Gumball bank dispensing mechanism

A coin-operated article-dispensing machine, having a coin-receiving mechanism that permits operation of the mechanism when a coin is in the mechanism, and prevents operation of the mechanism when no coin is present, said coin-receiving mechanism including:

• front-plate means having a coin-receiving aperture;
• rotatable coin-receiving disc means adjacent said front-plate means and having pocket means therein for receiving coins inserted into said mechanism through said aperture;
• actuator means cooperatively associated with said disc for rotating said disc;
• means for preventing reverse rotation of said disc beyond a predetermined position;
• and means for selectively preventing forward rotation when no coin is in said pocket but permitting forward rotation when a coin is in said pocket;
• the improvement comprising said disc including axially-extending, abutment-shoulder means for cooperation in preventing reverse rotation of said disc;
• and fixedly positioned shoulder defining means in axial relation to said disc and arranged for engagement by said abutment-shoulder means when said disc is rotated in the reverse direction, thereby preventing reverse rotation of said disc, wherein said disc includes integral arcuate peripheral finger means having a terminal end portion which defines said axially-extending, abutment-shoulder means, and a tapering cam-like surface which tapers from the body of the disc to said abutment shoulder, and said finger means being adapted to flex in the axial direction.

A coin operated article-dispensing machine, having a coin-receiving mechanism that permits operation of the mechanism when a coin is in the mechanism, and prevents operation of the mechanism when no coin is present, said coin-receiving mechanism including:

• front-plate means having a coin-receiving aperture;
• rotatable coin-receiving disc means adjacent said front-plate means and having pocket means therein for receiving coins inserted into said mechanism through said aperture;
• actuator means cooperatively associated with said disc for rotating said disc;
• means for preventing reverse rotation of said disc beyond a predetermined position;
• and means for selectively preventing forward rotation when no coin is in said pocket but permitting forward rotation when a coin is in said pocket;
• the improvement comprising said disc including axially extending, abutment-shoulder means for cooperation in preventing reverse rotation of said disc;
• and fixedly positioned shoulder defining means in axial relation to said disc and arranged for engagement by said abutment-shoulder means when said disc is rotated in the reverse direction, thereby preventing reverse rotation of said disc;
• wherein said means for selectively preventing or permitting said forward rotation comprises dog means cooperatively positioned in fixed axial relation to said disc and said coin-receiving pocket so as to engage only a trailing edge portion of said pocket when no coin is therein thereby preventing forward rotation of said disc and said dog means being adapted to be disabled by a coin present in said pocket so as to permit forward rotation of said disc;
• and which includes back plate means having said dog means integral therewith, said plate means positioned adjacent said disc, and biasing means on said plate means for urging said dog means axially forwardly toward said disc;
• and wherein said back plate means includes means defining an aperture having an edge portion, which edge portion comprises said reverse rotation preventing shoulder defining means.