US3144285A - Vending machine - Google Patents

Description

1964 o. B. DAVIS 3,144,285

VENDING MACHINE Filed Sept. 28, 1961 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR @suzr 154N404 flay/s A TTORNE 6 Aug. 11, 1964 o. B. DAVIS VENDING MACHINE 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Sept. 28, 1961 INVENTOR flsur @m-sam 4V S BY ATTORNEK) 1954 o. B. DAVIS 3,144,285

VENDING MACHINE Filed Sept. 28, 1961 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTOR 05am- Bdksdd/. 04WS A TTORNE $6 g- 11, 1964 0. B. DAVIS 3,144,285

VENDING MACHINE Filed Sept. 28, 1961 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 BY fi 1w Z I M /ZW ATTURNE Y5 United States Patent 3,144,285 VENDING MACHINE Oscar Barsach Davis, London, England, assignor to H.V. Developments Limited, London, England Filed Sept. 28, 1961, Ser. No. 141,355 Claims priority, application Great Britain Sept. 29, 1360 14 Claims. (Cl. 31'297.1)

This invention relates to improvements in vending machines which are coin-controlled and which include a display device whereby a particular article may be selected prior to the coin insertion.

The present invention is particularly, but not exclusively, concerned with a book vending machine and has for an object the provision of a vending machine in which the books are displayed on a movable device so that a selected book can be brought to a vending position from which the book can be removed after operation of a coincontrolled mechanism.

In its broadest aspect, the invention provides a coincontrolled vending machine comprising a movable display device, such as a turntable, supporting a plurality of objects, such as books, and movable by an operator to bring a selected object to a vending position, retaining means normally preventing the removal of said objects from the display device, and a coin-controlled mechanism which upon actuation by a coin renders the retaining means inoperative at said vending position to permit the removal of the selected object at said position from the display device.

In the preferred embodiment, the objects comprise books which are supported vertically on the turntable and are retained thereon by a fixed flange projecting over the back of the books to prevent their withdrawal from the supporting means on the turntable. A vending slot or gap is provided in the flange and the slot is normally closed by a coin-controlled plate.

The invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIGURE 1 is a plan view of a book vending machine in accordance with the invention;

FIGURE 2 is a sectional elevation of the machine taken Q on the line 2-2 of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 3 is a sectional plan view taken on the line 3-3 of FIGURE 2 showing the coin-controlled mechanism in its locked position;

FIGURE 4 is a fragmentary view of part of the mechanism of FIGURE 3 showing the actuation of the parts in response to the insertion of a coin;

FIGURE 5 is a view similar to FIGURE 3 but showing the coin-controlled mechanism in its vending position whereby a book can be removed from the machine;

FIGURE 6 is a further view of the coin-controlled mechanism showing the parts in a safety position just prior to their return to the locked position as shown in FIGURE 3; and

FIGURE 7 is a perspective view of one of the book supports as mounted on the rotatable book display section of the machine. I

Referring now to the drawings and in particular to FIGURES 1 and 2 it will be seen that the preferred embodiment comprises a book vending machine which is particularly intended for use in hotels and like public places. The machine comprises a fixed base section 10, a movable display device section 11 which carries the books on sale, and a coin-controlled mechanism 12 which upon actuation locks the display section 11 against rotation and permits the removal therefrom of a selected book.

The fixed base section is circular in plan view as will be seen from FIGURE 1 and is mounted on legs or may be provided with a base unit 13 which could act as 3,144,285 Patented Aug. 11, 1964 a store for additional books. The base section 10 is provided with a lower circular horizontal plate 14 which carries a centrally positioned hollow column 15 around which the display section 11 is rotatably supported. The lower horizontal plate 14 is provided with a fixed cam track 16 on its upper surface, the purpose and shape of which will be described hereinafter. The lower plate 14 is also provided with an annular wall 17 which extends upwardly towards the display section 11 to form a chamber 18 for receiving the lower parts of the book supports of the display section. The base section also includes an upper circular horizontal plate 19 which is spaced from the lower plate 14 (see FIGURE 2) and is of smaller diameter. The periphery of this plate overlaps the backs of the books in the display section 11 as will be hereinafter described and thereby acts as a retaining device to prevent the unauthorised removal of the books.

The book display section 11 is rotatably mounted for movement in either direction on the central column 15 of the base section 10 between its lower plate 14 and its upper plate 19. This display section 11 comprises a cir cular plate 20 on which are mounted a plurality, for example, 36 vertical book supports. Each support comprises a vertical rod 21 the upper end of which extends closely to the undersurface of the top circular plate 19. Each rod 21 is pivotally mounted in the circular plate 20 at a predetermined radial distance from the central column 15. The rods 21 are equally spaced about the plate 20 and as previously mentioned they are located so that they are within the periphery of the circular plate 19 of the fixed base section 1.0. A radially extending, substantially rectangular, plate 22 is welded to each rod and a vertical plate 23 of substantially triangular shape is secured to the rectangular plate 22 with its side 24 extending parallel but spaced from the supporting rod 21. In use a book A is opened somewhere about its middle and is then slid downwardly about the vertical plate 23 with its 1 back between the edge 24 of the plate and the supporting of circular shape which is located behind the plurality of the vertical supporting rods 21 and forms with the central column 15 a chamber 27 in which is located the coincontrolled mechanism 12 which will be hereinafter described.

The periphery of the circular plate 20 is provided with a number of radial extensions 28 to which a circular tube 29 is attached for use by the operator to rotate the display section 11 in either direction for the selection of a particular book.

The lower end 30 of each rotatable rod 21 is formed with a bearing 31 located in the circular plate 20. Each rod 21 also carries a bush 32 seating on the upper surface of the plate 20 so as to position the book support correctly in the display section. The end 30 of the rod is drilled axially and fixedly receives a cranked rod 33 on the lower end of which is mounted a nylon roller 34 adapted to engage within the cam track 16 on the lower plate 14 of the fixed base 10. The cranked rods 33 are supported around the periphery of a plate 35 forming part of the turntable 36 of the rotatable display section.

The cam track 16 is shown more clearly in FIGURE 1 and it will be seen that it comprises two halves, each half being located eccentrically about the central column 15 of the machine. At the beginning 37 of each track section the rollers 34 are located at their greatest radial distance from the centre of the column 15. The track section then gradually curves inwardly to its shortest radial distance at the position indicated by the reference 38. At this point there is a short section 39 which leads to the beginning of the other half of the cam track 16. During rotation of the display device the movement of the rollers 34 in the cam track 16 will slowly rotate the corresponding book supports through the rods 21. The effect is to space the book supports without jamming and at the two selected diametrically spaced points 37 the books will be turned through an angle to provide an open viewing position which is indicated in FIGURE 1 by reference 40. At these positions the outer sides of a book together with an inspection of the pages can be made. In the embodiment disclosed two viewing positions have been shown but it will be appreciated that only one viewing position need be provided and this can be obtained by suitable design of the cam track 16.

The viewing position 40 is also utilized as a vending position. To this end the upper circular plate 19 of the fixed base section 10 is cut away to provide a slot 41 so as to allow the upward release of a selected book from its book support. Under normal operating conditions the slot 41 is closed by a movable plate 42 which is coloured for identification and which is automatically movable to release the book upon actuation of the coin-controlled mechanism as will be described. The plate 42 is mounted on a rotatable control shaft 43 and it is also provided with a plate 44 which extends from it and is adapted to move beneath a coin slot 45 to prevent the insertion of a coin therein when the movable plate 42 has been moved to its inoperative or book release position. The shaft 43 on which the plate 42 is mounted extends through the fixed upper plate 19 of the base section 10 and is provided with a handle 46 for manual resetting operation as will be hereinafter described. The lower end of the shaft 43 is rotatably mounted in a fixed plate 19A attached to the fixed column 15.

The rotary movement of the display section 11 is given a step by step motion by providing the circular plate 20 with a plurality of fixed stop pins 47 corresponding to the number of book supports. It will be seen by reference to the drawings that a pin 47 is located radially opposite each of the vertical support rods 21. The pins 47 are located just within the screen 26 and the gap between adjacent pins is successively engaged by a roller 48 carried at one end of a bell crank lever 49 which is pivoted at 50 on the plate 19A and has its other arm urged by a spring 51 so as to maintain the roller 48 in engagement with a pair of adjacent pins 47. The pin 52 of the roller 48 extends through a slot 53 (see FIG- URES 3 to 6) of a lever 54 which is fixedly secured to the control shaft 43. The slot 53 has a circumferential portion 55 and a radial portion 56 and under normal conditions the pin 52 is mounted opposite the radial section 56 so that as the display section is rotated the pin can move into the radial section 56 to allow the roller 48 to click over a pin 47 into the next adjacent space. The position is shown in FIGURE 3 of the drawings and it will be appreciated that when the control shaft 43 is rotated clockwise the lever 54 is also rotated thereby to move the pin 52 of the roller 48 into the circumferential section 55 of the slot 53. This position is shown in FIG- URE 5 of the drawings and it will be appreciated that the display device is now locked in a predetermined position as the roller 48 cannot move radially inwardly. The position shown in FIGURE 5 is the vending position as the display device is locked and the preselected book is now located in the vending position 40 below the slot 41. At the same time, the rotation of the shaft 43 has moved the plate 42 away from the slot 41 (see FIGURE 5) so that the book can be removed upwardly through the slot 41.

The unauthorised rotation of the shaft 43 is prevented by a pawl 57 which is pivoted at 58- on the plate 19A and is urged by a spring 59 to engage a notch 60 in a plate 61 fixedly secured to the shaft 43. A keeper plate 62 is rotatably mounted on the shaft 43 and has a pin 63 which is connected by a tension spring 64 with a pin 65 on the plate 61.

When a coin is inserted through the slot 45 in the upper plate 19 the coin-controlled mechanism of any suitable construction (not shown in order to avoid complication of the drawing) energises momentarily a circuit containing solenoid 66 which immediately pivots the pawl 57 abouts its pivot 58 away from the plate 61. This movement is shown in FIGURE 4 of the drawings and as the pawl moves outwardly the spring 64 immediately urges the keeper plate 62 into a position against the pin 65 so that as the pawl 57 returns upon de-energisation of solenoid 66 it now engages the outer edge of the keeper plate 62. This movement unlocks the shaft 43 which is now automatically rotated clockwise from the position shown in FIGURES 3 and 4 to the position shown in FIGURE 5. As this movement occurs the keeper plate 62 is also moved clockwise by the pin 65 on plate 61 so that the nose of the pawl 57 slides off keeper plate 62 and engages the section 67 of the notched plate 61. The automatic rotation of the shaft 43 is obtained by means of a tension spring 73 which is connected between plate 42 and top plate 19 to urge plate 19 and therefore shaft 43 in a clockwise direction.

In order to reset the machine after removal of a book the operator manually rotates the shaft 43 anti-clockwise by handle 46 until the pawl 57 engages in the notch 60 of the plate 61. At this position the plate 42 has now closed the slot 41 and the shaft 43 cannot be rotated to release a further book without energisation of solenoid 66 by the insertion of a coin.

It is, however, possible that an operator may be able to reposition the display section 11 just prior to the insertion of the nose of the pawl 57 in the notch 60 as it will be appreciated that the pin 52 of the roller 48 has at this time practically entered the radial section 56 of the slot 53. The machine is, therefore, provided with a safety device in the form of a second notch 68 which is provided on the plate 61 between the notch 60 and the surface 67. As the operator begins to reset the machine the nose of the pawl 57 engages with the notch 68 and in this position the plate 42 has already half covered the slot 41. In other words, if the operator manually returns the shaft 43 to a position which will allow repositioning of the display device it will be subsequently impossible to return the shaft 43 manually to a position in which the slot 41 is sufliciently open to allow the removal of a second book. The top plate 19 of the machine is preferably formed in two semi-circular sections provided with hinges 70 so that one half may be pivoted on to the other half to provide for reloading of the machine and the removal of inserted money. The pivoted section is, of course, provided with a lock.

The operation of the machine is as follows:

(1) The operator must first manually reset the machine as the previous operator will have left the machine in the vending position as shown in FIGURE 5. The operator therefore rotates handle 46 anti-clockwise to bring the mechanism into the position shown in FIGURE 3.

(2) The operator now rotates the display device until he selected book is located under the coloured plate 42 in the vending position.

(3) The operator now inserts his coin which automatically unlocks shaft 43 and allows the spring 73 to rotate the shaft clockwise. This movement locks the display device in position and also moves plate 42 to allow the release of the selected book.

It will be appreciated that the invention provides a very robust, compact and easily operable machine. Although the machine has been described with 36 book supports this is, of course, only given by way of example and smaller or larger machines can be made to suit requirements.

I claim:

1. A coin-controlled vending machine comprising a supporting means, a movable member rotatably mounted on the supporting means and on which a plurality of objects are displayed, said movable member being movable by an operator to bring a selected object to a vending position, a plurality of pivotable supports vertically disposed around the periphery of said movable member to support said objects on said movable member, cam means disposed below said movable member, each of said plurality of pivotable supports having a portion engaging said cam means so that when said movable member is moved said plurality of pivotable supports move with respect to said movable member to display said objects at one or more predetermined positions, a plate member located above said supports so as to prevent the removal of said objects therefrom, said plate member having a slot formed therein at said vending position so that said selected object can be removed therethrough, retaining means normally closing said slot to prevent removal of said selected object, and a coin-operated mechanism operatively connected to said retaining means which upon actuation by a coin renders said retaining means inoperative at said vending position to permit the removal of the selected object.

2. A vending machine as claimed in claim 1, wherein said supports include a plurality of vertical rods equally spaced circumferentially of the movable member, a horizontally extending plate carried by each of said rods to support the object, and a vertically extending plate projecting from each horizontal plate in a direction substantially parallel to the vertical rod to retain the object on the horizontally extending plate.

3. A vending machine as claimed in claim 2, wherein resilient means is provided in cooperation with the vertically extending plate to retain the object in position on the horizontally extending plate.

4. A vending machine as claimed in claim 2, wherein the supporting means includes a stationary base portion and the cam means includes a cam track formed in the stationary supporting base portion, said vertical rods being rotatably mounted in the movable member and extending therethrough and having lower ends terminating in, a cranked portion and rollers on said cranked portions engaging the cam trac 5. A vending machine as claimed in claim 1, wherein the retaining means comprises a movable plate, a rotatable manually operable shaft on which said movable plate is mounted and locking means operatively associated with said shaft for preventing the rotation thereof without the operation of the coin-controlled mechanism.

' 6. A vending machine as claimed in claim 5 wherein the movable member is formed with a plurality of pins, each pin corresponding to one of said supports, and a positioning means engaging a pair of adjacent pins to provide a step-by-step movement of said movable member.

7. A vending machine as claimed in claim 6, wherein the positioning means includes a spring-urged roller having a supporting pin which is normally capable of radial movement to permit rotation of the movable member.

8. A vending machine as claimed in claim 7, wherein the pin of the positioning roller is movable in a slot formed in a plate secured to the manually operable shaft, said slot having a radial portion and a circumferential portion to lock the movable member in a predetermined position upon rotation of the slotted plate by the manually operable shaft.

9. A vending machine as claimed in claim 8, wherein the manually operable shaft is provided with a notched plate and a spring-urged pawl is provided to engage the notch to prevent rotation of the manually operable shaft.

10. A vending machine as claimed in claim 9, wherein the spring-urged pawl is released from said notch by said coin-controlled mechanism which comprises a solenoid and an energizing circuit therefor.

11. A vending machine as claimed in claim 10, wherein a keeper plate is rotatably mounted on the manually operable shaft and a spring is connected to the notched plate, said keeper plate engaging said pawl upon energization of the coin-controlled mechanism so as to permit rotation of the manually operable shaft.

12. A vending machine as claimed in claim 11, wherein rotation of the manually operable shaft releases the spring-urged pawl to permit the pawl to engage an inoperative surface on said notched plate.

13. A vending machine as claimed in claim 12, wherein the notched plate is provided with a second notch for initial engagement by the spring-urged pawl upon return of the manually operable shaft to its normal position.

14. A vending machine as claimed in claim 13, wherein the cam track extends around the movable member eccentrically with respect to'the axis of rotation thereof whereby rotation of the turntable in either direction moves the rollers in said cam track to rotate the supports about their axes.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 988,297 Barrow et al. Apr. 4, 1911 1,010,966 Sielaff Dec. 5, 1911 1,027,499 Osborne May 28, 1912 1,691,998 Smith Nov. 20, 1928 2,062,802 Walker Dec. 1, 1936 2,332,845 Ducarpe Oct. 26, 1943 2,809,083 Goodyear Oct. 8, 1957 FOREIGN PATENTS 5,179 Great Britain Mar. 2, 1904

Claims (1)

1. A COIN-CONTROLLED VENDING MACHINE COMPRISING A SUPPORTING MEANS, A MOVABLE MEMBER ROTATABLY MOUNTED ON THE SUPPORTING MEANS AND ON WHICH A PLURALITY OF OBJECTS ARE DISPLAYED, SAID MOVABLE MEMBER BEING MOVABLE BY AN OPERATOR TO BRING A SELECTED OBJECT TO A VENDING POSITION, A PLURALITY OF PIVOTABLE SUPPORTS VERTICALLY DISPOSED AROUND THE PERIPHERY OF SAID MOVABLE MEMBER TO SUPPORT SAID OBJECTS ON SAID MOVABLE MEMBER, CAM MEANS DISPOSED BELOW SAID MOVABLE MEMBER, EACH OF SAID PLURALITY OF PIVOTABLE SUPPORTS HAVING A PORTION ENGAGING SAID CAM MEANS SO THAT WHEN SAID MOVABLE MEMBER IS MOVED SAID PLURALITY OF PIVOTABLE SUPPORTS MOVE WITH RESPECT TO SAID MOVABLE MEMBER TO DISPLAY SAID OBJECTS AT ONE OR MORE PREDETERMINED POSITIONS, A PLATE MEMBER LOCATED ABOVE SAID SUPPORTS SO AS TO PREVENT THE REMOVAL OF SAID OBJECTS THEREFROM, SAID PLATE MEMBER HAVING A SLOT FORMED THEREIN AT SAID VENDING POSITION SO THAT SAID SELECTED OBJECT CAN BE REMOVED THERETHROUGH, RETAINING MEANS NORMALLY CLOSING SAID SLOT TO PREVENT REMOVAL OF SAID SELECTED OBJECT, AND A COIN-OPERATED MECHANISM OPERATIVELY CONNECTED TO SAID RETAINING MEANS WHICH UPON ACTUATION BY A COIN RENDERS SAID RETAINING MEANS INOPERATIVE AT SAID VENDING POSITION TO PERMIT THE REMOVAL OF THE SELECTED OBJECT.

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