An Improved Money Box or Savings Bank.
Year: 1891

page_text: Date of Application, 7th Sept., 1881
Complete Specification Left, 9th Mar., 1892-Accepted, 7th May, 1892
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
An Improved Money Box or Savings Bank.
I, FRED WALLIS of Edgbaston Street in the City of Birmingham Hardware
Manufacturer and Merchant, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be
as follows:-
This invention relates to money boxes or savings banks, and has for its object
a means whereby a money box or savings bank, shall be automatically opened after.
a certain amount of money or a predetermined number of coins has or have been
deposited in the said box or bank as hereinafter described.
The said means consist, of a spring catch or holder, affixed in the interior of the
said box or bank, for the locking of the lid thereof, when the bank is closed, and
which said lid, is automatically unlocked, or released, by the pushing back of the
aforesaid spring catch or holder, on the forcing or wedging-in of the last coin of
the number determined to be deposited and through the intervention of, a pile
or column of coins formed by the coins which have already been deposited, and a
yielding pressure plate against which the coin is forced as hereinafter described.
I will now proceed to describe my invention in connection with a money box or
savings bank made in the form of a pillar or castle and which for sake of con-
venience I shall construct to hold twenty-four coins, and to be automatically
opened on the depositing of the twenty-fourth or last coin.
The body or middle part of the said pillar-like savings bank is preferably made
of a tubular form, disposed vertically and of a sufficient depth to accomodate the
thickness of a column of twenty-four coins, its upper or crown end being closed
and surmounted by an ornamental design and its lower end which is left open for the
withdrawal of the coins deposited when the bank is open, fits or locks into a hollow
base or pedestal whose upper or top end is closed by a thin sheet metal disc which
is pierced and through which piercing a spring catch or holder, carried by the
middle or pillar part as aforesaid takes itself, and catches its hooked end against
the underside of the metal of the closed top of the base or support which locks
the middle and crown part to its base or pedestal support and by this means the
bank is closed.
The lower part of the tubular middle part or pillar, as aforesaid has an ear, or
ears projecting inwardly, and made from the metal of the middle part or pillar
which take or takes into, a slot or slots formed in the side of the base or pedestal
support and directly opposite the spring catch or holder, as aforesaid. Thus, the
middle or body part and crown with projecting ears thereon, fit into the said slots
in the base or pedestal and then by means of the spring catch or holder snapping
home on pressure being applied, the bank is closed.
The said body or middle part of the said savings bank is provided with a coin
slit, cut in the top thereof, and through which the coins deposited are inserted, the
first coin deposited, falling and resting upon the spring catch or holder as aforesaid
and the top of the base or support, the second coin deposited resting upon the
first deposited coin and so on to the twenty-third coin.
The twenty-fourth or last coin deposited is then the means of automatically
forcing back the spring catch or holder as aforesaid from engaging with the metal
of the base or support by being forced through the coin slit (wedge-like) between.
the top of the twenty-third coin deposited and a yielding pressure plate, (made in
one piece with the spring catch or holder and bent over so as to form the crown.
as well if necessary of the said pillar-like savings bank, thus automatically

page_text: unlocking the middle and crown part, from the base or support, and thereby
opening the bank, when the money deposited can be withdrawn.
Dated this 5th day of September 1891.
FRED WALLIS,
By Henry Skerrett,
Agent for Applicant.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
An Improved Money Box or Savings Bank.
I, FRED WALLIS, of Edgbaston Street, in the City of Birmingham, Manu-
facturer, 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 improvements in automatic opening money boxes or
savings banks, viz., that class of money boxes or banks in which the last coin only,
of a predetermined or given number of coins introduced or inserted, or to be
introduced, opens the same; and which said invention is an improvement upon or
an amplification of, the invention referred to in Letters Patent granted jointly to
George Salter and Harold Ely for "An automatic recording and indicating money
box," dated 15th day of April 1890, and numbered 5671, and of which said Patent
I am the sole assignee.
Figure 1 of the accompanying drawings, represents in elevation, an automatic
opening money box, constructed and arranged according to one form of my present
invention.
The slot of the same is shown at full length, and just below the cap or crown.
Figure 2 represents in longitudinal section, and partly in elevation, the said box
(closed), with a coin in the act of being introduced through the slot into the
interior thereof, where a number of coins already inserted, are shown lying near
the bottom of the same, and in positions which they assume after being dropped in.
Figure 3 represents a like sectional view as Figure 2, but with the predetermined
number of coins inserted within the interior of the body of the box, hence the
pushing home of the first, or traverser coin introduced, and the releasing of the
catch, and the unlocking of the body part, from the base, which constitutes the lid
for gaining access to the interior.
Fig
igure 4 represents the attachable and detachable parts of the box, separated.
Figure 5 is an inverted plan of the crown or underside of the box, showing the
yielding pressure plate, which by its flexure, forces the coins home into the bottom
of the box, and by such means, the catch, which holds the base or lid to the bottom
part, is released, by being pressed towards the sides of the box, and coincident with
the opening in the lid.
Figure 6 is an underside plan of the body part of Figure 4, whilst Figure 7 is a
top side plan of the base part of it.
a is an upright pillar shaped enclosure or shell body part, and a³ is a slot
leading to the interior of the same, and wherethrough coins to be deposited or
banked, inwardly pass.
Located within the said interior, and depending immediately adjacent to one
side of the walls of the same, is spring limb or member b, having at the lower part
of its free end, a forwardly shaped bend or incline b, terminated by a hooked
catch b³, adapted to engage with, and snap behind, the metal at one side of an
opening or piercing, made through top or table c', of an attachable and detachable
base or lid c, which has a tubular part, having at the opposite side to the
piercing, an outwardly projecting stud or bulge of.
This stud or projection engages with a piercing or small opening a, located near.
the bottom edge of the bottom of the body shell part a, and connection of the base

page_text: with the box is made, by slightly inclining the base to the bottom of the box, then
introducing the stud into the piercing, prior to pressing the base home, when the
same is locked, by the snapping of the catch into the hole or piercing.
The feeding or depositing of the coins, through the slot, causes the edge of the
first and traverser one g, to impinge directly upon the incline or bend, which lies
within its path, and so presses the catch towards the side of the box, on the other
portion of the predetermined number of coins, being introduced, as hereinafter
described.
Located at the inside crown a¹, of the box, and about the middle of the horizontal
plane of the slot, is a yielding or spring pressure plate d, having a lipped and free
end, presented to the said slot, and thus forming a lead or mouth, to facilitate
the passing of the coins under the pressure plate, which yields in obedience to
pressure exerted upon it, and forms a means for correcting any irregularities in the
thicknesses of the coins.
Assuming the box is to be opened by the insertion of 24 coins, then about 19 can
be inserted within the box, without any appreciable effect of them, upon the
fastening or locking means b, 63, 6, but immediately the next and the next are
inserted, then they form; as it were, wedges for the pushing down of the pile
beneath them, which straightens out the curved part of the limb as aforesaid, and
so releases the catch.
Thus the last coins impinge upon the underside of the spring pressure plate d,
which by its flexure, forces the pile of coins beneath it downwards, until no more
can be inserted, when the curved part 6, of the limb is fully straightened, and the
hook part 6, brought opposite the opening c³, as in Figure 3.
Figure 9 represents a money box or bank, provided with two catches instead of
one, as represented in the preceding figures.
a is the shell or body of the box, a³ the coin slot, a¹ the inside crown, b b³ ³ are
spring catches, with the limbs of the same extended down the walls, on the two
opposite sides of the box.
is the base, and care piercings in the table of it. d is a pressure plate, with
the lip, directed towards the exit of the slot.
Figure 10 represents a modification of the arrangement last described.
The combined limbs and spring catches, are made in this case, from very thin
sheet metal, which admits of the same bending, and hence the drawing of the
catch ends of the spring limbs, out of the piercings in the table or top side of
the base.
a is the shell or casing of the box, a' the slot, bare spring limbs, made from thin
sheet (or strip) metal, with the lower parts 6, which take over shoulders a³, formed
within the side walls, terminated by hooked ends 6, which take through, and hook
under the edges of, holes o³, made in table or top e', of the base c.
The introduction and pressing down of coins within the box, upon the first coin g,
(represented in dotted lines) introduced, forces the thin metal at 6', up to the
contour of the shoulders a", hence the filling up of the space a*, and the drawing
of the hooked end 6, out of the catch holes &, thereby releasing the bottom or
base, when the coins deposited can be extracted, by turning them to a slight angle,
as the shoulders a³, are only about one eighth of an inch broad, alike unto the
breadth of the thin sheet metal springs b.
d is a pressure plate, and the free end (not shown).
Thus, the introduction of a predetermined number of coins into the box, forces
the thin metal of the incline of the catch part, to the contour of the shoulders,
and draws, by a longitudinal action, the catch ends, which straighten out on the
unfastening.
Figure 11 represents a further form of my invention.
In this arrangement, the spring catches are disposed and carried within the base
part, instead of up the sides of the box.
a is the shell or casing, 6 is the spring limb, with catch ends 6º, and inclines &³,

page_text: which latter work down the inclines c^, of a recess c³, on pressure coming upon the
table or bottom c¹ by the bottom coin of a series or pile of coins introduced.
d is a pressure plate, with its free end d, presented to the coin slot a', whilst
c is the removable base to the box.
Or the introduction of a predetermined number of coins into a box, the traverser
or first coing introduced, presses upon the top side of the top or table c', which
through the intervention of its edges, presses upon the thin metal spring limb b,
and forces the same down the inclines c, which bulges the crown or middle part of
the said limb, and draws the catch ends 6, from out of the opposite holes a³, hence
the releasing of the bottom of baser, and the fastening parts carried by it.
The changing of the figure of the spring catch limb, which is made of thin
sheet metal, draws the catch ends of it from the holes in the lower part of
the box.
Figure 12 represents a further form of my invention and a modification of
Figure 10.
a is a box or shell, at a coin slot and a³ are catch holes in the sides of the same,
near the upper and open end a², 6 are thin strip steel or other metal springs,
terminated at their upper ends, by curved catches, which take through holes a³,
in the sides of the shell a, and engage within holes e, made within the inside edge
of a box flange o³, of a lid c, whilst the other and inclined parts, take over the
inwardly directed shoulders a so that the pressing home of the traverser or first
coin introduced, by a pile of coins of a predetermined number, forces the thin
metal 6, to the contour of the shoulders a³, hence the longitudinal drawing of the
said limbs, and the withdrawing of the catch ends ³, from the lid, which is unlocked
and liberated thereby.
Figure 13 represents a further form of my invention.
a is a box, shell or casing, are thin strip metal spring limbs, terminated by
catches 6ª at their upper ends, and by a bottom or bar b' at their lower ends, with
bends or inclined parts 6. On the said limbs being forced down, by coins being
introduced into the box, the bottom 6' is made to assume an inverted bow figure, as
represented in dotted lines, whereby the bends, are drawn over the inclined
shoulders a³, and the catch ends 5, withdrawn from the holes c³, of the lid c, by the
longitudinal movement of the said limbs.
To produce the desired flexure in the bottom, the top side middle of the same,
has a block &, upon which the traverser or first coin g introduced, rests.
Figure 14 represents a still further form of my invention.
b
a is the box or shell, with a lid c, having a box flange c, with catch holes, in
the inside edge of it, 6 are levers jointed at 6', and having catch ends b³, and lower
inclined curved parts 6, which latter engage under shoulder c, of a false bottom e¹,
having spring arms c³, on its underside, for keeping the limbs 6 in their normal and
fastening positions.
Thus, on a predetermined number of coins being introduced the pressure of the
last one, forces the pile and the table downwardly, compresses the spring arms c³,
and then forces the inclines 6, backwards, which brings the hooked ends 6 forwards,
and clear of the holes e, in the box rim c, of the lid c, hence the releasing of the
latter, when the coins can be extracted.
The box flanges of the caps may be applied to the bases, as well as to the tops,
for the protecting of the box ends from being tampered with.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same has to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :-
--
First: An automatic opening money box, having located within it a spring
catch fastening, with its lower and free end, bent or inclined inwards from the
sides, and also a spring or yielding pressure plate or crown at top, whereby the
catch is freed, the box is unlocked, or the lid unfastened, by the direct inpinge

page_text: ment of the edges of the lower coin or lower coins upon the said bent lower end,
through the intervention of the yielding crown or pressure plate, on the last coins,
or the last coin of a predetermined number of coins being pressed fully home, and
which parts are arranged and operated substantially as described and set forth in
Figures 1 to 9.
Secondly-In an automatic opening money box, disposing in a horizontal inter-
secting position between the space of the slot, a yielding pressure plate d, d², so
that the last coins pressed through, force home those before deposited, substantially
as described and set forth.
Thirdly-In an automatic opening money box, the combination with a base or
lid c, having a catch opening e, of a spring catch fastening or fastenings b, b³, 6³,
substantially as set forth in Figures 1 to 9.
Fourthly: In an automatic opening money box, the combination with a spring
limb or spring limbs, made from sheet or thin strip metal, of shoulders a³ for the
drawing or retraction of the catch ends from out of the catch holes, on the coins
being pushed home, substantially as described, and set forth in Figure 10.
Fifthly-In an automatic opening money box, releasing the catch ends, by
making portions of the metal of the spring limb or limbs of the same, travel down
incline planes, by pressure of the introduced coins, hence the retraction of the said
ends, and the opening of the box, substantially as described, and set forth in
Figure 11..
Sixthly-In an automatic opening money box, the combination with spring
catches or spring limbs, of lids, having boxed flanges, substantially as described
and set forth in Figures 12, 13 and 14.
Seventhly:-In automatic opening money boxes, the construction and arrange-
ment of parts and fittings, in combination with spring limbs, or spring catches,
substantially as described, and set forth in Figures 10, 11, 12, 13 and 14.
Dated this 9th day of Ma-1000
FRED. WALLIS,
By Henry Skerrett,
6, Livery Street, Birmingham, Agent for Applicant.