Improvements in Coin-freed Apparatus for the Automatic Delivery of Books.
Year: 1895

page_text: Date of Application, 8th Mar., 1895
Complete Specification Left, 7th Dec., 1895-Accepted, 11th Jan., 1896
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Coin-freed Apparatus for the Automatic Delivery
of Books.
I, EMILE ALEXANDRE NORBERG, of No. 21 Boulevard Poissonnière, Paris
Manufacturer do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention relates to improvements in coin-freed apparatus for the automatic
delivery of books, and is adapted for use in railway carriages, steam or sailing
vessels, waiting-rooms and other places of public resort, the object of the invention
being to provide means for enabling travellers and other persons to readily obtain
a book for reading or reference during a journey or an interval of waiting.
My improved apparatus, which is distinguished by simplicity of action, consists in
a particular arrangement of releasing mechanism whereby upon the introduction of
a coin of given value within a slot provided for the purpose, a flap closing a case
containing the book required is unfastened and can be raised so as to allow of the
withdrawal of the book by hand.
The case or compartment may be made of rectangular form and of light metal
or other suitable material having its sides formed preferably with an open pattern
to show the book contained therein. It is provided with a flap or cover having
suitable perforations to display the back and title of the book, and hinged at the
upper part to the top of the case, whilst its lower end is fastened by means of a
catch forming part of the mechanism hereafter to be described. At the inner end
of the case is arranged a strong spring for the purpose of pushing the book slightly
outwards when the flap is released by the catch so as to facilitate the taking hold
and withdrawal of the book. The catch is pivoted to one extremity of a plate-
spring secured to the underside of the case, and is connected by means of a link to
a suitable crank-lever pivoted in supports conveniently mounted upon the inner
side of a metal box enclosing the mechanism. At opposite sides of this crank-
lever and of the catch (situate in the same plane) are two levers pivoted on the
axis of the crank-lever, the upper ends of which levers project slightly over the
inner edge of a plate in which the coin slot is formed; these two levers are connected
together at their lower ends by a suitable cross-piece forming a counter-weight
which tends to bring then when free to a vertical position, whereas when the
levers are pushed back by the closed flap they assume an inclined position. The
lower extremities of the levers have a hook or nose so formed as to provide a rest
for the coin after its insertion through the slot provided in the front part of the
top plate of the metal box. Upon the front side of the box enclosing the action
and below the coin slot is arranged a push-piece capable of a limited movement
through an orifice and secured upon a suitable plate spring immediately within the
Fox, the upper end of which plate-spring, or the part extending above the push-
piece is suitably recessed or slotted to give passage to the nose or extremity of the
crank lever when the push-piece is pressed inwards without the previous introduction
of a coin through the slot.
The entire action above described is enclosed within a suitable metal box fixed
upon the bottom of the case in which the book is contained. A suitable receptacle
is formed in the lower part of the box to receive the coins.
In operation, a book having been placed in the case or compartment, and the
flap having beeu lowered and secured in the closed position by means of the catch,

page_text: if a coin be inserted through the slot it will rest against the nose or lower end of
the balanced levers, and remain between the plate-spring and push-piece on the
one side, and the nose or upper extremity of the crank lever on the other side.
By pressing the pusb piece the coin is caused to turn the crank lever on its pivot,
whereupon through its connection with the link the catch is withdrawn and the
flap released. Directly the latter is free the book is projected forward by the
spring within the case sufficiently to allow it to be readily taken hold of by hand.
Simultaneously the balanced levers liberated by the raising of the flap assume the
vertical position thus allowing the coin to fall into the money receptacle.
To return the movable parts to their original position, the book being replaced
in its case, the flap is closed down whereupon it is engaged by the catch, and at
the same time the balanced levers resume their inclined position.
Several cases containing books may with advantage be arranged in a horizontal
row independently partitioned off by openwork sides or otherwise as preferred,
separate releasing and fastening mechanism being provided for the respective flaps.
A common enclosing box may in this case be constructed in one length to contain
the entire mechanism, and only a single money receptacle will be needed for the
series.
Or, I may adopt as a modification of the releasing mechanism an arrangement in
which the crank lever previously described is hinged directly to the catch,
(dispensing with the intermediate link), a suitable spring being employed to cause
the catch to engage with the flap. In this case a flange or ledge is formed on the
lower part of the orifice through which the push-piece projects, to intercept
the coin which will then rest between the nose of the crank lever and the push-
piece, until the latter being pressed inwards causes the lever to turn upon its pivot
and release the catch, the coin being simultaneously projected over the ledge and
dropping into the money receptacle.
Instead of the mechanism being arranged upon the bottom of the book case, it
may be mounted upon the movable flap which in that case is hinged either to the
top or to the bottom of the case as preferred. In either arrangement the flap may
be furnished with a spring hinge to assist its opening irrespective of the action of
the plate-spring provided within the case.
Dated this Eighth day of March 1895
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Coin-freed Apparatus for the Automatic Delivery
of Books.
I, EMILE ALEXANDRE NORBERG of No. 21 Boulevard Poissonnière, Paris,
Manufacturer, 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 improvements in coin freed apparatus for the automatic
delivery of books, and is adapted for use in railway carriages, steam or sailing
vessels, waiting rooms and other places of public resort, the object of the invention
being to provide means for enabling travellers and other persons to readily obtain
a book for reading or reference during a journey or an interval of waiting.
My improved apparatus, which is distinguished by simplicity of action, consists in
a particular arrangement of releasing mechanism, whereby upon the introduction of
a coin of a given value within a slot provided for the purpose, a flap closing a case
containing the book required, is unfastened and can be raised so as to allow of the
withdrawal of the book by hand.

page_text: Upon the accompanying drawings mustrating my mvention
Figure 1 is a perspective general view of the automatic apparatus,
Figure 2 being a vertical section of the same.
Figure 3 is a vertical section through line 1-2 of Figure 2.
Figure 4, a horizontal section on line 3-4 of Figure 2.
Figure 5 also a horizontal section on line 5-6 of the same figure.
Figure 6 represents a modification of the releasing mechanism.
As shown on Figures 1, 2, 3 and 4, the case or compartment A may be made of
rectangular form and of metal or other suitable material, having its sides formed
preferably with an open pattern to show the book B contained therein. It is
provided with a flap or cover C having suitable perforations to display the back
and title of the book and hinged at the upper part a to the top of the case A whilst
its lower end is fastened and retained by means of a catch 6 forming part of the
mechanism hereafter to be described.
At the inner end of the case is arranged a strong spring D, for the purpose of
pushing the book slightly outwards when the flap C is released from the catch b so
as to facilitate the taking hold and withdrawal of the book.
The catch bis pivoted to one extremity of a plate spring secured to the under-
side of the case and is connected by means of a link c to a suitable crank lever d,
pivoted at din supports e e¹ conveniently mounted upon the inner side of a metal
box E enclosing the mechanism. At opposite sides of this crank lever d and of
the catch (situated in the same plane) are two levers ff pivoted on the axis of
the crank lever d, the upper ends of which levers project slightly over the inner
edge of a plate g in which the coin slot is formed; these two levers ff are
connected together at their lower ends by a suitable cross-piece forming a
counterweight which tends to bring them when free to a vertical position,
whereas when the levers ff are pushed back by the closed flap they assume
an inclined position, as shewn on Figure 2. The lower extremities of the levers i
have a hook or nose so formed as to provide a rest for the coin after its insertion
through the slot in the front part of the top plate g of the metal box.
Upon the front side of the box E enclosing the action and below the coin
slot j
arranged a push piece k capable of a limited movement through an
orifice and secured upon a suitable plate spring immediately within the box;
the upper end of which plate spring or the part extending above the push
piece, is suitably recessed or slotted to give passage to the nose or extremity d²
of the crank lever d when the push piece k is pressed inwards without the
previous introduction of a coin through the slot.
The entire action above described is enclosed within a suitable metal box E
fixed upon the bottom of the case in which the book is contained, and a suitable
receptacle F is formed in the lower part of the box to receive the coins.
In operation, a book B having been placed in the case or compartment A and
the flap C having been lowered and secured in the closed position by means of
the catch, if a coin be inserted at the slot it will rest against the nose or lower
end of the balanced levers ff¹ (see Figure 2) and remain between the plate
spring and push piece k on the one side and the nose or upper extremity d² of
the crank lever d'on the other side. By pressing the push piece k the coin is
caused to turn the crank lever d on its pivot whereupon, through its communication
with the link c the catch is withdrawn and the flap C released. Directly
this latter is free the book is projected forward by the spring D within the case
in such a manner as to allow it to be readily taken hold of by the hand.
Simultaneously the balanced levers f liberated by the raising of the flap,
assume the vertical position thus allowing the coin to fall into the money
receptacle F.
To return the movable parts to their original position, the book being replaced
in its case the flap C is closed down whereupon it is engaged by the catch and at
the same time the balanced levers f resume their inclined position.
Several cases containing books may with advantage be arranged in a vertical or

page_text: horizontal row, independently partitioned off by open-work sides or otherwise as
preferred, a separate releasing and fastening mechanism being provided for each
flap. A common enclosing box may in this case be constructed in one length to
contain the entire mechanism, and ouly a single money receptacle will be needed
for the series.
I may adopt as a modification of the releasing mechanism the arrangement shown
in Figure 6, in which the crank lever d previously described is hinged directly to
the catch dispensing with the intermediate link and a suitable spring being
employed to cause the catch to engage with the flap C. In this case a flange or
ledge m is formed on the lower part of the orifice through which the push piece k
projects to intercept the coin which will then rest between the nose d² of the crank
lever d and the push piece k, until the latter being pressed inwards causes the lever
to turn on its pivot and release the catch, the coin being simultaneously projected
over the ledge and dropping into the money receptacle.
Instead of the mechanism being arranged upon the bottom of the book case, it
may be mounted upon the movable flap, which in that case is hinged either to the
top, or to the bottom of the case as preferred. In either arrangement the flap may
be furnished with a spring hinge to assist its opening irrespective of the action of
the plate spring provided within the case.
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
1. A case or compartment for containing a book having a flap or cover to close
its front through which are formed openings to show the back and title of the book,
such compartment being provided interiorly with a spring exerting pressure
against the book contained therein to project it to a limited extent outwards,
and the flap being hinged upon the case so as when closed to keep the spring
in a state of tension until its opening is effected whereby it becomes possible to
withdraw the book..
2. The combination in vertical or horizontal rows of several cases or compart-
ments as described in the foregoing claim, said cases being divided by partitions
which may be perforated or not, in such a manner as to separate each book and
each having an independent cover which can be opened without freeing the others;
the whole forming a shelf of books which can only be released one at a time and
that by means of freeing their covers, as described.
3. The combination with a case or compartment as described in Claim 1 of
mechanism for disengaging the cover of the case; said mechanism being brought
into action by introducing a coin of predetermined value, and consisting of a push
piece k, crank lever d, a catch b, levers f& f1, the whole arranged and operating
in the manner and substantially as and for the purposes described with reference to
Figures 1 to 5 of accompanying drawing.
4. The coin freed apparatus for the automatic delivery of books as shown on
Figures 1-5 of accompanying drawing.
(
5. The alternative releasing mechanism illustrated on Figure 6 of the accom-
panying sheet of drawings.
Dated this Seventh day of December 1895.