Coin controlled mechanism for vending machine

Claim 1

A coin mechanism for a merchandise dispenser having at least a single merchandise column from which merchandise units are dispensed one at a time from the bottom of the column, the coin mechanism comprising a supporting body portion adapted for attachment to a merchandise dispenser, a unitary combined vertical back plate, horizontal platform and guide and upper coin blocking plate secured to said body portion, the body portion having an upper coin receiving opening above said blocking plate, a pocketed coin transport wheel including plural equal thickness plate sections between said back plate and a front wall portion of the supporting body portion, fixed spacer plates of equal thickness and corresponding in number and thickness to the plate sections of said wheel on opposite sides of said wheel and coin receiving opening and disposed between said back plate and said wall of the supporting body portion, a corresponding number of spring-urged coin sensing dogs associated with the spacer plates on one side of said wheel operable to sense the presence or absence of proper coins in pockets of said wheel and to block rotation of the wheel when proper coins are absent, a manual rotational drive shaft for said wheel coupled therewith and extending exteriorly of the supporting body portion, a lobed cam secured to the drive shaft and turning therewith and disposed adjacent to the surface of said back plate away from said wheel, a rockable cam lever including a cam follower element in the rotational path of the lobed cam, pivot means for said cam lever including a pair of spaced apertured lugs on opposite sides of said back plate and formed integral therewith, merchandise pusher means operatively connected with the cam lever and having guided engagement with said horizontal platform and guide, spring biasing means for the cam lever urging it to an upright non-dispensing position and including a pair of coil springs and spring locator elements on one side of said pivot means and between said back plate and a wall of the cam lever, and an anti-reverse device for said coin transport wheel including a beveled detent, a leaf spring carrying the detent and a fastener anchoring the leaf spring to said back plate, said wheel having spaced openings to coact with the beveled detent whereby the latter permits rotation of the wheel in one direction but blocks reverse rotation thereof.