Vending machine: Difference between revisions

The earliest known reference to a vending machine is in the work of [[Hero of Alexandria]], an engineer, and mathematician in first-century [[Roman Egypt]]. His machine accepted a coin and then dispensed [[wine]]<ref>{{cite news |last1=Nugent |first1=Addison |title=Why Heron's Aeolipile Is One of History's Greatest Forgotten Machines |url=https://www.popularmechanics.com/science/energy/a34554479/heron-aeolipile/ |access-date=September 13, 2023 |publisher=Popular Mechanics |date=November 29, 2020 |ref=He invented the world’s first coin-operated machine used to distribute wine in temples}}</ref> or [[holy water]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.smithsonianmag.com/science-nature/old-world-high-tech-141284744/|title=Old World, High Tech" (World's First Vending Machine, scroll down to read|last=Jaffe|first=Eric|date=Dec 2006|website=Smithsonian.com|access-date=4 April 2017}}</ref> When the coin was deposited, it fell upon a pan attached to a lever. The lever opened a valve which let some water flow out. The pan continued to tilt with the weight of the coin until it fell off, at which point a counterweight snapped the lever up and turned off the valve.