Patent GB-191815-A (GB)
Title: Improvements in and relating to coin-freed ticket-issuing apparatus for theatre seats and the like
IPC: G07F17/42
Filed: 1921-10-17
Abstract: 191,815. Jenner, A. J., and Powles, G. E. Oct. 17, 1921. Index machines with sliding perforating-devices selected by a master-wheel.-The apparatus is adapted for issuing tickets for theatre seats and the like and comprises mechanism for selecting and reserving a seat, punching each half of the ticket with the number and row of the seat selected, cutting-off the ticket from a printed roll and delivering it. The formation of seats is displayed on a keyboard 186, Figs. 1 and 2, each row of seats being represented by a movable number. The numbers are painted or fixed on blocks 202 rotatably mounted on vertical guide rods and spaced apart to show through rows of holes 187 in the board. After insertion of a coin or coins in slots c, a handle i is raised to free the mechanism. By turning a knob 45a fixed to a shaft 45 an indicator 184 is moved to the number of the seat selected, t h i s movement positioning the punching mechanism. Another handle 58 is then turned and, during its movement, first the block 202 is rotated to move the number out of sight and bring a blank in front of the hole 187 thereby indicating that the seat is reserved, then a ticket is punched severed, and delivered and finally the mechanism is relocked, the handle i returning to its original position. The indicator 184 is at tached to vertical endless bands 176 passing over pulleys on two carriages 147. 148, connected by pillars 151 behind the keyboard and running on transverse rails 145. 146. A frame 152 slides on the pillars in unison with the .indicator 184 and shifts a piece of leather or indiarubber 157 on a square shaft 155 which is rotated to cause the piece 157 to turn the block 202 bv acting on a pin 203 thereon. The shaft 45, Fig. 25, is movable longitudinally and has a clutch member 69 and bevel wheel 74 to engage respectively with a loose clutch member 70 provided with a sprocket wheel 71, and with a bevel wheel 75 on a short spindle 76 when the shaft is pulled out. The sprocket wheel 71 is connected by a chain 212, Fig. 1, to a sprocket wheel 211 having a pulley over which an endless wire 214 attached to the carriage 148 passes to move the carriages transversely. The spindle 76 has a friction wheel 78 which engages a ring 56. When the shaft 45 is pushed in, a bevel wheel 80 thereon engages a bevel wheel 81 on a short spindle 82 which carries a friction wheel 85 to engage a ring 54, and a sprocket wheel 87 which is connected to a sprocket wheel 216 on a shaft 175, the rotation of which causes the endless bands 176 to move the indicator 184 vertically. The mechanism for punching each half of a ticket which is fed intermittently from a roll 29 over rings 54, 55, 56 and a curved bar 53, Fig. 28, by rollers 115, 116 comprises a series of pins 110 guided by a block 108 and resting on a resilient pad 112. The ring 54 has letters and the rings 55, 56 numerals formed by perforations through which some of the pins 110 pass when the pad 112 is raised by a cam 114 on a shaft 57. The ticket is punched by a co-operating resilient block 128 reciprocated by the cam 114 through a lever 126. The ring 54 is positioned by the friction wheel 85, the ring 56 by the friction-wheel 78. and the ring 55 by the movement of the ring 56. The ticket is now fed further forward and severed by a knife 135 fixed on a lever 136 which is operated against the action of a spring 140 by a cam 138, Fig. 25, on the shaft 57. The ticket then falls into a shoot 142, Fig. 1, and is delivered through an opening 143 to a tray 144. A bevel wheel 60 on the shaft 57, rotates through a bevel wheel 61 a shaft 65 which carries sprocket wheels 68, 220. The sprocket wheel 68 through a chain rotates a shaft 160, Fig. 1, which through bevel wheels 158, 159 rotates the square shaft 155 to operate the knock-off piece 157. The shaft 57 is rotated by the handle 58 and is normally locked by the engagement in a. recess 49, Fig. 23, in a cam 50 thereon, of a projection 48 on the long arm 35 of a bell-crank lever 35, 36. The arm 36 is con. nected by a link 37 to a forked rocking lever 41 and a a tooth 43 thereon from a gear wheel 44 on the shaft 45 which is free until the projection 48 leaves a cut-away portion 51 of the cam 50 when the shaft is again locked by a second tooth 47 after which the seat selected cannot be changed. The arm 35 is linked to a lever v, Figs, 4 and 5, which is lifted to disengage the projection 48 by a cam on the end of a shaft i rotated by the handle i. It is held in that position by the hooked end r<1> of a bell crank lever r engaging a slot in one pair of arms o, o<1> fixed to the shaft j. When a ticket is delivered the cam 50 raises the lever v further thereby disengaging the hook r<1> and allowing the mechanism to be relocked.