Year: 1887

page_text: Date of Application, 6th Aug., 1887
Complete Left, 3rd May, 1888
Complete Accepted, 22nd June, 1888
[Communicated from abroad by CHARLES GALLAND, of 59, Cours Vitton, Lyon,
France, Mechanical Engineer.]
пегетог.
I, HENRY HARRIS LAKE, of the firm of Haseltine, Lake, & Co., Patent Agents,
Southampton Buildings, in the County of Middlesex, do hereby declare the nature of
this invention to be as follows:-
This invention relates to apparatus for automatically delivering newspapers and
similar articles such as letter paper, pamphlets and the like upon the insertion of a
coin or coins into the said apparatus.
The object of the present invention is to provide an apparatus for the sale of news-
papers in an absolutely automatic manner.
The principle of this invention consists in so arranging the mechanism that a
newspaper can only be taken out after the piece or pieces of money representing the
price of the paper have been put into the apparatus.
This automatic distribution is effected through the medium of needles which seize
the newspaper and which are set in motion by means of levers that are themselves
actuated by a disengagement caused by the weight of a piece of money. These
needles which effect the delivery of the paper can be arranged either vertically,
obliquely or horizontally; in the latter case they are arranged between the folds of
the newspaper.
The principle of each of these arrangements is identically the same, the form of
the whole of the arrangement of the mechanical parts varying only, I confine myself
to describe that type of distributer in which the needles prick the newspaper
vertically.
The apparatus, comprises a rectangular box which can either rest upon a socle or
can be let into a wall, or simply fixed by hooks. The upper front part comprises a

page_text: plate having two orifices, the upper vertical orifice receives the piece of money, and
the lower horizontal orifice serves for the delivery of the newspaper, a knob placed a
little below the lower horizontal orifice is designed to be pulled out horizontally when
it is desired to effect the delivery of a paper.
Below the lower horizontal orifice and in the front plate is arranged a door for
putting the newspapers in position and which closes at the same time a drawer placed
at the lower part and receiving a box.
The mechanism comprises
1. A plate fixed upon a piece carrying rollers; these rollers are adapted to work in
vertical guides formed in a sheet metal frame supporting the upper frame. By this
arrangement of the rollers the said plate can rise and descend, it being kept horizontal.
It is designed to receive the newspapers and is equilibrated by means of springs
with a slight upward pressure so as to keep the newspapers uniformly pressed against
a grate fixed to the frame.
2. A second frame fixed upon the sheet metal framing; This second frame is com-
posed of two longitudinal sides carrying two guides of special form; these two sides
are united by cross-pieces, one placed in front, and the other at the rear. In front, the
frame carries two supports designed to serve as a bearing for the axis of the oscillating
lever Upon the cross piece at the rear is fixed a special bracket the object of which
is to serve as an upper stop for the oscillating lever and also to support the channel.
The rear cross piece has an eye in which is articulated a lever arm actuating an
obturating mechanism of the orifice for the receipt of the piece of money. Upon
these two cross pieces and below them is also fixed the grate against the bars of
which the newspapers bear. This grate carries at about the middle of its length a
cross-piece having a special form for the twofold purpose of serving as a lower stop
to the oscillating lever and also for effecting the redressing of the needle bar as will
hereinafter be described. This cross piece has a hole which serves to guide the rod
fixed upon the lever arm of the obturating mechanism.
In front of the frame is fixed a plate which has at its upper part the vertical orifice
for the receipt of the piece of money, and at its lower part the horizontal orifice for
the newspapers. This latter orifice is closed by a small plate mounted upon a hinge,
and which is automatically opened for the passage of each newspaper.
3. The needle bar composed of a special piece shaped to be able to act along the
bars of the grate; it carries a series of needles designed to prick the newspaper and
to carry it away. This needle bar carries at its extremities journals provided with
rollers which roll in guides of the frame which serve to guide this bar. It is actuated
by two connecting rods which are attached on one side to the journals of the needle
bar, and on the other to the axes fixed to the lever that actuates the connecting rods.
The needle bar hereinbefore described is movable upon its journals. To stop this
motion the bar carries on each side stops which bear upon the connecting rods and
thus regulate the movement of the said bar upon its journals. Upon its middle is a
tail which has for its object, on encountering fixed stops, one in front upon the second
frame, and the other at the rear upon the grate to turn over the bar when it arrives
at the lower end of its course, and to readjust it when it has returned to its first
position.
4. A lever in the form of a stirrup. This lever is movable upon points fixed upon
the sheet metal framing the connecting rods which actuate the needle bar are pivotted
to the stirrup lever. Upon the middle of the said stirrup lever is pivoted a dog
which on encountering a stop on the oscillating lever stops the motion in front of the
stirrup lever. This lever is actuated from the exterior by a knob fixed to a rod the
extremity of which is pivoted to the said stirrup lever.
5. The oscillating lever pivoted upon an axis is formed with blades which rests
upon the supports of the frame. This oscillating lever carries at its extremity a cup
with a movable bottom for receiving the pieces of money coming through the channel
from the orifice.
The bottom of the cup is maintained by two springs and is opened by means of a
rod fixed on the one hand to the movable bottom and on the other to a small lever

page_text: which is actuated by the dog on the stirrup lever. The oscillating lever is equilibrated
by a counterweight so as to oscillate under the action of the piece or pieces of money
introduced into the cup.
6. Obturating mechanism. This mechanism is composed of an arm pivoted at one
extremity to the special bracket and at the other extremity carries a rod which
actuates directly the obturator placed at the orifice for the piece of money. Another
short rod is fixed to the arm; this rod, as long as there are newspapers, is held up by
the same, and the orifice is open; when however, the newspapers have all been taken
the short rod not having anything to support it descends, and this motion causes the
obturator to close.
By acting upon the knob the apparatus cannot be set in motion, without the
insertion of a coin for the dog of the stirrup lever is retained by the stop on the
oscillating lever. The piece or pieces of money representing the price of the news-
paper is introduced into the orifice, these pieces fall into the cup and disengage the
oscillating lever. At this moment the stop on the oscillating lever is lowered
sufficiently for the dog to escape it, and the stirrup lever becomes free to move. By
then drawing the knob outward the stirrup-lever causes the needle bar to advance ;
the latter during its motion first pricks the newspaper and carries it away to the
outside of the orifice. The knob can after that be released it is brought back to its
original position by a spring.
The needle bar passes back, turned over to its first position where a movement
already described causes it to be readjusted. The dog on the stirrup-lever in its
forward motion, has encountered the extremity of the small lever and has caused the
bottom of the cup to open, the latter allowing the piece or pieces of money it contains
to fall; the oscillating lever relieved of this weight then passes back to its original
position; the dog on coming back is raised for the passage of the small lever, being
free upon its axis and resumes its first position.
The same motions are repeated for every newspaper.
Several of these machines can be connected and a kiosk be formed thereof to serve
for the sale of several newspapers.
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C.,
Agents for the Applicant.

page_text: I, HENRY HARRIS LAKE, of the firm of Haseltine, Lake & Co., Patent Agents,
Southampton Buildings, in the County of Middlesex, 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:-
This invention relates to apparatus for automatically delivering newspapers and
similar articles such as letter paper, pamphlets and the like upon the insertion of a
coin or coins into the said apparatus.
The object of the present invention is to provide an apparatus for the sale of news-
papers in an absolutely automatic manner.
The principle of this invention consists in so arranging the mechanism that a
newspaper can only be taken out after the piece or pieces of money representing the
price of the paper have been put into the apparatus.
This automatic distribution is effected through the medium of needles which seize
the newspaper and which are set in motion by means of levers that are themselves
actuated by a disengagement caused by the weight of a piece of money. These
needles which effect the delivery of the paper can be arranged either vertically,
obliquely or horizontally; in the latter case they are arranged between the folds of
the newspaper.
The principle of each of these arrangements is identically the same, the form of the
whole and the arrangement of the mechanical parts varying only, I confine myself,
to describe that type of distributor in which the needles prick the newspaper
vertically.
In the accompanying drawings
Figure 1 represents in front view the external appearance of the improved automatic
distributor.
Figures 2 and 3 are vertical transverse sections, taken at right angles to each
other, of the upper part of the apparatus comprising the mechanism.
The apparatus comprises a rectangular box which can either rest upon a socle
(Figure 1) or can be let into a wall or simply fixed by hooks. The upper front part
comprises a plate having two orifices, the upper vertical orifice receives the piece of
money, and the lower horizontal orifice serves for the delivery of the newspaper. A
knob placed a little below the lower horizontal orifice is designed to be pulled out
horizontally when it is desired to effect the delivery of a paper.

page_text: Below the lower horizontal orifice and in the front plate is arranged a door for
putting the newspapers in position and which closes at the same time a drawer placed
at the lower part and receiving a box.
The mechanism comprises,
1. A plate A fixed upon a piece carrying rollers, these rollers are adapted
to work in vertical guides formed in a sheet metal frame supporting the upper
frame. By this arrangement of the rollers the said plate can rise and descend, it
being kept horizontal. It is designed to receive the newspapers and is equilibrated
by means of springs A¹ with a slight upward pressure so as to keep the newspapers
uniformly pressed against a grate B fixed to the frame.
In
2. A second frame C fixed upon the sheet metal framing; this second frame is
composed of two longitudinal sides carrying two guides (" of special form; these two
sides are united by cross pieces, one placed in front, and the other at the rear.
front the frame carries two supports D designed to serve as a bearing for the axis of
the oscillating lever E. Upon the cross piece at the rear is fixed a special bracket F,
the object of which is to serve as an upper stop for the oscillating lever E, and also to
support the channel G. The rear cross piece has an eye H in which is pivoted a lever
arm K actuating an obturating mechanism of the orifice for the receipt of the piece
of money. Upon these two cross pieces and below them is also fixed the grate B
against the bars of which the newspapers bear. This grate carries at about the
middle of its length a cross-piece having a special form for the twofold purpose of
serving as a lower stop to the oscillating lever E, and also for effecting the
readjusting of the needle bar L as will hereinafter be described. This cross piece
has a hole which serves to guide the rod M fixed upon the lever arm K of the
obturating mechanism.
In front of the frame is fixed a plate W which has at its upper part, the vertical
orifice S for the receipt of the piece or pieces of money, and at its lower part the
horizontal orifice S¹ for the newspapers. This latter orifice is closed by a small plate
mounted upon a hinge, and which is automatically opened for the passage of each
newspaper.
away.
3. The needle bar L composed of a special piece shaped to be able to act along the
bars of the grate B; it carries a series of needles designed to prick the newspaper
and to carry it
This needle bar L carries at its extremities journals provided
with rollers which roll in guides C₁ of the frame which serve to guide this bar. It is
actuated by two connecting rods N which are attached on one side to the journals
of the needle bar, and on the other to the axes Q fixed to the lever O that actuates the
connecting rods. The needle bar hereinbefore described is movable upon its journals:
To stop this motion the bar carries on each side stops which bear upon the connecting
rods and thus regulate the movement of the said bar upon its journals. Upon its
middle is a tail which has for its object, (on encountering fixed stops, one in front
upon the second frame C, and the other at the rear upon the grate B) to turn over the
bar when it arrives at the lower end of its course, and to readjust it when it has
returned to its first position, as shown in Figure 3 of the drawing.
4. A lever O in the form of a stirrup. This lever is movable upon points O¹ fixed
upon the sheet metal framing. The connecting rods N which actuate the needle
bar L are pivoted to the stirrup lever. Upon the middle of the stirrup lever is pivoted
a dog P which on encountering a stop P₁ on the oscillating lever E stops the further
motion in front of the stirrup lever O. This stirrup lever is actuated from the
exterior by a knob Z fixed to a rod the extremity of which is pivoted at Q¹ to the
said stirrup lever.
5. The oscillating lever E pivoted upon an axis R is formed with blades which rest
upon the supports D of the frame. This oscillating lever E carries at its extremity a
cup T with a movable bottom for receiving the pieces of money coming through the
channel G from the orifice S.
The bottom of the cup is maintained by two springs and is opened by means of a
rod U fixed on the one hand to the movable bottom and on the other to a small lever V

page_text: which is actuated by the dog P on the stirrup lever O. The oscillating lever is
equilibrated by a counterweight X so as to oscillate under the action of the piece or
pieces of money introduced into the cup T.
6. Obturating mechanism. This mechanism is composed of an arm K pivoted at
one extremity to the special bracket at H and at the other extremity carries a rod
which actuates directly, the obturator placed at the orifice S for the piece or pieces of
money. Another short rod M is fixed to the arm K, this rod as long as there are any
newspapers in the apparatus is held up by the same and the orifice S is open; when
however the newspapers have all been taken the short rod M not having anything to
support it descends, and this motion causes the obturator to close.
The operation is as follows the parts of the apparatus being in the position shown
on the drawing.
By pulling the knob Z the apparatus cannot be set in motion without the insertion
of a coin for the dog P of the stirrup lever O is retained by the stop P on the
oscillating lever E. The piece or pieces of money representing the price of the
newspaper is introduced into the orifice S these pieces fall into the cup T and
disengage the oscillating lever E which will pass to the position shown in dotted
lines in Figure 3. At this moment the stop P on the oscillating lever E is lowered
sufficiently for the dog P to escape it, and the stirrup lever O becomes free to move.
By then drawing the knob Z outward the stirrup lever O causes the needle bar L to.
advance; the latter during its motion first pricks the newspaper and carries it away
to the outside of the orifice. The knob may then be released and when so released
will be moved back to its original position by a spring R¹.
The needle bar passes back turned over to its first position where a movement
already described causes it to be readjusted. The dog P on the stirrup lever O, in its
forward motion, has encountered the extremity of the small lever V and has caused
the bottom of the cup T to open, the latter allowing the piece or pieces of money it
contains to fall; the oscillating lever relieved of this weight then passes back to its
original position; the dog P on coming back is raised for the passage of the small
lever V being free upon its axis and resumes its first position as indicated in the
drawing.
The same motions are repeated for every newspaper.
Several of these machines can be connected and a kiosk be formed thereof to serve
for the sale of several newspapers.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said Inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed as communicated to me
by my foreign correspondent I declare that what I claim is :-
First In an apparatus for the automatic delivery of newspapers and the like upon
the insertion of a coin or coins the arrangement of the bar L carrying needles and
acting in combination with guides provided in the frame for guiding its to and fro
movement, and its motion of turning over and back again by means of stops, for
operating under the action of the knob Z actuating the lever Ŏ which transmits its
motion through the medium of connecting rods N.
Second In the above described apparatus the arrangement of the oscillating.
lever E carrying a cup T and having a movable bottom, of the stop P¹ and of the.
small lever V acting in combination with the dog P of the lever for preventing
the motion of the needle bar L until a coin or coins has been inserted substantially as
described.
Third In the apparatus above described the arrangement of the plate A upon
which the newspapers are placed, mounted upon a frame having rollers, acting by
means of springs A¹ for the purpose of keeping the newspapers constantly pressed
against the grate B with a slight uniform pressure.
Fourth In the apparatus above described the arrangement of the mechanism for
obturating the orifice for the insertion of the money substantially as described,

page_text: Fifth-In the apparatus as above described the general and exterior arrangement
of the apparatus substantially as shown in Figure 1.
Sixth The principle of the automatic distributer having needles either vertical
oblique or horizontal the said needles being in any case set in motion through the
medium of levers which are actuated by the insertion of a coin or coins into the
apparatus substantially as described.
Seventh-The arrangement substantially as described and represented in the
accompanying drawing in which the vertical needles are caused to act either above or
below the pile of newspapers as above set forth.