An Automatic Oracle or Coin-freed Machine for Answering Questions.
Year: 1889

page_text: Date of Application, 25th July, 1889
Complele Specification Left, 30th Jan., 1890-Accepted. 1st Mar. 1890
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
An Automatic Oracle or Coin-freed Machine for Answering
Questions.
I, ARTHUR ENGELFRED of 34 rue du Sentier Paris, in the Republic of France,
Consulting Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
This machine resembles in appearance the ordinary coin-freed machines, but
instead of supplying articles for sale or weighing the operator, it is designed to
supply oracular answers to special questions.
--
In front it has two glazed apertures one of which is segmental in form and
displays one of a series of questions, the other aperture which is by preference
rectangular, exhibits the reply. The latter is closed by a shutter when the machine
is at rest. Over the interrogative aperture there is the following fixed inscription,
"Stand on the platform and drop a penny in the machine and you shall know if
In the glazed aperture beneath is seen, the conclusion of the sentence which may for
example read thus: "You will become rich." The reply is subsequently seen in the
other or responsive aperture, and may be affirmative or otherwise. The questions
are arranged on the face of a revolving circular disc, and the answers on an endless
belt, or chain, both of which together with the above-mentioned shutter, can be set in
motion by levers, and springs, attached to a small inclined platform in front of the
machine on which the questioner stands or sits, or the shutter can be worked by the
coin as hereafter described.
The following is the mode of working,
When the operator faces the machine he reads a question on the interrogative dial
which he adopts as emanating from himself. To obtain a reply he mounts the plat-
form, and by so doing raises a vertical bar inside the machine attached to a lever
under the platform. A coiled spring beneath the platform is depressed as the platform
is lowered, whereby two other levers are set in motion and a catch acts on a ratchet
wheel keyed to same axle as two chain wheels which carry the endless chain or belt
before referred to, and thereby causes a new reply to appear in the response window.
Also a small plate which covers the coin inlet is removed by the vertical bar, and the
operator can then place a coin or counter therein. The coin is guided through a
suitable channel and falls into a small cup at the end of a small lever, which lever
then sinks at that end, and in so doing pulls a silk thread or cord which raises the
shutter in front of the responsive glazed aperture, and this window as it opens reveals
the oracle's reply to the question asked on the revolving disc.
When the operator descends from the platform the vertical shaft falls, and in so
doing causes the shutter to fall, the lever and cup to resume their position, the coin
escaping from the cup as the lever rises.
If the action is desired to take place in the dark, the glazed apertures can be
lluminated by small electric lamps placed inside, and the zinc bar of the battery
which supplies the current can be so attached to one of the levers, that the battery
will not act unless the platform is occupied. The disc with the questions can be so
rranged if desired that the operator can turn round the questions by means of a
centre knob and select the one he prefers. Or the disc can be made to work
utomatically from the endless chains as before stated.
In place of reading questions and answers as before described the response can be
poken by being first inscribed phonographically on prepared cylinders and the
uestions may be spoken or written as, preferred. With the addition of a phonograph
r phonophone the replies can be made audibly from the machine

page_text: The motion of the phonograph may be caused by a weight descending or by clock
work or in any other well known way.
The questions and answers and the mode of effecting them may be varied in
numberless ways or combinations, which need not be described. What I wish to
protect is my invention of an automatic machine which concerns itself practically
with questions and answers written or spoken in the manner described.
Dated this 25th day of July 1889.
S. S. BROMHEAD,
97, Newgate Street, E.C., Patent Agent.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
An Automatic Oracle or Coin-freed Machine for Answering
Questions.
I, ARTHUR ENGELFRED of 64 Faubourg Poissonière, Paris in the Republic of
France, Consulting Engineer, (late of 34 rue du Sentier Paris) 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 has for object an automatic coin-freed machine for supplying the
public with consultations, predictions, and counsel of all kinds which are manifested
by the combined means of a movement communicated to the machine and of the
weight of a counter or piece of money inserted in the apparatus.
My apparatus differs from those which furnish advice in the following respects, viz.:
(1) in its mechanism and mode of working (2) in effecting a new result distinguished
by the fact that questions and answers are employed, and there is consequently an
exchange of thought, and (3) the machines give replies which specially concern the
person using them.
My improved machines are of three kinds :
1. Platform or lever machines.
2. Hand-Action machines.
3. Acoustic machines.
I will now proceed to describe them with reference to the accompanying drawings
in which Fig. 1 shews an elevation of my machine. Fig. 2 shews a sectional side
elevation of the same across the line x, x, of Fig. 3. Fig. 3 shews a plan of the
interior mechanism. Fig. 4 shews a sectional front elevation taken at the line y, y,
Fig. 3.
Fig. 5 shews the lower mechanism as adapted to a hand-movement,
dispensing with the platform p.
In appearance my machine resembles the well known type of automatic coin-
freed machines with a dial, except that the dial is replaced by a window a, and it may
also carry a second aperture or window b, as shewn in Fig. 1.
A, Fig. 1, is the exterior case. B is the frame of the lever-platform p.
The case A, bears on its front a window a, which is closed when not in operation
by the shutter v, (Fig. 4) and also the aperture b fig. 1, and further the orifice e, to
receive the coin.
The interior mechanism comprises (Fig. 2) two levers 1, 1, working under the
platform p, and furnished with the catches c, c, which actuate two ratchet wheels r, r,
on the axle of which are keyed two chain wheels R, R, which are coupled by
chains k, k, to two similar wheels (see Fig. 2) at the top of the case. The chains are
also connected by horizontal rods o, o, in the intervals of which are placed the
inscriptions which appear in succession at the window.
One of the levers l, supports a rod t, (Fig. 2) which works in a socket guides d.
To this rod t, is attached a rest or stop y (Fig. 4).
The platform p, is kept inclined by a coiled or other spring as shewn at s, Fig. 2.
A silk cord 2, (Fig. 4) is attached at one end to the shutter v, and passes over the
grooved edge of the pulley g, and at the other end is connected to the lever m, which

page_text: 15 lightly pivotted at h. The end of this lever carries a cup n, into which fall the
coins, which enter at the orifice e, and are guided down by the passage W. The cup n,
has one side open in such a manner that when the lever m, falls with the weight of
the coin the latter passes out of the cup into the circular guide k. The circular
plate D, on which are shewn the questions to be asked, is kept in position by a bar g,
(Fig. 4) on which is a horizontal axis for the plate D, which terminates in the
knob u, (Figs. 1 and 2) on the exterior of the machine.
The method of working is as follows. On the case is the following sentence,
"Stand on the platform and put a penny in the slot and you shall know if
This is a fixed unchanging inscription. The segmental aperture b, of the circular
plate D, carries the remainder of the phrase.
This may be for example "You will become rich." Thus the operator perceives a
question which he appropriates as emanating from himself. To obtain the reply he
mounts the platform p, when the rod t, rises, the catches c, c, act on the wheels r, r,
and the chains k, k, are set in motion whereby a new sentence held between the rods o,
passes in front of the window a. Meanwhile a small plate f, on the rod t, has opened
the orifice e, so that a coin can be placed therein. This being inserted falls into the
cup, and causes the lever m, to drop until it strikes the stop y. The lever in
falling pulls the cord and thereby raises the shutter », which permits the reply
sentence at a, to be read.
When the operator descends from the platform the spring s, tilts the platform, the
rod, descends and the lever m, drops still further, when the coin being freed from
the guide k, escapes, whereupon the weight of the shutter v, causes it to fall again
over the window a and lift the lever m, to its normal position.
The reply at a, can be made transparent so that it can be read after dark by the
aid of a small electric light E, furnished with a reflector, and placed behind the
inscription. The zinc of the battery which supplies the electric current can be so
connected to the levers 1, 1, that it is drawn by them into the exciting liquid when the
platform is occupied.
The operator can make choice of any of the questions on the circular plate D, by
turning the handle u, but in certain cases I prefer to make D; work automatically
by connecting it to the chains k, k, thus rendering the machine automatic both as to
question and reply.
Referring to division 2. Hand-action machines, the difference consists as shewn
in Fig. 5 in dispensing with the platform and attaching a handle M, projecting
through the case. The parts 1, c, r, correspond to those bearing similar letters in
Figs. 2 and 3, and perform the same offices. The springs, now works horizontally
on . C is a pawl which elevates t, by means of an inclined lever t¹, pivotted to t,
at i. d, d, are supports Fig. 4 serving to complete the arrangement as they also do
with the platform mechanism in Fig. 3.
It will be seen that when the handle M, is pulled the same results will follow as
are caused by the depression of the platform, the spring s, ensuring the return of
the parts to their normal position. This form of apparatus is much less bulky and
much more portable than the former.
When preferred the circular plate D, and aperture b, Fig. 1 can be dispensed
with and the questions placed on the chains, side by side, with the replies, or on the
case above or below the window a, thus further simplifying the machine. Division 3.
Accoustic Machines. In this form of apparatus the replies instead of being read
from an inscription are obtained from a phonograph or graphophone.
On a cylinder prepared phonographically I register a series of phonograms to form
the replies. The phonograph or graphophone being set in motion will repeat these
replies. The rotation of the cylinder is obtained by the mechanism already described,
or its equivalent the motive force being derived from the weight of the operator on
the platform or by the pulling out of the handle bar, the motion commencing when
the machine is freed by the insertion of the coin.
I reserve to myself the employment of all suitable substances and of various
dimensions in the construction of these machines.

page_text: 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 The new automatic machine herein described which is distinguished by the fact
that by means of the introduction of a coin the operator can communicate with the
oracle by questions and answers under the conditions explained which create a con-
fidential and special relation between the machine and the person operating, as herein
explained and set forth.
2. The form of apparatus. called platform or lever machines with all its parts and
mechanical combinations as herein described and set forth.
3. The form of apparatus, called hand-action machines with all its parts and
mechanical combinations as herein described and set forth.
4. The form of apparatus called Acoustic Machines in combination with the
phonograph or graphophone as herein described and set forth.
5. The form of apparatus which would result from the combination of two or
more of the foregoing machines, and especially that which would be obtained by
employing phonograms or messages conveyed to the ear by vibrations of sound in
place of niessages conveyed to the eye by recorded inscriptions.
Dated this 30th day of January 1800
S. S. BROMHEAD,
.97, Newgate Street, London, E.C., Patent Agent.