Control apparatus for dual price vending machine

Claim 2

In a coin operated vending machine having a plurality of columns of articles, at least one column containing articles to be dispensed at a first unit price, at least one other column containing articles to be dispensed at a second unit price, said articles adapted to be selectively dispensed, one at a time, upon energization of an associated dispensing mechanism for each column according to a vend selection made by a customer, the improvement comprising means for establishing credit corresponding to the first unit price and the second unit price, and payout means adapted to be energized upon vend selection to payout change corresponding to the difference in price between the unit price of a selected article and the value of the coins inserted, said means for establishing credit including a high price circuit and a low price circuit, said low price circuit including first relay means adapted to be energized upon the deposit of coins having a total value equal to at least the first unit price, said high price circuit including second relay means adapted to be energized upon the deposit of coins having a total value equal to at least the second unit price, a selector switch for each column, said first relay means upon energization thereof being arranged to establish a power enabling circuit to the selector switches for the column containing articles at the first unit price and said second relay means upon energization thereof being arranged to establish a power enabling circuit to the selector sWitches for the columns containing articles at the second unit price.

Claim 3

A coin operated vending machine as set forth in claim 1, wherein the selector switches corresponding to columns containing articles at the first unit price are serially connected to each other when said switches are in a first position, said series connection adapted to be broken when any one of said switches is actuated to a second position to thereby energize an associated vend mechanism.

Claim 4

A coin operated vending machine as set forth in claim 1, wherein the selector switches corresponding to columns containing articles at the second unit price are serially connected to each other when said switches are in a first position, said series connection adapted to be broken when any one of said switches is actuated to a second position to thereby energize the associated dispensing mechanism.

Claim 5

A coin operated vending machine as set forth in claim 2, wherein the selector switches corresponding to columns containing articles at the second unit price are serially connected to each other when said switches are in a first position, said latter series connection adapted to be broken when any one of said latter switches is actuated to a second position to thereby energize the associated dispensing mechanism.

Claim 6

A coin operated vending machine as set forth in claim 1, wherein said second unit price is higher than said first unit price and said means for establishing credit further includes a first switch adapted to be actuated from a first to a second position upon deposit of coins equal in total value to at least said first unit price and a second switch adapted to be actuated from a first to a second position upon deposit of coins equal in value to at least said second unit price, said first switch in its second position being connected to apply power to said first circuit and said second switch in its second position being connected to apply power to said second circuit.

Claim 7

A coin operated vending machine as set forth in claim 5. wherein said means for establishing credit further includes cam means for actuating said first and said second switches to their second position.

Claim 8

A coin operated vending machine as set forth in claim 6, including means for indexing said cam means in accordance with the value of coins deposited in the vending machine.

Claim 9

In a coin operated vending machine having a coin receiving means for receiving and separating nickels, dimes and quarters, indexing means adapted to be indexed in accordance with the value of coins received, article dispensing means for storing and dispensing articles, said dispensing means including at least two columns, one column containing articles to be dispensed at a first unit price, the other column containing articles to be dispensed at a second unit price and payout means for change payout, the improvement comprising dual price vend control means for establishing credit corresponding to the first or the second unit price and effecting a payout of change upon vend selection when the total value of coins received is greater than the established credit, said vend control means comprising a first circuit for establishing credit corresponding to the first unit price and controlling the dispensing of articles from the first column and a second circuit for establishing credit corresponding to the second unit price and controlling the dispensing of articles from the second column, said vend control means comprising first switch means for enabling said first circuit and second switch means for enabling said second circuit, the inedexing means including cam means for actuating said first and said second switch means, and said cam means including a pair of adjacent cam surfaces, one of said cam surfaces being shorter than the other, said first and second switch means each having, respectively, an actuator arm for actuating the corresponding switch from a first to a second position, the actuator arm of said first switch being biased against the lonGer cam surface and the actuator arm of said second switch being biased against the shorter cam surface.

Claim 10

In a coin operated vending machine having a coin receiving means for receiving and separating nickels, dimes and quarters, indexing means adapted to be indexed in accordance with the value of coins received, article dispensing means for storing and dispensing articles, said dispensing means including at least two columns, one column containing articles to be dispensed at a first unit price, the other column containing articles to be dispensed at a second unit price and payout means for change payout, the improvement comprising dual price vend control means for establishing credit corresponding to the first or the second unit price and effecting a payout of change upon vend selection when the total value of coins received is greater than the established credit, said vend control means comprising a first circuit for establishing credit corresponding to the first unit price and controlling the dispensing of articles from the first column and a second circuit for establishing credit corresponding to the second unit price and controlling the dispensing of articles from the second column, said vend control means comprising first switch means for enabling said first circuit and second switch means for enabling said second circuit, the inedexing means including cam means for actuating said first and said second switch means, and said cam means including a pair of adjacent cam surfaces, one of said cam surfaces being shorter than the other, said first and second switch means each having, respectively, an actuator arm for actuating the corresponding switch from a first to a second position, the actuator arm of said first switch being biased against the lonGer cam surface and the actuator arm of said second switch being biased against the shorter cam surface.

Claim 11

In a coin operated vending machine having a coin receiving means for receiving and separating nickels, dimes and quarters, indexing means adapted to be indexed in accordance with the value of coins received, article dispensing means for storing and dispensing articles, said dispensing means including at least two columns, one column containing articles to be dispensed at a first unit price, the other column containing articles to be dispensed at a second unit price and payout means for change payout, the improvement comprising dual price vend control means for establishing credit corresponding to the first or the second unit price and affecting a payout of change upon vend selection when the total value of coins received is greater than the established credit, said vend control means comprising a first circuit for establishing credit corresponding to the first unit price and controlling the dispensing of articles from the first column and a second circuit for establishing credit corresponding to the second unit price and controlling the dispensing of articles from the second column, said vend control means comprising first switch means for enabling said first circuit and second switch means for enabling said second circuit, said first circuit being a high price circuit and said second circuit being a low price circuit, said low price circuit including first relay means adapted to be energized upon the deposit of coins having a total value equal to at least the first unit price, said high price circuit including second relay means adapted to be energized upon the deposit of coins having a total value equal to at least the second unit price, a selector switch for each column, said first relay means upon energization thereof being arranged to establish a power enabling circuit to the selector switches for the column containing articles at the first unit price and said second relay means upon energization thereof being arranged to establish a power enabling circuit to the selector switches for the columns containing articles at the second unit price.

Claim 12

In a coin operated vending machine having a coin receiving means for receiving and separating nickels, dimes and quarters, indexing means adapted to be indexed in accordance with the value of coins received, article dispensing means for storing and dispensing articles, said dispensing means including at least two columns, one column containing articles to be dispensed at a first unit price, the other column containing articles to be dispensed at a second unit price and payout means for change payout, the improvement comprising dual price vend control means for establishing credit corresponding to the first or the second unit price and affecting a payout of change upon vend selection when the total value of coins received is greater than the established credit, said vend control means comprising a first circuit for establishing credit corresponding to the first unit price and controlling the dispensing of articles from the first column and a second circuit for establishing credit corresponding to the second unit price and controlling the dispensing of articles from the second column, said vend control means comprising first switch means for enabling said first circuit and second switch means for enabling said second circuit, said first circuit being a high price circuit and said second circuit being a low price circuit, said low price circuit including first relay means adapted to be energized upon the deposit of coins having a total value equal to at least the first unit price, said high price circuit including second relay means adapted to be energized upon the deposit of coins having a total value equal to at least the second unit price, a selector switch for each column, said first relay means upon energization thereof being arranged to establish a power enabling circuit to the selector switches for the column containing articles at the first unit price and said second relay means upon energization thereof being arranged to establish a power enabling circuit to the selector switches for the columns containing articles at the second unit price.

Claim 13

A coin operated vending machine as set forth in claim 9, wherein the selector switches corresponding to columns containing articles at the first unit price are serially connected to each other when said switches are in a first position, said series connection adapted to be broken when any one of said switches is actuated to a second position to thereby energize an associated vend mechanism.

Claim 14

A coin operated vending machine as set forth in claim 9, wherein the selector switches corresponding to columns containing articles at the second unit price are serially connected to each other when said switches are in a first position, said series connection adapted to be broken when any one of said switches is actuated to a second position to thereby energize the associated dispensing mechanism.

Claim 15

A coin operated vending machine as set forth in claim 10, wherein the selector switches corresponding to columns containing articles at the second unit price are serially connected to each other when said switches are in a first position, said latter series connection adapted to be broken when any one of said latter switches is actuated to a second position to thereby energize the associated dispensing mechanism.

Claim 16

In a coin operated vending machine having a coin receiving means for receiving and separating nickels, dimes and quarters, indexing means adapted to be indexed in accordance with the value of coins received, article dispensing means for storing and dispensing articles, said dispensing means including at least two columns, one column containing articles to be dispensed at a first unit price, the other column containing articles to be dispensed at a second unit price and payout means for change payout, the improvement comprising dual price vend control means for establishing credit corresponding to the first or the Second unit price and effecting a payout of change upon vend selection when the total value of coins received is greater than the established credit, said vend control means comprising a first circuit for establishing credit corresponding to the first unit price and controlling the dispensing of articles from the first column and a second circuit for establishing credit corresponding to the second unit price and controlling the dispensing of articles from the second column, said second unit price being higher than said first unit price and said vend control means for establishing credit further includes a first switch adapted to be actuated from a first to a second position upon deposit of coins equal in total value to at least said first unit price and a second switch adapted to be actuated from a first to a second position upon deposit of coins equal in value to at least said second unit price, said first switch in its second position being connected to apply power to said first circuit and said second switch in its second position being connected to apply power to said second circuit.

Claim 17

In a coin operated vending machine having a coin receiving means for receiving and separating nickels, dimes and quarters, indexing means adapted to be indexed in accordance with the value of coins received, article dispensing means for storing and dispensing articles, said dispensing means including at least two columns, one column containing articles to be dispensed at a first unit price, the other column containing articles to be dispensed at a second unit price and payout means for change payout, the improvement comprising dual price vend control means for establishing credit corresponding to the first or the Second unit price and effecting a payout of change upon vend selection when the total value of coins received is greater than the established credit, said vend control means comprising a first circuit for establishing credit corresponding to the first unit price and controlling the dispensing of articles from the first column and a second circuit for establishing credit corresponding to the second unit price and controlling the dispensing of articles from the second column, said second unit price being higher than said first unit price and said vend control means for establishing credit further includes a first switch adapted to be actuated from a first to a second position upon deposit of coins equal in total value to at least said first unit price and a second switch adapted to be actuated from a first to a second position upon deposit of coins equal in value to at least said second unit price, said first switch in its second position being connected to apply power to said first circuit and said second switch in its second position being connected to apply power to said second circuit.

Claim 18

A coin operated vending machine as set forth in claim 13, wherein said indexing means includes cam means for actuating said first and said second switches to their first and second positions.

Claim 19

A coin operated vending machine as set forth in claim 1 including a vend motor for each column and a vend circuit operatively connecting each vend motor to an associated selector switch in each column including means for removing established credit upon vend selection and preventing delivery of more than one article per established credit with proper payout of change where the value of credit established was greater than the price of the selected article.

Claim 20

A coin operated vending machine as set forth in claim 1 including a vend motor for each column and a vend circuit operatively connecting each vend motor to an associated selector switch in each column including for initiating energization of said payout motor upon vend selection with proper payout of change when the value of credit established is greater than the price of the selected article.

Claim 21

A coin operated vending machine as set forth in claim 1 including a vend motor for each column and circuit means operatively connecting each vend motor to an associated selector switch of a column so as to permit individual vend selection from each column while preventing simultaneous energization of two or more vend motors.

Claim 22

A coin operated vending machine as set forth in claim 1 including a vend motor for each column and circuit means operatively connecting each vend motor to an associated selector switch of a column and the payout means so as to prevent energization of said vend motor until after the establishment of proper credit and vend selection.

Claim 23

A coin operated vending machine as set forth in claim 18 wherein the credit established is for the first unit price and the vend selection is for an article at said first unit price.

Claim 24

A coin operated vending machine as set forth in claim 18 wherein the credit established is for the second unit price and the vend selection is for an article at said second unit price.

Claim 25

A coin operated vending machine as set forth in claim 18 wherein the credit established is for either the first or the second unit price, said first unit price being greater than the second unit price and the vend selection being for an article at said second unit price.

Claim 26

A coin operated vending machine as set forth in claim 13 including a vend motor for each column and a vend circuit operatively connecting each vend motor to an associated selector switch in each column including means for removing established credit upon vend selection and preventing delivery of more than one article per established credit with proper payout of change where the value of credit established was greater than the price of the selected article.

Claim 27

A coin operated vending machine as set forth in claim 13 including a vend motor for each column and a vend circuit operatively connecting each vend motor to an associated selector switch in each column including for initiating energization of said payout motor upon vend selection with proper payout of change when the value of credit established is greater than the price of the selected article.

Claim 28

A coin operated vending machine as set forth in claim 13 including a vend motor for each column and circuit means operatively connecting each vend motor to an associated selector switch of a column so as to permit individual vend selection from each column, while preventing simultaneous energization of two or more vend motors.

Claim 29

A coin operated vending machine as set forth in claim 13 including a vend motor for each column and circuit means operatively connecting each vend motor to an associated selector switch of a column and the payout means as to prevent energization of said vend motor until after the establishment of proper credit and vend selection.

Claim 30

A coin operated vending machine as set forth in claim 25 wherein the credit established is for the first unit price and the vend selection is for an article at said first unit price.

Claim 31

A coin operated vending machine as set forth in claim 25 wherein the credit established is for the second unit price and the vend selection is for an article at said second unit price.

Claim 32

A coin operated vending machine as set forth in claim 25 wherein the credit established is for either the first or the second unit price, and the vend selection being for an article at said second unit price.

Claim 33

A coin operated vending machine as set forth in claim 5 wherein said means for establishing credit includes a coin change mechanism including means for actuating said first and said second switches to their second positions.