Vending machine
A vending machine is an automated device that dispenses a variety of products, including snacks, beverages, and newspapers, in exchange for payment. The concept of vending machines dates back to the first century C.E., when a Greek inventor named Heron of Alexandria created a device to dispense holy water, ensuring that worshippers did not take more than intended. However, the widespread use of vending machines began in the late nineteenth century, starting with machines selling gum in New York City and evolving to include various items such as postcards, soda, and even cigarettes.
Advancements in technology have significantly transformed vending machines, allowing for features like touch screens and diverse payment options, including credit cards and mobile payments. Vending machines have gained immense popularity globally, particularly in Japan, which boasts the highest per capita rate of these machines. In Japan, vending machines offer a remarkable range of products, from fresh food and live seafood to everyday necessities like batteries and postage stamps. Overall, vending machines illustrate a fascinating intersection of convenience, technology, and consumer culture.
On this Page
Vending machine
A vending machine is an automated machine that dispenses items such as candy, snacks, beverages, and newspapers for a fee. A person places cash into the machine or swipes a credit card, and the machine dispenses the desired product. Vending machines date back to the first century C.E.; however, they were not widely used until the late nineteenth century. Modern technology has allowed these machines to dispense an array of items and has given customers payment options other than cash.
Overview
The first vending machine can be traced back to the first century C.E. The Greek Heron of Alexandria developed it to ensure that people worshipping at church were not stealing holy water. People had been taking too much holy water at the church, and Heron created a solution to prevent this problem. Worshippers put coins in a machine, which then dispensed holy water. The weight of the coins pressed on a lever that opened a door to release the water. After some time, the coin fell and the door closed, stopping the flow of water.
While this type of machine was being utilized in the first century, it would not become popular until the late nineteenth century. Still, additional vending machines were developed in the centuries that followed. These included machines that distributed tobacco.
Inventor Percival Everett developed a machine to vend postcards around 1883 in London, England. Five years later, the first vending machine appeared in the United States, selling gum at train stations and subway platforms in New York City. The Thomas Adams Gum Company made these vending machines. The first vending machine to dispense beverages appeared in Paris, France, in 1890. It only sold beer, wine, and liquor, however.
A few years after the debut of the gum vending machine in New York, the Pulver Manufacturing Company added movable figurines to the machines as an added attraction. This eventually led to the creation of pinball machines years later. The first gumball machine that dispensed the popular round, colorful candies debuted in 1907 in the United States. In the 1920s, the first soda vending machines were created.
Soon people could find many items in vending machines. American inventor William Rowe developed a machine to vend cigarettes in 1926. These machines became very popular over the years but faced problems when the United States placed age restrictions on the purchase of cigarettes. The machines had to be altered to require a person to insert an ID card, such as a driver's license, to verify the individual's age before purchase. While cigarette machines eventually fell out of use in the United States, they remained popular in other parts of the world well into the twenty-first century.
Several issues regarding the authenticity of coins and bills plagued vending machine makers over the years. To address this issue, manufacturers developed optical scan and electromagnetic systems to verify bills and coins inserted into the machines. Modern technology allowed other advances, such as touch-screen features and alternate payment methods that included credit cards and smartphones.
Vending machines are used worldwide and have become very popular in Japan. As of the twenty-first century, the country had the highest per capita rate of vending machines in the world. Machines in Japan sell everything from live lobsters and sushi to batteries, postage stamps, liquor, bait, cooked foods, and plants.
Bibliography
Avalos, Jose. "Get Smart: The Simple Way to Build Intelligence into Your Vending Machines." Vending Times, 25 Sept. 2016, www.vendingtimes.com/ME2/dirmod.asp?sid=EB79A487112B48A296B38C81345C8C7F&nm=Vending+Features&type=Publishing&mod=Publications%3A%3AArticle&mid=8F3A7027421841978F18BE895F87F791&tier=4&id=4D138DE5BB58490492D2CE2056DD6DCC. Accessed 12 Oct. 2016.
Bellis, Mary. "The History of Vending Machines." About Money, 1 June 2016, inventors.about.com/od/uvstartinventions/a/vending.htm. Accessed 12 Oct. 2016.
Finney, Kaliyana. "Inside a Vending Machine Image Gallery." HowStuffWorks.com, 7 Mar. 2011, electronics.howstuffworks.com/gadgets/other-gadgets/vending-machine-pictures.htm. Accessed 12 Oct. 2016.
Richason IV, Owen E. "Step-by-Step Process of How a Vending Machine Works." Houston Chronicle, smallbusiness.chron.com/step-by-step-process-vending-machine-works-5180.html. Accessed 12 Oct. 2016.
Smith, Ernie. "The History of Vending Machines Goes back to the 1st Century." Atlas Obscura, 03 Aug. 2015, www.atlasobscura.com/articles/the-history-of-vending-machines-goes-back-to-the-1st-century. Accessed 12 Oct. 2016.
"A TU/TD Exploration of Vending Machines." Heights, 6 Oct. 2016, bcheights.com/tu-td/2016/tutd-exploration-vending-machines. Accessed 12 Oct. 2016.
"Vending History." Variety FoodServices Inc., www.varietyfoodservices.com/vending/vending-history. Accessed 12 Oct. 2016.
Zeller, Gregory. "The Little Vending Machine That Could." Innovate Long Island, 9 Oct. 2016, www.innovateli.com/little-vending-machine. Accessed 12 Oct. 2016.