GB1496194A - Goods dispensing apparatus for an automatic vending machine - Google Patents

Abstract

1496194 Dispensing apparatus SIELAFF GmbH & CO AUTOMATENBAU HER. RIEDEN 25 Feb 1975 [1 April 1974] 7895/75 Heading B8S Dispensing apparatus comprises a goods shoot 1 for storing articles which are intermittently supplied therefrom to an automatic vending machine (not shown), comprises a main shoot section 3 and a reserve shoot 2 pivotally mounted toward its top in the shoot 1 for movement under the action of springs 4 to a position in which articles stored therein are discharged through the base of the main shoot section 3, the articles in use of the shoot 1 being stored in the section 3 and shoot 2 in the form of staggered abutting rows, as shown in Figs. 2, 3 (not shown), and the reserve shoot 2 abuts against the articles in the shoot section 3 under the action of the springs 4. A rocker 18 which is pivotally mounted at 19 retains the articles in the shoot section 3 by having the lowest article (43) of one of the rows resting thereon, the articles in the reserve shoot 2 being unable to leave that shoot, in the position shown in Fig. 1, due to the presence of a support member 6 under the shoot 2. When an article is to be discharged from the shoot section 3 the rocker 18 is actuated (on actuation of the automatic vending machine) to pivot about the axis 19 thereby releasing the article (43), and in order to move the reserve shoot 2 inwardly and thus away from the rows of articles stored in the shoot section 3 to permit movement of such articles to replace the discharged article (43), the rocker 18, during its pivotal movement engages with the lower arm 22 of a lever (23), Fig. 3 (not shown), to pivot that lever about its pivot 24, the upper part (27) of the lever (23) engaging with one of two inclined surfaces (31, 32) of a stirrup 28 attached to the reserve shoot 2, Fig. 5 (not shown), to thereby move the shoot 2 inwardly towards the rear wall 5 of the shoot 1. When all the articles have been dischared from the main shoot section 3 the reserve shoot 2 pivots under the action of the springs 4, the support member 6 also pivoting about a pin 12 to permit the discharge of articles from the shoot 2 into the main shoot section 3, and the stepped configuration of the member 6 (as shown in Fig. 3 (not shown)) assists the articles to assume the orientation of staggered rows in the main shoot section 3.