Patent GB-552202-A (GB)
Title: Amusement vending apparatus
IPC: G07F17/32
Filed: 1941-09-25
Abstract: 552,202. Amusement apparatus. WALTON, A. L. Sept. 25, 1941, No. 12407. [Class 132 (ii)] [Also in Group XVIII] In an amusement vending apparatus, preferably coin-freed, a dispensing device is so arranged that it can be manipulated by the operator so as to be passed beneath a selected article or articles and the surface on which it is or they are lying, so that the article or articles may be lifted and carried or thrown into a position for delivery to the operator. In the construction shown in Fig. 10 the dispensing device comprises a finger 1 carried by lazy-tongs 3 manipulated by handles 17 mounted on a ball-joint 18 on the casing 14 so that the finger 1 can be moved forwards and backwards and from side to side over the table 13 on which articles are resting. If the finger is correctly pushed under an article it can be lifted above a guard rim 16 by depressing the handles 17 and the article can then be moved to one side over a delivery shoot 15 into which it is discharged. Normally the finger 1 is kept raised clear of the table 13 by means of a lifter 24 raised by a lever 21 and spring 23, but when a coin slide 19 is pushed in, this slide rocks the lever until it is caught by a spring-loaded trip 37 and the lifter 24 falls to the position shown in which the finger 1 rests on the table. As the coin slide is pushed in a bar 33 is thrust forward and is then slowly retracted by a spring 35 at a rate determined by centrifugal governor 51; after a pre-determined time the bar 33 rocks the trip 37 and releases the lever 21 which is rocked by spring 22 to raise the finger 1 clear of the table so that no article can be lifted until another coin is inserted. The cross-section of the finger 1 may be triangular or formed with an upper concave or convex surface according to the kind of article to be lifted. In the construction shown in Figs. 15-18 and 20 arranged for four players, there are four dispensing devices 6 each operated by a handle 61 and movable over a rotating table 54 driven by a motor 56. Each dispensing device comprises a disc 6 pivoted to a vertical rod carried by parallel motion links 9 which are swivelled about a vertical shaft 67 by movement of the ball-mounted handle 61 in a horizontal plane and are moved up and down by vertical movements of the handle. The swivelling movements are transmitted by a link 65 and the vertical movements by a lever 69. As the articles on the revolving table come within reach of any particular disc 6 they may be picked up by that disc, lifted above a guard rim 58 round the table and discharged into a shot 60 for delivery to the player. Fixed deflectors 59 guide articles missed by the disc towards the centre of the table. When a coin has been inserted in a slot 62 a lever 92 lowers the shaft 67 until a friction disc 102 thereon engages a disc 66 controlled by the handle 61 through the rod 65 so that the dispensing disc 6 now rests on the table and can be manipulated by the handle. The discs 102, 66 are separated after a pre-determined time by means of a ratchet wheel 78 advanced tooth by tooth by a pawl 81 oscillated by the motor 56 through an eccentric 88 and linkwork 87, 86, 83, 82. A retaining pawl 90 prevents backward rotation of the wheel 78. When the time limit has expired a stud 91 on the ratchet wheel engages the lever 92 and raises the disc 102 and with it the dispensing disc 6 so that the player can no longer control the disc 6. At this stage the oscillating pawl 81 has reached a blind tooth 93 on the ratchet wheel and therefore does not rotate the wheel. When another coin 104 is inserted it lies in the position shown in Fig. 20 in which it blocks an opening in a holder 96 which is pivoted at 97 and carries a spring-loaded arm 94 having a pawl 95 engaging the wheel 78. The oscillating lever 82 which carries pawl 81 is pivoted to a finger 99 also pivoted at 97, and this finger being oscillated by the lever 82 presses on the coin and rocks the holder 96 and arm 94 so that the pawl 95 rotates the wheel 78 one tooth and the blind tooth 93 is carried past the pawl 81 thus starting a fresh time interval. A square stud 100 on the wheel 78 engages the end of the arm 94 for a time and holds it in a position which allows the coin to drop into the money box 101 when the finger 99 releases its pressure on the coin.