Improvements in Apparatus for Effecting by Insertion of a Coin the Production of Electric Light for a Certain Time.
Year: 1890

page_text: Date of Application, 18th Aug., 1890
Complete Specification Left, 16th May, 1891-Accepted, 15th Aug., 1891
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Apparatus for Effecting by Insertion of a Coin the
Production of Electric Light for a Certain Time.
We DIXON HENRY DAVIES of No. 4 South Parade, Leeds in the County
of York Solicitor, and JOHN MESNEY TOURTEL of Adelaide Works, Uxbridge
Road in the County of Middlesex, Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of
this invention to be as follows:-
In the Specifications of our Patents Nos. 8206 of 1887 5201/88 and 5789/89 we
described apparatus so arranged that on inserting a coin and moving a push an
electric light is produced and is maintained for a time determined by clokwork.
Our present invention relates to improvements in the details of construction
whereby the apparatus is simplified and occupies much less space.
For this purpose we preferably construct the casing of metal plates, the two sides
back and bottom, being rivetted together the front being hinged as a door and the
top made removeable. The top is fixed in position by taking under a lip of the back
plate and by a projection on the door taking into a catch on the underside of the
top plate when closed. In this casing we arrange the clockwork at the side of the
coin pocket which is pivotted on an axis projecting from the upper part of the clock
work framing and is provided with a spring causing it to return to its normal
position when not held back by the electromagnet. On the mainspring arbor of
the clockwork outside its casing is mounted a pinion in gear with a segment rack
above, preferably pivotted on the same axis as the coin pocket. On the connecting
arm of this rack is a projection against which the coin bears when introduced into
the pocket, so that on the push being operated, the pocket with its coin is moved
backward and at the same time by reason of the coin hearing and pushing against
the said projection, causes the movement of the segment rack through its are thus
turning the pinion and winding the clock. As soon as the push is released it returns
to its normal position, and the coin is free to drop either into its receptacle
or into
a restarting catch when there is a failure in the supply of electricity. The coin
having fallen, the projection on the connecting arm of the rack can and is caused
to move forward again by the rotation of the pinion due to the unwinding of the
main spring acting on the segment rack; the coin pocket being partly cut away, so
as to allow such movement of the projection although the coin pocket is retained in
its back position.
At the back of the pocket is attached an armature which upon the pocket being
forced back is brought against the poles of an electromagnet; at the same time a
contact piece on the armature being caused to bear against a contact spring situated
behind the electromagnet.
The completion of the electric circuit holding the pocket in its back position and
causing light to be given is effected by means of a second contact spring which
bears against the segment rack of the clockwork except when in its normal position
so that this spring remains in contact so long as the clockwork is in motion.
The armature at the back of the pocket is held against the poles of the electro-
magnet and the contact piece against the contact spring so long as an electric
current is passing through the circuit. On an interruption of the electric circuit
the armature and its contact piece are caused to assume their norinal position free
of the electromagnet and contact spring in obedience to the spring of the coin
pocket. Such interruption may be caused in any one of three ways.
First by the return of the segment rack to its normal condition by the running
down of the clockwork when the second contact spring is no longer in contact.
Secondly, by the movement of a second push outside the casing which actuates a

page_text: sliding piece pushing the contact spring away from its contact piece on the armature.
And Thirdly by an interruption of the main circuit.
In order to start the balance wheel of the clock we arrange a spring lever
pivotted to the clockwork casing and actuated by the movement of the main spring
push. A wire extending from this spring lever is free of the balance wheel in its
normal condition but bears against it as it is operated by the main push. The
operation of this spring lever first causes a partial rotation of the balance wheel; it
then springs back to its normal position leaving the balance wheel free to continue
its movement.
As a precaution against the box being tampered with we provide inside the
casing a spring contact in circuit with an electric bell so that when the door is
closed it is inoperative but on the door being opened either by force or otherwise
the circuit is closed causing the bell to ring giving warning.
The lamp is contained in a reflector casing preferably attached to the box
although in some cases it might be separate therefrom. This reflector casing is
constructed so as to be capable of swivelling round a centre by means of studs
projecting from its bottom and working in slots in a base plate. This enables the
person using the light to give it such direction as he may wish.
Dated this 18th day of August 1890.
ABEL & IMRAY,
Agents for the Applicants.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Apparatus for Effecting by Insertion of a Coin the
Production of Electric Light for a Certain Time.
We, DIXON HENRY DAVIES of No. 4 South Parade, Leeds, in the County
of York, Solicitor, and JoHN MESNEY TOURTEL of Adelaide Works, Uxbridge
Road 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 :-
In the Specifications of our Patents No. 8206 of 1887, No. 5201 of 1888, and
No. 5789 of 1889 we described apparatus so arranged that, on inserting a coin and
moving a push, an electric light is produced and is maintained for a time determined
by clockwork.
Our present invention relates to improvements in the constructive details whereby
the apparatus is simplified and rendered much more compact, as we shall describe
referring to the accompanying drawings.
Figure 1 is a vertical section of the apparatus when not in action.
Figure 2 is the same with the coin pocket removed.
Figure 3 shews the apparatus being put in action.
Figure 4 is the same as Figure 3 with part of the mechanism removed.
Figures 5 and 10 are elevations shewing alternative positions for the lamp.
Figure 6 is a vertical section, with the door, lamp and lamp slade removed.
Figure 7 is an elevation of the inside of the door,
Figure 9 is a plan of the door.
Figure 8 shews the same as Fig. 6, but with the lamp bracket; top cover, coin
pocket, and clockwork removed.
Figure 11 is a back view of the lamp bracket.
Figure 13 is a plan of the apparatus.
Figure 14 is a sectional plan shewing the extinguishing arrangements.
Figure 15 is a plan with the top cover removed.
Figure 16 shews the slide used for extinguishing the light.
The same letters are used to designate similar parts in the various figures..
The box A is formed of two side plates B B to which are fastened a bottom.
plate C and a back plate D. To B is hinged at E a door F provided with a

page_text: lock (Figures 5 and 7). The top. cover G. which is removeable, is provided
with flanges H H (Figures 6 and 10) which overlap the side plates B B, and its
edge is held under a lip I of the back plate D. The cover G is held down, when
the door F is closed, by a projection J on the under side of G being engaged by a
projection K on the door I.
Fixed at to the box A is a bracket to which is attached a lamp shade S by
screws passing through slots u u (Figs. 1, 6 and 1!) so that the lamp shade can
be turned through a certain angle, so as to direct the light as required.
q
A glass is held at the front of the lamp shade S¹ by a ring w.
Within the
lamp shape S, and fixed to the bracket by a flange 1, is a socket a in which the
lamp y is held. In most of the figures the lamp shade S' is shown fixed below
the box A., but it may be placed above it as in Fig. 10, or it may be quite separate
from the box.
A clockwork L is fixed to the back plate D, and its casing carries a spindle M
on which is pivotted the coin pocket N. As shown in Fig. 12, the coin pocket N
has a slot in which the spindle M. engages so that the pocket can be easily removed
without disturbing the rest of the apparatus. A spring O keeps the pocket inclined'
forwards as shown in Fig. 1.
On the main spring arbor of the clockwork L and outside its casing is fixed a
pinion P gearing with a segment rack Q which is pivotted on the spindle M and
has a projection R protruding behind and within the pocket N through a gap cut in
the side of the pocket.
In a boss a projecting from the door F is fitted a plunger U against the inner
end of which presses a spring V. This plunger can pass freely through a hole W
in the pocket N, if it is pressed in without the previous insertion of a coin, the
apparatus not being operated in that case.
But when a coin of the required value is inserted into the slot S it drops into the
pocket N and rests upon a fedge T projecting below the pocket from the clock
framing. Then the plunger U being pressed in strikes the coin (which forms
a mechanical connection between the plunger U the pocket N and the pro-
jection R of the rack Q) and causes the pocket N and the rack Q to be pushed
back. The motion of the rack serves to wind the main spring of the clock L by
turning the pinion P.
At the back of the pocket N is a spring p carrying an armature X provided with
a contact screw Y. When the pocket N is pushed back, as above described, the
armature X is brought against the poles a a of an electro-magnet and the contact
screw is pressed against the contact spring which is insulated from the box A
(Figure 3). At the same time the rack Q is brought beneath and into contact
with a contact spring d also insulated from the box A (Figure 4). These two
contacts complete the electric circuit formed by the electric connections shown
in Figs. 3 and 8, a light is obtained, and the current flowing through the coils of the
electromagnet which are in the electric circuit, excites the electromagnet so that
its attraction retains the armature X and with it the pocket N, when the plunger U
is released and is pushed forwards to its normal position by the spring V.
As the
pocket N is held back by the magnet, the coin which is now beyond the ledge T,
Fig. 3, is free to drop within the box A. The coin having fallen, the projection R
on the segment rack Q is caused to move forward again by the rotation of the
pinion P, due to the unwinding of the main spring, acting on the rack Q. There
being a gap in the side of the pocket N, the projection R can pass through the
pocket N and return to its normal position, although the pocket is still retained in
its back position.
and the
The armature X is held against the poles a a of the electromagnet
contact screw Y is kept against the contact spring e so long as the electric current
continues to pass through the magnet coils. On cessation of the current the
armature X and its contact screw Y assume their normal position away from the
electromagnet b and the contact spring c, in obedience to the spring O of the coin
pocket N. The cessation of current may be caused in any one of three ways.

page_text: First By the return of the segment rack Q to its normal position, owing to the
running down of the clockwork so that at the end of the appointed time, the contact
spring d is no longer in contact with the rack Q, consequently the current ceases to
flow and the light is extinguished.
Secondly--By pressing a spring push e, Fig. 14, which through a slide f forces
the contact spring e away from the contact screw Y. (The contact spring at the
point where the slide touches it, is covered with insulating material which prevents
them from making electric connection.)
Thirdly By opening the main circuit by means of a switch or other contact
breaker.
For starting the balance wheel of the clockwork L a spring lever is pivotted
to the clockwork casing and actuated by an arm i fixed to the plunger U. A wire k
extending from the spring lever is, in its normal position, free from the balance
wheel, but bears against it when operated by the plunger U, first causing a partial.
rotation of the balance wheel g; then springing back to its normal position when
the plunger U is released, the balance wheel being thus left free to continue its
movement.
Should the supply of electricity fail or should the electric circuit be externally
opened, then the electromagnet b'would not be excited, the coin pocket N would
not be held back but would be forced forwards by the spring O, and as its momentum
would carry it beyond its normal position, the coin would drop in front of the ledge T
and fall through the shoot and through a hole in the bottom of the box A to a
bracket m outside the box, Fig. 12, where it could be regained by the operator, the
coin being thus returned when no light is produced.
When a coin too small is inserted into the apparatus, it cannot rest upon the
ledge T but drops past it, as shown in Fig. 6, and is returned to the operator
through the shoot to the bracket m.
As a precaution against the box being tampered with, we provide within the
box A a contact spring m which when the door F is closed is pressed away from a
contact piece by an insulating block Fig. 3; but, when the door is opened, the
spring is brought against the contact piece n Fig. 4, and completes an electric
bell circuit, causing the bell to ring and give warning that the box has been opened.
g' is a safety fuse placed in the circuit as shown in Fig. 8.
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. In apparatus for effecting by insertion of a coin the production of electric
light for a certain time, the general construction and arrangement of the parts herein
described with reference to the accompanying drawings.
2. The described arrangement of the lamp bracket so that it can be turned to
direct the light as desired.
3. The described combination of the push e slide and spring for effecting
extinction of the light when desired.
4. The herein described means of starting the clockwork.
5. The herein described means of giving alarm when the door is opened.
Dated this 16th ow of M 1901
ABEL & IMRAY,
Agents for the Applicants.