An Automatic Coin-freed Machine for Supplying a Clean Portion of Towelling from a Continuous Roller.
Year: 1890

page_text: Date of Application, 30th Dec., 1890
Complete Specification Left, 30th Oct., 1891-Accepted, 5th 'Dec., 1891
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
An Automatic Coin-freed Machine for Supplying a Clean Portion of
Towelling from a Continuous Roller.
CHARLES EARDLEY BILLING, Smart's Buildings, -London, W.C., Middlesex,
Gas Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
My invention consists of an automatic apparatus for supplying a clean portion of
a roller towel from a continuous roller by merely placing a coin (a penny for
example) into a slot and then turning a wheel by means of a crank handle which
acting upon a set of roller wheels in the machine, causes a clean portion of the
towel to be presented for use and at the same time causes the soiled or used 'portion
to be removed, which process may be repeated by inserting a fresh coin into the
slot until the continuous roller of towelling be exhausted, when another roller of
towels can be placed in the machine.
Dated this 23rd day of December 1890.
CHARLES EARDLEY BILLING.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
An Automatic Coin-freed Machine for Supplying a 'Clean Portion of
Towelling from a Continuous Roller.
I CHARLES. EARDLEY BILLING, Smart's Buildings, London, W.C. Gas
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:-
My invention consists of an automatic apparatus for supplying a clean portion
of a roller towel from a continuous roll by merely placing a coin (a penny 'for
example) into a slot and then turning a wheel by means of a crank-handle which
acting upon a set of roller wheels in machine causes a clean portion of the towel to
be presented for use and at the same 'time the soiled or used portion to be removed
which process may be repeated by inserting a fresh coin into the slot until the
continuous roll of towelling be exhausted after which another roll of towelling can
be placed in the machine.
In the accompanying sheet of drawings
Fig. 1 is a front view of my improved apparatus,
Fig. 2 is a central cross section of the same,
Fig. 3 a side view of the operating mechanism to an enlarged scale and
Fig. 4 an end view thereof partly in section on the line xx Fig. 3.
Figs. 5, 6, 7, & 8'are'details.
A is a case or cupboard provided with a door A'. B is a box-fixed to the top
of the case A and containing the operating mechanism; C'is a portion of a
length of towel suspended 'from the box B so as to form a loop similar to an ordinary
endless'towel.
The mechanism for winding up the used portion and unwinding a fresh portion
of towel consists of two brackets a a Fig. 3 connected together by tie. rods b.
с & ef the two
These brackets support the spindles of four india-rubber rollers
pairs cd & ef respectively being kept closely in contact by means of springs g
fixed at one end to the axis of one roller and at the other end to the bracket or
frame a. represents the material forming the towel which may be about 60 yards
long coiled upon a spindle or bar i having bearings in the brackets a a, as shown in
C

page_text: Fig. 4 whereby it can be easily removed so as to wind a fresh portion of towel
thereon. The towel passes from h between the feeding rollers c d from whence it
hangs down in the form of the loop C in front of the case A extending downwards
for about a yard. It is then led upward between the rollers e f over the latter of
which it passes downwards into the case A where the used portion of towelling is
stored in superposed folds until removed k is a large toothed wheel whose axis
is carried by one of the brackets a and by another bracket a¹ to the end of which
axis is keyed an operating crank-handle 1. The wheel gears into two small
tooth wheels m n fixed to the spindles of the rollers d & e. A spring pawl o Fig. 6
gears into the teeth of the wheel k so as to prevent the said wheel from being
turned the wrong way. The rollers c d are likewise provided at their other ends
with toothed wheels p¹ Figs. 3 & 5 gearing into each other and with the spring g
connected to each of their axes so as to produce a sufficient contact between the
said rollers for firmly gripping the towel as it is drawn off the coil h. q Fig. 4 is
a spring bearing upon the coil to act as a break so as to prevent the said coil
from overwinding itself. This spring can be easily detached for the purpose of
removing the spindle i when it is required to coil a fresh length of towel thereon.
Fig. 2 is a flap hinged to the front of the box B and whose free end rests upon
the top surface of the coil / so that as such coil is unwound the said flap gradually
descends until it assumes a vertical position in front of an opening » formed in the
front of the box B. The front of the flap r has the word "empty "marked thereon
so that when the material on the coil h is nearly all unwound the word "empty" is
made visible to the user thus showing that no further clean portion of towelling is
to be unwound.
The coin operating mechanism is shown in Fig. 6 and consists of the lever t
(shown separately in Fig. 8) pivoted at t¹ to the frame or bracket a and provided
at one end with an adjustable weight t2. The other end of this lever is formed
with a tooth t3 which in the normal position of the lever is located in the path of
a projection fixed to the wheel k so as to prevent the latter turning round at the
end of each revolution. To the same end of the lever t is pivoted a semi-circular
receptacle provided with a counter-weight u tending to keep the said receptacle.
in the position shown in full lines in the drawings and as shown separately in
Fig. 7.
In order to operate the mechanism a penny or other suitable coin or coins is or
are placed in the slot and passes down the shoot v into the receptacle u the weight
of the coin tilting the lever t until the tooth t³ is clear of the projection k¹ thus
allowing the wheel k to be turned by the handle 1, in doing which the projection k¹
tilts the receptacle into the position shown in dotted lines in Fig. 6 thereby
dropping the coin therefrom through an opening w into a box or receiver below,
when the receptacle u and the levert return by gravity to their former positions thus
locking the wheel, the machine being now ready for a further clean portion of
towel being supplied upon inserting a fresh coin in the slot v.
1. The improved apparatus for supplying a clean portion of a roller towel ready
for use after winding up the previously used portion thereof substantially as herein
described and shown and for the purpose set forth.
2. In the above claimed apparatus the coin-freed mechanism for actuating the
roller towel on prepayment of a coin, arranged constructed and operating sub-
stantially as herein described and for the purpose set forth.
Dated this 30th day of October 1891.
C. E. BILLING.