Improvements in Coin-freed Electrical Apparatus.
Year: 1890

page_text: Date of Application, 22nd Aug., 1890
Complete Specification Left, 22nd May, 1891-Accepted, 27th June, 1891
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Coin-freed Electrical Apparatus.
We, JOHN THOMAS GENT, of Oakleigh, Narbro' Road, and ALWYN WALTER
STAVELEY and ISAAC HARDY PARSONS, both of Hinckley Road, all in Leicester,
in the County of Leicester, Electricians, do hereby declare the nature of this
invention to be as follows:-
Our invention relates to a novel apparatus consisting of a figure or group of
figures, the different parts or organs of which are made movable and so arranged
that on a coin of predetermined value being dropped into the apparatus or into any
receptacle communicating with the apparatus and any two parts or organs being
grasped or touched by a person desiring to make use of the apparatus the electric
circuit will be completed; and the strength of the current indicated.
In carrying out our invention we make use of the figure of an animal or human
being or a group of animals or human beings or a combination of these and of life
size suitable for standing on the ground or of smaller size suitable for standing on
a table or pedestal.
The figures or base on which they stand are hollow for the purpose of containing
mechanical appliances for producing a current of electricity.
The parts of the figure or figures are made movable and insulated, if necessary,
from each other so that a person having placed a coin in the apparatus can, by
laying his hands upon certain of the parts, or by laying his hands upon or holding
one part and moving another part will have a current of electricity communicated
to him. Suppose, for instance, the two arms of a human figure are connected with
the electro generator, then, by taking hold of the two hands a current is received
which will be increased in strength as one or both of the arms are moved further
from the normal position. Other parts such as the tongue or eyes may be so
connected as that they will move as the arm is lifted. For recording the strength
of the current we cause certain figures or words to appear in some part of the
figure or the tongue may be made to protrude.
Dated the oond 1 of A1000
G. F. REDFERN & Co.,
4, South Street, Finsbury, London, Agents for the Applicants.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Coin-freed Electrical Apparatus.
We, JOHN THOMAS GENT, of Oakleigh, Narbro' Road, and ALWYN WALTER
STAVELEY and ISAAC HARDY PARSONS, both of Hinckley Road, all in Leicester,
in the County of Leicester, Electricians, 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 :-
Our invention relates to a novel apparatus consisting of a figure or group of
figures, the different parts or organs of which are made movable and so arranged
that on a coin of predetermined value being dropped into the apparatus or into any
receptacle communicating with the apparatus and any two parts or organs being
grasped or touched by a person desiring to make use of the apparatus the electric
circuit will be completed, and the strength of the current indicated.
In carrying out our invention we make use of the figure of an animal or human
being or a group of animals or human beings or a combination of these and of life

page_text: size suitable for standing on the ground or of smaller size suitable for standing on
a table or pedestal.
The figures or the base on which they stand are or is hollow for the purpose of
containing mechanical appliances for producing a current of electricity.
The parts of the figure or figures are made movable and insulated, if necessary,
from each other so that a person having placed a coin in the apparatus can, by
laying his hands upon certain of the parts, or by laying his hands upon or holding one
part and moving another part, have a current of electricity communicated to him.
Suppose, for instance, the two arms of a human figure are connected with the
electro-generator, then, by taking hold of the two hands a current is received
which will be increased in strength as one or both of the arms are moved further
from the normal position. Other parts such as the tongue or eyes may be so
connected as that they will move as the arm is lifted. For recording the strength
of the current we cause certain figures or words to appear in some part of the
figure or the tongue may be made to protrude.
To enable our invention to be fully understood we will describe how it can be
carried into practice by reference to the accompanying drawing which represents a
sectional elevation of a coin-freed electrical apparatus constructed according to our
invention.
a is the movable figure forming the superstructure and which is here made to
represent a kangaroo having one of its fore-paws b fixed and the other c movable,
both paws being made of suitable metal; d is the base of the apparatus consisting
of a box or case containing the electro-generator e, e, a clock-work for giving
motion to a cam-disc, an induction-coil g, a coin operated lever h for starting and
stopping the clock-work and for completing the electric circuit, a coin-shoot i and
a money-receptacle j.
The lever is pivotted at and has its front end located immediately beneath
the aperture of the coin-shoot i and its rear end adjustably weighted and formed
into a hook or detent 7 which engages in a notch m in the disc or cam n fixed to the
arbor of one of the wheels of the clock-work with which it therefore rotates. The
lever carries a contact making spring o which, when the lever is depressed by
the weight of a coin introduced into the coin-shoot i, bears upon a screw p to which
is attached one of the wires q from the battery e. The other wire from the
battery e leads to the induction-coil 9 and thence passes to the spring contact
maker o thus completing the main circuit.
s and t are the secondary or shock wires leading from the induction coil g to the
fixed and movable paws b and c respectively, the movable paw being suitably
insulated from the rest of the body of the animal and the circuit being completed
through the body of any person who may grasp the two paws of the animal. To
the pivot of the movable paw c is fixed a pulley u to which is attached a cord v
leading down through the body of the animal over a pulley w to the regulating or
sliding core of the induction-coil g, so that by lifting the paw e the core will be
drawn out and the strength of the current thereby proportionately increased; the
core is returned within the coil by means of a suitable spring not shewn. y is a
spring-catch engaging in a notch z in the pulley u and serving to prevent the paw c
from being lifted except when a coin is dropped into the apparatus, the lever then in
falling disengaging the catch y by means of a cord a¹.
To a crank upon the pulley u is attached a rod c¹ passing up to a bell-crank
lever d¹ inside the head of the animal, the said lever being also connected to a
sliding plate e intended to represent the tongue of the animal, so that in proportion
as the paw c is raised and the strength of the current is thereby increased the
tongue will be caused to protrude. f¹, fare stops to limit the movement of the
paw c.
To make use of the apparatus a coin must be inserted in the coin-shoot i when it
will depress the lever and thereby set free the cam n which will keep the lever
depressed and the electric circuit completed during the time the cam is making one
revolution. The operator grasps the paws b and c of the animal and will receive

page_text: an electric shock, the strength of which can be increased at will by lifting the
paw c. When the cam has completed the revolution the detent / enters the notch m
and the contact between o and p is broken, the electric current ceases and can only
be renewed by the introduction of another coin.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what
we claim is:
1. A coin-freed apparatus designed to give a current of electricity, the handles
or terminals of which, adapted to be grasped by the hands of the person receiving
the electric current, are made to represent two limbs or members of the body of a
human being or animal, one of the said limbs or members being movable for
varying the intensity of the current, substantially as herein before described.
2. A coin-freed electrical machine the superstructure of which is shaped to
represent a human being or animal, two of the limbs or members of which figure
serve as handles to be grasped by the person using the machine, substantially as
hereinbefore described.
3. A coin-freed electrical machine constructed substantially in the manner
hereinbefore described and illustrated in the accompanying drawing.
law of Mov 1891
G. F. REDFERN & Co.,
4, South Street, Finsbury, London, Agents for the Applicants.