Improvements in Coin Freed Apparatus for the Automatic Delivery of Electric Current.
Year: 1898

page_text: Date of Application, 2nd Aug., 1898-Accepted, 18th Feb., 1899
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Coin Freed Apparatus for the Automatic Delivery
of Electric Current.
I, CARL BIEBERSTEIN, of Wilmersdorferstrasse 107; Charlottenburg, near Berlin,
in the Empire of Germany, Engineer, 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:-
This invention relates to an improved automatic apparatus for delivery of electric
current to the consumer during a certain duration of time by the insertion of a coin
and is so arranged that the current can be used as required at various times until
the full time paid for has expired.
In the accompanying drawings—
Fig. 1 is a front view of the apparatus.
Fig. 2 is a section on the line - of Fig. 1 showing parts in elevation.
Fig. 3 is a back view of the apparatus.
Fig. 4 shows the position of the chief parts when after a certain time the
mechanism interrupts the current.
Fig. 5 is a back, view showing the position of the parts at the moment of starting
by the coin and
Fig. 6 shows the arrangement by means of which the delivery of the current can
be interrupted or again continued at any time.
The case surrounding the mechanism, also the installation for the introduction
and removal of the coins are omitted for the sake of clearness.
The apparatus is provided with two strong springs A A¹ the latter driving the
clockwork whilst the former operates only for a certain short time at the closing or
at the interruption of the circuit. The clock work does not differ greatly from
ordinary works only it has a dial plate showing for what duration of time the
apparatus has been actually running, since the last insertion of a coin, the hand
going once round upon the dial plate in the predetermined time. The hand is
arranged on the axle of the toothed wheel B.
By suitable changing of the gearing B and B₁ the apparatus can operate for
different times. An anchor escapement is arranged on the clockwork the balance of
which is shown by C.
Suppose the predetermined time to be expiring, the pin a on the back of the
wheel B pushes on the hook D and lifts it a little. On the hook D is arranged a
pin (Fig. 2) passing through the front wall of the clockwork and arriving in the
path of an arm c arranged on the axle of the fly E thus co-operating with the arm c
when the arm D is lifted. With its projection d the arın D abuts then against the
nose e of the lever F. The latter is connected fixedly with the axle F¹ which passes
across the works and supports at the back an arm F engaging by means of its cross
piece into one of the indents i of the disc G and forming with the cross
piece fan abutment for the ping arranged upon the wheel h, which is one of the
wheels of the wheel train from the spring A to the fly E.

page_text: the disc G.
The axle G¹ of this disc is continued backwards and joined to the axle of circuit
breaker H, and it also carries one of the wheels of the wheel train from
spring A.
The position of the parts is such that the circuit of the current is closed when the
dise is in the position shown in Fig. 3 and also at the position when the disc is moved
for 108° therefrom, but is interrupted in the position shown in Fig. 5 or a position
displaced 180° therefrom.
The disc G carries on its inner side two pins & the action of which will be described
later.
On the back of the clockwork is also arranged a horizontal lever I having its pivot
at J. At one end the lever I carries a pivoted tray for receiving the coin and at
the other end a counterweight by means of which the apparatus can he regulated
according to the particular coin used. Fixed to the lever I is a three-sided plate L
operating with its point the lower part of the lever F and lifting the same when the
tray sinks under the weight of the coin introduced. The one or other of the pins k
come under the long side of the three-sided plate L. when the current is operating in
order to prevent the sinking of the lever I in this position of the parts. When
descending the tray & abuts with its hinder border against the end of a pin k¹¹ causing
it to tip upwards and discharge the coin.
On the axle G¹ and at the front side of the clockwork is fastened a disk G11
carrying two pins l, l, diametrically opposite each other and arranged in such a
manner that one of them, when contact in the contact breaker H is interrupted, comes
against the hook-like head m of the lever M and pushes it aside (Fig. 4). The axle M
of the lever M projects into the interior of the clock-work supporting therein the
arm M (Figs. 2 and 4) which comes in contact by means of its spring finger n with
the escapeinent wheel C when the lever M is moved towards the left, in order to stop
the escapement wheel C and thus stop the clockwork when the circuit has been broken
by the part revolution of disk G.
The lower end of the lever M can also be pushed aside at its lower end and from
the outside of the apparatus in order to voluntarily stop the clockwork at any time
by turning, by the aid of a key or the like, the axle N to bring one of the thumb-like
wings o against the end of the lever. The axle N passes through the clockwork and
is fastened behind to the axle of a second contact breaker H¹. The junction is made
in such a manner that the contact at H' is interrupted when the wings and lever M
etc. have the position shown in Fig. 6 for stopping the clockwork.
The apparatus works in the following manner. When the toothed wheel B has
almost finished a revolution, the pin a comes below the nose of the lever D in order
to lift it. The projection d pushes against the nose e of the lever F and lifts it and
with it the lever F; the crosspiece fis thus moved out of the indent i of the disc G,
whilst the other end off sets free the pin g on the toothed wheel h in gear with the
pinion on on the fly E. By lifting the lever D the pin 6 is moved at the same time into
co-operation with the arm c arranged upon the axle of the fly E and as the plate f
frees the plate G and the toothed wheel h, the ping gives the arm c of the fly E an
impulse which at the same time releases and gives a start to the fly E so that the
spring A comes in operation, putting the plate G in quick rotation. But after a
quarter revolution of the plate G the projection f drops down into the next indent i
of the plate, stopping the action of the spring A by the stopping of the pin g by the
cross piece f. The contact H fastened on the axle G¹ is thus caused to make also a
quarter of a revolution in order to stop the current. Since the front end of the
axle G¹ supports the plate G", the latter has turned also for 90 degrees and the pin
pushes aside the head m of the lever M and pushes hereby the arm M towards the
escapement wheel C the same being stopped by the spring n. The clockwork is thus
stopped while the current at H is interrupted.
The cam being inserted in order to put the apparatus in motion the tray K goes
down and during the commencement of this movement before the coin falls off, the

page_text: point of the plate L lifts the lever F1 far enough to release the plate G so that it
can be turned again for 90 degrees, turning also the disc G for the same distance. The
pin sets the head m of the lever M free and by influence of the spring p the
lever M M is turned to the left (Fig. 1) and the spring a releases the escapement C,
the clockwork is thus started again at the same time as the circuit of the current is
closed by the quarter rotation of shaft G¹.
To ensure a further quantity of current supply without having to watch for the
very moment of stoppage in order to insert a fresh coin; the following is arranged,
permitting before the stoppage of the clockwork, insertion of a further coin without
hindering the operation of the apparatus.
As shown in Fig. 3 one of the pins
during the operation of the clockwork lies
under the plate L connected to the lever I.
If a coin is inserted in this position of the parts the lever I cannot sink downwards
because the respective pin stops the movement of the plate L. When the plate G
makes a movement of 90 degrees, the pin & slides from below L and the tray K sinks
and (the lever I being pivoted in unstable equilibrium) stays there till the next pin
k comes below the plate L and replaces the lever I for the reception of another coin.
If during the action of the clockwork the current is to be interrupted, the shaft N
is turned for 90 degrees by means of a key or the like in order to interrupt the
contact H and stop at the same time the clockwork by the parts M, MI, M and n.
Also on the apparatus a counter can be arranged showing indirectly how many
coins have been inserted; it is preferably adapted on the axle of the plate G¹¹.
The apparatus can be arranged for any coins, time durations and current force as
required. The apparatus is contained in a case to be sealed with lead, and is such
that the consumer sees the dial only which indicates how long the current is yet at
his disposal. The springs of the apparatus are such as to allow a working time of 4
to 6 weeks in order that the apparatus need not be wound frequently.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is :-
:-
1). An improved apparatus, for the automatic delivery of electric current to the
consumer for a certain time by insertion of a coin, having two motors, the one a
clockwork, the other a free running train, the latter being started by means of the
coin inserted and starting in its turn after a certain time the clockwork which
interrupts the current until the former is released again by the insertion of a fresh
coin.
2). In the apparatus as in Claim 1 an arrangement to interrupt the clockwork at
any time which is in connection with a contact breaker for the electric current
circuit, to arrest the clockwork when interrupting the current by hand and to set
free the clockwork when the circuit is again closed by hand.
Dated this 2nd day of August 1898
HERBERT HADDAN & Co.,
Agents to the Applicant, 18, Buckingham Street, Strand, London, W.C.