US2727654A - Coin conditioned selective vending machine - Google Patents

Description

D 0. 1955 s 1.. CHILDERS ET AL COIN CONDITIONED SELECTIVE VENDING MACHINE Filed Feb. 19, 1952 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 mmm mm WW C .w mm mu. M w.

HUEBNER, BEEHLER,

" WORREL 8 HERZ/G ATTORNEYS ZMW s. CHILDERS ET AL 2,727,654

COIN CONDITIONED SELECTIVE VENDING MACHINE Dec. 20, 1955 4 Sheets-Sheet 0 Filed Feb. 19, 1952 j SPENCER 1.. CH/LDERS 59 58 65 WILLIAM B. WARREN INI/ENTORS 7-7 [0 HUEBNER, BEEHLER,

WORREL, a HERZ/G 1955 s. L. CHILDERS ET AL ,654

COIN CONDITIONED SELECTIVE VENDING MACHINE Filed Feb. 19, 1952 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 SPENCER L. CH/LDERS WILL/AM B. WARREN INVENTORS HUEBNER, BEEHLER,

WORREL, a HERZ/G ATTORNEYS United States Patent COIN CONDITIONED SELECTIVE VENDING MACHINE Spencer L. Childers, Fresno, and William B. Warren,

Madera, Califi, assignors to Vendor-later lllanufactnring Company, Fresno, Calif., a corporation of California Application February 19, 1952, Serial No. 272,346

18 Claims. (Cl. 221-22) The present invention relates to coin conditioned vending machines and more particularly to such a vending machine adapted to make available a variety of merchandise selectively dispensable in response to indicated customer preference.

The present invention was developed in response to commercial demand for a coin operated vending machine adapted to dispense selected varieties of refrigerated bottled beverages. For descriptive convenience, reference is made herein to such use but it is to be understood that the machine of the present invention is adaptable to the vending of many other types of merchandise.

Coin operated vending machines for refrigerated bottled beverages have generally been limited to the vending of a single type of beverage. This has limited the supply of bottled beverages at any given vending location to a single variety or has necessitated the provision of a multiplicity of vending machines each loaded with an individual variety of bottled beverages. been known to contain a variety of bottled beverages which were made accessible through latched doors releasable for customer accms to the bottles by the insertion of a suitable coin in a coin control mechanism provided for the purpose. Some such cabinets have even gone so far as to provide a rotatably mounted magazine adapted to receive a variety of bottled beverages and to be rotated to a position where a selected bottle is aligned with a viewing window in the door preliminary to the insertion of a triggering coin in the coin control mechanism. Such apparatus has been of somewhat complex structure, has required undesirable manipulation by the customer in registering his selection, has not permitted a simultaneous observation of all of the kinds of beverages available, and has been subject to further difiiculties which the present invention is believed to have overcome.

An object of the present invention is to provide an improved selective vending machine.

Another object is to display a variety of vendable merchandise for customer selection in a coin conditioned vending machine.

Another object is to provide a substantially theft-proof vending machine for a variety of merchandise available for customer selection.

Another object is to provide an improved control mechanism for selective vending machines adapted to preclude article selection preliminary to the receipt of a coin of predetermined denomination and adapted to limit selection to a single article in response to receipt of such a coin.

Another object is to provide a vending machine adapted to make available a variety of merchandise selectively dispensable in response to indicated customer preference in which provision is made for restricting such dispensing to articles for which payment in advance has been made.

Another object is to provide a vending machine for a variety of vendable articles in which access is gained to the articles through a coin released door and in which Refrigerated cabinets have i 2,727,654 Patented Dec. 20, 1955 2 selection is limited to a single article intermediate each release of the door.

Another object is to provide, in a vending machine of the character described in the preceding paragraph, a coin responsive latch means for the door operable to latch the door subsequent to coin release thereof only after removal of the bottled beverage for which payment has been made.

Another object is to provide a vending machine of the character described including a control mechanism having a vending position and a locking position, resilient means urging the control mechanism into locking position, coin conditioned means for moving the control mechanism to vending position, and latch means adapted to retain the control mechanism in vending position until an article has been selected from the machine and the door closed.

Further objects are to provide improved elements and arrangements thereof in a device of the character and for the purposes set forth.

Still further objects and advantages will become apparent in the subsequent description in the specification.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a front elevation of a vending machine embodying the principles of the present invention.

Fig. 2 is a horizontal section taken on line 2-2 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary enlarged section taken on line 5-3 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary enlarged vertical section of the vending machine illustrative of a portion of the drive means thereof.

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary front elevation of a control mechanism embodying the principles of the present invention utilized in the vending machine.

Fig. 6 is a section taken online 66 of Fig. '5 illustrating among other details a key releasing mechanism shown in inoperable position.

Fig. 7 is a view similar to Fig. '6 but showing the key releasing mechanism in operable position and fragmentarily representing a door and arm extended therefrom for operating the key releasing mechanism by closing the door.

Fig. 8 is a fragmentary enlarged section taken on line Sf- S of Fig. 2 and showing bottled beverages mounted in the vending machine.

Fig. 9 is a fragmentary .view similar to Fig. 8 but showing the elements thereof in a successive position, as assumed when the machine is conditioned for dispensing the bottled beverages.

Fig. 10 is a somewhat enlarged fragmentary horizontal section of the device of the present invention showing bottled beverages positioned therein.

Fig. 11 is a foreshortened section taken on line 1111 of Fig. 2.

'Fig. 12 is a foreshortened somewhat enlarged view of the control mechanism of the present invention having a QVer panel thereof removed and showing the elements of the control mechanism in locked position as to preclude the dispensing of bottled beverages therefrom.

Fig. 13 is a fragmentary view of an upper portion of Fig. 12 showing elements thereof in a successive operational position with the control mechanism conditioned for vending operations.

Fig. 14 is a fragmentary view of the stmcture shown in Fig. 12 illustrating the elements thereof in a position assumed by the selection of a bottled beverage from the vending machine. r

Fig. 15 is a somewhat enlarged section taken on line 15-15 of Fig. 14 and showing a cover plate for the control mechanism in place.

Referring in greater detail to the drawings:

A refrigerated cabinet is indicated generally at 10 in Figs. 1 and 2 which may be of any suitable size and shape. The cabinet provides an insulated rear wall 11, side walls 12 and open front 13. The open front is closed by an insulated door 14 hingeably mounted, as at 15, and provided with a lock 16 of well known form. The purpose of the door 14 is to provide access to the interior of the cabinet for servicing purposes.

The door 14 provides a customer access opening 18 therein of any desired size and shape. A door 19 is pivotally mounted at 20 in the door 14 for pivotal movement between an open position and a closed position within the customer access opening. An elongated window 21 is provided in the door 19 for convenience of inspection of bottled beverages 22 contained in the cabinet. A handle 23 is mounted on the door for convenience in opening and closing the same.

As best seen in Fig. 3 a bore 25 is formed in a side of the door 19 and a bore 26 in the door 14 in alignment with the bore 25. A latch pin 27 is slidably mounted in the bore 26 for movement of an end of the pin from the extension into the bore 25 whereby the door is latched in closed position. When the latch pin is extended from the bore 26 while the door 19 is open, the latch pin precludes closing of the door. The means for positioning the latch pin 27 will subsequently be described in connection with the description of associated mechanism.

A panel 30 is mounted in the cabinet inwardly adjacent to the customer access opening 18 and provides a plurality of vertically aligned circular windows 31. A plurality of elongated fracto-cylindrical receivers or troughs 32, most clearly evident in Figs. 8, 9, and 10, are pivotally mounted between the rear wall 11 and the panel 30 on rods 33 longitudinal thereof. A receiver 32 is mounted below each of the windows 31 in longitudinally horizontal position to hold a bottle 22 or the like aligned with its respective window. Each of the receivers has a loading position, as illustrated in Fig. 8, and a delivering position, as illustrated in Fig. 9.

Each of the receivers 32 has a longitudinal edge 36 adjacent to a side wall 12 of the cabinet and an opposite receiving edge 37 which is downwardly turned as shown in Figs. 8 and 9 to provide a stop.

Still referring to Figs. 8, 9, 10 a plurality of substantially horizontal, vertically spaced, brackets 40 are mounted between the rear wall 11 and the panel 30. The brackets are individually mounted adjacent to the receivers 32 and provide lips 41 extended theretoward which act as rests for the receiving edges 37 limiting pivotal movement of the receivers in a clockwise direction, as viewed in Figs. 8 and 9 to positions conducive to ease of bottle reception over the receiving edges 37.

An elongated ramp or track 42 is mounted on each of the brackets and provides an end aligned with the receiving edge of its brackets respective receiver when pivoted to receiving position and an opposite end upwardly thereof fastened to the opposite side wall 12 of the cabinet. A helical spring 43 is mounted on each of the rods 33 and has a leg connected to the rear wall 11 and another leg engaged with its rods respective receiver urging the receivers into bottle receiving position with the edges 37 rested on the lips 41. For purposes soon to become apparent, each of the lips 41 is spaced such a distance from the receiving edge 37 of the receiver immediately therebelow so that when the receiver is in vending position, bottles 22 cannot be drawn therebetween. Inasmuch as there is no lip above the uppermost receiver 32 to preclude such removal of bottles from the uppermost ramp 42, a box-like member 44 is welded or riveted into the cabinet above the receivers and provides a lower surface spaced from the receiving edge 37 of the uppermost receiver a distanceless than the transverse dimensions of the bottles 22.

When the door 14 is opened to load the machine, the bottles 22 are laid transversely on the ramps 42 for rolling travel downwardly .thereof. The lowermost bottles on each ramp are delivered to their respective receivers and subsequently spaced from following bottles by the elevated receiving edges 37 raised by a control mechanism shown in detail in Figs. 5, 6, 7, 11, and 12 to 15 both inclusive.

The vending control mechanism employs a mounting plate 50 mounted in a substantially erect position on the door 14 laterally adjacent to the access opening 18. Referring to Fig. 12, the mounting plate has a locking-wedge channel 51 formed in a substantially erect position in the forward face of the plate and a plurality of detent channels 52 laterally extended from the locking Wedge channel to the lateral edge of the mounting plate adjacent to the access opening. As shown, the channels are slightly sloped downwardly toward the windows 31 and a channel is provided adjacent to each window. The inner end of each of the detent channels has a notch 53 formed in an upper edge thereof. The mounting plate also provides a cam plate channel 54 transversely of the locking-wedge channel and a key housing pocket 55 above the cam plate channel.

As shown in the drawings, the mounting plate 50 is preferably formed of a pair of panels secured in overlaying relation. Thus the channels and pocket can be stamped or otherwise cut in one of the panels and when the cut panel is superimposed on the other panel the described mounting plate is economically formed. Detents 58 are slidably mounted in each of the detent channels and provide outwardly turned hook-shaped extended outer ends 59 extended across a portion of the windows 31, serrated lower edges 60, shoulders 61 engageable in the notches 53 to limit outward movement of the detents in their respective channels to predetermined positions with the outer ends thereof in blocking relation to bottles 22 located in the receivers 32, inner end portions 62 aligned with the adjacent edge of the locking-wedge channel 51 when the detents are slid to their outer limits of travel, and upwardly and outwardly inclined inner end portions 63 angularly related to both the detent channels and their locking-wedge channels.

A plurality of superimposed locking wedges 65 are slidably fitted to the locking-wedge channel 51 in endwardly abutting stacked relation. The locking wedges are positioned individually adjacent to the detents 58 and each has a laterally and downwardly disposed oblique edge 66 extended into the channel of its respective detent slidably engaged with the slanted inner edge 63 thereof. Each of the locking wedges except the uppermost thereof has a substantially flat upper end edge 67 aligned with the lower edge of the detent channel next above its respectively adjacent detent. For control convenience, an arm 63 is upwardly extended from the uppermost locking wedge.

A cam plate 70 is mounted for longitudinal slidable movement in the cam plate channel 54. The cam plate has a predetermined inner locking position, shown in Fig. 12, and an outer vending position shown in Figs. 13 and 14. The cam plate provides a camway 71 formed therein above the detents which is inclined upwardly and away from the access opening 18 and the adjacent edge of the mounting plate 50. The upper end of the camway, indicated at 72, has a substantially horizontal portion in order to accommodate sequential operation of elements of the control mechanism, as will soon become apparent. The cam plate has a substantially horizontal lower edge 73 in engagement with the upper end of the arm 68 when the cam plate is in locking position precluding upward movement of any of the locking wedges 65. A notch 74 is formed in the lower edge in alignment with the arm 68 when the cam plate is in vending position. One edge of the notch conveniently is slanted so as to exercise a downward thrust on the arm 68 when said arm is within the notch and the cam plate moved toward locking position. Normally, however, the lockingwedges 65 gravitationally descend in rested engagegrams;

men n their resp s ve d n s 5.8 d such do nward t r s is y an a x ia y Safe y faetorhe ar pl e provides an upper edgl 75 having a key receptacle 76 formed therein.

A shaft 80 is rotatably mounted in the mounting plate 50 above the cam plate 70 and forwardly extended therefrom. A key 81 is radially extended from the shaft in rested engagement on the upper .edge 75 of thecam plate. It will be noted that when .the cam plate is in vending position, the extended end of the key 81 drops into the key receptacle 76 so that the end of the key is engaged against an edge of the receptacle. Such engagement releasably locks the cam plate in vending position. For ease of operation, the extended end of the key 81 and the engaged edge .of the key receptacle 76 are preferably arcuate in form and are concentric .to the shaft 80.

A pivot pin 83 is rotatably mounted in the mounting plate 50 and forwardly extended therefrom adjacent to the shaft 80. A driving stud 84 is rigidly mounted on the cam plate 70 and forwardly extended therefrom. Further, a pair of guide pins, or studs, 85 are mounted in spaced vertical alignment on the uppermost locking wedge 65. Before considering further elements, it should be noted that a vertically elongated pawl slot 86 is formed through the mounting plate 50 below each of the detents 58.

With reference to Figs. 5, 6 and 7, it will be noted that a cover plate 88 is ,mounted'against the forward side of the mounting plate 50 in covering relation ,to the detents 58, looking wedges 65, cam plate 70 and key 81. The shaft 80 and pivot pin 83 are rotatably extended through the cover plate. The .cover plate is secured in position as by bolts 89 Vertically elongated, aligned slots 90 are provided to receive the guide pins 85 of the uppermost locking wedge. A horizontal slot 91 in the cover plate receives the driving stud 84.

A bell crank 94 is mounted on the pivot pin 83 and provides a slotted extended end 95 which has driving engagement with the stud 84 and a handle end 96. A helical spring 97 is mounted on the pin 83 under initial torsion between a peg 98 provided on the handle end 96 and a post 99 screwthreadably mounted in the cover plate urging the pin and handle in counter-clockwise direction, as viewed in Fig. 5.

As is evident in Figs. 5, .6 and 7, an elongated carriage 102 is mounted on the cover plate 88 adjacent to the shaft 80 for reciprocal elevational movement, as by headed bolts 103 extended through slots 104 of the carriage. A pair of cars 105 are forwardly extended from the upper .end of the carriage and a lever 106 pivotally mounted between the ears in dependent position by a pintle 107. A spring 108 is mounted .on the lever and by engagement with an ear urges the lever outwardly from the cover plate 88. A stop 109 is rigidly mounted on one of the ears 105 to limit outward pivotal movement of the lever 106 under the urging of the spring 108. An extension 110 integral with the carriage 102 is laterally extended therefrom and rested .on the uppermost guide pin 85 of the upper locking wedge 65.

A cam 112 is rigidly mounted on the shaft 80 adjacent to the carriage. The cam provides an arm 113 radially extended from the shaft 80 toward the carriage, and a cuniform plate 114 mounted on the extended end of the arm and outwardly extended from the cover plate 88. The carriage has a lower inoperable position shown in Figs. 5 and 6 and an upper operable position shown in Fig. 7. A cam follower 115 is extended from the lever 106 in a position engageable with the cuniform plate 114 when the carriage is in operable position and downwardly removed therefrom when the carriage is in inoperable position. 80 under initial torsion with an end engaged against the arm 113 and an opposite end secured .by the peg 99 urging the cam 112 counterclockwise, as viewed in Figs. 5

A helical spring 116 is mounted on the shaft and 12 to urge the key 81 against the upper edge of the cam plate 70.

A finger 118 is rigidly mounted on the door 19 in a position engageable with the lever 106 when the door is closed into the access opening 18, as shown in Fig. 7. When the carriage is in operable position, the closing of the door results in the depressing of the lever 106 by the finger 118 against the cam 112 rotating the shaft to remove the key 81 from the key receptacle 76.

As indicated most clearly in Fig. 11 an elongated positioning member 120 is mounted for reciprocal elevational movement on the rearward surface of the mounting plate 50 in overlaying relation to the pawl slots 86 as by headed bolts 121 extended through longitudinal slots 122 and screwthreadably mounted in the mounting plate. As seen in Fig. 12, the mounting plate is vertically slotted at 123 in registration with the camway 71 and a cam follower 124 rigidly mounted on the upper end of the positioning member, is extended through the slot 123 and engaged in the camway 71. It will be evident that when the cam plate 70 is in locking position, shown in Fig. 12, the positioning member 120 is lowered to a predetermined lower limit of travel delimited by the camway and that when the cam plate is in vending position, shown in Fig. 13, the positioning member is raised to a predetermined elevated position. A finger 125, best seen in Figs. 10, 11 and 14, is rearwardly extended from the positioning member 120 through vertical slots 126 in the panel 3.0 in engagement with the lower surface of each receiver 32, as seen in Fig. 8, adjacent to its receiving edge 37. When the positioning member 120 is in its lowered position, the receiving edges of the receivers are rested on the lips 41 with the receivers aligned with their respective ramps 42 under the urging of the springs 43, as shown in Fig. 8. When the positioning member 120 is raised, the fingers rotate the receivers to vending position, as shown in Fig. 9, separating each bottle 22 disposed for customer access on the receivers 32, from bottles on the adjacent ramp and precluding theft of bottles from the ramp by the spacing of the receiving edges 37 of the receivers from the lips 41 and the box like member 44.

Referring to Fig. 11, an opening 128 is formed through the positioning member 120 in juxtaposition to each of the pawl slots 86. An arcuate pawl 129 is extended through each of the slots and its respective opening 128 and mounted in the opening on the positioning member as by a spring 130 secured to the positioning member by screws 131. The springs maintain the pawls 'in the positioning member, resiliently move the pawls into engagement with the serrated lower edges 60 of the detents 58 when the positioning member is elevated, and retract the pawls from detent engagement when the positioning member is lowered. The pawl and detent engagement limits detent movement to inward travel in their respective channels 52.

By reference to Figs. 1, 2 and 3, the manipulation of the control mechanism, receivers 32, and door latch 27 is evident. A manually manipulable crank 134 is rotatably mounted in the door 14 in a position convenient to customer access on a journal 135. The journal mounts a rearwardly extended stud 136 eccentrically thereof. A bell crank 137 is pivotally mounted in the door 14 and provides an upwardly extended slotted end 138 and a control end 139 extended horizontally above the journal. An elongated peg 140 is rigidly mounted on the latch pin 27 and extended into slidable engagement with the slotted end 138 of the bell crank. A push-pull link 141 pivotally interconnects the control end 139 of the bell crank and the handle end 96 of the bell crank '94. A pull link 142 is pivotally connected to the control end 139 and provides an elongated slot 143 .slidably receiving the stud 136. It will be apparent that rotation of the crank 13.4 pulls the control end 139 of the bell crank 13,7 and the handle .end 96 of the .bell crank 9.4 downwardly withdrawing the latch pin 27 from the bore 25 to release the door 19 and to move the cam plate 70 to vending position in which it is releasably locked by the key 81.

A coin receiving opening 148 is provided in the door 14 above the crank 134 and a coin control or coin actuating mechanism 149 mounted within the door in controlling engagement with the journal 135. There are many coin control mechanisms available that are suitable to the purpose and thus the rather intricate details of structure thereof are not described herein. It is sufiicient to observe that the coin control mechanism normally locks the journal 135 against rotation but is conditioned to release the journal for a single cycle of rotation in response to receipt of a coin or coins of predetermined denomination.

Operation The operation and utility of the present invention are believed to be clearly apparent and are briefly summarized at this point to emphasize the cooperative and synchronous action of the described structure. The insulated door 147 is opened by any suitable key operable in the lock 16 for access to the interior of the cabinet 10. Bottled beverages. or other articles of merchandise, are mounted on the ramps 42, as shown in Figs. 8 and 9, for rolling or slidable movement into the receivers 32. The positioning of the bottles is facilitated by providing an upwardly extended rearward edge 151 on each of the ramps. When bottles of various lengths are accommodated, the rearward edges are preferably located so that the tops, or crowns of the bottles, are located in a common vertical plane suited to display purposes and convenience of customer access. Although the applicant prefers to employ ramps of the character shown because of their simplicity and dependability, it is to be understood that magazines of any other suitable form adapted to supply articles to be vended to the receivers may be utilized without departing from the spirit or scope of the present invention.

The door 14 is locked in closed position and with the access door 19 latched by the pin 27 and the control mechanism locked as shown in Fig. 12 by the spring 97 urging the bell crank 94 to draw the cam plate 70 to locking position, the vending machine is ready for customer use.

The crank 134 is locked against rotation by the coin control mechanism 149 so that actuation of the cam is precluded until a coin of predetermined denomination is deposited in the coin receiving opening 148. Upon receipt of an acceptable coin of predetermined denomination, the coin control mechanism 149 releases the journal 135 and the crank 134 for a single cycle of rotation. As the crank is turned, the stud 136 pulls downwardly on the pull link 142 rotationg the bell cranks 137 and 94 in clockwise direction, as viewed in Fig. l. The described rotation of the bell cranks releases the access door 19 from the latch pin 27 and moves the cam plate 70 into vending position, shown in Fig. 13. The key 81 drops into the key receptacle 76 and releasably retains the cam plate 70 in vending position against the urging of the spring 97. In such condition, the carriage 102 is lowered to inoperable position.

The customer is then able to open the access door 19 by means of the handle 23 and to select a desired bottled beverage 22 inspected through the circular windows 31. It is the usual practice to place a different variety of bottled beverage on each ramp so that a maximum variety of beverages may be made available. It will be noted that the detents 58 are disposed between the bottles and the access opening so that the bottlescannot be removed from the receivers 32 without detent retraction. As a bottle is grasped by a customer and drawn outwardly past its detent, the detent is thrust inwardly in its channel 52 under the camming action of the neck of the bottle against the detent. As the detent moves inwardly, its lower edge 60 rides over the upper end 67 of the locking wedge immediately therebelow locking all wedges below said detent downwardly and precluding retraction of their respective detents. Also as the detent is slid inwardly, the wedge-shaped portion 63 thereof cams its respective locking wedge 65 upwardly raising the arm 68 into the notch 74 of the cam plate 70. This condition is observable in Fig. 14. It will be obvious that if a lower detent than that demonstrated is slid inwardly, that all of the lock wedges 65 thereabove are cammed upwardly so that the lateral edges thereof slide upwardly against the inner end portion 62 of the detents thereabove locking said detents against inward movement. It thus will be seen that the retraction of a single detent to remove a bottled beverage 22, automatically locks all of the other detents against inward movement. As a further precaution, the movement of the cam plate 70 to vending position elevates the positioning member and brings all of the pawls 129 into engagement with the serrated lower edges 60 of the detents so that once a detent is retracted for, 01' by, bottle removal, it can not be manually returned to original position so as to free the other detents.

It will be recalled that upward movement of the uppermost wedge 65 raises the carriage 102, shown in Figs. 5, 6 and 7, to operable position. Until the access door 1.9 is closed and before the selection of a bottle and the movement of its detent, the door is neither retained in closed position by the pin 27 nor serves to actuate the lever 106. Subsequent to such bottle selection, however, the carriage 102 is in operable position and closing of the door 19 thrusts the lever 106 inwardly rotating the cam 112 and retracting the key 81 from the key receptacle 76 subsequent to which the spring 97 through actuation of the bell crank 94 returns the cam plate 70 to locked position. It will be evident that the locking wedges 65 can not be forced downwardly by the cam plate 70 until the pawls 129 are retracted from the detents 58 releasing the retracted detent for outward movement. Further, the carriage 102 must not be moved from operable position until the key receptacle 76 is drawn from beneath the engaging end of the key 81 or the key will return to the receptacle and lock the control mechanism. The fiat upper end 72 of the camway 71 permits initial movement of the cam plate 70 sufiicient to withdraw the receptacle 76 from beneath the key 81 prior to the successive lowering of the positioning member 120 to retract the pawls 129 and to release the detents for slidable movement outwardly permitting the locking wedges 65 gravitationally to return to their rested stacked positions. The releasing of the key 81 from its receptacle 76 and the counterclockwise rotation of the bell crank 94 under the urging of the spring 97 also rotates the bell crank 137 in counterclockwise direction, as viewed in Fig. l, thrusting the latch pin 27 into the bore 25. Thus the access door 19 is locked in closed position and the control mechanism locked by the cam plate 70 with the detents blocking the bottles 22 in the receivers 32.

As the positioning member 120 descends upon movement of the cam plate 70 to locked position, the fingers thereof are lowered permitting the receivers to rotate under the urging of the springs 43 to bottle receiving position. v The empty receiver receives a bottle from its ramp 42 while the bottles of the other ramps are retained in their respective ramps by the bottles already contained by their receivers.

In the event any ramp is emptied, its receiver will obviously not be supplied with a bottle for vending purposes. Although eflort is made to fill the machine at sufiicient intervals so that a maximum variety of bottled beverages can always be displayed, no substantial harm is done by having one or more of the receivers empty when the machine is operated. Customers can inspect the available bottled beverages through the window 21 and if the desired beverage is not available such condition can be immediately determined. The failure to supply one or more of the receivers with bottled beverages in no way influences the operation of the described mechanism in the dispensing of beverages from the noted receivers.

The apparatus of the present invention is substantially theft proof, is dependable in operation, is characterized by long trouble free operation, and is believed to be the simplest structure devised for the purposes discussed.

Although the invention has been herein shown and described in what is conceived to be the most practical and preferred embodiment, it is recognized that departures may be made therefrom within the scope of the invention, which is not to be limited to the details disclosed herein but is to be accorded the full scope of the claims so as to embrace any and all equivalent devices and apparatus.

Having described our invention what we claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a selective vending machine having a cabinet providing an access opening therein, a door mounted on the cabinet for movement to and from a closed position in the access opening, means for supporting vendable merchandise in the cabinet adjacent to the access opening, the combination of a latch for the door mounted in the cabinet for reciprocal movement between a position looking the door in the access opening and a position retracted from the door, means for supporting vendable merchandisc in the cabinet adjacent to the access opening, a vending control mechanism having detents disposed for customer access within the cabinet between the merchandise supporting means and the access opening in blocking relation to merchandise in the supporting means, said control mechanism having a locked condition in which movement of all of the detents from blocking position is precluded and a vending condition in which any selected detent only can be moved from blocking position by customer manipulation through the access opening, resilient means urging the control mechanism into locked condition and the latch into door holding position, drive means connected to the latch and to the control mechanism operable concurrently to retract the latch and to condition the control mechanism for vending, means releasably restraining the vending control mechanism in vending condition when conditioned for vending by the drive means, and means responsive to movement of a detent from blocking position when the control mechanism is in vending condition actuated by closing of the door to release the control mechanism restraining means.

2. in a selective vending machine comprising a cabinet having an access opening therein, a door mounted on the cabinet for movement to and from a closed position in the access opening, article receivers mounted in the cabinet Within the access opening, magazines within the cabinet operable when the door is closed to supply the receivers with articles to be vended, the combination of a latch for the door mounted in the cabinet for reciprocal movement between a. position locking the door in the access opening and a position retracted from the door, article receivers mounted in the cabinet within the access opening, magazines within the .cabinet operable when the door is closed to supply the receivers with articles to be veuded, a vending control mechanism having detents disposed for customer access between the receivers and the access opening in blocking relation to articles in the receivers, said control mechanism having a locked condition in which movement of all the detents from blocking position is precluded and a vending condition in which any selected detent only can be moved from blocking position by customer manipulation through the access opening, releasable key means engageable with the control mechanism in vending condition to lock said mechanism in vending condition, key releasing means having an operable and an inoperable position, means connected to the control mechanism moving the key releasing nieans to operable position in response to movement of a slide from blocking position and to inoperable position in response to locked conditioning of the control mechanism, means connected to the door engageable with the key release means when in operable position upon closing of the door to operate the release means to release the control mechanism from the key means, drive means connected to the latch and to the control mechanism operable concurrently to retract the latch and to condition the control mechanism for vending, and resilient means urging the control mechanism into locked condition and the latch into door holding position.

3. In a selective vending machine having a cabinet providing an access opening, a door mounted in the opening, a plurality of article receivers mounted in the cabinet adjacent to the access opening, magazines mounted in the cabinet for delivering vendable articles to the receivers in response to closing of the door, the combination of a latch for the door, manual means for releasing the latch, detents extended between each receiver and the access opening for individual reciprocal positioning between respective article retaining positions and article releasing positions, cooperative locking wedges individual to the detents limiting movement of the detents from retaining position to releasing position to the displacement of a single detent at a time from retaining position, the detents being provided with ratchet teeth, ratchet pawls movable to and from engagement with the ratchet teeth of the detents adapted when engaged with the teeth to preclude return of the detents to retaining position when displaced therefrom, a cam plate having a key receptacle formed therein mounted for reciprocal positioning between a vending position and a locking position, said cam plate being connected to the ratchet pawls so as to move the pawls into detent engagement when the cam plate is in vending position and engaged with the locking wedges to lock the wedges in positions blocking movement of their respective detents to releasing position when the cam plate is in looking position, resilient means urging the cam plate into locking position, a key mounted for movement between a position within the key receptacle when the cam plate is in vending position and a position retracted therefrom, a cam mounted for unitary movement with the key, resilient means urging the key into the key receptacle, a key releasing mechanism mounted for reciprocal movement between an effective position engageable with the cam and an ineifective position retractedfrom the cam, means connected to the key releasing means responsive to movement of any one of the locking wedges to move said releasing means to efiective position in response to wedge movement, a finger mounted on the door engageable with the key releasing means when the door is closed to actuate the cam when the key releasing means is in effective position, and actuating means interconnecting the manual means for releasing the latch and the cam plate moving the cam plate to vending position in response to movement of the manual means to release the latch.

4. In a selective vending machine for refrigerated bottled beverages comprising a refrigerated cabinet hav ing an access opening therein; a door pivotally mounted in the access opening; the combination or" a latch mechanism for the door; a plurality of elongated inclined tracks adapted rollably to support bottles transversely thereon mounted in superimposed relation in the cabinet and having lower ends adjacent to the access opening; a plurality of fracto-cylindrical bottle receiving troughs; means mounting the troughs transversely individually in alignment with the tracks in substantially horizontal longitudinal attitude 'endwardly disposed toward the access opening for individual pivotal movement about longitudinal axes between loading positions with longitudinal edges of the troughs substantially flush with their re- 11 spective tracks and dispensing positions with said edges appreciably above their respective tracks; resilient means connected to the troughs individually urging the troughs into loading positions; detents slidably mounted individually adjacent to the troughs for reciprocal movement between positions in blocking relation to bottles received in the troughs between their respective troughs and the access opening and positions laterally retracted therefrom, each of said detents having a downwardly disposed serrated ratchet edge and a wedge-shaped inner end; a locking wedge mounted for slidable elevational movement inwardly adjacent to each of the detents at a side of the access opening and each having a predetermined rest position and an oblique edge engageable with the Wedge-shaped inner end of its respective detent when in rest position, the locking wedges being in superimposed vertical alignment and each Wedge except the lowermost wedge being in rested engagement on the wedge therebelow, said locking wedges having side edges disposed toward the access opening and being inwardly movable from the rest positions to positions blocking relation to the detents of their respectively immediately superimposed locking wedges; means gravitationally supporting the wedges with their oblique edges engaged with the wedge-shaped inner ends of their respective detents; a cam plate mounted for reciprocal horizontal movement above the wedges between an inner locking position and an outer vending position, said cam plate having a cam way formed therein adjacent to the access opening inclined upwardly and away from the access opening and providing a lower edge in blocking relation to the uppermost wedge locking all of the wedges downwardly against the wedge supporting means precluding inward movement of the detents when the cam plate is in locking position and having a notch formed therein aligned with the wedges when said cam plate is in vending position accommodating upward movement of the wedges and a predetermined distance permitting inward movement of any single detent, said cam plate also providing an upper edge having a key receptacle formed therein; a trough positioning member mounted for slidable elevational movement adjacent to the detents having fingers extended therefrom into trough engagement adapted to pivot the troughs to vending positions in response to elevational movement of said member; a cam follower extended from the trough positioning member into the cam way of the cam plate whereby movement of the cam plate to vending position elevates the positioning member and movement of the cam plate to locking position lowers said positioning member; ratchet pawls individual to the detents; resilient means mounting the pawls on the positioning member urging the pawls upwardly into predetermined positions on said member engageable with the serrated ratchet edges of their respective detents when the positioning member is in elevated position to limit movement of their respective detents to inward travel and retracted from their detents when the positioning member is lowered; a shaft rotatably mounted above the cam plate; a key radially extended from the shaft movable to and from engagement with the key receptacle of the cam plate in response to shaft oscillation; resilient means connected to the shaft urging the shaft rotatably to bring the key into the key receptacle; a key can mounted on the shaft; a carriage mounted for vertical reciprocal movement between predetermined limits of travel adjacent to the key cam and in adjacent relation to the upper locking wedge; a stud extended from said upper locking wedge for engagement with the carriage whereby upward movement of the upper locking wedge elevates the carriage; a lever pivotally mounted on the carriage for reciprocal movement of an extended end thereof toward and from the carriage; resilient means urging the extended end of the lever from the carriage; a cam follower mounted on the lever in a position engageable with the key cam when the carriage is in elevated position and whereby pivotal movement of the lever toward the carriage when the carriage is elevated causes the cam follower to engage the key cam and rotate the shaft to lift the key from the key receptacle of the cam plate; a finger mounted on the door in a position to engage the lever and thrust the lever toward its carriage when the door is closed; and actuating means connected to the cam plate adapted to draw the cam plate to vending position and concurrently rendering of the latch mechanism for the door inoperable.

5. In a coin conditioned selective vending machine for refrigerated bottled beverages having a refrigerated cabinet provided with an access opening therein, a door mounted for reciprocal movement between open and closed positions in the opening, a latch mechanism for the door adapted releasably to retain the door in closed position, and manually manipulable means connected to the latch mechanism operable to release the latch mechanism; the combination of a plurality of elongated inclined tracks adapted rollably to support bottles transversely thereon mounted in superimposed relation in the cabinet and having lower ends adjacent to the access opening; a plurality of fracto-cylindrical bottle receiving troughs; means mounting the troughs transversely individually in alignment with the tracks in substantially horizontal longitudinal attitude endwardly disposed toward the access opening for individual pivotal movement about longitudinal axes between loading positions with longitudinal edges of the troughs substantially flush with their respective tracks and dispensing positions with said edges appreciably above their respective tracks; resilient means connected to the troughs individually urging the troughs into loading positions; detents slidably mounted individually adjacent to each of the troughs for reciprocal movement between positions in blocking relation to bottles received in the troughs between their respective troughs and the access opening and positions laterally retracted therefrom, each of said detents having a downwardly disposed serrated ratchet edge and a wedge-shaped inner end; a locking wedge mounted for slidable elevational movement inwardly adjacent to each of the detents at a side of the access opening and each having a predetermined rest position and an oblique edge engaged with the inner end of its respective detent when in rest position and said wedges being upwardly extended from their respective detents, the locking wedges being in superimposed relation with each locking wedge except the lowermost thereof rested on its respectively downwardly adjacent locking wedge and having side edges disposed toward the access opening and said locking wedges being upwardly movable from their rest position to bring their side edges into blocking relation with the detents of their respectively immediately superimposed locking wedges; means gravitationally supporting the wedges with their cam surfaces engaged with the inner ends of their respective detents; a cam plate mounted for reciprocal horizontal movement above the wedges between an inner locking position and an outer vending position, said cam plate having a cam way formed therein adjacent to the access opening inclined upwardly and away from the access opening and providing a lower edge in blocking relation to the uppermost wedge locking all of the wedges downwardly against the wedge supporting means and precluding inward movement of the detents when the cam plate is in locking position and having a notch formed therein aligned with the wedges when said cam plate is in vending position accommodating upward movement of the wedges a predetermined distance and permitting inward movement of any single detent, said cam plate also providing an upper edge having a key receptacle formed therein; a trough positioning member mounted for slidable elevational movement adjacent to the detents having fingers extended therefrom into trough engagement adapted to pivot the troughs to vending positions in re-' axrarnzn sponse to elevational movementgof the member; .a cam follower extended from the trough positioning member into the cam way of the cam plate whereby movement of the cam plate to vending position elevates the positioning member and movement of the cam plate to locking position lowers said positioning member; ratchet pawls individual to the detents; resilient means mounting the pawls on the positioning member urging the pawls upwardly into predetermined positions on said member engageable with the serrated ratchet edges of their respective detents when the positioning member is in elevated position to limit movement of their respective detents to inward travel and retracted from their detents when the positioning member is lowered; a shaft rotatably mounted above the cam plate; a ,key radially extended from the shaft movable to and from engagement with the key receptacle of the cam plate in response to shaft oscillation; resilient meansconnected to the shaft urging the shaft rotatably to bring the key into the key receptacle; a key cam mounted on the shaft; a carriage mounted for vertical reciprocal movement between predetermined limits of travel adjacent to the key cam and in adjacent relation to the upper locking wedge; a stud extended from .said upper locking wedge for engagement with the carriage whereby upward movement of the upper locking wedge elevates the carriage; a lever pivotally mounted on the carriage for reciprocal movement of an extended end thereof toward and from the carriage; resilient means urging the extended end of the lever from the carriage; ,a ,cam follower mounted on the lever in a position ,engageable with the key cam when the carriage is in elevated position and whereby pivotal movement of the lever toward the carriage when the carriage is elevated causes the cam follower to engage the key .cam and rotate the shaft to lift the key from the key receptacle of the cam plate; a finger mounted on the door in a position to engage the lever and thrust the lever toward its carriage when the door is closed; actuatingmeans connected to the cam plate and to the manually manipulable means for moving the cam plate to vending position in response to actuation of the manipulable means to release the latch; and resilient means urging the cam plate into locking position.

6. In a vending control mechanism ,of the character described, a plurality of elongated longitudinally substantially vertically aligned endwardly adjacent locking elements having substantially flat upper ends, substantially vertical side edges, and lower ends providing similar downwardly and laterally disposed edges oblique to their respective side edges, said lockingelements being mounted for reciprocal ,elevational movement; detents individual to, the locking elements mounted horizontally adjacent to the downwardly and laterally disposed oblique edges of their respective locking elements for reciprocal horizontal movement from predetermined positions in blocking relation to vendable merchandise to retracted positions extended between the locking elements, said detents havingdownwardly disposed substantially horizontal lower edges slidably movable transversely of the flat upper ends of the locking elements downwardly adjacent to their respective locking elements upon movement to retracted positions to block upward movement of the locking elements downwardly thereof, the detents also having inner end edges in vertical alignment with the side edges of the locking elements when the detents are in blocking position for upward movement of the "locking elements to positions blocking movement of the detents to retracted position, and said detents further having wedge-shaped inner end portions in slidable supporting relation to the downwardly and laterally disposed oblique edges ,of their respective locking elements; and a cam plate mounted for reciprocal horizontal movement between predetermined locking and releasing positions above the locking elements, the cam plate having a downwardly disposed edge engaged with the upper-most locking element when the plate is in locking position to hold the locking elements downwardly and having a downwardly disposed notch vertically aligned with the locking elements when the plate is in releasing position adapted to receive the upper end of the uppermost locking element upon upward movement of said locking element.

7. In a vending control mechanism, the combination of a plurality of elevationally spaced detents mounted for reciprocal horizontal movement between predetermined merchandise blocking positions and retracted positions, the detents having lower edges and corresponding ends providing portions substantially vertically aligned when the detents are in blocking positions and adjacent upwardly and endwardly disposed wedge-shaped portions; a plurality of locking wedges mounted in stacked relation for elevational movement with a locking wedge adjacent to each detent, each locking wedge having an oblique downwardly and laterally disposed edge vcomplementary to the wedge-shaped portion of its respectively adjacent detent and slidably rested thereon, all but the uppermost locking wedges each having a laterally disposed edge engageable with the aligned portion of the end of the detent immediately above the detent on which it is rested upon upward movement of the locking wedge when the above detent is 'in blocking position to lock the detent in said blocking position and each of said locking wedges except the uppermost locking wedge having an upper end aligned with the lower edge of the detent above its respective detent slidably engaged by the lower edge of said detent upon movement of the detent to retracted position to lock the engaged wedge downwardly, and a cam plate slidably mounted for reciprocal horizontal movement between predetermined locking and releasing positions above the locking elements, the cam plate having a downwardly disposed edge engaged with the uppermost locking element when the plate is in locking position to hold the locking elements downwardly and having a downwardly disposed notch vertically aligned with the locking elements when the plate is in releasing position adapted to receive the upper end of the uppermost locking element upon upward movement of said locking element.

8. In a selective vending machine, a control mechanism comprising a mounting member defining a substantially vertical locking-wedge channel, a plurality of detent channels laterally extended from the locking-wedge channel, and a cam channel transversely of the upper end portion of the locking-wedge channel; detents slidably mounted in the detent channels and outwardly extended from the mounting member laterally from the lockingwedge channel having shoulders within said detent channels engageable with the mounting member to limit outward movement of the detents in their respective channels from the locking-wedge channel, the detents having inner end portions aligned with respectively adjacent edge portions of the locking-wedge channel when the detents are slid to their outer limits of travel, having upwardly and inwardly disposed wedge-shaped inner end portions angularly related to both the detent channels and the locking-wedge channel, and having outer ends extended from the mounting member for manual manipulation; superimposed locking-wedges slidably fitted to the locking-wedge channel in endwardly abutting stacked relation individually adajcent to the detents and each having a portion extended into the channel of its respectively adjacent detent providing a laterally and downwardly disposed edge slidably engaged with the wedge-shaped inner end portion of its respective detent, each locking-wedge except the uppermost thereof having an upper end edge aligned with the lower edge of the detent channel next above its respectively adjacent detent whereby the detent in the above adjacent channel can slide inwardly transversely of the locking-wedge channel locking the wedges therebelow downwardly and each of the locking- 15v 7 wedges providing side edges vertically slidable past the inner ends of the detents when the detents are in their outer positions locking the detents against inward movement; a cam plate slidably mounted in the cam channel for reciprocal movement between a predetermined locking position and a predetermined vending position, said cam plate having a lower edge extended transversely of the upper locking wedge locking the wedges against upward movement when the plate is in locking position and providing a downwardly disposed notch aligned with the locking wedges when the plate is in vending position to accommodate upward movement of the locking wedges; resilient means urging the cam plate into locking position; and means for moving the cam plate into vending position against the force of the resilient means.

9. A vending control mechanism comprising a substantially erect mounting plate having a forward side, a rearward side, and laterally disposed edges, said plate having a locking-wedge channel formed in a substantially erect position in the forward side thereof, substantially horizontal detent channels extended from a side edge of the plate to the locking-wedge channel, and a cam chanhe] formed transversely of the upper end of the lockingwedge channel; detents slidably mounted in the detent channels of the mounting plate and outwardly extended from the mounting members laterally from the lockingwedge channel having serrated lower edges constituting ratchets, the detents having shoulders within the detent channels engageable with the plate to limit outward movement of the detents in their respective channels, the detents also having inner end portions aligned with the adjacent edge of the locking-wedge channel when the detents are slid to their outer limits of travel and having upwardly and inwardly disposed wedge-shaped inner end portions angularly related to both the detent channels and locking-wedge channel; superimposed lockingwedges slidably fitted to the locking-wedge channel in endwardly abutting stacked relation individually adjacent to the detents and each having a laterally and downwardly disposed edge extended into the channel of its respective detent slidably engaged with the wedge-shaped inner end portion thereof, each locking wedge except the uppermost having an upper end edge aligned'with the lower edge of the detent channel next above it respectively adjacent detent; an arm integral with the upper lockingwedge upwardly extended therefrom; a cam plate slidably mounted in the cam channel for reciprocal movement between a predetermined locking position and a predetermined vending position, said cam plate having an elongated cam way formed therein angularly related to the cam channel, having a lower edge extended transversely of the locking-Wedges in engagement with the arm of the uppermost wedge when the cam plate is in locking position locking all of the wedges downwardly against the slanted edges of their respective detents with the detents at their outer limit of travel and providing a downwardly disposed notch aligned with the arm when the'cam plate is in vending position accommodating elevational movement of the arm and thus the wedges; a positioning member mounted on the rearward side of the mounting plate for elevational movement thereon between predetermined upper and lower limits of travel; a cam follower mounted on the positioning member engaged in the cam way of the cam plate whereby movement of the cam plate to locking position lowers the positioning member and conversely movement of the cam plate to vending position raises the positioning member; pawls individual to' the detents resiliently mounted on the positioning member in positions individually engageable with the lower edges of their respective detents when the positioning member is in raised position to limit slidable movement of the detents to travel inwardly of their channels; resilient means urging the cam plate into locking position; and means for urging the cam plate into vending position against the force of the resilient means.

10. In a selective vending machine, a control mechanism comprising a mounting member defining a substantially vertical locking-wedge channel, a plurality of detent channels laterally extended from the locking-wedge channel, and a cam channel transversely of the upper end portion of the locking-wedge channel; detents slidably mounted in the detent channels and outwardly extended from the mounting member laterally from the locking-wedge channel having serrated lower edges constituting ratchets, said detents having shoulders within the detent channels engageable with the mounting member to limit outward movement of the detents in their respective channels from the locking-wedge channel, the detents having inner end portions aligned with respectively adjacent edge portions of the locking-wedge channel when the detents are slid to their outer limits of travel, having upwardly and inwardly disposed wedge-shaped inner end portions angularly related to both the detent channels and the lockingwedge channel, and having outer ends extended from the mounting member for manual manipulation; superimposed locking wedges slidably fitted to the lockingwedge channel in endwardly abutting stacked, relation individually adjacent to the detents and each having a portion extended into the channel of its respectively adjacent detent providing a laterally and downwardly disposed edge slidably engaged with the wedge-shaped inner end portion of its respective detent, each locking wedge except the uppermost thereof having an upper end edge aligned with the lower edge of the detent channel next above its respectively adjacent detent whereby the detent in the above adjacent channel can slide inwardly transversely of the locking-wedge channel locking the wedges therebelow downwardly and each of the locking wedges providing side edges vertically slidable past the inner ends of the detents when the detents are in outer position locking the detents against inward movement; a cam plate slidably mounted in the cam channel for reciprocal movement between a predetermined locking position and a predetermined vending position, said cam plate having an upwardly and inwardly extended cam way formed therein, a lower edge extended transversely of the upper locking wedge locking the wedges against upward movement when the plate is in locking position and providing a downwardly disposed notch aligned with the locking wedges when the plate is in vending position to accommodate upward movement of the locking wedges; resilient means urging the cam plate into locking positions; means for moving the cam plate into vending position against the force of the resilient means; releasable means for latching the cam plate in vending position; a positioning member mounted for reciprocal elevational movement on the mounting member adjacent to the detents; a cam follower mounted on the positioning member and extended into the cam way of the plate; and pawls resiliently mounted on the positioning member engageable with the detents to limit individual movement of the detents to inward slidable movement when the positioning member is in elevated position.

11. A vending control mechanism comprising a substantially erect mounting plate having a forward side, a rearward side, and laterally disposed edges, said plate having a locking-wedge channel formed in a substantially erect position in the forward side thereof, detent channels extended substantially horizontally from a side edge of the plate to the locking-wedge channel, and a cam channel formed transversely of the upper end of the lockingwedge channel; detents slidably mounted in the detent channels of the mounting plate having serrated lower edges constituting ratchets, said detents also having shoulders within the detent channels engageable with the plate to limit outward movement of the detents in their respective channels, having inner end portions aligned with the adjacent edge of the locking-wedge channel when the detents are slid to their outer limits of travel, and having upwardly and inwardly disposed wedge-shaped inner end portions angularly related to both the detent channels and locking-wedge channel; superimposed locking-wedges slidably fitted to the locking-wedge channel in endwardly abutting stacked relation individually adjacent to the detents and each having a laterally and downwardly disposed edge extended into the channel of its respective detent slidably engaged with the wedge-shaped inner end portion thereof, each locking-wedge except the uppermost having an upper end edge aligned with the lower edge of the detent channel next above its respectively adjacent detent; an arm integral with the upper locking-wedge upwardly extended therefrom; a cam plate slidably mounted in the cam channel for reciprocal movement between a predetermined locking position and a predetermined vending position, said cam plate having an elongated cam way formed therein angularly related to the cam channel, said plate also having a lower edge extended transversely of the locking-wedges in engagement with the arm of the uppermost wedge when the cam plate is in locking position locking all of the wedges downwardly against the wedge-shaped inner end portions of their respective detents with the detents at their outer limit of travel and providing a downwardly disposed notch aligned with the arm when the cam plate is in vending position accommodating elevational movement of the arm and thus the wedges, the cam plate also having an upper edge formed with a key receptacle; a shaft rotatably mounted on the mounting plate above the cam plate; a key radially extended from the shaft engageable in the key receptacle when the cam plate is in vending position to lock the plate in vending position; resilient means urging the key against the upper edge of the cam plate; a cover plate mounted on the forward side of the mounting plate in covering relation to the channels therein; a key cam mounted on the shaft forwardly of the cover plate; a carriage mounted for reciprocal elevational movement on the cover plate adjacent to the key cam between a predetermined elevated operable position and a lowered inoperable position having a laterally extended arm; a lever pivotally mounted on the carriage having an extended end adjacent to the key cam when the carriage is in operable position; a cam follower mounted on the extended end of the lever engageable with the key cam when the carriage is in elevated position adapted to rotate the key cam and its shaft in response to pivotal movement of said lever whereby the key is released from the key receptacle in response to said pivotal movement of the lever; a stud mounted on the arm of the uppermost locking-wedge extended through an elongated slot in the cover plate engaged beneath the laterally extended arm of the carriage whereby the carriage is elevationally positioned in response to elevational positioning of the uppermost locking-wedge; a positioning member mounted on the rearward side of the mounting plate for elevational movement thereon between upper and lower limits of travel; a cam follower mounted on the positioning member engaged in the cam way of the cam plate whereby movement of the cam plate to locking position lowers the positioning member and conversely movement of the cam plate to vending position raises the positioning member; pawls individual to the detents resiliently mounted on the positioning member in positions individually engageable with the ratchets of the lower edges of their respective detents when the positioning member is in raised position and the detents are inwardly of their channels; resilient means urging the cam plate into looking position; and means for urging the cam plate into vending position against the force of the resilient means.

12. In a vending machine having a plurality of receivers adapted to hold bottles having endwardly tapered necks in substantially vertically aligned horizontal positions with the necks disposed in 'a common direction, and a panel mounted in a substantially erect position adjacent to the necks of the bottles having a plurality of windows therein aligned with the bottles on the receivers and with the receivers defining axial paths of removal of the bottles from'the receivers, a vending control mechanism comprising a plurality of elongated longitudinally substantially vertically aligned endwardly adjacent locking elements mounted for reciprocal elevational movement laterally adjacent to the necks of the bottles, there being a locking element individual to each bottle and each locking element having a fiat upper end, a substantially vertical edge disposed toward its respective bottle, and a lower end providing a downwardly and laterally disposed edge oblique to its respective side edge; detents individual to the locking elements mounted horizontally adjacent to the downwardly and laterally disposed oblique edges of their respective locking elements for reciprocal horizontal movement from predetermined positions in blocking relation to the bottles extended into the-axial paths of removal of their respective bottles, to retracted positions extended between the locking elements, said detents having downwardly disposed lower edges slidably movable transversely of the upper ends of the locking elements downwardly adjacent to their respective locking elements upon movement to retracted positions to block upward movement of the locking elements downwardly thereof, the detents also having inner end edges in vertical alignment with the side edges of the locking elements when the detents are in blocking position for upward movement of the locking elements to positions blocking movement of the detents to retracted position, and said detents further having wedge-shaped inner end portions in slidable supporting relation to the downwardly and laterally disposed oblique edges of their respective locking elements and extended ends disposed for engagement with the tapered necks of the bottles for camming movements of the detents inwardly to retracted positions upon axial removal of their respective bottles; and means operable to preclude separation of the locking elements to refuse admission of a detent therebetween whereby the detents are locked in blocking position.

13. in a vending machine having a cabinet providing an opening through which customer access to articles of merchandise is permitted, and having a door mounted in the opening for movement to and from closed position therein; a vending control mechanism comprising a substantially erect mounting plate having a forward side, a rearward side, and laterally disposed edges, said plate having a locking-wedge channel formed in a substantially erect position in the forward side thereof, detent chan nels extended substantially horizontally from a side edge of the plate to the locking-wedge channel, and a cam channel formed transversely of the upper end of the locking-wedge channel; detents slidably mounted in the detent channels of the mounting plate having serrated lower edges constituting ratchets, said detents also having shoulders within the detent channels engageable with the plate to limit outward movement of the detents in their respective channels, having inner end portions aligned with the adjacent edge of the locking-wedge channel when the detents are slid to their outer limits of travel, and having upwardly and inwardly disposed wedge-shaped inner end portions angularly related to both the detent channels and locking-wedge channel; superimposed locking-wedges slidably fitted to the locking-wedge channel in endwardly abutting stacked relation individually adjacent to the detents and each having a laterally and downwardly disposed edge extended into the channel of its respective detent slidably engaged with the wedgeshaped inner end portion thereof, each locking-wedge except the uppermost having an upper end edge aligned with the lower edge of the detent channel next above its respectively adjacent detent; an arm integral with the upper locking-wedge upwardly extended therefrom; a cam plate slidably mounted in the cam channel for reciprocal movement between a predetermined locking position and a predetermined vending position, said cam plate having an elongated cam way formed therein angularly related to the cam channel, said plate also having a lower edge extended transversely of the locking-wedges in engagement with the arm of the uppermost wedge when the cam plate is in locking position locking all of having an upper edge formed with a key receptacle; a

shaft rotatably mounted on the mounting plate above the cam plate; a key radially extended from the shaft engageable in the key receptacle when the cam plate is in vending position to lock the plate in vending position; resilient means urging the key against the upper edge of the cam plate; a cover plate mounted on the forward side of the mounting plate in covering relation to the channels therein; a key cam mounted on the shaft forwardly of the cover plate; a carriage mounted for reciprocal elevational movement on the cover plate adjacent to the key cam between a predetermined elevated operable position and a lowered inoperable position having a laterally extended arm; a lever pivotally mounted on .the carriage having an extended end adjacent to the key cam when the carriage is in operable position; a cam .follower mounted on the extended end of the lever enresponse to said pivotal movement of the lever; a stud mounted on the arm of the uppermost locking-wedge extended through an elongated slot in the cover plate engaged beneath the laterally extended arm of the carriage whereby the carriage is elevationally positioned in response to elevational positioning of the uppermost locking-wedge; a positioning member mounted on the rearward side of the mounting plate for elevational movement thereon between upper and lower limits of travel; a cam follower mounted on the positioning member engaged in the cam way of the cam plate whereby movement of the cam plate to locking position lowers the positioning member and conversely movement of the cam plate to vending position raises the positioning member; pawls individual to the detents resiliently mounted on the positioning member in positions individually engageable with the ratchets of the lower edges of their respective detents when the positioning member is in raised position and the detents are inwardly of their channels; resilient means urging the cam plate into locking position; means for urging the cam plate into vending position against the force of the resilient means; and a finger borne by the door of the cabinet engageable with the lever when the door is closed to release the key from the key receptacle.

14. In a vending machine having a cabinet providing an opening therein for customer access to vendable merchandise within the cabinet, and a door mounted in the opening for movement to and from closed position therein; a vending control mechanism comprising a mounting member defining a substantially vertical locking-wedge channel, a plurality of substantially horizontal detent channels laterally extended from the locking-wedge channel and a cam channel transversely of the upper end portion of the locking-wedge channel; detents slidably mounted in the detent channel of the mounting member having serrated lower edges constituting ratchets, said detents also having shoulders within the detent channels engageable with the plate to limit outward movement of the detents in their respective channels, the detents also having inner end portions aligned with the adjacent edge of the locking-wedge channel when the detents are slid to their outer limits of travel and upwardly and inwardly disposed wedge-shaped inner end portions angularly related to both the detent channels and the locking-wedge channel, superimposed locking wedges slidably fitted to the locking-wedge channel in endwardly abutting stacked relation individually adjacent to the detents and each having a laterally and downwardly disposed edge slidably engaged with the wedge-shaped inner end portion of its respective detent, each locking-wedge except the uppermost having an upper end edge aligned with the lower edge of the detent channel next above its respectively adjacent detent; an arm integral with the upper lockingwedge upwardly extended therefrom; a cam plate slidably mounted in the cam channel for reciprocal movement between a predetermined locking position and a predetermined vending position, said cam plate having an elongated cam way formed therein angularly related to the cam channel, said plate also having a lower edge extended transversely of the locking-wedges in engagement with the arm of the uppermost wedge when the cam plate is in locking position locking all of the wedges downwardly against the wedged-shaped inner end portions of their respective detents with the detents at their outer limits of travel and providing a downwardly disposed notch aligned with the arm when the cam plate is in vending position accommodating elevational movement of the arm and thus the wedges, the cam plate also having an upper edge formed with a key receptacle; a shaft rotatably mounted on the mounting plate above the cam plates; a key radially extended from the shaft engageable in the key receptacle when the cam plate is in vending position to lock the plate in vending position; resilient means urging the key against the upper edge of the cam plate; means responsive to the closing of the door in the cabinet of the vending machine for rotating the shaft to retract the key from the key receptacle; a positioning member mounted on the mounting member for elevational movement thereon between upper and lower limits of travel; a cam follower mounted on the positioning member engaged in the cam way of the cam plate whereby movement of the cam plate to locking position lowers the positioning member and conversely movement of the cam plate to vending position raises the positioning member; pawls individual to the detents resiliently mounted on the positioning member in positions individually engageable with the ratchets of the detents when the positioning member is in raised position and the detents are inwardly of their channels; resilient means urging the cam plate into locking position; and means for urging the cam plate into vending position against the force of the resilient means.

15. In a selective vending machine having a cabinet providing an access opening therein, means for supporting vendible merchandise in the cabinet adjacent to the access opening, a door mounted on the cabinet accessible exteriorly of the cabinet for enabling manual operation to move the door to and from a closed position in the access opening, each of the supporting means being accessible through the access opening when the door is open; the combination of a latch for the door mounted in the cabinet for reciprocal movement between a position locking the door in the access opening and a position retracted from the door, a vending control mechanism having detents disposed for customer access within the cabinet between the merchandise supporting means and the access opening in individual blocking relation to merchandise in the supporting means, said control mechanism having a locked condition in which movement of all of the detents from blocking position is precluded and a vending condition in which any selected detent only can be moved from blocking position by customer manipulation through the access opening, resilient means urging the control mechanism into locked condition and the latch into door-locking position, and drive means connected to the latch and to the control mechanism operable concurrently to retract the latch and to condition the control mechanism for vending.

16. In a selective vending machine having a cabinet providing an access opening therein, a door mounted in the opening accessible for manual operation exteriorly of the cabinet, article receivers mounted in the cabinet within the access opening, each of the receivers being individually accessible through the opening when the door is in an open position, a magazine individually asso ciated with each receiver and mounted within the cabinet operable when the door is closed to supply its receiver with articles to be vended; the combination of a latch for the door, a vending control mechanism having detents disposed between each of the receivers and the access opening in blocking relation to articles in the receiver, said control mechanism having a locked condition in which movement of all of the detents from blocking position is precluded and a vending condition in which any selective detent only can be moved from blocking position by customer manipulation through the access opening, resilient means urging the control mechanism into locked condition and the latch into doorlocking position, and drive means connected to the latch and to the control mechanism operable concurrently to release the latch to condition the control mechanism for vending.

17. In a selective vending machine having a cabinet providing an access opening, a door mounted in the opening accessible exteriorly of the cabinet for manual movement to and from a closed position in the access opening, a plurality of article receivers mounted in the cabinet adjacent to the access opening individually accessible through the opening when the door is open and means individual to each of the receivers for delivering vendible articles to the receivers; the combination of a latch for the door, manual means for releasing the latch, a vending control mechanism having detents extended between each receiver and the access opening for individual reciprocal positioning between respective article retaining positions and an article releasing position, the detents having ratchet teeth therealong, cooperative locking wedges individual to the detents limiting movement of the detents from retaining position to releasing position to the displacement of a single detent at a time from retaining position, ratchet pawls moveable to and from engagement with the ratchet teeth in the detents adapted when engaged with the detents to preclude return of the detents to retaining position when displaced therefrom, a cam plate mounted for reciprocal positioning between a vending position and a locking position, said cam plate being connected to the ratchet pawls so as to move the pawls into detent engagement when the cam plate is in vending position, said cam plate being also engaged with the locking wedges to lock the wedges in positions blocking movement of their respective detents to releasing position when the cam plate is in looking position, re-

silient means urging the cam plate into locking position and the latch into door holding position, and actuating means interconnecting the manual means with the latch and the cam plate for concurrently moving the cam plate to vending position and the latch to released position.

18. In a selective vending machine having a cabinet providing an access opening, a door in the opening, a plurality of article receivers mounted in the cabinet adjacent to the access opening and means for delivering vendible articles to the receivers; the combination of a releasable latch for the door, manual means for releasing the latch, a vending control mechanism having detents extended between each receiver and the access opening for individual reciprocal positioning between respective article retaining positions and article releasing positions, the detents having ratchet teeth therealong, cooperative locking wedges individual to the detents limiting movement of the detents from retaining position to releasing position to the displacement of a single detent at a time from retaining position, ratchet pawls moveable to and from engagement with the ratchet teeth in the detents adapted when engaged with the detents to preclude return of the detents to retaining position when displaced therefrom, a cam plate mounted for reciprocal positioning between a vending position and a locking position, said cam plate being connected to the ratchet pawls so as to move the pawls into detent engagement when the cam plate is in vending position, said cam plate being also engaged with the locking wedges to lock the wedges in positions blocking movement of their respective detents to releasing position when the cam plate is in locking position, resilient means urging the cam plate into locking position and the latch into door holding position, actuating means interconnecting the manual means with the latch and the cam plate for concurrently moving the cam plate to vending position and latch to released position, means re leasably restraining the cam plate in vending condition when conditioned for vending by the manual means, and means responsive to movement of a detent from article retaining position when the cam plate is in vending condition actuated by closing of the door to release the cam plate restraining means.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,833,815 Beilgard Nov. 24, 1931 1,891,640 Gottfried Dec. 20, 1932 2,022,944 Sjuve Dec. 3, 1935 2,076,513 Hoban Apr. 6, 1937 2,142,053 Hoban Dec. 27, 1938 2,156,531 Geer May 2, 1939

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