Improvements in and Connected with Coin Freed Apparatus for Delivering Prepaid Goods, in Part also Applicable to other Purposes.
Year: 1889

page_text: This Print is in accordance with the Original Specification as it stands after
Amendment (under Section 18 of the Patents, &c., Act, 1883), as allowed
by the decision of the Comptroller General of the 3rd day of November 1896.
Date of Application, 9th Feb., 1889-Accepted, 11th May, 1889
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION (AMENDED).
Improvements in and Connected with Coin Freed Apparatus for
Delivering Prepaid Goods, in Part also Applicable to other
Purposes.
1 WILLIAM NORTHORPE, of 38 Turnpike Lane, Hornsey Park, in the county of
Middlesex, 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 certain improvements in and connected with apparatus
generically known as " automatic goods selling apparatus" wherein goods are contained
and from which they may be obtained on prepayment effected by the deposit of a
suitable coin in a money receiving slot. Tho invention is also in part applicable to
coin freed locks or fastenings and analogous devices. Experience has shown that
certain points must be carefully observed in the design of such apparatus in order to
attain absolute efficiency, and the objects of my present improvements are: ("). To
ensure practical impossiblity of failure of action: (b). To provide an apparatus
adapted to retail any number of different kinds of goods of any size or shape, the only
limit in use being the dimensions of the case: (c) To prevent every description of
frand, whether attempted by the use of improper coins or counterfeits free or fixed to
a cord or wire, or by subtle manipulation of the handle or drawers or other external
parts, or by mischievous blocking of the money way or ways or by any other of
the designs which experience has shown are practised by dishonest or idle persons.
Impossibility of failure or in other words certainty of action under proper condi-
tions can in my experience only be effectually ensured by the adoption of "positive"
mechanical motions, no "permissive" motions being reliable. With this object I
adopt and apply to my goods selling apparatus the principle adopted in the positive
mechanisms employed for the interlocking of points and signals in railway practice.
I impart motion to actuate my locking and interlocking apparatus by a device
which I call a "coin lock" and which is also applicable to other locks or fastenings
such for example as those of doors or closets-it consists of a special arrangement of
parts interposed between an external handle and internal lock bar and the turning of
the handle is inoperative without the presence of the proper coin: In combination
with the coin lock I generally arrange a shield whereby the money slot is closed at
and during the whole of each operation of the apparatus.
In my arrangement normally below the money slot there is a large empty space and
no shoot or mechanism whatever as is usually the case, so that cardboard paper or
other material inserted with the mischievous intention of blocking the apparatus falls
through and is harmless. Experience has further shown that apparatus adapted to

page_text: sell but one or two classes of goods is not so successful commercially as apparatus
having a much more varied and extensive choice and stock-now where such has
hitherto been devised for the most part each container has required its own separato
mechanism: I am aware that one mechanism has been devised to serve for controlling
multiple apparatus but in such case the container has to he set by the purchaser so as to
bring the class of goods required to operative position for delivery and great difficulty
has been experienced by purchasers (and especially children) in the application of the
necessary power to do this and overcome the friction of the numerous working parts
essential in such an arrangement.
According to my invention 1 arrange a separate and fixed container and delivery
device for each class of goods on sale, and to obtain any description of goods no heavy
part has to be moved; then by the application of a modification of the aforesaid inter-
locking system on the introduction of the proper coin and operation of one external
handle each and every such delivery device is simultaneously unlocked and liberated;
then any single one can be drawn out and the article removed, but that one only can
be so dmwn out for its movement at once locks the whole of the rest, and this is a
most important feature of this part of my invention.
t
The goods for sale are arranged in the said vertical containers placed alongside
each other, and below each container is placed a sliding drawer (hereinafter called a
“slider") containing a changeable block with a cavity of proper shape to receive the
lowest article of the super-incumbent column as hereinafter more particularly
forth, and the slider is furnished with an external handle Below all the containers
and "sliders" is fixed the interlocking and operating mechanism hereinafter describit,
and conveniently adjacent there to according to the design of the easing is placed the
coin lock, money admission slot, money receiving drawer, and so forth; the whole
being enclosed in a casing of suitable shape, dimensions, and ornamentation acord-
ing to taste and requirement. The application of the interlocking principle above
alluded to is broadly as follows:--
Beneath each slider in the line of its travel is fixed a flange the continuity of which
is interrupted by a certain number of cross slots such number being in accordance
with the number of sliders in any machine. Below the sliders and passing through the
said notches of their flanges and at right angles to the line of travel thereof sliding
bars are arranged and provided with notches on their top sides, one being a locking
bar and the rest interlocking bars: The sliders work preferably in pairs and one
interlocking bar is provided for each pair but one locking bar is or may be common
to all. Each of the bars is capable of sliding motion in guides through the slots of
the slider flanges. Normally all the slots in the interlocking bars are lineable
with each other transversely and with the slider flanges, but the lock bar slots are not.
lineable with either and therefor lock the sliders. On introduction of a coin and
operation of the coin motor the lock bar is slidden and its notches are thus made
lineable with the other notches and the slider flanges, and all sliders are consequently
froe. The pulling out of any one slider by a system of lovers hereinafter explained
moves one interlocking bar to the right or left as the case may be and locks every
other slider except the one withdrawn.
As my improvements are mostly designed for multiple apparatus I will now fully
describe the system in reference to the accompanying drawings but it is to be
understood that the system is applicable to any number of sliders arranged in pairs or
otherwise, and although a multiple system of six sliders only is illustrated it will be
seen that they are arranged in pairs and the following description applies to any singlo
such pair. Figure 1 is a general front elevation of a sextuple apparatus: Figure 2 is
a plan of the locking and interlocking arrangement showing also the coin lock,
and two sliders dotted on in different positions: Figure 8 is a front elevation thereof:
Figures 4 and 5 are respectively a plan and side elevation of the coin lock and
adjuncts, and Figures 6 and 7 are details thereof horeinafter referred to: Figure 8
is a sectional elevation through one container, slider, bars etc.: Figures 9 and 10 are
respectively a plan, and an inverted plan of one slider, and Figure 11 is a section on
contre line thereof: Figure 12 is a diagrammatic isometrical perspective view of the

page_text: same with all bars in normal position, and Figure 13 is the same when sliders are
all unlocked showing the relative change of position of the bars.
€
Referring to the figures. A sextuplo arrangement of goods containers is shown
in figuro 1 marked a ẞy & the sliders heing in pairs A a. Bb, Cr. In figures 2
and 3 the pair of sliders A a to be more particularly described are shown dotted over
the mechanism and throughout the description of this pair capital letters A are
used for the left slider and small letters a with corresponding indices represent the
corresponding parts of the right slider. A slider a is shown separately in
figures 9, 10, and 11, and may be of cast iron or suitable material for ned hollow
like a drawer and containing an interchangeable loose block a in which is formed
a cavity a² to suit the configuration of any desired article so that it may be changed at
any time according to the article stored in the container & above it. The front
projects as illustrated a little below the base so as to be flush with the flango z³ on the
base. For the sextuple system illustrated four notches a' a' a a' are required, the
one a being elongated as shown. us is a cam fixed at or near the back of a slider,
and a is a striking piece for purposes all hereinafter explained. The sliders are fitted
to reciprocate in sido grooves in the usual way and when closed their receiving
cavities a rest vertically below their respective columns of goods.
Referring to figures 2, 3, 12 and 13, B is the locking bar, and E E¹ E³ the interlock-
ing bars. All these are set to reciprocate rectilinearly either in guide blocks as illus-
trated or in other convenient manner. On the top side of each of the bars are cut
rectangular notches corresponding to the capacity of the apparatus those relating to the
pair of sliders A a being marked bb in the lock bar B, and e e' in the interlocking
bar E. The other two interlocking bars E' E' illustrated relate to the two other pairs of
sliders Bb, Cc, whose action being the same as that of Aa is not described. The
notches eare elongated the one e to the left and the other e¹ to the right hand
respectively as shown.
The lock bar B is furnished with a spring tending always to return it to normal
position after operation, and it has applied to it a spring catch S for the purpose of
locking it in the position it takes after the operation of the handle but before that of
any slider. In connection with the catch S is the part rotary way shafts in bearings s¹¹
and having the fingers Tt etc. projecting therefrom in the paths of the striking
pieres Aa of sliders A a. The action of all these parts is hereinafter explained.
The novel device for controlling and operating the above or other mechanism and
which I call the "coin lock" is detailed in figures 2 to 7. P is the external
handle fixed to an independent spindle adapted to perform about a third revolution
in the bearing and carrying on its free end a disc or block p³ in which is cut a
straight slot p. By a spring p or equivalent acting on any convenient part of
spindle see figures 2 and 3 the slot is always normally maintained vertically
below the external coin admission slot p. Normally any motion applied to P merely
in part rotates the free spindle pl but this effects a secondary lock motion herein-
after explained. When a coin is inserted into slot its nearer edge must pass
vertically into the slot. The farther edge of the coin passes between two angular
pins projecting from the front end of the inner spindle Q, and is supported by
an inclined surface y³ see figures 4, 5 and 7 and section on line a b of figure 7: A
deep slot q is cut in the face of Qat right angles to the normal position of the slot p
in the co-operating but independent disc p³ aforesaid. The parts are illustrated in
normal position and the coin shown dotted at X. The inmost end of spindle Q is
fitted with a crank connected to the lock bar B by link 9, thus the inner part of Q
is maintained in normal position by the lock bar spring 62. In order to effect an
important purpose of this apparatus viz. to close the coin slot on and during the whole
of each operation to prevent fraud, a segmental shield V is fixed to a disc or piece
carid by the front end of spindle as illustrated; below the slot p and coin lock
the wide space is provided. When a coin is inserted and turning power applied
to the handle in the direction of the arrow figure 3 the coin act like the bla le of
a screw driver on projections y y' and so turns also the inner spindle Q the shie'd V
and the crank this by link slides the locking bar B, against the action of

page_text: spring in the direction of arrow Z to position shown in figure 13 in which
position it is locked by the spring catch S. On release of handle P spring returns
spindle and disc p to the vertical position, carrying with it the coin X whilst the
inner part Q is held as described, then the coin slips off the inclined plane into the
slot and falls through space into money drawer, and all notches ein
the locking and interlocking bars are lineable transversely and all sliders free and
any one may be withdrawn. The above described coin lock is readily applicable to the
locks or doors closets and the like. In such case B would represent an ordinary lock
bolt normally locking the door-on the insertion of the coin and turning of the handle
the bolt is withdrawn and the door can be opened. The bolt is provided on the inside
with a hand-knob. For the purpose of actuating the interlocking bars at once on the
withdrawal of any slider a, in order to lock all the rest a lever is provided in
connection with the slider. This may be conveniently done as illustrated best in
figure 2 in reference to slders A u. Rare levers shown as centred at R³ ³ forked at
their free end the forks riding over fixed pins projecting from the lower
edge of the interlocking bar E. Return springs are provided for each lever It r
or the springs may be dispensed with and the lovers may be grooved and operated by
studs on the sliders or otherwise.
I have above described the operation as far as the sliding and locking by spring
catch S of the lock bar B in position illustrated in figure 13 by the coin motor
nction. Proceeding with the description, on withdrawal of any slide say a its cam a
passing along the straight back of lever moves it and through its slotted connection
a sliding motion is transmitted to the interlocking har E moving its notches e e' out
of line with all the slider flanges except the one operated, which is supposed to be u.
The elongation of notch e' now takes effect and the sli ling motion is limited so that
for one slider a alone the transverse line is still open, sen figure 18. As the slider
approaches the end of its travel outwards but before the article contained therein is
exposed to the purchaser the striking pieco a taking against the way shaft finger t
partly rotates the way shaft and releases the spring catch S of the locking bar B
which thus is partly returned by its spring 62, its notch & engaging against the slider
flange a. The slider is then returned until the notch a' comes over the notch 6¹
when the lock bar passes through the notch and re-unes normal position again locking
all the sliders and re-opening the money slot. Continuing the inward return of the
slider a the cam a frees the lever, and the interlocking bar E is returned to normal
position by spring and the machine is again in position for the next succeeding
operation.
&
In order to prevent tampering with the apparatus by holding the coin in its
operative position by pressure on the handle and so keeping the locking bar B
slidden as in figure 13 and the sliders consequently all unlocked, I employ a secondary
device for locking all the interlocking bars in normal position until the external
handle P is liberated and the coin X allowed to fall into the money drawer 2' as
intended.
This is illustrated in figures 2 and 3. On the lower side of all the interlocking
bars are notches with which engages one end of a locking lover M centred
conveniently as at m; its other end is pivotted to a lover N suitably centred at one
end on the frame. Its free end carries cam a² with which engages a stop n² on the
handle spindle pl figure 2. The free end of the lever N may be counterweighted or
may be operated by the pin n with the effect of causing its depression on any
operation of the handle P, and consequent locking by lever I of all tho interlocking
bars.
I do not lay any claim to the more operation of the internal mechanism of a coin
freed lock by an external turning or twisting motion applied to a handle after insertion
of a coin as I am aware that such is very old but having now particularly described
and ascertained the nature of this invention and in what manner the same is to bo
performed i declare that what I claim is
1. A. coin lock constructed and arranged substantially as hereinbefore described and

page_text: illustrated, consisting of a handle P, spindle p¹, and slotted disc p³, all adapted to.
reciprocate through a part only of a revolution the slot p* of said disc being normally
held vertical by a spring. An internal spindle Q connected to the main locking bolt
and provided on its end adjacent to the said disc p with two angular projections y g³,
an inclined coin support g, and a deep cross slot 9, the whole being adapted to receive
the coin, transmit the required motion to said main locking bolt, and release the
coin on return to normal position, in the manner and for the purposes heroinabove set-
forth.
2. The coin lock device as a whole described in reference to figures 2 to 7 com-
bined or not. with the segmental money closing shield V or with the anti-blocking
space or with both for the purposes setforth.
In coin freed apparatus :
3. Delivery devices, hereinbefore called sliders, preferably arranged in pairs with
notched base flanges used in combination with and working at right angles over a
locking bar and interlocking bars, with notches arranged as specified so that by the
first action of the operator all sliders are unlocked and by any subsequent motion
all are locked except the single one selected to deliver, and by return of the slider
all parts are rostored to normal position.
4. The application of a system of locking and interlocking mechanism such as is
hereinbefore setforth or any modification thereof for the purposes specified.
5. The combination with locking and interlocking mechanisms of a coin lock
device all constructed and arranged subsequently as described and illustrated in the
figures.
6. The application to sliders working beneath fixed containers of loose changeable
blocks a with cavities a² to suit any class of goods substantially as described and
illustrated.
7. Combined with a locking and interlocking system of hars and sliders such as is
hereinabove setforth, the means or any modified form of the means described for
(a) interlocking the idle sliders: (b) releasing the locking bar B at the proper time:
(c) returning all parts to normal position by the return of the slider, all arranged
substantially as described and illustrated and for the purposes explained.
8. The combination of parts forming the entire apparatus described and illustrated
as a whole and operating as specified.
9. The combination with the coin lock device, locking and interlocking bars,
arranged and operating as specified, of the means of preventing double operation
consisting of the secondary locking device e, M, N, described in reference to
figures 2 and 3.
February
J. C. CHAPMAN,
Fel. Inst. Patent Agents,
70, Chancery Lane, London, W.C.,
Agent for Applicant.