Apparatus for automatic sales totalization

• US 3,355,576 A
• Filed: 11/19/1962
• Issued: 11/28/1967
• Est. Priority Date: 11/19/1962
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Jerry W. Howard, Spencer L. Childers, Wilburn O. Clark
• Original Assignee: Jerry W. Howard, Spencer L. Childers, Wilburn O. Clark
• Inventors: Childers, Spencer L., Howard, Jerry W., Clark, Wilburn O.
• Application Number:
  US04/238,650
• Time in Patent Office: 1,835 Days
• US Class Current: 235/381
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/342 Cards defining paid or billed services or quantities
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 5/18 specially adapted for controlling several coin-freed apparatus from one place
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 7/00 Mechanisms actuated by objects other than coins to free or to actuate vending, hiring, coin or paper currency dispensing or refunding apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 7/025 by means, e.g. cards, providing billing information at the time of purchase, e.g. identification of seller or purchaser, quantity of goods delivered or to be delivered
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 9/002 Vending machines being part of a centrally controlled network of vending machines

Claims

4. IN A CREDIT VENDING SYSTEM:

A PLURALITY OF VENTING MACHINES, EACH OF SAID MACHINES INCLUDING STRUCTURE FOR RECEIVING A CUSTOMER-IDENTIFYING DEVICE, SWITCHING MEANS OPERABLE BY SAID DEVICE WHEN RECEIVED BY SAID STRUCTURE, AND ELECTRICALLY RESPONSIVE VENDING MEANS COUPLED WITH SAID SWITCHING MEANS FOR INITIATING THE VENDING OF A SELECTED ITEM OF MERCHANDISE;

ELECTRICALLY RESPONSIVE PRICE REGISTER MEANS OPERABLY COUPLED WITH THE SWITCHING MEANS OF EACH OF SAID MACHINES FOR RECEIVING THE PRICE OF VENDING ITEMS;

ELECTRICALLY RESPONSIVE CUSTOMER REGISTER MEANS OPERABLY COUPLED WITH THE SWITCHING MEANS AND DEVICE RECEIVING STRUCTURE OF EACH OF SAID MACHINES FOR RECEIVING CUSTOMER IDENTIFICATION INFORMTION FROM SAID DEVICE;

SCANNER MEANS OPERABLY COUPLED WITH THE SWITCHING MEANS OF EACH OF SAID MACHINES FOR SEQUENTIALLY APPLYING AN ELECTRICAL SIGNAL THERETO WHEREBY, WHEN THE SWITCHING MEANS ONE OF SAID MACHINES IS OPERATED BY SAID DEVICE AND SAID ELECTRICAL SIGNAL IS APPLIED TO THE SWITCHING MEANS OF SAID ONE MACHINE, THE ELECTRICALLY RESPONSIVE VENDING OF THE SELECTED ONE MACHINE INITIATES THE VENDING OF THE SELECTED ITEM, SAID PRICE REGISTER MEANS RECEIVES THE PRICE THEREOF AND SAID CUSTOMER REGISTER MEANS RECEIVES THE CUSTOMER IDENTIFICATION INFORMATION;

AND MEANS OPERABLY COUPLED WITH SAID PRICE REGISTER AND SAID CUSTOMER REGISTER INCLUDING MEMORY ACCOUNTS, ACCUMULATOR MEANS FOR ADDING THE PRICE RECEIVED BY THE PRICE REGISTER TO THE CORRESPONDING CUSTOMER BALANCE IN THE MEMORY MEANS, AND MEANS FOR TRANSFERRING THE TOTAL FROM THE ACCUMULATOR TO THE MEMORY MEANS.