Improved Electric Time Switch Apparatus for Closing Circuits for Various Purposes, applicable more especially for Actuation by Coins.
Year: 1893

page_text: Improved Electric Time Switch Apparatus for Closing Circuits
for Various Purposes, applicable more especially for Actuation
by Coins.
I HENRY JOHN PARKER JOLLY St. Marys Russell Road Ipswich Commercial
Traveller a cominunication from George Richmond The De La Vergne Ref.
Machine Coy. Foot of 138th Street New York City U.S.A. Mechanical 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 :-
My invention belongs to that class of apparatus known under the general name
of vending apparatus, but inasmuch as by the use of my invention goods are not
purchased outright, but enjoyment is had of some machine, apparatus, process, etc..
during a specified time, it is more correctly distinguished by the name of reuting
machine.
For example, it is particularly applicable to electric lighting, the telephone, and
generally apparatus or processes which are dependent upon electricity as a motive
force or whose operation is determined by the making or breaking of an electric
current.
In the drawing Figure 1 is a sectional elevation and Fig. 2 a plan view, partly
in section, along the line a, a, of Figure 1. A is the main body or frame work of
the apparatus. It is bolted to a base plate or table by the flange A³, and it is
covered at the upper part by the plate or cover B. The screws, b, fasten the
cover, B. down to the frame A. It is seen that the mechanism is thus enclosed
within the bollow spaces of the body A, and is inacessible to the public. C is a
vertical shaft capable of casy motion in a bearing bored in the frame A. It projects
through into both the lower and upper chambers of the body. The mechanism D
for imparting motion is contained in the lower chamber and the mechanism, E, by
which the final result is attained is placed in the upper chamber. The object of
the mechanism D is to cause the shaft C, to rotate continuously or intermittently
at a specific rate to be determined by the purpose to which the apparatus is to be
applied. As shown the mechanism consists of a ratchet wheel d₁, which is made
fast to the shaft C, the lever, do, which swings loosely on the same shaft C, (being
retained in its place by a pine passing through the same), and carries a pawl, da
which by the vibration of the lever on which it is placed imparts an intermittent
motion to the ratchet-wheel, d, and through it to the shaft C. The ratchet, d., is
held up against the ratchet-wheel by a spring in the usual manner, and the lever de
is held against the fixed stop, S, by a spring S₁. The rod is caused to vibrate by
the action of the eletro magnet m. Each time that the current passes through
the wire m, the electro magnet is excited and draws the lever de into contact with
itself against the force of the spring S, whereby the ratchet-wheel is rotated on one
tooth. When the current in the wire m, is broken the action of the spring S₁
brings the lever back against the stop. This process is repeated each time a
current is sent through the wire m, the sending of which may be determined by an
electric clock at the head quarters.
The apparatus E consists of a circular plate, e, made fast to the shaft C, a
toothed plate or wheel, e, which revolves loosely on the shaft C (shown turned
down at this point for receiving, it) to the under surface of which is attached a
ratchet-wheel, e. A pawl, e,, attached to the plate, e, engages the ratchet-wheel, e₂,
and imparts to it and the plate, e, to which it is attached, the motion imparted by
the shaft C to the plate, e, at the same time allowing the plate e₁ to be freely
rotated in one direction. The plate, e₁, covers the hole in the frame A and its

page_text: teeth, t, sweep, along any coins which may be dropped into the annular space
between the periphery of the plate, en, and the inner circumference of the covering-
plate B. A funnel, F, for dropping coins through this space is shown in Figure 1.
Its position is preferably over the coin as seen in Figure 2. A lever having two
arms, G and G1, swings on a pivot 7, and when at rest the arm G is held against
the stop gi
H is a contact maker. In its normal condition the lever, h, is drawn
out of contact by a spring, h₁, attached to a fixed stop g2 and the circuit is opened.
By the pressure of the lever arm G against the lever h contact is made and a
current can flow through the wire n, n. K is a button, the shank of which passes
through the cover B and encircles a sleeve, e, forming a part of or attached to the
plate, e
The outer periphery of this sleeve is cut to form a ratchet-wheel and
the encircling button contains a pawl, e, seen in Figure 1. The withdrawal of the
button, K, is prevented by the passing of a pin, b₁, into a groove, b, made in its
periphery, the said pin, b₁, being attached to the cover B as seen in Figure 1. A
hole, A2, is made in the frame A by which communication is made between the
upper surface and the pocket, A³, formed in the casting of the frame A. Through
this opening coins can fall into the chamber A, whence they can be removed by
opening the door A. Q is an ordinary registering device by which the number of
revolutions of the shaft, C, is registered through the intermediary gear q and
P is a stop motion consisting of an electro magnet p₁ the coils of which are on
the n, n, circuit, a bell crank, p,, one arm of which rests on the wheel, d₁, and the
other arm hanging when in this position in front of the electro magnet, but clear of
it; p are stops or studs on the wheel, d, there being the same number of stops as
there are teeth, t. The rotation of the shaft C, and all attached to it is arrested
by encounter of a stop, pз with the lever pz, until by closing of the circuit n, n,
the lever, p., is lifted by the action of the electro magnet on the same.
When
the clock motion is derived from an independent electric circuit it may of course
be arrested and started by causing the electro magnet, pi, when excited to close the
circuit.
The mode of operation is as follows:-
The coin being placed in the funnel, F, through the slit seen on the left-hand of
the same it drops down on to the surface of the frame, A, on the face of which the
toothed plate, e₁, is revolving. By the motion of this plate, which motion is
received from the shaft C, the coin will be caught by one of the teeth and carried
round until it is brought in contact with the lever arin G'. The space between the.
periphery of the plate, ei, and the lever arm, G', forming a passage narrower than
the diameter of the coin the latter will be displaced by rotation upon the fulcrum, g,
whereby the lever arm, G, will press upon the lever h, and close the contact. The
current will remain closed by this closing of the contact by this continual pressure of
the coin against the lever arm, G', and will only cease when the coin has been carried
past the lever at which moment, or soon after, it is carried over the mouth of the
funnel, As, and drops through into chamber A,. Contact can only be made again, and
enjoyment had of whatever advantage is derived from the flow through the wire n, n,
by placing another coin in the funnel F. As will be seen from Figure 2 the operation,
it the mechanism were left to itself, would not commence until some time after the
coin had been inserted. To avoid this delay the operator can by means of the
button, K, rotate the plate, e, in the proper direction for making contact so that
he can at once set the mechanism in operation, but on account of the ratchet
mechanism, e, and e̟, within the button he cannot make use of this latter to
hold the plate, e, in opposition to the motor mechanism, D. As the ratchets e,
and are interposed this rotation by hand is also independent of the rotation of
the wheel d¹.
The teeth,, on the plate, e, are so arranged in relation to the length of the lever
arın G that at or before the moment when one tooth removes the coin out of
operative contact with the lever G' the next following tooth can bring another 5
coin in operative contact with said lever arm. Thus a number of coins may be
placed in the funnel, F, and the operation of the mechanism will be continuous

page_text: that is to say the circuit through n, n, will be closed until the whole of these coins
have been utilized.
The coin marked 5 is of course purely representative, and may be a coin of any
value, or a disk of metal supplied to the user.
The rate at which the shaft C and the plate e, is rotated will depend upon the
purpose to which the apparatus is applied. For example, as applied to the
telephone the shaft may be caused to make one revolution in thirty minutes and
there being six teeth the insertion of a coin will give the use of the telephone as
determined by closing the circuit n, n, for a space of five minutes. If the tariff is
say five cents for five minutes the person who wishes to use the telephone for that
time will insert a five cent piece turning the button K until the circuit is closed,
but if he desires to use it for fifteen minutes he will put in three five-cent pieces,
in which case he will have uninterrupted use for fifteen minutes.
As applied to electric lighting the shaft C might be caused to rotate once in six
hours. The insertion of a suitable coin would then give the use of the electric
light current governed by the circuit, n, n, for the space of one hour or for as many
bours' continuous use as the number of coins inserted.
.
It will be understood of course that the circuit n, n, need not be that through
which the current to be used actually passes but is preferably a current of moderate
strength operating a contact breaker and maker for the main current. In this
nanner it may be applied to the automatic renting of machines, etc., not themselves
operating by electricity. For example in renting power the closing of the
circuit, n,, may determine the throwing of the transmitting mechanism into gear.
With regard to the motor mechanism, D, this may be any form of clock motion
which may be either actuated from the central station or may be wound up to a
sufficient extent by the operator himself. I prefer however the arrangement by
which the motor apparatus D is controlled from the central station. It is desirable
that the opening or closing of the circuit, n, n, should control the rotation of the
shaft C, since by this arrangement a counter actuated by the shaft C or any parts
of the mechanism permanently attached to it would register the total number of
revolutions made by the shaft C and thereby form a check upon the receipts and
reveal the fact if the mechanism had been so tampered with as to cause rotation
without payment.
An arrangement suitable for this purpose is that shown at P, and already
described. This, together with the counter Q, also renders the machine available
for use in cases where it is not desired to obtain payment in advance, but to charge
according to the time during which the main current has been closed.
In this case
In
all the mechanism E connected with the upper extremity of the shaft C may be
omitted. The current n, n, is then closed at will and the time during which it has
been closed will be registered on the counter Q. The intervals between the stops, P3
now determine the minimum time during which the apparatus can be used.
electric lighting the stops may be practically continuous, and when used in
connection with the telephone it is desirable to have a minimum charge for each
use of the instrument.
I do not confine myself to the exact details which may be varied to suit particular
applications. The essential feature of the mechanism E is the bringing the coin
or token into a passage smaller in one dimension than one of the dimensions of the
coin, whereby the latter is caused to press with force against one of the sides of
the passage, which is capable of yielding under the pressure. It is evident that
instead of the diameter of the coin or disk its thickness may be utilized in this
connection. Moreover the current may be closed by the actual contact of the coin
or disk itself, which though difficult with a coin on account of the poor surface
contact obtainable might very well be done when a prepared disk is used.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said invention,
and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I claim is:
1. In a renting machine, the combination of a coin carrier a passage normally

page_text: narrower than the diameter of the coin and having a displaceable side, means for
rotating said carrier at a predetermined rate, whereby the coin is passed into said
passage, and remains therein and presses against the displaceable side thereof for a
period of time determined by the length of the passage, and means for causing the
displacement of said displaceable side of the passage to close an electric circuit.
2. In a renting machine, the combination of a coin carrier, a passage normally
narrower than the diameter of the coin and having a displaceable side, means for
rotating said carrier at a predetermined rate whereby the coin is passed into said
passage, remains therein and presses against the displaceable side thereof for a
period of time determined by length of said passage, and means for causing the
displacement of said displaceable. side of the passage to open an electric circuit.
3. In a renting machine a coin carrier in the form of a plate enclosed within a
chamber having an aperture for the reception of coins, and provided with a
plurality of teeth each adapted to embrace and carry forward a coin, a passage one
side of which is formed by the periphery of said plate, the opposite wall being
displaceable, the normal width of said passage being less than the diameter of the
coin and its length less than the distance between the two consecutive teeth of the
carrier-plate, means for rotating said carrier-plate at a predetermined rate, and
means for causing the displacement of said displaceable side to close an electric
circuit.
4. In a renting machine the combination of a coin carrier freely rotatable in one
direction, whereby the coin can be brought into a passage and caused to press upon
a displaceable side thereof, means for causing displacement of said side to close an
electric current and set in operation a clock mechanism for rotating said coin
carrier at a predetermined rate, whereby the pressure of said coin against said
displaceable side and closing of said current is continued for a period of time
determined by the length of said passage.
5. In a renting machine the combination of clock motion D, shaft C driven
thereby, the coin carrier e₁ and ratchet e both attached to said shaft, lever G the
contour of one edge of which follows the path of said coin carrier, contact maker h
in operative connection with said lever G, button K loosely embracing shaft C and
pawl e, contained in said button, and adapted to operate on said ratchet e
6. In a renting machine the combination of clock motion D, shaft C driven
thereby, coin carrier e₁ loose upon the said shaft, plate e, ratchet both attached
to said shaft ratchet wheel e, attached to said coin carrier pawl ez attached to said
plate, and adapted to engage said ratchet e,, button K containing pawl e, adapted
to engage said ratchet eg, button K containing pawl e, adapted to operate on said
ratchet e
7. In a renting machine the combination of clock motion D, shaft C driven
thereby, button K, the therein contained pawl e, ratchet e, attached to said shaft,
coin carrier ei the thereto attached ratchet e, plate e, the pawl e, carried thereby,
register Qin operative connection with said shaft C, electro-magnet p', levered
arinature for same p, adapted to engage stops p, as, and for the purpose described.
8. In combination, means for producing an electric current à clock motion
adapted to actuate a registering device at a predetermined rate; means for arresting
said clock motion when said current is open, and means for releasing said clock
motion when said current is closed.
9. In combination: with means for producing an electric current in a wire n, n,
and an electro-magnet p¹, operated by the same, clock motion D, register Q, a
lever p, and stops p., at suitable intervals as, and for purpose described.
December 2nd 1893..
H. J. PARKER JOLLY.