Cav uss-96 vending mechanism

[BryanH]

Picked up a USS-96 this weekend.  This is the first Cavalier that I've had and they're a little different from the Vendo/Vendorlators that I've played around with so far.  

The guy I bought it from said the machine was set to free vend.  After I got it home and took a closer look, I'm pretty sure that "free vend" was accomplished with the paperclip (you can just see it in the yellow circles) holding what I think is a vend lock lever in (or towards the right).  

The machine has two set of wires.  The first set (2 wires in green circle) terminates in a set of spade connectors that are attached to something at the very back corner of the machine.  The other set (3 wires in red circle) is dangling loose.  I'm guessing that this set was supposed to connect to a solenoid (that is MIA - and most likely is supposed to be attached where the blue circle is).  If the solenoid is in fact what's missing, then I may also be missing some king of linkage between it and the vend lock lever.

Anybody have a page or two from a manual that explains waht parts I should have down at the bottom of the vending rack?  If not, what should the two sets of wires connect to?

any info / pics would be appreciated.

[Creighton]

On my USS 64 4 wires go to the bottom of the bottle/can stack. It is raining but I'll take a better look first thing Mon.
Creighton

[dr galaga]

The Cav. CS-80 that I got last week was rigged for free-vend.  In mine the person rigged a spring that pulled a lever forward that kept the vending mech engaged and kept the Have A Coke switch closed.  I'm glad that is all it was since you can not see back past the vending solenoid (which thank goodness was still there, just disconnected).
I'm not sure how close the CS and USS are, but let me get the manual and post a few pages.  Be warned that it explains things but isn't very well illustrated.  It just shows "this is A" and "this is B" but not how the two really connect together!

[dr galaga]

I have some pages below.  Maybe these can get you started until someone with a USS can get something (or it stops raining at Creighton's).
(Click on the button to the left of the >> button to view full screen)

[MoonDawg]

Most Cavaliers use the pair of wires to operate the vend solonoid.  The three wires connect to a micro-switch that simply controls the "have a coke" light in the door.

[bubba]

If nobody gets it going for you tomorrow, I'll try to scan a few pages from my USS64 manual.

[BryanH]

Thanks guys... based on your posts and a visual (re-)check of my machine, I'm now pretty sure that I do have a solenoid (you just can't see it on this machine as it's tucked behind the vending rack assembly) and I'm missing the micro switch for the "Have a Coke" light.

So - I'll remove the "free vend" paper clip and see if the coin mech and electrical link to the vending mechanism works... Am assuming that the three wires into the "have a coke" light being open won't affect this test.

[BryanH]

Well it works!  Had to short a couple of the micro-switch wires to allow the coin mech to work... Free vend switch works without shorting.  

Anyone have a switch they don't need?

[bubba]

Bryan... get the measurements of the body of the switch? I think I have a compatable switch to that at work I can send ya...

[BryanH]

Ken - my machine never had a switch so I don't know the size for sure.  I'm guessing that it was mounted where the blue circle is in the picture above.  The mountinr holes are 1" apart.  I also know that the switch needs to have 3 contacts.  If it helps, I believe its the same switch that would be used in your USS-64.