Electronic cam locking systems for vending machines and the like

A locking system for locking a movable cabinet relative to a stationary body comprising in combination;

• a cam locking means including a shaped end carried by one of said cabinet and stationary body;
• said cam locking means shaped end being rotatable about its translational members centerline;
• a receiving means including a slot stationarily carried by the other of said cabinet and stationary body adapted to receive the shaped end of said cam locking means;
• an actuating means for rotating the shaped end of the cam locking means;
• a access control means for receiving an access control input;
• and
• a controlling means connected to said actuating means and said access control means for controlling the actuation of said shaped end of the cam to move it within and release it from said receiving means slot.

A locking system for locking a movable cabinet relative to a stationary body comprising in combination;

• a cam locking means including a shaped end carried by either said cabinet or stationary body;
• said cam locking means shaped end being longitudinally translatable and rotatable;
• a receiving means including a slot stationarily carried by the other of said cabinet and stationary body adapted to receive the shaped end of said cam locking means;
• an actuating means for advancing and retracting said cam locking means toward and away from said receiving means and rotating the shaped end of the cam locking means to move it within and remove it from the receiving means;
• said actuating means including a drive means for rotating the cam locking means shaped end to draw the cam locking means together with the receiving means and for longitudinally advancing and retracting to release the cam locking means from the stationary receiving means.

A locking system for locking a movable cabinet relative to a stationary body comprising in combination;

• a cam locking means including a shaped end carried by one of said cabinet and stationary body;
• said cam locking means shaped end being rotatable about its translational members centerline;
• a receiving means including a slot stationarily carried by the other of said cabinet and stationary body adapted to receive the shaped end of said cam locking means;
• an actuating means for rotating the shaped end of the cam locking means;
• a current sensing means for sensing the current of said actuator;
• and
• a controlling means connected to said actuating means and said current sensing means for controlling the actuation of said shaped end of the cam to rotate it within and remove it from said receiving means.

A locking system for locking a movable cabinet relative to a stationary body comprising in combination;

• a cam locking means including a shaped end carried by one of said cabinet and stationary body;
• said cam locking means shaped end being rotatable about its translational members centerline;
• a receiving means including a slot stationery carried by the other of said cabinet and stationary body adapted to receive the shaped end of said cam locking means;
• an actuating means for longitudinally moving the shaped end of the cam locking means to move it into and release it from the receiving means;
• a position sensing means for sensing the longitudinal position of said cam means relative to said receiving means;
• an access control means for receiving an access control input;
• and
• a controlling means connected to said actuating means and said access control means and said position sensing means for controlling the actuation of said shaped end of the cam to move it within and remove it from said receiving means.

A method of locking a movable cabinet relative to a stationary body comprising in combination;

• providing a cam locking means including a shaped end carried by one of said cabinet and stationary body;
• providing a receiving means including a slot stationarily carried by the other of said cabinet and stationary body adapted to receive the shaped end of said cam locking means;
• providing an actuating means for longitudinally moving the shaped end of the cam locking means to move it into and remove it from the receiving means;
• optionally rotatably driving said cam locking means shaped end about its translational members centerline when positioned within the receiving means;
• providing an access control means for receiving an access control input;
• and
• connecting a controlling means to said actuating means and said access control means for controlling the actuation of said shaped end of said cam means moving within said receiving means.

A locking device for locking a movable door relative to a stationary body comprising in combination;

• a cam locking means including a shaped end carried by either said door or stationary body;
• said cam locking means being longitudinally drivable for both translation and rotation;
• a slotted receiving means stationarily carried by the other of said door or stationary body adapted to receive the shaped end of said cam locking means;
• an actuating means for advancing and retracting said cam locking means toward and away from said receiving means and the shaped end of the cam locking means to pull in and release the slotted receiving means;
• and
• said actuating means including a drive means moving the cam locking means shaped end to draw the locking device together with the receiving means and longitudinally retracting to withdraw the cam locking means from the stationary receiving means slot;

A method of locking a door relative to a stationary cabinet wherein a compressible gasket is positioned between the door and cabinet comprising the steps of:

• positioning an actuatable cam locking means having a shaped end within said door or cabinet with said locking means capable of being driven with both rotational and translational movements;
• providing a slotted stationary receiving means on the other of said door and cabinet adapted to receive the shaped end of said cam locking means;
• driving the cam shaped end longitudinally to retract and advance the locking means into and out from the receiving means slot;
• and driving said cam shaped end rotationally within the slotted receiving means to draw the door and cabinet together.

A lock configured for use with a vending machine having a cabinet and a door, the lock comprising:

• a rod having a cam element adapted to be supported by at least one of the cabinet and the door;
• a slotted receiver adapted to be supported by at least one of the door and the cabinet;
• the receiver being configured to accept the cam to couple the door to the cabinet;
• and
• a motor configured to create movement between the cam and the receiver to pull in the door towards the cabinet.