Improvements in Machines for Vending Cigars and other Articles.
Year: 1893

page_text: Date of Application, 21st Mar., 1893-Accepted, 25th Nov., 1893
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Machines for Vending Cigars and other Articles.
1, ALEXANDER BERG, Gentleman, of 5405 Vernon Avenue, City of St. Louis
and State of Missouri, United States of America, 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 :-
My invention relates to improvements in "Machines for vending cigars and other
articles." and consiste in toch aangement and combination of parts, as will be
more fully hereinafter described and designated in the claims.
The object of my invention is to improve upon vending machines for the sale and
automatic distribution of cigars and other articles and it embodies many new and
novel fentures which assist its perfect operation.
In the drawings:
Fig. 1 is a perspective view of my complete invention.
Fig. 2 is a front sectional elevation taken on the line B-B in Fig. 3.
Fig. 3 is a side vertical sectional elevation taken on the line A-A in Fig. 1.
Fig. 4 is a front sectional elevation taken on the line C-C in Fig. 3.
Fig. 5 is a side view of a slotted lever made use of in carrying out my invention.
Fig. 6 is a top plan view of camne.
Fig. 7 is a view looking at the top of an operating mechanism shown in Fig. 9.
Fig. 8 is a view looking at one end of same.
Fig. 9 is a detail side elevation of the operating part.
Fig. 10 is an end view of the parts shown in Fig. 9.
Fig. 11 is a view looking at the bottom of same.
Fig. 12 is a perspective view of a part which directly engages the cigar to be
released, and releases the same when a movement is imparted thereto.
Fig. 13 is a view in perspective of a door releasing mechanism to allow the
withdrawal of the cigar.
Fig. 14 is a side sectional elevation of the operating mechanism, showing in dotted
lines the manner in which the coin is admitted and showing the parts in alternate
position.
Fig. 15 is a horizontal sectional view of a machine casing, showing in detail the
dovc-tail guides for the cigars.
Fig. 16 is a plan sectional view with parts being broken away, showing the
relative position of the coin and full-lever.)
The scope of my invention can be extended to the vending of cigarettes, tobacco,
candy or any articles which are put up in small packages and which in themselves
are in such form as to facilitate such a handling, without in any way changing the
material idea of my invention.
Referring to the drawings:
1 indicates the casing, comprising a rectangular portion 2 at the bottom and
surmounted at the rear side by a sight casing 3.
The front of the casing 3 is provided with a removable frame 4 having a glass
located therein, by means of which the contents of the casing can be examined.
The front 4 is removable as above stated and provided along its lower edge and
upon the front with a projecting strip 5 adapted to engage in a cut-out portion 6 in
the under side of the rear edge of the top 7 forming the cover of the lower
rectangular portion 2 (see Fig. 3 for illustration).
The upper end of the frame 4 is provided with a lock and key by means of which
it is normally secured.
The top 8 of the casing 3 is surmounted by a fancy head-picce 9.
The back 10

page_text: closes the rear of the casing 3 and the portion 2 and is fixedly secured thereto,
vertical guides 11 and 12 are located within the casing 3 and as shown in Figs. 13
and 1 and in the form of a "dove-tail," the narrowed portion of each being toward
the other.
The guides are adapted for the reception of the cigars which are held therein as
shown in Figs. 1 and 2 and the object of constructing the guides in this form is to
prevent any friction in the movement of the cigars downwardly.
The guides 11 and 12 are secured in the casing 3 by means of blocks 15 secured
to the inner sides of the easing 3 as shown in Fig. 15.
By reference to Fig. 3 it will be seen that the space between the guides 11 and 12
and the back 10 is open and leads into a chamber 16 located in the portion 2 and
directly in the rear of the operating parts.
The cigar when released from the guides drops into the chamber 16 and passes
from the same through a space 17 under the operating mechanisms.
A slanting bottom to the chambers 16 and 17 is provided by a curvilinear
plate 18 which is secured to the back 10 at a point some distance from the bottom 19
of the entire casing and is joined at the front of the easing to raid bottom 19. A
rectangular opening 20 in the front 21 is provided with a mechanically operated
door 22 which when released is thrown outwardly by springs 23 which also serve
to prevent the cigar from rolling out upon the floor.
The door 22 is hinged to the casing and provided with a knob 24 by means of
which it is manipulated.
Immediately above the door 22 and projecting inwardly into the casing 2 is a
cash drawer 25 which is independent of any movement by the operating mechanism
and is provided with a lock and key by means of which it is kept closeil.
The inward movement of the drawer is limited by a vertical partition 26, which
depends from the top 7 of the casing 3 and in alignment with the front of the
casing 3 and which acts as the front wall of the chamber 16.
The guide for the drawer 25 is provided by a horizontal partition 27 connecting
with the front 21 and with the partition 26 and forming a rectangular chamber 28
in which the operating parts are located and said partition 27 defines the upper end
of the chamber 17.
Intermediate of the sides of the casing 2 and upon the top 7 adjacent to the front
is located an upwardly projecting rectangular guide 29, the opening in which
corresponds with the opening 30 in the top 7 and through which the coin is adapted
to pas
Located upon the inner sides of the door 22 and adjacent to the upper edge of
same are located two projections 31 provided with circular openings in their upper
sides adapted for the reception of the ends 32 of a horizontal lever 33, hereinafter
described.
Guides 34 are located upon the upper side of the partition 27, to assist in the
guidance of the drawer 25.
I will now proceed with a description of the operating parts.
The coin when dropped through the opening 30 enters a casing 35 which consists
of two plates 36 and which really forms what might be termed an irregularly
outlined box with a portion of the sides and ends open.
The upper edges of the plates 36 are horizontal when the same are in their
normal position and not connected together as they are adapted for the passage and
guidance of the coin.
The forward upper corner of the box 35 is rounded and adjacent to same is a
cut-out portion 37 extending about mid-way into the box.
Next below the cut-out portion 37 is a projecting curvilinear portion 38 provided
with circular apertures 39 through which a shaft 40 is placed and which forms the
axis for the movement of the part.
The box 36 upon the forward side terminates in a downwardly projecting
portion 41, the edge 42 of which is in aligument with the inner face 43 of the
cut-out portion 37.

page_text: Upon the upper rear edge of the box is a slanting portion 44 terminating in a
downwardly projecting vertical portion 45, said portions 44 and 45 being closed.
From the downward point of the portion 45 extends an upwardly projecting
substantially rectangular cut-out portion 46 which is open and which has its forward
side curvilinear and projecting downwardly, said curvilinear portion 47 connecting
with a rectangular cut-out portion 48 which connects with the lower edges 49, said
portions 46, 47, 48 and 49 all being open to allow the passage of the coin.
The entire front portions of the casing 35 are closed as shown in Fig. 8 and the
edges 42 and 13 form the incline down which the coin is adapted to slide.
The shaft 40 is rigidly held by the sides of the casings 2 in a horizontal position
as shown in Fig. 4, the parts moving upon the same.
The box 35 is provided with circular apertures 50 adjacent its upper left hand
corner through both of the plates 36, through which a shaft is located, upon the
projecting ends of which and adjacent to the plates 36, are located two rearwardly
projecting levers J1, upon the ends of which are secured a horizontal strip 52
curvilinear in cross-section, and to which is longitudinally hinged, a strip 53 by
hinges 54, said strip 53 also being curvilinear in cross-section, the two complete
being shaped substantially as shown in Fig. 12.
The levers 51 project through a slot 55 in the upper end of the partition 26 and
into the chamber 16.
Secured upon the back of said partition 26 and under said slot 55 is a horizontal
strip 56 upon which the curvilinear strips 52 and 53 normally rest. said strip 53
allowing the release of the cigar from the vertical guides 11 and 12 when said
lever: 1 are pushed far enough back to allow said hinged strip 53 to drop in a
depending vertical position.
A little to one side of the center between the sides of the casing 2 and running
from the front of the partition 26 is a horizontal strip 57 adapted to support parts
of the working mechanism.
A pull lever J8 detailed in Figs. 5 and 6 consists of a longitudinal bar having a
curvilinear raised portion 59 upon one edge and to one side of the center of same, a
slot 60 is formed through said lever for the purpose hereinafter mentioned.
The forward end of the lever 58 is provided with a removable screw threaded
finger-piece 61 and the opposite end is provided with an outwardly projecting ear 62,
while upon one side of said lever, the same being the side upon which the car 62
was located, projects a lug 63.
The opposite side of said bar is provided with a projecting pin 64 through
which one end of a coil spring 65 is secured, the other end of same being secured to
the strip 57.
A removable bolt 68 projects horizontally from the strip 57 and is adapted to
engage in the slot 60 in the lever 38 and control its movement.
The strip 57 is provided with a horizontal depression 67 (Fig. 16) which is a
little in the rear of the pin 66, and in which the projecting ear 62 is adapted to
operate.
A projection 68 along the lower edge of the strip 57 is located immediately under
said slot 67 and is adapted to engage the coin and hold it in a position to act as a
cam when the lever 58 is pulled outwardly.
The construction as herein shown is adapted for operation by an ordinary U.S.
coin of the denomination of ten cents, but in this connection I desire to state that
the size of the openings in the box 35 and the position of the slot 67 and the
projection 68 could be changed to accommodate any size of coin.
The construction hereinbefore referred to as a box or casing was in order that it
will be understood that the same embraced the coin, providing a means in itself for
the
passage of the coin without the assistance of any other parts.
The horizontal arm 33 has an upwardly projecting portion 69 provided with a
vertical slot 70, said projection 69 being located adjacent to the outer side of the
box 3.5 and through the slot 70 is located the pull lever 58 when said lever 58 is
pulled outwardly as shown by the dotted lines in Fig. 3, the raised curvilinear

page_text: portion upon its upper edge engages the upper end of the slot 70 and raises the
projection 69 and consequently the horizontal arm 33 connected thereto, thus also
lifting the ends of the downwardly depending arms 33 out of the openings in the
blocks 31, allowing the springs 23 to throw the door 22 outwardly, exposing the
cigar which has been released, said springs 23 also serving to stop the cigar at
the front of the machine to prevent the same from being dropped on the floor.
When the coin passes downwardly through the box 35 the same engages the
projection 68 and also the projection 62 upon the lever 58 and the lower forward
corner 71 of said box 35.
The lug 63 upon the side of the lever 58 engages the face 42 of the box 35 and
when said lever 58 is pulled outwardly the coin acts as a fulerum or cam and
causes said box 35 to assume the position as shown by dotted lines in Fig. 14,
and the coin then drops through into the money drawer 25 between the corner 71
of the box 35 and the projection 6s, as is shown by the dotted lines in Fig. 14.
The movement causes the box 35 to move downwardly, and its upper end rear-
wardly, thus bringing down the forward ends of the levers 51 and also projecting
them backwardly so that the strips 52 and 53 are down and behind the bracket 56.
This movement allows the cigar to be released and at the same time prevents
the next eigar in the guide from following the first as it drops upon the lever 51
adjacent the point where the strip 52 is secured on, said strip 52 acting as a shoulder
to give the cigar an impetus.
The springs 65 cause the return of the pull-lever 58 and consequently the
engagement of the said box 35 by the lugs 63 cause said lever 35 to assume its
normal position, and the hinged strip 53 up into the top of the bracket 56, and
forming a receiver for the next cigar.
The arms 32 have projecting lugs 72 above the partition wall 27 and are connected
with said wall by means of springs 73, the normal tendency of which are to keep
said arms 32 down in the openings in the projections 31 upon the back of the
door 22, and when said lever 58 returns to its normal position, the springs force said
arms downwardly into the openings and thereby hold the door in a locked position
until the next person places a coin in the slot.
In Fig. 14 will be seen the detailed construction of the box 35, showing
particularly its solid and open edges.
A particular feature of this construction lies in the fact that it provides in itself
a guide for the passage of the coin and is not dependent upon other parts for said
guidance and passage.
The construction and location of the curvilinear strips 52 and 53 absolutely
prevent the releasing of more than one cigar at a time, the sudden drop of the
hinged strip 53 over the edge of the bracket 56, giving to the cigar an impetus
which causes it to appear at the opening 20 behind the springs 23.
In order to place the cigars in the guide provided for their reception the front 4
is unlocked and removed and the cigars placed in the guides.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what 1
claim is:
1. An improved cigar vending machine having an actuating lever adapted to
provide an interior passage for the conveying of the coins to a point at which it
will net in conjunction with other parts, substantially as set forth.
2. An improved cigar vending machine. having an actuating lever adapted to
provide a passage for the conveying of the coin, said coin adapted to act as a
fulcrum or cam to directly actuate other parts, substantially as set forth.
3. An improved cigar vending machine, having a curvilinear hinged gravitating
strip adapted to be actuated by other means and to gravitate over a horizontal
projection, to give the cigar an impetus to assist its passage through a chamber,
substantially as set forth.
4. An improved eigar vending machine, having a guide for the location of the

page_text: cigar supply, said guide comprising two upright guides projecting towards ench
other and of a dove-tailed form in cross-section said guides secured within a casing
and adapted by their form to prevent friction in passing the cigars, substantially as
set forth.
5. An improved cigar vending machine, having a passage leading from the cigar
supply guides, the floor of said passage of inclined form to insure the passage of
said cigar to an opening normally closed by a spring-controlled door, the opening of
said door adapted to be consummated by the actuation of other parts, substantially
as set forth.
6. An improved cigar vending machine, having a spring controlled pull lever
adapted in operation to engage a piveted lever and a coin, and the outward more
ment of said lever adapted in conjunction with the coin to actuate said pivoted
lever, to allow of the opening of a door, and the operation of a gravity-strip
allowing the release of a single cigar, substantially as set forth.
7. An improved cigar vending machine, having a casing comprising a lower
rectangular portion surmounted at the rear by a sight-casing, a downwardly pro-
jecting partition in said rectangular portion continuous with the front of said sight-
casing, a horizontal partition connecting with said vertical partition at a point above
the bottom of the easing thereby forming a continuous passage from the cigar guide
to the lower front of the rectangular portion, and an inclined wall slanting down-
wardly from the back of said passage, to give the released cigar an impetus,
substantially as set forth.
8. An improved cigar vending machine, having a pivoted lever adapted to provide
passage for the coin and to embrace said coin during the operation, horizontal
levers pivoted to the upper forward end of said lever, and oscillatory in conjunction
therewith, a depending curvilinear longitudinal Choulder strip secured to the free
ends of said horizontal levers, an upwardly curved hinged gravitating strip con-
nected to said shoulders, and a downward and rearward movement of said pivoted
lever adapted to push said gravitating strip beyond a projection adapted to hold
same, thus releasing a single cigar from the guide, substantially as set forth.
9. An improved cigar vending machine, having a pull-lever provided with an
elongated slot, by means of which it is held in position, a projecting portion upon
one end of said lever, a depending lug upon the same side of said projection, a
removable screw threaded finger piece upon the outer end of said lever, a raised
curvilinear portion upon the upper edge of said lever, said lever adapted to operate
in conjunction with a pivoted box and a coin, to operate said pivoted box and other
parts, said lever adapted to be located in a slot formed in a vertical projection
carried by a horizontal bar having dependent end-pieces adapted to engage in a
door, and the pulling out of said lever adapted to raise said projection by means of
a projecting curvilinear portion upon the upper edge of said lever, to release said
door, substantially as set forth.
10. An improved cigar vending machine, having a lever pivotally mounted upon a
horizontal shaft secured in the casings, said lever comprising two plates, equi-distant
apart at all points of their surfaces, portions of the sides and ends of aid lever
open, to admit of the passage of a coin, means provided for stopping said coin at a
certain desired point, said coin adapted to be engaged by a projection upon a lever,
by the means provided for stopping the downward movement of same, and by a
corner of the lever, and the outward movement of said lever adapted in conjunction
with the coin to operate said pivotally mounted lever, the same actuating other
parts to release a cigar and open a door for the passage of same to the purchaser,
substantially as set forth.
11. An improved cigar vending machine, having a direct cigar releasing
mechanism comprising a hinged gravitating strip, curvilinear in cross-section and
hinged to a longitudinal curved shoulder-strip, secured to the ends of two levers
pivotally connected with a hollow coin embracing lever adapted to provide an
interior passage for the conveying of the coin, means for stopping said coin at a
desired point, a pull lever adapted to engage the coin upon one side by a projection

page_text: and similarly engage one side of the lever, and the operation of said pull lever
adapted to operate said coin embrac' g lever and the cigar releasing gravitating
strip, substantially as set forth.
12. An improved cigar vending machine, having a lever oscillatorily mounted
upon a horizontal shaft, secured in the side casing walls, said box 35 comprising
two plates 36 parallel throughout their surface, the upper edges of said plates
horizontal when the box 35 is in a normal position, the front sides of said plates
joined by the edge-strip, the front sides comprising a curvilinear corner, an inwardly
projecting cut out portion 37, an outwardly projecting solid projection 3%, curvilinear
in form and provided with an opening 39, by means of which it is mounted on said
horizontal shaft, an inclined face 12 coresponding with the face 13 of the cut-out
portion 37, the rear sides of said plates inclined at 44 and from thence a down-
wardly projecting vertiend portion 45, said portions also commerted by edged-strips,
an upwardly projecting substantially rectangular cut out pertion 46, de periding into
a curvilinear peition 7.a notched icctangular portion 48 atel a portion 49 substan-
tially horizontal, all of sad portions de 47, is and 4 open as well as the upper
horizontal portion, and providing a passage within and between said plates for the
coin, substantially as set forth.
Dated this 20th day of March 1893.
ALLISON BROS.,
Agents for the Applicant.