Vending machine

• US 4,991,740 A
• Filed: 08/10/1988
• Issued: 02/12/1991
• Est. Priority Date: 08/10/1988
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: COIN Acceptors Incorporated
• Original Assignee: COIN Acceptors Incorporated
• Inventors: Levasseur, Joseph L.
• Primary Examiner(s): BARTUSKA, FRANCIS JOHN
• Application Number:
  US07/230,843
• Time in Patent Office: 916 Days
• Field of Search: 221/67, 221/114, 221/115, 221/126, 221/127, 221/129
• US Class Current: 221/114
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 11/10 two or more magazines having a common delivery chute
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 11/24 Rotary or oscillatory members

Abstract

This vending machine includes a housing frame (12) subdivided into vertical columns (1-8) adapted to receive cylindrical articles (C). Elongate, rotatable support members (60) are provided below each column for supporting the column of articles, which tend to rotate under the weight of the articles. A ratchet wheel (70) and pawl member (80) assembly provided at one end of each support member provided a release mechanism controlling rotation of the support member incident to dispensing an article. The release mechanism associated with a selected column is actuated by one of a set of angularly related indexing members (101-108) carried by a drive shaft (100), each indexing member being disposed adjacent an associated pawl member. The drive shaft is driven by an electric motor (M) and the indexing members are rotated so that one of them is positioned to move an associated pawl member into and out of engagement with the ratchet wheel to dispense an article in response to customer selection.

Claims

1. A vending machine, comprising:

(a) article storage means including a plurality of substantially vertical columns disposed in side-by-side relation, each column being adapted to receive a plurality of vertically adjacent generally cylindrical articles,

(b) an elongate, rotatable support means disposed below each column and having a plurality of support elements, each support means having opposed ends and operatively supporting an article in a first position and tending to rotate to a second position under the weight of the article,

(c) release means including a ratchet means fixedly attached to one end of each support means and rotatable with said support means, and pawl means pivotally mounted adjacent said ratchet means to control rotation of the support means between the first and second position incident to releasing an article,

(d) actuating means for the release means including;

1. a drive shaft having a plurality of angularly related indexing members attached thereto, each indexing member being engageable with an associated pawl means,

2. means for rotating said drive shaft so that a selected indexing member is disposed adjacent a selected pawl means,

3. means for inducing alternating motion into said drive shaft and indexing members so that said indexing member engages said pawl means to move said pawl means into and out of engagement with said ratchet means to permit rotation of said support means, and

(e) control means for the actuating means,

(f) the pawl means including an end portion and means pivotally attaching said end portion to the other portion for one-way movement of said end portion relative to said other portion, and

(g) said actuating means including means for oscillating said drive shaft and selected indexing member to induce said alternating motion into said indexing member.

2. A vending machine, comprising:

(a) article storage means including a plurality of substantially vertical columns disposed in side-by-side relation, each column being adapted to receive a plurality of vertically adjacent generally cylindrical articles,

(b) an elongate, rotatable support means disposed below each column and having a plurality of support elements, each support means having opposed ends and operatively supporting an article in a first position and tending to rotate to a second position under the weight of the article,

(c) release means including a ratchet means fixedly attached to one end of each support means and rotatable with said support means, and pawl means pivotally mounted adjacent said ratchet means to control rotation of the support means between the first and second position incident to releasing an article,

(d) actuating means for the release means including;

1. a drive shaft having a plurality of angularly related indexing members attached thereto, each indexing member being engageable with an associated pawl means,

2. means for rotating said drive shaft so that a selected indexing member is disposed adjacent a selected pawl means,

3. means for inducing alternating motion into said drive shaft and indexing members so that said indexing member engages said pawl means to move said pawl means into and out of engagement with said ratchet means to permit rotation of said support means, and

(e) control means for the actuating means,

(f) each vertical column including a first portion and a separate second portion, each column portion being adapted to receive a plurality of vertically adjacent, generally cylindrical articles,

(g) each rotatable support means including independent portions having axially adjacent ends each independent portion supporting articles in said first and second column portions, and

(h) said release means including a ratchet means at adjacent ends of each support portion and rotatable with its associated support portion and an associated pawl means, and said actuating means drive shaft indexing members being disposed between said pawl means to selectively actuate each of said ratchet means.

3. A vending machine, comprising:

(a) article storage means including a plurality of substantially vertical columns disposed in side-by-side relation, each column being adapted to receive a plurality of vertically adjacent generally cylindrical articles,

(b) an elongate, rotatable support means disposed below each column and having a plurality of support elements, each support means having opposed ends and operatively supporting an article in a first position and tending to rotate to a second position under the weight of the article,

(c) a plurality of release means including a ratchet means fixedly attached to one end of each support means and rotatable with said support means, and pawl means pivotally mounted adjacent said ratchet means to control rotation of the support means between the first and second position incident to releasing an article,

(d) actuating means for the plurality of release means including;

5. A vending machine as defined in claim 3, in which:

(i) each support means has a three-pointed star configuration and each ratchet means includes six teeth.

8. A vending machine as defined in claim 5, in which:

(g) each pawl means is an escapement member having spaced lug members sequentially engageable with said teeth whereby as one lug moves outwardly out of tooth-engagement the other lug moves inwardly into an incipient tooth engagement position to provide a stop to accurately determine the amount of rotation of said support means.

4. a drive shaft extending between said ratchet means and having a plurality of angularly related indexing members attached thereto, each indexing member being engageable with an associated pawl means,means for rotating said drive shaft so that a selected indexing member is disposed adjacent a selected pawl means,means for inducing alternating motion into said drive shaft and indexing members so that said indexing member engages said pawl means to pivot said pawl means into and out of engagement with said ratchet means to permit rotation of said ratchet means and said support means, and

(e) control means for the actuating means,

(f) each vertical column including a first portion and a second portion, each column portion being adapted to receive a plurality of vertically adjacent, generally cylindrical articles,

(g) each rotatable support means supporting articles in said first and second column portions, and

(h) each of said first column portions including an escrow member disposed below said support means and providing a hold position for delivering said articles in said first column portion sequentially with said articles in said second column portion each support means having a multi-star configuration and each ratchet means including a plurality of teeth at least twice as many in number as the points on the support means and cooperting with the escrow means to sequentially release the articles.

6. A vending machine, comprising:

(a) article storage means including a plurality of generally aligned first and second storage compartment portions disposed in side-by-side relation, each compartment portion being adapted to receive a plurality of adjacent articles,

(b) support means disposed at the end of each compartment and operatively supporting an article in a first position and tending to move to a second position under the weight of the article, each support means having a multi-pointed star configuration and supporting an article in a first and second compartment portion,

(c) a plurality of release means controlling movement of the support means between the first and second position incident to releasing an article each release means including a ratchet wheel having a plurality of circumferentially disposed teeth and a pawl means, said ratchet teeth being at least twice as many in number as the points on the support means,

(d) actuating means for the plurality of release means including;

9. A vending machine as defined in claim 6, in which:

(h) each support means has a three-pointed star configuration and each ratchet wheel includes six teeth.

7. a drive shaft extending between said ratchet wheels and having a plurality of angularly related indexing members attached thereto, each indexing member being engageable with an associated pawl means,means for rotating said drive shaft so that a selected indexing member is disposed adjacent a selected pawl means,means for inducing alternating motion into said drive shaft and indexing members so that said indexing member engages and actuates said pawl means to permit movement of said support means, and

(e) control means for the actuating means, and

(f) an escrow member disposed below said support member and said first column portion and providing a hold position for delivering said articles in said first compartment portion sequentially with said articles in said second compartment portion.