Malfunction isolation apparatus for selective vending machines

Claim 1

In an electrically controlled, selective, product vending machine: a plurality of product dispensing mechanisms, there being a first mechanism and a series of successor mechanisms including a last mechanism, each of said mechanisms having shiftable parts normally operable, upon each actuation of the corresponding mechanism, to cycle through a product dispensing operation in which said parts shift from a standby product retaining disposition into an intermediate disposition for dispensing a single product and then again into a standby product retaining disposition; a two terminal, electrically operable, actuating means for each mechanism respectively, each of said actuating means being operably coupled with a corresponding mechanism for actuating the latter whenever said actuating means is operated; a manually operable, selection switching means for each actuating means respectively, there being a first selection switching means and a series of successor selection switching means including a last selection switching means, each of said selection switching means except said last section switching means having a first, a second and a third terminal, a standby condition in which the first terminal thereof is coupled with the second terminal thereof and a temporary selecting condition in which said first terminal thereof is coupled with the third terminal thereof, said last selection switching means having a first and a third terminal, a standby condition in which said first terminal thereof is uncoupled from said third terminal thereof and a temporary selecting condition in which said first terminal thereof is coupled with said third terminal thereof, a three terminal, hold switching means for each mechanism respectively, there being a first hold switching means and a series of successor hold switching means including a last hold switching means, each of said hold switching means being operably coupled with a corresponding actuating means for operation of said hold switching means by said actuating means whenever the latter is operated, each of said hold switching means having a standby condition in which a first terminal thereof is coupled with a second terminal thereof and an operated condition in which said first terminal thereof is coupled with a third terminal thereof, each of said hold switching means being operably coupled with said shiftable parts of the corresponding mechanism and remaining in its said operated condition in the event of a malfunction of the corresponding mechanism in which said shiftable parts of the latter fail to complete their said operating cycle by returning to said standby product retaining disposition after an attempted product dispensing operation; a three terminal, primary lockout switching means for each mechanism respectively, there being a first primary lockout switching means and a series of successor primary lockout switching means including a last primary lockout switching means, each of said primary lockout switching means being operably coupled with said shiftable parts of a corresponding mechanism for operation of Said primary lockout switching means by said mechanism whenever and while said shiftable parts of the latter are shifted out of said standby product retaining disposition thereof, each of said primary lockout switching means having a standby condition in which a first terminal thereof is coupled with a second terminal thereof and an operated condition in which said first terminal thereof is coupled with a third terminal thereof, each of said primary lockout switching means remaining in its said operated condition in the event of a malfunction of the corresponding mechanism in which said shiftable parts of the latter fail to complete their said operating cycle by returning to said standby product retaining disposition after an attempted product dispensing operation; a pair of power input terminals adapted for coupling with a source of electrical power; credit controlled means common to the mechanisms and operable in response to deposit of coinage of predetermined value in the machine to present a first closed electrical circuit path through said credit controlled means; first electrical circuit means coupling one of said power input terminals with one terminal of each of said actuating means; second electrical circuit means coupling said circuit path of said credit controlled means in series between the other of said power input terminals and said first terminal of said first hold switching means; third electrical circuit means coupling said second terminal of each of said hold switching means other than said last hold switching means with said first terminal of the next in said series of said successor hold switching means; fourth electrical circuit means coupling said second terminal of said last hold switching means with said first terminal of said first selection switching means; fifth electrical circuit means coupling said second terminal of each of said selection switching means other than said last selection switching means with said first terminal of the last in said series of said successor selection switching means; a sixth electrical circuit means for each mechanism respectively, each of said sixth electrical circuit means coupling said third terminal of a corresponding selection switching means with said first terminal of the corresponding primary lockout switching means; a seventh electrical circuit means for each mechanism respectively, each of said seventh circuit means coupling said second terminal of the corresponding primary lockout switching means with the other terminal of the corresponding actuating means; an eighth electrical circuit means for each mechanism respectively, each of said eighth circuit means coupling said third terminal of the corresponding primary lockout switching means with said second terminal of the corresponding hold switching means; and a ninth electrical circuit means for each mechanism respectively, each of said ninth circuit means coupling said first terminal of the corresponding primary lockout switching means with said third terminal of the corresponding hold switching means.