or Improved Automatic Means for Securing Opera-glasses or Lorgnettes and for Recording and Registering their Use on Hire.
Year: 1898

page_text: Complete Specification Left, 1st Aug., 1899 -Accepted, 2nd Jan., 1900
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
New or Improved Automatic Means for Securing Opera-glasses or
Lorgnettes and for Recording and Registering their Use on Hire.
We, DESIDERIUS Bálint, Journalist, Adalbert BéKY DE MONOSTOR, Journalist,
ALBERT LASZKY, Musical Composer, and SIGISMOND LASZKY, Engineer, all of
Budapest, in the Kingdom of Hungary, do hereby declare the nature of this
invention to be as follows:-
This invention relates to certain new or improved automatic means for
securing opera-glasses or lorgnettes and for recording and registering their use
on hire in theatres and places of public resort.
With this automatic security and hire register device there is combined an
indicator plate, an electric circuit, an attachment cord carrying a portion of
the circuit wires and a case or boxing wherein the opera glasses rest when not
in use. By these means a complete control can be established whether it be
against surreptitious removal of the glasses, or the use thereof, and also the
locality where the use has been had or effected, and where the payment for hire
has to be applied for or has been received or paid.
In the accompanying drawings is shown, in diagram, an installation according
to this invention:
Fig. 1, shows a general view of such construction.
Fig. 2, shows the automatic opera-glass-case, with door open.
Fig. 3, is a vertical section taken through the automatic holder-case for the
glasses arranged, in this case, at the back of a chair or lounge.
The glasses G, are lodged, when out of use, in the automatic case B. secured,
as shown, at the back of a chair A. The door B, can only be opened after a piece
of money has been put into an automatic coinfreed mechanism arranged in
the case B, when the glasses attached to the cord S, can be made use of.
Each box or case B, is connected in electric circuit through the wires L, with
an indicator plate K, connection with which is set up on putting in the coin
for payment of the hire, or upon taking the glasses out for use. The indication
will be displayed by a number or disc on or combined with the plate K.
A further indicator may also be made use of, as indicated at P, to notify the
taking off of the glasses or the cutting or disconnecting of the attachment
cord S, and the circuit wires combined therewith, so that in either event
indication will be given at the indicator through the conducting wire M,
connected with the bell O, it may be, combined with the indicator plate such
as P, to signify the locality.

page_text: New or Improved Automatic Means for Securing Opera-glasses or
Lorgnettes and for Recording and Registering their Use on Hire,
We, DESIDERIUS BÁLINT, Journalist, Adalbert BéKY DE MONOSTOR, Journalist,
ALBERT LASZKY, Musical Composer, and SIGISMOND LASZKY, Engineer, all of
Elisabethring 56, Budapest, in the Kingdom of Hungary, 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 certain new or improved automatic means for
securing opera-glasses or lorgnettes and for recording and registering their use
on hire in theatres and places of public resort.
The improvements comprise a plurality of boxes or casings placed on the
backs of chairs A or other suitable place in which the opera-glasses rest when
not in use, suitable coin freed mechanism for releasing the door of each said
box, one or more indicator boards and electric circuits, an alarm bell and attach-
ment cords containing portions of the circuit wires. By these means a complete
control can be established against the surreptitious removal or use of the
giasses, by indication of the locality where the use has been had or been effected,
and where the payment for hire has to be applied for or has been received
or paid.
In the accompanying drawings an installation is shown constructed according
to this invention.
Fig. 1 is a diagrammatic view of the general arrangement as applied to four
boxes.
Fig. 2 shows the opera glass case with door open attached to the back of a
chair or lounge.
Fig. 3 is a vertical section of Fig. 2.
Fig. 4 shows the opera glass case on an enlarged scale with outer cover plate
removed.
Fig. 5 is an end view thereof also with cover plate removed.
Fig. 5 is a plan partly in section of part of the mechanism shown in Fig. 5.
Fig. 6 is an elevation of the case with door closed and casing partly broken
away to show interior mechanism.
Fig. 6 is a plan of part of Fig. 6.
Figs. 7 and 8 show details of the lever on an enlarged scale.
The holder for each opera-glass or lorgnette and its coin operated mechanism
comprise a box B preferably of iron divided into two compartments B1 and B2
by a separating wall c. One of said compartments for instance B2 may be closed
by a door and serves for receiving the opera-glasses or the like which rest on
a resilient spring supported plate f thercin. The other compartment B₁ contains
the coin freed mechanism consisting principally of the coin chutes r and q the
lever g slotted at o to receive a coin inserted at 7 and held in normal position
by spring the elbow lever turning on pivot k, the lower end of said lever
carrying the projecting part 1, and the connecting rod 7 pivoted to said elbow
lever at one end and to a pivoted lever at the other end. The lever n
extends into the compartment 132 and acts as a latch for securing the door b.
The operation is as follows:-
When it is desired to use the opera-glasses the required coin is inserted at p
and falls through chutes r and q into the slotted arm o of lever g. The coin in
the slot o rests upon a projections arranged on the side wall of the case. By

page_text: pulling the button or handle by hand the lever g is moved, by means of the
bar pivoted thereto, round its pivot h in the direction of the arrow (Fig. 5)
thus bringing the edge of the coin projecting above slot o against the projecting
part of the elbow lever j. Movement of lever g is thus imparted to the lever j
which in turn raises the rod pivoted thereto and thus lifts also the lever n.
The lever is pivoted to the casing at and the other end 2 thereof projects
into the compartment 132 and forms a latch for locking the door b. It will
thus be seen that by the above described movements the lever is raised and
the end thereof withdrawn from before the bolt of the lock 2 so that the
door may be opened and the opera-glasses removed from the compartment B2.
The before described pulling of the handle or button t also releases the coin
from the sloto by bringing it beyond the projection 2 and thus allows it to
fall into the cash drawer into which it is guided by the inclined plate a
(Fig. 4).
The mechanism is restored to initial position by the action of springs i and m.
The bolt of the lock 2 of the door b may also be withdrawn by a suitable key
so that the door can be opened by the attendant when desired without insertion
of a coin.
Each box or case B is connected in electrical circuit by the wires L and L'
or L² L³ L' etc. (Fig. 1) with an indicator board K so that the corresponding
indicator is electrically influenced by the removal of the opera-glasses. When
the opera-glasses are removed the plate f rises under the influence of spring f¹
to the position shown in full lines in Fig. 4 and a projection f2 on said plate f
makes contact with the insulated plate y thus completing a circuit through
said plate y and binding screw z and wire L' or L L L as the case may be to
the indicator board I and return wire L leading to the metallic parts of the
case B and thus to the plate f, so that the respective number of case B used
is shown on said indicator thus enabling it to be recorded from which case the
opera-glasses have been removed.
A further indicator P prevents an unauthorized removal of the opera-glasses G,
that is to say an unobserved cutting of the attachment cord S to which the
opera glasses are fastened; this cord is provided with two wires (Fig. 4)
insulated one from the other and is in connection through wires M and Mi
or M2 M M etc. with a relay for the circuit of the local battery of the alarm
bell and with the corresponding indicator of indicator board P.
If these wires s s¹ are cut or an attempt is made to disconnect the same in
any manner, the electric current is interrupted in the circuit M and M or M² M³
M etc. and the bell O is put in action and the number of the respective case
shown on the indicator board P.
Although we have described electrical means
we do not confine ourselves to the particular
herein described but may employ any system
known to electrical engineers.
for giving the indications desired
methods of electric connections
adapted for the purpose that is
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed we declare that what
we claim is :-
1. The automatic security opera-glass holder and indicator means, consisting
of the case B with the door b, combined with a coin operated device to release
the door upon insertion of a coin for the hire, as and for the purpose set forth.
2. The combination of the box B and a coin operated device with an electric
connection to the indicator board K, to notify the number or locality of the
automatic opera-glass-holder which has been made use of, substantially as and
for the purpose set forth.
3. The combination with the automatic opera-glass-holder box B and any
convenient door handle or lock, of the attachment cord S for the glasses, com-
prising wires of an electric circuit, and an electric indicator board P whereby

page_text: on cutting or breaking the cord S a bell will operate and the indication on
the said indicator board P will be made substantially as and for the purpose
set forth.
Dated this 1st day of August 1899.
HERBERT HADDAN & Co.,
Agents to the Applicants, 18, Buckingham Street, Strand, London, W.C.