Vending machines: its history and evolution
Vending machines are machines that store items, particularly snack foods and drinks. A person who is willing to obtain a share of an item he stores is obligated to pay by inserting coins or depositing paper money.
Its first version in history was the one that Hero, a Greek mathematician, invented more than twenty-two centuries ago when he created a machine that dispensed holy water in the temples of Alexandria in Ancient Egypt.
It wasn’t until the late 19th century that commercialized vending machines emerged, mainly due to the ongoing industrial revolution. Most of these machines appeared in Western countries such as the United Kingdom and the United States. The following were the pioneers in the modern age:
* Richard Carlisle’s book vending machine of England in the early 1880s
* Gumball machines were started by Thomas Adams in the United States in 1888 and soon became an instant success as other companies began creating similar machines, but with distinctions.
* Automatic vending machines first appeared in the early 1920s.
*William Rowe first created the cigarette vending machine about half a decade after the first automatic vending machines.
Vending machines roared into the mainstream in the 20th century. Vendorlator Manufacturing Company, in particular, created soft drink vending machines. Later versions of these machines offered photos, postcards, newspapers, beers and other alcoholic beverages, toiletries, potted plants, and life insurance policies.
In Japan, where the population density and technology are relatively high, vending machines are very abundant and diverse. These versions include the sale of the following: rice; live lobster; fresh eggs; food storage cabinets; rice cleaning service; photographic prints; cell phone recharges; cell phone prints, fishing line, hooks and bait; tissue paper, game balls, parking services, dry ice, kerosene, fresh vegetables, rhinoceros beetles, recycling services, TV cards, hot spring water; French fries, etc.
In the Netherlands, Automatiek spread in large numbers. They sell croquettes, chips, frikadel, hamburger and other snacks. This machine is heated so that the products stay warm.
Other very curious products that some vending machines sell are: fried octopus; hot dogs; fried sea bream; pornographic videos; Videogames; and a very peculiar game of ‘real lobster in an aquarium’.
Cigarette vending machines are prohibited in some countries, but are available in others, depending on government laws and regulations. These machines are prohibited because underage children would have easy access to cigarettes, which are unfriendly to the environment and toxic to human lungs.
But essentially, vending machines are a great convenience, as they can provide a solution to hunger and thirst in a jiffy. For just a few coins and dollars, you can pick up some of the most delicious snacks available. I need coffee? Don’t worry, a coffee vending machine can instantly perk you up with various options and blends of this caffeinated beverage.
Copyright © John Hanna, All Rights Reserved.
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