Coin controlled mechanism for vending machine
OwnerWinford G. McDonaldinventor
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
The coin receiving capacity of a coin controlled mechanism is increased to compensate for increased cost of merchandise dispensed from a known type of vending machine whose coin holding capacity has been increased for the same reason. The mechansim has also been rendered more convenient and more reliable in operation and the number of parts in the mechanism has been significantly reduced without loss of essential function. Continuous turning of the dispensing knob in one direction has been made possible in lieu of forward and reverse turning required with the unimproved mechanism. The improved mechanism is fully compatible with existing vending machines in the field.
Claims10
A coin mechanism for a merchandise dispenser having at least a single merchandise column from which merchandise units are dispensed one at a time from the bottom of the column, the coin mechanism comprising a supporting body portion adapted for attachment to a merchandise dispenser, a unitary combined vertical back plate, horizontal platform and guide and upper coin blocking plate secured to said body portion, the body portion having an upper coin receiving opening above said blocking plate, a pocketed coin transport wheel including plural equal thickness plate sections between said back plate and a front wall portion of the supporting body portion, fixed spacer plates of equal thickness and corresponding in number and thickness to the plate sections of said wheel on opposite sides of said wheel and coin receiving opening and disposed between said back plate and said wall of the supporting body portion, a corresponding number of spring-urged coin sensing dogs associated with the spacer plates on one side of said wheel operable to sense the presence or absence of proper coins in pockets of said wheel and to block rotation of the wheel when proper coins are absent, a manual rotational drive shaft for said wheel coupled therewith and extending exteriorly of the supporting body portion, a lobed cam secured to the drive shaft and turning therewith and disposed adjacent to the surface of said back plate away from said wheel, a rockable cam lever including a cam follower element in the rotational path of the lobed cam, pivot means for said cam lever including a pair of spaced apertured lugs on opposite sides of said back plate and formed integral therewith, merchandise pusher means operatively connected with the cam lever and having guided engagement with said horizontal platform and guide, spring biasing means for the cam lever urging it to an upright non-dispensing position and including a pair of coil springs and spring locator elements on one side of said pivot means and between said back plate and a wall of the cam lever, and an anti-reverse device for said coin transport wheel including a beveled detent, a leaf spring carrying the detent and a fastener anchoring the leaf spring to said back plate, said wheel having spaced openings to coact with the beveled detent whereby the latter permits rotation of the wheel in one direction but blocks reverse rotation thereof.
A coin mechanism for a merchandise dispenser of the type having at least a single merchandise column from the bottom of which merchandise units are dispensed one at a time, said coin mechanism comprising a supporting body portion adapted for attachment to a dispenser, a combined unitary back plate and platform fixed to the body portion with the back plate spaced from a front wall of the body portion, a pocketed coin transport wheel disposed between said back plate and said front wall, a manual rotational drive shaft means for said wheel operable from the front of said body portion, a spring-urged anti-reverse blocking element for said wheel on said back plate, a lobed cam fixed to the drive shaft means at the side of the back plate away from said wheel, a cam lever rockably mounted on the unitary back plate and platform including a follower element in the path of movement of the cam, compressive coil spring return means for the cam lever between the cam lever and back plate, and a merchandise pusher slidably engaged with the platform and drivingly coupled with the end of the cam lever away from said coil spring return means.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.