Improved Indicator for Coin-freed Apparatus for the Sale of Goods.
Year: 1896

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improved Indicator for Coin-freed Apparatus for the Sale of Goods.
I, JOHN OSBORN TONKIN, of Fürstenbrunner weg, Westend, near Berlin, in the
Empire of Germany, Factory Director, 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 an indicating mechanism for coin-freed apparatus for
the sale of goods, the object of which mechanism is to indicate by means of the
ordinary slide which is freed on the required coin being inserted in the apparatus,
when said slide is drawn out to a sufficient extent to allow of the goods being
delivered.
In the directions for using such coin-freed apparatus it would thus have to be
stated, that the slide or knob must be drawn out until a certain signal is given
(for instance, the striking of a bell or gong, the blowing of a whistle, or the like)
and that the handle must not be released until such signal is given.
By this
arrangement there is no danger of the goods not being delivered on account of
the knob or handle not having been withdrawn to the required extent, as very
frequently happens with the automatic apparatus at present in use.
In order to illustrate my invention, I have shown in the accompanying drawing
the indicating mechanism in connection with an ordinary coin-freed apparatus for the
sale of articles made up in an oval casing or shell, which apparatus is preferably
made so as to represent a crowing-cock or sitting-hen; the signal is created by a
whistle, operated by bellows.
Fig. 1 is a side view of the indicator mechanism and shows the knob or slide
drawn out almost to the full extent i.e. just before the indicator is released.
Fig. 2 is a plan view of the same, the slide in this instance being returned to its
normal position and the bellows closed.
a is a slide which is freed in the ordinary manner after the required coin is
inserted and which, as shown in the drawing, by means of the spring-controlled
pawl c, turns the cylindrical receptacle d to the extent of one compartment each
time the slide a is withdrawn to the required extent, and thus causes the articles
to be delivered from the receptacle d to a suitable receiver without the apparatus.
The rod provided with a suitable knob or handle is rivetted or screwed to the
slide a, while at the opposite end of the latter is secured a lever e turning on
screw-pivot f and controlled by spring acting on the pin g. The lever e has
also a recess or slot i receiving the pink of slide a, which pin thus limits the
movement of the lever e in one direction.
As shown in the drawing, a whistle, or tube, blown by bellows is used for
indicating when the slide is withdrawn to the required extent. A rod or plate
having a hook or wedge-like nose m is secured to that part of the bellows which
swings on a horizontal axis, and on the slide being withdrawn, said nose m engages
with a correspondingly shaped nose el of lever e and expands the bellows. As
seen in Fig. 1, the nose e falls out of engagement with nose m immediately tho
bellows are opened to a certain extent, owing to the latter turning on a horizontal
axis. The bellows are now closed by a counter-spring n, during which closing
movement the whistle is blown by the air thus forced out of the bellows. On the
slide a being returned to its normal position by the spring o, the wedge-like faces of
noses el and m come in contact with each other; the lever e is thus caused to turn
somewhat to the side on its pivot f, and, on passing the nose m, the other nose ¹

page_text: is forced into the position for engaging with nose m on the slide being drawn out
again.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this invention
and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :
1. The herein described mechanism for indicating when the knob, or handle, of a
coin-freed apparatus for the sale of goods is drawn out to the required extent,
comprising a spring-controlled lever (e) pivoted at (f) and having wedge-like
nose (e) for engaging the corresponding nose (m) of plate (1) of the indicator on
the knob being withdrawn, substantially as described and shown in the drawing.
Dated this 21st day of February 1896.
A. F. SPOONER,
124 Chancery Lane, W.C., Agent for the Applicant.