Cup-handling mechanism

Claim 2

In a vending machine utilizing disposable cups stored in vertical stacks carried by a magazine indexable to successive positions for aligning cups over an underdisposed cup drop, the combination comprising: reciprocating linkage means for operating the cup drop whereby to strip individual cups from a stack thereof positioned over the cup drop, an oscillatable mechanism including sensing means operable to sense the presence or absence of cups over said cup drop, drive gear and ratchet means adjacent said sensing means and rotatable about a fixed axis, a single cam means operable to reciprocate said linkage means and oscillate said mechanism in response to rotation thereof, a single motor means for rotatably driving said cam means, shaft means coaxial of the magazine for rotatably supporting and indexing the latter, periodically actuated drive means between said shaft means and said drive gear and ratchet means for effecting selected indexing movements of the magazine means in response to rotation of said drive gear and ratchet means, and means on said sensing means engageable with said ratchet means for effecting rotation of the latter during each oscillating cycle of said mechanism in which the absence of cups over the cup drop is sensed by said sensing means.

Claim 3

The combination of claim 1 wherein said drive means comprises interchangeable gear meaNs, and means for mounting said shaft means at selected locations with respect to said fixed axis of said gear and ratchet means.

Claim 4

The combination of claim 1 and means on said shaft means for detachably coupling the magazine thereto.

Claim 5

The combination of claim 1 and a housing about said linkage means, said mechanism and said cup drop; said housing having an opening registeringly aligned with said cup drop, and detent means for maintaining the magazine in successive indexed positions whereat cups are aligned over the cup drop.

Claim 6

The combination of claim 4 and electrical switch means mounted adjacent the periphery of said opening and operable to electrically isolate said motor means in the absence of a supply of cups over the cup drop.

Claim 7

In an automatic vending machine utilizing disposable cups carried in stacked columns within a rotatable magazine means adapted to be indexed periodically to position cups in dispensing position over an underdisposed cup drop mechanism, improved means for operating the cup drop mechanism and selectively indexing said magazine means comprising: a fist linkage assembly rectilinearly reciprocal for operating said cup drop mechanism, a second linkage assembly, oscillatably operable during each operating cycle of said first assembly and independently thereof to actuate cup-sensing means for determining the presence or absence of cups in dispensing position over the cup drop mechanism, a single rotatably driven cam means having a peripheral contour for positively reciprocating said first linkage assembly and having eccentric means for positively oscillating said second linkage assembly in response to periodic energization of electrical motor means coupled thereto, drive means associated with said second linkage assembly and periodically actuated by the same whenever said sensing means determines the absence of cups in said dispensing position, and means interconnecting said drive means and magazine means whereby to rotatably index the latter through selectively varied arcuate increments whereby to effect a selected number of indexed movements of the magazine means for each rotational cycle thereof.

Claim 8

In an automatic vending machine utilizing disposable cups carried in stacked columns within a rotatable magazine means adapted to be indexed periodically to position cups in dispensing position over an underdisposed cup drop mechanism, improved means for operating the cup drop mechanism and selectively indexing said magazine means comprising: a fist linkage assembly rectilinearly reciprocal for operating said cup drop mechanism, a second linkage assembly, oscillatably operable during each operating cycle of said first assembly and independently thereof to actuate cup-sensing means for determining the presence or absence of cups in dispensing position over the cup drop mechanism, a single rotatably driven cam means having a peripheral contour for positively reciprocating said first linkage assembly and having eccentric means for positively oscillating said second linkage assembly in response to periodic energization of electrical motor means coupled thereto, drive means associated with said second linkage assembly and periodically actuated by the same whenever said sensing means determines the absence of cups in said dispensing position, and means interconnecting said drive means and magazine means whereby to rotatably index the latter through selectively varied arcuate increments whereby to effect a selected number of indexed movements of the magazine means for each rotational cycle thereof.

Claim 9

In an automatic vending machine, a rotatable magazine for storing disposable cups in plural vertical stacks, a cup drop mechanism for stripping individual cups from the lower end of a stack positioned thereover, and a mechanism for selectively actuating said magazine and cup drop mechanism comprising: a housing, a drive shaft, means for rotatably mounting said shaft at selected locations on one wall of said housing, said shaft having an end portion insertable coaxially into the lower end of said magazine and having detachable connection therewith; means for mounting the cup drop mechanism within said housing in alignment with a cup drop opening formed in said one wall thereof, a single rotatable cam means mounted in said housing and having a peripheral cam profile, a first linkage assembly having cam follower means engaged with said profile and rectilinearly reciprocal in response to rotation of said cam means, means interconnecting said first linkage assembly with the cup drop mechanism for periodically actuating the latter in response to each reciprocating cycle of said first linkage assembly, a second linkage assembly eccentrically coupled to said cam means and oscillatably driven in response to rotation of the latter, including pivotal sensing means arcuately movable along a path intersecting the axis of said opening, said sensing means being movable across said opening in the absence of cups positioned over said cup drop mechanism and being arrested adjacent the periphery of said opening in the presence of cups over said cup drop mechanism; drive gear and ratchet means mounted on a fixed rotational axis definitive of the pivotal axis of said sensing means and periodically engageable by means on the latter in response to the rotational cycling of said cam means; said means on said sensing means effecting rotational movemenT of said gear and ratchet means whenever said sensing means moves across said opening; and means selectively arranged between said gear and ratchet means and said drive shaft in accordance with the selected location of the latter to effect rotational movement of said shaft in selectively varied increments in response to uniform rotational movement of said gear and ratchet means whereby said magazine means may be indexed between a selected number of stations for each rotational cycle thereof.

Claim 10

In an automatic vending machine, a rotatable magazine for storing disposable cups in plural vertical stacks, a cup drop mechanism for stripping individual cups from the lower end of a stack positioned thereover, and a mechanism for selectively actuating said magazine and cup drop mechanism comprising: a housing, a drive shaft, means for rotatably mounting said shaft at selected locations on one wall of said housing, said shaft having an end portion insertable coaxially into the lower end of said magazine and having detachable connection therewith; means for mounting the cup drop mechanism within said housing in alignment with a cup drop opening formed in said one wall thereof, a single rotatable cam means mounted in said housing and having a peripheral cam profile, a first linkage assembly having cam follower means engaged with said profile and rectilinearly reciprocal in response to rotation of said cam means, means interconnecting said first linkage assembly with the cup drop mechanism for periodically actuating the latter in response to each reciprocating cycle of said first linkage assembly, a second linkage assembly eccentrically coupled to said cam means and oscillatably driven in response to rotation of the latter, including pivotal sensing means arcuately movable along a path intersecting the axis of said opening, said sensing means being movable across said opening in the absence of cups positioned over said cup drop mechanism and being arrested adjacent the periphery of said opening in the presence of cups over said cup drop mechanism; drive gear and ratchet means mounted on a fixed rotational axis definitive of the pivotal axis of said sensing means and periodically engageable by means on the latter in response to the rotational cycling of said cam means; said means on said sensing means effecting rotational movemenT of said gear and ratchet means whenever said sensing means moves across said opening; and means selectively arranged between said gear and ratchet means and said drive shaft in accordance with the selected location of the latter to effect rotational movement of said shaft in selectively varied increments in response to uniform rotational movement of said gear and ratchet means whereby said magazine means may be indexed between a selected number of stations for each rotational cycle thereof.