Vending machine with hydraulic actuating mechanism

Claim 1

IN A VENDING MACHINE HAVING A PLURALITY OF COMPARTMENTS FOR THE STORAGE, IN TWO INTERLEAVED VERTICAL COLUMNS, OF ARTICLES TO BE INDIVIDUALLY DISPENSED, IN COMBINATION, A RECIPROCABLE ELEMENT AT EACH OF SAID COMPARTMENTS ADAPTED BY ITS DISPLACEMENT TO DISCHARGE A SINGLE ARTICLE THEREFROM, A PLURALITY OF HYDRAULIC CYLINDERS, A PLURALITY OF DOUBLE-ACTING PISTONS RESPECTIVELY RECEIVED IN SAID CYLINDERS AND LINKED EACH WITH ONE OF SAID ELEMENTS, A PAIR OF CONDUITS FOR EACH OF SAID CYLINDERS RESPECTIVELY CONNECTED THERETO AT OPPOSITE ENDS, A SOURCE OF FLUID UNDER PRESSURE, A PLURALITY OF VALVES EACH HAVING TWO OPERATING POSITIONS FOR ADMITTING FLUID FROM SAID SOURCE TO EITHER CONDUIT OF A RESPECTIVE PAIR, REVERSIBLE CONTROL MEANS FOR EACH OF SAID VALVES ADAPTED TO DISPLACE THE SAME BETWEEN SAID OPERATING POSITIONS, AND ENERGIZING MEANS FOR SAID CONTROL MEANS SELECTIVELY OPERABLE FOR ALTERNATELY DISPLACING EACH OF SAID VALUES IN OPPOSITE DIRECTIONS BETWEEN SAID OPERATING POSITIONS, THEREBY CORRESPONDINGLY RECIPRO-