Improvements in Coin-freed or Actuated Apparatus for Exhibition of Information and for Games of Chance or Pastimes and for other Purposes.
Year: 1889

page_text: Date of Application, 18th July, 1889
Complete Specification Left, 28th Nov., 1889-Accepted, 30th Nov, 1889
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Coin-freed or Actuated Apparatus for Exhibition
of Information and for Games of Chance or Pastimes and for
other Purposes.
!, ANTHONY HARRIS of the Vulcan Engine Works Middlesborough in the
County of York, Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
My invention relates principally to two classes of machines for the above named
purpose.
First, those which are entirely automatic, that is, which are caused to work by the
action of a coin alone, and Second, those which are caused to work through the
combined action of a coin and a push or pull bar or their equivalent.
Preferably I employ a cor or coils actuated by suitable cells and contact makers
and a vibrating armature similar to those used in electric bells.
One part of the contact maker is in the form of a fixed spring, and the other is
pivotted and balanced, and provided with a money tray into which the coin or coins
fall from the money slide.
On the insertion of the coin or coins, the balance of the arm fixed to the money
tray is altered, and the opposite end engages with the fixed portion of the contact
maker and the circuit is completed, and the armature vibrates by means of the electric
current.
To the armatare at a convenient point is connected a slip pawl or striker, working
on a pin carried by the armature, and suitably controlled by springs which permit of
slight lateral play so as to clear the serrations of the ratchet wheel on its return
stroke.
The travel of the armature is controlled by a set screw which forms part of an
electric circuit.
The slip pawl or striker engages in its vibrations with the teeth of a ratchet wheel
similar to the escapement of an ordinary clock, working single acting, and by
successive taps the striker causes the ratchet wheel to revolve rapidly.
To the ratchet wheel is attached a spindle or concentric spindles, to one end of
which the dial is fixed which contains the information to be displayed or the figures
of the game or pastime are set forth, such as "rouge et noir."
In the latter case a pith ball is preferably provided and placed between the dial
and the glass face and carried on a flange of the dial slightly bevelled so that the
ball may clear the glass in revolving, but many other well known devices with the
same object may be employed.
When the machine is adapted for telling fortunes, I preferably provide two dials, one
fixed and one revolving, and suitable openings through which one of the mottoes,
fortune or precepts only is displayed at a time in some cases I employ a pointer in
the form of an angel, devil, witch or other convenient device which indicates or
points to the fortune or other matter required, as it may happen to turn up.
:
In some cases I cause the figure to appear from a cave, hermit's cell or hut, and
give the required information.

page_text: In machines in which I employ a pull or push bar, I dispense with the electro
magnets, coils and cells and employ the penny by its weight or impact to release
retaining gear, and the impetus of the dial or pointer is provided by the pull or push
bar through the action of a spring or weight or its equivalent, such as falling sand
and suitable gearing.
In either case whether the impulse is given by blows from the armature or by
hand from a pull or push bar or by sand, the duration of the rotating motion of
the dial or pointer is varying and uncertain and forms the hazard or chance on which
people can back their fancy.
Many other varieties of game can be actuated in a similar manner, such as
moving horses in a race, and the ratchet wheel may actuate more than one spindle
at the same time.
Another form of amusement may be caused by the revolving dial acting as a
kaleidoscope or by representing the attitude of animals in the act of jumping or
galloping and the like."
That this 16th)....
1000
ANTHONY HARRIS.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION (AMENDED).
Improvements in Coin-freed or Actuated Apparatus for Exhibition
of Information and for Games of Chance or Pastimes and for
other Purposes.
1, ANTHONY HARRIS, of the Vulcan Engine Works, Middlesbrough, in the County
of York, 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 :-
This invention relates to machines or appliances for playing games of chance or
hazard or other amusements or pastimes, such machines or appliances being, by
preference, operated or rendered operative either wholly or partly through the agency
of a predetermined coin or coins inserted by the user into a suitable orifice in the
enclosing cabinet of the machine. Certain portions of the invention are also
applicable to machines or apparatus for exhibiting information or for other similar
purposes.
In machines which are entirely automatic--that is, those in which the coin is the
sole means of operating the machine without any further assistance from the user-
I prefer to employ electricity as the motive power, and to bring it into play by the
action of the coin. In other machines, I supplement or substitute the action of
the coin by a push, pull or turn handle or a footboard or other equivalent device,
which is located on the exterior of the machine and is adapted to be operated by
the user or attendant after the introduction of the coin.
The games which may be played and the amusements which may be provided
by the machine are many and various, and a few only of them are mentioned
hereinafter, as examples.
In the drawings:-
:-
Figure 1. is a front elevation of the machine as worked automatically, and as
applied to the game or pastime of fortune-telling.
Figure 2 is a side elevation, partly in section.
Figure 3 is a vertical section on the line, Figure 2, the top cover of the
enclosing cabinet being removed.
Figure 4 is a plan of Figure 3.
Figure 5 is a section on lines y y, Figure 1.
Figure 6 is a detail view; on an enlarged scale, of a portion of the driving
mechanism.
Figure 6 shows, in elevation, a modification of the contact making device seen
in Figure 3.

page_text: Figures 7 and 8 are front views, on a reduced scale, showing two modifications
hereinafter described.
A, is the enclosing cabinet of the machine. A' is the coin orifice. A' is a door
whence the money may be withdrawn from time to time. A³ is a plate adapted to
bear the directions to the user or attendant, or other desired information.
B is a fixed annular plate or dial (or other fixed plate or surface of suitable form)
which is located preferably behind a glazed window A, and is provided with a
series of spaces or divisions b, in which are marked mottoes, devices or oracular
words designed for the benefit or otherwise of the users. is a rotatable disc or
dial (or other suitable movable plate or surface), the said disc being placed con-
centrically to the annular plate B and carried by a rotatable spindle D mounted
in hoarings d. Upon the disc there is marked a pointer ( or other suitable
device, such as a pointing angel, devil, witch, hermit, etcetera. Or the disc may be
replaced by a simple pointer fixed to the spindle D, and such pointer may, if
desired, take the form of a pointing figure.
e
E is an electric cell or cells of any suitable description, enclosed in a chamber
within the cabinet A. The terminal wires e e' of the cell are connected to two
insulated binding screws e e³, Figures 3 and 4. These are connected to similar
binding screws & ex on the opposite side of the partition a & the latter screws
are connected by wires ee, as hereinafter described, with a pair of electro-magnetic
coils EE such as are ordinarily employed in electric bell mechanism, the con-
nections and coin' mechanism being so arrange that the circuit is completed and
the cores of the coils excited each time a predetermined coin is introduced into the
machine.
F is the vibratory armature which is spring mounted as at f, and automatically
makes and breaks the circuit in the well known manner. The travel of the
armature is controlled by a set screw f' which forms part of an electric circuit as
bereinafter described. The set screw is provided with a sharp or small point, which,
instead of resting against the armature itself, rests upon a small flat spring ƒ³
carried thereby. The vibratory action of the armature is thus rendered more
sensitive.
The armature is preferably extended as at F1 to a suitable distance beyond the
coils, and is provided, at its outer end or other convenient point, with a slip pawl or
striker G, which is, by preference, spring pivoted, as at gg, Figures 3 and 6, and is
so arranged that it can move about its pivot for a certain distance in one direction
only (in this case, downwards and outwards). The slip pawl G is adapted, at each forward
stroke of the vibratory armature, to engage the teeth of a ratchet or pawl wheel G¹,
which is fixed upon the spindle D or some spindle connected therewith. The vibration
of the armature thus (by its successive forward strokes) turns the spindle D and
disc always in the same direction, the pawl slipping over the teeth of the wheel
during its return strokes.
Instead of employing a toothed ratchet wheel and slip pawl, I may employ (though
not so advantageously) their well known mechanical equivalent, namely, a grooved
or other suitable friction wheel adapted to be engaged and rotated in one direction
by a slip friction pawl. It will be obvious that, instead of mounting the slip
pawl upon the armature direct, it may be mounted upon a separate vibratory or
reciprocatory piece worked by the armature during its vibration.
The wire leads from the binding screw e aforesaid to a flat contact piece E².
This may be formed of a flat spring fixed at one end. It is preferable, however, to
pivot it (as shown) at that end which would otherwise be fixed, so that it may rise
freely (into the position shown in dotted lines) with the movement of the balanced
mechanism hereinafter described. e is a small wire bracket which serves to hold the
contact E in its normal position during the non-operation of the machine.
The other contact E³ is located normally in proximity to the contact E², and is
carried by one arm of a balanced lever H. The latter is pivoted at h, and carries at
one end a money tray H' into which the coin is led from the coin orifice A', by
shutes a a. The pivot is electrically connected by a wire e' with the metalli

page_text: after
frame E carrying the coils E, armature F, and set screw f¹. The wire e,
passing round the coils, is also electrically connected with the frame E', as at e.
The partition a, carrying the coils E', disc C, and the whole of the mechanism
connected therewith, is made removable. It may be taken out of the cabinet, by
simply lifting the cover ³, slackening the binding screws e² 3, and withdrawing the
sliding strips. The side a of the cell chamber is also made removable, so that the
cell or cells may be withdrawn.
The mode of action is as follows:-
On inserting a coin or coins at the orifice A¹, it (or they) falls down the shutes a a¹
into the tray H¹, and the balance of the lever H is thereby disturbed. The lever falls
over against a stop into the position shown in dotted lines in Figure 3, and allows
the coin or coins to drop out of the tray into a receptacle 4. The movement of the
lever causes the contact piece E to come into contact with the piece E, and thus
completo the circuit through the wires e e, cell E, wires e es, coils E' E', frame E*,
wire e', pivot h, and lever H. The armature F then vibrates rapidly in the well
known manner, and the disc C is rapidly rotated by successive forward strokes of the
pawl G acting upon the wheel (P. As soon as the coin tray has emptied itself, the
lever H resumes its normal position, the contact between the pieces E2 and E³ is
broken, and the armature ceases to vibrate. The pointer or equivalent device con-
tinues to revolve with the disc and finally comes to a standstill opposite one or other
of the spaces b, thus indicating, to the user. what is in store for him in the future or
such other information as may be interesting to him. The disc very evenly balanced,
so. that there is little liability of it stopping at the same point several times in
succession.
The
Instead of mounting the second contact E³ upon the lever H, it may be arranged
as shown in Figure 64. In this case the wire e', instead of being connected with the
lever pivot h, is led to the pivot or support of a contact E, which is somewhat similar
to the contact E' and is pivoted or flexibly mounted above the same.
contacts E2 E are preferably provided on their opposing faces with two small
pieces e el respectively, which may be tipped with platinum and form the contacts
proper. is a support for the contact E. When the lever is overbalanced, a pin E³
on the lever Hengages the lower contact E2 as before and places the pieces eet in
contact. The two contacts E' E' together move upwards with the movement of the
tail end of the lever in the same manner as above described with respect to Figure 3.
To permit of the contacts E2 E' moving freely upwards at the same time, it is pre-
ferable to place them in different vertical planes and to let the pieces el project
beyond the adjacent edges of the contacts.
Instead of causing the coin to close an electric circuit and so vibrate the pawl G as
above described, the coin may he made the means of releasing, for a short period,
suitable spring or weight driven mechanism, or of setting in motion a small electric
or other motor, such mechanism or motor causing the pawl G to vibrate as
before.
In machines in which it is intended to supplement the action of the coin by a push
or pull bar or its equivalent, the slip pawl G may be mounted upon or connected with
said bar, in such a manner as to engage the ratchet wheel and rotate the disc as before,
at each operation of the bar by the user. The coin balance HH, instead of being
the means of closing an electric circuit, is, in this case, made the means of operating
or releasing a stop or other retaining gear and so permitting the user to actuate the
push bar or its equivalent.
In either case, whether the impulse be given to the disc or its equivalent by means
of successive blows from the vibrating armature, or whether it be given by the user
or attend int through the medium of a push bar or its equivalent, the duration of the
rotative motion of the disc or its equivalent is varying and uncertain, and forms the
The machine can,
hazard or chance upon which the spirit of the game depends.
however, be adapted, as hereinafter set forth, to provide other amusements or
pastimes into which the element of chance does not enter, at least to any great
xtent

page_text: The disc, pointer, annular plate or other equivalent plates or surfaces, forming the
two members of the indicating or exhibiting device, may be arranged in a variety of
ways, according to the fancy of the maker, or the kind of game or amusement to
which it is desired to adapt the machine.
For instance, the disc C, hearing the pointer or its equivalent, may be made a
fixture and the annular plate B, carrying the information, may be attached to a hollow
spindle which is concentric with the spindle D, and to which the ratchet wheel G is
fixed.
Or the information may be arrange.l, in full view of the user, around the central
rotatable disc, and the fixed annular plate may be replaced by a pointer or by a figure
pointing to the edge of the disc. Also such figure may be made with a movable limb,
which may be connected with the rotating disc or spindle in such a manner as to
make it appear that the figure was turning a handle and so rotating the disc.
Also the rotatable central disc may be provided, as in Figure 7, with suitable
figures or numerals on or near its circumference, and the pointer or indicator may
consist of a ball c (preferably a small pith ball) which rests upon a suitable rim or
flange c, or in a groove, on the dise, and always keeps to the lower edge of the disc
as the latter rotates. are radial ribs which are raised very slightly above the
surface of the disc C and serve to prevent the ball e from resting midway between
two of the numbered spaces. In this way the machine may be adapted for playing
the game of "Roulette." By substituting or supplementing the aforesaid figures on
the disc by a series of alternate red and black spaces, the machine may be adapted
for playing the game of Rouge et noir."
:.
Again, the rotatable dise C may he enlarged as in Figure S, and placed in front of
the fixed angular plate B, bearing the information, so as to cover the same, with the
exception of an opening or gap c² on or near the edge of the disc and large enough
to disclose one or even two or more of the spaces on the plate B. The said opening
or gap is the equivalent of the pointer shown in Figure 1. Or the aforesaid
enlarged disc C may be made a fixture, and the annular plate or an equivalent disc
bearing the information may rotate behind a suitable opening in the disc C, snch
opening also forming the pointer or indicator.
Or the aforesaid outer fixed disc or plate may be provided with a series of openings
arranged in any convenient manner, and each closed normally by a self closing plate;
shutter or equivalent device. The rotative spindle D is provided with a disc or discs
or other suitable device which carries one or more striking pins. The latter are so
arranged in proximity to the aforesaid shutters (or to connections therefrom) that
the shutters are all opened successively as the shaft D rapidly rotates, but when the
latter comes to a standstill one opening only remains uncovered. The position of
the uncovered opening will vary according to the point at which the shaft stops.
The information is carried upon a plate or plates behind the fixed dise C, so that the
user can only see just that particular part of the information which is disclosed at
the uncovered opening.
The machine may be adapted to play many other games of chance which need not
be enumerated herein.
The machine may be adapted to provide other simple amusements or pastimes,
such as the exhibition of pictures or photographs, or the rotating of a kaleidoscope,
a series of race horses, etcetera, into which amusements or pastimes the element
of chance does not necessarily enter, or into which it only enters to a slight extent.
The coin balance may, for this purpose, be connected with, or may be arranged
with respect to, a time mechanism in such a manner that, on the overbalancing of
the lever H by the weight of the coin, such time mechanism shall act to keep the
contacts E Es (or E E) together for a certain predetermined time. By this means,
the spindle I would rotate approximately for such predetermined time, and its
speed, or that of the spindle or surface bearing the pictures, etcetera, could he
reduced to the required degree by means of suitable gearing interposed between the
said surface or spindle and the ratchet wheel G¹.

page_text: Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is
1. An apparates for playing games of chance or the like, in which the weight
or impact of a predetermined coin automatically imparts to the rotatable member of
an-indicating device un uncertain amount of rotation in one direction, substantially
as described.
2. 7. A machine for playing games of chance or the like, in which the movable
member of a suitable indicating or exhibiting device is connected with a ratchet
wheel or its equivalent such as described, which is driven in one constant direction
by the successive forward strokes of a slip-pawl, the said slip-pawl being mounted
upon or connected with the vibratory armature of an automatic electric circuit
making and breaking device, the coil (or coils) of which is comprised in an electric
circuit having a pair of contacts, which stand normally open but are adapted to be
closed for a short time, on the insertion of a predetermined coin into the machine,
through the medium of suitable balanced mechanism operated by said coin, substantially
as described and illustrated in the accompanying drawings.
3. In a machine for playing games of chance, exhibiting pictures or the like, the
combination of parts-consisting of a ratchet wheel or its equivalent such as described,
movable-synchronously with the movable member of the indicating or exhibiting
device, a vibratory or reciproentory piece-adapted to be-operated directly or indirectly
by the user, and a slip-pawl spring-pivoted upon the said vibratory or reciprocatory
piece-und-adapted to engage and rotate the said ratchet wheel or its equivalent such
as-described at each successive forward stroke, but to slip over the periphery-of-the
same at each return stroke, substantially as described.
4. In a machine of the kind described, the combination of a rotatable spindle
carrying a ratchet wheel, or its equivalent such-as--described, and of a slip pawl
suitably mounted in proximity to said wheel upon the vibratory armature of un-automatio
electric circuit making and breaking device and adapted to engage the wheel und
rotate its spindle in one constant direction whenever the said armature is caused to
vibrate, substantially as described.
2. The automatic coin freed fortune telling machine, arranged and constructed as
a whole, substantially as described, and illustrated in Figures 1 to 6.
Dated this 27th day of November 1000
WM. P. THOMPSON & Co.,
Of 6, Lord Street, Liverpool, Patent Agents for the Applicant.