Improvements in Coin-freed Machines for the Sale or Delivery of Goods.
Year: 1892

page_text: Date of Application, 30th Mar., 1892
Complete Specification Left, 30th Dec., 1892-Acc pted, 11th Mar., 1893
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Coin-freed Machines for the Sale or Delivery
of Goods.
We, BALFOURS AND CO., LIMITED, 7 Great Winchester Street in the County of
Middlesex, and WILLIAM NORTHORPE, Iliffe Street, in the County of Surrey,
Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention relates to coin-freed machines for the sale or delivery of goods
and comprises the improvements hereinafter set forth.
One feature of the said invention relates to the provision of a peculiarly shaped
lever for locking the draw-bar and preventing the withdrawal of the said bar until
a coin is inserted in the money slot.
:
When a coin of the right size is placed in the slot it falls edgewise upon a
suitably arranged money table, and forms a money connection between the draw-
bar, or an attachment thereto, and the locking lever. The said connection is so
arranged that when the draw-bar is now pulled out, the coin is caused to raise the
locking lever out of the path of the draw-bar thereby enabling the latter to be
fully withdrawn and an article obtained from the machine in exchange for the coin
placed therein. The coin is released immediately the draw-bar is unlocked and
then falls into a money drawer provided to receive it. On the return of the draw-
bar to its initial position, the locking lever is pulled back to the locking position by
a spring. To ensure the return of the locking lever in case the spring should not
act we provide it with a cam-like surface arranged to engage with a part of the
draw-bar so that the latter when returning will act upon the said cam surface and
force the lever back into the locking position. The construction moreover is such
that the locking lever is locked by the draw-bar when the latter is in its rearmost
position. To unlock the said lever it is necessary to draw out the draw-bar a short
distance. There is thus a double locking action between the draw-bar and the
locking lever, that is to say, these parts mutually lock each other.
To prevent undue tampering with the machine we provide a door for closing the
money slot each time the draw-bar is pulled out. The said door is situated in a
recess within the casing of the machine, and cannot be moved from outside. The
door is pivoted to the frame and is arranged to slide in front of the slot. It is
provided with a tail piece which is arranged to be acted upon by the locking lever;
that is to say, when the locking lever is moved from the locking position by the
coin, it is caused to press upon the tail piece of the door thereby causing the door
to slide in front of the slot and close the said slot, thus preventing the insertion of
another coin until the draw-bar has been pushed back. By this means it is
impossible by inserting a cord or wire or the like through the money slot to so
disengage the locking lever as to allow of the draw-bar being worked without the
insertion of a coin, as such cord or wire would be severed by the closing door, or if
the wire be too strong to be cut in this manner the draw-bar could not be with-
drawn owing to the locking of the door and lever which are connected therewith.
When the goods have all been emptied from the machine the door is closed to
prevent the insertion of another coin as follows. That is to say, we provide a
spring actnated lever which presses upon the lowermost packet or article in the
machine and is provided with a pin or projection for pressing upon the tail piece of
the slot-closing door. When the machine is empty, the said lever is forced inward
by its spring, and the tail piece of the door is depressed, thereby moving the door
across the money slot. The door is retained in that position until a fresh set of
goods is placed in the machine.
A further improvement consists in providing a spring supported money table to

page_text: allow of slight movement of the table so that a battered coin which is slightly
enlarged in diameter may pass through the machine without causing a block.
Another important feature of our invention relates to what we term the "throat
plate," that is to say, the device for preventing the withdrawal of all but the lower-
most article or package in the machine at each operation of the pull bar. The
"throat plates" or cut off's have heretofore been fixed, and it is found that such
fixed devices give trouble when thin articles or packages such for example as post-
cards have to be delivered. This arises from the jamming that occurs should one
article above the average thickness, or two articles somewhat thinner than usual
.get underneath the "throat plate" at the same time. According to this part of
our invention we provide a throat plate which can lift. We sometimes hinge the
said "throat plate" at one end and allow the other end to work in a guide. Or we
may provide such a guide at both ends of the throat plate. We preferably curve
the lower edge of the "throat-plate" and also chamfer it off to leave a somewhat
sharp edge on the inner side. Our improved throat plate may be set so that it
shall always have to lift slightly when a package or article is passing thereunder.
"
Dated this 23rd day of March 1892.
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C., Agents for the Applicants.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Coin-freed Machines for the Sale or Delivery
of Goods.
We, BALFOURS & COMPANY, LIMITED, 7 Great Winchester Street, in the
County of Middlesex, and WILLIAM NORTHORPE, Iliffe Street in the County of
Surrey, 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 coin-freed machines for the sale or delivery of goods
and comprises the improvements hereinafter set forth.
One feature of the said invention relates to the provision of a peculiarly shaped
lever for locking the draw-bar and preventing the withdrawal of the said bar until
a coin is inserted in the money slot. The construction moreover is such that the
locking lever is locked by the draw-bar when the latter is in its rearmost position.
To unlock the said lever it is necessary to draw out the draw-bar a short distance.
There is thus a double locking action between the draw-bar and the locking lever,
that is to say, these parts mutually lock each other.
To prevent undue tampering with the machine we provide a door for closing the
inoney slot each time the draw-bar is pulled out, and we also arrange that when the
goods have all been emptied from the machine the door shall be closed to prevent
the insertion of another coin.
Another important feature of our invention relates to what we term a "throat
plate" that is to say the device for preventing the withdrawal of all but the lower-
most article or package in the machine at each operation of the draw-bar.
According to this part of our invention we make the throat plate movable instead
of fixed and we curve and chamfer the lower edge thereof in a manner hereinafter
more particular described.
In the accompanying drawings:
Figure 1 is a front view of our improved apparatus arranged to deliver thin
packets of post cards or the like.
Figure 2 is a front view of the mechanism shewu partly dotted in Figure 1.
Figures 3 and 4 are side views showing the mechanism in two positions.
Figure 5 is a plan view of Figure 3 and
Figures 6 & 7 are detail views of parts of the mechanism.

page_text: Figures 2 to 7 are drawn to a larger scale than Figure 1.
Similar letters of reference denote similar parts in all the drawings.
Referring to Figure 1, A is the outer case which is furnished with a door A¹
having openings or slots A2, A2 to admit of the insertion of the coins which work
the delivery mechanism. The apparatus shewn in the drawing is designed to
supply two kinds of goods such for example as post cards and envelopes.
A', A', are the orifices or slits through which the cards are delivered. One of the
money slots A' is shewn closed by a plate A; this is done by the attendant when
it is desirable at any time to prevent either part of the apparatus from being used.
A7, A7 are flaps pivoted on lugs provided on the inside of the door A' which flaps
only allow articles to be passed in one direction through the delivery slit thereby
preventing anything from being inserted through the same from the outside. A° is
a suitable lock for locking the door A¹.
In Figures 2 to 5 the mechanism belonging to one half of the box shewn in
Figure 1 is shewn in detail to a larger scale. B is a box for containing the goods B¹
to be delivered. A weight B2 is placed on the top of said goods, which in this
instance are cards or thin packets, in order to keep the same pressed down on the
bottom of the box B. B is the "throat plate" to regulate the number of the
goods delivered at one operation in a manner hereinafter more particularly
explained.
C is the draw-bar which slides back and forth through orifices B*, B', in the
framework B which forms the bottom of the box B. A rod C₁ passes through
slots B' in the framework B and through holes C in the fork C' which is attached
to the end of the draw bar. C is a spring one end of which is attached by a hook
to the draw-bar and the other end of which is attached to the back of the outer
case of the apparatus, and thereby tends to keep the draw-bar in its rearmost
position as shewn in Figures 3 and 5.
D is the shoot which carries the coin E from the slot A' where it is inserted,
past a tipping lever D' to the delivery mechanism. F is a peculiarly shaped lever
pivoted at F. This lever is shewn separately in Figure 6.
The said lever is
formed with two parts F, F' which are straight for a portion of their length
forming a straight slot F in which the rod C' can slide..
The lever F is controlled by a spring F which tends to depress the rear end of
the lever as soon as the rod C¹ escapes from the slot F. When the draw-bar is
pushed home as shewn in Figure 3 the rod C' lodges on the top of the end of the
lower part of the lever and so prevents the said lever being turned. The draw
bar and rod moreover can only be pulled out for a short distance as long as the
lever is in the position shewn in Figure 3 as the said rod when drawn out butts
against the end of the upper part F³ of the lever. The lower part F2 of the
locking lever is moreover provided with a cam surface F* with which the rod C¹
engages when the draw-bar is pushed in so that the lever F shall be returned to its
locking position even if the spring F³ fails to act.
It will be readily understood that in order to pull out the draw-bar and obtain
the cards or other goods, the said bar must first be pulled out a little distance in
order to release the end of the lower portion F' of the lever; the said lever must
then be rotated against the force of the controlling spring F so as to bring the
slot F approximately horizontal and enable the draw-rod to be pulled out. The
part F is inclined at F** to afford a good entrance to the slot.
The rotation of the lever F is accomplished by means of the coin E in the
manner following, that is to say: The coin is delivered by the shoot D on to a
money table G so as to lodge against the rod C¹ in the end of the draw-bar. When
the draw-bar is pulled out the coin is carried along by the said rod till it comes
against the pin Fe secured to the lever F; when the draw bar is pulled further out
it acts through the coin and said pin Fe to raise the lever F against the spring F
until the slot F is opposite the end of the rod C as shewn in Figure 4 and in
dotted lines in Figure 5. The draw-bar may then be pulled out further until the
coin passes over the money table and drops into the till placed underneath. The

page_text: money table is pivoted at G¹ and is supported by a spring G' so that the coin may
pass under the pin F and be delivered into the till when the lever F is rotated as
far as it can be. The money table being spring-supported admits of the passage
of a battered coin which is slightly larger than usual without blocking the
apparatus.
H is a door pivoted on a screw H¹ and having a straight side H2 which in the
normal position of the door as shown in Figure 2 crosses the slot F in which
the front end F' of the lever F can move up and down. When the lever Fis
rotated by the action of the draw-bar the end F' moves down the slot FB pressing
on the straight part H* of the door H. The door is thus rotated on its pivot and
closes the money slot. The money slot is therefore automatically closed as soon as
the delivery mechanism begins to operate. By this means it is impossible by
inserting a cord or wire or the like through the money slot to so disengage the
locking lever as to allow of the draw-bar being worked without the insertion of a
coin, as such cord or wire would be severed by the closing door, or if the wire be
too strong to be cut in this manner the draw bar could not be withdrawn owing to
the locking of the door and lever which are connected therewith. The said door H
is also operated to close the money slot when all the goods have been emptied out
of the machine by the device shewn in detail in Figure 7. I is an arm pivoted on
the screw H¹ and carrying a pin I' which can engage with the tail part H³ Figure 2
of the door H. The arm I is acted upon by a spring I' which causes the lower
part I of said arm to project a short distance into the box B. As long as there is
a package of goods in the bottom of the said box the arm. I is pressed outwards
against its spring and the pin l'allows the door H to remain open but as soon as
the last package of goods is removed from the box the spring acts to rotate the
said arm and close the door H over the money slot by means of the pin I' acting
on the tail part H³ of said door. The weight B is cut away or recessed at the
side so as to allow the part I of the arm I to project into the box B when the last
package is reinoved.
The draw-bar is prevented from being pushed back after the rod C³ has once
entered the straight slot F in the lever F by means of a pivoted hanging pawl J
the upper extremity of which engages with a rack J' secured to the fork on the
draw bar, until the said draw bar has been pulled out to its farthest limit. The
same pawl and rack also operate to prevent the draw-bar being pulled out
again when once it has been pushed in a short distance, until it has been pushed
home.
The packets are drawn out of the box and delivered under the throat plate B³
by means of a claw C' pivoted on the rod C¹. The said claw is kept in an upright
position when the draw bar is pushed right home by means of a suitable spring or
weight so as to engage with the bottom article or packet when the draw bar is
pulled forward. While the bar is being pushed back the said claw is tilted
forward against the force of the spring or weight so as to wipe under the packets
or articles.
We arrange that when the draw-bar is pulled out and the goods delivered
a bell K Figure 1 shall be sounded by suitable mechanism operated by the
draw bar.
66
The throat-plates" or cut off's have heretofore been fixed, and it is found that
such fixed-devices give trouble when thin articles or packages such for example as
postcards have to be distributed. This arises from the jamming that occurs should
one article above the average thickness or two articles somewhat thinner than usual
get underneath the throat plate at the same time. According to our invention we
provide a throat plate which can lift and we sometimes hinge the said throat plate
at one end and allow the other end to work in a guide or we provide such a guide
at both ends of the throat plate.
In Figure 2 an improved throat plate is clearly shewn. B is the plate which is
pivoted at BB and is provided with a slot B' working on the pin B so that the
said plate may be lifted slightly if necessary. The bottom of the said plate is

page_text: curved as shown and preferably chamfered off so as to leave a somewhat sharp
edge on the inner side. We may arrange that the plate shall be lifted by each
packet or article as such packet or article is passed thereunder, or we may so
arrange that the plate is only lifted by articles which have more than the average
thickness.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what we
claim is :-
1. A coin-freed mechanism for the sale or delivery of goods in which the locking
lever which prevents the withdrawal of the draw-bar is locked by the said draw-bar
when the latter is pushed back to its rearmost position.
2. A coin-freed machine for the sale or delivery of goods, wherein the money
slot is closed, when the delivery mechanism commences to act, by a door which,
when the draw-bar is released by the locking lever, is operated by the rotation of
the said locking lever, substantially as described for the purpose specified.
3. The locking lever, constructed substantially as described with reference to
Figure 6 of the drawings and operating as specified.
4. The movable throat plate, constructed substantially as described and operating
as, and for the purpose, specified.
5. The spring supported money table, constructed and operating substantially as
described, for the purpose specified.
6. The coin-freed apparatus for the sale or delivery of goods, constructed
substantially as described with reference to Figures 2 to 7 of the accompanying
drawings.
Dated this 30th day of December 1892.
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C., Agents for the Applicants.