Improvements in and relating to Coin-freed Apparatus for Adminis- tering an Electric Current and Delivering Articles.
Year: 1889

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in and relating to Coin-freed Apparatus for Adminis-
tering an Electric Current and Delivering Articles.
I, EDWIN THOMAS WEST, of No. 24 Cornwall Villas, Glyn Road Homerton, in
the county of Middlesex Electrician 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 relates to improvements in coinfreed apparatus for administering an
electric current to the human body, and also, under certain conditions providing for
the delivery of articles, such for instance as cigarettes.
The object of my invention is to obviate certain disadvantages appertaining to
apparatuses of this nature as hitherto constructed and used. In these machines it is
possible to place a coin in the slit provided for its reception, and, by means of the
mechanism, to establish the requisite connection for completing an electrical circuit
through the body of the operator, and, should he, while the current is flowing, transfer
the handles to another person, the latter is enabled to receive the electric current
without the insertion of a second coin, and this may be repeated by any number of
persons ad infinitum to the detriment of the commercial value of said machine. By
the adoption of my invention this disadvantage is entirely obviated. Also, in such
machines, as hitherto made and used, the indicator, which is generally operated by,
and dependent upon the degree of immersion of the core of an induction coil, indicates
the passage or flow of a current when the handle is moved, whether such current be
flowing or not, which renders the reading, and general utility of this part of the
mechanism untrustworthy. According to my invention, as heroinafter described, the
indicator is arranged in such a manner as to move only during the maintenance of
the electric circuit through the handles, and consequently through the body of the
operator. I also provide an auxiliary appliance by means of which a cigarette or
other article may be automatically delivered to any operator who may be able to
retain the handles when the index of the indicator reaches a predetermined
point.
In order that my invention may be the better understood, I have appended the accom-
panying sheet of drawings, in which Figure 1 represents a plan view of the general
arrangement of the mechanism upon the base board, certain parts which are not new,.
and forming no portion of my said invention being deleted. Figure 2 is a detached
view of a portion of the adjustable or regulating handle, shewing another position of
the same, relatively to that shewn by Figure 1. Figure 3 is a detached view of the
appliance for checking the action of the indicator when the electric circuit is
interrupted. Figure 4 is an end elevation of the device or contrivance for the
automatic delivery of cigarettes or other articles, and Figure,5 is a front elevation
of the same. Figure 6 is an elevation of the machine, shewing the general arrange-
ment thereof.
In carrying my invention into effect, I prefer to employ two handles or
terminals A A', Figures 1, 2 and 6; these being hinged at a a' so as to depend
vertically when not in use. The handle or terminal A is fixed at B, and con-
nected electrically to one of the terminals of the secondary wire of the induction
coil 1). The adjusting, or regulating handle A' is pivotted at B' and retained in the
position shewn by Figure 1 by means of a pin or projection at G upon the balanced
lever E. As the method of, and means for, freeing the lever A¹ by means of the
descent of a coin, forms no essential part of my said invention, I do not here
particularise the action thereof, but may employ any suitable method of utilising
the descent of said coin for freeing the lever A'. As an example, however, I have
shewn a balanced. lever E, presuming that in its normal position it locks the handle A¹

page_text: ·
by means of a pin G fitting a corresponding hole y in said handle A', and the impact
of a coin releases said handle A¹ any suitable means being adopted for releasing the
coin and relocking the lever, whether said lever E or any other device be adopted, and
allows of an horizontal movement toward the handle A, said movement drawing the
magnetic core Cout of the coil D, and thereby intensifying the effect of the current
upon the person holding and operating the handles A A!. The primary wire of the
coil is connected to a suitable battery, through a spring, contact I, attached to a
moveable arm H, said spring contact I pressing against a fixed contact J, and thereby
establishing the electrical circuit between the terminals of the battery and the
primary coils aforesaid, when the arm H is pressed inwards by the movement of the
handle A'. A pawl K, pivotted to the end of said handle A¹, and controlled by a
spring, presses against the lever H and causes contact to be established between I
and as above referred to. Should, however, the slightest retrograde movement be
iniparted to the handle A', the pawl K is depressed against the tension of the spring L
as shewn by the detached view, Figure 2, and the arm H is then free to move
outwards, and break the electrical contact between I and J. It rarely occurs in
practice for a second operator to receive the handles from the first operator without
the occurrence of a slight retrograde movement, therefore this part of my invention
is effective in preventing more than one person receiving the benefit of the use of the
machine by the introduction of a single coin into the slit.
I prefer to form a recess or depression to in the rubbing surface of the arm H,
Figures 1 and 2, so that the pawl K at the commencement of the movement of the
handle A, may assume the position shewn by Figure 1, thus causing the arm H to
make contact between 1 and J, since the pawl K then is extended to its greatest
distance from the centre B. Any retrograde movement. of the handle A¹ causes the
pawl K to assume the position shewn by Figure 2, which is at its least distance from
centre B', and consequently the electrical contact between I and J is interrupted.
A spiral spring S serves to restore the pivotted handle A! to its normal position
when released.
The indicator T, Figure 6 consists of a dial, suitably numbered, and provided with
an index, which is operated by a cord P, one end of which is attached to the end of
the core and the other end to a weight W shewn by the dotted outline Figure 6.
Referring now to Figure 1, it will be seen that the cord P, being attached to the
core at one end, passes over pulleys O, N and M. When said core C is withdrawn
from the coil D by the horizontal movement of the handle A¹, the cord is propor-
tionately released, and the index of the indicator is rotated by the descent of the
weight W, Figure 6. As the degree of intensity of the secondary current in the
yoil D is regulated by said core C. it is evident that the dial of the indicator T may
be set off into divisions or empirical figures corresponding thereto. In order to
prevent the rotation of the index of said indicator when contact is broken at I and J,
I attach to the arm H a projection Q, Figure 5 which grips the cord P against a
spring when the circuit is broken, the cord however slipping past said grip when
the handle A is returned...In order to release said cord, and restore the index to zero,
Laay form a projection upon the rubbing edge of the arm H, beyond the recess w,
shewn by Figure 2, so that said arm H is sufficiently depressed to release the
cord P at the termination of the stroke of the handle A' without making contact
between 1 and J, when the descent of the weight W, Figure 6 causes, the index to
point to zero.
When the pawl L has been depressed by a retrograde movement of the handle A',
it cannot be restored to its normal position so as to again establish the circuit
between and J until said handle A is released; and said pawl K drops into a
recess or depression in the edge of the arm H provided for that purpose, and then
said handle is locked by the balanced, lever E, at G, and cannot, be moved again
unless, another coin be caused to fall upon E.
1!..
may attach an auxiliary device to the coin freed apparatus as herein before
described, for the automatic delivery of cigarettes or other articles. This device is
shewn in side, and front elevation by Figures 4 and 5 respectively. Two rollers

page_text: or drums and e¹ carry an endless band e provided with pockets for holding
cigarettes or the like. A ratchet wheel dis attached to one of the rollers or
drums c, and an armature m pivotted at his provided with a pawlf so that
when, by the introduction of a coin into the silt provided for it, a current of
electricity is caused to flow round the coils of an electro-magnet i attracting the
armature m the ratchet d is fed, or rotated through the space of one tooth, corre-
sponding to one pocket upon the band e. Or the electric circuit may be established
between the terminals of the coils of the magnet i and the battery by means of a spring
contact attached to and operated by the handle A', at any part of its horizontal move-
ment. The feed, or rotary movement imparted to d has the effect of causing a pocket
upon the band e carrying a cigarette or the like to coincide with an orifice U,
Figure 6, formed in the outer case. A second electromagnet is provided with a
spring armature k furnished with a bent projection . At any pre-arranged degree of
intensity or strength of the secondary current from the coil D a contact may be
established by means of the indicator T, or the handle A¹, and the terminals of
the battery and the coils of the electromagnet j, at a later period, and following the
contact between the magnet i and the battery, and the consequent attraction of the
armature & causes a cigarette or other article contained in the pockets upon the band e
to be ejected from the orifice U in the front of the case, shewn by Figure 6.
feed movement of the band e may be actuated by cach release of the handle A',
whether the degree upon the indicator at which a cigarette or the like be delivered,
is reached, or not, or I may so arrange a simple electrical contact, that the feed
movement is actuated by the indicator just before the degree of intensity is attained
at which the cigarette is delivered by the magnet j and armature k, in the manner
before mentioned. If the feeding movement takes place without ejection, a cigarette
or the like is simply passed onwards and may be allowed to form part of the replenish-
ment of the pockets.
The
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, 1 wish it to be understood
that I do not claim the use of an induction coil, nor the coin-freed movement of the
core thereof, but what I claim is ;
First. In a coin freed apparatus for administering a current of electricity, the com-
bination of a coil, battery, indicator and coin freed lever, with a pivotted arm H
Figures 1 and 2, contacts I and J, pawl K and spring L substantially as and for the
purposes herein described, with reference to the accompanying sheet of drawings.
Second. In a coin freed apparatus for administering a current of electricity, as
referred to in the preceding claim, the employment of a stop or check for holding the
indicator cord P substantially as and for the purposes herein described, and shewn
more especially by Figure 3 of the appended sheet of drawings.
Third. The combination of a coin freed apparatus for administering a current of
electricity as referred to in the preceding claims, with an automatic appliance for the
delivery of cigarettes or like articles, substantially as herein described, and shewn by
Figures 4 and 5 of the appended drawings.
Dated this 2nd day of November 1889.
FREDK. WALKER & HYDE,
4, Little Moorfields, London, E.C., Agents for the Applicant.