Improved Coin-controlled Wardrobe or Cupboard.
Year: 1899

page_text: Date of Application, 18th Feb., 1899-Accepted, 10th Feb., 1900
Improved Coin-controlled Wardrobe or Cupboard.
I, SCHILLING VON CANSTATT, Lieutenant, 7th Hussar Regiment, Bonn, Ger-
many, 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: -
The object of the present invention is to provide an improved arrangement for
taking care of articles of dress, sticks, umbrellas, and the like at theatres, con-
certs, and for the corridors of high schools and the like. The greater number of
these places lack the accessibility necessary in large crowds; the result of this
is also great inconvenience attending the personal delivering of such a number
of articles and the probability of them becoming mixed. By my invention, the
personal labour of the wardrobe keeper is much lightened. The construction of
the present invention is preferably as follows:
A series of numbered cupboards is divided as requisite, and consecutively
numbered. Although these cupboards can be either upright or suspended it is
preferable that they should be fixed to a wall so that the decoratively designed
doors at the same time form an ornamental panelling. Thus economy of space is
attained, and accumulation of dust on the cupboard is avoided.
A key pro-
vided with a corresponding number opens each cupboard.
The coin-controlled lock of this cupboard is illustrated in the accompanying
drawing in which
Figure 1 shews the lock from the inner side of the cupboard door, before and
at the moment of use.
Figure 2 is a plan view of Figure 1.
Figure 3 and Figure 4 illustrate two positions of the lock mechanism during
use.
The lock consists essentially of the two bolts c and d under the influence of
springs a and b and of the three-armed piece . One arm of the said piece e
consists of a tooth f which stops the bolt c in a corresponding niche. The second
arm of the piece e has at its end a revoluble angle niece g while to the down-
wardly directed arm of the piece two bars are fastened, one of which supports the
plate h for the reception of the coin i to be inserted, while to the other is fixed
a counter-weight k.
Before use the key 7 (see Fig. 1) is stuck between the stop m of the holt c and
the angle piece_g.
The bolt can consequently not be moved with the key 7,
that is to say, the lock cannot be opened.
If, now, a given coin is dropped into a suitable aperture in the door. it falls on
the plate hand the three armed piece e turns round a little, which frees the
bolt c and enables the latter to be pushed back by means of the kev (Fig. 3).
The cupboard door is now open, and the person using the cupboard nuts in
the article. When the door is closed again the key can be turned and caused
to slip over the angle piece g, turning the latter, and can be drawn out through
the key hole n.

page_text: The adjustable counter weight & is calculated so that after the coin i is dropped
in, the plate h is not sufficiently inclined to let the coin fall off (Fig. 3). The
piece e thus remains in the position as long as the person using the cupboard has
the key in his possession.
When the person wishes to withdraw the article, he puts the key in the
keyhole and opens by turning the bolt c to the right ("right" to the person is
understood).
By turning the key 7 it pushes against the angle piece 9 (Fig. 4) and causes
the coin to fall off. In consequence of the now superior weight k, the triangle
returns to its original position, and the lock is once more in the first position,
that is, the cupboard is ready to be used over again.
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. Wardrobe or cupboard with automatic locking device, arranged for public
use, substantially as described.
2. A cupboard lock characterized by the arrangement that the key 7 cannot be
turned an consequently the lock cannot be opened on account of a catch f on a
piece e engaging in the bolt e until by dropping in a coin i, the piece e is released
and turns, whereupon the lock opens and the key can be removed, while by the
successive opening and shutting of the cupboard the coin i drops down,
and the lock is once more in its first position, substantially as described with
reference to the accompanying drawing.
Dotad the OFF
חד.
1000
W. P. THOMPSON & Co.,
322, High Holborn, London, W.C., Patent Agents for the Applicant.