for the Automatic Sale of Liquids.
Year: 1890

page_text: Date of Application, 19th Aug., 1,90
Complete Specification Left, 19th June, 1891-Accepted, 8th Aug., 1891
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION
Machine for the Automatic Sale of Liquids.
1, FRANK OSBORNE BAIRD, residing at Murray Lodge, John Street, l'ortobello,
in the County of Midlothian, Civil Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this
invention to be as follows:-
:-
The invention has for its object to enable a purchaser to obtain a definite
quantity of liquid, after paying the price thereof by means of money put into the
machine through a slot or otherwise.
1 accomplish my object in the following manner.
The
The
There are two vessels or tanks which shall hereafter be called the supply and
delivery tanks respectively. The supply tank may either contain the main supply
of liquid to be sold or may be fed automatically from a third vessel or tank.
delivery tank contains the quantity of liquid to be delivered to the purchaser.
The supply and delivery tanks are connected together, and there is also a connection
leading from the delivery tank to the purchaser. These connections are controlled
by a tap or taps worked by a single handle, and arranged in such manner that on
turning the handle in one and the same direction two operations are performed,
(first) the connection between the supply and delivery tanks is closed, and (second)
the connection between the delivery tank and the purchaser is opened and the
contents of the delivery tank discharged. On turning the handle in the opposite
direction, the order in which these two operations take place is reversed.
handle is prevented, by means of a locking apparatus, from being turned into
the position necessary to open the connection between the delivery tank and the
purchaser. The locking apparatus is attached, either mechanically or electrically,
to a balance, and in such manner that on the descent of the scalepan of the balanc
the locking apparatus is thrown out of the locking position and thereby leaves the
handle free to move. On the return, or during the return, of the scalepan to its
normal position, the locking apparatus resumes the locking position. On placing
money of sufficient weight into the scalepan of the balance, the scalepan descends,
and, after turning through a certain angle, the contents of the scalepan are
discharged into a drawer or other receptacle. The scalepan then returns to its
normal position; but, to prevent the scalepan returning too quickly to its normal
position, the balance may, if necessary, be made to fix itself at any required angle,
and to remain fixed until released automatically.
Dated this 18th day of Ammist 1890
FRANK O. BAIRD.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Machine for the Automatic Sale of Liquids.
I, FRANK OSBORNE BAIRD, of Murray Lodge, John Street, Portobello, in the
County of Midlothian, Civil Engineer do hereby declare the nature of this inven
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described
and ascertained in and by the following statement :-
My invention relates to a machine wherefrom a purchaser can obtain a definite
quantity of liquid after paying the price thereof by placing money in the machine.
My said machine comprises a reservoir or vessel containing the supply of liquid;
a measuring vessel for determining the quantity of liquid that may be delivered at
each operation of the machine, the said measuring vessel being connected with the
reservoir on the one hand, and on the other hand having an outlet pipe leading to

page_text: the outside of the machine; an arrangement for opening and closing the pipe
connections leading to and from the said measuring vessel operated by a handle
outside the machine but so arranged that the said two connections shall not be both
open at the same time; and a locking device for preventing the operation of the
said handle, in such a manner as to open the egress pipe, unless and until the
required weight of money has been placed in the machine.
In some instances, I provide a third vessel for supplying the above named
reservoir.
In the accompanying drawings I have shown how my said invention may be
conveniently and advantageously carried into practice.
Figure 1 is a front elevation, and
Figure 2 a side elevation, of a machine constructed according to my invention,
part of the frame being removed to show the internal parts.
In Figure 2 the parts are shown for greater clearness in the position they occupy
when the operating handle hereinafter described is partly depressed.
A is the framework of the machine enclosing all the parts except the operating
handle and the mouth of the outlet pipe for the liquid.
B is the liquid supply tank or vessel, the measuring vessel situated below the
supply vessel and connected to the latter by a pipe D, and E is an outlet pipe
leading from the vessel C to the outside of the machine. The pipes D and E are
provided respectively with stop taps D₁and E' the spindles D2 and E2 of which
are continuous on each side of the tap and are supported in suitable bearings in the
frame. The said spindles are coupled together by a link F and adjustable crank
arms D³ and E³ so that one spindle cannot be turned without the other. Moreover
the taps are so adjusted that when either is open the other is closed. The spindle E
projects through the front of the machine and on its outer end is fixed a handle G
by which the spindle may be actuated for the purpose of opening and closing the
taps. G, G, are stops serving to limit the movement of the handle. H is a weight
suspended on the crank arm D³ by which the tap spindles are returned to their
normal position when the handle G is released. In the normal position the upper
tap D' is open and the lower tap E' is closed so that in this position there is a free
communication between the supply vessel and the measuring vessel and the latter
vessel is then filled with liquid. On depressing the handle G, the communication
between the supply and measuring vessels is cut off and the outlet pipe is opened so
that in this position of the handle, the liquid in the measuring vessel is free to flow
out while no more liquid can flow into the said vessel. C¹ is an air outlet pipe
rising to the height of the top of the supply vessel. The said pipe provides for the
egress and ingress of the air from and to the measuring vessel when the liquid is
flowing in and out respectively.
To prevent the handle G being turned to open the tap E except as authorized I
provide a locking apparatus which is so constructed that the exertion of no amount
of practicable force applied to the handle will serve to open the said tap until a
delicate balance that governs the said locking apparatus has been first actuated.
This balance is operated by the dropping into the scale pan thereof, money of
sufficient weight to overcome the balance, the said balance being so adjusted that
it will turn when a weight of money equal to the value of the liquid to be delivered
at one operation is placed in the scale pan. My said locking device is constructed
as follows; that is to say, on the spindle E is securely fixed a crank arm I having
a bent portion or finger I', and to the frame of the machine is rigidly fixed a
standard J having a slit or opening J' so arranged that the bent portion I¹ of the
arm I passes through the said slit or opening when the handle G is depressed to
open the outlet tap E. In suitable bearings in other standards K fixed to the
frame of the machine, I pivot a balance arm L having at one end a scale pan L'
and at the other end an adjustable balance weight L². The said balance arm
carries an upwardly projecting pin L³ on which is loosely pivoted an arm M to
which is fixed a pin N that extends normally across the slit and in the path of
the bent portion or finger l' of the arm 1 so that when the handle G is depressed,

page_text: the said finger l' presses on the pin N and forces it against the standard J, and is
It will thus be seen
prevented by the said pin from passing through the slit
that the handle G cannot be turned to open the tap E' unless the pin N is removed
from the path of the said finger I of the crank I, or unless the said pin is broken.
The force however required to break the pin, is greater than can be practically
brought to bear on the handle G.
The locking pin N when in its normal position is situated near to the standard J
and consequently can only turn through a very small angle before coming in contact
with the said standard. After contact any pressure applied to the locking pin by
means of the finger is wholly balanced by the reaction of the standard J, and
thereby no strain is brought upon the balance other than what is due to the reaction
of a light spring M. The object of this spring is to limit the motion of the locking
pin, and to cause the said pin after being deflected to return to its normal position
on the balance when the deflecting force has been removed. It is thus seen that
when the scale pan of the balance is depressed the pin N is moved out of the path
of the finger I and the latter is then free to pass through the slot J when the
handle G is depressed. When the scale pan has been depressed so as to unlock
the handle G it is necessary to prevent the said pan rising again until the handle
has been operated and the desired quantity of liquid obtained from the machine.
For this purpose I provide the following device, that is to say, to the frame of
the machine I hinge at O₁ an arm () that stands in the path of the finger I and is
adapted to be pressed backwards by the said finger when the handle G is depressed,
and to be drawn forward to its original position by a spring 0', attached to the
said arm and to one of the standards K, when the handle G is returned to its first
position. On the end of the balance axle L I fix a disc L' from the face of which
projects a crank pin L, and to the arm O pivot at 0³ a small arm on the
upper end of which is mounted a block P. The said block is supported in and
is arranged to slide through a hole provided for it in the arm O, and it has at its
forward end an inclined face P. Moreover to the arm I attach a weak spring 05
arranged to press on the rear of the block P and force it forward with a slight
pressure. These parts are so arranged that when the scale pan of the balance
arm is depressed, the pin L acts on the inclined face P¹ of the block P and forces
When
the said block backwards against the slight reaction of the spring 0.
however the said pin has passed the block P the latter is immediately forced
forward again by the spring 03 and operates to prevent the balance arm returning
to its original position. The scale pan is thus maintained in the depressed position
and the handle Gis, consequently free to be actuated. When the said handle
is depressed, the finger l' forces back the arm O and with it the block P and
thereby unlocks the balance arm and when therefore the handle G is moved back
to its normal position the balance resumes its locking position and the handle is
again locked. I prevent the pin N getting behind the finger 11 by attaching to
the said finger a rearwardly projecting leaf or arm 12 which acts on the pin N and
supports the balance after the said balance has been unlocked and prevents it
assuming its normal position until the crank I has been moved backward.
the crank has been so moved back as to clear the standard J the pin N is free to
slide into its normal locking position. In its normal position the balance arm is
supported at the weighted end by a stop piece L'.
When
The operation of the machine is as follows. A coin or coins of sufficient weight
to overcome the balance having been passed through a suitably placed slot and
allowed to fall into the scale pan the said scale pan is depressed and the locking
pin is thereby removed from the path of the finger l'. The downward movement
of the scale pan continues until the coins slide out and fall into a drawer Qor
receptacle provided in the lower part of the machine. The balance now attempts
to right itself but is prevented from so doing by the retaining block above described.
The locking pin being now withdrawn, the handle G can be depressed and the
tap E opened, the upper tap D' being at the same time closed, and the liquid in
the measuring vessel thus allowed to flow out. The movement of the finger
as

page_text: above described, forces back the arm and block P and releases the balance
arm, and the scale pan then rises until the pin N is arrested by the edge of the
projection 12. Further upward movement of the scale pan is thereby prevented
until the arm I with its projection I is turned back, that is to say until the
handle G is released and raised again to its normal position by the action of the
weight H. Immediately the handle G is thus raised, the balance arm returns,
and the pin N is thus brought again to the locking position from which position it
can only be removed by the placing of another coin or coins in the scale pan.
From the above description it will be seen that I provide for very securely locking
the handle G by a locking pin which is balanced with great delicacy and which pin
can therefore be removed to unlock the handle G by the application of a small
force such as would be supplied by the weight of a coin.
I have herein particularly described one form of my automatic machine but it
is obvious that I can modify the construction or arrangement of the parts in
detail without departing from the nature of my invention. For instance I have
shown the taps D₁, E¹ placed one above the other and having separate spindles
connected by a link, the measuring vessel being placed between the said taps.
This arrangement is not essential, as I may arrange the two taps in the same axial
line or in other words I may construct them with a common spindle. In this case
I place the measuring vessel above the level of the taps and arrange the connections
so that the liquid will flow from the supply vessel down through one of the taps
and then up into the measuring vessel, and then from the measuring vessel down
through the other tap when the said tap is open and out at the delivery pipe.
Or again in lieu of employing taps of the kind described I may use flexible tubes
constructed to be opened and closed by pressure.
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
First. A machine for the automatic sale of liquids provided with a supply tank,
a measuring vessel connected with the said supply tank and having an outlet pipe
leading to the outside of the machine, and taps or valves for controlling the said
connections leading to and from the measuring vessel, the said taps or valves being
actuated by a common handle and so arranged that when one is open the other is
closed as described and illustrated in the drawings.
Second. The device for locking the actuating handle to prevent its movement
in one direction and for unlocking the said handle substantially as and for the
purpose specified.
Third. The means for locking and unlocking the balance arm substantially as
described for the purpose specified.
Fourth. A machine for the automatic sale of liquids constructed substantially as
described with reference to the accompanying drawings and operating as and for
the purpose set forth.
D
101 1
1001
FRANK OSBORNE BAIRD.
Haseltine, Lake & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, Agents for the Applicant.