Improvements in Coin Actuated Weighing Machines.
Year: 1899

page_text: Improvements in Coin Actuated Weighing Machines.
I, EDGAR BEVERLEY FENBY, of 55, Nightingale Road, Harlesden, in the County
of Middlesex, Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows;
This invention relates to improvements in connection with coin actuated or
penny-in-the-slot weighing machines the object being to produce a machine
the weighing mechanism of which will not be actuated immediately the person
stands upon the platform but will only be capable of motion after a coin has been
inserted in the machine.
In many weighing machines at present in use the weighing mechanism is
quite independent of the recording mechanism and upon any person standing
upon the platform of the machine the weighing mechanism is actuated and
remains fixed at a point dependent upon the weight of the person, ready for
determining the extent of the motion of the indicating hand of the recording
mechanism after a coin has been inserted in the slot of the machine to release
such recording or indicating mechanism.
By this arrangement of double mechanism one part of which is outside of the
control of the coin and capable of being actuated immediately any load or pres-
sure is placed upon the platform, much needless wear and tear of the mechanism
is occasioned. By my improved arrangement of mechanism I release or unlock
the weighing members of the mechanism after a coin only has been inserted and
I thus obviate the constant wear and tear which arises by the interference or
meddling with the machine by persons who do not place coins within it.
In carrying my invention into effect I employ the coin to trip or release a
lever which permits the pull of the rod from the platform weighing lever
mechanism connection to become operative upon the indicating mechanism which
is carried in the upper portion of machine case or cabinet.
The platform casing and its steelyard connections I make in any well known
manner carrying a vertical rod or connecting bar from the lower member of the
weighing platform to the upper portion of the mechanism placed in one con-
venient arrangement behind the dial face. I carry this rod or connecting bar
up the vertical pillar of the machine or up the casing when such is a continuous
one from the base to the dial head; and to the upper end of the rod I make the
usual weighing spring connection for taking the pull or tension of the rod. To
this tension rod make a connection with my locking mechanism by means of a
coupling or link plate which transmits the tension from the rod on to one side of
the lever which carries at its outer end a trigger locking catch.
At or near one extreme end of this locking lever I make a connection to a dash
pot or buffer piston and cylinder for the purpose of preventing too violent a

page_text: ·
motion to be given to the lever under the impulse of the tension rod. I prefer
to pivot the cylinder upon trunnion like bearings to enable an automatic adjust-
ment to be made for the vibrating motion of the tripping lever.
On the opposite
end of the lever I suspend a pawl like trigger locking catch which is provided
with a projecting pin or pins for engaging with ratchet shaped teeth or serrations
formed in the guide quadrant bar or bars against or between which the end of the
locking lever travels. Upon the quadrant guide bars I arrange notched or
serrated outer bars having specially formed teeth and openings which admit of the
projecting stop pins passing freely over in the upward direction when the lever
is moving forwards but which will not allow of a backward or return motion to
be made with the pin on the outer face. When the lever reaches the point when
it remains stationary under the influence of any particular load upon the plat-
form or footplate then the suspended locking catch lever falls from the outer
notched plate through one of the openings or notches on to the inner quadrant
ratchet guide and the pin or pins engage beneath one of the teeth or pair of
teeth thereby preventing any further onward movement of the lever, thus pre-
venting additional weighing being attempted on the machine. Upon the person
alighting from the platform the end of the locking lever falls and carries with
it the suspending locking carrier the teeth of the inner quadrant guide being
suitably shaped to allow of a backward but not a forward movement.
The coin actuating mechanism I arrange within the casing in such a manner
that a coin which is passed through an outer slot falls on to a rocking hopper
like end of a pivoted lever; the spindle of this lever having on the outside of the
casing a handle for manipulation by the person inserting the coin.
On the rocking coin hopper or carrier is arranged a projecting stud or pin
which travels over a pivoted outer guide and which keeps the coin within the
carrier while the stud is travelling over the guide. When the end of this guide is
reached the hopper or carrier tilts upon its pivot and allows the coin to fall out
into the receptacle below arranged within the casing; the hopper is then in a
position to be moved backwards to its initial position the stud passing backward
beneath the surface of the pivoted guide which has placed beneath it for this
purpose a directing fixed guide bar so that when the pin reaches the inner end
of its stroke the pivoted guide moves upon its pivot to allow the guide to pass
under and thus to assume its initial vertical position with the pin above the
guide ready for the reception of another coin. I may make my handle of such a
weight that it tends normally to return the hopper to its initial coin receiving
position or I may employ a spring or balance weight for this purpose. I pro-
vide a tail locking pawl upon my coin hopper for engaging in a stop or tooth of
a guide plate I place upon my casing for determining the length of the travel of
the handle in each direction.
I employ the ordinary rack and pinion action for giving motion to the
indicating hand or pointer for indicating the weight in the face of the dial as
at present arranged upon the ordinary personal weighing machines modifying the
connections and parts to suit the new mechanism I introduce when constructing
my improved machine. I construct the case and platform of any shape and
configuration.

page_text: I, EDGAR BEVERLEY FENBY, of 55, Nightingale Road, Harlesden, 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 ascer-
tained in and by the following statement:-
This invention relates to improvements in connection with coin actuated or
penny-in-the-slot weighing machines, the object being to produce a machine,
the weighing mechanism of which will not be actuated immediately the person
stands upon the platform but will only be capable of motion after a coin has been
inserted in the machine.
In many weighing machines at present in use the weighing mechanism is
quite independent of the recording mechanism and upon any person standing
upon the platform of the machine the weighing mechanism is actuated and
remains fixed at a point dependent upon the weight of the person, ready for
determining the extent of the motion of the indicating hand of the recording
mechanism after a coin has been inserted in the slot of the machine to release
such recording or indicating mechanism.
By this arrangement of double mechanism one part of which is outside of the
control of the coin, and capable of being actuated immediately any load or pres-
sure is placed upon the platform, much needless wear and tear of the mechanism
is occasioned. By my improved arrangement of mechanism I release or unlock
the weighing members of the mechanism after a coin only has been inserted and
I thus obviate the constant wear and tear which arises by the interference or
meddling with the machine by persons who do not place coins within it.
In the accompanying sheets of explanatory drawings,
Figure 1 is a front elevation, and
Figure 2 a side elevation of a convenient form of my improved weighing
machine.
Figure 3 is a detail elevation of the weighing and recording mechanism seen
by the removal of the back cover plate of the dial head of the machine, and
Figure 4 is a sectional and side elevation of the same taken through the casing
of the dial head of the machine.
Figure 5 is an enlarged elevation, and,
Figure 6 a side elevation of the coin hopper and its connections.
Figure 7 is a plan of the same.
Figure 8 is an elevation of the coin hopper, and connections, shewing the
position of the coin hopper just before discharging the coin.
Figure 9 is an enlarged detail elevation of the rack path and pin guide, and
Figure 10 is a part end elevation shewing the movable shutter or end stopping
tooth for diverting the pin to the outside path.
Figure 11 is a part elevation of the rack path shewing the shutter lever.
Fig. 12 is a section of the rack taken through a, a, of Fig. 11.
In carrying my invention into effect I employ the coin to trip or release a
lever which permits the pull of the rod A from the platform weighing lever
mechanism connection to become operative upon the indicating mechanism
which is carried in the upper portion C of the machine case or cabinet.
The platform casing D and its steelyard connections I make in any well known
nanner carrying a vertical rod A or connecting bar from the lower member of the

page_text: weighing platform to the upper portion of the mechanism placed in one con-
venient arrangement behind the dial face. I carry this rod or connecting bar A
up the vertical pillar of the machine or up the casing when such is a continuous
one from the base to the dial head; and to the upper end of the rod I make the
usual weighing spring connection E, E¹, Eª, for taking the pull or tension of
the rod. To this tension rod A I make a connection F with my locking
mechanism by means of a coupling or link plate F which transmits the tension
from the rod on to one side of the lever G which carries at its outer end a weighted
trigger locking catch H.
At or near one extreme end of this main or locking lever G I make a connection
to a dash pot or buffer piston and cylinder K for the purpose of preventing too
violent a motion to be given to the lever G under the impulse of the tension rod A.
I prefer to pivot the cylinder upon trunnion like bearings to enable an auto-
matic adjustment to be made for the vibrating motion of the locking or tripping
lever G. On the opposite end of the lever G I suspend a pawl-like trigger locking
catch H which is provided with a projecting pin or pins L L¹, for engaging with
ratchet shaped teeth or serrations m formed in the side of a quadrant bar or
bars M.
Attached to or formed in one piece with each or one of the quadrant guide
bars M, I provide a second bar M¹ bearing a rim M² and having suitable pro-
jections N, which project through a slot n so as to be flush with the face
of the bar or bars M and arranged to divide the quadrant guide or slot n into
the inner and outer paths O and g respectively and at such a distance apart that
the pins L L can freely pass between them. The projections N admit of the
projecting stop pins L L¹ passing freely over them. When the lever G reaches
the point where it remains stationary under the influence of any particular load
upon the platform or footplate the suspended locking catch-lever H falls from the
outer notched path 9 through one of the openings between the projections N on
to the inner quadrant ratchet guide M and the pin or pins L, L' engage beneath
one of the teeth or pair of teeth m thereby preventing any further onward move-
ment of the lever, and thus prevents additional weighing being attempted on
the machine. Upon the person alighting from the platform the end of the
locking-lever G falls and carries with it the suspending locking catch-lever H,
the teeth of the inner quadrant guide being suitably shaped to allow of a back-
ward but not a forward movement.
The coin actuating mechanism I arrange within the casing in such a manner
that a coin which is passed through an outer slot O falls into a pivotted hopper-
like end P on a pivotted lever R; the spindle of this lever having on the outside
of the casing a handle S or knob for manipulation by the person inserting the
coin.
On the pivoted coin hopper or carrier P is arranged a projecting stud or pin p,
(Figs. 5. 6. 7, and 8) which travels over a pivoted outer guide T and keeps the
face of the coin hopper or carrier P nearly vertical, so retaining the coin Z within
the carrier P while the stud is travelling over the guide T. When the end of
this guide T is reached the hopper or carrier P brings the coin Z into contact
with the end of the catch-lever H, as shewn by the dotted lines in Figure 3, thus
releasing the end of the lever H by causing the pin L or the pins L, L¹ to be
removed from contact with the lower tooth or teeth n¹, and allows the hopper P
to swing down by gravity to the position shewn on Figure 8, when the coin Z
rests on the edge of a bent plate X which is fastened by screws or other suitable
means to a guide plate U. To discharge the coin from the hopper P the plate X
has a raised portion y against which the coin abuts as the hopper l' moves back-
ward and then falls into the receptacle Y below, arranged within the casing
Figure 3.
The backward movement of the hopper P is continued to its initial position,
the stud passing backward beneath the surface of the pivotted guide T which
has placed beneath it a directing fixed guide plate or bar U³, guiding the return

page_text: of the hopper, so that when the pin approaches the inner end of its stroke the
pivoted guide T moves upon its pivot to allow the stud 2 to pass under and
thus to assume its initial vertical position with the pin p on a higher level than
the guide T, (as shewn by Figure 5), when the hopper P will be ready for the
receiption of another coin. I may make my handle of such a weight that it tends
normally to return the hopper to its initial coin receiving position or I may
employ a spring or balance weight for this purpose. I provide a locking pawl W
upon my coin hopper for engaging in a stop or tooth U of the guide plate U for
determining the length of the travel of the handle in one direction, while a pro-
jection U of the guide plate U determines the travel in the other direction.
(Figures 5 and 8).
At the lower end of the projection N I arrange a swivelling tooth or shutter m¹
which admits of the passage to the inner or down path being closed to the upward
movement of the pin L on the locking lever H, but on the downward movement
of the pin L, when it is on the inner or underside of the projection N and travelling
over the teeth m the shutter or swivelling tooth is free to pass so as to enter the
lowest serration or tooth of the bar or guide M. Upon the hopper lever R I
place a striker bar which presses when the coin z is in contact with the end of
the catch lever H against the arm m2 (Figs. 9, 10 and 11) attached to the
spindle m on which the shutter or swivelling tooth m pivots or turns; the pres-
sure of the striking bar r against the arm m² causes the shutter to close the
inner passage and so cause the pin L to travel upwards on the outer passage q.
I employ the ordinary rack and pinion action for giving motion to the
indicating hand or pointer for indicating the weight upon the face of the dial as
at present arranged upon the ordinary personal weighing machines, modifying
the connections and parts to suit the new mechanism I introduce when con-
structing my improved machine. The case and platform of my machine I con-
struct of a shape and configuration to suit any particular requirement.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is;-
1. In a coin actuated weighing machine the combination and arrangement
of a main pivoted lever which is actuated by the movement of the tension or
motion rod trom the foot plate of the weighing machine, with a serrated quadrant
guide or guides having teeth or openings formed thereon for receiving a pin or
pins carried upon a locking pivoted com tripping lever attached to the end of
The main pivoted lever substantially as and for the purposes herein before described,
and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.
2. In coin actuated weighing machines the combination and arrangement of
a pivoted coin carrying hopper with a handle or manipulating lever for traversing
the coin from its initial to another position where it can release the locked end
of the main or indicating mechanism lever and finally discharge the coin sub-
stantially as and for the purposes herein before described and as illustrated in the
accompanying drawings."
3. In a coin actuated weighing machine the combination of a pivoted coin
carrier or hopper with a fixed and a movable guide for enabling a stud or pin
carried upon such hopper to travel in one direction above the pivoted guide then
admitting of the hopper tilting and discharging its coin and returning with
its pin below the same guide substantially as and for the purposes herein before
described and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.
4. In coin actuated weighing machines the construction and arrangement of
serrated guide bars which admit of the locking pin lever travelling upwards with
the pin upon the exterior surface of one set of teeth and which admit of the pin
falling through openings between the outer teeth so as to enter beneath the
serrations or teeth of the inner guide bar or path substantially as and for the
purposes hereinbefore described and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

page_text: 5. In a coin actuated weighing machine the use in combination of a weighing
platform, tension rod or bar connecting the platform to the weighing and
indicating gear, main pivoted lever actuated by such tension bar, pivoted coin
tripping lever carried on the main pivoted lever, toothed quadrant engaging pins
on the coin tripping lever and having two rows of teeth, pivoted coin carrying
hopper to engage the coin tripping lever and arranged to tilt for discharging the
coin the whole substantially as described and as illustrated in the accompanying
drawings.
1
101
1
2000
MARKS & CLERK,
18, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C.,
13, Temple Street, Birmingham, and 25, Cross Street, Manchester,
Agents.