Interlocked selection control apparatus

Claim 2

Selection control apparatus for causing only one selected control response from a variety of available control responses, said apparatus comprising: a plurality of control response means each of which, when energized, causes a respective control response; a respective plurality of triggerable semiconductor current switching devices; source means for providing current for triggering said devices, said source means having a predetermined source impedance; manually operable selector means for applying current from said source to a selected one only of said devices thereby to trigger said one device into conduction; a respective diode means connecting each of said switching devices to said source whereby conduction through any one of said devices immediately shunts said source thereby preventing triggering of any of the other of said devices; and circuit means interconnecting each of said control response means with a respective one of said devices for energization of that control response means by current conducted through the respective device whereby triggering of one of said devices causes a respective control response and prevents any other of the available control responses.

Claim 3

Selection control apparatus as set forth in claim 1 wherein each of said control response means comprises a solenoid.

Claim 4

Selection control apparatus as set forth in claim 1 wherein said triggerable semi-conductor current switching devices are silicon controlled rectifiers.

Claim 5

Selection control apparatus as set forth in claim 1 wherein said source means includes a resistor providing said predetermined source impedance.

Claim 6

Selection control apparatus as set forth in claim 1 wherein said selector means comprises a plurality of double-throw switches which are connected in series through one side of each of said switches, the other side of each switch being connected to a respective one of said current switching devices thereby to provide triggering current to said one device exclusively.

Claim 7

Vending selection control apparatus for causing dispensing of only one selected article from a variety of available articles after the price of said selected article is deposited, said apparatus comprising: a plurality of electromagnetic vend control means each of which, when energized, is adapted to cause the dispensing of a respective article; a respective plurality of triggerable semiconductor current switching devices for selectively energizing said vend control means; source means for providing current for triggering said devices, said source means having a predetermined source impedance; a plurality of terminals corresponding to different prices; means responsive to the deposit of money for connecting said current source to those terminals for which the amount of money deposited at least equals the respective price; isolation means connecting each of said devices to that terminal which corresponds to the price of that respective article; manually operable switch means for applying current from said source to a selected one only of said devices thereby to trigger said one device into conduction when said one device is connected to a terminal to which current is provided from said source, conduction through said one device immediately shunting said source through the respective isolation means thereby preventing triggering of any of the other of said devices; circuit means connecting one side of each of said vend control means to a respective one of said devices; and means responsive to conduction through any of said devices for applying a voltage to the other sides of said vend control means whereby a vend control means connected to a triggered one of said devices is energized by current conducted through the respective device to cause the respective article to be dispensed and whereby dispensing of all other articles is prevented by the shunting of said source.

Claim 8

Vending selection control apparatus for causing dispensing of only one selected article from a variety of available articles after the price of said selected article is deposited, said apparatus comprising: a plurality of electromagnetic vend control means each of which, when energized, is adapted to cause the dispensing of a respective article; a respective plurality of triggerable semiconductor current switching devices for selectively energizing said vend control means; source means for providing current for triggering said devices, said source means having a predetermined source impedance; a plurality of terminals corresponding to different prices; means responsive to the deposit of money for connecting said current source to those terminals for which the amount of money deposited at least equals the respective price; isolation means connecting each of said devices to that terminal which corresponds to the price of that respective article; manually operable switch means for applying current from said source to a selected one only of said devices thereby to trigger said one device into conduction when said one device is connected to a terminal to which current is provided from said source, conduction through said one device immediately shunting said source through the respective isolation means thereby preventing triggering of any of the other of said devices; circuit means connecting one side of each of said vend control means to a respective one of said devices; and means responsive to conduction through any of said devices for applying a voltage to the other sides of said vend control means whereby a vend control means connected to a triggered one of said devices is energized by current conducted through the respective device to cause the respective article to be dispensed and whereby dispensing of all other articles is prevented by the shunting of said source.

Claim 9

Vending selection control apparatus as set forth in claim 6 wherein said isolation means comprises a plurality of diodes respectively connected with each of said devices.

Claim 10

Vending selection control apparatus as set forth in claim 6 wherein said means responsive to conduction through any of said devices comprises electromagnetic relay means connected in a circuit with said source and said means responsive to the deposit of money.