Coin Controlled Graphophone.
Year: 1898

page_text: Date of Application, 21st Sept., 1898-Accepted, 5th Nov., 1898
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Coin Controlled Graphophone.
I, GEORGE WILLIAM JOHNSON, of 47, Lincoln's Inn Fields, in the County of
London, Patent Agent, do hereby declare the nature of this invention (which
has been communicated to me from abroad by the American Graphophone Com-
pany, a corporation of West Virginia, having its principal office at Washing.
ton, D.C., in the United States of America) 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 coin-controlled graphophones, and is herein described
as applied to the well-known spring actuated graphophone. It provides means
for locking the spring motor against winding until the proper coin has been
dropped into the slot; for throwing the reproducer into contact with the sound-
record, and the partial nut of the carrier into engagement with the feed screw,
for holding these parts in position while the sound-record is being reproduced;
for disengaging them at the end of the performance; for returning the parts
to their initial positions; and for other purposes hereinafter described.
I will describe this invention with reference to the accompanying drawings
premising that the invention is not limited to the precise details illustrated as
it will be obvious that they can be varied without departing from the nature of
the invention.
Figure 1 is a plan and Figure 2 is a front elevation shewing the invention
applied to the well known spring actuated graphophone:
Figure 3 is a detail view shewing the coin-lever and lock mechanism;
Figure 4 is a perspective view of a part being a section taken on the line 4-4
of Figures 1 and 2 and
Figures 5 and 6 are end elevations on the same section line, shewing the
parts in operative and inoperative positions respectively.
Like letters refer to like parts in the several figures. A is the base plate
which is fastened to a wooden base forming the bottom of the enclosing box not
shewn. A1, A2, A3, A4 and A5 are vertical bearing plates secured to the base A,
and B is the winding shaft turning in the bearing plates A¹, A5, and supported,
at its outer end, by the bearing B¹, and carrying at the other end next to the
bearing plate A¹ the toothed wheel B2 which engages with the toothed wheel 6ª,
on the shaft that carries the spring.
Situated on the extreme end of the shaft B, beyond the bearing plate A' is
the ratchet C. D is the coin lever pivoted at on the plate A¹, and so weighted
that its nose drops into engagement with the ratchet (thus locking shaft B
against winding. The other end of the lever D is carried back beneath the open-
ing of the coin chute , and is in the shape of a horizontal forked plate, the
space between the arms of the fork being narrow enough to arrest the coin and
hold it without passing. A stud a is mounted on the plate A and projects
outward between the ratchet C and the forward end of the lever D. The lovers E
and F are pivoted on this stud the former having a hook e normally extending

page_text: slightly above the stud on the lever D. The lower end of the lever E lies
against an inturned flange f projecting from the rear of the lever F.
When the coin is dropped into the slot and passes through the chute r, it
strikes at each side the arms of the fork, and thereby overbalances the forward
end of the lever ]) and raises its nose from engagement with the ratchet C. The
coin is not at this time allowed to pass off of the lever, as the latter is held against
its extreme tipping movement by the engagement of the hook e with the stud d'.
Whilst the coin remains on the fork of the lever the latter cannot engage the
ratchet C, and the machine can be wound. When the machine begins to run,
however, a stud c on the face of the ratchet wheel C strikes against the rear of
the lever F and pushes it out of the way, and as the flange f on the lever F
engages the lever E, it carries the latter with the lever F in its swing. The
result of this is that the hook e is freed from the stud, and the weight of the coin
depresses the lever D till the coin drops therefrom, thereby permitting the nose
of the lever I to again engage the ratchet C. This position of the lever D) does
not interfere with the further rotation of the ratchet in the operation of the
machine, but will prevent any winding action without first introducing another
coin. Whilst the spring is being wound the stud c strikes against the front of
lever F and pushes it out of the way, without disturbing lever E.
The reproducer is mounted upon a carrier that is driven along the feed screw
by means of a partial nut in the usual manner, and has a rearwardly extending
shifting lever G for throwing the reproducer and the nut into, and out of,
engagement with the sound-record and feed screw respectively. H is a bar, or
bail, pivoted at h―h to the bearing plates A¹ and A³. The main portion of
the bar, or bail, is trough-shaped, and fits around the end of the shifting lever G
so as to have sliding engagement therewith. When the bail H is in its lower
position the reproducer is lifted away from the record and the nut from the feed
screw, but when the bail is lifted it throws these parts into operative engagement
in the well known manner. A spring H situated in the trough of the bail
serves to retract the carriage with the reproducer to its initial position when the
nut is released from the feed screw.
Sound is conveyed from the reproducer through a flexible tube I, which passes
rearward over the sound record as shewn, and has a telescopic engagement with
a collar free to turn on a standard J the upper portion of which is hollow and
communices by means of an opening in its side with the tube I. The end of
the standard J projects through the boxing that encloses the machine and carries
the horn, or tube, not shewn.
Referring to the mechanism for operating the bail H (see Figure 4) L is a
stud on the outer side of the bearing-plate A upon which turns a large toothed
wheel M and a catch lever N the upper end of which is offset above the wheel M
so as to lie in the same plane with, and rest against, the arm of the bail H.
Projecting down from the arm of the bail H is a trigger lever h³ which lies
between the bearing plate A and the wheel M. On the wheel Mare two
studs m, m¹.
Fast in plate A5 is a cross-bar at each end of which is a coiled spring, one (P)
being connected to the lever N and the other (P¹) to the bail arm. A tooth b
is set in the winding shaft B so as to engage the teeth of the wheel M and turn
it one tooth at each revolution of the shaft B.
The operation of the parts is as follows:-While the machine is being wound
up each revolution of the shaft B turns the wheel M (by means of the tooth b)
one tooth forward in the direction indicated by the arrow. In the course of
winding the inner end of the pin m strikes against the end of the trigger lever h
and pushes it forward, moving it out of the way of the nose of the catch lever N
against a stop pin on the hearing plate A thereby lifting the bail H
against the action of the spring P. The spring P simultaneously pulls the catch
lever N forward so that its hook engages with the nose thereby holding the
bail in its elevated position so as to throw the reproducer and nut into operative

page_text: positions. The stop pin as limits the play of the bail H and prevents the spring
of the motor from being wound beyond the point desired. When the operator
has finished winding and has released the handle of the winding crank the
wheel M is turned by the shaft B in the opposite direction, and in the course of
its revolution, the other pin m' strikes against the shoulder n¹ on the catch ever N
disengaging the catch hook from the nose h² on the bail arm whereupon the
bail H aided by the spring P¹ falls and thus lifts the reproducer from the record
and disengages the partial nut from the screw, thus permitting spring H¹ to
pull the carriage back to its initial position. A leather washer G may be used
as, a buffer to prevent shock when the spring thus returns the carriage. Further
running of the machine is prevented by the inner end of the pin m¹ bearing
against stop pin a³.
It will of course be understood that the various parts are so proportioned that
during the time necessary to reproduce a complete record (while the reproducer
is borne by the carriage from one end of the sound-record to the other) wheel M
revolves just far enough to carry it from the position where the pin m lies against
the lever to where the pin mi strikes the shoulder n¹.
To prevent wrenching the parts, or breaking a cog, when the winding mechan-
ism is locked, or fully wound up, a friction clutch is provided between the crank
and the winding shaft. A barrel R is fitted to one end of the winding shaft B,
and has fixed thereon the plates, or discs R' while discs S, having prolongations
that carry the handle T are interposed between them, having only frictional
engagement therewith, the amount of friction being controlled by the screw R³.
The frictional engagement is so regulated that there is no relative movement
between the parts of the clutch during the normal winding action of the crank,
but when any unusual resistance is encountered for instance when the spring is
fully wound up, or locked, the clutch slips and thus prevents breakage.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this in-
vention and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is:-
1. The combination in a graphophone, of a spring for actuating the same,
a winding shaft for the spring, coin-controlled devices normally restraining the
shaft from winding action, and means actuated by the winding shaft for throwing
the reproducer carriage into operative position substantially as hereinbefore
described.
2. The combination in a graphophone of a spring for actuating the same, a
winding shaft for the spring, coin-controlled devices normally restraining the
shaft from winding action, means normally holding the reproducer-carriage in
inoperative position, and means actuated by the winding shaft, at the end of the
winding action, to throw the reproducer-carriage into operative position substan-
tially as herein before described.
3. The combination in a graphophone of a spring for actuating the same, a
winding shaft therefor, a bar having sliding engagement with the shifting lever
of the reproducer-carriage and means, in operative connection with the bar, and
actuated by the winding shaft, whereby the bar is moved and the shifting lever
thrown to place the carriage in operative, or inoperative position by the turning
of the winding shaft substantially as hereinbefore described.
4. The combination in a graphophone of a spring for actuating the same, a
winding shaft for the spring, a bail or bar having sliding engagement with the
shifting lever of the reproducer carriage a toothed wheel having a lug, or pin
projecting therefrom, a lever projecting from the said bail, or bar, in the path
of the said lug, or pin, a catch, engaging the bail, or bar, when the graphophone
is operating, and a tooth on the winding shaft engaging the said toothed wheel,
substantially as hereinbefore described.
5. The combination in a graphophone, of a spring for actuating the same, a
winding shaft for the said spring, a ratchet wheel and gravity pawl, normally

page_text: restraining the shaft from winding action, means permitting the introduction
of a coin to overbalance the gravity pawl and free the winding shaft, and means,
actuated by the winding shaft, whereby the coin is permitted to pass, and the
pawl return to its normal position, substantially as hereinbefore described.
6. The combination in a graphophone, of a spring for actuating the same, a
winding shaft for the spring, a ratchet wheel connected to the winding shaft, an
overbalanced lever having a pawl-nose normally engaging the said ratchet-wheel,
means for conducting a coin to the opposite end of the said lever, whereby its
nose is freed from the ratchet, a step limiting the tilting action of the lever,
whereby the coin is retained thereon during the winding action of the shaft, and
stop-tripping means, actuated by the reverse movement of the winding shaft,
whereby the overbalanced lever is permitted to tilt far enough to free the coin
therefrom and then return to its normal position, substantially as hereinbefore
described.
7. The combination in a graphophone of a reproducer-carriage and its shifting
lever, with a swinging bail, or bar, having sliding connection with the shifting
lever, means, normally holding said bail, or bar, depressed, and the carriage in
its initial position, means actuated by the winding shaft, for swinging the bail,
and a stop limiting the swinging action of the said bail, substantially as herein-
before described.
8. The combination in a graphophone of a spring for actuating the same, a
winding shaft therefor, a stop limiting the winding action, a winding crank and
a friction clutch connecting the crank to the shaft, substantially as herein before
described.
9. The arrangement and combination of parts constituting a coin controlled
graphophone substantially as hereinbefore described and illustrated in the accom-
panying drawings..
Dated this 21st day of a
1.
1000
JOHNSONS & WILLCOX,
47, Lincoln's Inn Fields, London, W.C., Agents.