A coin-operated actuation mechanism of a vending machine, comprising:
- (a) a coin carrier wheel mounted to undergo rotation about an axis in a given direction during a dispensing cycle of the vending machine, said coin carrier wheel having a peripheral edge and front and rear sides and at least one coin receiving recess defined in said rear side so as to extend to and open at said peripheral edge thereof and be spaced from said axis such that said coin receiving recess is adapted to receive a coin when said coin carrier wheel is disposed in an initial coin receiving position in the dispensing cycle;
- (b) a coin retainer plate having front and rear sides and being mounted in a stationary position relative to said coin carrier wheel with said front side of said coin retainer plate disposed adjacent to said rear side of said coin carrier wheel such that said coin retainer plate retains the coin in said coin receiving recess of said coin carrier wheel as said coin carrier wheel is rotated about said axis in said given direction relative to said coin retainer plate from said initial position toward a coin discharging position;
- (c) a structure mounted to undergo rotation with said coin carrier wheel and having a front surface spaced from and facing toward said rear side of said coin retainer plate as said structure rotates with said coin carrier wheel relative to said coin retainer plate from said initial position toward said coin discharge position, said structure also including means for preventing rotation of said coin carrier wheel and said structure therewith in a direction the reverse of said given direction once said coin carrier wheel has rotated through a predetermined angular displacement in said given direction from said initial position toward said coin discharge position;
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- (d) an anti-vandalism device including
- (i) a stop movably extendible and compressible in length and having a front end and a rear end and being mounted on a rear side of said coin retainer plate for undergoing movement between a forward blocking position and a rearward unblocking position, said front end of said stop in said forward blocking position projecting from and beyond a bore in said coin retainer plate and into an inner portion of said coin receiving recess of said coin carrier wheel when said coin receiving recess devoid of a valid coin is aligned with said bore in said coin retainer plate such that said front end of said stop will engage a segment of said coin carrier wheel at said trailing end of said coin receiving recess and block further rotation of said coin carrier wheel and said structure therewith in said given direction through said predetermined angular displacement from said initial position where halting of both forward and reverse rotation of said coin carrier wheel would occur, said front end of said stop in said rearward unblocking position being retracted into said bore in said coin retainer plate and out of said coin receiving recess of said coin carrier wheel so as not to block further rotation of said coin carrier wheel and said structure therewith in said given direction, and
- (ii) an actuator in the form of a cam surface defined on said front surface of said rotating structure in a position to engage said rear end of said stop and cause movement of said stop from its rearward unblocking position to its forward blocking position when said coin receiving recess is devoid of a valid coin and in response to rotation of said structure with said coin carrier wheel from said initial position in said given direction, said stop being compressible in length, when said coin receiving recess of said coin carrier wheel has a valid coin therein, in response to engagement of said front end of said stop with the coin such that due to the compression of the length of said stop said front end thereof does not extend beyond said hole in said coin retainer plate even though said rear end of said stop is engaged by said actuator on said rotating structure.