Improvements in and connected with Coin-freed Apparatus for the Sale and Delivery of Post-cards, Stationery, and the like.
Year: 1894

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in and connected with Coin-freed Apparatus for the
Sale and Delivery of Post-cards, Stationery, and the like.
I, RICHARD MASSow of 8 Konigin Augusta Strasse, Berlin, in the Kingdom of
Prussia, 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 :-
The object of this invention is to provide a combination of coin-freed devices for
the sale and delivery of all the necessary materials for postal correspondence and
for providing a desk upon which the postal communications or correspondence may
be conveniently written. There may be added to this combination, with the
permission of the Postmaster-General, postal receiving boxes for the reception of
the correspondence.
For the purpose of my invention I may employ any of the well-known devices
and mechanisms at present in use for the delivery of post-cards, postage stamps,
paper, envelopes, pens, pencils, ink, and the like upon the insertion into the
apparatus of a predetermined coin or coins.
The combined apparatus according to my invention may be arranged in various
ways, but the arrangement which I consider the most useful and which I at present
prefer to use is illustrated perspectively by the accompanying drawing to which
reference will hereinafter be made.
As shewn by the drawing, there are four vertical store channels or chambers
from the bottom of each of which the article therein is capable of being removed
in the usual manner by pulling out a drawer after the insertion of the proper coin.
The first channel may contain postal letter cards, or envelopes aud paper with
stamp separately packed in the usual manner, so that each delivery will consist of
the materials for writing a letter and for its postage, except the pen or pencil.
The second channel may deliver a pen and penholder, and the slide or drawer
may contain a supply of ink in a suitable vessel therein.
The third channel may contain post cards, and
The fourth channel, pencils.
Below the four slides for the delivery of the various articles there is arranged a
folding desk, which can be raised into the position for use only after the insertion
of a coin, and which is folded down after use.
Any other combination may be employed to suit local conditions and requirements,
and, as already described there may be added to it a postal receiving box.
It is arranged by known mechanism that the release for the desk shall be
effected by and upon the insertion into any one of the coin slots of the pre-
determined coin, so that the desk may be raised and used by any person obtaining
an article from either of the channels. It is also arranged that when the desk is
raised all the coin slots must be closed by a slide operated by the motion of.folding
the desk. If therefore a prior user has failed to lower the desk, it must be lowered
by the succeeding person before the contents of the channels are available to him
on payment.
Several of the apparatus may be arranged side by side in railway stations,
exchanges and public buildings and other similar places, and they may be provided
with means for secluding the users.
I desire it to be distinctly understood that I do not claim as part of my present
invention any means or devices for etecting the delivery of the articles or for
controlling or operating the apparatus, and that the essential element of my

page_text: combination is the folding desk which closes the coin slots when the desk is in the
position of use.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :-
The combination with one or more coin-freed apparatus for the sale and delivery
of materials for postal communication, of a folding desk liberated by the insertion
of a coin in the coin slot or either coin slot and which when raised closes the coin
elot or slots, substantially as hereinbefore described and as illustrated by the
accompanying drawing.
Dated this 22nd day of August A.D. 1894.
WILLIAM E. HEYS,
Agent for the Applicant.