AN IMPROVED TOY MONEY BOX OR RECEPTACLE
Year: 1880

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Robert Lake, of the Firm of Haseltine, Lake,
& Co., Patent Agents, Southampton Buildings, London, for an Invention
of
15
AN IMPROVED TOY MONEY BOX OR RECEPTACLE." A communication
from abroad by Joseph Edwin Walter, of the City and State of New York,
United States of America.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Robert Lake at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 9th November 1880.
WILLIAM ROBERT LAKE, of the Firm of Haseltine, Lake, and Co., Patent
"AN IMPROVED TOY MONEY Box OR
Agents, Southampton Buildings, London.
RECEPTACLE." [A communication from abroad by Joseph Edwin Walter, of the
City and State of New York, United States of America.]
This Invention relates to a toy savings bank or box consisting primarily of a box
or money-receptacle, surmounted with the figure of a dog or other animal having a
passage through the mouth and body into the money or coin box.
In carrying the said Invention into practice I provide a pair of levers in the form
of jaws, between which the coin is seized, and passes thence through the figure into
the box beneath. To give a life-like action the animal is arranged to spring
forward, such movement being imparted by springs and clockwork mechanism
within the said box, which mechanism also brings the animal back to a couching
posture after seizing the coin. To facilitate the taking of the coin with certainty,
it is placed in a holder consisting of fingers, and the jaws aforesaid have teeth
adapted to pass behind the coin and close, passing between the fingers. Combined
with the said spring-mechanism is a lever for releasing the spring-mechanisin, and
for arresting its action after each movement of the jaws.
The body of the animal and upper portion of the head constitute one of a pair of
levers or jaws. In front of the dog on a standard is fixed the coin-holder, in which
the coin is placed to be thence taken by the dog in his mouth. Said holder is in
the form of tines or fingers, each being split horizontally and one part made
elastic.
To allow the figure to dart forward I may pivot the same by the feet to the box,
the legs being also jointed to the body; but other arrangements may be used to

page_text: allow of a forward movement. I prefer the pivoted legs because they induce an
upward or leaping besides the forward action.
As the animal or figure moves forward towards the holder, the lower jaw is
opened by means of a suitable cam affixed to the said jaws, and operating in
connection with a stud on the fore-leg; the jaw has teeth so placed therein as to pass
between the tines of the holder when the coin is to be seized.
The movement of the dog or figure is effected in any suitable manner, for
instance, I may provide a crank-arm made fast to the shaft of a pinion driven by
a large wheel, to the arbor of which latter wheel the driving spring is connected,
and then pivot a connecting rod to said crank and to the body of the dog.
Another arrangement is to have the crank pin of said crank to work in a slotted
lever formed by the elongation of one of the fore legs.
There is a thumb-lever pivoted within the box and constructed to serve as a
detent to prevent the crank-arm from revolving.
When this thumb-lever is forced downward by a wiping movement of the thumb
or finger and then allowed to fly back, it releases the crank-arm, but returns in
time to arrest it, and prevent it from making more than one revolution, and it also
holds the figure fast until again released by moving the lever.
The figure may move on wheels instead of having pivotted legs, and other
modifications may be made within the scope of the said Invention.
Instead of opening and closing the jaws by the aforesaid arm, this may be
effected by an extension of a connecting rod, so as to form a cam to act on the
under side of the lower jaw.
I provide a partition for dividing the box into two compartments, one for the
money, and the other for the mechanism, whereby the money is prevented from
passing into the latter and interfering with its operation.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said William Robert Lake in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 9th
May 1881.
WILLIAM ROBERT LAKE, of the Firm of Haseltine, Lake, & Co., Patent
Agents, Southampton Buildings, London. "AN IMPROVED TOY MONEY Box OR
A communication from abroad by Joseph Edwin Walter, of the
RECEPTACLE."
City and State of New York, United States of America.
This Invention relates to a toy savings bank or box consisting primarily of a
box or money-receptacle, surmounted by the figure of a dog or other animal having
a passage through its mouth and body into the money or coin box below.
In the accompanying Drawing,—
Figure 1 is a side view shewing the animal or figure, and mechanism within the
box beneath for giving the figure certain motions.
Figure 2 is a plan or top view of a coin holder hereinafter described.
Figure 3 is a side view shewing a modification of the said Invention,
In carrying the said Invention into practice I provide a pair of levers in the
form of jaws, between which the coin is seized, and from which it afterwards passes
through the figure into the box beneath. To give a life-like action to the animal
it is arranged to spring forward, such movement being imparted by means of
springs and clockwork mechanism within the said box, which mechanism also brings
the animal back again to a crouching posture after seizing the coin. To facilitate
the taking of the coin with certainty, it is placed in a holder consisting of fingers,
and the jaws aforesaid have teeth adapted to pass behind the coin and close in the
spaces between the fingers. Combined with the said spring-mechanism is a lever
for releasing such spring-mechanism, and for arresting its action after each
movement of the jaws.
A is a suitable box serving as the receptacle for the money, and also enclosing
a spring B and a train of gearing. Upon the bank or receptacle A reposes the
figure of an animal, preferably a watch-dog. The body of the animal and the
upper portion of its head C constitute one of a pair of levers or jaws, of which
the lever D constitutes the lower jaw which is pivoted at 1. In front of the
dog or other animal on a standard E is fixed the coin-holder F, in which the
coin is placed ready to be taken by the dog in its mouth. The said holder is
in the form of tines or fingers, each being split horizontally and one part being
elastic.
To allow the figure to dart forward I pivot the same by its feet to the box A,
the legs being also jointed to the body at 2; but other arrangements may be used
to allow of a forward movement. I prefer the pivotted legs because they induce an
upward or leaping besides the forward action.
As the animal or figure moves forward toward the holder F, the lower jaw D is
opened by means of a suitable cam shewn on the arm I affixed to the said jaws,
and operating in connection with a stud 3 on the fore leg G; the jaw has teeth so
placed therein as to pass between the tines of the holder F when a coin is to be
seized.
The movement of the dog or figure is effected in any suitable manner, for
instance, I may provide a crank-arm H made fast to the shaft of a pinion J driven
by the large gear wheel K (to the arbor of which latter wheel the driving spring B
is connected), and then pivot a connecting rod L to the said crank and to the body
of the dog, that is to one of the pair of levers C, D.
Another arrangement is to make the crank-pin of the said crank H work in a
slotted lever G₁ formed by the elongation of one of the fore legs, as shewn in
Figure 3 this arrangement is the simplest and in some respects the best.

page_text: 2
N is a thumb-lever pivoted at 4 within the box, and constructed to serve as a
detent to prevent the crank arm H from revolving. When this thumb-lever is
forced downward by a wiping movement of the thumb or finger applied at O and
then allowed to fly back, it releases the crank arm, but returns in time to arrest the
said arm and prevent the same from making more than one revolution, and it also
holds the figure fast until again released by depressing the lever N. When the.
crank-arm H is released the figure leaps upward and forward; the resulting
movement of the stud 3 along the cam on the arm I opens the jaws, and the teeth
thereon pass by the coin in the holder F, whereupon the arm I falls off the stud 3
and the jaws are closed upon the coin by the force of a small spring 5; the figure
then retires and is brought down upon the box A with a slight shock, that has the
effect of causing the coin to slide backward into and down through a passage
(indicated by dotted lines) in the body of the figure, and thence into the
receptacle A. In the return movement of the figure the cam or arm I passes
over the stud 3, the arm yielding slightly for this purpose.
In Figure 1 the arm I and stud 3 are shewn on the outside, but in practice they
Instead
work equally well on the inside of the head of the figure, as in Figure 3.
of opening and closing the jaws by the aforesaid arm, this movement may bo
effected by an extension. of the connecting rod L, so as to form a cam to act on the
underside of the lower jaw..
P is a partition for dividing the box A into two compartiments, one for the
money, and the other for the mechanism, whereby the money is prevented from
passing into the latter and interfering with its operation.
Having thus fully described the said Invention as communicated to me by my
foreign correspondent, and the manner of performing the same, I wish it understood
that I do not confine myself to the figure of a dog, or any other figure, nor to the
pivoted legs, as the figure may move on wheels instead of having pivoted legs,
and other modifications may be made without departing from the spirit of the said
Invention, and I claim,―
First. The combination with the jaws C, D, of mechanism for operating the same,
substantially as above set forth and for the purpose specified.
Second. The holder F consisting of tines or figures in combination with teeth in
the jaw or jaws, substantially as above set forth and for the purposo specified.
Third. The figure provided with the interior downward passage for the coin, and
with jaws C, D, in combination with means for opening the latter arranged within
the figure, substantially as abovo set forth.
Fourth. The combination of the crank H with the dog or other-figure by means.
of the slotted lever or extension G¹, substantially as above set forth and for the
purpose specified.
Fifth. The lever N adapted to act directly on the crank H, substantially as
above set forth and for the purposo specified..
Sixth. The partition P for separating the money-receptacló from the mechanism
substantially as above set forth and for the purposo specified.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Robert Lake, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Ninth day of May, in the year of our Lord. One thousand
eight hundred and eighty one.
W. ROB™. LAKE. (L.S.)