Improvements in Coin-freed Apparatus Permitting the Display, Examination, and Perusal of Books, Maps, and the like.
Year: 1899

page_text: Date of Application, 28th Mar., 1899
Complete Specification Left, 27th Jan., 1900-Accepted, 17th Feb.,
1900
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION,
Improvements in Coin-freed Apparatus Permitting the Display,
Examination, and Perusal of Books, Maps, and the like.
I, JOHN GARDNER, of Knott End, Fleetwood, in the County of Lancaster,
Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention relates to coin-freed apparatus permitting the display examina-
tion and perusal of books, journals, maps and the like articles contained therein.
The book or other like article is secured directly or indirectly to a table or
support and is normally enclosed by an opaque pivotted cover which is weighted
or provided with springs in such a manner that the cover will thereby be closed
automatically when it is no longer held open. When closed the cover.is held by
a catch, or if desired by a plurality of connected catches, and it cannot be opened
until the catch has been disengaged. I arrange to release the catch, and if
desired also to open the cover, by the motion of a slide, when the predetermined
coin or token has been inserted. This may advantageously be done by means
of a treadle which moves the slide when the treadle is depressed. The catch or the
connected catches may have a projecting tail-piece, and the slide a part opposite
the tail-piece in which there is an opening. If the slide be moved when there
is no coin in the apparatus in position, the slide opening passes the tail-piece and
the catch is not moved. The acting position of the coin is just in front of the
slide opening, so that when the coin is there and the slide is moved, the coin dis-
places the catch by coming into contact with the tail-piece. Further movement of
the slide may be utilised to raise the cover, or the cover may be raised by hand.
When the cover is fully lifted, it may be held open so long as the treadle is
depressed, by a spring abutment on the slide engaging with a stop on or connected
with the cover. On the release of the treadle, this abutment is withdrawn and the
cover closes as already described. The coin may be displaced during the return
motion of the slide, on the completion of which the catch re-engages the closed
cover.
Any other coin release device of suitable construction may be substituted for
that hereinbefore described.
A clock motion may be combined with the apparatus to release and close the
cover after a given interval of time.
Dated this 27th day of March. A D 1899.
W. E. HEID & DUN,
Agents for the Applicant.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Coin-freed Apparatus Permitting the Display,
Examination, and Perusal of Books, Maps, and the like.
I, JOHN GARDNER, of Knott End, Fleetwood, in the County of Lancaster,
Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention, and in what manner the
[Price Sd

page_text: same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by
the following statement:-
This invention relates to coin-freed apparatus permitting the display examina-
tion and perusal of books, journals, maps and the like articles contained therein.
The book or other article is secured directly or indirectly to a table or
support and is normally enclosed by an opaque pivotted cover which is weighted
or provided with springs in such a manner that the cover will thereby be closed
automatically when it is no longer held open. When closed, the cover is held by
a catch, or, if desired, by a plurality of connected catches, and it cannot be opened
until the catch or catches has or have been disengaged. I arrange to release the
catch or catches, and, if desired, also to open the cover, by the motion of a slide,
when the predetermined coin or token has been inserted. This may advantageously
be done by means of a treadle which moves the slide when the treadle is depressed.
The catch or the connected catches may have a projecting tail-piece, and the slide
a part opposite to the tail piece, in which part there is an opening. If the slide
ne moved when there is no coin in position, the slide opening passes over the tail
piece, and the catch is not moved. The acting position of the coin is just in
front of the slide opening so that whes the coin is there and the slide is moved,
the coin displaces the catch by coming into contact with the tail-piece. Further
movement of the slide may be utilised to raise the cover or the cover may be
raised by hand. When the cover is fully lifted, it may be held open so long as
the treadle is depressed, by a spring abutment on the slide engaging with a stop
on or connected with the cover. On the release of the treadle, this abutment is
withdrawn and the cover closes as already described. The coin may be displaced
during the return motion of the slide, on the completion of which the catch re-
engages the closed cover.
Any other suitable coin release device of suitable construction may be substi-
tuted for that hereinbefore described.
A clock motion may be combined with the apparatus to release and close the
cover after a given interval of time.
The accompanying drawings illustrate in what manner my improvements may
be carried into effect and will be hereinafter referred to.
The apparatus is shewn in vertical longitudinal and transverse sections respec-
tively by Figures 1 and 2, and in partial plan by Figure 3, the upper part of the
apparatus being supposed to be removed.
The pedestal a, supports the casing 6, on the upper part of which there is
arranged the table d, upon which the book e, or the map, journal, or other article
to be inspected is secured. This table is secured to the casing by means of down-
wardly projecting lugs f, passing through slots in the upper part e of the casing
and having holes in their lower ends through which pins may be inserted and
secured. The slots may advantageously have a greater length than the width of
the lugs so as to permit a limited lateral movement of the table d. The cover g is
pivoted or secured on the cross rod h so that this rod has angular motion corre-
sponding with that of the cover when the latter is opened and closed. The front
part of the cover is provided with a loop or staple i, which, when the cover is
closed, passes through a slot into the casing as shewn by Figure 2, where it is engaged
by the spring catch In the interior of the casing there is a slide 1, which is
actuated by the cranked lever m, the pitman n and the treadle o. Below the treadle
there is arranged a spring p, the tendency of which is to force the slide towards
the right, Figure 2. The end of the slide is returned and is perforated in such a
manner that in the absence of any obstruction, the slide can be moved towards the
back of the apparatus in which case the perforation in the returned part of the
slide passes over the tail piece q formed upon the contiguous part of the catch k.
Should a coin or token however be interposed between the perforated part of the
slide and the tail piece of the catch, then, since the tail-piece can no longer enter
the perforation, the catch will be displaced by the motion of the slide and the

page_text: cover will be liberated. The front edge of the slide may be supported by a ledger
as shewn by Figure 2. A catch t, pivoted on the slide is pressed into contact with
a pin or stop also on the slide, by a spring s. A short arm u is fixed upon the rod h,
so that when the cover is opened, it is raised by the angular motion of the rod to
the position indicated by dotted lines Fig. 2. Before the cover is opened, the slide
will have been moved backwards so that the catch t has already been brought
under the horizontal position of the arm u. As the cover is opened, the arm
momentarily displaces the catch so that the arm can pass, whereupon the catch
instantly resumes its position and comes under and supports the arm u, the cover
being thereby held open so long as the treadle is depressed.
The cover is weighted or influenced by appropriate springs in such manner
that it will automatically close when no longer held open. This may be accom-
plished by means of a torsion spring. w, as shewn in Figure 1, which may be
spirally wound around the rod h, one end of it being fixed to the rod, and the other
end to the casing.
The coin may be inserted through the slot and be guided by a suitable shoot to
the space between the tail-piece q and the perforation in the returned end of
the side. The coin is temporarily supported by the ledge r, but after the slide
has been moved backwards it drops out into the casing. The casing will be made
either to be opened or to be taken apart for the purpose of access to the interior
when required for repairs, removal of coins and the like.
in using the apparatus, a coin is inserted through the slot v and comes between
the tail-piece
and the perforation in the slide. The pedal is then depressed and
the slide is thereby forced backwards, disengaging the catch from the staple i
whereupon the cover can be opened. Meanwhile, the catch t has also been moved
backwards. The opening of the cover causes the arm u, first to pass, and then to
rest upon the catch t. The treadle is depressed as long as inspection is required
or allowed. When the pedal is released, all the parts return to their original
positions under the action of the spring p assisted if need be by the weight of the
cover and the auxiliary spring w around the shaft h.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is:-
1. In a coin-freed apparatus of the type set forth, the combination and arrange-
ment of a treadle, pitman, cranked lever, perforated slide, spring catch provided
with tail piece, hinged or pivoted corner, staple on the cover capable of being
engaged by the spring catch, an arm moving with the opening of the cover, and a
second spring catch adapted to support the said arm and hold the cover in the open
position, substantially as hereinbefore described.
2. A coin-freed apparatus permitting the inspection of books, maps and the like,
constructed arranged and operated substantially as herein before described.
3. In coin-freed apparatus of the type set forth, the combination of a slide, a
spring catch pivoted upon the slide, and an arm secured to the shaft upon which
the cover is mounted, substantially as and for the purpose herein before described
and as illustrated by the accompanying drawings.
Dated this 26th day of January A. D. 1900.