Alternate column circuit reciprocator for multiple column vending machines

Claim 1

A circuit reciprocator for alternately selecting between two separate sources in a vending machine having at least a pair of sources of articles adapted to be selectively dispensed and at least a pair of vend motors, each vend motor corresponding to a separate source and arranged to operate during a vend cycle to dispense an article from the corresponding source when energized, the probability of a mechanism jam occurring being higher at a particular known point of the vend cycle, said circuit reciprocator comprising: a customer-operable selector switch common to the two article sources; an on-on type switch having an actuating member movable between first and second positions and operable each time said actuating member is moved from the first to the second position to alternately complete either of a pair of respective electrical energizing circuits between said common selector switch and each of said pair of vend motors; a pair of rotatable cams respectively driven by each of said pair of vend motors when energized; and an actuating linkage connected between said cams and said on-on switch actuating member, said actuating linkage arranged such that either of said pair of cams can effect movement of said on-on switch actuating member from the first to the second position at a predetermined point of the vend cycle thereby to complete the circuit to the other of said pair of vend motors so that the other vend motor is energized upon the next operation of said selector switch and vend motors are alternately operated through successive vend cycles during normal operation as said selector switch is successively operated, said actuating linkage further being arranged such that both of said cams may simultaneously be at their respective predetermined points of their respective vend cycles without damage to said circuit reciprocator, and said cams being positioned and configured such that said on-on switch actuating member is moved from the first to the second position prior to the particular known point in the vend cycle where the probability of a mechanism jam is higher, and said cams each having dwell at least sufficient to hold said actuating member in the second position in the event a mechanism jam occurs at the particular known point; whereby in the event a mechanism jam occurs during the vend cycle of one of said pair of vend motors the other of said pair of vend motors can continue to operate through successive vend cycles as said selector switch is successively operated.