The Roanoke times. [volume] (Roanoke, Va.) 1890-1895, 1891-01-06
POCKET SAVINGS BANKS.
A New and Ingenious Contriv-
Gnoe.
Tho Lateot Invention for Enabling Those
HnvPg Odd Coins About Their Per-
cons to havo Tn. IN - A Gosi
Thing for spendthrirtE.


-
Pocket savings banks are the lates
thing out. These are rcceptacles for
nickeis and dimes, out of which they
can not be extracted until u certain
amount-usually five dollars or ton dol
lars-has been deposited.
Similar banks are made and extensive
ly sold, of larger size and fenciful do
sign, which serve tho same purpose, but
which can not be carried in tho pocket
Once these banks were only used by
children. To-day they may DO found in
the pockets OF AL sorts and conditions of
men. That their salo is enormous is at
tested by every dealer i'll toys and sport
ins goods. Ono of tho largest firmsin
New York City told Sunday Journal
representative one day lately that their
sales had been SO vast that they had rot
one in stock and had ordered largo
quantity more.
The majority Of these banks are n do
velopmcnt of tho oldfashioned child's
toys, such as tho man with u gun who
shoots nickel into tho mouth of a bear.
The first Improvement over these toys
was in tho form OF safo with a COM
binaticn lock. OF course this served a
purpose. No one could extract any OF
tho money deposited unless he knew tho
combination.
But tho chief enemy OF man was felt
to be man himself. Tho one who alb
stractcd most of tho cash was the do
positor TO savo him from himself was
the object of the inventors of the latest
devices. While these difror materially
in design and probably in mechanism,
they all have tho Same principle. This
is to provide receptacle for savings,
out of which no ono, not oven the dc
positor himself, can extract them until
certain amount has boon deposited
The nickel savings bank is ono of
these. This is cast-iron box, with
door i'll front. Upon the top is a circu-
lar tubo with q slot in tho TOP. Into this
slot the nickel is dropped. Once in thorc
IL remains until one hundred Of them
arc collected. Then, and not till then,
tho door can no opened and tho pilo
taken out.
Tho registering dino savings bank
is ono Of the neatest designs. 1t is mado
of cast-iron and has 4 dial like Il clock.
This has two hands. When tho dino is
deposited tho hands register Tho amount
inside. Ten dollars must DO deposited
before the door can be opened. The last
dime opens Tho door automatically.
An Improvements upon this has boon
patented and VIII DO offered to tho pub
lie next season. IT. contains u bell,
which rings every time dime disap-
pears i'll the slot.
Another design il in the form ot an
iron Saratoga trunk. This has u littlo
mechanism in front which registers tho
amount inside automatically.
The coin registering banl, has sort
of cupola or tho top and slot 1t each
side. Ono side is for dimes and tho
other Tor Dickels. Ey turning tho GU
pola top the slots are opened to admit
tho coin.
Ten dollars in either dimes or nickels
must be deposited before tho moncy can
he Withdrawn. 1t makes no difference
whether the ten dollars is all in dimes
OF all in niciicls, or partly enc and
partly the ether; but they must DO
placed in their respective sides or the
machine will get cut Of order.
Another similar bank is the pruder-
tial savings bank. T.is is in tho form
of q safe, with slots at tho top, and is
for both nickcls and dimes, being worry
similar to tho last mentioned, only
simpler.
The most popular form, however. is
that which can be carried around in tho
pocket. 1t is q simple tube, with u slot
under tho lid. Tho dimes as they arc
pushed into tho tube arc hold firmly by
a spring. Wien one hundred Of them
have been deposited tho lid comes or.
registering scale, like that of tho
old-fashioncd kitchen scales. runs down
tho tube and little pointer indicates
tho number Of dimes inside. Tho
beauty OF This safo is it's simplicity end
as il can be carried in the pocket it has
become very popular.
So far ~ can bo learned thcro is no
way To beat these banks cxcopt by
breaking them. However hard up q
man may be, he can NOT touch his say
ings.
One ingenious individual had thrce
dollars in dimes in ono Of these pocket
banks. lie bad no other money in his
pocket. lie wanted II drink; no wanted
it badly. He could not open the bank
lilo consulted i bartender. They tried
to extract money with wire. 1t did
not work.
Tho man thought he would havo to
remain thirsty. An idea struck the bar
tender. He opened tho cash drawer.
From it he tool, out two dollars 1t was
all in dimes. One by ono he slipped
them into tho hank. at last they wcro
all gone. Tho lid came Off. Tho TWEEN
~ dimes went b"c.; u tao cash drawer;
three others went there, too. Tue man
was thirsty no longer. neither YVES tho
bar-tcndcr; but the b#nl; contained less
money than before. This is tho only
way To beat ON" of these banks.