US3815781A

US3815781A - Vending machine with improved auger conveyor

Info

Publication number: US3815781A
Application number: US00307157A
Authority: US
Inventors: C Armstrong; C Christophersen
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1972-11-16
Filing date: 1972-11-16
Publication date: 1974-06-11
Anticipated expiration: 1991-06-11

Abstract

A vending machine including an elongate vertical rotary augertype item carrier arranged in a cabinet between a pair of elongate vertical, laterally spaced, laterally inwardly opening and opposed item guiding chutes, said carrier having a central shaft and a longitudinally extending helical, spring-like, element carried by the shaft and arranged with one-half of each helical turn projecting freely into one chute, and the other half of each turn projecting freely into the other chute, said half turns occurring between vertically spaced items in the chutes, a discharge opening in the cabinet below the chutes and the lower end of the carrier, indexing drive means operable to intermittently rotate the carrier 180* and including a drive shaft connected with the carrier shaft, an indexing disc on the drive shaft, a pinion gear concentric with the disc, check means between the gear and disc with related pawls and stop shoulders spaced 180*, a latch means including a dog engageable in notches in the disc and spaced 180*, a reciprocating drive rack engaging the gear, a magnetic latch means release carried by the rack and linear actuating means connected with the rack.

Description

[ VENDENG MACHINE WKTH IMPROVED AUGER CONVEYOR [75] Inventors: Currie Armstrong, Los Angeles; Clarence E. Christophersen, San Clemente, both of Calif.

[73] Assignee: Ang, Currie, Los Angeles,

Calif. by said Clarence E. Christophersen [22] Filed: Nov. 16, 1972 [211 Appl. No.: 307,157

[52] US. Cl. 221/75 [51] Int. Cl. 565g 33/04 [58] Field of Search 221/75; 194/2 [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,139,477 5/1915 Boddy 221/75 2,564,552 8/1951 Verdery, .lr 221/75 3,273,748 9/1966 De Shon et a1. 221/75 Primary Examiner-Stanley H. Tollberg [57] ABSACT A vending machine including an elongate vertical rotary auger-type item carrier arranged in a cabinet between a pair of elongate vertical, laterally spaced, laterally inwardly opening and opposed item guiding chutes, said carrier having a central shaft and a longitudinally extending helical, spring-like, element carried by the shaft and arranged with one-half of each helical turn projecting freely into one chute, and the other half of each turn projecting freely into the other chute, said half turns occurring between vertically spaced items in the chutes, a discharge opening in the cabinet below the chutes and the lower end of the carrier, indexing drive means operable to intermittently rotate the carrier 180 and including a drive shaft connected with the carrier shaft, an indexing disc on the drive shaft, a pinion gear concentric with the disc, check means between the gear and disc with related pawls and stop shoulders spaced 180, a latch means including a dog engageable in notches in the disc and spaced 180, a reciprocating drive rack engaging the gear, a magnetic latch means release carried by the rack and linear actuating means connected with the rack.

4 Claims, 11 Drawing Figures VENDING MACHINE WITH IMPROVED AUGER CONVEYOR This invention has to do with an improved vending machine and is more particularly concerned with a vending machine with an improved auger-type product handling means and improved drive means for the product handling means.

The provision and use of elongate helical, auger-type product handling and advancing means in coinoperated vending machines is old in the art. The principal element or part in such means is an elongate rotatable auger comprising a central shaft with a continuous, radially outwardly projecting helical web or thread extending longitudinally thereabout. Such augers or auger-like elements are very costly to make.

In practice, where auger-type elements have been used in vending machines to advance products to be dispensed, the augers have generally been arranged substantially horizontally above a product supporting surface or within a product carrying channel and in such a manner that upon intermittent rotation of the augers, the webs or threads thereof, engaging the products, screw or advance the products longitudinally of the axis of the auger toward a discharge opening or chute related to an end of the auger.

The use of such augers in a vertical or upright condition and such that the helical threads or webs are utilized to support and advance the products being han dled has, as practiced by the prior art, proven to be less than satisfactory due to the tendency of the products to slide downwardly on the helical, inclined supporting surfaces of the threads and due to the tendency for the threads to carry and rotate or turn the products about the axis of the auger when it is rotated and in such a manner that effective, controlled advancing of the products is not assured.

Still further, as practiced by the prior art, when vertical auger-type feed or product advancing means have been employed, as noted above, the augers have, as a general rule, been employed to support a single column of goods or products since to carry more increases the weight of the auger and products to an extent that the assembly is excessively heavy to rotate and/or to such an extent that when rotated at a reasonable and effective speed, so much inertia is created that the structure cannot be effectively or properly stopped and indexed.

It is an object and feature of my invention to provide a novel and improved elongate auger-type product supporting and advancing element or unit which is light weight, simple and extremely easy and economical to manufacture.

A further object of the invention is to provide a new auger-type product supporting and advancing element which includes an elongate helically formed coil of wire or rod stock, in the nature of a helical spring, and having a central longitudinal support or drive shaft extending freely longitudinally therethrough and with which radially inwardly turned ends of the coil are secured.

Another object and feature of my invention is to provide a vending machine with an improved auger-type feed and support element of the character referred to above arranged on a vertical axis within a cabinet and having two, spaced, opposing product guides positioned adjacent and extending longitudinally of opposite sides of the coil and in a common plane with the shaft of said element whereby the guides and shaft cooperate to guide and separate two vertical rows of products in the cabinet occurring at opposite sides of said plane and such that one-half of one turn of the coil projects to support the products adjacent the top side thereof.

In the prior art, indexing type drive means have been provided to intermittently operate or rotate auger-type product handling members and the like. Those drive means, which are arranged between and connected with said members and related coin released actuators, have been complicated and costly to make and maintain.

An object and feature of my invention is to provide novel, improved, simple and economical to manufacture index-type drive means engageable with and between the auger-type member and a coin released actuator, in my novel vending machine.

A principal object of the instant invention is to provide a simple, practical and trouble-free vending machine which is compact, light weight and inexpensive whereby the cost of acquiring, servicing and maintain ing such machines can be effectively reduced to an extent where persons who presently cannot afford to enter into the business of distributing and servicing such machines can or will be better able to do so.

DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS The foregoing objects and features of my invention will be fully understood from the following detailed description of a typical preferred form and application of my invention, throughout which description reference is made to the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is an isometric view of a machine embodying the invention;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged, detailed sectional view taken as indicated by line 22 on FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken as indicated by line 33 on FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a view taken substantially as indicated by line 44 on FIG. 2 and shown on my new drive means;

FIG. 5 is a view taken as indicated by line 55 on FIG. 4;

FIG. 6 is a view of a part of the drive means taken substantially as indicated byline 66 on FIG. 5;

FIG. 7 is a view taken as indicated by line 7-7 on FIG. 6;

FIG. 8 is a view of a part of the drive means taken substantially as indicated by line 8--8 on FIG. 5;

FIG. 9 is a view taken as indicated by line 99 on FIG. 5;

FIG. 10 is a view of a part of the drive means taken substantially as indicated by line 10-10 on FIG. 5; and

FIG. 11 is a view taken substantially as indicated by line 11-11 on FIG. 10.

DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION Referring to the drawings, the machine that I provide includes a cabinet C comprising an upper, elongate, vertical, column-like storage section or portion M), an intermediate, discharge portion Ill and a lower coin box portion 12. The storage portion 10 is established of sheet metal and is characterized by a top wall 14, rear wall 15, side walls 16 and an open front closed by a cover plate 17. The plate 17 is shown provided with a viewing or display window 18 and is releasably secured in covering relationship over the open front of the section by a key-operated locking device 19.

The section 10 is rectangular in cross-section and is slightly greater in lateral extent than twice the lateral extent of the product items P which are to be dispensed and is slightly greater in depth, fore and aft, than the longitudinal extent of the items P.

The product items P can be rigid products of uniform size and shape, such as candy bars or can be measured quantities of loose or grandular products, such as nuts or soap powder in envelopes or boxes of desired configurations.

The interior of the section 10 is divided intermediate its opposite side walls 16 by elongate

vertical dividers

20 and 21 on the rear wall and cover plates 17. The divider on the rear wall is established by an elongate vertical angle section with one flange 22 fixed to the rear wall as by spot welding and its other flange 23 projecting forwardly from the rear wall on the central vertical plane of the section 10. The divider 21 can be established of an angle section, or a rod, or a combination of angle section and length of rod. In FIG. 2 of the drawings, 1 have shown the upper portion of the divider 21 established by a rearwardly projecting vertical flange 24 of an angle section fixed to the rear surface of the cover and have shown the lower portion thereof established by a vertical rod 25 depending and continuing downwardly from the rear edge of the flange 24, by or past the window in the cover plate and having a forwardly turned lower end fixed to the cover plate.

The front and rear, vertical,

central dividers

20 and 21 cooperate with the cover plate and the rear and side walls of the section 10 to define two adjacent, laterlly inwardly opening, elongate, vertical, product receiving cannels, or chutes L and R at the left and right hand sides of the section 10.

The dividers and channels terminate at the lower end of the section 10 which section is open and communicates directly with the discharge portion or section 11 of the housing. The discharge portion 1 1 is a forwardly opening boxlike portion or section having a rear wall 26 which is integral with and extends downwardly from the lower end of the wall 15 of section 10 and a bottom wall 27. The bottom wall has a rearwardly and upwardly inclined rear ramp-like portion 27' terminating forward of the shaft and the rear wall 26 and is provided with a forwardly projecting extension 28 with an upwardly turned retaining lip 28' at its forward end, which extension defines a flat upwardly disposed manually accessible product receiving and supporting tray.

The portion 11 further includes side walls 29 which are formed integrally with the side walls of the section 10 and which extend downwardly and a limited predetermined distance forward from the section 10 and a flat horizontal top wall 30 projecting forwardly from the lower end of the section 10.

The ramp portion 27 of the wall 27 is inclined so that items P dropped into the section 11 from the section 10 are deflected and directed forwardly through the section 11 to the open front thereof and to the tray 28 for manual engagement.

The open front portion of the portion 11 projects a sufficient distance forward from the section 10 to establish a tunnel-like portion which prevents access through the section 11 into the section 10, as might otherwise be attempted for the purpose of improperly extracting the products P from the section 10.

Within the upper rear portion of section 11 is a flat, normally horizontally disposed door 29, underlying the lower end of section 10 and pivotally mounted across the rear of the cabinet to swing downwardly into stopped alignment with the portion 27' of the bottom wall. The door 29 is yieldingly maintained in its normal horizontal position by a balance spring 29', which spring yields to the forces exerted into the door by an item P deposited thereon. The door 29 is slotted to accommodate the shaft 40 and serves as a sifting means to prevent theft of the items P through the section 11.

In practice, the spring 29' is such that the door will swing down or open when a load of about one ounce is applied thereto.

The lower coin box section 12 of the cabinet C is a simple, forwardly opening sheet metal box with a top wall 30 underlying and suitably fixed to the bottom wall 26 of the section 11, a rear wall 31, side walls 32 and a bottom wall 33. The open front of the section 12 is closed by a front cover 34 which is releasably locked in place by a suitable key-operated locking device 35. The section 12 is such that it can serve as the base support for the machine.

It is to be understood that the cabinet C illustrated and described above is only typical of one type or class of cabinet that can be employed in carrying out my invention.

The machine that I provide next includes an elongate vertical product support or carrier S, comprising an elongate, vertical central shaft 40 with upper and lower ends and an elongate vertical, helical support element 41 arranged concentric about the shaft, between the ends thereof and having radially inwardly turned upper and

lower ends

42 and 43 fixed to the shaft, as by weld- The carrier S is arranged in the section 10 with the shaft thereof on the central vertical axis of the section 10.

The upper end of the shaft is rotatably engaged in a simple bearing means 44 fixed to the top wall 14 of the section 10.

The lower portion of the shaft extends downwardly from the section 10 into the section 11 and is provided with a coupling means part 45 at its lower end to connect with a drive shaft of a drive means D, the details of which will hereinafter be described.

The lower end of the helical support element 41 terminates in the section 10 a short distance above the lower ends of the

dividers

20 and 21. The top of said element terminates at or near the upper ends of said dividers.

The diametric extent of the element 41 is such that its foremost and rearmost sides occurring in closer,

running clearance with the vertical edges of the divid--

ers

20 and 21 and such that the lateral opposite halves or side portions thereof project freely into the chutes L and R and into close proximity to the side walls of the section 10.

The pitch of the element 41 is such that the vertical distance between adjacent turns thereof is sufficiently great to freely accommodate a product item P therebetween; that is, the vertical spacing of the adjacent turns is greater than the vertical extent of one of the items P.

The shaft 40 of the carrier S is on the same plane as the

dividers

20 and 21 and cooperates therewith to further define the chutes L and R and to engage and guide the product items.

One half of each turn of the element 41 projecting into one of the chutes L and R projects between adjacent product items P in a vertical row of product items P in that chute to separate said items and to slidably engage and support the uppermost of said adjacent items.

The lateral outer sides of the items P opposing the side walls 16 of the cabinet section are guided and restrained from lateral outward displacement and/or turning thereby, the front and rear ends of the items P opposing the cover plate or front wall 17 and the rear wall of the section 10 of the cabinet are guided and held against fore and aft displacement and/or turning thereby and the laterally inwardly disposed sides of items P are opposed, at their ends, by the

guides

20 and 21 and at their central portions by the shaft 40 and are guided and restrained against lateral inward displacement and/or turning thereby.

The guiding and restraining against displacement and/or turning afforded by the

guides

20 and 21 and by the shaft 40 is most important, since as the element S is rotated, it tends to drag and carry the items with it and in such a manner that the items become displaced laterally inwardlyof the chutes and of the element S. If the products P are soft packages, such as envelopes of nuts or laundry soap, the presence of the shaft 40, as a guide member to engage the central portions of the inner sides of the items becomes most important, since without such central support and guidance, the dragging action of the element S on and with such soft packages, when the element is rotated, bends and/or distorts the packages in such a manner that their ends are drawn from engagement with the

guides

20 and 21 and are caused to be displaced from within their related chutes L and R. 1

The machine is loaded with the product items P by removing the cover plate 17 to provide access to the interior of the cabinet section 10 and the front of the chutes L and R by inserting an item P between each adjacent turn of the element S occurring in each chute L and R. When thus loaded, the cover plate 17 is replaced.

The lower end of the support member 41 and the inwardly turned portion 43 thereon normally occur on the central vertical plane of the cabinet, as shown in FIG. 3 of the drawings.

In operation, the element S is rotated 180, by means of the drive means D, each time an item is to be dispensed. The element S is rotated in a direction which causes it to screw or advance the items P downwardly in their related chutes and toward the lower end of the helical support members 41 of the element. It will be apparent that when the member 41 is rotatably advanced 180, the lowermost item P in the two adjacent chutes is advanced downwardly in its related chute to below the last half turn of the member 41 and out of engagement with said member, whereupon it is unsupported and drops freely from section 10, onto door 29, then down and out of the section 11 of the cabinet.

The drive means D that I provide is a novel indexing type of drive means related to the element S and a coincontrolled actuator A and is adapted to effect selective intermittent 180 rotation of the element S so as to effect the advance and dispensing of the items P, one at a time.

The means D includes a frame F established by the top wall 30 of the cabinet section 12 and a sheet metal part fixed to the lower or bottom surface of the top wall 30 of the coin box section 12 of the cabinet C,-an elongate vertical drive shaft 51 on an axis concentric with the axis of the drive shaft 40 of the element S and rotatably carried by a suitable bearing 52 carried in an opening in the wall 30. The upper end of the shaft 51 projects upwardly through an opening in the bottom wall 27 of the cabinet section 11 and establishes driving engagement with the coupling part or member 45 on the lower end of the shaft 40. The member 45 is shown as a simple sleeve part fixed to the shaft 40 and slidably receiving the shaft 51. The member 45 and shaft 51 are fixed in driving engagement by a through pin 53, substantially as shown.

It is to be understood that the coupling means between the

shafts

40 and 51 can vary widely in practice, without affecting the novelty of my invention.

The lower end of the shaft 51 projects below the wall 30 and carries an indexing disc 55. Disc 55, as clearly shown in F165. 5, 6 and 7 of the drawings is a simple disc-shaped part with a flat bottom surface 56 and is suitably fixed on the shaft 51 by a pin 57. The disc is provided with a pair of substantially downwardly disposed, circumferentially extending and axially upwardly inclined notches 58 terminating to define and establish a pair of straight, radially extending vertical stop shoulders 59 in the surface 56 at diametrically opposite sides of the axis of the disc and shaft 51, or, spaced 180 apart. The shoulders 59 are disposed opposite the direction of rotation of the disc and

shafts

51 and 40.

The disc is further provided with a pair of circumferentially spaced, radially outwardly opening, vertical indexing notches'60 and circumferentially disposed stop faces 61 in its outer periphery or side. The notches and faces 60 and 61 are spaced 180. The notches 60 are substantially square notches with flat radially outwardly disposed vertically extending bottoms and substantially radially extending, vertical circumferentially disposed side surfaces. Thestop faces 61 are defined by the radial outer portions of the side surfaces of the notches 60 disposed circumferentially in the direction of rotation of the disc and

shaft

51 and 40, which portions of the noted sides of the notches project radially outwardly beyond the other side surfaces of the notches. This relationship of parts is effected by providing the quadrant portions of the outer side of the disc, v

forward or in advance of the notches with radially inwardly inclined, substantially convolutely curved, ramp surfaces 62.

The indexing notches and stop surfaces described above are elements and/or parts of an indexing means I that will be described in further detail in the following.

The means D next includes an elongate, vertical spindle 65 arranged in spaced relationship below the shaft 51; in axial alignment therewith and carried by the part or portion 50 of the frame F, a drive gear 66 rotatably carried by the spindle, a driver plate 67 carried by the gear and engageable with the disc and a reciprocal rack 68 carried by the frame and engaging the gear.

The spindle 65 is established by a collar-stud like part carried by the frame member or part 50.

The gear 66 is a flat, disc-shaped spur-gear with a central vertical opening 70 in which the spindle is rotatably engaged. The gear is provided with a pair of circumferentially and radially outwardly spaced upwardly projecting pins 71 at its flat top surface 72.-

The driver plate 67 is a thin flat disc of spring metal with flat top and bottom surfaces 75 and 76, a pair of radially and circumferentially spaced pin receiving openings 77 and a pair of elongate, circumferentially and upwardly inclined, resilient, pawls 78 with straight radially extending edges 79.

The plate 67 is engaged adjacent the top surface 72 of the gear 66 with the pins 71 on the gear engaged in the opening 77 to establish driving engagement therein. The top side of the plate opposes the bottom surface of the disc. The spring pawls 78 yieldingly bear on the bottom side of the disc and normally enter the recess 58 in the disc with their edges 79 in stopped driving engagement with the stop shoulders 59 of the disc.

The rack 68 is an elongate horizontally disposed member with front and rear ends and is slidably carried in a'guide 80 to occur in a common plane with the gear and in meshed driving engagement with the gear, at one side thereof.

The rack is normally positioned with its rear side portion engaged with the gear and with its front portion projecting forwardly from the gear.

The rear end of the rack is provided with a drive post 81 which, in the case illustrated, depends from the rack, below the frame F.

The rear end of an elongate, tension, return spring 82 is secured to the post 81 by a suitable laterally outwardly projecting hook 83. The front end of the return spring 82 is fixed to an adjacent side of the frame. In the case illustrated, the front end of the spring is fixed or anchored to a depending anchor post 84 established by the shank of a screw fastener employed to secure the frame part 50 to the wall 30.

The indexing means I referred to and partially described above, includes an elongate, horizontal channel shaped carrier arm 85 fixed to the post 81 and projecting laterally therefrom on a common plane with the disc 55 and in spaced relationship from the rear side of said disc, an elongate permanent magnet M engaged in the channel shaped arm 85 to occur at and project forwardly therefrom, an elongate, horizontal, normally laterally extending latch arm 90 adjacent the rear end of the frame, on a common plane with the arm 87 and having a free end occurring between the disc and the magnet M and an outer end pivotally mounted to the wall 30, as at 91, laterally outward of the frame part 50 and opposite that side of the gear which is engaged by the rack. The latch arm 90 carries a forwardly projecting dog 92 which normally stops against a stop surface 61 and seats in a notch 60 of the disc 55, to stop the disc in predetermined rotative position.

Finally, the means I includes an elongate horizontal tension spring 93 with a front end connected with the frame F, as at 94 and a rear end connected with the arm 90, as at 95. The spring 93 normally yieldingly holds the free end of the arm forward with the dog 92 engaged in its related notch 60 in the disc 55.

The magnet M normally establishes flat contact with the arm 90 to yieldingly and reasonably hold the arms together, as shown in FIG. 4 of the drawings.

When the drive means is operated to rotate the

shafts

51 and 40, 180 the rack is urged or moved rearwardly to the position shown in dotted lines in FIG. 4 of the drawings. As such movement is commenced, the magent M related to the rack in fixed position, is moved rearwardly therewith and pulls the free end of the arm 90 rearwardly to approximately the position shown in dotted lines in FIG. 4 of the drawings, disengaging the dog 92 from the notch in the disc 55 and releasing the disc for free rotation.

As the arm swings rearwardly in angular relationship with the magnet M and the tension of the spring 93 increases to an extent that the magnetic hold between the arm 90and magnet M is broken.

When the magnet releases the arm 90, the spring 93 returns the free end of the arm 90 forwardly and the dog into engagement with the opposing side of the disc.

As the rack continues to move rearwardly and the disc is rotated, the next to be advanced stop surface 61 of the disc is brought in stopped engagement with the dog 92 and the dog seat in the related notch 60, stopping the disc and driving operation of the means D.

Subsequent to the above and upon release or disengagement of the actuating means employed to move the rack, the rack is returned forwardly to the normal position by the spring 82. As the rack moves forwardly, the gear and disc are driven in a reverse direction and the spring pawls 78 yieldingly ride out of engagement with the recess 58 and shoulders 79 of the disc with which they were previously related and thence into engagementwith the other of said recesses and adjacent the shoulder thereof, to a normal position where the means D is ready for recycling.

The actuating means for the drive means can vary widely in form and can engage the forward end of the rack or a part fixed thereto. As shown, it engages a part on the rear end of the rack.

In the form of the invention illustrated, the actuating means A for the drive means D is a standard, manually operable, coin-released bar-type actuator and includes an elongate, fiat, actuating bar 96 and a carrier 97 slidably carrying the bar 96. The carrier 97 is fixed in an opening in the front cover of the coin box section 12 of the cabinet. The bar has a front portion normally projecting forwardly from the carrier 97 and the cabinet and a rear portion which projects between the means D. The rear end of the bar is provided with an upwardly projecting tab 98 which engages the front side of the depending post 81 on the rack 68 of the means D. The forward end of the bar 96 has an upwardly turned thumb-engaging drive pad 99.

In addition to the above, the means A includes spring means 100 to normally yieldingly urge and hold the bar forward, coin receiving means in the bar (not shown) and coin release latching means in and between the bar and the carrier (not shown) and operable to permit complete rearward shifting of the bar relative to the carrier only when a proper coin is related to the coin.

- receiving means in the bar and to deposit the coin in the coin box when the bar is shifted completely rearwardly.

The means A is a standard type and/or class of device well known to those skilled in the art. Accordingly, further detailed illustration and description thereof is not necessary and will be dispensed with.

It will be apparent that with the means A provided, upon inserting a coin therein and manually urging the bar 96 thereof rearwardly, the rack of means D is urged rearwardly to effect operation of the means D and the remainder of my machine to effect the dispensing of one of the items P engaged therein.

It is an important and notable feature of this invention that the indexing means of the drive means D serves to normally lock the shaft 40 against rotation so that the shaft cannot be improperly rotated by means of a tool engaged therewith, through the open front of section 1 1 of the cabinet and for the purpose of stealing items from the machine.

It will be further apparent that the machine that I provide is a simple construction that can be easily, quickly and economically produced and is a rugged, durable, easy to service and maintain machine.

Having described one typical preferred form and embodiment of my invention, I do not wish to be limited to the specific details herein set forth but wish to reserve to myself any modifications and variations that ordinarily appear to those skilled in the art and which fall within the scope of the following claims.

Having described our invention, we claim:

1. A vending machine including a cabinet defining a pair of opposing, vertical, item receiving and guiding chutes, a discharge opening in the cabinet communicating with the lower ends of the chutes, an elongate vertical auger-type item carrier between the chutes with vertically spaced portions extending into the chutes and between vertically stocked items therein, a coin release actuator carried by the cabinet and an indexing drive means carried with and between one end of the carrier and the actuator and operable to rotate the carrier one-half revolution about its vertical axis each time the actuator is operated, said drive means includes a frame carried by the cabinet, a drive shaft rotatably carried by the frame and extending to of the carrier, an indexing disc fixed to the drive shaft and having a pair of radially outwardly opening notches spaced l80 and a pair of axially and circumferentially disposed stop shoulders at one end and spaced 180, a drive plate adjacent said one end of the disc and having a pair of circumferentially and axially projecting resilient pawls engageable on said one end of the disc and with said stop shoulders, a spring loaded latch arm carried by the frame and having a dog normally engaged in one of said notches, a bearing support on the frame adjacent and concentric with the plate, a pinion gear carried by the bearing support and in driving engagement with the plate, an elongate reciprocable drive rack carried by the frame and engaged with the gear,

spring means yieldingly urging the rack axially to a normal position, latch release means including a magnet carried by the rack engaging the latch arm when the rack is in its normal position and adapted to first move the arm away from the disc and to then release the arm when the rack is moved from its normal position to an actuated position and means connecting the actuator with the rack.

2. A machine as set forth in claim 1 wherein said item carrier includes an elongate vertical central shaft, an elongate helical spring-like support element in radial spaced concentric relationship about and extending longitudinally between the ends of the shaft and having radially inwardly projecting end portions fixed on the shaft, one half of each turn of said member projecting laterally outwardly and freely into one chute and the half of each turn of said member projecting laterally outwardly and freely into the other chute.

3. A machine as set forth in claim 1 including connecting means at and between one end of the carrier shaft and the drive shaft and bearing means in the cabinet rotatably supporting the other end of the carrier shaft.

4. An indexing drive means including a support frame, a drive shaft rotatably carried by the frame and having a drive end portion projecting therefrom, an indexing disc fixed to the drive shaft and having a pair of radially outwardly opening notches spaced and a pair of axially and circumferentially disposed stop shoulders at one end and spaced 180, a drive plate adjacent said one end of the disc and having a pair of circumferentially and axially projecting resilient pawls engageable on said one end of the disc and with said stop shoulders, a spring loaded latch arm carried by the frame and having a dog normally engaged in one of said notches, a bearing support on the frame adjacent and concentric with the plate, a pinion gear carried by the bearing support and in driving engagement with the plate, an elongate reciprocable rack carried by the frame and engaged with the gear, spring means yieldingly urging the rack axially to a normal position, latch release means including a magnet carried by the rack engaging the latch arm when the rack is in its normal position and adapted to first move the arm away from the disc and to then release the arm when the rack is moved from its normal position to an actuated position, and means on the rack to connect with linear actuating means for the drive means.

Claims

1. A vending machine including a cabinet defining a pair of opposing, vertical, item receiving and guiding chutes, a discharge opening in the cabinet communicating with the lower ends of the chutes, an elongate vertical auger-type item carrier between the chutes with vertically spaced portions extending into the chutes and between vertically stocked items therein, a coin release actuator carried by the cabinet and an indexing drive means carried with and between one end of the carrier and the actuator and operable to rotate the carrier one-half revolution about its vertical axis each time the actuator is operated, said drive means includes a frame carried by the cabinet, a drive shaft rotatably carried by the frame and extending to of the carrier, an indexing disc fixed to the drive shaft and having a pair of radially outwardly opening notches spaced 180* and a pair of axially and circumferentially disposed stop shoulders at one end and spaced 180*, a drive plate adjacent said one end of the disc and having a pair of circumferentially and axially projecting resilient pawls engageable on said one end of the disc and with said stop shoulders, a spring loaded latch arm carried by the frame and having a dog normally engaged in one of said notches, a bearing support on the frame adjacent and concentric with the plate, a pinion gear carried by the bearing support and in driving engagement with the plate, an elongate reciprocable drive rack carried by the frame and engaged with the gear, spring means yieldingly urging the rack axially to a normal position, latch release means including a magnet carried by the rack engaging the latch arm when the rack is in its normal position and adapted to first move the arm away from the disc and to then release the arm when the rack is moved from its normal position to an actuated position and means connecting the actuator with the rack.

4. An indexing drive means including a support frame, a drive shaft rotatably carried by the frame and having a drive end portion projecting therefrom, an indexing disc fixed to the drive shaft and having a pair of radially outwardly opening notches spaced 180* and a pair of axially and circumferentially disposed stop shoulders at one end and spaced 180*, a drive plate adjacent said one end of the disc and having a pair of circumferentially and axially projecting resilient pawls engageable on said one end of the disc and with said stop shoulders, a spring loaded latch arm carried by the frame and having a dog normally engaged in one of said notches, a bearing support on the frame adjacent and concentric with the plate, a pinion gear carried by the bearing support and in driving engagement with the plate, an elongate reciprocable rack carried by the frame and engaged with the gear, spring means yieldingly urging the rack axially to a normal position, latch release means including a magnet carried by the rack engaging the latch arm when the rack is in its normal position and adapted to first move the arm away from the disc and to then release the arm when the rack is moved from its normal position to an actuated position, and means on the rack to connect with linear actuating means for the drive means.