Improvements in or connected with Coin-freed or Coin-operated Sight-testing Apparatus.
Year: 1892

page_text: Date of Application, 1st Mar., 1892
Complete Specification Left, 20th July, 1892-Accepted, 25th Feb. 1893
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or connected with Coin-freed or Coin-operated
Sight-testing Apparatus.
I, BRUCE GREEN, of No. 57, Chancery Lane, in the County of Middlesex,
Gentleman, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention relates to improvements in or connected with coin-freed or coin-
operated sight-testing apparatus, for which Letters Patent dated the 7th November
1888, No. 16090, were granted to me and whereby a person may, in exchange for
a deposited coin of a given denomination or predetermined character, have access to
the apparatus by the aid of which he may test the strength of his sight, and
ascertain the power of the glasses or lenses best suited thereto, and the invention
has for its object to improve various details of construction of such apparatus.
For this purpose, I employ a suitable case the lower part of which is spread out
in the form of a foot or base, and the upper part of which is enlarged to accom-
modate the lenses and apparatus hereinafter more fully described.
Within the upper part of the case are arranged two discs provided with teeth
upon their periphery by means of which they are geared together, and each of
these discs is fitted with glasses or lenses of varying power, arranged in the same
order, and which glasses or lenses are employed for ascertaining the strength of the
sight, these discs are capable of being revolved upon their axes by means of a
milled wheel arranged upon the exterior of the case, which wheel through a shaft
and bevelled pinion is geared with a bevelled toothed wheel upon the shaft or axis
of one of the discs, so that the discs may be revolved, bringing successively each
pair of lenses into the line of sight, until one of a strength suitable to the eyesight
of the person operating the machine arrives in position.
The front of the upper part of the case is furnished with a locked door in which
are provided two apertures or eye-holes or orifices fitted with eye-pieces preferably
closed by discs of plain glass, through which a person operating the apparatus is
required to look, and, in order to facilitate this operation, a recess is provided
beneath the eye-pieces to accommodate the nose and lower part of the face of the
operator.
As the discs are revolved, each pair of glasses or lenses is brought into position
for use opposite the eye-pieces in the front of the case, and the strength of each
pair of glasses or lenses, as it arrives in such position, is indicated by a number or
symbol upon a disc located at the back of the apparatus, within the line of sight
and caused to revolve together with one of the discs by means of suitable gearing,
and attention is directed to the indicating number or symbol by means of a fork or
frame through which the indicating number must be viewed, or, the said fork may
be dispensed with and the indicating disc covered by a fixed disc through an
aperture in which the number or symbol indicating the strength of the pair of
glasses or lenses would be visible.
At the rear and front of each disc, and respectively upon the transverse wall or
partition and upon the front wall of the case are pads arranged in the arc of a
circle, which pads are constantly in contact with the lenses or glasses and have
for their object to cleanse the surfaces of the lenses during the revolution of the
discs.
Ground glass windows are provided at the upper part of the case in order to
admit light to the interior of the apparatus during the day, whilst at night, the
interior of the case is illuminated by an artificial light which may be arranged
above that part of the case.

page_text: .
In order to prevent the use of the apparatus until a coin of predetermined kind
has been inserted therein, a vertically sliding shutter is employed to normally cover
the eye-openings in the front wall of the case and obstruct the line of sight, and this
shutter is suspended from a chain which passes around a spirally grooved wheel
mounted upon an axis of motion carried by the case of the instrument and thence
passes around a guide pulley to a weight which normally holds the shutter in its
raised or closed position, but it is capable of being raised to allow of the shutter
descending to open the eye apertures, as hereinafter more fully described.
The weight device consists of a tubular spindle guided by a fixed rod and pro-
vided at its lower end with an enlargement upon which a loose weight normally rests
with capability of being raised by the treadle lever, hereinafter referred to, without
injury to the apparatus.
The spirally grooved wheel has fixed thereon a pin or stud which is normally
engaged by a tooth or projection upon a weighing beam or lever which is mounted
upon an axis of motion and is counterbalanced by an adjustable counter-weight in
such manner that a coin of the prescribed kind inserted in the machine will depress
one end thereof and withdraw the tooth from the stud of the spiral wheel, thus
permitting the wheel to revolve and lower the shutter.
The coin is conducted into an open ended pocket carried by the weighing beam
by means of an inclined upper shoot or guide leading from the usual money slot in
the front of the machine, and the pocket is so arranged that its lower end normally
bears against or is in near contact with a fixed plate so that the coin cannot be
discharged therefrom until the shutter has been properly released, as hereinafter
described, when the mouth of the pocket will descend below the fixed plate and
allow the coin to be discharged into a lower money shoot by which it is conducted,
as hereinafter described, to a card delivering apparatus.
In order to prevent a second coin, inserted into the instrument whilst the money
pocket and weighing beam are partially or wholly depressed from blocking the
machine, a guide is hinged to the upper part of the pocket by its upper end, and
at its lower end extends over or through the fixed plate so as to conduct the coin
into the lower money shoot and by the depression of the pocket and weighing, beam
is brought into alignment with the upper money shoot conducting the coin from the
money slot, so that if a coin, at that time, be inserted it will be conducted by the
guide into the lower money shoot.
The weighing beam is prevented being fully depressed and discharging the coin
into the lower money shoot until the shutter is lowered to give access to the
machine, by means of a-stop formed by a bracket from the shutter which engages a
set screw carried by the weighing beam, and prevents the descent thereof sufficiently
to discharge the coin into the lower money shoot until the shutter has been
lowered, when the weighing beam will descend to the extremity of its traverse and
discharge the coin from the pocket into the lower money shoot, whilst the extreme
movements of the weighing beam are regulated by means of set screws.
The weight is raised and the shutter lowered by a person operating the machine,
after the insertion of the prescribed coin, as hereinbefore described, by means of a
pedal lever or foot plate located at the base of the machine and which is mounted
upon a centre of motion and at its inner end acts upon a vertical pin or bolt
mounted loosely in a guide and resting upon the pedal lever, which pin or bolt at
its upper end acts upon one end of a rocking lever the other end of which is, by a
connecting rod, connected with one end of another rocking lever located at the
upper part of the machine and provided at its opposite end with a fork which acts
upou an enlargement of the weight attached to the shutter chain, and the shutter is
thus lowered by pressure applied to the pedal lever or foot plate.
The outer end or foot plate of the pedal lever is formed with inclined sides in
order to prevent a second person placing his foot thereon so as to hold the pedal
lever depressed and thus defraud the machine by obtaining the use of the apparatus
without inserting a second coin.
In order to deliver to a person operating the machine a card upon which he may

page_text: make a note of the indicated number of the glasses suited to his sight, the following.
means are employed.
At the front of the machine, is arranged an issuing orifice for the cards, beneath
which orifice is provided a tray or receiver for the cards and within the case of the
machine above the issuing orifice is a tubular or skeleton reservoir in which the
cards are piled in a column, as is well understood, and rest upon a table located
upon a level with the 'lower side of the issuing. orifice.
Sliding in or upon guides arranged upon a level with the table is a pusher which
is drawn forward to deliver a card by means of a weight connected therewith by a
chain passing over a guide pulley and which is retracted in readiness for the
forward movement, upon pressure being applied to the pedal lever, by means of a bell
crank lever one arm of which bears against a projection from the pusher, and the
other arm of which is pinjointed to a connecting rod which is, by means of an
interposed coil spring, connected with one end of the lower rocking lever so that
pressure applied to the pedal lever will cause the retraction of the pusher.
The full retraction of the pusher, that is to say, the retraction of the pusher
the distance necessary to enable it in its forward movement to push out one of the
cards of the column is prevented until a coin has been inserted in the machine by
means of the following device.
Near the termination of the backward traverse of the pusher is arranged a stop
lever which is mounted upon an axis of motion and arranged transversely of the
path of the pusher, and this stop lever which is at one end provided with a tray
and at the other end is counterbalanced by means of an adjustable weight, is pro-
vided with a tooth or projection which normally obstructs the backward movement
of the pusher but is adapted to be moved out of the way to allow of the full
retraction thereof by means of the coin (after it is discharged from the coin-
operating mechanism of the shutter) falling upon the tray and thus momentarily
raising the tooth or projection clear of the path of the pusher, the spring con-
nection between the lower rocking lever and the bell crank lever, which upon the
depression of the pedal lever exerts a constant force upon the pusher, immediately
retracting the pusher to the extremity of its traverse.
Dated this 1st day of March 1892.
VAUGHAN & SON,
Agents for the Applicant.
. COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or connected with Coin-freed or Coin-operated
Sight-testing Apparatus.
I, BRUCE GREEN, of No. 57, Chancery Lane, in the County of Middlesex,
England, Gentleman, do hereby declare the nature of my invention for
"IMPROVEMENTS IN OR CONNECTED WITH COIN-FREED OR COIN-OPERATED
SIGHT-TESTING APPARATUS," 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 improvements in or connected with coin-freed or coin-
operated sight-testing apparatus, whereby a person may, in exchange for a deposited
coin of a given denomination or predetermined character, have access to the
apparatus by the aid of which he can test the strength of his sight, and ascertain
the power of the glasses or lenses best suited thereto, and the invention has for its
objet.to improve various details of construction of such apparatus.
For this purpose I employ a suitable case, the lower part of which is spread out
in the form of a foot or base, and the upper part is enlarged to accommodate the
lenses and apparatus hereinafter more fully described.
:
Within the upper part of the case are arranged two discs provided with. teeth
upon tlieir peripheries, by means of which teeth they are geared together, and each

page_text: of these discs is fitted with glasses or lenses of varying power, arranged in the same
order, which glasses or lenses are employed for ascertaining the strength of the sight.
These discs are capable of being revolved upon their axes by means of a milled
wheel arranged upon the exterior of the case, which wheel, through a shaft and
bevelled pinion, is geared with a bevelled toothed wheel upon the shaft or axis of
one of the discs, so that the discs may be revolved, bringing successively each pair
of lenses into the line of sight, until one of a strength suitable to the eyesight of the
person operating the machine arrives in position.
The front of the upper part of the case is furnished with a locked door, in which
are provided two apertures or eye-holes or orifices, fitted with eye-pieces, preferably
closed by discs of plain glass, through which a person operating the apparatus is
required to look, and, in order to facilitate this operation, a recess is provided
beneath the eye-pieces to accommodate the nose and lower part of the face of the
operator.
As the discs are revolved, each pair of glasses or lenses is brought into position
for use opposite the eye-pieces in the front of the case, and the strength of each
pair of glasses or lenses, as it arrives in such position, is indicated by a number or
symbol upon a disc located at the back of the apparatus within the line of sight,
and caused to revolve together with one of the discs by means of suitable gearing,
and attention is directed to the indicating number or symbol by means of a fork or
frame through which the indicating number must be viewed, or the said fork may.
be dispensed with and the indicating disc covered by a fixed disc, through an
aperture in which the number or symbol, indicating the strength of the pair of
glasses or lenses, would be visible.
At the rear and front of each disc, and respectively upon the transverse wall or
partition and upon the front wall of the case, are pads arranged in the arc of a
circle, which pads are constantly in contact with the lenses or glasses and have for
their object to cleanse the surfaces of the lenses during the revolution of
the discs.
Ground glass windows are provided at the upper part of the case in order to
admit light to the interior of 'the apparatus during the day, whilst, at night, the
interior of the case is illuminated by an artificial light which may be arranged
above or in close proximity to that part of the case.
In order to prevent the use of the apparatus until a coin of predetermined kind
has been inserted therein, a vertically sliding shutter is employed to normally cover
the eye-openings in the front wall of the case and obstruct the line of sight, and this
shutter is suspended from a chain which passes around a spirally grooved wheel
mounted upon an axis of motion carried by the case of the instrument and thence
passes around a guide pulley to a weight which normally holds the shutter in its
raised or closed position, but is capable of being raised to allow of the shutter
descending to open the eye apertures, as hereinafter more fully described.
The weight device consists of a tubular spindle guided by a fixed rod, and
provided at its lower end with an enlargement upon which a loose weight normally
rests with capability of being raised by the treadle lever, hereinafter referred to,
without injury to the apparatus.
The spirally grooved wheel has fixed thereon a pin or stud which is normally
engaged by a tooth or projection upon a weighing beam or lever, which is mounted
upon an axis of motion and is counterbalanced by an adjustable counter-weight,
in such manner, that a coin of the prescribed kind, inserted into the machine, will
depress one end thereof and withdraw the tooth from the stud of the spiral wheel,
thus permitting the wheel to revolve and lower the shutter.
The coin is conducted into an open ended pocket, carried by the weighing beam,
by means of an inclined upper shoot or guide leading from the usual money slot in
the front of the machine, and the pocket is so arranged that its lower end normally.
bears against, or is in near contact with, a fixed plate so that the coin cannot be
discharged therefrom until the shutter has been properly released, as hereinafter
described, when the mouth of the pocket will descend below the fixed plate and
1

page_text: allow the coin to be discharged into a lower money shoot by which it is conducted,
as hereinafter described, to a card delivering apparatus.
In order to prevent a second coin, inserted into the instrument whilst the money,
pocket and weighing beam are partially depressed, from blocking the machine, a
guide is hinged to the upper part of the pocket by its upper end, and, at its lower
end, extends over or through the fixed plate so as to conduct the coin into the.
lower money shoot, and, by the depression of the pocket and weighing beam, is
brought into alignment with the upper money shoot, conducting the coin from the
money slot, so that if a coin, at that time, be inserted it will be conducted by the
guide into the lower money shoot.
The weighing beam is prevented from being fully depressed and discharging
the coin into the lower money shoot until the shutter is lowered to give access to
the machine, by means of a stop, formed by a bracket from the shutter, which
engages a set screw carried by the weighing beam, and prevents the descent thereof
sufficiently to discharge the coin into the lower money shoot until the shutter has
been lowered, when the weighing beam will descend to the extremity of its traverse
and discharge the coin from the pocket into the lower money shoot, whilst the
extreme movements of the weighing beam are regulated by means of set screws.
The weight is raised and the shutter lowered by a person operating the machine,
after the insertion of the prescribed coin, as herein before described, by means of a.
pedal lever or foot plate located at the base of the machine and mounted upon a
centre of motion, which foot plate at its inner end acts upon a vertical pin or bolt
mounted loosely in a guide and resting upon the pedal lever, which pin or bolt at
its upper end acts upon one end of a rocking lever, the other end of which is, by a
connecting rod, connected with one end of another rocking lever located at the
upper part of the machine and provided at its opposite end with a fork which acts
upon an enlargement of the weight attached to the shutter chain, and the shutter is
thus lowered by pressure applied to the pedal lever or foot plate.
The outer end or foot plate of the pedal lever is formed with inclined sides in
order to prevent a second! person placing his foot thereon so as to hold the pedal
lever depressed and thus obtain the use of the apparatus without inserting a second;
coin.
In order to deliver to a person operating the machine a card upon which he may.
make a note of the indicated number of the glasses suited to his sight, the following
means are employed:
At the front of the machine, is arranged an issuing orifice for the cards, beneath
which orifice is provided a tray or receiver for the cards, and within the case of the
machine above the issuing orifice is a tubular or skeleton reservoir in which the,
cards are piled in a coluinn, as is well understood, and rest upon a table located.
upon a level with the lower side of the issuing orifice.
Sliding in or upon guides, arranged upon a level with the table, is a pusher
which is drawn forward to deliver a card by means of a weight connected therewith.
by a chain passing over a guide pulley, and which is retracted in readiness for the
forward movement, upon pressure being applied to the pedal lever, by means of a .
bell crank lever, one arm of which bears against a projection from the pusher, and.
the other arm of which is pin-jointed to a connecting rod which is, by means of an
interposed coil spring, connected with one end of the lower rocking lever, so that,
pressure applied to the pedal lever will cause the retraction of the pusher.
The full retraction of the pusher, that is to say, the retraction of the pusher, the
distance necessary to enable it in its forward movement to push out one of the
cards of the column, is prevented, until a coin has been inserted into the machine,
by means of the following device.
1
Near the termination of the backward traverse of the pusher, is arranged a stop
lever, which is mounted upon an axis of notion, and arranged transversely of the.
path of the pusher, and this stop lever, which is at one end provided with a tray,.
and at the other end is counterbalanced by means of an adjustable weight, is pro-
vided with a tooth or projection, which normally obstructs the backward move ment

page_text: of the pusher, but is adapted to be moved out of the way to allow of the full
retraction thereof, by means of the coin (after it is discharged from the coin-
operating mechanism of the shutter) falling upon the tray, and thus momentarily
raising the tooth or projection clear of the path of the pusher, the spring connection
between the lower rocking lever and the bell crank lever, which upon the depression
of the pedal lever exerts a constant force upon the pusher, immediately retracting
the pusher to the extremity of its traverse.
And in order that the said invention may be more clearly understood and readily
carried into effect, I will proceed, aided by the accompanying drawings, more fully
to docoribe the camo
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS.
Figure is a front elevation of an apparatus constructed according to my
invention.
Figure 2 is an irregular vertical transverse section taken on the line 1-1 of
Figure 1.
Figure 3 is a vertical longitudinal section taken on the line 2-2 of Figure 2.
Figure 4 is a rear elevation, partly in section, representing a portion of the front
of the apparatus and connected parts.
Figure 5 is a transverse section thereof taken on the line 3-3 of Figure 4.
Figure 6 is a sectional plan of a portion thereof.
Figure 7 is a transverse section of the centre portion of Figure 4, showing more
particularly the arrangement of the shutter with relation to the eye-pieces, and the
recess in the front of the case to accommodate the nose and lower part of the face
of the person operating the machine.
Figure 8 is a rear elevation of a portion of the apparatus, showing more particu-
larly the coin-operating mechanism for freeing the shutter, the weighing beam
being partially depressed with the shutter in its normal position.
Figure 9 is a similar view, but showing the weighing beam fully depressed, and
the shutter lowered to uncover the eye-pieces.
Figure 10 is a side elevation partly in section of a portion of the apparatus,
showing more particularly the coin-operated mechanism for delivering a card to a
person operating the machine.
Figure 11 is a transverse section thereof taken on the line 4-4 of Figure 10, and
Figure 12 is a plan thereof.
In the several figures, in which like parts are indicated by similar letters
of reference, Figures 4 to 12 are drawn to an enlarged scale for the sake of
clearness.
a represents the case, of the machine, the lower part a of which is spread out in
the form of a foot or base, and the upper part a² of which is enlarged to accom-
modate the lenses and apparatus hereinafter more fully described.
Within the upper part of the case are arranged two discs b*, one of
which is fixed upon a spindle & extending from front to back of the upper part a
of the case a, and at each end thereof mounted in bearings *, whilst the other
disc is mounted upon a short stud of axis *fixed to the front of the upper part a
of the case a, and these discs 66* are provided with teeth upon their peripheries,
by means of which they are geared together, so as to work in unison.
Each of these discs is fitted with a circle of glasses or lenses ³, each circle
being composed of lenses of varying power, whilst the discs are so arranged
with relation to each other that the lenses are successively brought in pairs into a
convenient position for use in order to ascertain the strength of the sight.
The discs are adapted to be revolved upon their axes by means of a
milled wheel located upon the exterior of the upper part a2 of the case a, and
which is fixed upon a shaft or spindle & mounted in suitable bearings and provided
at its end with a bevelled piniou 4 which gears with a bevelled toothed wheel ***
fixed upon the shaft or spindle b' of the disc b, so that the discs bb may be revolved,

page_text: bringing successively each pair of lenses 6³ into the line of sight until one of a strength
suitable to the eye-sight of a person operating the machine arrives in position.
The front wall a' of the upper part a² of the case a is furnished with a locked
door a, in which are provided two apertures or eye-holes a³ fitted with eye-
pieces a³, preferably closed by discs of plain glass, through which a person
operating the apparatus is required to look, and, in order to facilitate this operation,
a recess a³** is provided beneath the eye-pieces to accommodate the nose and lower
part of the face of the operator, and an opening is provided in the partition a**,
hereinafter referred to.
As the discs are revolved and each pair of glasses or lenses ³ is brought
into position for use in alignment with the eye-pieces a³ in the front of the case,
the strength of each pair of glasses or lenses as it arrives in such position, is
indicated by a number or symbol upon a disc c, mounted with capability of revolu-
tion upon an axis c¹ carried by a bracket c* from the case a and provided with a
circle of figures or symbols corresponding with the circles of lenses ³ upon the
discs, and this disc c is rotated in unison with the discs * by means of a.
toothed wheel *** fixed upon the shaft or spindle which gears with a corre-
sponding toothed wheel c² fixed upon the back of the disc e, whilst, in order to
direct attention to the indicating number or symbol corresponding with the parti-
cular pair of lenses which is in alignment with the eye-pieces a³, a fork or
frame is employed through which the indicating number must be viewed.
Carried by the axis of the disc c, and in front thereof is a fixed tablet
which the necessary instructions (which constitute the test object) to a person
using the apparatus, are inscribed.
upon
At the rear and front of each disc band respectively upon a wall or parti-
tion a** and the front wall a' of the upper part a² of the case a are arranged in the arc
of a circle pads a*** which are constantly in contact with the lenses or glasses b³ and
have for their object, in the revolution of the discs 6*, to cleanse the surfaces of
the lenses ³.
2**
Ground glass windows a are provided at the upper part of the case a in
order to admit light to the interior of that part of the apparatus during the day,
whilst, at night, the interior of the case is illuminated by an artificial light
(not shown) which may be arranged above or in close proximity to that part
of the case.
In order to prevent the use of the apparatus until a coin of predetermined kind
has been inserted therein, a vertically sliding shutter d is employed, which shutter
is mounted in guides d* fixed to the wall or partition a** and acts in its raised
position to cover the eye-holes a in the front of the case and obstruct the line of
sight, and this shutter d is suspended from a chain di which passes around a spirally
grooved wheel d² mounted with capability of revolving upon a stud or axis of
motion carried by the wall or partition and thence passes around a guide pulley d³
and terminates in a tubular spindle d* provided, at the lower end thereof, with a
dise or enlargement d** which supports a tubular weight capable of independent
vertical movement upon the tubular spindle d*, whilst a guide rod or spindle, d
fixed to the case a, is employed, which guide rod or spindle enters the tubular
spindle and guides it in its movements.
The weight d normally holds the shutter in its raised or closed position, so as to
obstruct the line of sight, but it is capable of being raised, as hereinafter more
fully described, so as to allow of the shutter d being lowered until an aperture d**
therein is in alignment with the eye-pieces 'a³*, thus permitting the instrument
to be used.
The object of forming the weight d' loose upon the spindle * is to enable it to
rise and fall freely upon the spindle * and independently thereof, and thus prevent
possible injury to the instrument by depressing the pedal lever, hereinafter referred
to, without inserting the prescribed coin.
The spirally grooved wheel has fixed thereon a pin or stud d²*, shown more
particularly at Figure 8, which pin or stud is normally engaged by a tooth or

page_text: projection e' upon a weighing beam or lever e which is mounted upon an axis of
motion e, carried by a bracket ** from the wall or partition a*, and this weighing
beam e is counter-balanced by means of an adjustable counter-weight e², in such
manner, that a coin of the prescribed kind inserted into the machine will depress
the opposite end of the beam or lever e and withdraw the tooth e¹ from the stud d²*
of the spiral wheel d, thus permitting the wheel d² to revolve and the shutter d to
descend by gravity.
The coin is conducted into an open ended pocket es, carried by the weighing
beam e, by means of an inclined upper shoot or guide leading from a vertical
shoot connected with the usual money slot a** in the front of the machine, and
the pocket e³ is so arranged that its lower end normally bears against, or is held in
near contact with a fixed plate y carried by a bracket g* from the case a, so that
the coin cannot be discharged from the pocket e³ until the shutter d has been
properly released, as hereinafter described, when the mouth of the pocket will
descend below the fixed plate g sufficiently to allow the coin to be discharged into
a lower money shoot g' by which it is conducted to a card delivering apparatus,
hereinafter described.
In order to prevent a second coin, inserted into the instrument whilst the money
pocket and weighing beam e are partially depressed, from blocking the machine,
a guide e is hinged at e* to the upper part of the pocket e³ by its upper end, and
at its lower end extends over or through an aperture in the plate y so as to conduct
the coin into the lower money shoot y', the said guide, by the depression of the
pocket with the weighing beam e, is brought into alignment with the upper money
shoot conducting the coin from the money slot a**, so that if à coin, at that
time, be inserted into the machine, it will be conducted by the guide e¹ into the
lower money shoot g¹.
The weighing beam e, as represented more particularly at Figure 8, is prevented
being fully depressed, and thus discharging the coin from the pocket e into
the lower money shoot g¹ until the shutter is lowered to give access to the machine,
by means of a stop formed by a bracket *** carried by the shutter d, and which
engages a set screw e carried by the weighing beam e and prevents the descent
thereof, sufficiently to allow the mouth of the pocket e³ to descend below the
plate g the required distance to discharge the coin into the lower money shoot g',
until the shutter d has descended, when the weighing beam e will descend to the
extremity of its traverse, as shown more clearly at Figure 9, and discharge the
coin from the pocket e³ into the lower money shoot g¹, the extreme movement of
the weighing beam e being regulated by means of set screws e carried by a
bracket from the wall or partition a**.
The weight is raised, in order to permit of the shutter d falling, by a person
operating the machine after the insertion of the prescribed coin, as hereinbefore
described, by means of a pedal lever or foot plate h, located at the base of the
machine, which latter is provided with a recess or opening a* to accommodate
the foot of the operator, and this pedal lever is mounted upon a centre of motion /*
carried by a bracket ** fixed to a portion of the frame a.
The outer end, or foot plate, of the pedal lever is formed with inclined sides, in
order to prevent a second person. placing his foot thereon, so as to hold the
'pedal lever depressed, and thus obtain the use of the apparatus without inserting
a second coin.
The inner end of this pedal lever h acts upon a vertical pin or bolt ', mounted
loosely in a guide 1* in the frame a, and this pin or bolt ¹, at its upper end, acts
upon one end of a rocking lever ², mounted upon an axis of motion carried by
'a bracket fixed to the frame a, and the opposite end of the rocking lever h
is, by a connecting rod pin-jointed thereto, connected with one end of a cranked
rocking lever * located at the upper part of the machine, and mounted upon an
axis of motion ** carried by a short standard *** fixed to a portion of the case a,
and the opposite end of the rocking lever is formed with a fork **** which
embraces the weight d' upon the tubular spindle d*, and acts upon an enlargement d¹*

page_text: of the weight in order to raise the same, and the shutter d is thus lowered by
pressure applied to the pedal lever or foot plate h.
In order to deliver to a person operating the machine a card upon which he may
make a note of the indicated number of the glass suited to his sight, the following
means are employed.
At the front of the machine is arranged an issuing orifice i* for the cards, beneath
which orifice is provided a tray or receiver, and within the case a of the machine,
and above the issuing orifice is fixed a tubular or skeleton reservoir i, in which the
cards to be delivered are piled in a column, as is well understood, so as to rest upon
a table i carried by a bracket from the case a, and located upon a level with
the lower side of the issuing orifice i*.
Sliding in or upon guides ** carried by the table, and arranged upon a level
with, and so as to slide upon the top of, the table i, is a pusher which is drawn
forward to deliver a card by means of a weight connected therewith by a cord.
or chain passing over a guide pulley ** carried by a bracket *** from the
under side of the table '.
The pusher is retracted in readiness for the forward movement upon pressure
being applied to the pedal lever by means of a bell crank lever j which is mounted
upon an axis of notion j* carried by the bracket *, and the upper arm of which
bell crank lever bears against a projection from the underside of the pusher ??,
and the lower arm of which is pin-jointed to the upper arm of a connecting rod j',
which, by means of an interposed coiled spring, is connected with the end of
the rocking lever ², so that pressure applied to the pedal lever / will cause the
retraction of the pusher ².
The full retraction of the pusher 2, that is to say, the retraction of the pusher
the distance necessary to enable it to clear the column of cards, so that in its next
forward movement it will engage and push out one of such cards, is prevented, until
a coin has been inserted into the machine, by means of the following device, which
is represented more particularly at Figures 10, 11 and 12.
Near the termination of the backward traverse of the pusher is arranged a
stop lever which is mounted upon an axis of motion & carried by a bracket (**
from an extension of the table and arranged transversely of the pusher, and
this stop lever k is, at one end, provided with a tray and at the other end is
counterbalanced by means of an adjustable weight mounted thereon, whilst it is
provided with a tooth or projection which normally obstructs the backward move-
ment of the pusher 2, but is adapted to be moved out of the way to allow of the
full retraction thereof by means of the coin (after it is discharged from the coin-
operating mechanism of the shutter d) falling from the money shoot 2 upon the
tray thereby depressing the lever into the position indicated by the dotted
lines in Figure 11, and thus momentarily raising the tooth or projection * clear of
the path of the pusher, the spring connection between the lower rocking
lever and the bell crank lever j, which upon the depression of the pedal lever h,
exerts a constant force upon the pusher, immediately retracting the pusher to the
extremity of its traverse in readiness, on the release of the pedal lever h, to force
out, by means of the weight, a card of the column through the orifice i*.
After depressing the stop lever k, the coin is discharged from the tray into the
money box when the stop lever k will be free to resume its normal position upon
the forward movement of the pusher ².
I would here remark that I have herein shown and described the best means that
I am at present acquainted with for carrying my invention into effect, but I would
have it understood that the details and arrangement thereof may be varied without
departing from the peculiar character of my invention.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what 1
claim is :-
M:.

page_text: frames geared to revolve in unison, and each provided with a circle of lenses, a
pair of eye orifices at the front of the machine, a vertically sliding shutter located
at the rear of the lenses and adapted to normally intercept the line of sight, a disc
located at the back of the case and provided with a circle of indicating numbers
corresponding with the lenses of the discs and geared to revolve in unison with the
latter and means for rotating the lens discs and the indicating disc, substantially as
herein shown and described, and for the purpose stated.
2. In a coin-freed sight-testing apparatus, the combination of a number of lenses
of varying power adapted to be brought into the line of sight, means for moving
such lenses, a vertically sliding shutter located at the rear of the lenses and adapted
to normally intercept the line of sight, a suspension chain at one end connected with
the shutter and at the other end provided with a counterbalance weight, a spirally
grooved or chain wheel around which the chain passes, a stud upon such wheel, a
weighing beam or lever adapted to be depressed by a coin passed into the machine,
and, a tooth or projection upon the weighing beam or lever normally engaging the
stud of the grooved or chain wheel and means for raising the counterbalance
weight, substantially as herein shown and described, and for the purpose stated.
3. In a coin-freed sight-testing apparatus, the combination of a wheel provided
with a stud thereon and controlling the action to be freed, and a weighing beam or
lever provided with a tooth normally engaging the stud of the wheel, substantially
as herein shown and described.
4. In a coin-freed sight-testing apparatus, a vertically sliding shutter, a suspension
chain at one end connected with the shutter and at the other end provided with a
counterbalance weight, means for raising the counterbalance weight to lower the
shutter, a spirally grooved or chain wheel around which the suspension chain passes,
a stud upon such wheel, a counterbalanced weighing beam or lever furnished with a
tooth, or projection normally engaging the stud of the chain-wheel, a pocket upon
the end of the lever or weighing beam, into which a coin passed into the machine is
conducted, a stop upon the sliding shutter engaging the weighing beam or lever.
and preventing its full depression, a fixed plate for preventing the discharge of the
coin from the pocket until the weighing beam has been fully depressed and a guide
hinged to the pocket for diverting superfluous coin, substantially as herein shown
and described and for the purpose stated.
5. In a coin-freed sight-testing apparatus, the combination of a vertically sliding
shutter, a weighing beam or lever for controlling the descent of the shutter and a
stop upon the shutter for preventing the descent of the weighing beam and discharge
therefrom of the coin until the shutter has fallen, substantially as herein shown
and described.
6. In a coin-freed sight-testing apparatus, the combination of a vertically sliding
shutter, a weighing beam or lever for controlling the descent of the shutter, a stop
upon the shutter to prevent the full descent of the weighing beam and discharge
therefrom of the coin until the shutter has fallen and a guide hinged to the pocket
at one end of the weighing beam for diverting any coins inserted in the machine
subsequently to the descent of the weighing beam upon the stop, substantially as
herein shown and described.
7. In a coin-freed sight-testing apparatus, a vertically sliding shutter, a suspension
chain at one end connected with the shutter and at the other end connected with a
tubular spindle, a guide for the said spindle, a hollow counterbalance weight loosely
mounted upon the spindle and held in place thereon by a flange or projection upon
the spindle, a lever at one end forked to engage the hollow weight, a pedal lever
located at the base of the machine, and connections from the pedal lever to the
weight lever, substantially as herein shown and described and for the purpose
stated.
8. In a coin-freed sight-testing apparatus, the combination of an issuing orifice, a
table, a reservoir for a column of cards, a pusher for delivering the cards, means for
automatically advancing the pusher, means for retracting the pusher upon the
depression of the pedal lever, and a coin-freed stop for preventing the full retraction

page_text: of the pusher until a predetermined coin has been inserted into the machine, sub-
stantially as herein shown and described.
9. In a coin-freed sight-testing apparatus, the combination of an issuing orifice,
a table, a reservoir for a column of cards, a pusher for delivering the cards, a
weight or spring for automatically advancing the pusher, a bell crank lever acted
upon through suitable connections or means from the pedal lever for retracting the
pusher, a spring interposed in said connections or means, a counterbalanced lever
provided with a tooth or stop for normally preventing the full retraction of the
pusher until the insertion into the machine of the proper coin, and a tray upon the
stop lever to receive the coin, substantially as herein shown and described and
for the purpose stated.
Dated this 20th day of July 189
VAUGHAN & SON,
Agents for the Applicant.