Improvements in Coin-freed Apparatus
Year: 1896

page_text: Improvements in Coin-freed Apparatus:
ALBERT POLLARD, Clerk, 78 Brougham Street, Burnley Lancashire do hereby
declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
A small machine is so attached to meter that its slot is a continuation of slot of
meter. The coin is placed in a cup (containing semi-circular slot) to exactly half its
depth, and a system of links are so arranged as to effectually test any inequality in
coin in such a way as to lock the machine, and stop its motion prior to entering
the slot.
This object is obtained by a test piece or template passing entirely along the edge
and face of that portion of the coin which projects from cup in its passage to the slot.
A tail piece is also added which effectually prevents any coin from entering the
slot directly.
ALBERT POLLARD.
I, ALBERT POLLARD of 78, Brougham Street, Burnley, in the County of Lancaster,
Clerk, 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 coin-freed apparatus, and is designed to prevent a coin of
irregular shape or thickness from being deposited in the meter.
My improved apparatus or appliance tests any inequality in the coin, and should it
happen to be imperfect in shape, so as to be likely to interfere with or break the
working parts of the gas meter or other automatic machine, then the coin will have
to be removed and a proper coin substituted.
The invention consists of a small appliance attached to or formed with the meter"
This
and provided with a slot, which is a continuation of the slot of the meter.
slotted attachment has pivotted to it a sort of cup or receiver semicircular in shape,
and provided with a semicircular slot of such depth and width as to hold a coin of the
required size. This semicircular receiver carries a tail-piece, which protrudes into
the slotted connection attached to the meter, in such a manner as to entirely prevent
the possibility of the coin being passed through such slotted connection or attachment
and into the meter, without first being placed in the specially adapted cup or receiver
for the coin.
Pivotted to the semicircular cup or receiver for the coin is a suitable gauge piece
or templet, which is actuated by a system of links in such a, manner that when the
said cup or receiver is moved to deposit the coin into the meter, the said gauge piece
or templet passes entirely along the edge and face of that portion of the coin, which

page_text: projects from the cup in its passage to the slot; thus testing accurately any
irregularity in the shape of the coin.
The receiver or cup for the coin in being moved withdraws the projecting or
protruding tail piece from obstructing the slot in the attachment to the meter. If the
coin be of the proper shape to pass the gauge piece or templet the said receiver or
cup is moved until it is inverted over the said slotted attachment which is a continuation
of the slot of the meter, and the coin finds its way by gravity to the mechanism of the
coin-freed apparatus.
In the accompanying drawings, Figs. 1 and 2 represent my improved apparatus
(for detecting irregularities in the coin) in its two extreme positions.
A is the slotted attachment, which is a continuation of the slot B of the meter C.
The said attachment carries a semicircular cup D pivotted by a tail-piece E, so formed
as to prevent any possibility of a coin being passed through the slotted attachment A,
without first being inserted in the semicircular cup D.
The semicircular cup D also carries a pivotted templet or gauge piece F, so formed
as to test both the edge and face of the coin, along that portion thereof which stands
above the cup. This pivotted templet is connected at its opposite extremity to link G,
which is pivotted to a small lug H cast on the said slotted attachment A of the
meter.
It will be quite evident that as the said cup or receiver D is moved round to deposit
the coin in the slotted attachment A, to pass from thence to slot B of the meter, if
there be any irregularity in the shape of the coin, the templet F will prevent further
movement of the cup D, and consequently a fresh coin of proper shape will have to
be substituted before the arrangement will work.
Fig. 1 illustrates the coin as just having been placed in the cup or receiver D, and
Fig. 2 shews the said cup in its extreme position, when it is assumed that the coin,
being of proper size, has been deposited into the meter.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, 1 declare that what I
claim is :-
1. The improved appliance or apparatus attached to or formed with coin freed
mechanism for testing irregularities in the coin, substantially as described and
illustrated.
2. Slotted attachment or connection A having pivotted cup or receiver D, tail-
piece E, and templet F, or like mechanical equivalents, substantially as described,
and shewn.
3. The tail-piece E, substantially as and for the purpose specified.
4. The templet F, actuated substantially as and for the purpose set forth.
5. Receiver D formed with tail-piece E and having templet F pivotted to it
substantially as described and illustrated.
F. RICHMOND,
12 Standish Street, Burnley, Agent for the Applicant.