cigarette

This machine was called the 'Tobacco Counter'. According to Ken Layton, 'They had a very high capacity of cigarette packs laid out in 4 drawers that slid out like dresser drawers for filling. The machine was very heavy and for the most part reliable. We had bought electronic pricing conversion kits when the price went above a dollar a pack. The kits allowed pricing up to $6.35

The packs were delivered by a carriage and chains that ran up the back of the machine, inside an enclosure. Once vended, the pack slid across the top of the machine to you.

There were two model Tobacco Counters made. I believe that the model numbers were TC-1 and, later, the TC-2 (This MAY have been "TBC"-1/2). The TC-1 used a pricing unit left over from the Eastern Electric cigarette machine. I believe Seeburg bought out the Eastern Electric company. The 'E' in any Seeburg cig machine model number refers to the Eastern product line. (See modes 4E5T, 4E4, and 4E3 below). I also believe that they may have originally had something to do with that company, as the coin switch that was used by Eastern was EXACTLY the same as the one Seeburg used in the jukeboxes, up to the model A, and the pricing unit was a 1/2 ( Model A jukebox) stepper.

Both the TC-1 and -2 were VERY heavy, large machines. The external difference between the two models was that the -1 had one inch, square, chrome 'towel bars', all around the sides of the cabinet. The -2 was plain.

The TC-2 featured an 'all in one', four coin acceptor, and a totally new pricing unit - AND, was 'vastly improved' - but still was way too big, and much too heavy, in my opinion.

The pack delivery system used on both models was an electro/mechanical type. The drawers were totally mechanical. Upon adding the proper amount of coins, the pricing unit would un-lock all of the drawers. Pushing (rather hard) on the button featuring the brand of choice would first move a lever locking out all other buttons. Pushing it further would unlock one pack in that column, pushing it forward, and start the motor which drove a shelf upward via a chain. Once at the unlocked package, it would grab it, and bring it to the top of the vendor, onto the tobacco counter.

One of the drawbacks to these machines (did I mention the weight?), was that the bottom drawer was only about one foot off the floor. In order to get a pack from the bottom row, you were forced to bend down very low, to push hard on the button. Well, people being people, were lazy, and would use their foot to push the button. I'll leave it to you to guess what would happen when some guy used the heel of his shoe---or a woman used her high heel.

02/28/09