Newspaper vending machine

A newspaper vending machine comprising:

• an enclosed housing having a frame structure defining a newspaper-storage compartment;
• a front door mounted to said housing for access to said storage compartment;
• a display compartment defined in said front door whereby a single newspaper is stored for display therein;
• means for locking said front door for controlled access to said storage compartment;
• coin-operated means including coin-receiving means;
• actuating means operably connected to said coin-operated means;
• newspaper-dispensing means operated by said coin-operated means;
• floating support means on which a multiplicity of newspapers are stacked within said storage compartment, whereby the top newspaper of said stacked newspapers is sequentially positioned to be dispensed by said newspaper-dispensing means;
• means for releasing said newspaper displayed in said display compartment of said door after all of said stacked newspapers have been dispensed from said floating support means;
• newspaper-receiving means formed in said front door to receive a dispensed newspaper;
• and
• coin-return means attached to said coin-receiving means;
• wherein said newspaper-dispensing means comprises:
• a newspaper-dispensing carriage slidably mounted in a carriage-guide means;
• actuating means operably connected to said newspaper-dispensing carriage;
• newspaper-feeder means attached to said newspaper-dispensing carriage and adjustably mounted to engage the top positioned newspaper, whereby only said top newspaper is readily moved from the top of said stacked newspapers into said receiving means in said front door;
• and
• means for adjusting said newspaper-feeder means to engage said top-positioned newspaper;
• and
• wherein said actuating means comprises:
• a handle mounted to the front of said housing;
• a lever arm attached to said handle and extending within said housing, and including a latching arm pivotally mounted thereon, whereby said latching arm prevents said actuating means from operating without the proper coin or coins being inserted within said coin-receiving means;
• a carriage plate releasably connected to said lever arm and slidably mounted to a carriage-plate support frame for back-and-forth movement thereon when said lever arm is moved;
• means attached to said carriage plate to release said carriage plate from said lever arm as said lever arm is extended outwardly therefrom;
• biasing means attached to said lever arm, whereby said arm and said carriage plate are returned to a rearward rest position after said lever arm is pulled forwardly;
• coin-activated releasing means pivotally mounted to said carriage plate and positioned thereon for engagement with a coin when positioned in said coin-receiving means and with said latching arm mounted to said lever arm;
• engagement means interconnected between said lever arm and said dispensing carriage, whereby the back-and-forth movement of said lever arm is transferred to said newspaper-dispensing carriage.