New or Improved Apparatus for the Automatic Sale of Newspapers and Periodicals.
Year: 1886

page_text: Date of Application, 10th July, 1886.
Complete Left, 12th Apr., 1887.
Complete Accepted, 17th May, 1887.
New or Improved Apparatus for the Automatic Sale of Newspapers
and Periodicals.
I EDWYN ANTHONY of 71 New Square in the County of Middlesex, Barrister
at Law, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
My Invention relates to apparatus for the sale of newspapers and periodicals
without the aid of an attendant, a coin or coins, corresponding to the price of the
newspaper or periodical, being simply deposited in an opening provided for its or
their reception, and the newspaper or periodical automatically brought opposite a
discharge aperture or slot, (or vice versa the discharge aperture or slot automatically
brought opposite the newspaper) whence it may be withdrawn by the purchaser.
According to one mode of carrying out my Invention as applied for example to the
sale of newspapers, I employ a cylinder or polygonal body having a series of openings
arranged around its periphery or perimeter for the reception of the newspapers to be
sold, which are thus disposed radially around it. This cylinder or newspaper-carrier
is mounted loose on a shaft or axis so as to be capable of rotatory motion thereon, or,
if preferred, it may be fast on such shaft or axis and the latter be mounted in bearings
so as to be free to rotate. In connection with the cylinder or carrier is provided a
clock-like or other suitable movement for imparting rotatory motion thereto in order
to bring round a newspaper opposite the discharge aperture or slot inanouter enclosing
case. This clock-like movement may consist, for example, of a spring barrel or weight
with the usual train of gearing and a fly to moderate the action, the operation of the
spring barrel or weight being controlled by a disc having a series of notches in its
periphery with all or any number of which a detent successively engages. When
therefore the detent is lifted out of the notch in the disc in which it has been engaged,
the cylinder or carrier is set in motion by the spring or weight and continues in
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page_text: motion until the next notch in the disc is reached, when the detent is caused, by the
action of a spring, projecting pins or otherwise, to descend and enter the notch and
thus arrest the motion of the cylinder or carrier, the same being again started on the
detent being again lifted, and its motion again stopped on the descent of the detent,
and so on in succession as often as required. The detent is lifted by the act of
depositing the required coin in the opening in the case provided for its reception.
For this purpose the detent may be carried by one arm of a double armed lever,
mounted on a suitable centre or fulcrum, and the other arm of which is furnished
with a tray or plate into which the coin falls so as by the action of gravitation to
operate the lever, thus lifting the detent out of its notch, the coin then descending into
a receptacle below, whence the money may be withdrawn at intervals.
When the apparatus is designed for the sale of penny newspapers, the notches in
the disc will correspond in number and position to the openings in the cylinder or
carrier, but in the case of newspapers of a higher price, say, for example, One penny
halfpenny, two pence, or three pence, two three or more notches in the disc correspond
to the distance between two consecutive openings in the cylinder or carrier. The
several coins are then introduced one by one, each operating the detent (thus having
the effect of moving the cylinder or carrier round for a portion of the distance between
two openings) and then dropping into the receptacle below until, the requisite number
of coins having been deposited, the next opening in the cylinder or carrier is brought
opposite the discharge aperture or slot, when the newspaper it contains may be
removed. Or, if desired, the notches in the disc may be arranged at equal distancès
apart, and the detent lever so proportioned as not to be operated until the full number
of coins has been deposited.
In lieu of the operating lever on which the coin acts forming part of the detent it
may be separate therefrom and arranged to act either directly or indirectly upon it
and for the clock-like movement described any other suitable devices may be
substituted.
The cylinder or carrier may be arranged either in a horizontal or vertical plane, or
indeed in a plane making any angle with the horizontal and vertical planes, and the
openings in its periphery or perimeter may be of a length radially corresponding
either to the width or length of the folded newspaper, the delivery slot in the enclosing
case being then correspondingly of the length of the folded newspaper or of its width
as the case may be.
Provision is made for indicating when the stock of newspapers in the cylinder or
carrier has been exhausted. For this purpose, a rod, caused to protrude through an
opening in the case, may be employed, the rod being operated at the required time by
a cam or tappet, carried by a revolving portion of the apparatus, or in any other
suitable manner. The rod or its equivalent may also be caused to lock the apparatus
so as to prevent any more money being introduced until, on the cylinder or carrier
being replenished, the indicating or locking apparatus is reset. When it is not con-
venient to fill the whole of the openings in the cylinder or carrier with newspapers,
any required number of the openings are filled consecutively and the indicating or
locking apparatus is set accordingly so as to operate at the required time.
Two or more cylinders or newspaper carriers may be mounted so as to act
independently of each other on one and the same shaft or axis, each being provided
with its own movement, or a single spring barrel or weight may be arranged to
operate the whole.
In lieu of employing a cylinder or polygonal body, the newspaper-carrier may
consist of an endless or travelling band provided with pockets or openings for the
reception of the newspapers, its travelling motion being obtained by actuating one or
more rollers over which it passes. Or, I may employ a skeleton carrier provided with
receptacles for the newspapers, and operated by the act of depositing the requisite
coin or coins in the opening in the case. The spring barrel may then, if desired, be
dispensed with, the apparatus being not only controlled but operated by gravitation.
Or the folded newspapers may be placed in a fixed receptacle, either oblong or of any
other convenient shape. This receptacle is divided into numerous compartments so

page_text: that each compartment contains one and only one newspaper Completely covering
the face of the aforesaid receptacle is a kind of revolving shutter or other suitable
device with an opening therein just the size of the front of one of the said compart-
ments. Thus a newspaper can be withdrawn from whichever compartment the said
opening faces but from no other compartment. The revolving shutter is either endless
or made capable of uncoiling from one roller on to another, or in some suitable way
is affixed to mechanism which imparts motion thereto. The action of dropping in the
coin or coins sets free the said mechanism (which may be similar to that previously
described or of any other suitable kind); and the consequent motion of the shutter
moves the aforesaid opening from the face of one compartment to that of the next.
Dated this 10th day of July 1886
THOS. J. HANDFORD,
50, Bedford Row, London, W.C.,
Agent.

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
New or Improved Apparatus for the Automatic Sale of Newspapers
and Periodicals.
I EDWYN ANTHONY of 7 New Square in the County of Middlesex, Barrister at
Law 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:--
My Invention relates to apparatus for the sale of newspapers and periodicals without
the aid of an attendant, a coin or coins corresponding to the price of the newspaper or
periodical being simply deposited in an opening or openings provided for its or their
reception and the newspaper or periodical automatically exposed so that it may be
withdrawn by the purchaser.
In carrying out my Invention as applied for example to the sale of newspapers
employ a stationary receptacle (either oblong or of any other convenient shape)
divided into a series of compartments for the reception of the newspapers to be sold
each compartment containing one and only one newspaper. Completely covering the
face of the aforesaid receptacle is a species of revolving or travelling shutter or band
which may be either endless or made capable of uncoiling from one roller on to
another or of simply passing over a roller or rollers or other suitable guiding bodies.
The shutter or band has an opening therein just the size of the front of one of the said
compartments so that a newspaper can be withdrawn from whichever compartment
the said opening faces, but from no other compartment or (when the shutter or band
is not an endless one) the opening in the shutter or band may be dispensed with, the
newspaper being withdrawn from the compartment left uncovered immediately below
the bottom of the shutter or band. The shutter or band is acted on by a weight or
spring or other suitable device in such a manner as to tend to move in one direction,
but is retained stationary by a catch or any other suitable device until the deposit of
the required coin in an opening provided for its reception releases the catch or other
suitable device and the shutter or band is moved by the weight or spring or other
suitable device the required distance, after which its motion is again arrested by the
catch or other suitable device until another coin is inserted and so on in succession
until the supply of newspapers is exhausted the coins descending into a receptacle
below whence the money may be withdrawn at intervals.
When the apparatus is designed for the sale of penny newspapers, the catch or other
suitable device is so arranged that the shutter or band is moved a distance equal to
the distance between two compartments of the receptacle each time that a penny is
deposited, but in the case of newspapers of a higher price say for example one penny
half penny, two pence, three pence, etcetera two, three or more coins have to be
deposited before the traverse of the shutter or band permits a newspaper to be
withdrawn.
Provision is made for automatically indicating when the stock of newspapers in the
receptacle has been exhausted.

page_text: And in order that the said Invention may be perfectly understood I shall now
proceed more particularly to describe the same and for that purpose shall refer to the
the several figures on the accompanying sheets of drawings, the same letters of
reference indicating corresponding parts in all the figures.
. Figure 1 of the accompanying drawings represents a vertical section of a portion of
an apparatus for the automatic sale of penny newspapers, constructed according to my
Invention. Figure 2 is a sectional plan of the same. Figure 3 is a vertical section
taken at right angles to figure 1 of the back portion of the apparatus with some of
the parts removed. Figure 4 is a front elevation drawn to a reduced scale shewing
a number of apparatus arranged side by side, those indicated by way of example being
for the sale of the following penny newspapers viz.:-the " Daily Telegraph,
Standard," Daily News," Daily Chronicle," "Morning Advertizer
66
«
66
16
and
Morning Post" and for a three penny newspaper the "Times." Figure 5 is a plan
and Figure 6 a side elevation both corresponding to Figure 4. Figure 7 is a vertical
section (drawn to a larger scale than Figs. 4, 5 and 6) illustrating a modification of
the catch apparatus shewn in Figures 1 and 2 also adapted for the sale of penny
newspapers, and Figure 8 is a plan of the same with a portion of the upper casing
removed. Figure 9 represents a vertical section of the apparatus for the sale of a
three penny newspaper. Figures 10 11 and 12 are diagrams illustrating further
modifications.
Referring to Figures 1 to 6 inclusive AAA AAA are a set of stationary
receptacles appropriated for example to the sale of the "Daily Telegraph," "Standard,"
Daily News," "Daily Chronicle," "Morning Advertizer" and "Morning Post."
Each of these receptacles is divided into a series of compartments a a for the
reception of the newspapers to be sold, each compartment being of such a size and
shape as to contain one and only one newspaper. The front of each compartment
may be either equal to the width of the folded newspaper as shewn in the drawings,
or to the length of the folded newspaper if preferred. Completely covering the face of
cach receptacle A is a travelling shutter B which is fitted to guides in the sides of
the receptacle and extends upwards suitably guided at B', along the upper part of the
receptacle over a roller (which may be provided with suitable teeth e engaging
with apertures c¹ in the shutter) below which there is suspended from the shutter a
weight D. This weight is such that were the shutter free, it would draw the shutter
down at the rear thus raising it at the front uncovering the compartments and
exposing the newspapers contained therein. The shutter is however normally held
stationary by a catch E which may consist of a lever mounted on a centre or
fulcrum d in a connection with the main framing, the fore extremity e of which lever
suitably weighted at e engages with one of a series of appertures ff in the shutter
(the space between two apertures corresponding to the distance between two compart-
ments a a) whilst the rear extremity of the lever carries a tray or plate e¹. g is an
opening in the upper part of the casing A of the apparatus for the insertion of the
coin the price of the newspaper; this opening leads to a shoot g¹ the lower end of
which is situate immediately over the tray or plate e¹ of the catch E. The weight of
the coin acting on the extremity e¹ of the catch, turns the catch on its centre or
fulcrum thus lifting its fore extremity e out of the aperture f in which it was
engaged. The weight 1 then draws the shutter along until the next aperture ƒ comes
opposite the extremity e of the catch and the coin having fallen into a cash drawer or
receptacle F below, thus relieving the rear extremity e¹ of the catch, its fore extremity e
enters such aperture. This motion of the shutter has raised the bottom / thereof
above the top of the lowermost filled compartment a and the newspaper which it
contains may then be withdrawn. The fore extremity e of the catch being engaged
in the said aperture f the shutter is held stationary until the catch E is again released
on the insertion of another coin when the shutter is again moved to uncover the
compartment next immediately above and so on in succession until the uppermost
compartment is reached and the stock of newspapers is exhausted.
In the drawing Figure 4 I have represented the "Morning Post" receptacle as

page_text: completely full and the "Daily Telegraph" receptacle as empty, the other receptacles
for penny newspapers being partly full.
For the convenience of refilling the receptacles, the case of compartments a a
belonging to each receptacle is by preference made portable and self contained, so that
the empty case may be withdrawn bodily at the side (for which purpose a door G is
provided) and a similar filled case substituted therefor.
A door is also provided at H in each receptacle for the facility of gaining access
to the catch or other suitable device.
In order to indicate when the stock of newspapers has been exhausted a flap i is
hinged to the top of the uppermost compartment so as to be retained in a horizontal
position when the compartiment contains a newspaper (as assumed in Figure 1) but
to fall into a vertical position and thus display the words "all sold" as shewn in the
case of the Daily Telegraph" receptacle in Figure 4, when the last newspaper has
been withdrawn. The indicator may however be placed in a different position and
actuated by the descent of a rod or bar to which it may be connected, falling into a
notch in the shutter the said notch being so situate as to correspond to the time when
the uppermost compartment has been uncovered, or any other suitable arrangement
may be adopted for the purpose.
It will be obvious that the catch apparatus may be greatly modified in practice.. I
have shewn in Figures 7 and 8 by way of example another modification which may
be adopted, designed for apparatus for the sale of penny newspapers. In this case,
in lieu of the catch E engaging with apertures in the shutter it is made with a
projection which engages with one or other of two arms e, et of a lever E' except
when the extremity el of the lever E is acted on by a coin deposited in the opening g.
The roller Cover which the shutter passes in the present example is not toothed
but in connection therewith there is arranged a toothed roller C, the teeth c² of
which engage with apertures c¹ in the shutter, and this roller is moreover con-
nected by gearing 1, 2 with the lever E' in such a manner that the said lever and
the shutter will move in unison. Assuming the projection of the catch E to be
in engagement with the arm e³ of the lever E¹ the descent of the coin on to the
tray or plate e of the catch E has the effect by tilting the said catch of releasing
the lever E, and under the action of the weight D the shutter will be moved the
distance between two compartments a a or until the arm e¹ of the lever E' arrives
opposite the projection of the catch E, when (as the extremity e¹ of the catch E has
been relieved of the weight of the coin) the projection will engage with the said
arme and arrest the motion of the lever E¹ and consequently of the shutter until
the catch is operated by the descent of another coin when arm e of the lever E¹ will
be released and the shutter again moved, the motion being in turn again arrested
when the lever E has performed a semi-revolution, and so on in succession until the
supply of newspapers has been exhaused. On the axis of the roller C¹ there is secured
a ratchet wheel I with which engages an ordinary pawl or detent I, to prevent the
motion of the roller in the wrong direction. When the apparatus has to be reset at
the time of replenishing the receptacles, it will be necessary temporarily to throw
the pawl or detent I out of gear; this may be conveniently done by the act of
opening the door H, the pawl or detent being connected by a chain & to the door so
that the pawl or detent will be in or out of gear according as the door is closed or open
Figure 9 illustrates a convenient arrangement of catch which may be adopted in
the case of a newspaper such as the "Times" the price of which is three pence,
although obviously other forms of catch may be adopted in carrying out my Inven-
tion. In this example, the device is of the type illustrated in Figures 7 and 8 as
adapted for penny newspapers, the difference being that for a three penny newspaper
six arms e, e, e, es, e, eo are required on the lever E' instead of two arms as in the
case of a penny newspaper the shutter being caused to travel the distance between
two compartments a aby three increments of motion corresponding to three distinct
operations of the catch by the insertion of three separate coins. Assuming the
projection fof the catch E to be in engagement with the arme of the lever E', the deposit

page_text: of the first coin allows the lever E' to move the distance between arms e5 and e", the
deposit of the second coin allows the lever E¹ to move the distance between arms e
and e, and the deposit of the third coin allows the lever to complete the semi-
revolution to e when the compartment will have been uncovered to allow the news-
paper to be withdrawn; similarly when another newspaper is required, the lever will
be moved the distance between arms e and e, arms and e¹ and arms e¹ and e" by
the successive descent of the three coins. The "Times" receptacle is shewn at A² in
the general views Figures 4, 5 and 6 and in that example is represented as full in
Fig. 4.
If the price of the newspaper be an odd number of half-pence, then the lever E
should carry at its rear two arms el ell (see figures 10 and 11) instead of only one ;
and the surfaces through which the coins pass should be arranged so that the pennies
fall first on the arm e and afterwards on the arm e" (thus producing two oscillations
of the lever E) while the halfpence fall only on the arm e¹ and so produce only one
oscillation of the lever E. In figure 10, two distinct openings and money shoots are
shewn one g for the pence, and the other g² for the halfpence. In figure 11, pence
and halfpence are alike placed in the same opening g, the distance K K¹ being so
arranged that the pence will pass along K while the half pence will fall through K.
In both cases the same sum of money (provided the coins are put in one at a time)
will produce the same number of oscillations of the lever E, whether pence or half-
pence, or a mixture of both be put in. For example :-
and so on.
1 Penny or two halfpennies will produce 2 oscillations
1 Penny and a half penny
or three halfpence
2 Pennies and a halfpenny
or 1 Penny and 3 half-
pence or 5 halfpence
3 oscillations
"
"
5 oscillations
"}
The number of arms carried by the lever E' (not shown in Figures 10 and 11) will
as before, depend on the price of the newspaper. Thus, if the price be 14d, it must
have two groups of three arms each; if the price be 23d, two groups of five arms
cach, and so on. Often, too, it will be convenient to arrange the gearing so that one
complete revolution of E¹ (instead of half a one as shewn in the drawings) shall cause
the shutter or endless band or equivalent thereto to move the required space.
course both in figures 10 and 11, the arm e¹ must be bent or shaped, or perforated
so as to allow the slot for the halfpennies to pass by it.
Of
Another way of producing a similar result is to arrange the money shoot and lever E
so that the coins remain on the lever until they are thrown off by its motion: and
to so poise it that it shall not move until the required weight (and therefore
number) of coins have been deposited.
Figure 12 is a diagram illustrating a modification in the arrangement of the shutter
or band in relation to its carrier roller and the operating weight, the other parts of
the mechanism not being shewn in the figure. According to this modification the
apertures e¹ in the shutter or band B and the teeth on the roller C or C for engaging
in such apertures are dispensed with, and the shutter or band B is fastened to the
roller Cat s so as to be capable of coiling round it. The weight D in lieu of being
attached to the shutter or band may then be suspended from the roller C by one
extremity of a chain or cord t the opposite extremity of which after passing round
the roller is attached to such roller. The weight D causes the roller C to rotate
when permitted by the catch and the shutter or band B is thus operated.
Similar apparatus to those hereinbefore described are also applicable for the
automatic sale of periodicals.
It should be understood that my invention consists essentially in stationary boxes
combined with revolving or travelling shutters or their equivalents and suitable
mechanism whereby the deposit of a coin or coins (as the case may be) causes
motion in the said shutters or their equivalents.

page_text: Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said invention
and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I claim is :-
-
1. The combination of stationary compartments, travelling shutters or endless
bands or their equivalents, and mechanism which actuates the said shutters, bands or
their equivalents on the placing of a coin or coins in a receptacle or receptacles
provided therefor, substantially as hereinbefore described.
2. An apparatus for the automatic sale of newspapers and periodicals, consisting
of a stationary receptacle divided into a series of compartments containing the
newspapers or periodicals to be sold, covered by a revolving or travelling shutter or
band, which is operated by power to uncover the compartments containing the news-
papers or periodicals, but is held out of action by a suitable device until the deposit
of the required coin or coins by liberating such device allows the shutter or band to
move a distance sufficient to expose the newspaper or periodical, substantially as
herein before described.
3. An apparatus for the automatic sale of newspapers and periodicals consisting of
a stationary receptacle divided into a series of compartments containing the news-
papers or periodicals to be sold, covered by a revolving or travelling shutter or
band, which is operated by a weight or spring, but is controlled by a catch or other
device released by the descent of the required coin or coins, substantially as herein-
before described.
4. The general construction, arrangements and combinations of parts constituting
apparatus for the automatic sale of newspapers and periodicals, substantially as
hereinbefore described.
THOS. J. HANDFORD,
50, Bedford Row, London, W.C.,
Agent.