IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY FOR SORTING COINS
Year: 1871

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Frederick Ball, of Stratford-upon-Avon, in the
County of Warwick, Engineer, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS
IN MACHINERY FOR SORTING COINS."
Scaled the 31st October 1871, and dated the 3rd May 1871.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Frederick Ball at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
3rd May 1871.
I, FREDERICK BALL, of Stratford-upon-Avon, in the County of
Warwick, Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention
for "IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY FOR SORTING COINS," to be as follows:-
-
This Invention has for its object the separation and assortment of
mixed coins by mechanical means, and consists of the hopper and
rotary cylindrical sifters or sorting barrels herein-after described.
The coins of which a sortment is required are placed in a hopper or
convenient receptacle arranged at the top of my machine, the outlet of
which hopper leads into the first of a series of sorting barrels arranged
one above another, cach on either side alternately of a column which

page_text: contains the gearing by which they are caused to rotate. This sorting
barrel consists of a cylinder having affixed to the whole length of its
inner circumference a helical or spiral division in height equal to about
one-third of the diameter of the cylinder and of a pitch slightly in
excess of the diameter of the largest coin proposed to be passed through
the machine. Between each recurring spiral or thread of such division
circular openings are formed in the circumference of the barrel at short
distances from each other of diameters sufficient to allow of all the coins
except the largest to drop readily through. I prefer to construct the
sorting barrel of a length not less than four times the pitch of the
helical or spiral division. On rotating the barrel in 'the direction
necessary to cause the coins to move from the receiving end of the
barrel towards the delivery end the coins are successively brought over
the openings in the circumference of the barrel and drop through, with
the exception of the largest coins, which are delivered from the barrel
into a till or convenient receptacle. The coins which have passed
through the openings in the first barrel slide down a sloping channel
into a second sorting barrel in which the pitch of the division and the
diameters of the circumferential openings are reduced to suit the next
largest coin, and these remaining coins are treated in manner precisely
as the whole have been in the first barrel; and the largest remaining
coins or those second in size are delivered by it into a second till. This
process is repeated in succeeding graduated barrels, and the various
sized coins delivered into their several tills till coins only of the smallest
size remain, which are delivered into a till at the bottom of the machine.
The extremity of each sorting barrel next the central column is fitted
with an annular rim, part of the circumference of which is left plain,
and being controlled by suitable guides keeps the barrel in its position
and serves as a support to the barrel next above it, and the remaining
part of the circumference of this rim is geared or provided with teeth,
the pitch line of such gearing being equal in diameter to the outer
circumference of the rim. The outer ends of the barrels run in suitable
bearings. The barrels being arranged one above another the rim of
each barrel supports the rim of the one next above it and gears into it,
thereby causing the simultaneous rotation of all the barrels when rotary
motion is communicated to any one of them by a winch or other suitable
The rim of the lowest of the series of barrels is supported on a
loose pulley or roller.
means.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Frederick Ball in the Great Seal Patent Office on
the 3rd November 1871.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, FREDERICK
BALL, of Stratford-upon-Avon, in the County of Warwick, Engineer,
send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Third day of May, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-one, in the thirty-fourth
year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and
grant unto me, the said Frederick Ball, Her special licence that I, the
said Frederick Ball, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such
others as I, the said Frederick Ball, my executors, administrators, and
assigns, should at any time agree with, and no others, from time to
time and at all times thereafter during the term therein expressed,
should and lawfully might make, use, exercise, and vend, within the
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, the Channel Islands,
and Isle of Man, an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY FOR
SORTING COINS," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said
Frederick Ball, my executors or administrators, by an instrument in
writing under my, or their, or one of their hands and seals, should
particularly describe and ascertain the nature of the said Invention,
and in what manner the same was to be performed, and cause the
same to be filed in the Great Seal Patent Office within six calendar
months next and immediately after the date of the said Letters. Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I; the said Frederick Ball, do hereby declare
the nature of my said 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 its object the separation and assortment of
mixed coins by mechanical means, and consists of the hopper and rotary
cylindrical sifters or sorting barrels herein-after described.
The coins of which a sortment is required are placed in a hopper, or
convenient receptacle arranged at the top of my machine, the outlet ǝt.
which hopper leads into the first of a series of sorting barrels arranged.
one above another, each on either side alternately of a column, which.

page_text: contains the gearing by which they are caused to rotate. This sorting
barrel consists of a cylinder having affixed to the whole length of its
inner circumference a helical or spiral division, in height equal to
about one-third of the diameter of the cylinder, and of a pitch slightly
in excess of the diameter of the largest coin proposed to be passed
through the machine. Between each recurring spiral or thread of such
division circular openings are formed in the circumference of the barrel
at short distances from each other of diameter sufficient to allow of all
the coins except the largest to drop readily through. I prefer to
construct the sorting barrel of a length not less than four times the
pitch of the helical or spiral division. On rotating the barrel in the
direction necessary to cause the coins to move from the receiving end
of the barrel towards the delivery end, the coins are successively brought
over the openings in. the circumference of the barrel and drop through,
with the exception of the largest coins, which are delivered from the
barrel into a till or convenient receptacle. The coins which have passed
through the openings in the first barrel slide down a sloping channel
into a second sorting barrel, in which the pitch of the division and the
diameter of the circumferential openings are reduced to suit the next
largest coin, and these remaining coins are treated in manner precisely
as the whole have been in the first barrel, and the largest remaining
coins, or those second in size, are delivered by it into a second till.
This process is repeated in succeeding graduated barrels and the various
sized coins delivered into their several tills till coins only of the
smallest size remain, which are delivered into a till at the bottom of
the machine. The extremity of each sorting barrel next the central
column is fitted with an annular rim, part of the circumference of
which is left plain, and being controlled by suitable guides keeps the
barrel in its position and serves as a support to the barrel next above
it, and the remaining part of the circumference of this rim is geared
or provided with teeth, the pitch line of such gearing being equal in
diameter to the outer circumference of the rim into a second till. This
process is repeated in succeeding graduated barrels and the various
sized coins delivered into their several tills till coins only of the
smallest size remain, which are delivered into a till at the bottom of
the machine. The extremity of cach sorting barrel next the central
. column is fitted with an annular rim, part of the circumference of which
is left plain, and being controlled by suitable guides keeps the barrel
in its position and serves as a support to the barrel next above it,

page_text: and the remaining part of the circumference of this rim is geared or
provided with teeth, the pitch line of such gearing being equal in
diameter to the outer circumference of the rim. The outer ends of the
barrels run in suitable bearings. The barrels being arranged one above
another, the rim of each barrel supports the rim of the one next above
it and gears into it, thereby causing the simultaneous rotation of all the
barrels when rotary motion is communicated to any one of them by a
winch or other suitable means. The rim of the lowest of the series of
barrels is supported on a loose pulley or roller. The outer ends of the
barrels run in suitable bearings. The barrels being arranged one above
another the rim of cach barrel supports the rim of one next above it
and gears into it, thereby causing the simultaneous rotation of all the
barrels when rotary motion is communicated to any one of them by a
winch or other suitable means. The rim of the lowest of the series of
barrels is supported on a loose pulley or roller.
In the Drawing accompanying this Specification Figure 1 represents
a side clevation of my machine shewing the respective graduated sorting
barrels and the slots therein, the driving gear being contained in the
central column and actuated by the handle; and Figure 2 is an end
clevation of the machine shewing the barrels and their helical divisions.
Another barrel, but without holes, may be added at the upper part of
the machine to serve as a feeder to the first of the series of sorting
barrels.
Having now particularly ascertained and described the nature of my
said Invention, and how the same is to be carried into effect, I would
have it understood what I claim and desire to secure by these Letters
Patent is, the machinery herein-before described and shown for sorting
coins.
In witness whereof, I, the said Frederick Ball, have hereunto set