Improvements in Coin-freed Apparatus for the Delivery of Gases or Liquids.
Year: 1898

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION,
[Communicated from abroad by PAUL C. SHAFFER, of 801, Third Avenue, New
York, United States of America, Machinist.]
Improvements in Coin-freed Apparatus for the Delivery of Gases
or Liquids.
I, HENRY HARRIS LAKE, of the Firm of Haseltine, Lake & Co., Patent Agents,
45, Southampton Buildings, in the County of Middlesex, 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 a gas or liquid vending machine to be used in con-
junction with an appropriate meter, the valve of the machine governing the
escape of gas or liquid being opened by mechanism actuated by a coin, and closed
automatically by mechanism actuated by the ordinary meter mechanism. The
invention consists in a novel combination of parts hereinafter described, and
shown in the drawings, by means of which a variable quantity of gas or liquid
can be safely delivered to the consumer, yet any attempt to fraudulently use the
machine will be rendered fruitless by the guards employed.
These objects are attained by means of the mechanism illustrated in the accom-
panying drawings, in which
Figure 1 is a plan view of a gas meter showing the meter mechanism and the
vending machine attached thereto, the upper portion of the case containing the
latter being removed. Figure 2 is a front view of the vending machine with the
front of the case removed. Figure 3 is a vertical section along the line X, X of
the parts shown in Fig. 2, looking in the direction of the arrows. Figure 4 is a
vertical section along the line Y, Y of the parts shown in Fig. 3, looking in the
direction of the arrows, showing also in section the coin conduit and coin recep-
tacle. Figure 5 is a side elevation of the valve, having a part broken away.
Figure 6 is a side elevation of the coin conduit and coin receptacle, and Figure
7 is a front elevation of a meter having the vending machine attached thereto.
The various parts of the machine are shown in the position they occupy when the
gas is about to be cut off.
In the operation of the machine a coin 1 is placed in the coin conduit 2 and
thence delivered into a V-shaped cavity 3 in the rotatable coin receptacle 4, the
edge of the coin slightly projecting from the cavity as shown in Fig. 4. On the
outside of the coin conduit 2 a trap or door 5 is hinged adapted to close the aperture
left in the wall of coin conduit 2 for the passage of the projecting edge of the
coin. The coin receptacle 4 is encased in a stationary shell 6 as shown in Figs.
1, 4 and 6, which shell has a portion cut out in such manner as to prevent the
withdrawing of the coin at any other place except the place of receiving and that
of delivering the same in the cash receiver of the machine. The mode of retain-
ing the coin by means of the flanges of this stationary shell is especially illustrated
in Figs. 1 and 6 of the drawings in which it is shown that the distance between
the inner edges of the flanges while less than the diameter of the coin is sufficient
to allow the edge of the coin to project.
The coin receptacle 4 is mounted in suitable bearings and provided on one end
with a ratchet wheel 7 and gravity pawls 8 and 9 allowing the con receptacle to
be rotated in one direction only. The stem of the coin receptacle projects through

page_text: the outer case 10 of the machine and there carries a handle 11 by means of which
it is rotated.
A crown wheel 12 revolved by the meter mechanism, when the meter is work-
ing, by means of a pinion 13 secured to shaft 14 serves to regulate the quantity
of gas to be delivered for a unit of coin, one revolution of this wheel correspond-
ing to the quantity of gas to be delivered for one coin; the wheel 12 carries on
its back a pin 15, as shown in Fig. 4, in which the pin appears in cross section ;
this pin 15 at the end of each revolution of the wheel 12 will raise the spring
latch 16, which is mounted in hearings secured upon one leg 17 of the principal
working lever A, by means of a cam 18. The lever A is secured to the valve-
stem 19 of inlet valve V which regulates the gas supply, the broad segmental leg
20-being provided with notches 21, 22, 23, 24 and 25 all of which with the ex-
ception of the first notch 21 are equal. The tooth of the first notch 21 is longer
than the teeth of the other notches in segmental leg 20 in order to afford a greater
bearing surface to engage with the coin and thus throw the latch 16 over the first
long tooth on rack B to effect the purposes hereinafter described. The coin recep-
tacle 4 with the projecting edge of the coin acting as a tooth or finger will engage
one of these notches and cause the lever A to oscillate and thereby open the inlet
valve until the spring latch attached to the other leg 17 of the lever A slips
behind teeth 26, 27, 28, 29 or 30 respectively, which teeth are cut into the upper
edge of a stationary rack B mounted upon the frame of the machine. One coin is
required to advance the lever A one tooth and in turn each revolution of the
wheel 12 will raise the latch 16, by means of pin 15 and cam 18, and the leg 17
actuated by spring 31 will slip back to the next tooth on the rack B gradually
closing the inlet valve V in the supply pipe 32. Corresponding to the first large
notch 21 on leg 20 of lever A are teeth 33 and 26 on rack B the combined length
of which is more than the length of any one of the remaining teeth. This is so
that the first coin inserted will open the valve wide enough to permit a full supply
of gas to escape. The tooth 33 is less distant from the center of the circle the
circumference of which touches the teeth 26, 27, 28, 29 and 30 than are these
teeth so that the small tooth 34 on cam 18 actuated by pin 15 will raise latch 16
over tooth 33 while it will not raise it over the other teeth on the rack B. The
cam 18 is loosely mounted on valve-stem 19 and has two teeth 34 and 35. As
has been pointed out the cam is actuated by pin 15 on wheel 12 engaging one
of the teeth on the cam. Tooth 35 is large enough to raise 16 over any of
the teeth on rack B while tooth 34 is only large enough to raise latch 16 sufficient
to allow pin 15 to pass thereunder and also to raise latch 16 over tooth 33 as
shown. When the amount of gas paid for has been nearly consumed tooth 33 will
raise latch 16 over tooth 26 and latch 16 snapping back will rest on tooth 33.
The gas will then be partially cut off, the valve V, being in the position
shown in Fig. 5, and the diminution of the light will warn the consumer that
the gas is soon to be entirely cut off. When the entire amount of gas is consumed
tooth 34 will raise the latch over tooth 33 and the latch snapping to its resting
place will immediately shut off the gas by closing valve V. In the form of tooth
33 shown in the drawings a steady diminished flame will burn to the end. But
should the tooth be at a more acute angle then the flame will gradually increase
after the first diminution as in raising latch 16 the valve V will be opened slightly
before the final cutting off. Should the tooth be at a more obtuse angle then the
flame will diminish gradually by the gradual closing of the valve and should the face
of the tooth be of an irregular outline then the light would alternately increase
and diminish according as the valve more less opened and closed. In each of these
cases a more certain warning is given the consumer of the approaching closing of
the valve than if teeth 33 and 34 were omitted and latch 16 snapped to its resting
place immediately upon being raised over tooth 26 thus shutting off the gas with-
out warning. This latter method is however, within the scope of this invention.
In this machine as shown it is possible to place five coins or less in the recep-
tacle.successively and thus provide for a continual flow of gas until the equivalent

page_text: of such coins shall have been used. It is obvious that more coins can be inserted
by so adapting the machine.
If the operator of the machine should endeavor to remove the coin inserted
through the coin conduit the trap or door 5 will prevent such procedure and I
preferably make such trap or door with a knife edge so as to cut any string which
might be attached to any coin inserted.
If it should be attempted to clamp coin receiver 4 thus preventing it from ro-
tating and holding the coin in fixed position, this fraud can be prevented by em-
ploying the devices shown in Figures 1 and 2 of the drawings, as follows: 41 and
50 are the ordinary vertical shafts having an oscillating motion caused by the ex-
pansion and contraction of the diaphragm in the meter. Links 49 and 47 pivoted
at 48 and links 42 and 44 pivoted at 43 communicating motion to hub 46 con-
stitute the usual gas meter imechanism Arm 40 fastened to shaft 41 at one end
and loosely connected to rod 38 at the other converts the oscillating motion of 41
to a reciprocating motion in 38. At the other end of 38 is loosely connected an
arm 39 linked to another arm 36 on which latter is mounted pawl 9 engaging
with ratchet wheel 7. Gravity pawl 8 mounted on the frame of the machine also
engages wheel 7. As shown in Figure 2 wheel 7 is mutilated to permit a slight
backward and forward movement so that the coin may be easily dropped into the
receiver. It will be readily seen that the reciprocating motion of 38 communi-
cates a circular motion to coin receiver 4 and that if coin receiver 4 is prevented
from rotating, pawl 9 through the intervening mechanism will cause the meter
mechanism to stop working and thus shut off the gas.
The valve-stem 19 extends to the front of the machine and there has secured
to it a dial 37 having suitable figures printed upon its face and by means of which
the amount of gas purchased can be ascertained. The outer case 10 of the
machine is provided with an aperture through which the dial may be seen as is
shown in Fig. 7.
To ensure the valve V working uniformly without too great friction, the spring
31 operating the lever A is wound spirally around valve-stem 19, one end of the
spiral portion of the spring resting against the barrel of the valve and the other
against a shoulder or stop on the valve-stem, thus enacting a lateral pressure
transferring sufficient of the friction between the valve-stem and the barrel to
the nut on the back of the valve to prevent the jamming of the valve-stem and
barrel.
To meet the fluctuations in the price of gas I employ crown wheels having more
or less teeth according as the price fluctuates and by making the crown wheel
removable and supplanting it by another the fluctuations can be met.
It is evident that the use of this machine is not confined to gas vending
machines as herein principally described, but can also be used to dispense
measured quantities of liquid.
Having now described and ascertained the nature of the said invention and in
what manner the same is to be performed as communicated to me by my foreign
correspondent, I declare that what I claim is ;-
1. In a gas or liquid vending machine, the combination of a coin conduit, a
movable receptacle adapted to receive and hold the coin while it engages the
valve-operating part, a valve, a lever secured to the valve-stem of said valve and
adapted to open said valve, a spring latch operatively connected to said valve and
adapted to engage a corresponding part to hold said valve open; and means for
automatically closing the same, substantially as specified.
2. In a gas or liquid vending machine, the combination of a coin conduit, a
movable receptacle adapted to receive and hold the coin while it engages the
valve-operating part, a valve, a lever secured to the valve-stem of said valve and
adapted to open said valve, a spring latch operatively connected to said valve,
means adapted to engage said spring latch thereby holding the valve open, and
means for automatically closing the same, substantially as specified.

page_text: 3. In a gas or liquid vending machine, the combination of a coin conduit, a
movable receptacle adapted to receive and hold the coin while it engages the
valve-operating part, a valve, a lever secured to the valve-stem of said valve and
adapted to open said valve, a lever having a spring latch and secured to said valve-
stem, a rack adapted to engage said spring latch thereby holding the valve open,
and means for automatically closing the same, substantially as specified.
4. In a gas or liquid vending machine, the combination of a coin conduit, a
movable receptacle adapted to receive and hold the coin while it engages the
valve-operating part, a valve, a lever secured to the valve-stem of said valve and
adapted to open said valve, a spring latch operatively connected to said valve,
means adapted to engage said spring latch thereby holding the valve open, a
wheel having a cam arranged to actuate said spring latch, and means adapted to
turn the valve-stem thereby closing the valve, substantially as specified.
5. In a gas or liquid vending machine, the combination of a movable recep-
tacle adapted to receive and hold the coin while it engages the valve-operating
part, said receptacle having a wheel secured upon one end thereof turned by
means of pawl and lever actuated by the meter mechanism, a valve, means for
opening said valve and means for automatically closing the same, substantially
as specified.
6. In a gas or liquid vending machine, the combination of a coin conduit, a
movable receptacle adapted to receive and hold the coin while it engages the valve-
operating part, a valve, a lever secured to the valve-stem of said valve and adapted
to open said valve, a lever having a spring latch and secured to said valve-stem,
means adapted to engage said spring latch thereby holding the valve open and
means for automatically closing the same, substantially as specified.
7. In a gas or liquid vending machine, the combination with coin controlling
means of a rack having a series of teeth, the last of said teeth being smaller than
the others, a spring latch adapted to engage said teeth, means operated by the
movement of said latch for controlling the valve, and a cam having a plurality of
projections so arranged with respect to said teeth that one projection will raise
the latch over each of the teeth while another will raise the latch over the small
tooth only, substantially as specified.
8. In a gas or liquid vending machine, the combination with coin controlling
means of a rack having a series of teeth, the last of said teeth being smaller than
the others, a spring latch adapted to engage said teeth, means operated by the
movements of said latch for controlling the valve, and a cam having a plurality
of projections so arranged with respect to said teeth that one projection will raise
the latch over each of the teeth while another will raise the latch over the small
tooth only, and a wheel having a pin adapted to operate said cam, substantially
as specified.
9. In a gas or liquid vending machine, coin controlled means whereby a pre-
determined amount of gas or liquid is permitted to escape, said means including a
wheel 12, pin 15, cam 18, latch 16, spring 31 and tooth 33, substantially as speci-
fied.
10. In a gas or liquid vending machine, coin controlled means whereby a pre-
determined amount of gas or liquid is permitted to escape, said means including
a wheel 12, pin 15, cam 18 having teeth 34 and 35, latch 16, spring 31 and tooth
33, substantially as specified.
Dated this 15th day of Dasamban 1000
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C.,
Agents for the Applicant.