Improvements in Coin-controlled Vending Machines.
Year: 1897

page_text: Date of Application, 3rd Nov., 1897-Accepted, 19th Mar., 1898
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Coin-controlled Vending Machines.
We, ALEX. HENRY GRANT, of 2606, Wallace Street, Chicago, County of Cook,
State of Illinois, one of the United States of America, Electrician; and WILLIAM
HENRY GETZELMAN, of 2925, Bonfield Street, in said Chicago, Wagon-maker; do
hereby declare the nature of this invention, and in what manner the same is to
be performed, to be particularly described in and by the following:
This invention relates to coin-controlled vending machines, and has particular
reference to machines for vending cigars.
Its objects are first to provide a simple and inexpensive coin-controlled device
for containing a number of cigars or packages and vending same either singly
or in small lots; second, to provide means for adjusting the device for cigars
or packages of different sizes; third to provide a novel delivery device which
will prevent access to the cigars or packages contained in the storage receptacle;
and fourth to provide novel actuating and releasing mechanism for discharging
the desired number of cigars or packages from the storage receptacle into the
delivery device.
We accomplish these objects by the device illustrated in the accompanying
drawings. in which :-
Fig. is a vertical section of a cigar vending machine constructed according to
my invention; being a section on the line x-x of Fig. 2, with the cover included.
Fig. 2 is a top plan of the machine with the cover removed.
Fig. 3 is a vertical section on the line y-y of Fig. 2.
Fig. 4 is a front elevation, with a part of the front wall broken away.
The frame of the machine consists of a casing 1 in which is the vertical wall 2,
which divides the casing into two compartments of which the front one is for
storing the cigars and the rear one for storing the coins. The coin-storing com-
partment has a bottom 3 above the bottom of the casing, leaving a space for part
of the mechanism.
A partition 4 extends across the upper part of the casing, parallel with the
wall 2, and some distance away from said wall, so as to leave a space in which the
plunger 5 operates and in which the coins are received and carried to their storage
compartment.
The plunger 5 has a shoulder 51 within the casing and a knob 51 on the outside
of the casing. A spring 7 surrounds the plunger and rests between its shoulder
and the shoulder 6 on the frame. The spring normally urges the plunger out-
wardly. A pin 8 in the plunger limits its outward movement by contact with
the casing.
Under the plunger is a partition 10, supporting same, and above the inner end
of the plunger, in the member 9, is the coin-slot by which the coins 27, are carried,
when the plunger is pushed inwardly, to the coin-storing receptacle.
The rod 13 projects up into the course of the coins when carried by the plunger.
This rod has a head 131 thereon, which together with the head 13" on the frame,
partly closes the passages for the coins, so that when the coin is pushed inwardly,
by the plunger, it will force the rod 13 downwardly.

page_text: The rod 13 is guided at the upper end by the pieces 11 and 12 on the frame,
passes through the partition 3, and is normally held in its upward position, by
the spring 14 which is secured to the rod and rests upon the partition 3. The
spring is protected from the coins in the receptacle, by the casing 15.
Below the rod 13 is a lever 16 pivoted in the frame at 16. The rod 13 when
pushed down will press upon the inner arm of the lever 16, forcing its outer or
rear arm upwardly.
A lever 17 is pivoted in the frame at 17', has its rear arm above the rear arm of
the lever 16, and its front arm reaching partway across the discharge passage of
the cigar storage compartment. The rear arm of the lever 16, when raised, acts
upon the lever 17 so as to lower its front arm from said discharge passage.
A lever 18, pivoted in the frame at 181, has its front arm under the front arm
of the lever 17, and its rear arm secured to a spring 19 which is fastened to the
frame, and which normally holds the levers 18 and 17 in the position shown in
Fig. 3.
A projection 13", extends outwardly from the inner arm of the lever 18 and is
designed to shut off the passage for cigars, just above the one to be delivered
whenever the mouth of the discharge passage is opened by the lever 17 so as to
release the lower cigar.
The lower cigar 26, when thus released, drops into the delivery member 20.
This consists of a receptacle open towards the discharge passage in the cigar storage
device, and pivoted in the casing, at 20¹. It is provided with an outwardly pro-
jecting tongue 2011 which when pressed down will turn the member 20 on its pivot
until its bottom piece strikes the shoulder 25. The member 20 will thus open
outwardly so that the cigar therein may be removed from the outside. The front
wall 2011 is preferably made of glass so that the cigar therein may be seen.
The front wall of the casing also preferably has a glass part 21, so that it may
be seen when the storage compartment becomes empty.
The wall 2, and the front wall of the casing are each provided with inner
grooves 2, in which removable partitions 24 are held. These are placed so
as to form a compartment between same having a width slightly greater than
the length of the cigars.
The partitions keep the cigars in the proper position lengthwise.
Between the partitions 24, are two front guide-pieces 22 and two rear guide-
pieces 23. These are such a distance apart as to properly support the cigars
and guide them toward the discharge passage.
In the wall 10, we prefer to make a slot 10 slightly smaller than the coin for
which the machine is intended, so that if the smaller coin is dropped into the
machine, the same will pass through the slot 101, thus preventing its use for
actuating the releasing mechanism.
The hinged lid 28 permits access to the cigar-compartment and is provided with
a lock 28. The rear wall 29, of the casing is also hinged to permit access to the
coin-storing compartment, and is provided with a lock 29¹.
We do not confine ourselves to the details of construction except as limited
in claims.
It will be seen that the device may also be used for delivering small vials of
liquid or other similar packages.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that
what we claim, is: -
1. In a coin-controlled vending machine, the combination of a casing having
therein a coin storing compartment, and a package storing compartment having
a discharge passage; a guide-way for the coins, leading in through the outer wall
of the casing, and thence at an angle to the coin storing compartment; a
movable member 13, having a head normally projecting partway across the
entrance to said coin-storing compartment; a plunger adapted to force a coin

page_text: through said entrance, so as to press upon said head and move the member 13;
and means normally blocking said discharge passage, and actuated by the move-
ment of the member 13, to open said discharge passage while said member is
out of its normal position; substantially as described.
2. In a coin-controlled vending machine, the combination of a casing having
therein a package storing compartment with a discharge passage; a member 18,
normally blocking said passage at its discharge end, and having a projection 1811
thereon arranged to block said passage a distance back from its discharge end
when said end is open; and coin-controlled means for actuating the member 18;
substantially as described.
3. In a coin-controlled vending machine, the combination of a casing, having
therein a package storing compartment with a discharge passage; a receptacle 20,
pivoted in an opening in the outer wall of said casing, normally closing said
opening, and having the open part of said receptacle normally presented to
said discharge passage, but facing out of the casing when the receptacle is turned
outwardly from its normal position; a stop to limit the outward pivotal movement
of said receptacle; and coin-controlled niechanism normally blocking said dis-
charge passage; substantially as described.
4. In a coin-controlled vending machine, the combination of a casing having
therein a package storing compartment, with a discharge passage; removable
partitions adapted to be adjusted different distances apart in said compartment,
to receive the length of the packages between same; guides between said partitions
adapted to carry the packages sidewise to said discharge passage; and coin-
controlled mechanism, normally blocking said discharge passage, substantially
as described.
5. In a coin-controlled vending machine, the combination of a casing having
therein a package storing compartment with a discharge passage; a member 18,
normally blocking said passage at its discharge end, and having a projection 1811
thereon arranged to block said passage a distance back from its discharge end
when said end is open; coin-controlled means for actuating the member 18;
and a receptacle 20 pivoted in an opening in the outer wall of the casing, near
said discharge passage, normally closing said opening, and having the open part
of said receptacle normally presented to said discharge passage, but facing out of
the casing when the receptacle is turned outwardly from its normal position;
and a stop to limit the outward movement of said receptacle; substantially as
described.
6. In a coin-controlled vending machine, the combination of a casing, having
therein a coin storing compartment, and a package storing compartment having
a discharge passage; a guide-way for the coins, leading in through the outer wall
of the casing, and thence, at an angle, to the coin storing compartment; a
movable member 13 having a head normally projecting partway across the
entrance to said coin-storing compartment; a plunger adapted to force a coin
through said entrance so as to press upon said head and move the member 13:
a member 13 normally blocking said passage; at its discharge end, and having
a projection 18" thereon arranged to block said passage a distance back from its
discharge end when said end is open; means between the member 13 and the
member 18, whereby the member 18 is actuated to open said discharge end while
the member 13 is out of its normal position; a receptacle 20 pivoted in an
opening in the outer wall of the casing, near said discharge passage, normally
closing said opening, and having the open part of said receptacle normally pre-
sented to said discharge passage, but facing out of the casing when the receptacle
is turned outwardly from its normal position; and a stop to limit the outward
movement of said receptacle; substantially as described.
7. In a coin-controlled vending machine, the combination of a casing having
5 therein a coin-storing compartment, and a package storing compartment having
a discharge passage; a guide-way for the coins, leading in through the outer wall
- the casing, and thence, at an angle, to the coin storing compartment; a

page_text: movable member 13 having a head normally projecting partway across the
entrance to said coin-storing compartment; a plunger adapted to force a coin
through said entrance so as to press upon said head and move the member 13;
a member 18 normally blocking said passage at its discharge end, and having a
projection 18 thereon arranged to block said passage a distance back from
its discharge end when said end is open; means between the member 13 and the
member 18, whereby the member 18 is actuated to open said discharge
end while the member 13 is out of its normal position; a receptacle 20
pivoted in an opening in the outer wall of the casing, near said discharge passage,
normally closing said opening, and having the open part of said receptacle
normally presented to said discharge passage, but facing out of the casing when
the receptacle is turned outwardly from its normal position; a stop to limit the
outward movement of said receptacle; removable partitions adapted to be adjusted
different distances apart in said package storing compartment, to receive the length
of the packages between same; and the guides 22 and 23 between said partitions
adapted to carry the packages sidewise to said discharge passage, with a space
between the guides 22, to permit the operation therein of the projection 1811;
substantially as described.
S. In a coin-controlled vending machine, the combination of casing having
therein a coin storing compartment and a package storing compartment having
a discharge passage: a guide-way for the coins, leading in through the outer wall
of the casing, and thence, at an angle, to the coin storing compartment; a
movable member 13 having a head normally projecting partway across the
entrance to said coin storing compartment; a plunger adapted to force a coin
through said entrance, so as to press upon said head and move the member 13;
and means normally blocking said discharge passage, and actuated, by the move-
ment of the member 13, to open said discharge passage while said member is
out of its normal position; said guide-way having a slot in its bottom between
the inner end of the plunger and said head, which slot is too small to receive
a coin of a size for which the machine is intended, but adapted to pass smaller
coins so as to prevent their operation on said head; substantially as described.
Witnesses
ALFRED MELTZER,
W. R. RUMMLER.
ALEX. 11. GRANT.
WILLIAM H. GETZELMAN.