Check-actuated control mechanisms – Including part locked by detent and released by check – Stationary detent
Reexamination Certificate
2000-03-06
2001-08-28
Rice, Kenneth R. (Department: 3652)
Check-actuated control mechanisms
Including part locked by detent and released by check
Stationary detent
C221S014000, C221S103000, C221S213000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06279719
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention is directed to a publication vending machine configured to dispense a single newspaper and/or magazine at a time.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Single newspaper vending machines are known in the art. Exemplary embodiments of such machines are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,458,658 to Israel. U.S. Pat. No. 4,140,242 to Muller et al and U.S. Pat. No. 3,768,695 to Pearson. In the Muller et al patent, a front hinged door
34
is unlatched by a coin release mechanism to provide access to the newspapers. When the door is unlatched, a newspaper dispensing device
90
becomes visible. A spring-loaded magazine located behind the device
90
brings the stack of newspapers to the level of a withdrawal gate
96
. When the door
34
is closed, lever
68
displaces a projection
84
so as to trip and release a lever
146
. The lever
146
is part of a mechanism that otherwise blocks the withdrawal gate
96
. An adjustment mechanism
94
, shown in
FIG. 5
of that patent, adjusts the height of a lower section
106
of the withdrawal gate, the upper section being part of the machine frame and being stationary. The lower section is provided with a pocket
112
for accommodating the user's hand. Withdrawal of a newspaper rotates separate shaft-mounted levers
116
,
118
forwardly. The lever
116
is arrested in the forward position by a lever
126
which moves over and rests on a stop
130
. The lever
118
then swings back to its original position, displacing a blocking lever
120
which is then spring-urged back to its original position so as to block the lever
118
from further forward displacement. When the hinged door
134
is closed, level
68
causes displacement of lever
146
and the lever
124
on which stop
130
is mounted thereby freeing lever
126
so that lever
116
can rotate back to vertical. A paddle on lever
116
displaces the blocking lever
120
, freeing lever
118
for subsequent operation.
The Pearson patent discloses a top loading machine of the type described in the Muller et al. patent. A narrow front access door
14
is locked and unlocked by a coin mechanism. The door
14
is swung open to gain access to the newspapers. A newspaper is withdrawn through a space between upper and lower gate sections
19
,
20
. The lower gate section
20
is secured to a plate
25
which is vertically reciprocatable in channels
26
,
27
by means of a suspension cable
21
wound around an adjustment shaft
22
mounted on the top gate section
19
. Newspapers are bulk loaded on a stack carrier
18
which is supported by a cable system as shown in FIG.
3
. The suspension system is responsive to opening and closing of the front access door. When the access door is open, a pawl
30
swings forward as a newspaper is withdrawn. After the newspaper is withdrawn, while the door is still open, the pawl
30
returns to its original position and a lever
51
engages and locks the shaft on which the pawl is mounted so as to lock the pawl in position and block withdrawal of the next newspaper. When the door is closed, a finger
14
L rotates lever
51
so as to release the pawl shaft. In a second embodiment of the machine, shown in
FIG. 7
of the patent, the access door
14
is removed. The dispensing mechanism in this embodiment comprises a fixed gate section
80
and an adjustable gate section
81
. The mechanism includes a bail coupled to a shaft
83
journaled in the machine frame. A pawl
82
depends from the shaft and is locked in position after removal of the newspaper by a linkage assembly including a toggle
90
which is controlled by the coin mechanism.
The Israel patent discloses a single newspaper vending machine. The vending machine includes an elevator unit for raising newspapers after a newspaper is dispensed. A dispensing mechanism controls dispensing of one newspaper per payment. A coin mechanism controls actuation of the dispensing mechanism when a suitable amount of coins are inserted into the machine.
Vending machines wherein newspapers are dispensed by semi-automatic operation are also known. For example, in U.S. Pat. No. 3,042,250 (Watlington) there is disclosed a vending machine provided with a bridge
25
and a shaft
27
on which sharpened fingers
33
are located. See
FIGS. 2 and 5
. The bridge is displaceable by the operator using an actuator mechanism having a handle
41
. During forward movement of the bridge the fingers engage the top newspaper in a stack and move it to a discharge slot. The stack platform coacts with vertical racks
16
and ratchet wheels
58
. Similarly, U.S. Pat. No. 3,114,475 (Etes) discloses a vending machine capable of semi-automatic operation wherein a linger
36
, which is mounted on a reciprocatable carriage impales the top paper in a stack and displaces the paper to a discharge slot.
Newspaper dispensing machines employing slidable dispensing mechanisms are also known, as disclosed for example in U.S. Pat. No. 1,886,694 (Kelly) and U.S. Pat. No. 3,708,087 (Schonthal). In the Kelly patent, an automatic dispensing operation is followed by manual withdrawal of the newspaper. A frame A is displaceable together with an operating head
42
(within which a coin control mechanism is located) with respect to a discharge slot
11
. See FIG.
3
. The frame is provided with rollers
34
which rotate when head
42
is retracted by the operator so as to feed a paper to slot
11
. The paper is then grasped and withdrawn by the operator. Conversion of a semi-honior dispensing machine to a single copy machine is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,174,047 (Owens). A release mechanism
36
includes a slide plate
38
displaceable through a slot
29
. The plate
38
is spring-coupled to a coin mechanism pushrod
23
. A jaw
53
is mounted below the plate
38
to grip the forward edge of a paper. The mechanism
36
is pulled forward bringing a newspaper with it, and the paper is then grasped and withdrawn by the operator. A single paper vending machine wherein locking mechanisms are moved into and out of the newspaper path is also known as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,067,477 (Chalabian).
Although the single copy vending machines disclosed in the above reterences are improvements over the popular honor-type vending machines, a need exists for an improved single newspaper/magazine vending machine which is economically feasible to manufacture and which protects the dispensed product from damage from weather.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
A vending machine is disclosed for dispensing a single publication product at a time. The vending machine includes a housing with a front wall, back wall, side walls, top wall and bottom wall. A door is hinged to the front wall on the housing and forms part of a display case for displaying information regarding the product being dispensed.
An elevator is located within the housing and slidable from a position near the back wall toward the front wall. The elevator is adapted to contain a stack of products being dispensed.
A dispensing assembly is mounted within housing and forward of the elevator. The dispensing assembly includes a dispensing sled which is translatable from an upper position to a lower position. The dispensing sled is adapted to engaged a publication product located on the elevator and to slide the publication product toward a dispensing area located at the bottom of the housing.
An actuation arm is attached to the dispensing sled and pivotally mounted to the housing. The actuation arm projects outward from the front of the housing and is actuatable in a downward direction. The downward actuation of the actuation arm translates the dispensing sled downward.
A locking mechanism controls dispensing of a publication product.
The foregoing and other features and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent in light of the following detailed description of the preferred embodiments thereof, as illustrated in the accompanying figures.
REFERENCES:
patent: 1886694 (1932-11-01), Kelly
patent: 3042250 (1962-07-01), Watlington
patent: 3114475 (1963-12-01), Etes
pate
Drinker Biddle & Reath LLP
Jaketic Bryan
Rice Kenneth R.
LandOfFree
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