Patent GB-525529-A (GB)
Title: Coin-controlled locking mechanism
IPC: G07F17/14
Filed: 1939-05-02
Abstract: 525,529. Coin - controlled locks. AURORA STEEL PRODUCTS CO., and McCARROLL, E. W. May 2, 1939, No. 13142. Convention date, May 2, 1938. [Class 27] Fitting and securing to walls &c.-The locking mechanism for the door of each storage compartment is mounted on a bracket 27 removably secured to a front plate 20 which is removably secured over an aperture in an upright 22 of the casing adjacent the door. After turning a catch 26 by means of a key-operated lock the front plate 20 can be removed for inspection of the mechanism, and by releasing a catch 30 the bracket 27 carrying the mechanism can be removed from the front plate for replacement or repair. Coin action, thrust.-A barrel lock 35 with key-operated tumblers is mounted on a front part 27a of bracket 27, and the rear end of the barrel carries an arm 39a operatively engaging in a slot in the lock bolt 34 and a second arm 39b operatively engaging in a slot in a coin slide 38 working in a recess in a rearwardly extending portion 27b of the bracket. The coin slide 38 has a cut away portion 53 for accomodating a coin inserted through a slot 50, and it is engagable by a spring-actuated locking catch 46 normally held out of action by engagement of a controlling arm 56 with the face of the slide. Initially the door latch 34 is withdrawn, and the key 36 of the lock cannot be removed owing to the engagement of the edge of an opening in the front plate in a notch in the key. If the key is turned without insertion of a coin, arm 39b lowers the coin slide 38 until the catch controlling arm 56 drops into a vertical slot 57 in the slide whereupon the catch 46 moves forward so that its end 46a engages in another aperture in the slide and prevents further movement. An inserted coin resting in the cut-away portion 53 of the slide, however, engages a nose 46b on the catch 46 and prevents its end 46a moving into locking engagement with the slide. The lock can then be operated by the key 36 to its full extent to shoot the latch 34 and the key can be removed owing to the provision of a notch in the edge of the opening in the front plate with which the key now registers. The parts are restored to their initial positions when the key is reinserted and the lock operated to open the door for the purpose of removing the' property left in the compartment. To prevent repeated to and fro movement of the lock bolt, a pawl 60 engages ratchet teeth on the bolt 34 after a small initial movement and prevents return movement of the bolt. The key, when reinserted to open the door, engages under link 64 depending from the pawl and raises the pawl out of engagement with the latch to permit its: return movement. Movement of the key to shoot the bolt merely rocks the link 64 about its pivot mounted on the pawl 60. Coin-discharging mechanism; fraud preventing.-During the downward movement of the coin slide, the coin falls from its initial position shown in Fig. 5 to a position in which it is supported by a vertical edge 53e of the slide and a fixed abutment 24. Upon return movement of the slide when the door is being reopened, the edge 53e rises clear of the coin which falls to the cash receptacle. Thus while the compartment is in use, the coin remains in the mechanism and may be inspected by an authorised person after removal of the entire lock on its front plate 20. If the coin is found to be spurious, the plate 20 may be replaced by a dummy plate having no lock, or the lock may be replaced by one requiring a different key. Registering.-A coin register 70 is stepped up at each reciprocation of the coin slide 38 by means of spaced abutments on the slide engaging a projecting arm 78 on a vertically slidable member 72 connected with the actuating arm 71 of the register. Coin-slit closing devices.-A depending projection on the latch 34 blocks the coin slot when the compartment is in use.