Coin Freed Apparatus for Determining the Opening of Pigeon Traps.
Year: 1892

page_text: Date of Application, 1st July, 1892
Complete Specification Left, 28th Apr., 1893-Accepted, 24th June, 1893
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Coin Freed Apparatus for Determining the Opening of
Pigeon Traps.
I, JAMES HENRY HANNAY of 113 St. George's Square, in the County of
London, Gentleman, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
In pigeon shooting matches, one or other of a number of traps is opened allowing
a pigeon to escape, but it is desirable that the marksman should not know which of
the traps is to be opened. My invention relates to apparatus so arranged that by
introducing a coin or coins of certain value, which may be sufficient to pay for a
pigeon, the operation of opening a trap can be effected but without the operator
or any one having means of knowing which trap will be opened. For this purpose
I provide a rotating cylinder or disc or a reciprocating plate which is kept in
continual motion by clock work or otherwise, travelling under a shoot by which
the coin is introduced and above a number of shoots corresponding to the number
of traps. In this cylinder disc or plate there are passages, slots or holes arranged
in different positions longitudinally or in the disc or plate radially or transversely.
When a coin is introduced into the upper shoot it finds its way into one or other
of the passages, slots or holes and is carried along until it is brought over that one
of the lower shoots which corresponds in position with the passage slot or hole.
Into this shoot the coin descends to a position where it becomes interposed between
a hook or pusher, and a trigger connected to one of the traps so that the opening of
that particular trap is effected when the hook or pusher is moved, the hooks or
pushers for the other traps being ineffective because no coin is interposed between
them and the respective triggers.
Dated this 1st day of July 1892.
ABEL & IMRAY,
Agents for the Applicant.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Coin Freed Apparatus for Determining the Opening of
Pigeon Traps.
I, JAMES HENRY HANNAY, of 113, St. George's Square, in the County of
London, Gentleman, 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:-
I
In pigeon shooting matches, one or other of a number of traps is opened allowing
a pigeon to escape, but it is desirable that the marksman should not know which of
the traps is to be opened. My invention relates to apparatus so arranged that by
introducing a coin or coins of certain value, which may be sufficient to pay for a
pigeon, the operation of opening a trap can be effected but without the operator or
any one having means of knowing which trap will be opened. For this purpose,
provide a rotating cylinder or disc or a reciprocating plate which is kept in
continual motion by clock-work or otherwise, travelling under a shoot by which
the coin is introduced and above a number of shoots corresponding to the number
of traps. In this cylinder disc or plate there are passages, slots or holes arranged
in different positions longitudinally or in the disc or plate radially or transversely.

page_text: When a coin is introduced into the upper shoot it finds its way into one or other
of the passages, slots or holes and is carried along until it is brought over that one
of the lower shoots which corresponds in position with the passage slot or hole.
Into this shoot the coin descends to a position where it becomes interposed between
a hook or pusher, and a trigger connected to one of the traps so that the opening
of that particular trap is effected when the hook or pusher is moved, the hooks or
pushers for the other traps being ineffective because no coin is interposed between
them and the respective triggers.
Figs. 1 and 2 of the accompanying drawings are vertical sectional elevations on
planes at right angles to each other of apparatus according to my invention,
Figs. 3 and are sectional plans on X X and Y Y respectively.
The apparatus is enclosed within a casing A in the roof of which is a shielded
slot S by which a coin can be introduced. In the lower part of the casing are two
inclined shoots with openings at the sides, B for the issue of the coins that have
performed their desired function, and B' for the issue of coins which, as will hereafter
be explained, have not performed their function. M is a motor which may be
clockwork or may be an electro motor which, through suitable gearing, drives at a
slow speed a wheel W. In gear with W is a pinion P carrying a small flyer F
which by its rotation shews that the wheel W is revolving. Under the wheel W
five shoots D are arranged side by side, and thence they diverge as they descend.
Through the wheel W are five slots E at radial distances from the centre of the
wheel such that as the wheel revolves, each of the slots E comes into coincidence
with the mouth of one of the shoots D. In the face of the wheel W there is formed
a cam groove G in which engages a pin g projecting from the side of a funnel
shaped shoot S¹ which is pivotted at the top, and which as the wheel W revolves is
moved by the cam (for which a crank or eccentric might be substituted) to and fro,
bringing its lower mouth into coincidence with each of the slots E in succession.
Under the lower mouths of each of the shoots D is a sliding bar H from which
project upwards 4 studs h, and above each of the sliding bars H is another sliding
bar K. All the bars H are connected together by a cross bar J and on this is a
frame J from which extend to the back of the case two springs J which may be
helical or caoutchouc. By means of a cord L attached to the frame J', the five
bars I can be simultaneously drawn forwards and when the cord is loosed, the
springs J2 draw the bars H back. The frame might be moved both to and fro by
a rod or lever. Each of the bars K is connected by a cord N, led as desired over
suitable guide pullies, to one of a set of 5 pigeon traps which are kept closed by
weights or springs unless when they are opened by the pull of the bars K. The
end of each of the bars I has slots through which the studs h can pass freely.
At the side of each of the bars Kat its front termination is the mouth at a shoot Q
communicating with the shoot B. The apparatus operates in the following manner.
The motor M being started causing the wheel W to revolve, a coin introduced
at S drops into the funnel shoot S¹ and from it into such one or other of the slots E
as happens to present itself to the lower mouth of S¹. The coin is carried round
in the slot E until it comes over that one of the shoots D which coincides with the
particular slot E holding the coin. The coin then descends the shoot D and lodges
between the studs of one of the bars H as indicated at R in Figs. 1 and 2.
Should a second coin R' (Fig. 1) accidentally descend the same shoot D, it rolls
off from the coin R into the shoot Q and finds its way out at B¹. When a coin R
is lodged, as above described, between the studs h, it engages the bar H in which it
is received with the bar K above it, so that, on pulling the cord L, that particular
bar K is drawn forward pulling its cord N and so opening that one of the traps to
which N is connected. The coin is brought forward so as to be over the mouth of
the shoot B, and then on loosing L, it drops into the shoot and is delivered at B.
Although I have by way of example described apparatus suited for five pigeon
traps, obviously a less or a greater number might be operated in the manner
described. Also I have spoken of coins being employed to work the sliding bars,
but obviously tokens of suitable dimensions might be employed instead of coins.

page_text: 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 :-
Apparatus wherein a coin or its equivalent when introduced into a slot, is received
in one or other of a number of slots or passages in a revolving wheel, and thence
descends by one or other of a number of shoots to a position where it engages
one or other of a number of sliding bars moved by hand with a corresponding
sliding bar connected to a pigeon trap, substantially as and for the purpose set
forth.
Door of A muil 1002
ABEL & IMRAY,
Agents for the Applicant.