Year: 1888

page_text: 1, HENRY HARRIS LAKE, of the firm of Haseltine, Lake & Co., Patent Agents,
Southampton Buildings, in the County of Middlesex, do hereby declare the nature
of this invention to be as follows:-
My improvement relates to machines for testing the strength and particularly to
that class of such machines which are made operative by passing a coin of certain
weight and size into the box or case containing part of the mechanism of the
machine.
In my improvement I employ a shaft to which is affixed near one end a hand piece
preferably a wheel, by which the shaft may be rotated. To the shaft is secured one
end of a cord or chain, which latter is connected at its other end to a spring. When
the shaft is rotated in one direction, the cord or chain is wound upon the shaft against
the resistance of the spring. In combination with the shaft and spring, I employ
an indicator by which the pounds pressure exerted upon the hand piece and shaft
will be indicated.. The shaft to which I have referred will preferably be made in
two sections adapted to be engaged by a clutch. One section of the shaft is journalled
in a step bearing in a lever, a portion of which comprises a platform upon which a
person stands to rotate the hand piece. When a person stands on the platform, the
clutch is engaged; and when the person steps off from the platform, the clutch
becomes disengaged.
When a coin of proper weight and size is passed down a chute into the interior
of the case, it lodges in a lever, which latter operates a detent engaging an appurtenance
of the shaft. The detent is thereby removed from such engagement, and the shaft

page_text: may then be rotated freely. Otherwise the detent will prevent the rotation of the
shaft. A movable stop is employed to prevent the discharge of the coin lodged therein
until the shaft has been rotated. Another movable stop is employed to prevent the
swinging of the lever in a direction to cause the engagement of the detent with the
appurtenance of the shaft until the shaft has been restored to its normal position. In
conjunction with this latter stop, 1 employ a releasing device. For the purpose
of restoring one portion of the shaft to its normal position, 1 may employ a weight
attached to the shaft or a drum thereon by a cord or chain. The weight will rotate
such portion of the shaft in a contrary direction to that in which it is rotated by a
person testing his strength.
Dated this 5 day of Mal 1000
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, W.O.,
Agents for the Applicant.

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Apparatus for Testing Muscular Strength, Chiefly
Designed to be Released or made Operative by the Insertion
therein of a Coin or Coins.
I, HENRY HARRIS LAKE, of the firm of Haseltine, Lake & Co., Patent Agents,
Southampton Buildings, in the County of Middlesex, 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:-
My improvement consists in a strength testing machine comprising a case, a shaft,
a hand piece secured to the shaft a spring, a flexible connection between the spring
and the shaft, and an indicator. The shaft may be made in two portions; a clutch
being employed to engage the said two portions, and one of said portions of the shaft
may be stepped in a lever operated by the person using the machine.
My improvement further consists in a strength testing machine comprising a case,
a shaft, a band piece, secured to the shaft, a spring, a flexible connection between
the spring and the shaft and an indicator, of a lever adapted to receive near one
end a coin dropped down a chute and a detent operated by said lever to engage and
disengage an appurtenance of the shaft. A stop operated by the shaft may be
employed to prevent a too extended movement of the lever in a direction to dis-
engage the detent until the stop has been moved, and another stop may be employed
to prevent a too extended movement of the lever in a direction to cause the engage-
ment of the detent with the appurtenance of the shaft until such stop is released
by a releasing device operated from the shaft.
My improvement further consists in employing in such a machine, a weight having
a flexible connection with one portion of the shaft, when two portions are employed,
for causing the rotation of the portion of the shaft with which it is connected in a
direction to restore the same to a normal position.
I have illustrated my improvement in combination with coin operated mechanism
whereby the machine may be rendered operative or inoperative, but wish it to be
understood that I do not limit myself to the use of coin operated inechanism as such
may be omitted.
I will describe a machine embodying my improvement in detail and then point out
the novel features in claims.
In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a front elevation of a machine
embodying my improvement, the front of the case in which the machine is contained,
being removed.
Figure 2 is a similar view showing the parts in a different position. Figure 3 is a
side view of the same, the side of the case being removed and looking in the direction
of the arrow, Figure 1. Figure 4 is a plan of the machine, the top of the case and
the portions of the machine above the case being removed.
A designates the case of the machine; as shown it is rectangular. It may be
made of wood and of any desired ornamentation.
B designates a main or driving shaft. In the example of my improvement shown,
this shaft is arranged vertically. It is journaled in suitable bearings extending from

page_text: the side of the case and extends for a short distance above the case. Upon the
upper end of the shaft B is rigidly secured a hand piece B' here shown as a wheel.
By turning this hand wheel the shaft may be rotated. In this example of my improve-
ment, I employ in line with the shaft B and below the same, another shaft B²
journalled in bearings extending from the side of the machine and also in a step
bearing in a lever B³ arranged in the bottom of the case A. The shafts B B2 may
be caused to rotate in unison by means of a clutch comprising two portions a a¹.
These two clutch portions are in the form of wheels. The portion a is rigidly mounted
upon the shaft B. The portion a¹ of the clutch is rigidly mounted upon the shaft B²
near the upper end of the latter. The adjacent face of the portions a a¹ of the clutch
are as shown, provided with teeth a³ extending circumferentially about the same near
the edges thereof. These teeth may interlock. When the two portions of the clutch
are in engagement, and the shaft B is rotated by the hand wheel B₁ in the direction
indicated by the arrow adjacent to the clutch, the shaft B2 will be rotated in the same
direction as the shaft B. The shafts B B2 constitute in effect a single shaft and I
wish it to be understood that the clutch may be omitted altogether.
O designates a spring shown as a coiled spring. This spring is secured near one
end to the bottom of the case A. Its other end has secured to it one end of a
cord c.
The corde passes upwardly over a pulley e¹ mounted upon a pin or stud
extending from a suitable support. After leaving the pulley c¹ the cord c passes
to and is coiled about a pulley on the shaft B². When the shaft B is rotated in
one direction and the clutch is in engagement, the cord will be further coiled upon
the shaft B2 thereby causing a distension of the spring C. Of course as the spring is
distended its resistance is increased and consequently greater resistance will be
offered to the rotation of the shafts B B2 in a direction to coil up the cord c.
The strength of a person is therefore tested by his ability to rotate the shafts in
such direction.
I desire to indicate the strength exerted by a person operating the wheel B.
For this purpose I show an indicator D'comprising a dial plate d and an index
finger d. On the shaft B is mounted a gear wheel 2 meshing with a gear wheel d³
mounted on a stationary bearing and meshing with a gear wheel d keyed upon a
vertical shaft d'. The shaft d' extends into the indicator D and bears a gear wheel d
which meshes with a gear wheel keyed upon a horizontal shaft do Upon the
shaft the index finger d' is mounted. When the shaft B is rotated, motion will
be transmitted to the index finger and the same will be caused to move over the dial
plate d. The figures upon the dial plate d indicate approximately the pounds strain
brought to bear upon the wheel B' by the person operating it.
I will now describe coin operated mechanism which I may employ wherein G designates
a lever fulcrumed upon a pin or stud extending from a suitable support. Near one
of its ends said lever is provided with a coin receiver g. This coin receiver is provided
with a slit in its bottom. Above this coin receiver is a chute g¹ having an opening g
at the top of the case. A coin dropped down this chute will fall into the receiver.
If a coin of proper weight and size be dropped down the chute, it will lodge in the
receiver g and will rock the lever G upon its fulcrum until said lever has been rocked
so far that the coin will fall out of the receiver. The lever will then rock back to
it's normal position. This latter movement is accomplished by so constructing the
lever that the arm upon which is the receiver will be somewhat lighter than its other
arm. Coins not of proper size, when dropped down the chute y will pass through
the slit in the receiver g and fall into a coin receptacle G₁ arranged beneath the lever:
The lever G extends toward the shaft B and its arm nearer the latter is provided with
a projecting portion g³ constituting a detent. When the lever G occupies its normal
position, or that shown in Figure 1, the detent 93 extends into a notch g' in the
periphery of a wheel G2 rigidly mounted upon the shaft B. A lock is thereby formed
whereby the rotation of the shaft B is prevented until, by the action of a coin, the
lever has been rocked into a position to lift the detent g³ out of the said notch. The
shaft may then be rotated freely.
It may happen that a person dropping a proper coin into the receiver may not at

page_text: once operate the wheel B'. Unless means were employed in such an event to prevent
the lever from rocking sufficiently far to spill out the coin, the coin would be spilled
out and the lever would return to its normal position again locking the shaft against
rotation. I employ the following means to prevent this :
H designates a nut mounted upon a screw threaded portion of the shaft B. This
nut is provided upon one side with a rib or projection which rib or projection
extends into a groove constituting a slideway formed in a block rigidly secured
to a suitable support. When the shaft B is rotated the nut will be prevented by the
means just described from rotation but will be moved up or down on the shaft
according to the direction in which the latter is rotated. When in a normal position,
or that indicated in Figure 1, the nut H always occupies the same position on the
shaft relatively to the wheel G2, because the rotation of the shaft is always stopped at
a certain point.
Upon the nut H is a toe or projection . This toe or projection when the nut
is in the position just indicated extends into the path in which the lever swings. A
coin having been dropped into the receiver on the lever, the lever will be rocked
upwardly until it comes in contact with the toe or projection i on the nut H. In this
position the detent g³ will have been moved out of the notch g. If now the hand
wheel and shaft be rotated to cause the distention of the spring C, the nut H will
be moved upwardly carrying the toe or projection out of the path of the lever.
The latter may then rock downwardly to discharge the coin.
The coin having been discharged, I desire to prevent a return of the lever to
such a position that the detent will engage the notch to lock the shaft B until the
latter has been returned to its normal position. It is here to be remarked that when
the shaft is in such position the notch will always be in a position to receive the
detent. I accomplish the foregoing by the following means:
J designates a dog constituting a stop and pivotally mounted upon a suitable
support. This dog is adapted to be rocked by means of a spring ; in such manner
that one end thereof will extend into the path of the lever beneath the inner arm of
the same when the lever is being returned. The lever will then strike the dog and be
maintained in such a position that the detent will be held above the upper surface
of the wheel G. A too extended rocking of the dog in the direction just indicated
is prevented by a stop l. The dog near its other end is beveled upon its upper side.
Upon the nut H is a downwardly extending projection 1. When, by the rotation of
the shaft B the nut H has been moved downwardly to nearly its lowest limit the
projection will come in contact with the beveled surface upon the dog and so rock
the latter as to remove it from beneath the lever G. The nut H therefore constitutes
a releasing device for the dog. The detent g³ will, when the dog has been removed,
rest upon the upper surface of the wheel G; and when the notch * is brought
beneath, it will drop into such notch. A too extended rocking of the lever in a
direction to effect this may be prevented by a stop f.
It is desirable to render the inachine inoperative as soon as one person has operated
it and before another can operate it. This I accomplish in the following manner:
The lever B³ is fulcrumed upon trunnious n. The portion of this lever outside the
case constitutes a platform n' upon which the person desirous of operating the machine
must stand. Upon and near the inner end of this lever the shaft B is stepped. When
the machine is not being operated the weight of the shaft B2 will rock the inner end of the
lever downwardly and cause the portion a' of the clutch to be moved out of engagement
with the portion a of the clutch. The weight of a person upon the platform n¹ will
however cause the inner end of the lever to be rocked upwardly and the clutch to
become engaged. As soon as the operator steps off from the platfrom, the clutch will
become disengaged. The ready disengagement of the clutch will be facilitated by so
constructing the teeth upon the parts a a' that they will not be held strongly in
engagement by friction..
-
P designates a weight secured to one end of a cord o. The cord o passes upwardly
over a pulley o¹ and thence to a drum P' rigidly mounted upon the shaft B. When
the shaft B is rotated to distend the spring the cord o will be wound upon the

page_text: drum P. When the clutch becomes disengaged the weight P will cause the rotation
of the shaft B in a direction to restore it to its normal position. The cord is so
attached to the drum that when the shaft B has been rotated to its normal position,
the cord will be wholly unwound from the drum and the tension on the cord will
maintain the shaft in a position to allow the detent g to drop into the notch g*.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed as communicated to me
claim is :-
by my foreign correspondent I declare that what
1. In a strength testing machine, the combination with a case, of a shaft, a hand
piece secured to the shaft, a spring, a flexible connection between the spring and the
shaft and an indicator, substantially as specified.
2. In a strength testing machine, the combination with a case, of a shaft, a hand
piece secured to the shaft, a second shaft, a clutch for said shafts, a spring, a flexible
connection between the spring and one of said shafts, and an indicator, substantially
as specified.
3. In a strength testing machine the combination with a case, of a shaft, a hand
piece secured to the shaft, a second shaft, a lever in which said second named shaft is
stepped at one end, a clutch for said shafts, a spring, a flexible connection between the
spring and one of said shafts and an indicator, substantially as specified.
4. In a strength testing machine, the combination with a case, of a shaft, a hand
piece secured to the shaft, a chute down which a coin may be passed, a lever adapted
to receive near one end a coin passed down the chute, a detent operated by said lever
to engage and disengage an appurtenance of the shaft, a spring, a flexible connection
between the spring and the shaft, and an indicator, substantially as specified.
5. In a strength testing machine, the combination with a case, of a shaft, a hand
piece secured to the shaft, a chute down which a coin may be passed, a lever adapted
to receive near one end a coin passed down the chute, a detent operated by said lever
to engage and disengage an appurtenance of the shaft, a moveable stop operated by
the shaft to prevent a too extended movement of the lever in the direction to disengage
the detent, until the stop has been moved, a spring, a flexible connection between the
spring and the shaft, and an indicator, substantially as specified.
6. In a strength testing machine, the combination with a case, of a shaft, a hand
piece secured to the shaft, a chute down which a coin may be passed, a lever adapted
to receive near one end a coin passed down the chute, a detent operated by said lever
to engage a
and disengage an appurtenance of the shaft, a spring actuated stop which,
when the lever has been moved in a direction to disengage the detent, will be moved
into the path of the lever when the latter is returning in a direction to cause the
engagement of the detent, a releasing device actuated by the shaft for moving said
stop out of the path of the lever, a spring, a flexible connection between the spring
and the shaft, and an indicator, substantially as specified.
7. In strength testing machine the combination with a case, of a shaft, a hand
piece secured to said shaft, a second shaft, a clutch for said shafts, a spring, a flexible
connection between said spring and the shaft, a weight and a flexible connection
between said weight and the other of said shafts, substantially as specified.
Dated this 18th day of December 1908.
FAYAR
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co,
45, Southampion Buildings, London,
Agents for the Applicant.