A New or Improved Automatic Machine for the Prepaid Delivery · of Parcels of Sweetmeats and other Goods.
Year: 1893

page_text: A New or Improved Automatic Machine for the Prepaid Delivery ·
of Parcels of Sweetmeats and other Goods.
I, HENRY ALFRED COLE, of 23, George Street, Weston super Mare, Pier
Attendant, 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 invention relates to new or improved machines for the automatic delivery of
packets of sweetmeats or other goods to purchasers on the pre-payment of a coin
of specified size; and has for its object the prevention of various irregularities to
which many of the "penny-in-the-slot" machines now in use are liable, such as
allowing two or more parcels of goods to be obtained on the payment of one coin ;
operating the machine by inserting "dummy" or base coins and discs; or
refusing to supply any goods in consequence of the machine becoming choked or
otherwise tampered with.
My invention consists in providing appliances for simplifying the operating
mechanism by which the goods are delivered after the coin is inserted; in
preventing the coin from being withdrawn by any means whatever after it has
commenced to actuate the machine; and in automatically closing the slot when
there are no more parcels in the machine to be supplied.
In order that my invention may be more fully understood, it will be described in
connection with the accompanying sheet of drawings, in which
Fig. 1 is a sectional elevation of the machine, with its surrounding and
supporting casing:
Fig. 2 is a reduced view of part of the same, showing the action of a stop
block in looking the machine when the last parcel of goods in the cylinder or holder
has been delivered:
Fig. 3 is a general perspective view, showing the whole of the internal
mechanism, parts of one side and of a cutting plate and pivotted ratchet being
removed for that purpose: and
Fig. 4 is a detached view of the carrier, showing more fully its action in
operating other parts of the machine.
The same letters of reference are used in each of the figures.
in
A is a casting or frame, open at the ends and top, for holding the principal
parts of the actuating mechanism, on the two sides of which, plates B and C are
fastened, which form guides for the passage to and fro of a carrier in the
recesses D between the plates, the plates C are preferably mado narrower at the
bottom as shown in Fig. 3, and the upper edges of these two plates are set with
great accuracy, so that the distance of the augles of each from the other shall be
very slightly greater than the diameter of the coin to be used in actuating the
machine. Fitting in the recesses D and sliding to and fro therein is a carrier E
as shown in detail in Fig. 4: iu front of the same are a couple of studs
which are nicks for holding the coin in a vertical position, to form an abutment
to actuate the carrier when the pressure is brought to bear on it; the carrier is
mado with two shoulders F, those are lovel with the upper edges of the plates B,
and on the shoulders a steel plate G extends from side to side, resting also on the
plates B on which it slides when, the carrier is moved; the front of this plate has
a cutting edge, which in conjunction with the square edge of a pivotted ratchet H
hereinafter described, will sever any string or fine wire that may be attached to a
coin for the purpose of withdrawing it after the machine has been set in motion;
(a part only of the plate G and ratchet H is shown in Fig. 3); at the back of the

page_text: carrier is an opening I in which the log of a rocking bar K is inserted, on the
upper part of the rocking bar is a weighted plunger L, adjusted with its face near
the front of the cylinder M containing the parcels of goods; at the back of the
carrier is a strong clutch N which engages with the lower edge of a pawl O,
pivotted to the sides of the frame and kept in the centre of the frame by washers
on either side: the upper part of the pawl consists of a strong spring P, which
normally rests. against a cross-bar p and offers considerable resistance to the
forward passage of the clutch N attached to the carrier. The force for actuating
the mechanism is supplied by pulling the draw-bar Q, oporating a cranked thrust-
bar R to which it is connected as shown in Fig. 1, the front r of this thrust-bar
will pass freely over the carrier and between the studs e without moving the
carrier unless a coin, as shown in dotted lines in Fig. 1, be inserted between the
two nicks to form an abutment, if the coin be of the proper size to be retained in a'
vertical position on the edges of the plates C, and in the nicks as described, the
force obtained by pulling the draw-bar will, with the aid of the coin, overcome the
resistance of the pawl and spring at the back, and tho carrier bo pulled forward
with a slight jerk, and the rocking-bar K will throw the plunger L against the
lower parcel in the cylinder, which being forced from the bottom of the pile, will
fall down the shoot as shown, and be delivered to the purchaser in a tray placed
below the handle of the draw-bar.
:
The coin is inserted in a slot S, and falls through an opening between the front
edge of the cutting plate G and the pivotted ratchet H, and if it be of too small a
size, it will not be retained by the opposite edges of the plates C, but will pass on
through the bottom of thic casing and the bent shoots and be returned at once to
the purchaser and if it be the exact size, but of any inferior or soft metal, like
lead, the front r of the thrust-bar will use it as an abutment, but not being
sufficiently rigid, the thrust-bar will bend it and remove it from the nicks, and
send it forward to the coin receptacle without having operated the machine; while
a coin of the proper size and quality will form an abutment of sufficient rigidity to
bear the strain necessary to overcome the resistance of the pawl, and thus deliver a
parcel of goods to the customer.
For the further prevention of a fraudulent use of the machine, a piece of.
steel T with ratchets is inserted in the bed of the frame, corresponding with a
pivotted ratchet H fitted just above it, and if the draw-bar be only partially pulled
out, with a view to obtaining two parcels for one coin, the latter will have passed
beyond the first pair of teeth, and it will be impossible to get it back, the weight
f the pivotted ratchet holding it firmly on the lower one, and the coin can only be
moved in a forward direction, i.e. towards the receptacle provided for the coin to
fall into and the mechanism is so adjusted that the fall of the coin over the edge
of the plate T into the drawer X will be simultaneous with the fall of the parcel
of goods from the cylinder.
The parcels are kept in position in the cylinder by a hollow weight W, which
is made with an opening in the back and an angular lug w at each end: the
plunger Lin pushing out a parcel of goods passes under the cylinder, and on its
return the parcel which has taken the place of the one just delivered forms a
smooth surface for the plunger and its flukes to pass under, but when the last
parcel has been delivered, the block takes the place of the parcel, resting on the
shelf at each end, and as the plunger returns, the weight will raise the flukes of
the plunger, which will engage in the angular lugs of the block, and the rocking-
bar be retained as shown in Fig. 2, thus blocking the whole mechanism, as tho
outting plate G effectually blocks the passage of a coin through the slot, and
thereby prevents any disappointment to purchasers.
The machine being made as herein before described, its operation is as follows :—
The cylinder is first filled with parcels of the kind required, and the weight W
put on the top with the open side at the back, and then all is in readiness for
supplying customers: a penny or other coin of the exact size being put in the slot,

page_text: ↑
the draw-bar Q is pulled forward, this brings the end of the thrust-bar aġainst
the coin which is resting on the two plates C at the sides of the machine and
supported vertically by the nicks f, the coin forms an abutment and the carrier E
is drawn forward, the power obtained by pulling the draw-bar overcoming the
resistance of the pawl O and spring P to the passage of the clutch N: the rocking-
bar K is jerked by the action of the carrier and throws back the plunger I against
the lower parcel of goods in the oylinder, which is thrust into the shoot and falls
down into the tray provided for its reception. The passage of the coin from the
slot to where it falls into its receptacle is further regulated by the fixed and
pivotted ratchets T and H, the action of which will readily be seen by the drawings.
If a coin of a smaller size than that provided for is inserted, it will fall between the
plates C, through the opening at the bottom, and by tho shoots, be returned in
the tray to the purchaser; and if a piece of soft metal of the right size be inserted,
the thrust-bar will bend it and bring it out of the nicks and pass it into the coin
drawer without moving the carrier or operating the machine. If a string or wire
be attached to a coin for the purpose of withdrawing it, the cutting edge of the
plate G coming against the keen angle of the pivotted ratchet H, will instantly
sever it, and prevent the coin being withdrawn, and at the same time block the
slot until the mechanism is again set free.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :-
1. In automatic delivery machines, the arrangements of two plates, one on either
side of the frame below the slot, at such a distance from each other that their
upper edges will be just sufficient to support a coin of the required size, and in con-
junction with nicks in bars attached to a sliding carrier, will retain a coin in the
exact position to form an abutment to actuate the mechanism, substantially as and
for the purposes herein described and illustrated in the accompanying drawings.
2. In automatic delivery machines, the construction of a sliding carrier, working
to-and-fro in a groove, when actuated by a thrust-bar against a coin abutment, the
carrier operating a rocking-bar, substantially as herein set forth and shown.
3. In automatic delivery machinos, the insertion of a pawl with a spring pressing
against a bar and a clutch attached to the carrier, for the purpose of preventing
the carrier being drawn forward without the exertion of a certain amount of force,
thoroby frustrating any attempts to operate the machine by discs of soft or inferior
metal, substantially ae herein described.
4. In automatic delivery machines the arrangement of a rocking-bar with a
weighted plunger having flukes at the end of the plunger for the purpose of pushing
the lower parcel of goods from the pile in the cylinder for the purpose herein
specified.
5. In automatic delivery machines, the provision of a hollow weight or block with
internal angular projections, so that when the last parcel of goods has been delivered
the block will fall and engage the flukes of the plunger, retaining it and thereby
locking the mechanism as described and shown in Fig. 2.
6. In automatic delivery machines, the arrangement of ratchet platos to prevent
the withdrawal of coin after it has passed the slot, substantially as herein described
and set forth.
7. In automatic delivery machines, the insertion of a steel plate with a cutting
edge on the top of the carrier, which in passing over the sharp angle of the pivotted
ratchet will act as a pair of shears and sever any string or wire attached to a
coin or disc for the purpose of withdrawing it, substantially as described and
shown.
8. The construction of improved automatic delivery machines with appliances
for ensuring regularity in the delivery of goods in return for coin of the proper
value, and preventing a fraudulent use of the machines by persons attempting to

page_text: obtain goods without having first paid the proper amount for the same, substantially
as and for the purposes herein set forth and described, and illustrated in the
accompanying drawings.
Dated this 31st day of Jan 1802
J. G. WESTLAKE,
2, John Street, Bristol, Applicant's Agent.