Improvements in Coin-controlled Electrical Apparatus.
Year: 1894

page_text: Date of Application (in United Kingdom), 13th July, 1894
Complete Specification Left, 13th July, 1894-Accepted, 1st Dec., 1894
Improvements in Coin-controlled Electrical Apparatus.
I, JOHN ORLANDO FROST, of Greensburg, in the County of Westmoreland,
and State of Pennsylvania, United States of America, Gentleman, 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-controlled electrical apparatus, and it has for its
object to effect certain improvements in apparatus of this character which are
adapted to be operated by a coin of a certain denomination.
To this end the present invention contemplates an improved electrical apparatus
which shall be constructed with a view to being active for a certain predetermined
duration by the deposit of a coin on the proper part, so as to be available for use in
giving shocks to the person dropping the coin into the machine, as well as for
many other uses including the regulation and supply of steam, water, etc., and in
connection with any devices which could be operated by an external working
circuit which is active for a certain length of time.
With these and other objects in view which will readily appear as the nature of
the invention is better understood; the same consists in the novel construction
combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter more fully described, illustrated
and claimed.
In the drawings:-
Fig. 1 is a side elevation of the coin-controlled electrical apparatus constructed
in accordance with this invention. Fig. 2 is a top plan. view thereof.
Fig. 3 is an enlarged detail in perspective showing the connections of the
magnet-controlled devices with the time or clock mechanism.
Fig. 4 is a diagrammatic plan view showing the circuit connections of the
apparatus.
Referring to the accompanying drawings, A represents a suitable base upon
which the several parts of the apparatus may be mounted, but it will of course
be understood that the entire apparatus will ordinarily be encased within a
suitable casing provided with a slot through which the coin may be introduced, so
as to drop it onto that part of the apparatus which closes the operating circuit
thereof, and it is to be further observed that the arrangement and manner of
mounting the several parts of the apparatus will be varied to accommodate the
same to the particular use to which it is placed.
At a convenient point on the base A, is mounted an ordinary spring-actuated
clock or time mechanism B, which is intended to regulate the period of time during
which the apparatus shall be active for the use required of it, which may be one
more minutes but as illustrated the time mechanism B is adapted to run.
ог

page_text: uninterruptedly for periods of one minute each after the coin has been deposited
in the apparatus, and to secure this result one of the shafts of said mechanism
carries a plain or imperforate stop wheel C, provided with a single notch or slot D.
The said mechanism is also provided with the ordinary escapement lever E, which
is located at a point above the stop wheel C, and is provided with a twisted end F,
which is engaged and disengaged simultaneously with the stop-wheel, by the
magnet controlled devices that are operated by the adjacently-arranged electro-
magnets G.
The electro-magnets G are mounted on the block g, at a point near to the clock
or time mechanism B, and are designed to control the movements of the spring
armature H, made fast at one end as at h, to the magnet bracket or frame h
The spring armature H has the free end thereof extended into a contact arm I
provided at its outer end with the angled catch tongue J, which is adapted to
normally project through the notch or slot D in the stop-wheel C, and thereby
prevent the clock or time mechanism from running."
Attached to the contact arm I of the spring armature near the tongue end
thereof is the upwardly-projecting stop arm K. The upwardly-projecting stop-
arm K is provided with the laterally-bent stop-end k, which is adapted to engage
against the twisted end F, of the escapement lever, so as to hold such lever at one
side of the dead center so that when the arm K is moved away from the escapement
lever, simultaneously with the disengagement of the tongue J, with the stop-wheel C,
the time or clock mechanism will start at once and continue running for one
minute.
The electro-magnets G are energized when the same are closed in the circuit
with the battery L. The battery L is arranged in any convenient location, but
preferably on the base A, with the other parts of the apparatus, and the battery
wire 1, connected with one of the binding posts of the battery L, leads to and is
electrically connected with the axle M, of the side flanged tilting coin-tray_ N.
The tilting coin tray N is of an elongated shape having an outer angled end n
which together with the length of the tray will provide means for retaining the
coin thereon sufficiently long to insure the proper activity of the several parts of
the apparatus which are energized by the tilting of said tray. The said coin
tray N is provided with a short end extension O, to which is secured the axle M,
journalled in the bearing arms o, secured to opposite sides and at the upper end of
the supporting post P, arising from the base A. It will be understood that the
tilting coin tray N is adapted to be arranged in a position convenient to receive the
coin deposited into the apparatus, and said tray is held normally in an inactive
approximately horizontal position by a loose weight connection Q with the short
end extension thereof.
The axle M of the tilting coin tray N, carries at one end the contact arm R,
which is included in the circuit with the battery wire 1, and is adapted to be
brought in contact with the contact bracket r, attached to one side of the
supporting post P, and thereby close the operating circuit of the apparatus. The
contact bracket r, which forms a circuit closer with the arm R, has electrically
connected thereto the magnet wire 2, which leads to one terminal of the electro-
magnets G while the other terminal of the magnets has connected therewith the
wire 3, leading to the upright contact spring S, attached to the base and disposed
at one side of the contact arm I, of the spring armature. The return battery wire 4
is also connected to this contact spring and leads to the other binding post of the
battery L.
.
Now by reference to Fig. 4 of the drawings, it will be seen that the parts are in
such position as to close the operating circuit over the wires 1, 2, 3, and 4, and
thereby energize the magnets G to cause them to attract the armature H. This
occurs when the tray N is tilted by a coin so as to bring the contact arm R against
the contact bracket r. At the moment the armature H is attracted, the tongue J,
and the stop-arm K are disengaged from the time mechanism, which will then run
for one minute, and simultaneously with this movement, the contact arm I of the

page_text: "
armature is moved against the upright contact spring S, which closes an external
working circuit 5-6 one of the wires of which is connected to one pole of the:
battery L, while the other wire is connected to the armature H, and it will be seen
that when the coin tray rises to its normal position and breaks the contact as R,
the external working circuit will be completed over the wires 5 and 6, the armature,
the upright contact spring, the wire 4, and the battery L. This working circuit 5-6
will be active until the stop wheel brings its notch or slot opposite the slot J,
at which moment the spring of the armature assisted by the springs, will throw
said tongue into the stop wheel notch and stop the mechanism but while the
mechanism is running the external circuit may be used for a variety of different
purposes, and for the purposes of illustration I have shown the terminals of the
wires 5-6 as connected to the binding posts of one of the coils of an induction
coil T, of the ordinary type which is conveniently regulated by hand to vary the
intensity of the secondary current and connected with the terminals of the other
or secondary coil of the induction coil T, is a pair of handles U, which may be
grasped by a person to receive a shock.
It will be understood that it is simply necessary to connect the terminals of the
wires 5-6 with any electrical apparatus which it may be desirable to operate for
a short period of time, so as to adapt the herein described apparatus for many
purposes, and I further reserve the right to make any changes in the form,
proportion and minor details of construction without materially departing from the
spirit or principle of my invention.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is,-
1. In a coin-controlled electrical apparatus, the combination of a time mechanism.
having a stop wheel, a magnet controlled spring-armature adapted to normally
engage with said stop wheel and with the escapement lever of the mechanism, an
adjacent projected contact spring arranged at one side of the spring armature in
the path of its movement to form a contact therewith and to assist in throwing it
into engagement with the time mechanism, an operating battery circuit for the
armature magnet, a coin-controlled circuit closer included in said battery circuit, and
an external working circuit partly completed by the battery circuit and having a
circuit closer consisting of said armature and said contact spring, substantially as
set forth.
2. In a coin controlled electrical apparatus, the time mechanism having an
imperforate notched stop wheel, and the escapement lever of which is provided
with a twisted end F, suitably arranged electro-magnets included in the battery
circuit, a spring armature having a right angularly disposed catch tongue adapted
to normally project through the notch of said stop wheel, a projected bent stop arm
attached to said armature and having a laterally bent stop end K adapted to
engage against the twisted end of said escapement lever, a coin operated circuit
closer included in the battery circuit of said magnets, and an external working
circuit energized by the movement of said armature in one direction, substantially
as described.
3. In a coin controlled electrical apparatus the combination with the time
inechanism and the electrically controlled devices for releasing and stopping the
same, of a suitably arranged stationary flanged contact bracket included in one of
the electrical circuits, a normally inactive tilting pivotally mounted coin tray
included in the same circuit with said contact bracket and having a swinging
contact arm connected to its axle and adapted to work at one side of and to contact
therewith to close such circuit, and separate means for normally holding the tray
to a position with its contact arm out of contact with said bracket, substantially as
described.
4. In a coin controlled electrical apparatus, the combination with the time
mechanism and the electrically controlled devices for releasing and stopping the

page_text: Bame, of a supporting post, a flanged off-standing stationary contact bracket
attached to said post and included in one of the electrical circuits; an elongated
Bide flanged tilting coin tray having, an axle near one end pivotally mounted on top
of said post and included.in the same circuit. with said contact bracket said tray
also having an outer angled end n, a swinging contact arm attached fixedly to one
end of the tray axle and adapted to be moved against said contact bracket, and a
weight loosely connected to the short end of the tray for normally holding the
same in an inactive position, substantially as described.
Dated this 13th day of July 1894.
W. P. THOMPSON & BOULT,
-Agents for the Applicant.