Abstract: A drinking cup storage and feeding device for an automatic vending machine comprises a rotary type cup storage drum having a plurality of cup storage chambers around its periphery for receiving different kinds of drinking cups stacked in columns. A cup take-out stage has at least two cup take-out mechanisms spaced apart from each other and positioned adjacent to, but outside the rotational movement of the cup storage drum, for supplying specific cups one by one to a vending stage according to a selection signal. A switch detects when a cup take-out stage becomes empty of cups and then rotates the cup storage drum. A cup selecting mechanism detects when a full cup storage chamber storing a certain cup type reaches a position adjacent to the empty cup take-out stage for the same type of cup, during rotation of the cup storage drum, and stops rotation of the drum when the position is reached.

Abstract: A novel washing circuit for use in an automatic beverage vending machine is disclosed. The circuit comprises a switching cock enabling communication between the upstream side of a water-feeding pump and one end of a return conduit. The other end of the return conduit is adapted to be detachably connected to the water supply nozzle of the vending machine. When the switching cock is opened and the return conduit is connected to the nozzle, the water-feeding pump of the machine can pump washing solution through the water-feeding system of the machine and facilitate cleaning thereof.

Abstract: A system for controlling the temperature of the drink cooling coil of a drink cooling system is disclosed. The system is a water-cooled heat-accumulating type drink cooling system having a water tank filled with water, a cooler in said tank, a drink cooling coil formed in an intermediate portion of a drink supply pipeline and an electric water agitator. The cooler is operated to cool the water in the tank by forming an ice bank around the cooler to accumulate heat in the tank, in order to cool a drink in the cooling coil. An agitator stopping means is provided which senses the temperature of the water in the tank and stops the agitator when said temperature is about 0.degree. C., so that an over-cooling of water in the tank occurs generally only at the cooler, and not at the cooling coil, thereby preventing ice from forming inside the cooling coil.