Improvements in Coin-operated Machines.
Year: 1888

page_text: Date of Application (in United Kingdom), 14th Nov., 1888
Complete Specification Left, 14th Nov., 1888
Complete Specification 'Accepted, 16th Mar., 1889
Improvements in Coin-operated Machines.
1, CHARLES FAILEY WINCH, of 2 Courtland Street, in the City and State of New
York, one of the United States of America, Mechanician, 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 apparatus designed for the purpose of effecting the
automatic delivery of articles-such, for instance, as tickets-the delivery being con-
trolled by mechanism operated by the insertion of a suitable coin.
In order that the present improvements may be fully understood, I will proceed to
describe the same with reference to the accompanying drawings, whereof Fig. 1
represents in perspective a portion of a box or case containing mechanism constructed
according to my invention Fig. 2 being a similar view drawn to a smaller scale and
shewing the complete box or case. Fig. 3 is a vertical section through the receptacle
for containing the articles to be delivered; the said receptacle being located within
the box or case.
The apparatus comprises a box or case A preferably of oblong shape and constructed
of wood or other suitable material. The articles to be delivered are contained in a
receptacle B, which may be secured to the case A in any convenient manner. The
receptacle B is provided with a door a, to admit of the tickets or other articles being

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inserted therein, and is supported upon a shelf or partition C, which, as shewn in the
drawings, extends wholly across the case A near its upper part. Below the door a a
space is left corresponding with and opposite to an opening provided for the with-
drawal of the tickets or other articles one by one, these resting in a pile on the
partition C. The opening is placed immediately in front of the lowest ticket or
other article in the pile. Arranged upon the partition C is a slide 1 furnished with
a tongue d which, when pulled forward, is adapted to enter the space below the door a
and force out through the opening the lowest article in the pile. The forward
movement of the tongue d is effected by means of an external pull-piece attached
within the case A to the slide D. The pull-piece E, in the present illustration, is
mounted upon a rod which extends backwards beyond the slide D through a stop d'
attached to the partition C; the rear extremity of the rod being surrounded by a
coiled spring held in compression by a pin 3 passed through the end of the rod.
The coiled spring d² serves to return the pull-piece E and consequently the slide D
with its tongue d into the normal position after the operator has released his grasp.
A stop d in the partition C prevents the plate D moving too far in a backward
direction. An oscillating lever G is pivotted upon a pin g¹ mounted in a bracket
arranged upon the partition C, the said lever being provided at its forward extremity
with a tray H. When in the normal position, the lever G abuts against a stop J pro-
jecting upwards from the plate D; movement of the pull-piece in a forward direction
being hereby prevented until a coin of the proper size and weight has been dropped
through the slot down the shoot I into the tray H; whereupon the rear end of the
lever G is raised and ceases to obstruct the stop J. The latter is formed with an
inclined surface 2 which, when the slide D is pulled forward passes beneath the rear
end of the lever G, thereby elevating the same until the tray H is sufficiently
depressed to permit the coin borne thereon to fall into a space in the lower portion of
the case A. The rear end of the lever G possesses sufficient preponderance of weight
to maintain the forward end, upon which is mounted the tray H, in the raised or
normal position until a coin is dropped thereon; the tray then turning upon the
pin g until it bears against the spring . Whilst the inclined surface is passing
under and gradually raising the rear end of the lever G, the spring attached to the
partition is bent downwards. Upon the return movement of the slide D, the
lever G, assisted at first by the spring 1, again falls in front of the stop J; thus
preventing the withdrawal of another ticket until another coin has been dropped
through the slot j. The spring 7 may, however, be dispensed with. The movement
of the lever G is limited in one direction by a stop f. The coin-shoot I is composed
of two separate curved guides, which are arranged at such a distance apart that, if
a coin of improper size is passed down the shoot through the slot j, it falls out of the
shoot and down between the guides ; whereas, a coin of the proper size is conveyed
to and falls upon the tray H and tilts the lever G. After a ticket or other article has
been ejected, the contents of the receptacle B rest upon the tongue d. When the
latter is withdrawn, the remainder of the tickets or other articles fall upon the
partition C ready for another ticket to be withdrawn.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this invention
and in what manner the same is to be performed, and observing that the present
application for Letters Patent is made within the term of priority of seven months
prescribed by Article 4 of the International Convention for the Protection of Industrial
Property, dated the 20th March, 1883, my application for Letters Patent of the
United States of America for the herein before described invention having been filed
on the 19th April, 1888, I claim :—
1. The improved coin-operated machine for selling tickets or other articles, con-
structed and operating substantially as herein described.
2. In a coin-operated machine for selling tickets or other articles, the combination
with a box or case, of a receptacle for the articles to be delivered, a plate and pull-
piece for operating it, a rocking lover, a shoot, and a stop on the said plate for

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preventing movement of the latter until a coin of the proper size has been deposited
upon the lever the said stop being provided with an inclined surface, which, upon
the pull-piece and plate being operated, serves to further tilt the lever and to
discharge the coin therefrom after the movement of the lever has been initiated
by the deposit of the coin thereon, substantially as and for the purposes herein
referred to.
G. G. M. HARDINGHAM,
191, Fleet Street, London, E..,
Agent for the Applicant.