Patent GB-473706-A (GB)
Title: Improvements in vending cranes
IPC: G07F17/32
Filed: 1936-05-28
Abstract: 473,706. Coin-freed amusement apparatus. BERRY, T., and BERRY, S. May 28, 1936, No. 15133. [Class 27] An amusement apparatus comprises two or more jibs, each having a grab suspended therefrom, the jibs and grabs being operated simultaneously from a common mechanism in an endeavour to remove prize articles from a playing field. As shown, a pair of jib arms 23 supporting grabs 40 are pivoted at 24 to a supporting frame 22 secured to a rotatable sleeve 1, the two jibs being slued simultaneously by rotation of a handle connected through bevel gearing 2, 3 with the sleeve. Within this sleeve 1 is a sleeve 30 having a bracket 32 at its upper end carrying pulleys 33 round which pass a pair of cords 34, anchored at one end to a cross rail on the frame 22 and passing over pulleys 29 at the head of the frame to connections 36 on the jib arms. Upward movement of the sleeve 32 is checked by engagement of a disc 38 thereon with a stop arm 39 operable by an external handle 21, so that by means of this handle the elevation of the two jibs can be controlled. Concentric with the sleeve 30 is a rod 31 having a cross-head 41 at its upper end carrying pulleys 45 round which pass elevating cords 46 for the grabs. These cords are also anchored at one end to the cross rail on the frame 22, and pass over further pulleys 29 and over pulleys 47 at the ends of the jib arms. The lower end of the rod 31 is connected by a link 43 to a crank 42 on an operating shaft 7 which is clutched to a gear 59 driven by a pinion 58 on the shaft of an operating handle 8, after insertion of a coin. Opening and closing of the grabs 40 is performed in known manner bv cords 49 connected therewith. These cords pass round pulleys 51 on arms 52 pivoted to the cross-head 41, and are anchored to the cross rail on the frame 22. The arms are drawn together by a spring 53, and are thrown over to a position below the cross-head by engagement with stops when the rod 31 reaches the upper limit of its movement, so that the cords are then tensioned to close the grabs; being opened in a similar manner by stops 56 on the return of the rod 31. In operation, the jibs are first slued to selected positions, the handle 21 turned to select the lower position of the jibs, and the handle 8 then rotated to raise the rod 31 and lower the grabs. Sleeve 30 rises simultaneously to lower the jibs until the disc 38 engages the stop arm 39 set by the handle 21, the grabs closing on articles at the preselected positions. Continued rotation of handle 8 lowers rod 31 and sleeve 30 to bring the grabs over discharge shoots where they release their contents. Immediately the handle 8 is operated, a cam 9 on its shaft 7 releases a spring-actuated lever 12 connected with a pivoted arm 16 provided with pins 18 which hold an arm 19 on the shaft 20 of the handle 21 so that adjustment of the lower position of the jibs is then prevented. A pawl 5 connected with the arm 12 simultaneously locks a gear 4 on the shaft 2 to prevent further slueing of the jibs. Coin action, weight ; coin-discharging mechanism ; coin-slit closing-devices.-The loose manually operated gear 59 is adapted to drive the operating shaft 7 by the engagement of spring-actuated pawls 64 pivoted on the gear with a projection 65 on the shaft. Normally, however, a pivoted arm 62 is held by a pin 60<1> on a counterbalanced coin lever 60 in such a position as to engage pins 66 on the pawls and displace them out of driving engagement with the arm 62 during rotation of the gear 59. An inserted coin is received by a pan 69 on the lever 60 which is tilted to free the arm 62 so that the latter permits the pawls to drive the shaft 7. The coin is discharged from the pan 69 when a pin 74 on the link 43 rocks a lever 71 which, through a pin 76, depresses the coin lever 60 further. The pin 74 releases the lever 71 to permit the coin lever to rise and re-lock the arm 62 when the cycle of operations is completed. A rod 77, carried by the lever 12 engaged by the cam 9 on the operating shaft 7, closes the coin insertion slot except when the operating mechanism is in its normal position.