Maker Pro
Maker Pro

Project Retro fit

Anarchycans

Jan 3, 2023
2
Joined
Jan 3, 2023
Messages
2
Hey, I’m totally green, so thanks in advance :)
I’ve decided to try retro fit an old mechanical coin vending machine with a credit card reader and 3 small dc motors to turn 3 separate shafts which when rotated lets a can of drink fall down. Very basic mechanics. The user usually turns the dial themselves after inserting their $1 and that action of rotating the coin into the cache also turns the shaft which drops the can down.. and as the rotation completes, a new can falls from above into position once again.

It will require 3 separate motors. 3 separate switches and whatever hardware to control it all and have the credit card reader feed into it all somehow to.

My other thought was to not use motors to turn the shaft but something else to restrict the turning of the shaft and once payment has been made the user still physically turns the dial to release the can as the brake or pin is moved to allow free movement but locks again after one rotation.

Any advice is greatly appreciated
Has anybody heard of other people trying this.. just trying to bring the vintage in line with modern times :)

Hope that makes sense.
Can add some more pictures later

Thanks Evan
 

Attachments

  • 42A01941-E132-4F36-9C6E-C649CED27320.png
    42A01941-E132-4F36-9C6E-C649CED27320.png
    955.5 KB · Views: 2

kellys_eye

Jun 25, 2010
6,514
Joined
Jun 25, 2010
Messages
6,514
Making the decision to either motorise the whole process or give access to a manual process has to be made first! What you want to do is perfectly achievable but needs your own decision-making process to be confirmed before we can take this further.

The electronics to accept credit and enable the switches/disable the rotation is pretty straightforward.
 

Anarchycans

Jan 3, 2023
2
Joined
Jan 3, 2023
Messages
2
Thanks for the reply.
I want to keep the system as simple as posible essentially
Adding motors mean I can control the time / rotation and then the process finishes itself, where as with enabling a manual process figuring out the timing when you’re dealing with humans maybe difficult and if the time is too long they could turn out as many cans as they could or if they got distracted be locked out and no get a can at all.
I feel allowing manual process Is simpler but with more variables. What do guys think? Thinking durability too :) thanks
 
Top