The present invention relates generally to a machine for automatic vending of merchandise to a patron and, more particularly, to a machine for vending, for example, video cassette tapes, photographic film or any other type of merchandise which requires vending.
A number of systems for vending merchandise are commercially available, however, these systems are extremely complicated and extremely costly. For example, in U.S. Pat. No. 4,598,810, a vending unit is proposed which includes a plurality of cubicles therein. Upon interaction through an input device with a patron, the system controller causes a motor and gear configuration to position an ejecting unit at the proper dispensing location. A disadvantage of this system resides in the fact that the ejecting unit requires a complicated control function to release the merchandise from a release-spring within each cubical, therefore, the system is mechanically and electronically complicated, hence, quite costly and subject to mechanical breakdown.
In, for example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,458,802 another example of an automatic vending machine is proposed wherein a motor driven carousel rotates corresponding to an input code to locate the proper merchandise at a dispense position. A disadvantage of this proposed system recites in the fact that due to the use of the carousel, the system is physically bulky and cannot store a large number of items to be dispensed.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,414,467 also proposes an automatic vending machine, however, a disadvantage of this system resides in the fact that this system is extremely costly and complicated because it requires a motor for accessing every column of merchandise in order to vend the merchandise to the patron.
The aim underlying the present invention resides in avoiding the above-noted disadvantages of the prior art by providing a vending apparatus which is electronically and mechanically simplified so as to provide a low cost, efficient, low maintenance vending device.
For this purpose, according to the present invention, the machine is proposed having the ability to access a large quantity of merchandise stored in a relatively small area, with the accessing device being required to move in only two directions in the same plane thereby enabling the control of the accessing device to be considerably less complicated than that in the prior art.
In accordance with the advantageous features of the present invention, a vending machine is provided which includes a simple mechanical elevator comprising a transferring fork and service platforms attached thereto for accessing the storage columns. The elevator moves vertically along the stored merchandise which is stored on shelves in a plurality of columns with the service platform traveling between respective ones of the columns. The merchandise is transferred between the storage shelves and the service platforms by the transferring fork which moves horizontally along the elevator. The merchandise is always brought to the same NEUTRAL position before it is dispensed by tilting the elevator to the patron.