Improvements in or relating to Coin-freed Apparatus.
Year: 1893

page_text: Date of Application, 30th Sept., 1893
Complete Specification Left, 21st July, 1894-Accepted, 30th Oct., 1894
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or relating to Coin-freed Apparatus.
I, WILLIAM SHERAR, of 1 Auvigny Gardens, Putney, in the County of
Surrey, Accountant, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
:-
The object of my invention is a coin-freed apparatus by the aid of which beer, or
other liquid may be sold directly from a cask, jar, or bottle.
For the purposes of my invention I use a hollow plug for insertion in the usual
hole formed in the cask head. This hollow plug has hinged to it in any suitable
manner one end of a tube, the opposite end of which projects into a closed vessel
secured to or formed on one side of a flat piece of metal shaped to fit into that part
of the head of the cask situated above the tap hole. The end of said tube is
internally tapered and has fitting into it the correspondingly tapered end of a second
tube the opposite closed end of which is connected by a rod to the closed end of a
third tube, whose other end passes through an adjustable collar attached to,
or secured in, the opposite side of the closed vessel and is provided with a handle on
that part projecting out of said vessel.
Holes are formed in the first and second tubes and in the third tube, and
the collar through which this passes, in such a manner that when the holes in the
first two are opposite one another so allowing the beer, or other liquid, to escape
through them into the closed vessel, the holes in the third tube and the collar
through which it passes, are not sufficiently near one another to allow the beer or
other liquid to escape from the closed vessel, but by suitably revolving the two last
mentioned tubes by means of the above mentioned handle, the first pair of holes are
separated whilst the second pair are brought together.
To allow air to enter the closed vessel when the tubes have been so revolved that
holes for the escape of the beer, or other liquid, are opposite, I form a longitudinal
groove on the outer tapered part of the second tube which when the tubes are in the
position referred to, forms a passage between the hole in the end of the first tube
opening into the interior of the closed vessel and a second hole therein situated on
the outside of said vessel.
To prevent the two tubes being revolved in one direction, I secure on that part
of the third tube projecting beyond the closed vessel a ratchet wheel into the teeth
of which projects a spring pawl secured to the wall of a case enclosing the whole of
the coin-freed mechanism hereinafter described and which also forms a receptacle
for the coins, whilst they are prevented from revolving in the opposite direction
unless released by the insertion of a coin in the following manner :-Below the
above mentioned ratchet wheel I form in the third tube a straight or helical groove
one part of which lies parallel to the axis of the tube, or in the lower side of which
is formed a single recess either of which would form a stop.
Into this groove
projects one end of a lever pivoted to the wall of the case, the opposite end thereof
being connected by two or more rods to one end of a second lever preferably
counter-balanced at its opposite end and also pivoted to the wall of the case.
That end of this second lever connected to the first lever has hinged on it
a receptacle for the coin to which receptacle is hinged one end of a short rod having
its opposite end hinged to the side of the closed receptacle or other stationary part
of the device so that as the end of said second lever and with it the receptacle is
depressed by the weight of a coin, the latter will be sufficiently revolved to allow
the coin to drop out of it. At the same time by the insertion of a coin the free end
of the first lever is raised so that it is brought into such a position that the two

page_text: tubes may be revolved until the free end of said lever again arrives at that part
thereof lying parallel to the axis of the tube or drops into the single recess formed
in the lower edge of said groove, when it must be again raised by the insertion of a
coin before the tubes can be revolved.
A spring plate is secured t the third tube in such a position that when the free
end of the first lever is raised by the insertion of a coin it retains it in such
a position until the tube is slightly revolved when it is again freed.
The capacity of the closed receptacle may be diminished or increased as desired
by a long screw-threaded plug the inner end of which may be caused to project
more or less into the receptacle.
Dated this 30th day of September 1893
CASTLE SMITH,
"Invention " Office, 54, Fleet Street, London, E.C.,
Agent for the Applicant.
:
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or relating to Coin-freed Apparatus.
I, WILLIAM SHERAR, late of 1 Auvigny Gardens, Putney, in the County.
of Surrey, but now of 49 Gladesmore Road, Stamford Hill, in the County of
Middlesex, Accountant, 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 my invention is a coin-freed apparatus by the aid of which beer or
other liquid may be sold directly from a cask, jar, or bottle.
In my Provisional Specification I described my improved apparatus as being
hinged to the cask, where used for selling the liquid contained in such, but I find it
preferable to secure the whole to the head of the cask so that it is protected by the
chimes, and I have also found it desirable to modify several of the parts, especially
the mechanism operated by the insertion of the coin, but this modified mechanism
operated by the coin I do not here claim.
In the construction of my improved apparatus as modified and as intended for
application to a cask containing the liquid to be sold, I use a flat case formed in two
horizontal halves suitably connected together and of such shape and size that
it may be attached to the head of the cask in the recess formed by the chimes
whilst leaving sufficient space above and on each side of it to allow of the chimes
being grasped by the hand, the case being fitted in position, and the handle
extending therefrom operated.
The upper half of this case contains the mechanism operated by the insertion of
the coin whilst the lower half is the receptacle in which the liquid is measured and
the capacity of which may be varied by suitable screws or plugs which may
be caused to project more or less into the interior thereof. This receptacle has an
opening therein for connecting its interior with that of the barrel by a tube or other
suitable connection and an outlet for the escape of the liquid measured therein.
Governing these openings is a hollow externally tapered plug working in a suitable
seating formed in the receptacle and having three openings formed therein so
arranged that when the plug turned to allow liquid to escape from the barrel into
the receptacle, the outlet in the latter is closed and when again turned to
allow the liquid to escape, communication between the cask and receptacle is
cut off..
Above these openings in said plug recesses are formed therein which govern air
passages communicating with the interior of the barrel through a tube screwing
into the head thereof.
The upper end of this governing plug extends through the top of the measure and

page_text: is connected by a suitable joint to the lower end of a vertical rod mounted in
bearings in the upper half of the case and provided on its upper end, which
end extends through the top of the case, with a handle by means of which the whole
may be turned.
The said mechanism which is operated by the insertion of the coin to unlock the
spindle and in respect of which mechanism I make no claim in this Specification is.
as follows:
Near the upper end of this spindle is formed or attached a projecting lug and
above this two semi-circular or approximately semi-circular discs are formed
thereon or attached thereto, with a suitable space intervening, concentrically with
the axis thereof.
Opposite the lower of these discs a balanced lever is pivoted in the case so that.
normally one end thereof lies opposite the flat part of the disc, and so prevents the
disc and operating spindle being revolved unless the end of said lever is depressed
by a coin allowed to fall on it through a suitable slot or passage in the case, and
which coin is so held as to retain the lever in its depressed position by the lug on
the spindle until the latter has been revolved.
Suitable catches are pivoted at each side of the coin slot or passage to prevent
the withdrawal of a coin when once inserted, whilst near the upper disc a balanced
plate is so pivoted that a coin when passing it so displaces it as to bring a slot or
recess therein over said upper disc and so prevent the latter and the spindle being
revolved until the pivoted plate has regained its normal position, thus obviating to
a great extent the possibility of the pivoted lever being depressed and the spindle
revolved by the insertion of a knife-blade or the like.
.
And in order that my invention may be more fully understood and carried into
practice I will now proceed to describe the same with reference to the accompanying
drawings, of which
Fig. 1 is a front elevation, and Fig. 2 a side sectional elevation on line A-B.
(Fig. 1) of a coin-freed apparatus constructed according to my invention for the
sale of liquids from a cask.
The case, the upper part of which is provided with a removable cover, is formed
in two halves a a' connected together by screws b and attached to and held in
position on the head of the cask by screws c c and projections d or the like means,
the shape and size of said case being such that a clear space remains between it &
the chimes of the cask above and on each side of it.
The lower half a¹ of the case is the closed receptacle in which the liquid is
measured, the capacity of which may be varied by the aid of adjustable screw e or
block e', and which receptacle is provided near the bottom thereof with outlet fand
inlet through which its interior is connected with that of the barrel through
connecting pipe g into which screws a short tube g¹ having its outer end externally
bevelled to fit into the internally bevelled end of the inlet f, or the like.
These openings are governed by a hollow taper plug revolving in a suitable
seating and baving three openings one of which occupies a higher position than the
other two so that the former only can be brought opposite the measure inlet thus
when said plug is revolved to allow the liquid to enter the measure the outlet is
closed and vice versa.
Above the openings in the plug are formed recesses which govern air passages k
communicating through tube & with the interior of the cask into the head of which
said tube may be screwed by passing it through an opening in the lug said
opening being subsequently closed by screw plug k³.
A spindle is mounted in suitable bearing m in the upper half a of the case and
has its lower end connected to the upper end of the plug h whilst its upper end,
which projects through the top of the case, is provided with a handle m¹.
The following is the arrangement of mechanism which is operated by the
insertion of a coin and which as stated above forms no part of my present
invention :-
On the spindle la projecting lug n is formed or attached and above this with a

page_text: suitable space intervening two semi-circular discs o o' are formed or attached
concentrically with the axis of said spindle.
0
_
Opposite the lower disc o¹ a balanced lever p is pivoted in the case so that
normally one of its ends lies opposite the flat surface on said disc and prevents this
and the spindle being revolved until the end of said lever has been depressed by the
insertion of a coin through a shoot 9 through a slot in which a lug pl on lever p
projects, the coin being supported in a position to retain lever p in its depressed
position by lug n until the disc and spindle are revolved when owing to lug n being
removed from under the coin the latter is allowed to fall.
Catches preferably of the shape shown in dotted line Fig. 1. are pivoted
at each side of the slot q to prevent the withdrawal of a coin when once inserted,
whilst near the upper disc o a balanced plates shown in plan Fig. 3 is so pivoted
at points that a coin when passing it so deplaces it that its edge rests against
the flat surface on said upper disc and so prevent said disc being revolved until the
plate has regained its normal position thereby obviating to a great extent the
possibility of the end of the lever p being depressed, and the spindle revolved, by
the aid of a knife-blade, or the like.
When used for selling liquid from receptacles other than a cask, it will be obvious
that the shape and size of the case as above described may be modified as found
desirable, whilst in order that the measure may be connected with the interior of a
bottle or the like through the usual opening in the neck or other part thereof k¹
and g may be either combined or the former dispensed with.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what mauner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :-
(1.) In coin-freed apparatus for the sale of liquids a measuring device and means
of altering the capacity thereof constructed and operated substantially as described
and illustrated in the accompanying drawings.
(2.) The combination of a cask and coin-freed apparatus for the sale of the
contents thereof attached to or forming either or both ends thereof substantially as
and in the manner described.
(3.) The combination with a cask, bottle, or jar of coin-freed apparatus for the
sale of the contents thereof substantially as described.
11
1001
CASTLE SMITH,
"Invention" Office, 54, Fleet Street, London, E.C.,
Agent for the Applicant.