Improved Coin-freed Apparatus for the Delivery of Newspapers and like Articles.
Year: 1898

page_text: Date of Application, 19th Mar., 1898
Complete Specification Left, 19th Dec., 1898-Accepted, 21st Jan.,
1899
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATON.
Improved Coin-freed Apparatus for the Delivery of Newspapers
and like Articles.
We, THOMAS GARDINER MARSH, of Lawrence Buildings, Mount Street, Manchester,
in the County of Lancaster, Gas Engineer, and THOMAS THORP, of Moss Bank,
Whitefield, in the County of Lancaster, Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of
this invention to be as follows:-
This invention relates to an improved coin freed apparatus for delivering news-
papers, periodicals or other articles of convenient size and in public demand in return
for a coin of suitable value.
In carrying out our invention we construct our improved apparatus in the manner
hereinafter described. We form a somewhat rectangular casing of suitable size
having one side open, and support it preferably with the open side vertically disposed.
Between two of the opposite walls, we fix a number of partitions which form shelves
and enclose compartments which serve to contain the articles for delivery. Between
the back edges of the shelves and the back wall of the casing there is preferably left
some clearance space. In front of the shelves there is mounted a screen having a
slot of suitable size and shape which is capable of movement with respect to the
shelves so that the slot can be brought opposite to any one of the compartments in
consecutive order without uncovering any of the other compartments. We prefer to
use a flexible screen of any suitable material, passing over rollers and put in motion
by a handle through any suitable mechanism. Preferably four rollers are used and
so disposed that the screen passes right round the series of shelves from back to
front. The handle for moving the screen is mounted upon a shaft capable of rotation
in bearings and running from the front of the casing to the back thereof, and to the
back end of the shaft is fixed a chain wheel. Another chain wheel is mounted in
bearings at the other end of the series of shelves and at the back thereof and an
endless chain passes over the two chain wheels behind the shelves. A projection on
the chain engages with the moveable screen so that upon turning the handle in one
direction or the other the screen is moved and the slot therein brought opposite any
one of the compartments. Coin freed mechanism is fixed in a closed compartment
near the handle, a slot is formed in the compartiment to receive the coin. Upon the
shaft aforesaid is fixed a circumferentially grooved drum or parallel discs containing a
number of radial slits or pockets, each capable of receiving a suitable coin. The drum
or its equivalent has means for keeping it normally with one of its radial slits
opposite the coin slit in the compartment. This may consist of a number of indents
corresponding to the number of coin slits or pockets into which presses a spring as
each one comes opposite to it. The handle is mounted loosely upon the shaft and
carries inside the compartment an arm which presses against the coin when in the
drum and through the coin transmits movement to the screen, suitable stops being
provided to limit the movement of the coin drum and handle. Any other suitable

page_text: coin freed mechanism may be used. Means are provided for removing the coins
received and preventing theft.
R. J. URQUHART,
57, Barton Arcade, Manchester,
Harrington Chambers, 24, North John Street, Liverpool,
Consulting Engineer and Patent Agent.
Improved Coin-freed Apparatus for the Delivery of Newspapers
and like Articles.
We, THOMAS GARDINER MARSH, of Lawrence Buildings, Mount Street, Man-
chester, in the County of Lancaster, Gas Engineer, and THOMAS THORP, of Moss
Bank, Whitefield, in the County of Lancaster, 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 relates to an improved coin freed apparatus for delivering news-
papers, periodicals or other articles of convenient size and in public demand in
return for a coin of suitable value.
On the drawing appended hereunto an apparatus constructed in accordance with
our invention is represented
Fig. 1 showing a front view,
Fig. 2 a longitudinal section
Figure 3 partly a cross section, and partly a front view of the coin operated
mechanism, with the cover removed, and Figure 4 a section of the knob for actuating
the same.
In carrying out our invention we construct a preferably rectangular casing A having
one side open which forms the front side of the apparatus, and support the casing
preferably with the front side vertically disposed. Between the two opposite side
walls a a of the casing we fix a number of partitions or shelves b which form com-
partments and serve to contain the articles for delivery.
Between the back edges of the shelves b and the back wall a² of the casing there
is left some clearance space. In front of the shelves there is mounted a screen having
a slot of suitable size and shape which is capable of movement with respect to the
shelves so that the slot can be brought opposite to each of the compartments in con-
secutive order without uncovering any of the other compartments. We prefer to use
a screen made of a flexible band c of any suitable material, such as oilcloth, coated
canvas, or metal laths linked together. This hand passes over rollers and is put in
motion by a handle through any suitable mechanism operated or freed by a coin in-
serted through a slot into the apparatus.
Preferably four rollers are used disposed as shewn so that the band c passes right
round the series of shelves b from back to front. A shaft e operated by the coin
freed mechanism is mounted in bearings and runs from the front of the casing to the
back thereof, and at the back end a chain wheelf is fixed thereon. Another chain
wheel f¹ is mounted at the top end of the casing and an endless chain 2 passes over
the two chain wheels behind the shelves. Two plates g and glare fixed to the band c
and have projections engaging into the chain f2 so that in turning the shaft e in one
direction or the other the screen is moved up or down. To the front side of the band
plates h h¹ are fixed having a slot in them enlarged at the centre for passing the finger
and thumb through and seizing the paper or other article in the compartment opposite
to which the slot is brought by the movement of the band. A strip b² is fixed to each
side of the shelves at the front for the plate ¹ to slide on.

page_text: The shaft e is extended into the closed compartment Barranged at the front of the
casing A, which compartment contains coin operated or coin freed mechanism for
turning the shaft e so as to advance the band c from one shelf to another for each
coin inserted. This mechanisin may be constructed in any known manner suitable
for turning a shaft for a certain angle for each coin inserted, but is preferably con-
structed as represented on the drawings in the following way: Upon the shaft e are
fixed two disc which contain a number of radial grooves 12 on their sides facing
each other or their equivalents, into which a coin inserted through the slot m slides
and is held thereby. A crank n is mounted loose upon the shaft e, a bar or pin n¹
at the end of the crank passing outside of the disc and having a pusher n² fixed to
it which enters between the two discs. Suitable stops o o¹ are arranged for limiting
the movement of the crank n so that when the crank is moved from the stop o to
the stop o after the insertion of a coin, the discs and are turned by the pusher n²
acting upon the coin till the next grooves are brought opposite the slot, this move-
ment advancing the slot in the band c by one shelf. A spring p is fixed to the wall
of the compartment B and has at its free end a centre point which engages into
countersinks p and holds the discs in their several positions with the grooves opposite
to the slot n. A wire p² causes the coins to be pushed out of the grooves as the discs
turn and to be delivered into a box r.
The boss n³ of the crank n protrudes through the front of the compartment B and
has a feather fixed in it. The handle or wing knob s is formed with a corresponding
key slot and by means of it the crank n can be turned forward and backward between
the stops o o¹. A finger indicates when the coin pusher and crank are in the posi-
tions required for the insertion of a coin. The knob 8 is loose on the boss n³ and is
held in its place by the flap 2 hinged to the cash box r and held in its place by a
padlock (not shewn on the drawing) which is passed through the staple 3, so as to
hold at the same time the cash box locked and the knob s in its position. When the
flap and cash box are opened, the knob can be taken off and a pap 82 formed as a
square hollow key placed upon the squared end of the shaft e and the latter turned
thereby for the purpose of re-filling the shelves 6 with papers or other articles to be
sold.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what we
claim is:-
1. The construction and arrangement of an apparatus for delivering newspapers
and like articles for a coin inserted into the apparatus substantially as herein before
described and illustrated by the drawings.
2. The construction of a coin freed apparatus for the delivery of newspapers and
the like with a series of fixed shelves for containing the articles to be sold and a
screen containing a slot moveable in front of said shelves and advanced from one shelf
to another by mechanism operated or liberated by means of a coin inserted into the
casing containing the apparatus, substantially as hereinbefore described.
3. In apparatus for the delivery of newspapers and the like against prepayment
containing a series of fixed shelves and a band with a slot moveable in front thereof,
the construction or arrangement of coin operated mechanism for the advancement of
the slot substantially as herein before described and illustrated by the drawings.
D
L
11
namh 1000
R. J. URQUHART,
57, Barton Arcade, Manchester,
Harrington Chambers, 24, North John Street, Liverpool,
Consulting Engineer and Patent Agent.