Improvements in Coin Freed Apparatus for Displaying Pictures and Operating Musical Appliances.
Year: 1899

page_text: Date of Application, 28th Dec., 1899
Complete Specification Left, 28th Sept., 1900-Accepted, 28th Dec., 1900
Improvements in Coin Freed Apparatus for Displaying Pictures and
Operating Musical Appliances.
I, THOMAS COOP, of 13, Wilkinson Street, Leigh, Lancashire, do hereby declare
the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention relates to apparatus in which stereoscopic living or other pic-
tures are displayed or musical appliances are operated known by the names of
photoscope, mutoscope orchestraphone and the like such as described in the
Specification of Letters Patent granted to John Rose No. 24842 of 1898.
Hitherto such machines have when released by the coin been turned or operated
by the person turning a handle though some have been operated by clock work
wound up at intervals.
This invention is designed to provide for the operation of the apparatus by an
electric motor the insertion of the coin actuating the switch which completes
the circuit between the battery or accumulators and the motor.
A V shaped forked or other suitable switch or contact maker is placed at one
side of the appliance with a pivoted lever to engage therewith to make and
break contact and to close the circuit between the accumulator and the motor,
the switch being connected to the one and the lever to the other.
The pivoted lever is so placed as to be operated by a penny or other coin
inserted through a slot in the machine. The coin may fall direct onto one end
of the lever and by the added weight bring it down into contact with the switch
or the lever may be operated by a spring or weight and be held by a catch or the
like which is released by the coin to permit of the movement of the lever into
contact with the switch.
In a picture displaying machine the electric current for the lamp and for the
motor are controlled by the one switch so that when the coin is inserted the
motor is started and the light simultaneously turned on.
A wheel or disc is placed near the other end of the pivoted switch lever with
a pin stud crank or the like to engage with the tail of the lever and operate it
in the reverse direction. This wheel or disc is rotated by the picture frame or
reel and the pin or stud carried thereby lifts the lever out of contact with the
switch and breaks the connection when the desired number of pictures have been
displayed or exhibited.
Any suitable form of electric motor is placed in the most convenient position
in the case of the apparatus and is connected with accumulators or batteries
through the switch and levers already described.
In addition to the picture mechanism a musical box or appliance may also be
placed inside the case of the apparatus and be operated by the same motor.
The motor drives direct onto a driving pulley or wheel preferably by a band.
This pulley or wheel is provided with a stud and bowl which at each revolution
of the pulley moves forward the picture reel or frame the desired distance for
stereoscopic pictures.
The bowl catches a stud on the reel as it passes a catch being provided to
prevent over winding this being lifted by the bowl as it approaches the stud on
1

page_text: For driving pictures the motor drives direct on to and continuously the picture
carrier.
For musical apparatus with or without pictures the motor drives it continu-
ously at the desired speed.
Dated this 27th day of December 1800)
t
WM. P. THOMPSON & Co.,
6, Bank Street, Manchester, Patent Agents.
Improvements in Coin Freed Apparatus for Displaying Pictures and
Operating Musical Appliances.
I, THOMAS COOP, of 13, Wilkinson Street, Leigh, in the County of Lancaster,
Managing Director, do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what
manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascer-
tained in and by the following statement: --
This invention relates to coin-freed apparatus in which stereoscopic living
or other pictures are displayed or musical appliances are operated known by the
names of photophone photoscope, mutoscope, orchestraphone and the like such
as described in the Specification of Letters Patent granted to John Rose No. 24842
of 1898.
Hitherto such machines have generally when released by the coin been operated
by the person turning a handle though some have been operated by clock work
wound up at intervals.
This invention is designed to provide for the operation of the apparatus by
an electric motor the insertion of the coin actuating the switch which completes
the circuit between the battery or accumulators and the motor.
It will be fully described with reference to the accompanying drawings.
Fig. 1. Side elevation of the apparatus.
Fig. 2. Front elevation of same.
Fig. 3. Detail, showing lever K in contact with switch H.
Fig. 4. Plan of Fig. 3.
The picture displaying apparatus A comprising the reel B the reflector C and
the electric lamps D are similar to those described in the Specification of the
former Patent 24842 98 or constructed in any other suitable way.
The picture reel is operated by a disc E with a bowl e which at each revolu-
tion of the disc engages a pin or projection b on the side of the reel B and advances
it a part of a revolution to bring the next picture into focus. The disc E is
driven by an electric motor F built up in the frame of the machine or, otherwise
attached thereto.
The electric current is supplied to the motor F' from a battery not shown in
the drawings but conveniently placed, or from any other source of electricity,
the wires being connected to the terminals f.
A V-shaped fork or other suitable switch or contact maker H with which one
wire connects is placed at one side of the frame with a pivoted lever K (in elec-
trical contact with the motor) to engage therewith to make and break contact
and to close the circuit between the battery and the motor F. The motor is in
contact with the other wire from the battery and the switch is connected to the
battery and the lever to the motor or vice versa.
The pivoted lever K is so placed as to be operated by a penny (or other coin)
inserted through the coin slot L of the machine. The coin falls direct upon
the free end of the lever K and the added weight of the coin depresses. the outer

page_text: end and lifts the other end k into contact with the switch H by which it is held
during one revolution of wheel M. In another arrangement the lever K may be
operated by a spring or weight and be held in position out of contact with a
catch or other appliance which is released by the fall of the coin to permit of
the movement of the lever into contact with the switch. In another arrange-
ment the coin, when it falls, may complete the circuit behind two connectors or
switches and be subsequently removed by the movement of the apparatus to
break the contact.
A rotating wheel or disc M is placed at the other end of the pivoted switch
lever K with a projecting finger or pin
m which at each revolution engages the
tail of the lever and operates it in the reverse direction, throwing the lever
out of contact with the switch, thereby breaking the circuit and stopping the
motor. When the coin is employed to complete the circuit, a lever operated
by the wheel or disc M displaces the coin.
The wheel or disc M is rotated by a pin m³ carried by the picture reel or
frame B or other rotating part of the apparatus.
A governor N may be applied to the shaft of the motor F to prevent it run-
ning at too high a speed.
In addition to or instead of the picture mechanism A. a musical box or appli-
ance O may also be placed inside the case of the apparatus and be operated by the
same motor F, or by a separate motor. The musical apparatus may be of any
known or suitable construction to which a rotary movement is applied to actuate
it.
In a picture displaying machine the electric current for the lamp and for the
motor are controlled by the one switch single or compound so that when the coin
is inserted the current is simultaneously turned on to the lamps and to the
motor.
For musical apparatus either with or without pictures the electric circuit is
completed on the insertion of the coin and the musical apparatus is driven
continuously thereby at the desired speed. The contact and the circuit are
broken by the rotation of the machine as above described after it has run for
the desired length of time.
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. A coin-freed apparatus for displaying pictures constructed with an electric
motor to rotate the pictures the electric circuit of which with the source of elec-
tricity is completed by the insertion of a coin substantially as described.
2. A coin freed apparatus constructed with an electric motor to operate a
musical box or apparatus the electric circuit of which with the source of elec-
tricity is completed by the insertion of a coin substantially as described.
3. In a coin freed apparatus for displaying pictures or operating musical,
apparatus or both the combination with the operative parts of an electric motor,
a switch or contact maker and a pivoted lever which engages the switch and com-
pletes the circuit on the insertion of a coin substantially as described.
4. In apparatus for displaying pictures or producing music or both the com-
bination and arrangement of parts for operating the same substantially as
described and shown.
WM. P. THOMPSON & Co..
Manchester, Liverpool, London, & Birmingham,
Patent Agents.