APPARATUS FOR DISPENSING ARTICLES AND REGISTERING CHARGES THEREFOR

• US 3,749,279 A
• Filed: 01/21/1972
• Issued: 07/31/1973
• Est. Priority Date: 01/21/1972
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Obuchoueski Stanley Not Individually But As Assignee For The Benefit of Barvender Incorporated 's Creditors
• Original Assignee: Warren J. Ungerman
• Inventors: Ungerman, Warren J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Tollberg, Stanley H.
• Application Number:
  US05/219,639
• Time in Patent Office: 557 Days
• Field of Search: 221/6-8,2,3,154 194/2,51,59,65,4 186/1 340/274,280,310
• US Class Current: 221/7
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 11/62 in which the articles are stored in compartments in fixed receptacles
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 5/18 specially adapted for controlling several coin-freed apparatus from one place
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 9/00 Details other than those peculiar to special kinds or types of apparatus coin inlet arrangements G07F1/00; coin-actuated mechanisms, interlocks G07F5/00
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 9/002 Vending machines being part of a centrally controlled network of vending machines

Abstract

An article dispensing apparatus in which goods to be dispensed are kept in individual compartments having gates initially locked closed and then unlocked in succession upon cyclic operation of a gate control device to provide access for removing by hand the contents in each respective compartment. As each gate is unlocked, an electrical signal is transmitted for recording the charge of the goods in that respective compartment.

Claims

1. An article dispensing apparatus comprising:

a plurality of compartments, each including a gate mounted for movement between a closed position in which it closes the compartment to pRevent removal by hand of the compartment contents, and an open position in which the compartment is opened for direct access by hand for removal of the contents therein, an operating means for holding said gates in the closed position to prevent direct access by hand above the said compartments, a control mechanism operable through a cycle for operating on the operating means for releasing the gate of one of said compartments from said closed position during each said cycle, permitting that gate to be manually moved to the open position for direct hand access to that respective compartment for the removal of the contents therein, electrical signal means for transmitting an electrical signal when the control mechanism is operated through said cycle, to release a gate from said closed position, and means mounting said control mechanism for a rapid snap action movement during a portion of said cycle, during which portion the control mechanism both operates the operating means to release the next shelf and causes said electrical signal means to transmit the electrical signal, thereby assuring that during any cycle of the control mechanism neither one of (a) release of a gate from the closed position to a manually operable position nor (b) the transmission of said electrical signal, occurs without the other also occuring, and prevent means for preventing the control mechanism from causing said electrical signal to be transmitted when all of said gates controlled by the said operating means have already been released.

2. An article dispensing apparatus according to claim 1, in which during each successive cycle, the control mechanism releases one of said gates, thereby permitting manual access to one compartment for each cycle of operation thereof.

3. An article dispensing apparatus according to claim 1 including an electrically operated master control means for either permitting or preventing operation of said control mechanism through said cycle.

4. An article dispensing apparatus according to claim 1, said control mechanism comprising a control rod movable longitudinally forwardly and then back through said cycle.

5. An article dispensing apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the gate of a compartment is opened and the electrical signal is transmitted during the forward movement of the rod, and including spring means for returning the rod back to its original position.

6. An article dispensing apparatus according to claim 5, including a drive member, the movement of which moves the control rod forwardly and including a spring in the drive connection between the drive member and the control rod.

7. An article dispensing apparatus according to claim 6, said operating means comprising an operating member having a lock engaging a part of the gate of each compartment for preventing the opening of each compartment, and means operatively interconnecting the control rod and the operating member such that during each successive cycle the operating member releases successive ones of said gates, thereby making openable successive ones of said compartments.

8. An article dispensing apparatus according to claim 7, said operating member being an operator plate movable in a second direction perpendicular to the direction of movement of the control rod, said operator plate including projections, a leaf on the control rod and engaging the projections of the operator plate such that as the control rod moves forward and back through each said cycle, the operator plate moves in said second direction an amount to release the gate of one further compartment.

9. An article dispensing apparatus according to claim 8, each gate including a pin extending laterally, said opera-tor member including a separate lock channel for locking the pin of each gate to hold that gate in said closed position, the pins being staggered in said second direction relative to their lock channels such that during each said cycle, the operator plates, moving in said secoNd direction, releases only the pin of one gate during each of said cycles.

10. An article dispensing apparatus according to claim 9, including a means for moving to a partially opened position each gate which is not being held in a closed position by its respective lock channel.

11. An article dispensing apparatus according to claim 1, said control mechanism comprising a control rod movable forwardly and then back during each cycle, an electrically operated solenoid operable upon actuation of a button for moving the control rod forwardly, and said electrical signal means including a switch positioned to be engaged by said control rod as the control rod moves forwardly to transmit said electrical signal.

12. An article dispensing apparatus according to claim 11 including a spring operatively interconnecting said solenoid to said control rod and wherein during each successive cycle the control mechanism releases one of said gates, thereby permitting manual access to one compartment for each cycle of operation, and said prevent means including means for preventing movement of the control rod in said forward direction after the control mechanism has completed the number of cycles equal to the total number of said compartments, whereby, upon actuation of said solenoid after all gates have been made openable, the said spring will stretch but said control rod will not move forwardly, whereby an electrical signal will not be transmitted.

13. An article dispensing apparatus according to claim 11, said control rod being U-shaped, having two generally parallel legs extending in the direction of said forward and back movment, said solenoid operatively connected to one of said legs, and said switch positioned in the path of the other leg to be engaged thereby as the rod moves forwardly.

14. An article dispensing apparatus according to claim 13, said operating means comprising an operating member having a lock engaging a part of the gate of each compartment for preventing the opening of each compartment, and means operatively interconnecting the control rod and the operating member such that during each successive cycle, the operating member releases successive ones of said gates, thereby making openable successive ones of said compartments, said operating member being an operating plate movable in a second direction perpendicular to the direction of movement of the control rod, said operator plate including projections, a leaf loosely mounted on one leg of the control rod and extending across the other leg thereof to engage the said projections, means for preventing movement of said leaf relative to the control rod in the forward and back directions, wherein as the control rod moves forward and back through each cycle, the operator plate moves in said second direction an amount to release the gate of one further compartment.

15. An article dispensing apparatus according to claim 13, said plurality of compartments arranged vertically one abovethe other with a gate at an end of each compartment, a vertical side wall common to all said compartments, said operating means including an operator plate mounted for vertical movement on the side wall, said control rod being operatively connected to the side wall for horizontal sliding movement, each gate having a pin extending through an opening on the side wall, said operator plate having a separate locking channel for engaging each said gate pin, the locking channels being so staggered vertically relative to their gate pins that during each cycle of operation of the control rod, the operator plate moves downwardly one step and only one gate pin is released from its respective lock channel.

16. An article dispensing apparatus according to claim 1, said control mechanism comprising a first control rod engaging said operating means and said electrical signal means, and a second control rod generally parallel to the first rod, means responsive to a manually operable button for moving the second control rod for storing spring energy And then releasing said spring energy to move the first control rod rapidly to both operate the operating means to release one of said gates from said closed position, rendering that gate openable for hand access to the contents therein and substantially concurrently engaging an electrical switch to transmit said electrical signal.

17. An article dispensing apparatus according to claim 16, including a U-channel fixed on the first rod, said second rod passing through both legs thereof and a spring on the second rod between the legs of the U, urging the second rod to its rearward position, a control plate in the path of the leading leg of the U-channel during its forward movement, a raised lip on the path of the end of the second rod, wherein said spring starts compressing when the said leading leg of the U-channel engages the control plate and is released to act through the channel to urge the first rod forwardly rapidly when the end of the second rod engages the said raised lip.

18. An article dispensing apparatus according to claim 16, said operating means comprising an operating member having a lock engaging a part of the gate of each compartment for preventing the opening of each compartment, and means operatively interconnecting the first control rod and the operating member such that during each successive cycle, the operating member releases successive ones of said gates, thereby making openable successive ones of said compartments, said operating member being an operating plate movable in a second direction perpendicular to the direction of movement of the first control rod, said operator plate including projections, a leaf loosely mounted on the first control rod and extending across the second control rod to engage the said projections, means for preventing movement of said leaf relative to the first control rod in the forward and back directions, wherein as the first control rod moves foward and back through each cycle, the operator plate moves in said second direction an amount to release the gate of one further compartment.

19. An article dispensing apparatus according to claim 16, said plurality of compartments arranged vertically one above the other with a gate at an end of each compartment, a side wall common to all compartments, said first control rod comprising two parts including a first part engaged by the second rod mounted adjacent the side wall and articulated to a second part in the form of a rod, said second part extending beyond the borders of the side wall, a switch in the path of movement of the second part, and said switch constituting said electrical signal means.

20. An article dispensing apparatus according to claim 19, including master control means for moving the second part laterally between two positions including one position in which the second part can not be moved longitudinally and another position in which the second part is movable longitudinally to engage its switch when its first part is actuated by the said second rod.

21. An article dispensing apparatus according to claim 20, including two groups of pluralities of compartments, each having its own said control means, and wherein the second part of both control means extend parallel to each other from said engagement with their respective first parts to their respective master control means and their respective switches.

22. An operating mechanism for a vending machine of the type in which goods are stored in compartments which are made openable by operation of such mechanism, comprising:

operating means for keeping the compartments closed, a control rod operable through a cycle forwardly and then back, operating the operating means during the forward part of its cycle to open one compartment during each cycle of operation, an electrical signal means physically engaged by said control rod during the forward movement thereof for transmitting an electrical signal substantially concurrently with the opening of a compartment, and means mouNting said control rod for rapid snap-action movement during said forward portion of its cycle for positively assuring that during any of said cycles of the control rod, neither (a) the opening of a compartment nor (b) the transmission of an electrical signal, occurs without the other also occuring.

23. An operating mechanism according to claim 22, said electrical signal means being a switch in the path of movement of the control rod.

24. An operating mechanism according to claim 23, said control rod being a U-shaped member, one leg engaging the switch, and the other leg operatively engaging a solenoid, a button means for operating the solenoid to move the control rod through its said cycle.

25. An operating mechanism according to claim 23, said control rod including a first rod arranged to engage said switch to transmit said electrical signal and said operating means to open a compartment and including a second rod adjacent the first rod, a button accessible for pushing the second rod, and said assuring means comprising a means for loading a spring on the second rod as the button is pushed and then exerting the force of the spring against the first rod to rapidly move the first rod to open a compartment and engage a switch to transmit said electrical signal.

26. An article dispensing apparatus comprising:

a plurality of compartments, each including a gate mounted for movement between a closed position in which it closes the compartment to prevent removal by hand of the compartment contents, and an open position in which the compartment is opened for direct access by hand for removal of the contents therein, an operating means for holding said gates in the closed position to prevent direct access by hand to said compartments, control means operable through a cycle for operating on the operating means for releasing the gate of one of said compartments from said closed position during each said cycle, permitting that gate to be manually moved to the open position for direct hand access to that respective compartment for the removal of the contents therein, electrical signal means for transmitting an electrical signal when the control means is operated through said cycle, and means for positively assuring that during any cycle of the control means neither one of (a) release of a gate from the closed position to a manually operable position nor (b) the transmission of said electrical signal, occurs without the other also occuring, said control means comprising a control rod movable longitudinally forwardly and then back through said cycle, and wherein the gate of a compartment is opened and the electrical signal is transmitted during the forward movement of the rod, and including a spring means for returning the rod back to its original position.

27. An article dispensing apparatus according to claim 26, including a drive member, the movement of which moves the control rod forwardly and including a spring in the drive connection between the drive member and the control rod.

28. An article dispensing apparatus according to claim 27, said operating means comprising an operating member having a lock engaging a part of the gate of each compartment for preventing the opening of each compartment, and means operatively interconnecting the control rod and the operating member such that during each successive cycle the operating member releases successive ones of said gates, thereby making openable successive ones of said compartments.