for the purpose
of obtaining sweets and offering a reward for information leading to the detection
of anyone fraudulently obtaining sweets.
I, EDWARD SHAW, of Broad Street House, in the City of London, Engineer, do
hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows.
In the Specifications of my former Letters Patent No 12996 dated 12 June 1896
and No. 9919 dated 20 April, 1897, I have described vending machines of a kind
in which predetermined quantities of goods are delivered from bulk and in
exchange for a proper coin, and it is to vending machines of this kind that my
present invention relates
In order that the nature of my invention may be understood I will describe,
by way of example, a construction of compound vending machine in which my
improvements are included, but it is to be understood that my invention may be
carried out in a variety of forms and that some of my improvements may be
employed without others
A compound machine according thereto may comprise a series of compartments
oi diums (hereinafter referred to as drums) each adapted to contain goods, such
as sweets, of a different kind in bulk and mounted on a tube or hollow axis Bo
as to be capable of being rotated, one at a time, through suitable coin-controlled
actuating mechanism in approximately vertical planes, said drums being provided
internally at or near their peripheries with radially arranged buckets oi scoops
that pick up sweets and drop them into delivery hoppers or tubes which lead
into a common shoot that conducts the sweets to an automatic weighing device,
which, when it tips, discharges the sweets into a compartment whence they can

page_text: readily be withdrawn and at the same time causes the disconnection of the drums
from the actuating device and thus prevents further quantities of sweets being
withdrawn until another coin 18 inserted.
The several diums may be diven from con-controlled actuating mechanism
that is common to all the drums and can be geared with any desired dium, it
may be through one or other of a series of clutches that can be set at any time
80 as to connect the actuating mechanism with any particular drum, thus, on
the insertion of a proper coin into the coin slot of the machine, sweets may
be obtained wholly hom one dium or from several drums as may be desued
In the accompanying illustrative drawings,
Fig 1 18 a font elevation of one anlangement of such a compound machine;
Fig 21s a side elevation of the same, the casing being removed;
Fig. 3 18 a section on the line xz, Figure 1.
Fig 4 is a section on the line y y, Figs. 2 and 3;
Fig 5 18 a section on the line z 2, Figs 2 and 3;
Fig 6 shows in side elevation portions of the actuating mechanism;
Fig 718 a front elevation of the same, both on an enlarged scale, and
Fig 8 18 a plan of a portion of the same.
5
Fig 9 shows in side elevation the details of a device for delivering paper.
The machine comprises four diums 1 mounted side by side on a laige hollow
axis 2 fixed horizontally in an enclosing casing 3 parts of which close the ends
of the said axis 2 Each of the drums 1 consists of a couple of dished annular
metal plates 4 bolted face to face by their outer edges to a peripheral ring
having teeth 6 on its exterior, whilst the interior thereof is furnished with buckets
or scoops 7 adapted to transfer to hoppers 8, the sweets with which the drums 1
are charged through openings 9 fitted with a tight pressed metal lids or
doors 10 The joints between the hollow axis 2 and the diums 1 are made air
tight by means of felt or other packing ings 11 arranged as shown between
the adjacent sides of each two drums and between each of the two outermost
drums and adjacent parts of the enclosing casing 3, these packing 11ngs may
be saturated with a suitable lubricant With the teeth on the periphery of
each of the four nga 5, gears a pinion 12; these pinious are loosely mounted
upon a common shaft 13, and are formed with pait clutches 14, corresponding
longitudinally movable part clutches 15 being mounted on the shaft 13 80 as
to rotate therewith, as may be more readily seen by reference to Fig 6 of the
accompanying diawings. The pait clutches 15 are piovided with clutch-levers 16
pivoted at 17 and acted on by springs 18 (Fig. 6) which normally tend to keep
the part clutches 14, 15 engaged.
The clutch levers 16 are operated by a series of face cams 19 mounted on a
cam shaft 20 which extends to the exterior of the machine, and has fixed on its
outer end an index 21 by which it can be turned so as to cause the engagement
of the paits 14, 1 of any particular pinion clutch The face cams 19 act on
the renewable end pieces 22 of the eluteh levers 16 normally compressing the
springs 18 and thus keeping the part clutches 14, 15 disengaged. Portions of
the faces of the cams 19 are however sunk so as to form cavities 23, which
cavities when opposite the lever ends 22 permit the springs 18 to actuate the
clutch levers 16 and thus to cause the part clutches 14, 15 to engage The said
cavities 23 are so arranged or disposed with reference to the cam shaft 20 that
only one pan of part clutches 14, 15 can be in engagement at a time.
In line with the pinion shaft 13 is a short spindle 24, which extends to the
exterior of the machine, and is there provided with a handle 25 by which it can
be freely turned in one direction Within the casing of the machine and
immediately beneath a coin slot 26 therethrough, a coin holder 27 18 fixed on
the spindle 24 which is also provided with a part clutch 28, the movement of
the handle 25, after the insertion of a coin, causes the part clutch 28 to engage
with a corresponding part clutch 29 on the pinion shaft 13, which will then be
operated by the continued rotation of the handle 25.

page_text: 30 is a transverse shaft which is geared to a bevel wheel 31 mounted on a
short shaft 31 to which is fixed a lever aim 32 adapted, on the handle 25 being
actuated, to be moved by a coin if there be one in the coin-holder 27, so as to
turn the transverse shaft 30, and thereby to open a door 33 radially fixed thereto
against the action of a spring 34: the transverse shaft 30 18 geared to the wheel 31
by a bevel wheel 35 fixed to the shaft 30. 36 18 a pinion that engages with a
circular rack 37 carried by the longitudinally movable part clutch 28. 38 18 a
pinion which is fixed on the shaft 30 and gears with a few teeth cut on the edge
of a disc 39 fixed to a short transverse shaft 40. Thus the movement impaited
to the actuating shaft 24 being transmitted through the coin and the lever 32
to the transverse shaft 30, 18 thence transmitted through the gear wheels 38, 39,
36 to the 1ack 37, whereby the actuating spindle 24 18 connected through the
part clutches 28 and 29 with the pinion shaft 13. The door 33 18 allanged so
as to normally close in an air tight manner the tubulai lower end of an inclined
trough or shoot 41 arranged within the hollow axı8 2 into which sweets tall from
the hoppers 8 located within the diums 1 The coin having moved the lever 32,
through a distance sufficient to effect the engagement of the part clutches 28, 29
a spring pressed trigger or catch 42 engages with teeth 43 suitably formed and
disposed on the edge of the disc 39; the transverse shaft 30 and the mechanism
connected therewith are thus held, and the part clutches 28, 29, maintained
in engagement, until the tigger 42 18 disengaged from the teeth 43, as herein-
after described On further rotation of the actuating spindle 24, the coin, cleaning
the lever 32, 18 discharged, no further motion is imparted to the transverse
shaft 30 or to the mechanism in gear therewith, and the rotation of the +pindle 24
is transmitted through the clutch 28, 29 to the pinion shaft 13 and to the dium
that is for the time being geared thereto, the teeth of the cucular ack 37 sliding
between those of the pinion 36
A dial or series of windows 44 (Fig 1) exhibiting the sweets to be sold, or
descriptions thereof 18 aanged so that according to the position of the index,
that pinion clutch will be engaged which will connect to the pinion shaft 13 the
pinion operating that drum which contains the kind of sweets indicated by the
index.
Beneath the mouth of the sweet sheet 41 18 a weighing device, the scale beam 45
of which is tipped when the proper weight of sweets has been delivered into the
bucket or pan 46 canned thereby, as the bucket or pan 46 falls it turns over and
delivers the sweets into a shoot 47 and thence to the purchaser To that end 48
of the scale beam 45 which carries the bucket 46 is attached a fine flexible wire 49
preferably of bronze or other non-corrosive metal, which passing over a guide
pulley 50 on the edge of the shoot 47 18 connected to one end 51 of a small
lever of the first order, the other end 52 of which is connected by a like wire 53
with a second tugger or catch 54 adapted to engage with peripheral teeth 55
on the part clutch 29, when actuated by the descent of the end 48 of the scale
beam.
The trigger or catch 54 is pivoted to and depends from one aim 56 of a bell
crank lever whose other arm 57 makes contact with a projection 58 on the first
mentioned trigger 42 (see Fig 6) The tugger or catch 54 being now engaged
with the teeth 55, the continued rotation of the actuating spindle 24 causes the
Baid catch 54 to pull down the arm 56 of the aforesaid bell ciank lever, whose
other end 57 presung against the projection 58 on the trigger 42 disengages
the same from the teeth 43 and thus sets free the transverse shaft 30, which,
together with its connected gear, 18 returned by the sping 34 to its normal
position, thereby shutting the door 33 of the shoot 41 so as to prevent the access
of air to the contents of the drums 1, and throwing out of engagement the part
clutches 28, 29 between the pinion shaft 13 and the actuating spindle 24 so
that the further rotation of the handle 25 cannot effect the delivery of the sweets
until another coin is inserted On the discharge of sweets from the bucket or
pan 46 the scale beam 45 18 returned to its normal position by the balance

page_text: weight 59, the bucket or pan 46 is again set so as to receive sweets from the
shoot 41, and, the tension on the wues 49, 53 being relaxed, the trigger 54 is
disengaged from the teeth 55 by the action of a spring 60, thereby allowing
the entire mechanism to return to its original state, so that it may be agam
actuated on the insertion into the coin slot 20, ot suitable coin.
The machine can be provided with paper delivery mechanism adapted to be
operated each time the sweet delivery, imechanism is operated., A convenient
form of such mechanism is shown in side elevation in Fig 9, in which 61 is a
suitable box for containing the paper, having an inclined bottom 62, the box 61
18 supplied with paper in the form of bags on sheets 64 each of which has one
edge or corner turned down as shown at 65, the anangement being such that
the tuined under edge of the lowest bag or sheet projects through the bottom 62
of the box, which is partly cut away to admit of this, as shown at 63.
The casing of the machine has just below the bottom 62 of the box 61 a slot 66
through which a bag or sheet is delivered to the purchaser by means of a hooked
level am 67 that is so pivoted that, as it is rocked about its pivot 68, the
point 73 thereof engages with the turned under edge or coiner 65 of the lower-
most sheet or bag, and passes it through the slot 66, so that the customer can take
hold of and withdraw the sheet or bag from the machine The hooked level
am 67 may be linked by means of a connecting 1od 69 to another lever aim 70
which arm is so acted on by a spring 71, that the point 73 of the hook 18 normally
held out of contact with the portions 65 of the paper sheets or bags On the
tiansverse shaft 30 herembefore mentioned, is mounted a lever am 72 having
freely pivoted on the end theicot a small curved contact piece 74 capable of
1ocking to some extent on its pivot 75, and having one end 76 thereof adapted
to beat against a projection 77 on the roching lever 70 The rotation of the
transverse shaft 30 thus imparts to the lever 67, a forward impulse, thereby
causing the delivery of a sheet or bag but the spring 71 coming into action, the
aims 67 and 70 immediately revert to then oiginal position In some cases
the link 69 and the level 70 may be dispensed with, the sping 71 and the
contact piece 74 on the lever 72 then acting directly on the hooked lever 67
The levels 67 and 70 are preferably carried by a bracket 78 on the inside of a
doo 79 forming part of the casing and through which access may be obtained
to the paper box 61 and also to the money box.
In the front of the machine is a glass window through which may be seen
the weighing mechanism and an inclined com trough or guide 80 into which the
coins are discharged from the coin holder 27 and which conducts them to the
money box
The coin trough 80 is furnished with we guards 81 preferably
of bronze, and 18 so disposed or inclined that the last few, say eight or ten, coins
inserted will always be exposed to view, that com last inserted always occupying
one definite position The entry of a fresh coin moves on those alieady in the
tough on guides 80, so that the coin nearest the money box iuns over a slightly
rising portion 82 on the end of the coin trough 80, and falls in to the money box.
By this means any person standing in front of the machine can see whether a
proper coin has been inserted, and further, whether any one of the eight or ten
coins in view is not a proper one This affords a ready means of enabling the
use of discs other than proper coins to be observed It is intended to place on
the machine a notice indicating the position occupied by the coin last inserted
for the purpose of obtaming sweets and offering a reward for information leading
to the detection of anvone fraudulently obtaining sweets
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what
I claim 18-
1 A vending machine comprising two or more compartments for holding in
bulk the goods to be delivered, means adapted to withdiaw predetermined quanti-
ties of goods from the several compartments, a device adapted to actuate the

page_text: goods-withdrawing means of each compartment separately and a coin controlled
device adapted to couple the actuating and delivery means, substantially as heiein-
before described.
2 A vending machine comprising two or more compartments for holding in
bulk goods to be delivered, means adapted to withdraw goods from the several
compartments, a weighing device into which withdrawn goods are delivered and
from which they are delivered in predetermined quantities and a coin-controlled
device adapted to actuate the goods-withdrawing means of each compartment
separately, substantially as herein before described.
3 A vending machine comprising two or more compartments for holding in
bulk goods to be delivered, means adapted to withdraw goods from the several
compartments, a weighing device into which withdrawn goods are delivered and
from which they are delivered in predetermined quantities, a coin controlled
device adapted to actuate the goods-withdrawing means of each compartment
separately, means operated by the action of the weighing device adapted to throw
the actuating device out of gear, substantially as heiein described
4 vending machine comprising two or more compartments for holding in
bulk goods to be delivered, means adapted to withdraw goods from the several
compartments, a weighing device into which withdrawn goods are discharged
and from which they are delivered in predetermined quantities, a coin-controlled
device adapted to actuate the goods-withdrawing means of each compartment
separately, means operated by the action of the weighing device adapted to throw
the actuating device out of gear, and means adapted to be adjusted by hand so
as to put the actuating means into gear with any desired one of the compartments
and to release the others therefrom substantially as hereinbefore described
5 A vending machine comprising one or more 1otary goods-containing com-
partments or drums each provided internally with buckets or scoops and mounted
on an approximately horizontal axis containing a discharge shoot into which
leads a hopper from each compartment, an automatic weighing device, coin-
controlled mechanism for rotating said diums one at a time, and a connection
between the said mechanism and the weighing device, as and for the purpose
specified.
6 A compound vending machine comprising two or more 1otary compartments
or drums each adapted to contain goods of a different kind in bulk and mounted
on an approximately honzontal tube or hollow axis, each drum being provided
internally with buckets or scoops that pick up goods and drop them into a
delivery hopper leading into a common shoot that conducts them to an automatic
weighing device, coin-controlled mechanism whereby the aforesaid drums may
be actuated one at a time and means whereby the tipping of the weighing device
aforesaid effects the disconnection of the aforesaid actuating mechanism," 'sub-
stantially as hereinbefore described
7 A compound vending machine comprising two or more rotary compartments
or drums each adapted to contain goods of a different kind in bulk and mounted
on an approximately honzontal tube on hollow axis, each drum being provided
internally with buckets or scoops that pick up goods and drop them into a delivery
hopper leading into a common shoot that conducts them to an automatic weighing
device, coin-controlled mechanism whereby the aforesaid drums may be actuated
one at a time, means whereby the tipping of the aforesaid weighing device effects
the disconnection of the actuating mechanism. and paper delivery mechanism
adapted each time the machine is actuated, to be thereby operated, substantially
as herein before described
8 In a compound vending machine the combination of a series of rotary com-
partments or diums mounted on a tubular axis and formed internally with
buckets or scoops and externally with teeth, a series of hoppers extending ono
from each compartment to a common discharge shoot within the tubular axis,
a shaft having loosely mounted on it a series of pinions each geared to one of
the several compartments and each provided with a clutch whereby it can be

page_text: coupled to the said shaft, coin-operated mechanism for coupling said shaft with
an external actuating handle, a series of cams so mounted as to be operated
simultaneously from the exterior of the machine and to so operate the clutches
as to couple any one pinion but only one at a time to the said shaft, substantially
as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings
9 In a compound vending machine the combination of a series of rotary com-
partments or drums mounted on a tubular axis and formed internally with
buckets or scoops and externally with teeth, a series of hoppers extending one
from each compartment to a common discharge shoot within the tubular axis,
a shaft having loosely mounted on it a series of pinions each geared to one of
the several compartments and each provided with a clutch whereby it can be
coupled to the said shaft, coin-operated mechanism for coupling said shaft with
an external actuating handle, a series of cams 80 mounted as to be operated
simultaneously from the exterior of the machine and to so operate the clutches
as to couple any one pinion but only one at a time to the said shaft, and a weigh-
ing device connected with the coin-operated coupling which will be thrown out
of gear on the tipping of the weighing pan, substantially as herein before described
with reference to the drawings annexed
10 In a compound vending machine the combination of a series of rotary com-
partments or drums mounted on a tubular axis and formed internally with
buckets or scoops and externally with teeth, a series of hoppers extending one
from each compartment to a common discharge shoot within the tubular axis,
a shaft having loosely mounted on it a series of pinions each geared to one of
the several compartments and each provided with a clutch whereby it can be
coupled to the said shaft, coin-operated mechanism for coupling said shaft with
an external actuating handle, a door that normally closes the mouth of the
common discharge shoot, and paper delivery mechanism, both the door and the
paper delivery mechanism being operated through the medium of the coin so
as to open the shoot and delivering a piece of paper, substantially as herein before
described.
11 A compound coin controlled vending machine constructed arranged and
operating substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and shown
in the accompanying drawings
Doted the and dow of Tu1 1900