What mechanical components did later vending machines, appearing in the 1800s, utilize that Hero's device lacked?
Answer
Springs, clocks, and mechanical counters
The departure from Hero's gravity-and-lever system is marked by the integration of more complex components necessary for managing solid goods and repeatable commercial transactions in later centuries. The first known mechanical vending machines emerging in England during the early 1800s, and certainly the iterations common by the late 19th century, relied on springs, clocks, and mechanical counters. These components allowed for more intricate sequencing, measurement, and tallying that went beyond the simple opening and closing of a valve based purely on weight, which defined the ancient Greek predecessor.
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