Automatic Machine for Vending Lighted Cigars or Cigarettes.
Year: 1897

page_text: Date claimed for Patent under Sect. 103 of Act,
being date of First Foreign Application (in 21st May, 1897
France),
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Automatic Machine for Vending Lighted Cigars or Cigarettes.
I, ACHILLE CAUDE, of 67, Rue des Grandes Fossés, Tarbes (Hautes Pyréneés),
France, Professor of Mathematics, 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 invention consists of a coin-freed automatic machine for vending lighted
cigars or cigarettes. The machine consists in the combination of a supply hopper
containing cigars or cigarettes, means of delivering them singly to a gripping device,
means of inhaling air through the cigars or cigarettes whilst so beld, means of
igniting the cigar or cigarette, and coin-freed mechanism whereby the action of the
various parts is controlled and the ignited cigar or cigarette caused to be delivered to
the purchaser.
Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawing forming, part of this
specification wherein
Figure 1 is a front elevation and Figure 2 a plan of the mechanism. Figure 3.
is an end view shewing the coin-actuated releasing lever and pump, and Figure 4 a
cross-sectional elevation on line 1-2 Figure 1 shewing the delivery mechanism.
The same letters of reference indicate the same parts in all the figures.
a is the supply hopper containing the cigars or cigarettes, provided with a spout b
of a depth corresponding to the diameter of a cigar or cigarette. At the end of this
spout is mounted a delivery drum by the rotation of which the cigars or cigarettes
are delivered singly to a gripper, the drum being formed of a pair of discs c having
radial arms and mounted on a shaft d provided with a ratchet wheel e with which
This lever is
engages a spring pawl ƒ mounted on the end of an elbow lever g.
pivoted at g and is oscillated by a tappet g² on the main shaft h and in order that
the drum shall be always turned to the proper extent the shaft. d also carries a
polygonal wheel i against whose sides (which correspond in number with the divisions
of the drum) bears a spring jumper j.
In order to ensure the passage of the cigars or cigarettes from the hopper to the

page_text: spout
the hopper is provided with a spring wall k extending its whole length and
fastened to the hopper at its upper edge. The ends of a cross rod attached to the
spring play in slots m in the ends of the hopper and are engaged by forked arms of
a lever n pivoted at n¹ outside the ends of the hopper and whose tail end is acted on
by a cam n² fast on the main shaft h, the form of the cam being such that by its
rotation the spring will be pressed gradually forward and then allowed to spring
suddenly backwards thus communicating a shaking movement to the whole mass of
cigars or cigarettes in the hopper.
Each cigar or cigarette as it is distributed by the drum, slides down an incline o
into a channel formed by two quarter cylinders p q the one p being attached to the
incline o and the other carried by two arms forming one member of an elbow lever r
pivoted at r¹ and acted on by a tappet r² fast on the main shaft h. The cigar or
cigarette is held fast in the channel p q by a presser s carried by one arm of an elbow
levert pivoted at t¹ and actuated by cam t2 on shaft h.
In line with the gripper formed by p q 8 is a suction tube u flexibly connected to
a small pump v and mounted to slide to and fro in the direction of its length under the
action of a lever w pivoted at w³ and actuated by a cam, w² on the main shaft h.
The suction tube u is provided with a funnel-shaped mouth adapted to fit the end of
the cigar or cigarette, and the piston of the pump v is actuated through a connecting
rod from a crank at the end of shaft h. The opposite end of the cigar or
cigarette when held in the gripper is presented to the flame of a small spirit or other
lamp x or it may be an electric igniter.
Fast upon the main shaft h is a wheel y having a pin y¹ with which engages the
hooked end of a detent lever y² pivoted at y³ and whose tail end is presented
opposite the coin spout z so that the lever will be disengaged each time a coin is
introduced. The shaft h is driven by a spring barrel and train, in gear with wheel
and its motion will be controlled and rendered uniformn by a suitable fly, or it may
be rotated by hand through an external winch handle the clockwork being dispensed
with.
The operation is as follows:-The parts being in the position shewn, the coin
introduced through spout z oscillates lever y² and disengages it from pin y¹ thus
allowing shaft h to be rotated, whereby lever g is oscillated by tappet g². Pawl f
turns ratchet e the distance of one tooth thereby rotating drum c which delivers the
cigar or cigarette to channel p q. The presser s being at same time raised by cam t²
to receive the cigar or cigarette and being then closed by its spring the cigar or
cigarette is thus gripped; the suction tube u is then advanced by cam w² until its
funnel mouth fits against the free end of the cigar or cigarette whereupon (the other
end being then in the lamp flame) the pump v makes its inhaling stroke whereby
the lighting is effected. The suction tube u is then retracted, the lever r is
oscillated by cam 2 so as to lower the part q and allow the lighted cigar or
cigarette to fall through the spout by which it is delivered to the purchaser. The
shaft h having performed one revolution the pin y is re-engaged by the detent lever y².
During the revolution of the shaft, shaking motion has been communicated to the
contents of the hopper by the action of the cam n² and lever n on the spring wall k
so as to prevent bridging and ensure continuity of supply through spout b.
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 is :-
An automatic coin-freed machine for vending lighted cigars or cigarettes, consisting
in the combination of a supply hopper having a delivery spout controlled by
a distributing drum giving passage to one cigar or cigarette at a time, means for
communicating shaking motion to the contents of the hopper, means adapted to
receive and grip the cigar or cigarette and to present one end thereof to the flame of
a lamp, a longitudinally sliding suction tube adapted to fit on to the other end of the
cigar or cigarette and connected to an air pump, and cam and lever mechanisms

page_text: operated from a main shaft whereby the operation of the delivery, gripping, and
suction devices in proper order is effected substantially as described.
Dated this 14th day of December 1897.
A. M. & WM. CLARK,
Chartered Patent Agents, 53, Chancery Lane, London.