Improvements in or relating to Automatic Coin-freed Apparatus.
Year: 1897

page_text: Date of Application, 29th Oct., 1897- Accepted, 22nd Jan., 1898
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or relating to Automatic Coin-freed Apparatus.
A communication from HEINRICH WILHELM SCHLADITZ, of Dresden, Empire of
Germany.
1, ALFRED JULIUS BOULT, of 111, Hatton Garden, in the County of Middlesex,
Chartered Patent Agent, 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 :-
A disc
The automatic coin-freed apparatus according to the present invention is particu-
larly adapted for the sale or delivery of flat rectangular objects more particularly for
post-cards, railway-tickets, and similar articles, and also for thin packets of chocolate
or the like. The goods are arranged so that articles placed in a transverse
direction alternate with these placed in a longitudinal direction the articles crossing
each other. The whole heap has therefore the shape of a Geneva cross.
guiding and turning the goods is provided with a corresponding opening or recess.
The whole stock or pack would therefore fall through it, were it not for two fixed
segment-shaped supports arranged within the opening and leaving between them a
free space equal to the width of one article or packet of goods. The lowest packet
always rests on these two supports. But this packet can fall through when the disc
with the stock of goods is turned through an angle of 90°. Then the packet resting
on the supports comes into the position of the free space between the supports and
falls through, the next packet which now becomes the lowest being held by the
support. An inclined plane guiding the article falling through to the outside of the
casing clock-work mechanism employed to turn the disc and the goods through an
angle of 90° each time that it is released by a coin, and the outside casing complete
the apparatus, two constructions of which are shown in the accompanying
drawings.
Figure 1 is an elevation of the apparatus according to the present invention being
a transverse section through the casing and inclined plane.
Figure 2 is a longitudinal sectional elevation through the casing, goods supporting
disc and the inclined plane.
Figure 3 is a plan, the cover of the casing and the goods being removed.
Figure 4 is a cross section on line 4-4 of Figure 1.
Figures 5 to 7 are detail views of certain parts of the pawl and releasing mechanism
in different positions. All these figures represent the first construction."
In a casing A of any desired outward shape closed at the top by a cover A¹
(Figure 1) there is arranged a foundation plate B. In the bearing 1 in the centre of
the plate B there is secured a vertical rod 2. Its upper end carries a cross bar 3, the
atter carrying rods 4 carrying the supports C (Figures 1, 2 and 3).
A tubular shaft 5 is rotatable about the rod 2. This shaft is provided at its upper
end with a cross-piece 6 provided with two uprights 7 carrying the disc D. The disc
s arranged in the horizontal plane of the supports C and is provided with an opening
of the shape of a Geneva cross (Figure 3). Each of the two rectangular openings
orming the cross corresponds in its length and width to the dimensions of an article
CD

page_text: to be sold. Round the openings there are secured to D upwardly projecting pins
or rods & which may be replaced by walls of the same cross-section as the cross.
Between these pins or walls are placed one on another the articles x (Figures 1 and 2).
The lowest article is placed over that part of the opening which according to Figure 3
lies for the moment longitudinally over the two supports C so that said article rests
on these supports. The second article is placed transversely, so that it rests in the
centre on the first one, the third is again placed longitudinally and so on, till the
stock of goods reaches up to the top of the rods d d. Each time that the disc is
turned through an angle of 90° the lowest article will come into a position transversely
of the supports and falls through the next article being held by the supports coming
under it.
In order to guide the article which has fallen through to the outside, there is
arranged transversely of the supports C an inclined plane E-E' which guides the
article to the outside through an opening e¹ (Fig. 2) outside of which is a receiver E²
(Figs. 2 & 3). The front end of the article slides into this receiver and can be
seized with two fingers and easily withdrawn. Between the parts E and E¹ of the
inclined plane there is an opening shown in Fig. 2 through which the cross
piece 6 and the rods 7 pass when the disc D is turned. The parts are so arranged
that they cannot block the opening so as to prevent the article from sliding out.
The part E is secured to the fixed rods 4 by means of rings e or otherwise.
The movement of the disc D is effected by clock-work or other mechanism sub-
stantially of well known construction F (Figs. 1 & 4) is the spring barrel which
rotates the hollow shaft 5 by means of a toothed wheel 8, pinion 9, spindle 10 and
bevel wheels 11 and 12. The speed is regulated by means of a flying pirion F¹ which
is driven (the transmission gearing being very high) from the toothed wheel 8 by
ineans of a pinion 14 spindle 13 and wheel 15 spindle 16 carrying pinion 17 and
wheel 18 and spindle 19 carrying pinion 20 and wheel 21 (Fig. 4). The latter wheel
engages with the worm 22 on the vertical spindle of the flying pinion (Fig. 1).
This mechanism must be released by the introduction of a coin and automatically
stopped after the disc D has made of a revolution. The releasing and the stopping
are effected at the flying pinion in substantially well known manner, the moment of
stopping being determined by the hollow shaft 5 which has to turn each time through
an angle of 90°. Three levers are used for this purpose-the counter weighted coin
lever G which chiefly has to effect the release of the mechanism the pawl H operated
by the coin lever to lock or to release the mechanism the locking action of said pawl
being regulated from the hollow shaft 5, and the pivoted lever I co-operating to
regulate the action of the pawl H.
The coin-lever G is pivoted at 23 (Figs. 1 & 4) and carries at its front end a
plate g and a weight gl at its other end which may be replaced by a spring. The
plate g is situated under the mouth of the coin chute 24 (Fig. 1) dotted lines I
extending from the coin-slot 25 (Fig. 3). Under the foundation plate B there is
arranged beneath the plate ga till or coin receiver 26. When the coin introduced
falls on the plate g, the lever G is depressed the coin then slides down from the plate.
and the lever G immediately swings back. The one-armed lever or pawl H pivoted
at 27 (Fig. 4) rests with its front end on the left hand arm of the rod G and is there-
fore raised by the weight g¹. The lever H carries a pin 28 which comes into the path
of the arm 29 on the spindle fl of the flying. pinion (Fig. 1) when the pawl H is in
its highest position. This highest position takes place each quarter of a revolution
one of the notches of the disc 31 on the hollow shaft 5 coming during the rotation:
over the pin 30 on the lever H (Figs. 1 and 5) the pin then engages with the notch
under the influence of the weight g¹. During the momentary swinging of the lever G
under the weight of the coin, the lever H descends into its lowest position. This.
disengages the arm 29 from the pin 28 and the mechanism can rotate. As however
the swinging of the coin lever is only momentary whereas the rotation of the hollow
shaft 5 on the contrary is comparatively slow the pin 30 would when the lever G
becomes disengaged and returns-again engage with the notch which is still situated
over it.
This is prevented by the lever I, the arrangement and working of which

page_text: will be best understood by referring to Figs. 5 to 7. This lever I pivoted at 32*
engages with the pin 32 of the lever H under the influence of its own weight or a
spring. The pin 32 may be made in one piece with the pin 30.
In Fig. 5 the
lever H is in its highest position. When during the swinging of the coin lever the
lever H. comes into its lowest position (Fig. 6) a notch i of the lever I at once
engages with the pin 32. Thus the lever H cannot for a time swing upwards, the
mechanism is therefore free to rotate and the corresponding notch of the disc 31
passes away over the pin 30. Then the lever I must be disengaged to enable the
pin 30 to engage with the next approaching notch of the disc 31.
For this purpose
there is mounted on the hollow spindle 5 four tappets 33 (see Fig. 4) the tappets
being arranged to alternate with the notches. One of the tappets strikes at the
desired moment the lever I and presses it back for an instant. The pin 32 is thereby
released and the lever H swings upwards until the pin 30 rests against the lower edge
of the disc 31. This is the, central position of the lever H as shown in Fig. 7 in
which the pin 28 still leaves the spindle of the flying pinion free; this position is
maintained until the next notch of the disc 31 comes over the pin 30. Then the
lever H rises to its highest position and the parts are again in the position shown in
Fig. 5 in which the mechanism is locked.
Each time that a coin is inserted the mechanism is released the disc D makes a
quarter revolution and a packet of goods is discharged. In this construction the
disc D progressively turns in the same direction, while in the second construction
according to the present invention, the disc D is caused to rock that is to say, the
dise is caused to turn through an angle of 90° in one direction when the mechanism
is released; while the succeeding release causes it to turn back in the opposite direction
also through an angle of 90°.
Fig. 8 is a plan and Fig. 9 an elevation of the parts which characterise this second
construction as distinct from the fully described first construction.
The hollow shaft 5 is caused to turn from the spring barrel F in the manner already
described, but in this case each time through an angle of 180°. The disc 31 is
accordingly provided only with two notches to which correspond two tappets 33. On
the hollow shaft 5 is secured a crank 24 connected by a rod 35 with the cross piece 6
which rotates about or with a separate spindle 36. At each revolution of the
crank 34 the part 6 together with the uprights 7 and disc D makes one quarter of a
revolution i.e. the cross piece 6 rocks between the position shown in broken lines and
in combined broken lines and dots (Fig. 8). The supports C are carried by rods 4
extending downwards to the foundation-plate B. The rods are arranged in such
manner and the cross-piece 6 is of such shape that the former leave the latter
sufficient freedom of motion as clearly shown in Fig. 8. In this construction the
inclined plane E2 E2 need not be divided, as will be seen on examining the path of
the parts 6 and 7.
The driving mechanism illustrated is a spring motor but a weight, motor or any
other desired motor may be used to effect the motion of the disc D. Of course instead
of making the disc D rotatable and the supports C fixed the reverse arrangement may
be made so that the disc D will be fixed and the supports CC turn together through
an angle of 90° each time that a coin is inserted.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this inven-
tion as communicated to me by my foreign correspondent and in what manner the
same is to be performed, I declare that what I claim is :-
1. An automatic coin-freed apparatus comprising a disc adapted to turn at each
operation of the mechanism through an angle of 90° and provided with a cross-shaped
opening corresponding to the shape of two articles placed across each other and with
upright guides between which are arranged the packets alternately in longitudinal
and transverse directions, two fixed supports within the opening the distance left free
between said supports being equal to the width of one of the articles with which the
apparatus is stored an inclined guide extending from below the opening to the
outside motor mechanism for rotating the disc and means for releasing the motor by

page_text: the introduction of a coin and for stopping it for the purpose of releasing the lowest
packet of goods substantially as described.
2. An automatic coin freed apparatus of the character described, comprising a
vertical fixed pin 2 carrying a cross-bar 3 and supports C carried by said cross-bar by
means of rods 4, a tubular shaft. rotatable about said pin and carrying a cross-piece 6
which latter supports a disc D by means of rods, an inclined plane made in two parts,
one of which E, is arranged within the path of the cross-piece 6, while the other
part E is secured to the casing outside said path, driving mechanism which rotates
the hollow shaft by means of toothed wheels and means for releasing the driving
mechanism on a coin being introduced, and for stopping it substantially as
described.
.3. An automatic coin freed apparatus of the character described comprising
supports C carried by fixed rods 4, cross piece 6 rotatable on a central vertical spindle
and carrying a disc D by means of rods 7, a vertical spindle 5 with a crank connected
to the cross-piece 6 by a rod, an inclined plane E2 arranged between the fixed rods 4,
driving mechanism actuating the spindle 5 through the intermediary of toothed
wheels, and means for releasing the driving mechanism on the introduction of a coin,
and stopping said mechanism substantially as described.
4. The combination and arrangement of parts constituting the complete automatic
coin-freed apparatus, substantially as described and illustrated in Figures 1, 2, 3 and 4
or in Figures 8 and 9 of the accompanying drawings.
Dated this 21st day of October 1907.