Ford Gum Machine Serial Numbers
An 'Original Ford Penny Dish Gumball Machine', This machine was made between 1935-1947 by its serial number, this info can be found in Bill Enes's book Silent Salemen Too, it is a steel machine that was originaly painted red, that vends the 1/2 in size gumballs for a penny.
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How to drill out and replace a gumball machine lock. Lost your key to your gumball machine? Well here is the information you need to drill out and replace your gumball or vending machine lock.
There have been hundreds of thousands of gumball machines manufactured since the late 19th century; with even more types of keys, which makes finding the correct key for your gumball machine nearly impossible. If you have lost your key, the only course of action is to drill out the old lock and replace it with a new lock and key.
Tools needed are a hand drill, 1/8' - 3/16' drill bit, study flat blade screw driver, center punch, hammer, pliers or vice grips. Most gumball machines use either a standard flat, double bit key or a tubular round key type of lock. Instructions for both are below.
Replacing A Two Bit Flat Key Lock
If you have a standard flat key type of lock, start by placing the gumball machine on a sturdy, clutter free work table.
Using a 1/4' or 3/16' drill bit, line up the drill bit with the outside edge of one side of the key slot. Drill a hole 1/4' deep straight into the slot. Do not over drill too deeply or you could damage the top.
You should see metal and brass shavings emerge from the hole. The brass shavings are the locking keys within the lock that we need to remove. When done there should be a clean 1/4' deep hole in the lock slot.
Now go to the other side and drill another hole just as you did before.
Ford Gum Machine Lock
When done you have two clean holes 1/4' deep. Now drill at a angle in between the two holes and clean out the center of the slot going no more than 1/4' deep.
Now stick the blade of a sturdy flat head screw driver into the drilled out key slot and twist counter clockwise to unscrew the lock. You may need to twist the screw driver back and forth initally to help break the lock free. A pair of pliers or vise grips clamped around the screw driver will give you better leverage if you have difficulty. If it still seems to not want to break free, you will need to drill the holes alittle deeper or larger to get enough of the brass keys out so that you can break the lock free. Be careful not to remove so much that you damage the top.
Ford Gum Machine Serial Numbers
Here the lock is out and the machine is ready for a new lock and key.
Replacing A Tubular Round Key Lock
If you have a tubular round key type of lock, start by placing the gumball machine on a sturdy, clutter free work table. Using a center punch and hammer make a starting indention by placing the center punch in the center of the lock center tab and striking it with a hammer several times. This will make keeping the drill bit in place much easier.
Now using a 1/4' drill bit, place the drill bit in the indention you just made and drill out the center tab of the lock to a depth of 1/4'. with the outside edge of one side of the key slot. Drill a hole 1/4' deep straight into the slot. Do not over drill too deeply or you could damage the top.
When you have drilled out the entire center of the lock you should have a lock that looks like this.
Now stick the blade of a sturdy flat blade screw driver into the hold and lean at a angle to get a bite on the inside edges of the lock and twist counter clockwise to unscrew the lock. You may need to twist the screw driver back and forth initally to help break the lock free. A pair of pliers or vise grips clamped around the screw driver will give you better leverage if you have difficulty. If it still seems to not want to break free, you will need to drill the hole alittle deeper or larger so that you can break the lock free. Be careful not to remove so much that you damage the top.
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Ford stainless steel Gum Ball Machine with globe glass top and the original decal. Serial number at coin slot is 'C045370'. Name plate on front of machine reads 'Manufactured by Ford Gum & Machine Co., Akron, New York', and 'Ford Gum' appears in raised lettering at the outlet hole. The machine is approximately 12 inches tall and the glass globe is about 8 inches in diameter. Overall condition is very good consistent with its age and it is in working order, but it is missing the original key and it has a crack in the plastic cover over the exit hole (still solid but crack shows in the light). The lock pins appear the have been broken because it opens without the original key. I am assuming that it is broken anyway, since I was able to open the lock with just a small screwdriver inserted part-way into the key hole. With a key (or in this case with a small screwdriver) inserted, the lock barrel can be unscrewed to release the locking bar (which has threads on either side that the lock barrel screws onto, holding everything together). After opening the gum ball machine, I used a marble to verify that a penny in the coin slot would operate the dispensing wheel and drop a gum ball (or in this case a marble) down into the output chute, which it did.
This item is limited to U.S. sales only.