Improvements in Coin-freed Mechanism.
Year: 1898

page_text: Date of Application, 14th Jan., 1898
Complete Specification Loft 19th Nov 1808 Accented 17th Dec
1808
Improvements in Coin-freed Mechanism.
We, HARRY GAMWELL and CHARLES GAMWELL, both of 15, Fraser Street, in
the City of Liverpool, Engineers, do hereby declare the nature of this invention
to be as follows:-
Our invention relates, firstly, to a device for preventing the entry into coin-
freed mechanism of bent, flattened, or otherwise defaced coins, which would
militate against the perfect working of such mechanism. In constructing such
a device we form a circular recess in a block or plate disposed outside of the coin
slot. The recess communicates with the coin slot by means of a similar slot.
The bottom of such recess is in line with the lower edge of said slot. A portion
of the circular recess, opposite to the coin slot, is covered in, that is to say, a
segment of the circle is covered in and such segment is directly opposite to the
coin slot. The circle is of just sufficient diameter to accommodate a coin of
correct size. The function of the covering segment is to prevent a coin which
has been flattened or hammered out, and thus increased in diameter, from enter-
ing the coin slot and this function is performed as follows. The coin is placed
in the recess in an inclined position, with its lower edge underneath the covering
segment. If the coin is of correct diameter it then falls flat into the circular
recess, and, providing it is not bent or dished, may be slid along the bottom of
the recess and through the slot leading to the coin slot, and thus pass into the
latter. If the coin has been beaten out beyond its correct diameter, at any portion
of its circumference, it cannot enter the recess. If the covering segment were
absent a coin having a flattened circumferential protuberance might be inserted
by first entering the protuberance into the slot leading to the coin slot; its
presence however, prevents this. By compelling the coin to slide along a flat
surface and through a slot, the passage of a bent coin is prevented.
Our second improvement relates to coin freed mechanism wherein coins are
stored one above another and are displaced seriatim by a pusher, which pushes
away the lowermost coin of the pile; and consists of a device for retaining the
other coins whilst the lower one is being displaced. An essential of such a
device is its capability of dealing with a mixed pile of newly minted and worn
coins. We attain this object by employing one or more bolts which hang verti-
cally in guides in front of the coin pile. Such a bolt reaches to within a distance
of the surface along which the lower coin is pushed, equal to or slightly less than
the thickness of a much worn coin and has a semi-spherical end." A newly
minted coin, or one of normal thickness, by coming in contact with such semi-
spherical end, will slightly raise the bolt and will pass underneath it, but two
much worn coins will not raise the bolt, as the upper will be retained whilst the
lower one is passed.
Our third improvement relates to the surface along which coins are pushed in
the manner referred to in the preceding paragraph. The pushing plate or
displacer must be of less thickness than a worn coin. Hence if a coin must be

page_text: dealt with which is cupped or dished, and is standing upon its convex surface,
the pusher is apt to get under the edge of the coin. To remedy this defect we
more or less hollow out longitudinally the course along which the coin is pushed.
Coins thus rest at each side thereof, and if they are convex, their convexity is
accommodated in such longitudinal hollow.
**...*
J. A. COUBROUGH,
Registered Patent Agent (Qual. by Exam.),
10, St. George's Crescent, Liverpool, Agent for the Applicants.
Improvements in Coin-reed Mechanism.
We, HARRY GAMWELL and CHARLES GAMWELL, both of 15, Fraser Street, in
the City of Liverpool, Engineers, 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 coin-freed mechanism whereby
the entry into "such mechanism of mis-shapen coins is prevented; and whereby
such 'apparatus is adapted to deal with coins which have become worn as well
as with coins which are fresh from the mint.
10
For the purpose of this specification we have in the annexed drawing illus-
trated our improvements as applied to a coin-freed gas-meter of the kind
described in our former Patent No. 21069/96. It will however be understood
that the improvements hereinafter described and illustrated may be applied to
other forms of coin-freed mechanism.
Figure 1 is a plan of a coin reception device, and a coin-displacer, the upper
part of the reception device being removed.
Figure 2 is a plan of the upper part of such coin reception device.
Figure 3 is a cross-section on line A B, Figure 2.
Figure 4 is a cross-section on line C D, Figure 3.
Figure 5 is a detail view of a portion of a coin reception device.
Figure 6 is a view (on a magnified scale) of our device for dealing with
freshly minted and worn coins.
Our invention relates firstly, to a coin-guage, for preventing the entry into
coin freed mechanism of bent or enlarged coins. In constructing such coin
guage we form a circular coin-receptacle or recess a in a block or plate 6, disposed
outside of the coin-slot c, the floor of said recess being on a level with the lower
lip of the coin-slot, whereby a coin may be slid along the floor of the recess,
through the duct e and under the bridge f, into the coin-slot. Although the
diameter of the recess is just large enough to admit a coin of the prescribed
size, the recess alone would not prevent a coin having a circumferential enlarge-
ment from entering the coin-slot, because this could be done by first placing the
enlargement in the duct e, so that the remainder and perfect portion of the
coin could enter the recess a. To overcome this difficulty we cause the coin
to be entered into the recess a in a certain manner, namely we obstruct a portion
of the circular entrance of the recess u. Now in order to place a coin in the
recess the edge of such coin must primarily be inserted underneath
such obstruction, and as the contour of that part of the recess which
is below the obstruction is circular, it follows that the edge of the
coin so inserted must be circular. Unless the edge of the coin is first inserted
under the obstruction, the coin cannot enter the recess, i.e., the obstruction will
prevent it.
Consequently if a defaced edge of a coin be first inserted in the

page_text: duct e, the obstruction will prevent the entry of the coin into the recess a and
so the coin is rejected. Such obstruction must be disposed in the entrance to
the recess a at a part removed from the duct e, and although we prefer to place it
diametrically opposite to such duct it may be disposed elsewhere on the edge
of the entrance to the recess, so long as it is removed from the duct e. The most
convenient manner of constructing the obstruction is to enclose a
segment of the entrance, as shewn in Figure 2, but it must be understood
that we do not confine ourselves to the shape or disposition of the obstruction as
shewn. If the coin, inserted as above described has a perfect circumference, it
falls flat on the floor of the recess a, and, providing it is not bent or dished,
may be slid along the floor of the recess and through the duct e, into the coin-
slot c. If the coin has been bent or dished the bridge f will prevent its passage
through the duct e, and when this occurs the rejected coin may be lifted out of
the recess a by a pin inserted through the gap g.
Our second improvement relates to coin freed mechanism wherein coins may
be stored one above the other and are displaced seriatim by a pusher which pushes
away the lowermost coin of the pile. As an example of such mechanism we have
illustrated a coin-reception device wherein coins entering the slot C
fall down the inclined guides h into the chamber i where they may
form a pile, and a coin displacer which removes the lowermost coin,
as described in our said former patent. Such improvements consists
of a device for retaining the upper coins whilst the lowermost coin
is being displaced. An essential of such a device is its capability of dealing
with a mixed pile of newly-minted and worn coins, that is to say, it must pass
a full sized newly-minted coin or a well worn coin, but must always retain all
the coins whether new or old-which are stored above such displaced coin. We
attain this object by employing one or more bolts which hang vertically in
guides in front of the coin pile. For the apparatus illustrated, one of such bolts
is sufficient. The bolt is free to move up and down in the guide m, and is
supported by the pin n so that its lower end hangs within a distance of the
surface along which the lower coin is pushed, equal to or slightly less than
the thickness of a much worn coin, and such end has a semi-spherical or rounded
contour. A newly minted coin, or one of normal thickness, by coming in contact
with such rounded end, will slightly raise the bolt and pass underneath it,
whilst the upper coins are retained, but when two much-worn coins are
encountered together the bolt will detain the upper coin, and those above it,
whilst the lower coin only is pushed away.
The relative thicknesses of a new coin o and two worn coins p and q, and the
contour and position of the bolt end relative to such coins, are shewn upon a
magnified scale in Figure 6, wherein it will be seen that the rounded part of
the bolt extends above the level of the upper surface of the newly made coin o
but terminates and merges into the cylindrical surface of the bolt below the
upper surface of the upper coin of two well worn coins P and J. The bolt
will therefore rise upon the newly minted coin but will obstruct the upper coin
of two worn coins.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our invention,
and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what we
claim is:-
1. A coin guage, for coin freed mechanism, comprising a coin-receptacle whose
circular entrance is partially obstructed at a part removed from its exit in such a
manner that the edge of the coin must be inserted underneath such obstruction
before the coin can be laid in the receptacle, whereby a coin possessing a circum-
ferential enlargement cannot enter said receptacle, substantially as described and
illustrated.
2. The device for retaining the upper coin or coins of a pile of coins from
which the lowermost coin is being displaced, which consists of a bolt whose

page_text: lower end is rounded, which bolt is suspended in front of such pile and reaches
within such a distance of the surface upon which the pile rests that whilst a
perfect coin will raise and pass underneath the bolt by pressing upon its rounded
end (whilst the coins above such perfect coin are retained) the upper coin of two
worn coins (and those above it) will be retained and the lower one only passed, 5
substantially as described and illustrated.
1000
J. A. COUBROUGH,
Chartered Patent Agent, 10, St. George's Crescent, Liverpool,
Agent for the Applicants.