Abstract: A coin operated vending machine comprises a housing having upright walls, a base, a top, and a partition between the base and top dividing the housing into an upper product bin and a lower cashbox. The partition defines an aperture therethrough to provide communication between the bin and cashbox and has a spindle protruding upwardly from the central portion thereof. A dispensing wheel is provided having a hub with bearing means at the center thereof for engaging the spindle and supporting the wheel upon rotation thereof about the spindle, and having a rim with a plurality of gear teeth about the circumference of the bottom edge thereof. A coin activated gear mechanism is positioned in an upright wall of the housing in the vicinity of the partition, said mechanism having a handle attached to one end of a shaft and a transmission gear attached to the other end thereof. Structure is provided for locking a delivery chute in place thereby restricting access to the cashbox.

Abstract: The present invention provides a dispensing device comprising a rotatable operating member moveable from an initiate position to a dispensing position to operate a rotating dispenser within the device. The device is provided with a chute for loading the articles in the device and for feeding the articles to the dispenser. A locking member is provided which moves along the chute as the articles are fed to the dispenser. The locking member is adapted to move to a locking position for engaging the dispenser and for preventing its rotation when the chute has been emptied with the arrangement being such that the operating member is held away from the intiate position when the locking member moves to the locking position to indicate that the chute requires further loading.