An Automatic Prepayment Apparatus for the Delivery of Newspapers, Periodicals, and the like.
Year: 1891

page_text: Date of Application, 24th Dec., 1891
Complete Specification Left, 17th May, 1892-Accepted, 16th July, 1892
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
An Automatic Prepayment Apparatus for the Delivery of
Newspapers, Periodicals, and the like.
We GEORGE SALTER, of West Bromwich in the County of Stafford, Manu-
acturer, and JOHN HUGHES of Hope Street West Bromwich aforesaid, Manager
of Department of Works, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
This invention pertains to coin freed mechanism for the automatic sale and
lelivery of newspapers, periodicals and the like.
By our invention the said newspapers or periodicals are delivered consecutively
from a pile, resting upon a rising and falling platform or table, located within a
frame, whose top or bed is provided with releasing, feed, and stop mechanism, as
hereinafter fully described.
The appliance is arranged constructed and fitted as follows:-
Rising and falling within a frame, is a platforin or table, upon which a pile or
column of folded papers, periodicals or the like, rest, and which platform is raised
and lowered by its connection with endless chains, (flexible cords, bands or the like)
passing over chain wheels, situated and mounted respectively upon the bed, and at
the lower part of the frame.
The upper chain wheels of the chain gear as aforesaid, are mounted at the end
of an axis, directed horizontally across the bed of the appliance, and which axis is
common to other wheels and mechanism located upon, or near, the said bed.
The rising and lowering platform has cranked arms upon its two opposite sides,
which engage with the inner parts of the endless chain respectively, so that the pull
being opposite, pressure in lifting is equally disposed.
Made fast upon the two opposite sides of the shaft or axis, are two volute springs,
enclosed within casings, supported by brackets carried by the bed, and which
springs have their outer ends connected to the casings, and their inner ends to the
shaft or axis as aforesaid.
These springs lift the pile of papers up to a constant point, or up to the top
of the inside of the frame, and when the papers are first placed upon the platform,
the said springs are wound up to their full tension, by the pulling back of the chain,
and the rotation of the chain wheels.
Also made fast upon the said shaft or axis, are two ratchet wheels, with the
teeth of them, differentially arranged, and with the teeth of the said wheels, smugs
of two jointed stop arms engage respectively, and keep the said wheels from
rotating backwardly, other than when released by studs, on stud plate coming
against wings of the said arms, so as to take the snugs consecutively from the
teeth.
Thus, situated and working between the said two ratchet wheels, is a disc, with
three studs arranged upon each of the sides of it, and with the said studs of the
one side, coming between the middles of the spaces between the studs on the
other side.
This stud wheel is carried upon an upright bracket, and has ratchet teeth cut
within its periphery, with which a hanging pawl engages, for preventing its back
movement.
Mounted upon the said bed is a bifurcated lever, pointing obliquely downwards,
5 and with the ends of the. branches of the forks coming upon the top paper of
pile, and by means of which the said papers are withdrawn, on the pull of a
pull slide, to which the said bifurcated lever, is jointedly connected by a bracket.
being pulled out

page_text: This pawl like forked arm works through slots in the top bed, and hangs into
the top of the casing, whilst the pull slide carries a bracket with a rocking arm
adapted to impinge against the teeth of the stud disc.
Working in connection with the slide is a coin lever, alike unto a hanging bell
cranked lever, and upon an arm of which a coin falls through a coin slot, whilst
the other limb of the arm, which is alike unto a stud, is lifted, hence the freeing of
the slide, which can be then withdrawn by the pull.
A spring gives the return movement to the slide and parts carried by it, and the
outlet for the papers is mouthed, and has a flap door to prevent fraud.
Thus, the paper outlet is made inverted hopper shaped, with a hanging flap
disposed upon the broader and interior part of it.
The shaft or axis as aforesaid, is mounted upon anti-friction wheels, three in
number, as bearings.
The coin lever is provided with a fraud prevention arrangement, consisting of a
jointed arm, having the top front end of it, ratchet toothed, over which a stud of a
cranked end of the axis of the coin lever wipes, on the rear movement of the slide
as aforesaid, which carries the coin lever.
This said cranked end is made also into the form of a pawl, with the nose adapted
to engage with ratchet teeth of a stationary rack and with the said teeth raking in
a contary directed to those upon the end of the lever as aforesaid.
A primary spring is employed for the bringing of the parts to their normal
positions, whilst a second one is arranged in connection with the coin lever axis, for
taking the axis and the pawl carried by it, back into position by the freeing of
the coin.
The coin slot, is surrounded by a rectangular frame, with guides and other
accessory parts.
The prevention of fraud is performed by the nose of the pawl of the coin lever,
engaging with the ratchet teeth, should an attempt be made to extract more than
a single paper, as the said stud has to travel forward, first over the teeth, and then
backward over the part underneath the teeth, and then takes its proper position, by
passing upwardly through a gap, thus the slide is compelled to be brought
forwardly, and cannot again be taken backwardly until it has fulfilled the whole
of its forward traverse.
OPERATION.
Assuming the pile to be complete, drop a penny or other coin through the coin
slot, when the coin lever will be depressed, and the stud end lifted out of the path
of the slide. Then pull forward the said slide by the pull, when the points of the
bifurcated arm or lever, stick into or press themselves upon the top paper, when
the fully pulling out of the slide, delivers the said paper through the outlet.
The now releasing of the pull allows the slide to be taken back by the spring,
and the parts carried by it to resume their normal positions, but with the stud
wheel pushed back to the extent of one tooth, and as there are four teeth between
each stud, four parts will require to be removed before the stud acts upon other
parts, for the lifting of the paper carrying platform.
Assuming that four papers have been withdrawn in the same way as described, a
stud at the same time as the last movement, comes against a projection or ear part
of the snug lever of one of the ratchet wheels, and depresses the said lever, and
releases the ratchet wheel to the extent of a tooth, which movement gives a corre-
sponding motion to the chain wheels, and through the chain wheels to the platform,
which is automatically lifted to the extent of the depth of four papers by the power
given out by the spring.
The placing of pennies or other coins to the number of four in the coin slot,
releases the slide, and hence four papers admit of being intermittently withdrawn,
then a stud on the other side of the stud disc, comes upon the wing or ear of a
second snug lever, and so depresses the same, and by it, the other ratchet
toothed wheel is released, allowing the paper carrying platform to rise to the

page_text: extent of another four papers, and so on, until the whole of the papers have been
withdrawn.
The acting angle of the paper remover is kept constant in this way within certain
limits, so that the papers are always insured being removed, consequent upon the
angle of the pusher out, being such that the points of the branches press upon the
sanie, alike unto the pushing forward of a pair of fingers.
Where papers are required to be extracted by two or more coins of the same
value, to wit, a copper coin, & a nickel one of dissimilar weights and sizes, then
two coin slots are arranged accordingly, to take coins of dissimilar weight and size,
but of like value.
+ 1
1001
GEORGE SALTER,
JOHN HUGHES,
By Henry Skerrett,
Agent for Applicant.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
An Automatic Prepayment Apparatus for the Delivery of
Newspapers, Periodicals, and the like.
We, GEORGE SALTER of West Bromwich, in the County of Stafford Manu-
facturer, and JOHN HUGHES of West Bromwich aforesaid, Engineer 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 pertains to preparment coin-freed machines, for the automatic
sale and delivery of newspapers, periodicals, journals, books, magazines and
the like.
A machine, when in operation, delivers the said articles consecutively from a pile,
resting upon a rising and falling elevator table, located and moving within an
inclosed framing, as hereinafter described.
Figure 1 of the accompanying drawings, represents in transverse vertical section,
the upper portion of a prepayment coin-freed machine or apparatus, for the
automatic sale and delivery of newspapers, periodicals, journals, magazines,
books and the like, constructed, arranged, fitted and provided, according to our
invention.
It will be seen that that part of the machine carrying the papers or the like, is
separately inclosed from the other part, or that carrying the feeding mechanism,
stop arrangements, releasing means, slides, pulls and other mechanical factors con-
stituting coguate parts of the general mechanism of the machine.
Figure 2 shows upon a reduced scale, a side elevation of the whole of the machine
or apparatus.
Figure 3 represents a transverse vertical section of the upper portion of the said
machine and upon the dotted lines A. B. Figure 1, and looking from the right hand
side, to the left hand side.
This view besides showing more clearly the dispositions of the working parts of
the means employed for the carrying, vertical feeding, and delivering of the articles,
also shows the dispositions of the paper and mechanism enclosing casings.
Figure 4 also represents a transverse vertical section of the said upper part, but
upon the dotted lines C. D. Figure 1, looking from left to right; the fixed
enclosing drum casing of one of the lifting springs is shown in sectional elevation,
and so also is the fraud preventing device.
Figure 5 shows a plan of a portion of the slide with a coin freeing bar connected
with it.
The outer end of bar is cut away for allowing the coin lever to make a
final drop, to free the coin deposited, and this can only be done by the pulling
forward of the slide and bar connected by the pull handle.

page_text: at the reduced part.
Figure 7 shows a plan of the stud wheel, and stop and releasing arms of feed.
Figure 8 is a side elevation of Figure 7.
Figure 9 is the fraud preventing means, with the pawl catch travelling towards
the gate of the appliance, and at the same time lifting the jointed and top member.
Figure 10 shows partly in elevation and partly in section, the throat of the coin
shoot leading from the slot, and also the rest box of the coin tray.
Figure 11 shows the slide, and those parts of the feed appliance carried by it.
The same letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in the several figures.
a is a four sided and pillar shaped outer casing, adapted to enclose both the
acting or operating mechanism of the machine, and also an inner and upright
rectangular shaped casing, adapted to contain a pile of closely folded papers,
or a pile of books or like matter d, d', resting upon a rising and falling hoist
table c, disposed across, and sliding freely within, the inside boundary walls of the
said inner casing b.
Attachedly connected to the said table, through the intervention of crank
ended rods ², which extend and work through vertical slots 2, up the middle of
casing b, are endless chains, (cords. ropes, bands, or the like) e, disposed at the two
opposite sides of the inner casing, and taking over upper, and lower chain
wheels f, g; the former made fast to, and carried at both ends of, a main axis h,
supported and turning in roller bearings, mounting and turning freely upon
pins, carried by the upper middle parts, of erect brackets, or holsters i,
connected to, and carried on, the bed or top 63, of the inner casing b.
The lower chain wheel, is simply carried by a fixed axle, working within
ordinary fixed bearings carried by the lower part of framing.
Fitted and sliding upon the top side of the bed 63, which has a long slot 6,
directed through it, and passing nearly from front to back of the casing b, is a
slide i, pierced with a long slot, and carrying upon its topside, an upright
bracket, to the upper end of which, an inclined delivery fork or bifurcated pawl
arm k, is connected and jointed, at 4, and with the middle part of said fork passing
through a lot, and its lower and pointed end k², coming upon the topside of, and
sticking into the paper or book d', being delivered, or the pile d.
The said slide 1, carries a jointed and rear counterpoised push pawl 1, connected
to the upper part of an upright bracket, and also a straight pull rod, affixed at
its after end to the top of the bracket m2, while the fore and handle part m³, of the
said rod, passes outwardly through a hole a², in the front a', of the outer
casing a.
The prong ends of the delivery fork, by their raking position, wipe pawl-like
over the papers or books in its retiring movement, and sticks slightly into them, in
advancing, and slightly changes its angle between the delivery of each paper or
book, during each intermittent vertical feed of the hoist table, occasioned by the
releasing of a tooth of the hoist feed wheels, as hereinafter described.
The duty of the push pawl t, is to push back the stud or pilot wheel n, (which is
in its path of motion) one tooth, to each back movement made by the slide, and as
this stud wheel has twenty four teeth, and three equi-distant and intermediate
positioned studs n³, n³, upon each side, then on the slide being pushed back, four
times, and the stud wheel impinged against, the same number of times, one of the
studs, is made to operate, against the winged end o', of the near side stop and
releasing counterpoised arm o, jointed at 2, and having a tooth, which engages
consecutively behind the shoulders of the teeth of a near side hoist feed wheel p,
made fast upon the main axis h.
On the other side of the stud wheel, which turns within bearings of an upright
bracket, carried by the bed of inner casing, is a second counterpoised stop and
releasing arm 7, having (like the former arm o.) a free end g, jointed at 2, and a
tooth adapted to engage with a tooth of a second hoist feed wheel', also made
fast on the main axle, and with its teeth coming midway, between the teeth of the

page_text: wheel p, that is to say, the points of the teeth of the wheel p, come equi-distantly
between the points of the teeth of the wheel p', so that as the tooth of the arm o, is
released from a tooth of the wheel p, the tooth of the arm q, then engages within a
tooth, or at the back of a tooth of the wheel p' hence shock and non-engagement is
prevented, as would be otherwise the case if only a single toothed wheel were
employed, as the sudden disengagement of the arm from the tooth of a wheel,
would be so momentary, that there would be insufficient time for a second arm
to take the place of the first, and so give the required feed.
It may be observed that the said arms o and 7, are jointed to uprights carried by
the fixed framing or bed of the inner casing, and that the slide which carries the
pawl-acting delivery fork, is pulled back by a spring r, which is distended by the
pulling out of the rod end, on the delivery of a paper, book or like matter.
Carried upon the inner side of each of the upright framings i, is a drums,
enclosing a volute and vertical hoist spring st, for the feeding or bringing up of the
hoist table, after every four papers or books, have been delivered through an
aperture a³, in the front a', of the outer framing a. The outer end of the said
spring is connected at 2, to the said fixed drum s, whilst the inner end s³, of the
spring, is connected to the rotating shaft, so that as the said shaft is rotated, by
the pulling of the chain in the direction as indicated by the full arrow, the springs
at both ends of the shaft, are wound up, by the pressing down of the hoist table,
prior to the placing of the pile of papers or books upon it.
The releasing of the feed wheels, and the consequent re-rotation of the shaft,
through the uncoiling of the wound-up springs, turns the chain wheels in reverse
directions, and pulls the chains up in the directions of the dotted arrow, which lifts
the hoist table to the extent of four papers or books at each feed, and brings the top
paper or book, lignable with the top part of the paper delivery aperture a³, which
is of the length of the papers or books to be delivered, and of a depth equal to the
thickness of four papers or books, and which delivery aperture, has in front of it, a
conical mouth a', with an issuing orifice a', and an inside hinged flap a, which
normally closes the issuing orifice, when no paper is being delivered, and by
which flap, papers are prevented from being clandestinely extracted without being
paid for.
It may be observed that the springs are wound up to their greatest tension, when
the hoist table is at its lowest position, and are weakest when the said hoist table
is at its highest position, and the said springs are of such a power, that they more
than counter-balance the weight of the whole of the pile of papers, to an extent
sufficient to raise the said papers and table, when the vertical feed arrangements are
liberated.
Thus the surplus power of the springs, above that required for counterbalancing,
is employed as a motive power for the raising of the table.
The stud or pilot wheel is caught or prevented from running back by a weighted
pawl n.
Disposed at the right hand side of the top side of the bed, is a counterpoised coin
lever t, jointed at t, to a carrying bracket t², and with the fore arm t³, connected
with a suspension rod t, terminated at its lower end by a coin tray t³.
The after end to, of the said coin lever, is weighted at 7, whilst the said after part
lever, rear of the joint, has a swinging peg t, which normally rests at the front of
the slide j, and within a hole 7, in the bed 3, of the inner casing b, so that the said
peg has to be lifted by an inserted coin, before the slide j, is liberated, and when
liberated, the said slide can be pulled forwardly by the pull bar m, as before
stated.
with cut away
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Connected to the said slide, by a bridge u, is a coin-freeing bar
part 2, which moves with the slide, and is drawn under the arm t2, of the coin
lever t, and on the said coin lever dropping or passing onto the reduced part ², the
said arm makes a further back motion, and gives a final drop to the coin tray to,
which brings its inclined bottom, obliquely lignable with a delivery hole a², of a

page_text: tray box a, leading from a throat 23, of a coin slot, and by such final drop the
coin w, is slid into a coin chest.
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whilst
To prevent fraud, or the movement of the slide for the delivery of a number of
papers for a single coin, is a rack. carried on the bed of the inner frame, and hung
immediately above it, upon a bracket y, attached to the said fixed framing of the
inner casing, is a jointed rack bar or top member, having teeth upon its top side y*,
raking in a reverse direction to the teeth on the lower and fixed bar
carried by a bracket 2, carried by, and moving with the slide, is a pawl catch,
jointed at 1, and having a snug, upon one side, which is adapted to traverse
on the underside of the member y³, lift the same, and pass through the gate y³, from
the underside to the topside, in making an orbicular movement around the front
part of the said top member.
Thus, the rack members are stationary with respect to the slide, whilst the upper
one is lifting, and as the slide is drawn forward for delivery by the pull bar,
the nose of the weighted pawl, wipes over the teeth of the lower rack bar, and the
snug, lifts the upper rack bar, and immediately the said snug comes opposite the
gate y, it passes through it, the top rack member falls, and on the slide being brought
back by the contraction of the coiled spring r, on the pull bar being released, the
said snug of the pawl, is pushed in a wiping manner over the teeth y, until the
snug falls over the rounded end of the said top member, when a like action as
described is repeated.
OPERATION.
Assuming that the hoist table is empty, then by opening a door in the front of
the outer casing, the papers are deposited within the interior of the inner casing
through an open front, and as the papers, books or other matters are placed pile-
wise, the hoist table is lowered, until the same has been pressed down to its lowest
position, when the volute springs, through the intervention of the endless chains,
are wound up, and are retained in their wound up conditions by the engagement of
the teeth o³ ³, respectively, with the hoist feed wheels p, p', which are fast on the
axis h.
Thus the springs connected to the hoist table carrying the papers or books
through the medium of the endless chains, lift the said table when released.
By now placing a penny within the slot, the coin rolls down the throat of the
same, and lodges upon the tray, when the coin lever is rocked upon its centre,
the swinging peg ts, lifted from in front of the slide j, and the arms (3, of the
said lever lowered, so as to bring the tray into the position as represented in
dotted lines.
As the peg is now out of the path of the slide, the pulling forward of the pull
bar m, by the pull end m³, pulls forward the slide, and with it, the parts carried
upon and by it, and also the coin freeing bar v, and moves the same under the
arm 2, of the coin lever t, which immediately falls on the same coming over
the cut away part 2, hence the final drop to the coin tray, and the getting rid
of the coin.
By the end of the delivery fork puncturing or stitching into the top paper or
book d', of the pile d, the said paper is slid forwardly, and passed forwardly
through the opening a³, then lifting the jointed flap a, and from thence being guided
through, and extending itself beyond, the orifice as of the conical mouth a', when
the said projecting part of the paper is laid hold of, and finally withdrawn by the
payee.
Thus by the traverse of the delivery fork or pawl arm, papers are delivered
consecutively and intermittently from a pile, on coins being deposited intermittently
for each and every paper to be withdrawn.
By now releasing the pull bar, the slide, delivery fork, and parts carried by the
slide, are returned to their normal positions by the contraction of the spring r,
which was distended by the act of drawing the slide by the pull bar.
This back traverse of the slide, on nearly reaching home, takes the nose of the
4

page_text: push pawl 1, against a tooth of the idle stud wheel n, and pushes the said idle stud
wheel back to the extent of a tooth, which is retained by the pawl n³.
By passing another coin through the coin slot, and repeating the same movements
as described, four times, a right hand stud, of the idle stud wheel n, is, on the
fourth rear traverse, of the slide, made to impinge upon the wing o', of the catch
and releasing bar o, and tip the said bar downwards, so as to take the tooth o³,
below the periphery of wheel, when the said wheels p, p, each move round to the
extent of half a tooth, whilst the wheel p'. is caught, by the engagement of the
tooth with the tooth of it, hence the alternate in and out of tooth of
the teeth o
The movement of half a tooth, rotates the shaft, and with it, the chain wheels,
and through then, the lift table e, is raised, to the extent of four papers or books,
through the paying out of a portion of the wound-up spring.
This is repeated after the intermittent introduction of every four coins, when one
of the studs ³, on the other side of the idle stud wheel n, is made to act upon the
end, of the arm q, and takes its tooth 3, from the back of a tooth of the wheel,,',
when the said wheels p. p, are again rotated by the springs to the extent of half a
tooth, and the wheel p, is caught again by the tooth o³.
This operation is repeated and the feed intermittently conducted, until the whole
of the papers have been delivered from the machine.
It will also be understood that the coin lever peg or catch to, takes its position at
the back of the slide, when it is in a position for it to do so, and after the coin w,
has slid from the tray.
Instead of the intermittent feed coming into operation at every four papers as
described, it may come into operation at every one, two or more papers, books or
the like, if the stud wheel be arranged with studs to correspond with the required
feed.
Thus, if the feed is to be for every paper, then the number of studs will be equal
to the number of teeth, and further, if the intermittent feed is to operate on
every two papers being delivered, then the number of studs will be half that of the
number of teeth on the periphery, and so on.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is
First In an automatic prepayment coin freed machine for the delivery of
papers, books periodicals and other like printed matter, employing as the means of
delivery, a jointed fork or forks, or a hanging and pawl like pointed arm or arms,
operated by a slide or its equivalent, and adapted to puncture or stick slightly
within the article to be delivered, when moved in a forward direction, and to wipe
over the said article or articles, when moved rearwardly.
Secondly-In an automatic prepayment coin freed machine, for the delivery of
papers, books, periodicals and like printed matter, a rising and falling hoist table,
adapted to support the pile of articles to be delivered.
Thirdly In a coin freed machine for delivering papers or the like, the
combination with a hoist table, of a combined balancing and lifting spring, whereby
the said hoist table, and the matter carried upon it, is balanced, and the goods
intermittently fed to a position for delivery.
Fourthly In a coin freed machine for delivering papers or the like, the
combination with a hoist table, and balancing and lifting springs, of chain and chain
wheel gear, and shaft or axle surrounded by the springs, as set forth.
Fifthly In a coin freed machine for delivering papers or the like, a hoist table
with intermittent feed means as described and set forth.
Sixthly In a coin freed machine for delivering papers, the combination with a
hoist table, balancing and lifting springs, and feed means, of a slide, carrying the
delivery fork, push pawl and other like adjuncts, substantially as described and
set forth.

page_text: Seventhly-In a coin freed machine for delivering papers, the combination with
a hoist table, and cognate parts as described and set forth, of intermittent feed,
releasing and stop means.
Eighthly In a coin freed machine for delivering papers, the combination with
a hoist table, of a feed mouth, with an inside flap, as set forth.
:
Ninethly In a coin machine for delivering papers, the combination with
a slide and coin lever with swinging peg, of a coin freeing bar v, ², whereby the
coin tray or coin lever is made to have a second drop, on the slide completing its
forward movement, on being fully drawn forward by the pull.
:-
Tenthly In an automatic prepayment coin freed machine for the delivery of
papers, books, periodicals and like printed matter, the arrangement and combination
of the parts, less the fraud preventing means coin lever, anti-friction rollers, and
delivery mouth, substantially as described and set forth.
Eleventhly-In an automatic prepayment coin freed machine, for the delivery of
papers, books, periodicals and the like, the combination and arrangement of the
parts, less the anti-friction rollers and delivery mouth, substantially as described
and set forth.
-
Twelfthly In an automatic prepayment coin freed machine, for the delivery of
papers, books, periodicals and the like, the general combination and arrangement
of the parts, substantially as described and set forth.
£1000
GEORGE SALTER,
JOHN HUGHES,
By Henry Skerrett,
6, Livery Street, Birmingham, Agent for Applicants.