Cigarette, Cigar, and Cigarillo Vending machines

 

Below are several Seeburg cigarette, cigar, and cigarillo vendors. If you have color photos of any of the below, or brochures on any other Seeburg cigarette vendors, please contact me.

Photo Needed! Seeburg built a 'top-of-the-line' cigarette vendor that delivered your pack to the top of the machine, so you did not have to bend down to get it. Evidently, this was a big deal for smokers! I don't recall the model number of this machine.

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.

Thanks to Ken Layton for providing the above information.

The following was provided by Ron Rich:

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.

Anyone having a photo or sales brochure for it, please email me.
4E5T: Price (September, 1965): $495. It was also available without income totalizer (4E5XT, $435), without match mechanism (4E5TXM, $485) and without both (4E5XTXM, $425).

This machine held 825 packs total, with 11 columns of 55 packs, and 11 columns of 20 packs. The optional match unit can be set to deliver a book of matches with each selection, or at the customer's option.
4E4: Price (October, 1963): $390. It was also available without match mechanism (4EXM, $380), as a Striped model (S4E4, $400, with a non-resettable counter (4E4C, $396.50), and with a resettable counter (4E4CR, $410.85).

This machine seems to be identical (except for the income totalizer, and counters) as the 4E5T above. Probably, the 4E5 is an updated version.

800E1 cigarette vendor. This machine appears to be very similar to the 4E5T and 4E4 machines pictured above. Photo courtesy Jimmy Rosen.
MCC20: Manually operated, contained 20 selections.

In the photo, the original DuGrenier logo can be seen. Seeburg brochures used the same photo, with the logo deleted.
W14T1: 510 pack total. Price (November, 1964): $329.25.

W14T1G1: 510 packs, plus 2 columns for stick gum or mints, 1 column for Dentyne, and 1 column for candy-coated gum. Price: $365.50.

W14T1G2: 510 packs, plus 4 columns for stick gum or mints. Price: $365.50.

Another in Seeburg's Williamsburg line of vendors. Also delivers 1 book of matches with each pack of cigarettes vended. the W14T1 series housed 4 columns of 60 packs, and 10 columns of 27 packs. Empty columns automatically lock out, to prevent loss of the customer's money (and damage to the machine!)

W20T1: Similar, except total capacity is 672 packs. There are an additional 6 columns of 27 packs. Price: $374.25.

W20T1G1: Similar to W14T1G1, except total capacity is 672 packs. Price: $410.50.

W20T1G2: Similar to W14T1G2, except total capacity is 672 packs. Price: $410.50.

 
4E3: Price (October, 1963): $525. It was also available without match mechanism (4E3XM, $380), as a Striped model (S4E4, $515, with a non-resettable counter (4E3C, $532.50), and with a resettable counter (4E4CR, $545.83).

Capacity: 825 packs, 11 columns of 55 packs, 11 columns of 20 packs. Matchbooks automatically vended with each pack, or at the desire of the customer.

 
W6CR1: 114 pack total. Price (November, 1964): $348.50.

Yet another in Seeburg's Williamsburg line of vendors. Six different choices, with 19 packages in each column. Contains a humidifier to keep cigars in 'factory-fresh condition'.

 
W8CO1: 200 pack total. Price (November, 1964): $374.75.

Yet another in Seeburg's Williamsburg line of vendors. Eight different choices, with 25 packages in each column.

 

 

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