What is a Vending Machine?
Worlds Largest Vending Machine
Japan's love affair with Vending Machines
How It Works
In electric vending machines the linkage may be replaced by a series of switches which are actuated through a coin-triggered microswitch. When a specific selection is made, a locking mechanism prevents the simultaneous operation of the other selectors.
Coin Tester
In many machines the coin then rolls down an incline past a strong permanent magnet, where its speed is correctly retarded by the magnetic field if it is of the correct alloy composition. If the coin also has the right mass it will have just the right amount of kinetic energy to rebound from a plate and to jump over a final rejection pin before proceeding to the release mechanism.
A coin found to be irregular at any stage of the testing procedure is rejected and discharged through a return slot.
iPod Vending
T-Shirt Vending Machines
Every time I have seen a T-shirt for sale, its folded nicely in piles. What if you sold them differently? Perhaps instead of in a store, through a vending machine?"Newly opened UNIQLO UT in Tokyo's Harajuku district an intriguing one indeed, as the combination of a nationally well-known brand and an especially novel new shop means its immediate success is guaranteed.
But as it only sells T-shirts, will the fact that they are served tucked up in tubes rather than fastidiously folded on shelves be enough to hold the attention of the capital's consumers in the long term?"
Do you like the idea? Is it a boom or a bust?
Source
Sock Vending Machine
Japanese Vending Machines
- Vending Machines of Japan
- "hotoMann recently decided to 'collect' images of unique vending machines found in Japan. They are everywhere. Estimates suggest there are 5.6 million vending machines which works out to be one for every 20 people in Japan. Sales from vending machines in 2000 totaled $56 billion! The most common are drink and cigarette machines followed by machines with pornography. Below is a sampling of the machines to be found.
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Historical Background
The fruit machine, or slot machine for gambling, was introduced in the USA in 1889. Slot machines spread rapidly from about the same time, dispensing a great variety of goods and services from metered gas, electricity and telephone calls to insurance policies, divorce papers and even doctors degrees.
Coin-testing devices - to prevent the mechanism from being operated by the wrong coins - were introduced from around 1931.
Mondrian Hotel has cars for sale in world's biggest vending machine
The Associated Press reports the Mondrian Hotel in South Beach, Miami, has installed a vending machine in the lobby for hotel guests who've forgotten something.
Customers can purchase items priced from $10 to $1.2 million, including a Jean Paul Gaultier dress, a 1965 Corvette, a 2000 Bentley Azure convertible or a penthouse condo.
Although the machine is large, it doesn't actually contain the larger items. For those you have to see the front desk after paying a non-refundable $1500 deposit.
Front desk manager James A. Bryant III said the "in your face gift shop" matches the "really sort of brash and out there" nature of the hotel.
The item description for a $90,000 luxury car reads: "When admirers ask where you bought your 2003 Bentley Arnage T, we dare you to say you bought it from a vending machine".
Source
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Koolatron VF02 Vending Fridge 10 (12-Ounce) Cans, Red
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Triple Vending Gumball Candy Machine with Stand
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GF-18 Cigarette Vending Machine
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Hot pizza!
Vending machines with the Midas touch that dispense gold bars
By Mail Foreign Service, 18th June 2009
Those looking for a solid investment in these uncertain economic times should consider a trip to Frankfurt Airport.
The Germans have fitted it out with a special vending machine - which dispenses pure gold.
TG- Gold-Super-Markt is the first such machine in the world and made its debut this week at Terminal 1.
A prototype Gold to Go machine yesterday doled out a 1g wafer of gold for £30, a 10g bar for £245, or gold coins.
The products come in presentation packs with a certificate of authenticity.
A computer inside the machine is linked to the Frankfurt gold market and updates the price every few minutes according to the fluctuating price of the precious metal.
But the price will always be about 30 per cent higher than the market rate on any given day.
The machine has been designed by TG-Gold-Super-Markt, in Stuttgart, which hopes to exploit growing interest in gold prompted by the recession.
Interest in buying the precious metal has soared as the economy plunged. It is traditionally viewed as a safe investment, particularly in Germany.
Directors intend to roll the machine out to 500 locations across the country, including train stations and airports.
Thomas Geissler, who owns the company, said: 'German investors have always preferred to hold a lot of personal wealth in gold, for historical reasons. They have twice lost everything.
'Gold is a good thing to have in your pocket in uncertain times.'
The Gold to Go machine has numerous security features to prevent theft, including a camera which also monitors transactions by each individual for money laundering controls.
Juergen Kienast, a Hamburg lawyer flying back to his home city from Frankfurt, was happy to pay just over £200 for a 10 gram chunk of gold, saying: 'The price might go through the roof by the time I land. I figure that in a year's time I will have recouped my money anyway.'
Investment banker Jens Willenbockel, who saw the prototype machine, said: 'Because of the crisis there is a lot of awareness of gold.
'It is also a great gift for children - for them getting gold is like a fairytale.'
In 2008, retail demand for gold stood at 108 tonnes, up from 36 tonnes in 2007 and 28 tonnes in 2006.
Demand for gold in Germany is extraordinarily high among ordinary people and there is often a waiting list at banks and brokerages to get some.
Gold to Go is not the first unusual vending machine to launch this year.
In April, the Mondrian South Beach Hotel, in Miami, unveiled the Semi Automatic.
It sells everything from a Bentley convertible to a Jean Paul Gaultier dress - or a set of 24 carat gold handcuffs.
Source
What sort of stuff would you like to see in a Vending Machine?
I'd like to have a snack and a drink machine in my house. Right next to the fridge.
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Reply
- cjsysreform cjsysreform Aug 28, 2009 @ 2:38 am
- "I'd like to have a snack and a drink machine in my house. Right next to the fridge."
I believe I've actually had that thought before. Thanks for the freaky vending machine info; this would totally win my Weird Lens of the Day award, if said award existed.
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Reply
- WritingforYourWealth WritingforYourWealth Aug 24, 2008 @ 10:35 pm
- I've often thought having a vending machine route would be a cool way of building passive income--nice lens :)
References
- Library of Essential Knowledge, Volume 2, Readers Digest, 1980
- New Encyclopedia, Volume 24, Funk & Wagnalls, 1971
- http://www.vendingsecrets.com/facts_about_vending.asp retrieved October 1, 2006
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