Improvements in Apparatus for Indicating and Registering Pay- ments, Especially Applicable for Indicating and Registering Payments for the Use of Telephones.
Year: 1888

page_text: Date of Application, 31st Jan., 1888
Complete Specification Left, 25th Sept., 1888
Complete Specification Accepted, 26th Oct., 1888
Improvements in Apparatus for Indicating and Registering Pay-
ments, Especially Applicable for Indicating and Registering
Payments for the Use of Telephones.
[ ALEXANDER MAC GREGOR of 3 Collingham Gardens South Kensington in the
County of Middlesex Associate Member of the Institute of Civil Engineers do
hereby declare the nature of this Invention to be as follows:-
My Invention has for its object to provide apparatus by which Indication is given
when payments are made and if required also the said payments are registered and is
especially applicable for use with Telephones for collecting the payments for the use
thereof.
According to my Invention I provide a device which can only be operated when
proper payment has been made the said device then on being operated giving a signal
indicating that the payment has been made and if required also actuating a counter
or recorder by which the total amounts of payments can be ascertained.
In a
I will describe my Invention as applied to a telephone for which it is more espe-
cially intended and from this description its application to other purposes to which it
is or may be applicable will also be well understood I do not necessarily limit myself
to the precise details to which I refer in describing my Invention as it will be evident
that they can be varied without departing from the nature of my Invention
suitable box or Container which is in such contact with or proximity to the telephonic
instruments that any sound in the said box or container is transmitted along the
telephone line I place a bell or other sounding device and also a Counter or recorder
if so desired The hammer of the bell (or the like) and the wheel of the counter or
recorder are operated by means of a push rod or moveable piece which is normally
prevented from moving by means of a lever or catch piece. When the proper coins
are put into a slit in the box or receptacle they are guided by suitable shoots if
necessary so that they fall into a receptacle on or in connection with the lever or catch
piece so as to withdraw it from the push rod or moveable piece whereby it is released
and on the said rod or piece being operated the bell or the like is sounded and the

page_text: recorder or counter operated the coins meantime falling into a suitable receiver The
said lever or catch piece then returns in readiness to again engage with or cause the
retention of the push rod or moveable piece when by means of a spring or the like it
is returned to its normal position There may be several devices of the kind in one
box or in proximity to one telephonic instrument each operated by coins of different
values and having bells or the like having different sounds. Thus when payment is
made and the push rod or the like operated the sound of the bell or the like is trans-
mitted to the distant station and indicates that payment has been made and where
there is provision as aforesaid for different values the kind of sound will indicate the
amount of payment made.
An attachment may be provided to enable privileged persons by means of a key to
release the retaining part of the apparatus without placing any coin in the box.
The push rod or the like can be employed without the coin or key actuated locking
device so that the number of calls is registered.
Dated. this 31st day of January 1888.

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Apparatus for Indicating and Registering Pay-
ments, Especially Applicable for Indicating and Registering
Payments for the Use of Telephones.
I, ALEXANDER MAO GREGOR of 3 Collingham Gardens South Kensington in the
County of Middlesex Associate Member of the Institute of Civil Engineers do hereby
declare the nature of this Invention and in what manner the same is to be performed
to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following statement:-
My Invention has for its object to provide apparatns by which indication is given
when payments are made and if required also the said payments are registered and is
especially applicable for use with telephones for collecting the payments for the use
thereof.
$
According to my Invention I provide a device which can only be operated when
proper payment has been made the said device then on being operated giving a signal
indicating that the payment has been made and if required also actuating a counter
or recorder by which the total amounts of payments can be ascertained.
I will describe my Invention with reference to the accompanying drawings as
applied to a telephone for which it is more especially intended and from this
description its application to other purposes to which it is or may be applicable will
also be well understood. I do not necessarily limit myself to the precise details to
which I refer in describing my Invention as it will be evident that they can be varied
without departing from the nature of my Invention-Figure 1 is a front elevation
partly in section of an apparatus constructed according to my Invention. Figure 2 is
à transverse section and figure 3 a plan of the same.
A is a box or case which may be made of wood or other suitable material containing
the signalling and registering mechanism hereinafter described. This box or case is
placed in such contact with or proximity to the telephonic instruments that
in the said box or container is transmitted along the telephone line.
any sound
There may be several signalling devices in one box to be operated by coins of
different value or each device may be fitted in a case of its own; 1 have shown in my
drawings the box A fitted with two of the said devices but as they are both similarly
constructed a description of one will be sufficient to describe the other.
To the interior of the box A is attached a bell or other sounding device B and also
a registering device or counter C. The hammer of the bell (or the like) and also the
counter or registering device are operated by means of a push rod or moveable piece D
which is normally prevented from moving by means of a lever or catch piece E
engaging in a notch e in a piece e projecting from the top side of the push rod D..
The lever E is centred at e³ to the frame F in which the push rod D slides and is
provided at one end with a cup or receptacle into which the coin or coins for
effecting the operation of the apparatus is or are conducted by the shoot G the
opposite end of the said lever being suitably weighted as at to admit of the lever
turning on its centre e³ when the proper coins are placed in the receptacle f.

page_text: The coins put into a slit a in the box or case A fall into the shoot G by which they
are conducted into the cup f and if the coin or coins be of the required weight it or
they will cause the lever E to be withdrawn from the notch e in the projecting piece e
and admit of the push rod or moveable piece D being pushed inwards. Upon
operating the rod D an inclined edge e" of the piece e² by acting on the underside of
the lever E causes the said lever to turn further on its centre e so as to bring the end
carrying the receptacle finto contact with one end g² of a levery which is centred
at g to the frame F the opposite end of which lever carries the hammer of the bell
or sounding device D. The bell B is thus sounded and at the same time a tooth or
pawl on the push rod D engages with a fresh tooth on the ratchet wheel I so that
when pressure is removed from the push rod it imparts to the mechanism of the
counting device a motion to indicate on the dial (one operation of the apparatus.
I2 is a detent engaging the wheel 13 to prevent the counter turning back. When the
lever is turned as described, the coins contained in the receptacle pass therefrom
through the slit or opening and fall into a suitable receiver or drawer G². Upon
removing the pressure from the push rod D it will be returned to its normal position
by a spring Hand the lever E being relieved of the weight of the coins then returns
to its normal position and engages with the notch e in the projecting piece in
readiness for the next operation. There may be several devices of the kind herein-
before described in one box or in proximity to one telephonic instrument each operated
by coins of different values and provided with bells or the like having different sounds.
Thus when payment is made and the push rod of the corresponding device operated,
the sound of the bell or the like is transmitted to the distant station and indicates
thereat that payment has been made, and where there is provision as aforesaid for
different values the kind of sound will indicate the amount of payment made.
The push rod on the left hand for example may be arranged to be released by a
coin of double the value of the coin which releases the push rod on the right hand.
With this object the left hand push rod D is provided with a pawl acting on a
ratchet wheel I of smaller diameter than the wheel I so as to cause the registering
pointer to move to the extent of two divisions on the dial or the equivalent of two
operations of the apparatus when the push rod D is operated. If desired the counter
or registering device may be dispensed with. Means may be provided to enable
privileged persons by means of a key or the like to disengage the lever E from the
notch e so that the push rod D may be operated without placing any coin in the hox.
Figure 4 is a front elevation and Figure 5 a horizontal section of an arrangement
of apparatus according to my Invention in which the push rod for operating the bell
or sounding device and for actuating the counter for registering the number of calls
is employed without the coin or key actuated locking device hereinbefore described..
B is the bell or sounding device secured to the interior of the box A and D is the
push rod. The push rod D may be provided with any suitable means for actuating
the hammer of the bell or sounding device; in the drawing I have shewn it provided
with a block of India rubber d which when the rod, D is operated comes into contact
with a knob or button b, fast on the end of a spindle passing through the bell, so as to
partially rotate the said spindle and transmit through the gearing ca rapid rotation to
the hammer 62 of the bell to effect the ringing thereof. To the push rod D is hinged
a pawl which when the rod D is pushed inwards engages the teeth of the ratchet
wheel 2 of the counter or registering device C so as to impart through the gearing i
a partial rotation to the pointer to the extent of one division of the scale on the
dial C. Upon removing the pressure from the push rod D it will be returned to its
normal position by the spring H or its equivalent, the pawl h riding over the teeth of
the ratchet wheel h² so as to engage therewith when the push rod is again operated.
The pointer being thus moved at each operation of the rod D to the extent of
one division of the index the number of calls that have been made may be readily
ascertained on referring to the dial.
The push rod may be locked in its normal position by inserting in an opening
therein a pin or bolt m which will prevent the rod D from being pushed inwards
by coming against the box A. This bolt is provided with an opening at n to

page_text: receive the bow of a padlock or equivalent device to prevent the bolt from being
removed from the push rod except by an authorized person.
Having now described and particularly ascertained the nature of my said
Invention and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what
I claim is -
First. In apparatus for indicating payments a bell or equivalent signalling device
and means whereby in order to release mechanism for operating the said signalling
device it is necessary to place in the apparatus a coin or coins of the value to be
paid substantially as hereinbefore described.
Second. The combination with the subject matter of the preceding claiming
clause of a counter or registering device operated by the mechanism which actuates
the signalling device so as to register each operation of the apparatus substantially
as heroinbefore described.
Third. The combination with a bell or equivalent signalling device of a counter
or registering device both being operated simultaneously substantially as and for
the purpose hereinbefore described.
Fourth. In apparatus for indicating payments a bell or equivalent signalling
device operated by a push rod or equivalent moveable piece which can only be
operated when released from engagement with a lever or equivalent retaining
device by means of a coin or coins of the value to be paid substantially as
hereinbefore described.
Fifth. The general combination and arrangement of parts constituting apparatus
for indicating payments in combination or not with a counter or registering device
substantially as herein before described and illustrated by Figures 1, 2, and 3 of
the accompanying drawings.
Sixth. The general combination and arrangement of parts for operating and
registering the operations of a bell or equivalent signalling device substantially as
herein before described and illustrated by figures 4 and 5 of the accompanying
drawings.
Dated this 25th day of Sontembar 1888