Improvements in Automatic Cash Change Tills.
Year: 1891

page_text: Date of Application, 2nd June, 1891
Complete Specification Left, 1st Mar., 1892-Accepted, 2nd Apr., 1892
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Automatic Cash Change Tills.
ERNEST HARDING ROBOTHAM of Falcon Cliff Hotel Douglas in the Isle of
Man Hotel Manager and WILSON JAMES ASHBURNER of Sunnyside Douglas
aforesaid Mechanical Engineer do hereby declare the nature of this invention to
be as follows:-
:
Our invention refers to cash tills for the purpose of automatically supplying
change for a given coin, especially gold coin, and at the same time placing the coin
for which change is obtained in a secure receptacle and is especially applicable for
the use of servants of licensed victuallers and in places of public entertainment and
the like where a large amount of change is required.
We employ a box or case divided into a sufficient number of separate compartments.
Each compartment contains a drawer of sufficient capacity to hold the change for
the coin to which such compartment is adapted. The drawers may consist simply
of front bottom and sides so that a section from front to back through the plane of
one side represents a quadrant of a circle and may open by turning on a hinge at
the angle of the front and bottom. In the angle of the front and bottom of the
drawer the inside may be attacked a spring shutter easily depressed by a superin-
cumbent weight and the front of the drawer may contain a glass covered aperture.
The drawer is held closed by a catch which cannot be released from the outside.
On the top or in the side of the compartment is a slot accurately made to the
dimensions of a particular coin for which the compartment is adapted. In the
channel proceeding from such slot may be placed a small lever which when depressed
operates a sliding shutter to close the slot. Below the same lever are two metallic
conductors forming the poles of an electrical circuit in such a manner that the
introduction of a conducting body into contact with both such poles completes the
electric circuit. These poles are adjusted to the dimensions of the coin to be
introduced so that the same cannot pass without effecting electrical contact.
the same electric circuit there is also contained in the compartment a small electro
magnet. The armature of the magnet is connected with a lever in such a manner
that on closing the circuit the movement of the armature by the attraction of the
magnet detaches the catch of the change drawer and permits the drawer to be
opened from the outside. The closing of the circuit may also set in motion an
electric bell or alarm.
]11
Below the above mentioned conductors or poles is placed an insulated or insulating
plate or table attached to one end of a lever the other end whereof is kept in
position by the bottom of the change drawer or by a projecting piece attached
thereto and below the said plate or table is a receptacle for the coin. The various
compartments can be opened so as to obtain access either to the change drawers or
to the receptacles by suitable lids or doors which can be kept under lock and key
or otherwise secured.
The modus operandi is as follows:-Taking for example a compartment adapted
to the reception of a sovereign. The change for the sovereign having been
deposited in the change drawer above the spring shutter and the box or case locked
or otherwise secured. The change is obtained as follows viz. -The sovereign' is
placed in the slot. In its descent the coin strikes the lower arın of the first
mentioned lever the latter being thereby depressed closes the slot by means of the
sliding shutter. The sovereign then lodges upon the plate or table in such a
position as necessarily to be between or upon and in contact with the two poles of
the electric circuit and so closing the same. The pull on the armature of th
electro magnet caused by the closing of the circuit detaches the catch of the

page_text: change drawer and at the same time sounds the electric bell or alarm. The change
drawer can now be pulled open from the outside and the change removed. The
opening of the drawer releases the lever attached to the plate or table upon which
the sovereign rests and allows the coin to fall into the receptacle beneath. The
removal of the change from above the spring shutter allows the latter to rise and
to close flat against the front of the drawer so indicating by its appearing in juxti-
position to the glass covered aperture that the compartment has been used and
the change removed. The electric circuit may also be used in connection. with
an indicator at a distance from the till showing when each or any compartment is
made use.of.
...01 1001
ERNEST HARDING ROBOTHAM.
WILSON JAMES ASHBURNER.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Automatic Cash Change Tills.
ERNEST HARDING ROBOTHAM of Falcon Cliff Hotel, Douglas in the Isle of
Man Hotel Manager and WILSON JAMES ASHBURNER of Sunnyside, Douglas
aforesaid Mechanical 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 :-
Our invention refers to cash tills for the purpose of automatically supplying
change for a given coin, especially gold coin, and at the same time placing the coin
for which change is obtained in a secure receptacle, and is especially applicable
for the use of servants of licensed victuallers and in places of public entertainment
and the like, where a large amount of change is required. We employ a box or
case containing any desired number of compartments. Each compartment is
- adapted to supply change for one denomination of coin only and contains a change
drawer suitable for holding an amount of change equal in value to such coin and
communicates with a locked receptacle for the coin when change has been obtained
therefor. When the box or case, having the proper amount of change placed in
the change drawer of each compartment, is put in charge of the person entitled to
use the same, none of the change drawers can be opened unless the proper coin is
dropped into a slot in the top of the compartment. The requisite coin, however,
on being placed in the slot automatically actuates the mechanism, and releases the
fasteni of the change drawer of the compartment and allows the change to be
taken ot. The coin meanwhile falls into the locked receptacle.
Refe: ing to the annexed drawings
Figure is a side view of one compartment of our change till, with change in
drawer ready for use.
Figure 2 is a side view of part of the same with change drawer open.
Figure 3 is a view (at right angles to Figure 1) of lever for intercepting and
releasing coin.
Figure 4 is a plan of lever.
Figure 5 is a cross-section of the guiders.
A is the slot in the top of the compartment. The slot is accurately fitted to
receive the coin for which the compartment is adapted. The coin is then received
by the guiders B, B, which direct its course from the slot to the insulating studs C, C₁
attached to the crosspiece C, of the upright arm C3 of the lever C, to which is
also attached the horizontal arm C, connected at C, with the spring C. The
lever is hinged or pivotted at C,. Above the studs C, C₁ are the two metallic
contact tongues or springs D and E. These are placed in apertures made for the
purpose in the guiders, and are so adjusted that the coin for which the compartiment
is adapted, must when resting upon the studs 'C, C, as at X (dotted line) exercise
pressure upon the contacts and establish electrical connection between them. The

page_text: pressure is not sufficient to retain the coin in its position when the studs C₁ C₁ are
removed. As an alternative, weighted levers may take the place of tongues
or springs, or one contact may be fixed and the other be a tongue or spring or a
lever.
The contact tongues are insulated from each other and form part of an electric
circuit, in which the space between them is a break. The tongue D is connected
by means of the binding screw D, and the wire D₂ with one pole of a battery
placed in any convenient position. The tongue E is connected by means of the
binding screw E, and the wire E, with the electro magnet F, thence by the wire E
with the electric bell, gong or alarm G and thence by the wire E, to the other
pole of the battery. An electric indicator of any approved form may also be placed
in the circuit.
On the requisite coin resting upon C, C, and pressing between the contacts D, E,
and so closing the circuit, the electric current causes the bell gong or alarm to
sound and simultaneously passing through the coils of the electro magnet F, causes
it to attract the iron or steel arm H (hinged at H₂) as an armature, which there-
upon takes up the position of the dotted line h, so withdrawing the catch H₁ from
the slot K, in door of change drawer K. The change drawer K can then be
opened by means of the handle K,, and, as the bottom K, rises, the arm C, is
released from pressure and drawn upwards by the' spring C. The lever is
thus moved upon its hinge to the position of the dotted line c, and the studs C₁ (',
withdrawn from between the guiders B, B, and the coin allowed to continue its
fall into the receptacle L below. The receptacle is securely locked. On the coin
falling from between the contacts D, E, the electrical circuit is broken, the alarm
ceases to sound and the arm H falls to its former position. The change M is then
removed from the open drawer and drawer reclosed. The coin introduced through
the slot is only obtainable by the holder of a key to the receptacle I.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be. performed we declare that what we
claim is :-
1. In automatic cash change tills, the use of an electric circuit which is closed
by the introduction therein of, and the transmission of the electric current through
a coin which has been placed in the slot, substantially as and for the purposes
herein set forth.
2. In automatic cash change tills the use of a lever for retaining a coin in
connection with electrical contacts, and the release of such lever by the opening of
the change drawer, substantially as and for the purposes herein set forth.
Dated this 26th day of February 1892.
ERNEST HARDING ROBOTHAM.
WILSON JAMES ASHBURNER.