Improvements in Coin-freed Delivery Machines.
Year: 1891

page_text: Date of Application, 23rd Apr., 1891
Complete Specification Left, 23rd Jan., 1892-Accepted, 23rd Apr., 1892
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Coin-freed Delivery Machines.
I, FREDERICK JOHN PALMER, of Florenville, Dawlish, in the County of
Devon, Architect, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
This invention relates to the well-known class of automatic machine which upon
the insertion of a suitable coin delivers the articles it is adapted to contain. The
subject of the present invention may be employed for the supply of various kinds
of articles but is particularly intended to be used for refreshments, liquid or solid,
fruits and the like. I will describe it as suited to supply a bottle containing drink.
a cup and a biscuit or equivalent, but it would be understood that with or without
modification it may be used for supplying other things.
The apparatus may be divided into three heads.
1st, That which relates to the supply of the coin to the machine (which coin
is intentionally of greater value than the amount to be eventually paid by the
customer) and the releasing of the drawer or slide which supplies the articles
purchased.
2nd, The delivery of the articles purchased, and
3rd. The return of the change when the bottle and cup or other articles with-
drawn from the machine full are returned to it empty. This particular form of
machine would be suitable for use in railway carriages and at railway stations and
the like.
Describing first the introduction of the coin, the coin enters by a slit at or near the
top of the case and of the requisite size, so that a larger coin may not be admitted.
After entering the case, the coin falls through a suitable shoot preferably of a
zig-zag nature and of about the thickness of the coin, on to a tilting lever over-
hung so as normally to close the passage but, under the weight of the coin, to tilt
and allow it to pass. The end of this lever is preferably sharpened so that should
a weightened string be inserted into the machine upon drawing the string
back it would be cut and the same would apply to a soft wire, but, with
regard to wires, the shape of the passages and the arrangement of the inclines
and pins which may also be employed to guide the coin is such that the
wire even if it succeeded in getting partly down the shoot would finally go off in a
direction which would prevent its operating the machine. After passing the tilting
lever the coin falls on to the end of an arm between which and a suitable portion
of the apparatus at first fixed but afterwards moved out of the way, and rests upon
the arm and against the support. The arm is connected with another arm or
another portion of itself which projects through the casing so that the operator
by moving the projecting arm or knob can operate the internal arın; by this
means the coin is forced against a portion of a suitable detent which is thus removed
from the drawer which can now be pulled out by the operator or may be projected
under the iufluenee of a spring or weight.
The space between the arm and the support although too small to allow of the
passage of the proper sized coin is large enough to allow a smaller coin to pass
which can then proceed into the till or out of the machine by another channel if
preferred.
With regard to the delivery of the goods, the bottle which is preferably
arranged with a suitable form of screw or equivalent cork, which can be readily
removed by the purchaser, carries upon itself a cup adapted to fit upon it and
inside the cup and between the cup and the bottle may be placed one or more
biscuits or equivalent the whole forming one package. These packages are

page_text: arranged in a suitable case or portion of the apparatus the lowermost resting upon
the drawer or platform and adapted to be drawn out with the latter, the opening
through which it then passes being normally too small to allow of its passage, but
by the movement of the drawer the said opening is increased to the proper size.
The back of the drawer is also preferably so arranged that the package next above
that being removed will be supported by the back of the drawer so that it shall
not take its position in the drawer until the latter has been properly replaced by
the operator or by internal means. The forward movement of the drawer has
moved the previously mentioned support and thus allowed the coin to fall into the
till; the replacement of the drawer returns the support to its normal position and
allows the drawer retaining detent to return to its normal position, which it can
do under its own weight or a spring.
The procuring of the change by the operator may be arranged as follows ;-the
object being that the change shall not be procured until after the bottle or package
has been returned. In the upper part of the case is arranged a slide with a
suitable knob or equivalent so that it may be depressed or otherwise moved so as
to uncover an opening in the case of a size suitable to admit the bottle or package.
In moving this cover places a shelf or equivalent upon which the package may be
placed in the machine and when this has been done, the cover will return to its
place under the influence of a suitable spring or weight.. In returning the cover
withdraws the shelf and allows the package to fall onto a projecting ledge or
equivalent in doing which it operates a detent which releases a slide or equivalent
which may then be withdrawn either by the operator or under the influence of a
spring or weight. This slide is connected with the change giving mechanism and
with the shelf which now supports the package. The change giving mechanism
may consist of a shoot containing the coins and with a suitable opening at the
bottom adapted to the thickness of the one or more coins to be delivered. The
slide in moving operates another slide at the bottom of the shoot which withdraws
the one or more lowermost coins which have to be delivered moving them from the
shoot and delivering them on to an inclined plate from which they fall on to a
table exposed to the operator. This shoot-slide also serves the purpose of
automatically supporting the charge of coins in the shoot during the operation.
This delivery of the coin however will not entirely take place until the slide has
been returned for the reason that in connection with it is a movable bottom to the
shoot which, as the slide moves, also moves, so that the coin or coins remain upon
this bottom until it is replaced when they are delivered. A light spring or suitable
means may be employed to prevent the illicit abstraction of the coins. Upon the
return of the slide these various parts return to their normal positions.
Any suitable provision may be made for preventing damage to the bottle and
cup should these be made of glass, earthenware or other breakable materials as for
example the provision of pieces of rubber, cork or equivalent upon the bottles
themselves or at suitable parts of the apparatus.
More than one change supplying device may be employed in connection with a
single machine or portion of a machine and it will be readily appreciated that
cach machine may be made with any required number of departments and
that the size or construction of each department may be varied according to
circumstances.
The detent which is tipped by the return package is so arranged that it cannot
return to its normal position and thus allow the discharge of the change until the
cover of the return opening has returned to its normal position. The slide also
which operates the change-giving mechanism is provided with a suitable detent
which is only removed by the operation previously described and which automatically
locks the slide when returned to its place.

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Coin-freed Delivery Machines.
I FREDERICK JOHN PALMER of Florenville, Dawlish in the County of Devon,
Architect, 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 the well known class of automatic machines which upon
the insertion of a suitable coin or coins delivers the articles it is adapted to
contain. The subject of the present invention may be employed for the supply of
various kinds of articles but is more particularly intended to be used for supplying
refreshments, liquid or solid, fruits and the like. I will describe it as suited to
supply a bottle containing drink, a cup and a biscuit or equivalent, but it would
be understood that with or without modification it may be used for supplying other
things.
The apparatus may be divided into three heads, first that which relates to the
supply of the coin or coins to the machine (which coin or coins is or are intentionally
of greater value than the amount eventually paid by the customer if a part of the
money first paid by the operator_be afterwards returned in exchange for empty
bottles and cups or equivalent. But should the bottles and cups or equivalent not
be charged for only the correct amount of coin or coins paid by the customer must
be inserted and the change serving mechanism may be dispensed with) and the
releasing of the drawer or slide which supplies the articles purchased. Secondly
the delivery of the articles purchased and thirdly, the delivery of the change when
the bottle and cup or other article, withdrawn from the machine, full, are returned
to it, empty.
This particular form of machine would be suitable for use in railway carriages
and at railway stations and other places.
In the accompanying drawings,
Figure 1 is a front elevation of the upper part of my improved coin freed
machine.
Figure 2 is a front elevation of the lower part of the same machine.
Figure 3 is a plan in section taken upon the line 1-3 in Figure 1.
Figures 4 and 5 are vertical sections taken upon the line 4-5 in Figure 3, the
position of the mechanism being different in the two figures.
Figures 6 and 7 are vertical sections taken upon the line 6-7 in Figure 3, the
position of the mechanism being different in the two figures; showing by dotted
lines the returning bottle or package first resting upon the shelf I' and the detent J
and subsequently upon the projecting ledge d'.
Figures 8 and 9 are vertical sections taken upon the line 8-9 in Figure 3, the
position of the mechanism being different in the two figures.
Figures 10 and 11 are vertical sections taken upon the line 10-11 in Figure 3
the position of the mechanism being different in the two figures.
Figures 12 and 13 are vertical sections taken upon the line 12-13 in Figure 2
the positions of the mechanism being different in the two figures.
Figures 14, 15, 16, 16, 17 and 17ª represent the various working portions
of the mechanism shown in perspective.
Figure 18 is a detail view partly in section showing the course taken by the coin
on to the support. L.
Figure 19 is an enlarged view of the upper part of the bottle employed as fitted
with a screw stopper T and covered by a cup U.
A is a slot for inserting the coins into the machine. B is the drawer or slide
which supplies the articles purchased. B' is a handle for moving the drawer or
slide B. C shows the opening through which the empty bottles, cups or equivalent

page_text: articles are inserted into the machine. is a handle for moving the device d by
which change is returned in exchange for empty bottles cups or equivalent articles
inserted in the machine by the operator. E is the opening through which the
change is delivered on to the small shelf or table E' outside the machine. F is the
till or drawer for collecting money paid into the machine. I is the handle for
rotating the cylindriform cover I provided with shelves I' and I'. J is the detent
tipped or moved by empty bottles cups or equivalent articles returned to the
machine rocking upon a spindle J the ends of which are supported in the casing
and partition of the machine. J' is a bell crank lever carried by the spindle J³ of
the detent J and serving to free or lock the change giving device d by the passage
of the returned empties.
The operation of the machine is as follows:-
The coin or coins are introduced by the slot A at or near the top of the case of
the machine the slot being made of the required size so that larger coins than those
required cannot be admitted. After entering the case the coin or coins fall
through a suitable shoot preferably of zig-zag form on to a tilting lever K
overhung so as normally to close the passage but under the weight of the coin to
tilt and allow it to pass as shown in Figure 5. The end of the tilting lever K
is preferably sharpened at K' so that should a weighted string be inserted into the
machine upon drawing the string back it would be cut either by the sharpened
end of the tilting lever K' or by the sharpened ends of the inclines 1, 2, and 3
and the same would apply to a soft wire, but with regard to wires the shape of the
passages and the arrangement of the inclines and pins, 4, 5; 6, 7 and 8, 9 (which
may be employed to guide the coin or coins of proper size while smaller coins
would pass through the openings N between the pins 4, 5; 6, 7, and 8, 9, as
shown by dotted arrows in Figure 4 and would fall into the till failing to work
the mechanism) is such that a wire even if it succeeded in getting partly down the
shoot would finally go off in a direction which would prevent its operating the
mechanism.
After passing the tilting lever K the coin (if only one coin is used) falls on to
the end of an arm L and rests thereon as shown at X in Figure 18. If more than
one coin is required to operate the machine those first introduced serve to make a
guide for leading the last coin introduced into the correct position to operate the
mechanism as shown in Figures 4 and 5 in which the black arrows show the direc-
tions in which the coins move. The arm L is connected with the side B' of the
drawer or slide B so that the operator by moving the drawer or slide B can
operate the internal arm L. By this means the coin is forced against the inclined
underside of the bolt M which is thus raised, removing the projecting part M³ out
of the path of the arm L which can then be pulled forward by the operator to the
full extent. In Figure 4 the arm L is shown in its normal position with the
coin X resting on the same previously to raising the bolt M the projecting
portion M³ of the bolt M locking the arm L and consequently the drawer or slide B
so that the drawer cannot be pulled out to its full extent. In Figure 5 the arm L
is shown partly moved outwards with the coin X pressing against and raising the
bolt M the projecting part M² of the bolt M by this means being moved out of
the path of the arm L leaving the drawer or slide B free to be pulled out to the
full extent necessary for delivering the articles purchased. Upon the further
outward movement of the arm L the coin or coins loses or lose its or their support
given by the arm L and fall or are forced into the till F provided for receiving the
coins, the coins falling in the directions shown by the arrows in Figure 5 while
the coin X by which the bolt M is raised is further forced into the direction for
entering the till F by the pressure exerted upon it by the bolt M as it falls into
its normal position.
The projecting part M' of the bolt M is inclined at its underside M in the
form of a latch in order that it may be lifted by the arm L to allow the drawer or
slide B to pass back to its normal position closed.

page_text: The arm L may be made as shown in Figure 17 with an opening L¹ through
which a coin smaller than the required coin would pass if it happened by any means
to reach the working position in the machine.
The bottle employed which may be either an oblong, elliptical or cylindrical
vessel closed by any suitable kind of stopper carries upon itself a cup U as shown
in Figure 19 adapted to screw upon the bottle if desired by a screw thread V or
to be fitted in any other manner so that the bottle and cup may form ore package,
liquid being contained in the bottle and solid refreshments such as biscuits in the
cup. These packages are arranged in the form of a pile within the machine the
lowermost one resting upon the bottom of the drawer or platform of the slide Bas
shown in Figure 12, and adapted to be drawn out with the latter so as to be
released and withdrawable by the operator as soon as the drawer reaches the
position shown at O in Figure 13. The back wall B³ of the drawer B is preferably
so arranged that the package next above that being removed will be supported
thereby as shown in Figure 13 and be incapable of taking its position in the
drawer B until the latter has been properly replaced by the operator.
To withdraw change from the machine by returning the empty bottle or package
the operator turns the handle I³ so as to bring the half cylindriform cover I into
position to make a suitable opening P to which the bottle or package to be returned,
introduced at the opening C, is lowered while resting upon the shelves I³ forming
part of the half cylindriform cover I. Continuing the movement by the handle I³
the shelves are withdrawn from under the bottle or package and the latter falls
on to a projecting ledge d'in falling or resting upon which the bottle or package
operates the detent lever J no longer supported by the cam a in the cylindriform
cover I disengaging the bell crank lever J' from the slide d which the operator
may then operate by pulling at the handle d" to obtain the required change.
The change is stored in the machine in a shoot H having a suitable opening H¹
at the bottom adapted to the thickness of the coins to be returned. The slide d in
moving carries with it the pusher d² and the shelf d. The pusher d³ passing
between the bottom of the shoot H and the fixed platform H* pushes out one or
more of the lowermost coins, the number pushed out depending upon the size of the
opening H¹ and corresponding thickness of the pusher in relation to the thickness
of the coins employed for change. The coin or coins so pushed out rest upon the
shelf d³ so as to be unobtainable by the operator until the handle d" is operated to
return the slide d to its normal position whereby the coin or coins for change are
pushed from the shelf as by the fixed platform H under which the shelf d³ passes
and the said coin or coins are directed by the inclined plate Q on to the inclined
plate E' upon which they slide till they pass out from the machine to the operator
at the outlet E. A valve R opening outwardly only to allow of the outward
passage of the coins may serve to prevent the illicit abstraction of coins by way of
the outlet E.
Upon the return of the slide d the various parts return to their norinal positions
as shown in Figure 10. The detent J which is tipped by the return package or
bottle is so arranged in contact with the interior of the cylindriform cover I that
it cannot be operated and thus allow the discharge of the change until the cylindri-
form cover I is moved nearly as far as into the position shown in Figure 7,
completely covering the opening C. The bell crank lever J' being supported while
the detent J is supported can only be disengaged from the slide d after the said
movement of the cylindriform cover I and the projecting ledge continues to
support the returned package or bottle until the slide d is moved.
When more than one coin is required to work the mechanism the first or inter-
mediate coins after tilting the lever K fall into the position or the positions
marked X or X2 and serves or serve to guide the second or last coin into the
position X for working the drawer locking mechanism and when the drawer B is
pulled outwards all the coins fall into the till F. Thus when the machine is
intended to be operated by a single coin the guide Y is dispensed with and the coin
falls into the position shown at X in Figure 18.

page_text: Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is :-
1. In coin freed delivery machines in which the articles are stored in the form
of a pile and from which they are withdrawn one by one by a slide or drawer upon
which the lowermost article is supported the detaining and releasing mechanism for
locking and unlocking the drawer consisting of the combination of the drawer or
slide B fitted with an arm L the latch bolt M and the adequate coin X which
enables the arm L to raise the latch bolt M and pass thereunder substantially as
and for the purposes described.
2. In coin freed delivery machines as described in the above claiming clause 1
but such as are required to deliver only upon the insertion of a predetermined
number of coins the guide Y by which the coin receiving channel is divided into
two portions one of which being first filled by one or more coins as desired leaves
a passage open for the last inserted coin to be conducted to the point at which it
becomes operative for unlocking the drawer or slide substantially as described by
reference to Figures 4 and 5 of the accompanying drawings.
3. In a coin freed delivery machine from which are delivered goods in packages
of sufficient value to be collected in the machine as returned empties, the general
construction and combination of parts substantially as described whereby the
return into store in the machine of the said empty packages automatically releases
mechanism whereby the customer may withdraw from the machine a coin or coins,
being a proportion of the amount entered into the machine to obtain delivery of
the goods contained in those packages.
Dated this 22nd day of January 1892.