History of Vending Machine
Vending machine or automatic retailing has a
long history. The first vending machine – actually it is an
urn - was invented by the ancient Greeks on 215 BC, which dispensed a
certain amount of holy water. It is located in an Egyptian temple.
The first coin operated vending machines were
invented in the early of 1880s and introduced in London. They dispensed
postcards. The next revolution of vending machine was books vending
machine, invented by Richard Carlisle. Then vending machines became
more and more popular, especially after coin acceptor mechanisms that
could distinguish genuine coins from fakes had been patented.
The technology of automatic retailing was
brought to the United States - exactly New York City - by the Thomas
Adams Gum Company in 1888. The vending machines were placed on New York
City subway platforms, selling Tutti-Fruiti gum. Then, the first
animated gum vending machines were introduced by the Pulver
Manufacturing Company in 1897, followed by round candy coated gumball
and the gumball vending machines in 1907.
A craze for co-operated bars and cafes broke out
in France and Germany in the early of 1900s. Even there was ever been a
completely coin-operated restaurant called Horn & Hadart (1902
– 1962) in Philadelphia. Variety products were offered since:
cigarettes, stamps, postcards, candy, gumball, etc.
In 1926, William Rowe from America invented a
cigarette-vending machine.
In 1965, vending machines which dispensed soft
drinks in cans were invented.
While in 1981, the "talking" vending machines
were invented.
Up to date, we can find vending machines in any
size, format and style almost everywhere, with variety of product to
vend. Modern vending machines even are cooled to keep the freshness of
foods, while some are heated to keep warm temperature. Seems like the
vending machine history will keep on going. There have been vending
machines that vend conventional stuffs, such like: candy, gumball,
cigarette, snack, soft drink, soda, water, toy, ticket, sandwich, ice
cream; to ‘unconventional’ stuffs and
‘hi-tech’ stuffs such like: rice, fresh vegetables,
eggs, disposable camera, flower, toilet paper, and iPod. So,
what’s next?
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