Improvements in Coin Controlled Vending Machines.
Year: 1894

page_text: Date of Application, 24th July, 1894-Accepted, 1st Sept., 1894
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION
[Communicated from abroad by JACOB PORTER TIRRELL, of 32, Bower Street,
Boston, in the County of Suffolk and State of Massachusetts, Model Maker,
and JOHN WILLARD WILLARD, of Pittsford, in the County of Rutland and
State of Vermont, Manufacturer, both of the United States of America.]
Improvements in Coin Controlled Vending Machines.
I, HENRY HARRIS LAKE, of the Firm of Haseltine, Lake & Co., Patent Agents,
45 Southampton Buildings, in the County of Middlesex, 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:—
This machine is intended particularly, but not necessarily exclusively, to auto-
matically supply postage stamps to a purchaser upon the introduction of a coin ;
and the invention consists in certain improvements fully described below and relating
more particularly to the actuating and delivering mechanism whereby the operation
of the machine is rendered more effective and sure, and this type of machine
generally improved.
The general style of this machine is illustrated in the United States Letters Patent
granted July 19, 1892, to Virgil A. Krepps, numbered 479,005.
In the accompanying drawings
Figure 1 is a vertical section taken from front to rear, on line x-x, Figure 2,
showing the feeding and other mechanism in elevation.
Figure 2 is a plan view of the lower case, that is, the case containing the
actuating and feeding mechanism.
Figure 3 is a section taken on line y-y, Figure 2, through the top of the lower
case and a portion of the upper case containing the commodity.
Figure 4 is a vertical section taken on line 2-2, Figure 3.
Figure 5 is a section taken on line w-y, Figure 2, and
Figure 6 is an enlarged perspective view of the delivering carrier.
Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in the several figures
of the drawings.
A, Figures 3, 4 and 5 represents the walls of the upper case containing the com-
modity case B. A¹ represents the base of the upper case, and B' represents the
a represents a pile
top of the lower case which contains the actuating mechanism.
of envelopes containing, in this instance, postage stamps, and held down by a
weight a', Figure 5, all within the commodity case B. b (Figures 1, 2 and 4)
represents the chute extending down below the top plate B¹ into the lower case-
whose sides are not shown-and provided with vertical slots 6' in which the outer
end of the trip lever d Figures 1 and 4 vibrates when struck by a descending coin.
The opposite end of the trip lever d is fast on the shaft d' having bearings in the
hangers d supported by the plate B'. Fast on this shaft is also a release lever e
engaging by means of a pin e¹ with a detent f fast on a shaft f extending from a
spring actuated wheel train of ordinary construction, as C, supported by plates C¹.
The trip lever is connected by a hook g with a spring g', the pressure of which is
regulated by a tension device g* secured to the under side of the plate B', Figures 1
and 2. Thus far we have described nothing which we claim as new in this applica
tion. The coin drops through the chute band strikes the end of the trip lever d
lying in the slot 61 and forces it down partially rotating the shaft d' and hence the
release e whose pin e¹ frees the detent f on the shaft so that the train causes the
detent to make one revolution before the spring g' can pull the lever d up again,
when all resume their original positions ready to be operated by another coin.
This operation, it is understood, is not new in this invention.

page_text: The shaft has fast on it the gear wheel gll which engages a similar gear
wheel g fast on the shaft h supported by the bracket C secured to the plate C¹,
(Figures 1, 2, 3 and 5). Fast on the same shaft h is the delivering wheel D,
preferably made double, as shown in Figures 2, 3 and 4, and provided with radial
spurs D¹ secured thereto near its periphery. A portion of the circumference how-
ever, is not provided with spurs, an arc being left plain. These spurs are intended
to sweep through the slot E (Figures 2 and 5) extending through the plate B',
and aid in tho delivery of the commodity through the passage i under the
projection A", Figures 3 and 5.
H (Figure 6) is a delivering carrier provided with downwardly projecting
prongs or legs H'H' placed at and near, respectively, the forward end, as shown
in Figures 1, 3, 5 and 6. This carrier is provided with a slit F and the rear end is
elongated and turned up into a lip H" which is rendered sufficiently yielding by
said slit. The under side of the carrier is provided with a spring F', and the spring
and carrier are provided with coincident slots F F whereby a screw / Figures 3
and 5 adjustably secures the carrier to the under side of the plate B', a similar
screw, Figures 3, 4 and 5 extending through the slot F, the lip H extending
up through a slot J in said plate, Figures 1, 2, 3 and 5. The function of the
spring F is to secure the carrier with suitable tension to the plate to hold it in
position when at rest. The prongs or legs H' extend down on opposite sides of a
pin n on a face of the delivering wheel D.
111
The normal position of the device is illustrated in Figures 1, 2 and 3. In these
figures the plain arc of the delivery wheel D is uppermost or next the slot E and
the spurs D are out of engagement with the lowest envelope a. The lip H is at
its rearmost point in the slot J and behind the envelope, and the pin e¹ rests on the
detent F. When the lever e releases the detent by the action of a coin on
the trip d, the detent makes one revolution with the shaft C, which causes the
gears 99 to revolve once and hence the delivering wheel D to make one
rotation. At the beginning of this rotation, the plain arc moved under the slot E
and hence no spurs engage the envelope, but the pin n acts on the forward leg H¹
and slides forward the carrier H by means of the screws 1, l' and slots F" F", the
lip H pushing forward the lowest envelope from the rear a distance corresponding
with the length of the slots J, F", F, into the position shown in Figure 5, i.e.,
with its front edge in front of the front wall B" of the commodity case. When
the envelope reaches this point, the delivery wheel has rotated sufficiently to bring
one of its spurs into engagement with the under side of the envelope, and the rest
of its rotation carries the envelope forward and leaves it projecting out through the
space i ready to be removed by the purchaser. The latter part of the rotation of
the delivery wheel brings the pin n into engagement with the rear leg H¹, and thus
moves the carrier H back to its original position. The next envelope drops into
the place of the first, and in case the first is not removed, pushes it out before it. Thus
it will be seen that the carrier H starts the envelope, and the wheel D completes
the delivery.
It is
The upper surface of the plate B' is provided with the groove or depression K
extending parallel with and in front of the front wall B" of the commodity
chamber, see Figures 2, 3, 4 and 5. This groove has its forward edge bevelled
or at an obtuse angle with the surface of the plate and its rear edge substantially
vertical. A gate L is pivotally suspended from brackets L" secured to the front
side of the wall B", and hangs by gravity with its lower edge in the groove.
obvious that the envelope during delivery will swing this gate up over the forward
bevelled edge of the groove. The gate cannot be swung back, and the groove
prevents the insertion of a wire or knife or other instrument for purposes of thieving.
In order to prevent persons from inserting a wire or other instrument around its
ends, we provide wings L' at these points,-Figure 4.
A vertical slide or presser plate, N,- -see Figures 3, 4 and 5, is secured to the
front side of the wall B of the commodity chamber, by means of slots N' and
screws N", said slide being provided at its lower edge with a presser foot P,

page_text: preferably extending to a lower point in the centre, as shown in Figure 4. This
device is for the purpose of pressing the advancing front edge of the envelope
under the front wall of the commodity chamber through the space B, so that it
cannot catch and clog at that point. It is held down by a spring O secured to
the wall B and bearing on a lip O' on the presser plate, the amount of pressure
being regulated by a screw R moving in the threaded lip R', and bearing against
the ledge R" secured to the wall B. An opening S is preferably provided
through which the envelopes may be viewed from the outside.
By reason of the pressure of the spring O, the envelope during its delivery is held
flexibly between the lower edge of the foot P and the spurs of the delivery wheel,
and as the portion of the delivery wheel in engagement with the commodity is
always an arc, and hence constantly pushing upon the envelope, this flexibility is
a feature of importance.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, as communicated to me
claim is :-
by my foreign correspondents, I declare that what
:-
1. A coin controlled vending machine, comprising an automatically operating
device adapted to start the delivery of the commodity by pushing it from the rear,
and an automatically operating device which continues and completes the delivery
of the commodity by engaging it on the under side, substantially as set forth.
2. In a coin controlled vending machine, the combination with a round delivery
wheel adapted to engage the commodity from the under side and having its
periphery divided into two sections or arcs, viz., a plain arc or section and an arc
or section provided with numerous radial spurs, the said two arcs or sections com-
prising the entire periphery and a co-operating presser mechanism, of means for
feeding the front end of the article to be delivered between these parts while the
plain arc is uppermost, whereby the arc provided with spurs may engage the
commodity after it has been started under said presser plate, substantially as
described.
3. In a coin controlled vending machine, a round delivery wheel located under
the presser plate and beneath the forward end of the commodity and adapted to
engage the commodity from the under side and having its periphery divided into
two sections or arcs, viz., a plain arc or section and an arc or section provided with
numerous radial spurs, the said two arcs or sections comprising the entire periphery,
combined with co-operating mechanism for forcing the forward end of the article to be
delivered under the presser plate when the plain arc is opposite thereto, whereby
the arc provided with spurs may engage the commodity after it has been started
under said presser plate, substantially as described.
4. In a coin controlled vending machine, in combination, starting mechanism
which directly engages the rear face of the article to be delivered and pushes it
from the rear, and mechanism for continuing and completing the delivery by
engaging its longitudinal surface, substantially as set forth.
5. In a coin controlled vending machine, in combination, the sliding delivering
carrier H moving horizontally in the plate B' and the rotating delivery wheel D
having a portion of its periphery provided with radial spurs D', and a portion
of the periphery being plain, said carrier automatically starting the delivery of
the commodity and said wheel continuing and completing it, substantially as
described.
6. In combination, the carrier H provided with the legs H' and sliding in the
plate A', and the wheel D provided on a portion only of its periphery with
engaging spurs and on its face with the pin n extending between and adapted to be
alternately in engagement with said legs, substantially as set forth.
7. The delivery carrier consisting essentially of the main portion provided at one
end with the downwardly extending legs H', at the other end with the upturned spring
lip H and the slot ", and on the under side with the spring F provided
with the slot F, substantially as set forth.

page_text: 8. In a coin controlled vending machine, the plate B provided with the slots E
and J, the delivery wheel engaging the commodity through the slot E, and the
sliding delivering carrier engaging the commodity through the slot J, the delivery
being produced by the consecutive efforts of said wheel and carrier, substantially
as described.
9. In a coin controlled vending machine, the plate B₁ having a flat horizontal
surface provided with the groove K crossing the path of the delivery of the
commodity, said groove having its rear edge vertienl and its front edge bevelled at
an obtuse angle with the plate, and a gate hung with its lower edge within the
groove and below the surface of the plate, substantially as described.
10. The gate L hung across the path of delivery of the commodity and provided
with integral rigid end wings or extensions L' whereby a wire or other instrument
is prevented from being inserted at or by the ends, substantially as set forth.
11. In a coin controlled vending machine, the yielding presser plate N held
normally down by a spring and provided with a foot P for pressing on the front
edge of the commodity whereby jamming is prevented at that point and space
enough for one envelope provided, substantially as described.
12. The presser plate N provided at its base with the foot P and the lips O' R'
near the top edge in combination with the front wall B of the commodity
receptacle provided with the spring O engaging with the lip O' and the screw Ŕ
and ledge R", said screw engaging the lip R and bearing against the said ledge,
substantially as set forth.
Dated this 24th day of Jul 1904
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C., Agents for the Applicant.