Improvements in or in connection with Automatic Sale or Hire Apparatus.
Year: 1896

page_text: Date of Application, 16th Oct., 1896
Complete Specification Left, 16th July, 1897-Accepted, 11th Sept., 1897
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or in connection with Automatic Sale or Hire
Apparatus.
We WILLIAM KERSHAW of Bandstead Street Roundhay Road Leeds in the County
of York, Mechanic, WALTER CLIFF of Western Flats Wortley Leeds, Ironmaster,
ROBERT CHORLEY of Cardigan Road Leeds Printing Works Manager and ARTHUR
PILKINGTON of Bond Street Leeds, Restaurant Manager, do hereby declare the nature
of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention refers to apparatus for the sale or hire of articles, the delivery of
the articles being controlled by coin freed mechanism and is suitable for the sale or
hire of flat folded articles such as towels or newspapers though as will be evident, it
is applicable to the sale of other articles.
The apparatus consists of a series of hinged shelves arranged in two vertical rows
opposite or adjoining each other or back to back, and provided with projections of a
shelf in the one row of shelves supports the opposite shelf in the opposite row (and
vice versa) in the horizontal position, i.e. the projections of the shelves on the right
hand side support the shelves on the left hand side, and the projections of the
shelves on the left hand side support the shelves on the right hand side, with
the exception of the lowest shelf which for the time being is in a horizontal
position. This last mentioned shelf is supported by a projection, (hereinafter
for the sake of distinction referred to as a lug), on a vertical shaft. This shaft
is provided at the level or just below the level of each shelf or pair of shelves
(i.e. opposite shelves), with one or more projections or lugs. For the sake of
this description and also as being the most convenient, the number of such
lugs at one level will be supposed to be three. By means of the coin freed
mechanism to be hereafter described, or by means of other coin freed mechanism,
the before mentioned vertical is intermittently rotated, i.e. after the insertion of a
coin. The amount of such rotation will depend on the number of lugs at one
level. In the case supposed, the shaft is rotated each time one sixth of revolution,
and thereby withdraws the corresponding lug from beneath the lowest of the shelves
having a horizontal position, allowing the shelf to fall or hang down and precipitating
the article, hitherto supported on said shelf, to the bottom of the box, opposite and
against or through the opening for the delivery of the article. The bottom of the
box may be suitably curved or inclined for directing the falling article against said
opening.
The projection attached to the said shelf i.e. the one which has just been allowed
to fall or hang down, is by such fall drawn away from the opposite shelf, i.e. of the
opposite row of shelves, and this latter would also fall, but that the said rotation or
rather partial rotation of the vertical shaft, whereby the supporting lug was drawn
away from beneath the first mentioned shelf, at the same time moves one of the
Ings beneath the second mentioned opposite shelf, and thus prevents this falling.
It will be understood therefore that all the horizontal shelves in the one row are
supported by lugs on the vertical shaft, whilst the shelves of the opposite row are
supported by the projections of the shelves of the first mentioned row; and after
martial rotation of the shaft. vice versa.

page_text: In the case supposed, it will also be understood, that there are as many sets of
3 lugs on the vertical shaft as there are shelves in a vertical row, supposing the
corresponding shelves of the opposite rows to be in line i.e. at the same level. If
the shelves in the one row are so placed as to come opposite the spaces in the
opposite row, then double the number of sets of lugs will have to be provided on the
vertical shaft.
The shelves may be hinged on any of the sides, the vertical shaft being placed
between or contiguous to adjoining sides of the two rows of shelves, or the lugs on
the said shaft may be arranged to alternately support and release prolongations or
flaps of the shelves formed beyond the hinges, such prolongations or flaps being
straight with, inclined, or perpendicular to the shelves.
Also instead of providing one vertical shaft, two vertical shafts, geared together,
or both operated directly from the coin releasing mechanism may be employed, the
one in connection with the one row and the other in connection with the other row
of shelves.
A flap attached to the last, i.e. the topmost "shelf, indicates through an opening
when the last, i.e. the topmost shelf has fallen, in other words when the apparatus
is empty.
The coin releasing mechanism consists of a balance lever, one end of which carries
a stop. This stop prevents the motion of a sliding rod (to be operated by the
purchaser or hirer) until a coin falling on to the opposite end or arm raises the stop
arm of the lever. The sliding rod is pushed hack by a spring. A ratchet pawl,
attached to the sliding rod, operates a ratchet wheel, fixed to the above mentioned
vertical shaft; or on another shaft, which is geared to the vertical shaft. The sliding
rod is provided with a wedge or pusher, which pushes the coin off the arm of the
lever just before the conclusion of the operating movement of the sliding rod. The
coin is conveniently dropped into a tapering hinged box, the lower o pen end of the
box being moved away from over the coin arm of the balance lever by said wedge
or pusher. A pawl, hinged to a fixed pin, prevents the rotation of the ratchet wheel
in a backward direction.
The number of teeth on the ratchet wheel, and the gearing in case of transmission
from the ratchet wheel axle to the vertical shaft, are so proportioned, as to give the
necessary amount of rotation to the vertical shaft.
Swing links or catches are provided to hold the two ratchet wheel pawls out of
gear when the articles are being placed on the shelves, so as to allow the ve rtical
shaft to be rotated directly by hand instead of through the before mentioned sliding
rod.
J. CLARK JEFFERSON,
30 Park Row, Leeds, Agent for Applicants.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or in connection with Automatic Sale or Hire
Apparatus,
We WILLIAM KERSHAW of Bandstead Street Roundhay Road Mechanic WALTER
CLIFF of Western Flatts Wortley Ironmaster ROBERT CHORLEY of Cardigan Road
Printing Works Manager and ARTHUR PILKINGTON of Bond Street. Restaurant
Manager, all in Leeds in the County of York do hereby declare the nature of
this invention and in what manner the same is to be performe.!, to be particularly
described and ascertained in and by the following statement:-
This invention refers to apparatus for the sale or hire of articles, the delivery of

page_text: the articles being controlled by coin freed mechanism and is specially suitable for the
sale or hire of flat folded articles such as towels or newspapers, though as will be
evident it is applicable to the sale or hire of other articles.
The apparatus consists of a series of hinged shelves, arranged in two vertical rows
opposite or adjoining each other or back to back and provided with projections such that
the projections of a shelf in the one row of shelves supports the opposite shelf in the
opposite row (and vice versu) in the horizontal position; e. the projections of the
shelves on the right hand side support the shelves on the left hand side, and the pro-
jections of the shelves on the left hand side support the shelves on the right hand
side, with the exception of the lowest shelf which for the time being is in a horizontal
position. This last mentioned shelf is supported by a projection, hereinafter for the sake
of distinction referred to as a lug, on a vertical shaft. This shaft is provided at the
level or just below the level of each shelf or pair of shelves (i.e. opposite shelves),
with one or more projections or lugs. For the sake of this description and also as
being the tnost convenient, the number of such lugs at one level will be supposed
to be three. By means of the coin freed mechanisin to be hereafter described, or
by means of other coin freed mechanism the before inentioned vertical shaft is
intermittently rotated, i.e. after the insertion of a coin. The amount of such rotation
will depend on the number of lugs at one level. In the case supposed the shaft is
rotated each time one-sixth of a revolution and thereby withdraws the corresponding
lug from beneath the lowest of the shelves having a horizontal position allowing the
shelf to fail or hang down and precipitating the article, hitherto supported on the
said shelf to the bottom of the box, opposite and against or through the opening for
the delivery of the article. The bottom of the lox may be suitably curved or inclined
for directing the falling article against said opening.
The projection attached to the said shelf i.e. the one which has been allowed to
fall or hang down is by such fall drawn away from the opposite shelf i.e. of the
also fall but that the said rotation or
opposite row of shelves, and this latter would
will
rather partial rotation of the vertical shaft whereby the supporting lug was drawn
away from beneath the first mentioned shelf at the same time moves one of the lugs,
beneath the second mentioned opposite shelf, and thus prevents this falling.
It will be understood therefore that all the horizontal shelves in the one row are
supported by lugs on the vertical shaft, whilst the shelves of the opposite row are
supported by the projections of the shelves of the first mentioned row, and after
partial rotation of the shaft vice versa.
In the case supposed it will also be understood that there are as many sets of three
lugs on the vertical shaft as there are shelves in a vertical row supposing the
corresponding shelves of the opposite row to be in line i.e. at the same level. If the
shelves in the one row are so placed as to come opposite the spaces in the opposite
row, then double the number of sets of lugs will have to be provided on the vertical
shaft.
The shelves may be hinged on any of the sides, the vertical shaft being placed
between or contiguous to adjoining sides of the two rows of shelves, or the lugs on
the said shaft may be arranged to alternately support and release prolongations of
the flaps of the shelves formed beyond the hinges such prolongations or flaps being
straight with inclined or perpendicular to the shelves.
Also instead of providing one vertical shaft two vertical shafts geared together or
both operated directly from the coin releasing mechanism may be employed the one
in connection with the one row and the other in connection with the other row of
shelves.
A flap attached to the last, ie the topmost shelf indicates through an opening
when the last, i.e. the topmost shelf has fallen in other words when the apparatus
is empty. The coin releasing mechanism consists of a balance lever one end of which
carries a stop. This stop prevents the motion of a sliding rod (to be operated by the
purchaser or hirer) until a coin falling on to the opposite end or arm raises the stop
arm of the lever. The sliding rod is pushed back by a spring. A ratchet pawl

page_text: attached to the sliding rod operates a ratchet wheel fixed to the above mentioned
vertical shaft or on another shaft which is geared to the vertical shaft. The sliding
rod is provided with a wedge or pusher which pushes the coin off the arm of the
lever just before the conclusion of the operating movement of the sliding rod. The
coin is conveniently dropped into a tapering hinged box, the lower open end of the a
box being moved away from over the coin arm of the balance lever by said wedge or
pusher. A pawl, hinged to a fixed pin prevents the rotation of the ratchet wheel in a
backward direction.
The number of teeth on the ratchet wheel, and the gearing in case of transmission
from the ratchet wheel axle to the vertical shaft are so proportioned as to give the
necessary amount of rotation to the vertical shaft.
A pin catch is provided to hold down the coin end of the balance lever so that the
shaft can be conveniently rotated when refilling the apparatus.
And in order that our invention and the manner in which the same is to be
performed may be more readily and clearly understood we have annexed hereto the
accompanying drawings illustrating our invention in which
Fig. 1 is a front elevation.
Fig. 2 a vertical cross section on line A B of Fig. 3.
Fig. 3 a horizontal section on line C D of Fig. 2 and
Fig. 4 a part side elevation of the coin freeing mechanism, the door (see Fig. 3)
being supposed removed to expose. said mechanism.
, etc. are the left-hand hinged shelves.and bb, b, etc. the right hand hinged
shelves. The shelves are provided with straight projections ec, c, etc., which when
the shelves are horizontal catch beneath the opposite shelves & respectively, supporting
these in a horizontal position. The shelves 6 are provided with projections d d d
bare dd,
etc. curved in the case shewn, so as to reach beneath and support. the next upper
shelves of the opposite row respectively.
The lowest shelf unsupported for the time being by a projection on an opposite
shelf, in the drawing b, for example, is supported by a projection or lug on the
vertical shaft e. The vertical shaft e carries just. below the level of any two opposite
shelves an odd number, most conveniently as shewn three, projections or lugs i,
symmetrically i.e. equi-angularly disposed round the shaft e. Two only of the three
lugs however are operative.
It is not necessary that the shelves of the two rows should be placed two in line,
s.e. at the same level, but if placed so that the shelves in the one row are opposite the
spaces in the other row, double the number of sets of lugs are required, and the
projections will require to be curved upwards instead of being straight.
The shelf b, by means of the projection d on it, supports the next shelf (of the
opposite row) above it, and this again similarly supports the next shelf opposite to
it by this latter again a, and so on; so that although all the shelves above b₁ are
additionally supported by lugs i, the support for any one shelf on either side by means
of the lugs only becomes necessary, when such shelf is for the time being the bottom
shelf of the row and is unsupported by a projection from the opposite shelf.
If the shaft e is now rotated one sixth of a revolution, the lug i, moves away from
beneath the shelf b, and allows it to fall, precipitating the article on it to the bottom
of the case. Before the lug 4, completely leaves the shelf b, however, one of the lugs i
(Fig. 3) has canght beneath and supports the shelf (, which otherwise on the fall of
the shelf by would be unsupported. Another sixth of a revolution of the shaft e causes
one of the lugs t, supporting the shelf a₂, to be withdrawn from beneath the shelf a
and allows it to fall, precipitating the article on it to the bottom of the case. Before
the lug i, leaves the shelf a, completely unsupported, one of the other lugs has
moved beneath the shelf b₂, which otherwise on the fall of the shelf a would be
unsupported. Further intermittent partial rotations of the shaft e thus continue to
precipitate the articles to the bottom of the case, capable of sliding or of being
withdrawn through the opening g
For convenience and facility of construction three lugs i are formed or cast in one

page_text: (i.e. each) piece of the shaft as shewn, but it will be noticed that only two of these are
necessary i.e. operative.
Attached to the topmost shelf b is a small catch h, supporting a vertical weighted
slide k; which latter is released on the fall of the top shelf withdrawing the catch &;
and in the fallen position the slide displays the word "Empty" thereon opposite an
opening in the front of the case, and intimating that the case is empty and requires to
be refilled. To refill the apparatus, the shelves are separately raised in the reversed
order to that in which they have fallen, the vertical shaft e being rotated each time
so as to bring one of the lugs i beneath the shelf just (last) raised.
The shafte is intermittently rotated by the coin releasing mechanism shewn
in Figs. 3 and 4.
This consists of the balance lever m pivotted at n and carrying a stop o at one end.
In the normal position as shewn, the stop o prevents a sliding rod p being pushed
forward, in the direction in-licated by the arrow, by the purchaser or hirer. When
however a suitable coin is dropped through the slot q, it is guided by the taper hollow
bottomless box on to the opposite end of the lever m, and tilts the stop o upwards
out of the way of the rod p; so that the latter can now be pushed forward by the
purchaser or hirer, and by means of the pawl s hinged to the rod and the notch
plate t, rotate the shaft one sixth of a revolution. The shaft and the shaft e are
connected by a pair of mitre wheels v. w is a spring check pawl. The box 7 in
which the coin is enclosed, whilst resting on the balance lever m, is hinged at its
upper end at a, and one side of the box carries a sloping projection or incline y. A
pina in the rod p entebes as the latter is pushed forward against this incline y,
pushing it and the box r to one side, so that the coin is no longer supported, and
drops down past one side of the lever. The positions of the pin and the incline y
are such, that the coin is not thrown off its support until just before the conclusion
of the operating movement of the sliding rod.
Although we have described the apparatus as consisting of two rows of shelves, it
will be evident that the principle of the invention may be applied to successively
release the shelves of a single row. The vertical shaft then requires only one lug for
each shelf, the successive tugs being so arranged, that as the partial rotation of the
shaft moves the one lng from beneath the corresponding shelf to allow it to fall, it
hrings the next higher beneath the next higher shelf, and prevents this falling, when
unsupported from the first mentioned shelf. It will he understood that ench shelf is
supported from the shelf next below until such time as it becomes the bottom
horizontal shelf supported only by its corresponding lug on the vertical spindle.
Also the intermittent partial rotation of the vertical shaft may, instead of
continuing in one direction, be alternate i.e. a rocking motion.
Other forms of coin freed or coin connected mechanism may be employed for
rotating or rocking the vertical shaft in place of that above described.
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. The method of successively releasing the shelves of automatic sale and hire
apparatus by the intermittent partial rotation or rocking of a vertical spindle
provided with projections or lugs so arranged that as any one shelf is released by the
moving away froin beneath it of one of the projections, one of the other projections
moves beneath so as to support the next shelf to be released; and whereby the
lowest shelf thus supported (viz.-by a projection on the vertical spindle) supports.
the shelf next after it to be released by a support attached to either of the two shelves,
and each of the remaining shelves is similarly supported from the one to be released
before it, and similarly supports the shelf to be released next after it.
2. The combination of one or more vertical rows of hinged shelves provided with
support attachments such that any one shelf whilst in a horizontal position supports
the shelf next above it-with a vertical intermittently rotated or rocked spindle (or
spindles) provided with projections, the so-called lugs, so arranged that as the spindle

page_text: is partially rotated or rocked to move away the lug from beneath the lowest shelf in a
horizontal position the next lug above it is moved beneath the shelf next to be
released i.e. the next shelf above it or alongside it.
3. In coin releasing mechanism the combination of a hollow bottomless hinged box
such as with incline y a pivotted lever m with stop o a push rod as p with pawl s
and a notch plate or ratchet wheel t all substantially as and operating as herein set
forth.
4. The automatic sale or hire apparatus and modifications thereof substantially as
herein set forth
or
illustrated.