Selective dispensing apparatus having door interlock structure

Claim 2

In a vending machine: means including a cabinet presenting a plurality of vending stations; means for supplying products to each of said stations; a shiftable product selection door for each of said stations respectively, each door being shiftable between an open condition wherein the door permits access to a product supplied to the corresponding station and a closed condition wherein the door precludes access to said product; first control means operably associated with said doors for releasably retaining each door respectively in the closed condition thereof; second control means operably associated with said doors for releasably holding the door of a selected station in the open condition thereof after release of said first control means and shifting of the door to said condition; and means operably coupled with each of said doors, respectively, for returning an open door to the closed condition thereof upon release of said second control means.

Claim 3

The invention as claimed in claim 1, wherein said first control means includeS shiftable locking means for each door, respectively, movable between a locking position wherein the locking means blocks movement of the door to the open condition thereof and an unlocking position wherein the locking means clears the door to permit such movement; electrically actuatable operating means coupled with said locking means to effect shifting of the latter from the locking to the unlocking position thereof and adapted to be connected to a source of electrical power; and switch means associated with said operating means for controlling actuation of the latter, said locking means when in the locking position thereof being disposed to permit slight initial movement of the door toward the open condition thereof, said switch means being open when the door is in its closed condition and being responsive to such initial movement of the door to close and thereby permit actuation of the operating means by said power source.

Claim 4

The invention as claimed in claim 2, wherein said locking means for each door is pivotally supported for rotation thereof between said locking and unlocking positions within the path of travel of the corresponding door, said locking means having a clearance slot therein aligned with the door when the locking means is rotated to the unlocking position thereof whereby to permit passage of the door through the slot and out of alignment with the door when the locking means is rotated to the locking position thereof whereby to deny such passage.

Claim 5

The invention as claimed in claim 1, wherein said second control means includes a control member shiftably supported for movement between first and second positions thereof along a line traversing the paths of travel of said doors and having a plurality of individual door latches thereon corresponding in number to the number of doors provided at said stations, each of said latches being disposed when said member is in the first position thereof for latchingly engaging a corresponding door when the latter is shifted to the open condition thereof and being disposed for releasing a corresponding, previously opened door when said member is in said second position thereof.

Claim 6

The invention as claimed in claim 4, wherein each latch is pivotally supported on said member for swinging of the latch by a corresponding door between a pair of alternate extreme positions as the door is moved between said opened and said closed condition thereof.

Claim 7

The invention as claimed in claim 5, and wherein is provided yieldable means interconnecting the member and each latch respectively for biasing the latter toward a normal, standby position disposed between said alternate extreme positions thereof.

Claim 8

The invention as claimed in claim 4, and wherein is provided yieldable means coupled with said member for biasing the latter to said first position thereof.

Claim 9

The invention as claimed in claim 7, wherein said door returning means includes yieldable means biasing each door respectively toward its closed condition.

Claim 10

The invention as claimed in claim 4, and wherein is provided adjustable shifter means operable upon actuation thereof to shift said member from said first to said second position thereof.

Claim 11

The invention as claimed in claim 9, and wherein is provided timing means operably associated with said doors and said shifter means, said timing means being operable to actuate said shifter means after any one of said doors has remained in the open condition thereof for a predetermined period of time.

Claim 12

The invention as claimed in claim 9, wherein said product supplying means includes customer-actuated mechanism capable of presenting a succession of products to said stations upon customer demand, and wherein is provided means operably coupled with said shifter means for actuating the latter in response to attempted operation of said mechanism when a door is in the open condition thereof.