The first known coin-operated vending machine was developed by Hero of Alexander approximately 2,000 years ago. It was used to dispense a set amount of holy water at religious shrines in order to thwart participants who had been taking more water than they had actually purchased. The weight of the coin exerted force on a lever which would lift a plug, allowing a predetermined amount of water to flow out--a system very similar to the flushing mechanism in modern toilets.
The below illustration contains a translation of Hero's description of his invention.
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