Vending machine module

Abstract

A replaceable vending machine merchandising module for merchandise not having a suspension tab which is interchangeable with a merchandising module for merchandise having a suspension tab. The replaceable module includes a horizontal article-supporting platform along which a plurality of compartment partitions separating the vendable articles are moved step by step by a suitable coin operated and engageable power drive motor. The articles are dispensed upon arrival at an opening in or cut-away portion of the platform.

Description

This invention relates generally to merchandise dispensing modules for vending machines and more particularly to a replaceable vending module which the service man may easily and quickly load or reload with merchandise packages which have no suspension tabs, which will allow a relatively unobstructed display of the product, and which will be interchangeable with a merchandise dispensing module for merchandise packages having suspension tabs as disclosed in my copending application Ser. No. 273,978, filed July 27, 1972, entitled ANTI-THEFT MEANS FOR VENDING MACHINE MODULES, now U.S. Pat. No. 3,814,282 dated June 4, 1974.

As disclosed in the afore-mentioned application, a vending machine module having means for gripping the tab of merchandise packages having a suspension tab is detachably and slidable mounted in a supporting housing mounted in a vending machine. This module has proven far superior to any other known in the successful and theft proof merchandising of tabbed products.

However, as is well known, many products, wrapped or unwrapped, do not have suspension tabs and the main object of the present invention is to provide an equally efficient dispensing module for such articles or packages.

Another important object of the present invention is to provide a replaceable vending machine module for untabbed merchandise which is readily interchangeable in a vending machine with a module for dispensing products having suspension tabs.

A further important object of the present invention is to provide a replaceable vending module of the type described which includes a horizontal, article-supporting platform along which a plurality of compartment partitions separating the vendable articles are moved step by step by suitable coin operated, engageable power means, the articles being dispensed upon arrival at an opening in or cut-away portion of the platform.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent during the course of the following description.

In the drawings there is shown one embodiment of the invention. In this showing:

FIG. 1 is a side elevational view of a vending machine showing the manner in which a plurality of merchandise dispensing modules are mounted therein;

FIG. 2 is a side elevational view of an enlarged scale of the interchangeable module of the vending machine comprising the present invention;

FIG. 3 is an end elevational view thereof showing how the socket of the drive pulley is withdrawn from its slip mechanical coupling with the drive shaft of the drive motor without disturbing the electrical components or removing the motor, taken on the line 3--3 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a horizontal sectional view of the compartments or partitions which separate the merchandise packages, showing the drive chain which propels the partitions in a counterclockwise direction just above the horizontal article supporting platform, taken along the lines 4--4 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 5 is a horizontal sectional view of a portion of the drive and driven pulleys which propel the partitions about the platform, taken along the lines 5--5 of FIG. 2; and

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of the discharge and of the platform and the partitions with parts being omitted for clarity.

Referring to the drawings, numeral 20 designates a coin operated vending machine as a whole which comprises a metal or fiberglass cabinet 21 suitably supported on legs and/or rollers (not shown). The cabinet 21 is provided with a front access door having a glass merchandise viewing panel and a rear door hinged as at 26 to provide access to the rear face of a vertical, module support panel 34. The front face of the cabinet 21 includes a coin receiving slot and a coin return slot (not shown), a plurality of merchandise selector buttons 31 (one for each vending module), and a merchandise dispensing bin 32 to which access is had by a pivoted door 33.

A plurality of horizontally and vertically spaced, inverted U-shaped dispensing module housings 36 are fixed to the front of vertical brackets 38 which have drive motors 40 fixed to their rear faces and these units are supported on the panel 34 and extend through openings therein and forwardly toward the front of the cabinet 21 (FIG. 1). The drive shaft of each of the motors 40 terminates in a rectangular coupling member 42 (FIG. 3) which is in axial alignment with a similarly shaped notch in the female socket or coupling member 44 (FIG. 2), forming the end of the shaft 45 of the drive sprocket 46 of each dispensing module.

Each dispensing module 50 (FIGS. 1-3) is elongated and also has an inverted U-shape in lateral cross-section and is provided with a longitudinally extending removal slide 60 terminating in outturned flanges 62 which are slidable in a pair of coextensive opposed trackways 64 (FIG. 2) fixed to the module housing 36 which is provided with a spring mounted stop 66 (FIG. 2) to limit inadvertent movement during vending machine operation, of the module 50 in the housing 36, inner movement of the module being prevented by a stop 70 (FIG. 2) on the housing 36. The stop 66 is engaged by a shoulder on a spring arm which is depressed to free the dispensing module 50 from the stop 70 (FIG. 2) for intentional withdrawal from its housing 36.

Each dispensing module 50 supports a horizontal merchandise supporting platform 72 throughout its length by means of an elongated bracket 74 fixed to and depending from within the module. As seen in FIG. 3, a plurality of tubular compartments or partitions 76 are each rigidly mounted on an endless chain 78 by a pair of upstanding studs 79 formed on every other chain link 80 and projecting through a pair of eyes in a plate 82 fixed to the inner sides of the compartments 76 adjacent their bottom ends. The endless chain 78 is trained about a pair of sprockets 83, 84, the former being fixed to a suitably journalled stub shaft 86 mounted at the front of the bracket 74.

A drive shaft 88 is suitably journalled in the platform 72 and in the upper part of the module at the rear thereof and is provided at its lower end with the drive sprocket 84 for the endless compartment supporting chain 78. When the female coupling member 44 is driven by the shaft 42 of the motor 40, power is transmitted from the drive sprocket 46 (FIGS. 2 and 5) to an upper sprocket 89 on the drive shaft 88 by an endless drive chain 92.

It will be noted that the female coupling member 44 is provided with diametrically opposite notches 94 which are resiliently engaged by a spring notch 96 to prevent over-run by the drive sprocket 46 when a coin is deposited in the vending machine 20 to dispense one article of merchandise M. Thus, energization of the motor rotates the drive shaft 42 180.degree. to move the merchandise holding compartments 76 exactly the spacing between their centerlines.

As stated, the compartments 76 are rigidly fixed to every other of the links of the chain 78 and to ensure their vertical position regardless of the weight of the merchandise, both sides of the bracket 74 are provided with horizontally disposed guides 98 in which a tab 100 fixed to each compartment moves. It will be noted that the front of each platform 72 is cut away as at 102 for a purpose to be described.

The tubular merchandise holding compartments 76, which may be round, rectangular, etc. are open at their upper and lower ends so that the merchandise packages, wrapped or unwrapped, tabbed or not, may easily be loaded thereinto to rest upon the horizontal platform 72 and are thus retained against all improper efforts to dislodge them by shaking or rocking the vending machine 20. The merchandise compartments 76 may be completely transparent so as to display the goods, or as shown, may be transparent on their front sides 104 as they approach the discharge opening formed by the cut away portion at 102, and opaque on their rear sides 106 (FIG. 4).

It will now be apparent (FIG. 6) that a package of merchandise M is moved along the platform 72 to the front thereof by its compartment 76 as a result of the deposit of a coin, depression of a selector button 31, and operation of the motor through a cycle of 180.degree.. When the package reaches the front of the platform, its compartment will commence to turn about the sprocket 83 and move the package M over the discharge opening formed by the cutaway portion 102, upon which it drops through into the discharge bin 32.

It is to be understood that the form of the invention herewith shown and described is to be taken as a preferred example of the same and that various changes in the shape, size and arrangement of parts may be resorted to without departure from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the subjoined claims.

Claims

What is claimed is:

1. A merchandise dispensing module for vending machines having an elongated merchandise module housing including trackways and an associated power means mounted therein comprising an elongated inverted U-shape structure including flanges for slidable mounting in the trackways of the housing to be substantially encompassed thereby; a merchandise supporting platform depending from said U-shaped structure and including a discharge opening; an endless chain arranged on driving and driven sprockets mounted on said module just above said platform; a plurality of vertically disposed, open ended merchandise-receiving compartments fixed to said chain to move the merchandise packages along said platform to said discharge opening; and drive means for said chain connectible with the power means when said module is mounted in said housing.

2. The combination recited in claim 1 wherein said compartments are transparent to display the merchandise packages therein.

3. The combination recited in claim 1 wherein guides are fixed to the sides of said module and the upper ends of said compartments include rigid tabs for movement within said guide.

4. A merchandise dispensing module for vending machines having an elongated U-shaped merchandise module housing mounted therein and power means associated therewith comprising, in combination, an elongated U-shaped supporting structure slidably mountable in the housing for support thereby; a horizontal merchandise supporting platform having a discharge opening at one end thereof; an elongated depending bracket fixed to said supporting structure and said platform, an endless chain arranged on driving and driven sprockets mounted on said bracket just above said platform; a plurality of open-ended vertically disposed merchandise enclosing compartments fixed at spaced points to the links of said chain; said driving sprocket being fixed to a vertical rotatable shaft extending between said supporting structure and said platform; a second driven sprocket mounted on the upper end of said shaft; and drive means for rotating said shaft from the power means when said module is mounted in said housing.

5. The combination recited in claim 4 wherein said compartments are transparent to display the merchandise packages therein.

6. The combination recited in claim 4 wherein guides are fixed to the sides of said module and the upper ends of said compartments include rigid tabs for movement within said guides.