Improvements in Coin-freed Games of Skill Machines.
Year: 1894

page_text: Date of Application, 12th Nov., 1894
Complete Specification Left, 13th Feb., 1895-Accepted, 23rd Mar., 1895
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Coin-freed Games of Skill Machines.
We GEORGE SOMMERVILLE SMITH GEORGE HAYDON and FRANK HARVEY
URRY all of 31 Furnival Street in the City of London Mechanical Engineers
do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows :-
This invention has for its object a new or improved coin freed game of skill in
which by means of a spring actuated lever varying results can be obtained by the
shooting thereby of a predetermined coin into receptacles or orifices displayed
within the machine such coin being in certain circumstances returned again to the
shooting point and capable of being reshot and in certain other circumstances being
returned to the operator or freeing or enabling to be freed coin controlled
mechanism for the delivery of articles in exchange therefor.
The machine consists essentially of a case having a plate glass front or its
equivalent, inside of which we arrange a series of receptacles say in the form of
barrels which may be denoted with numbers or indications and which may vary in.
size according to the degree of difficulty in shooting into such receptacles.
The
By way of illustration there are say a row of four barrels in the machine rising
from right to left the top of each barrel being somewhat above the next.
barrel immediately on the right (No. 1) being nearest the firing point may bear
the lowest number, the second to the left (No. 2) a higher number than number 1,
the third to the left (No. 3) a higher number than No. 2 while the fourth (No. 4)
may bear the highest number. Preferably Nos. 1. 2 and 3 are placed close together
No. 4 being a sufficient distance from No. 3 to allow the predetermined coin if not
shot into either barrel to fall between the two. The top of each barrel is of course
open and is of more than sufficient size to receive the coin. At the bottom of each
barrel is a slot through which the coins fall after passing into the barrel.
In order to insure the coin passing through the slot in the bottom of each barrel
in a vertical position we employ a thin sheet of metal fastened inside the barrel.
parallel with the slot in a vertical position dividing the inside of the barrel into-
two equal compartments the upper edge of the sheet metal partition is brought to
a point such point being below the top of the barrel and in the centre of the
circumference thereof.
It may be arranged that coins shot into barrels Nos. 1. 2 and 3 pass through the
slots in the bottom of the barrels into a chute leading to the firing point so that
every coin so shot may be again fired but not returned to the operator. While if
the coin be shot into barrel No. 4 it falls into a chute leading to the outside of the
case returning the coin to the operator, or as may be arranged freeing or enabling
to be freed coin controlled mechanism for delivery of an article in exchange
therefor.
On the right hand side of the case is a vertical chute in which a predetermined
coin will fall when placed into the machine and which retains the coins in
(approximately), an upright position until shot as after described. The front of
this chute may be made of glass or other transparent substance or of perforated
metal so that when there is a coin in the chute ready to be shot it may be seen.
The shooting apparatus consists of a lever preferably counterbalanced working
upon a centre or pivot within the case one end of which lever protrudes through
the right hand side of the case and forms a trigger by means of which the lever

page_text: may be pressed down against the elasticity of a spring attached thereto. Upon
the trigger being pulled down and released sharply the lever flys upwards striking
the lower edge of the coin in the chute and projecting it out of the chute on the
right of the case in a trajectory or are varying in degree according to the force
exercised by the lever in striking the coin which force is dependent upon the
length to which the trigger is pulled down and released.
The chute and barrels are preferably so arranged that a straight line drawn
horizontally across the top of the barrels would enter the centre of the chute.
Attached to the front of the case we may provide a scoring apparatus accessible
to operators on the machine by which such operators may record the numbers
gained by falling in the barrels so that the machine may be used as a game or
amusement.
It is obvious that instead of the barrels being upright they may be placed in
other positions and that instead of barrels, other receptacles may be used such
as a board with holes through it and that they may be placed in other positions
than in a straight row the fixed chute above described being in the latter case
replaced by a moveable shooter so fixed that it may be laterally or vertically
sighted.
One essential feature of our invention is that the coin may be shot more than
once without being actually returned to the operator so that an operator has the
advantage before trying to shoot the coin in the receptacle out of which it will be
returned to him or otherwise of being able to test the strength of the spring which
fires the shot and so enable judgment to be formed as to the length the trigger
should be pulled down to, and released to shoot the coin into the desired receptacle
while as before explained by numbering the barrels or other receptacles the
machine may be used as a game or amusement.
Dated this Tenth day of November 1894.
G. SOMMERVILLE SMITH.
G. HAYDON.
FRANK H. URRY.
We, GEORGE SOMMERVILLE SMITH, GEORGE HAYDON, and FRANK
HARVEY URRY all of 31 Furnival Street, in the City of London, Mechanical
Engineers, 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 has for its object a new and improved coin freed game of skill in
which by means of a spring actuated lever, varying results can be obtained by the
shooting thereby of a predetermined coin into receptacles or orifices displayed
within the machine, such coin being in certain circumstances returned again to the
shooting point, and capable of being reshot, and in certain other circumstances
returned to the operator, or freeing, or enabling to be freed, coin-controlled
mechanism for the delivery of articles in exchange therefor, or the coin may fall
into the case or box.
In order that our invention may be readily understood we will describe same
with reference to the accompanying drawings whereon similar lettters of reference
indicate corresponding parts in the several views.
Figure 1 is a front elevation of an apparatus or machine constructed according
to our invention.
Figure 2 is a similar view, the front or door having been removed in order to

page_text: show arrangements hereafter mentioned.
Figure 3 is a horizontal section on the line X Y of Figure 1.
Figure 4 is a detached sectional view on the line X' Y₁ of Figure 1 showing the
entry end of the coin shoot.
Figure 5 is a view of part of the underside of the returned coin shoot.
Figure 6 is a vertical cross section, on an increased scale, of one of the coin
receptacles, and
Figure 7 is a horizontal section on the line X' Y' of Figure 6.
The machine consists of a case A having a plate glass front A' or its equivalent,
which may be conveniently carried by a hinged frame A2 and form the front of the
case; in the interior are arranged a series of receptacles, say in the form of
barrels B B¹ B² etcetera each of which may be marked with numbers or indicators
say as shown and might vary in size according to the degree of difficulty to be
experienced in shooting the coin into such receptacles B B' etcetera.
In the
drawing a row of four barrels B B B2 B3 are shown rising from right to eft the
top of each barrel being somewhat above the preceding one. The barrel B Learest
the firing point may bear the lowest number, B' a higher number or value, B² a
still higher and B³ the highest value. In some cases, although not so shown, the
barrels B B B2 may be placed close together, while B3 may be a sufficient distance
away and thereby allow the coin, if not shot into either barrel, to fall through the
interspace.
All the barrels B B¹ etcetera are similar in construction as shown at Figures 6
and 7 being open at the top and of more than sufficient size to receive the coin
while at the bottom of each barrel is a slot B by which the coin may pass away.
In order to insure the coin passing through the slot B in the bottom of each
barrel in a vertical position or edgewise, we provide a thin sheet blade or partition B
fastened vertically inside the barrel, parallel with the slot B dividing the barrel
into two equal compartments. We generally pivot the partition B' about centrally
as shown at Figure 6 and the upper edge of the partition may, although not so
shown, be brought to a point, but such point or straight upper edge of the partition
should be below the top of the barrel.
In the example we are now describing of a machine constructed according to our
invention the coins received by the barrels B B B2 pass therefrom into a shoot C,
the inclination of which causes the coins to be conveyed back to the firing point,
so that every coin so conveyed may be again fired, but not returned to the
operator.
If however the coin falls into the barrel B³ it is received by a shoot D leading
to the outside of the case A at D' whereby the coin is returned to the operator.
Instead of the coin being thus directly returned it may be conducted into a machine
of ordinary or approved construction and act to free a delivery mechanism and
enable the operator to obtain an article therefrom as will be well understood.
The coin is inserted into the machine by the aperture E Figures 1 and 4 passing
by the guide passage F into a vertical shoot G wherein the coins are retained in
(approximately) an upright position until shot or projected therefrom as hereafter
described. The front of the shoot G may be of glass or other transparent material,
or of metal (when it should he suitably perforated) so that when a coin is in the
shoot G, ready to be projected, it may be visible. The base of the shoot G is
partially closed, the opening being of such a size that it retains a coin of the proper
size while allowing its lower edge to project somewhat below the opening in order
to be struck by the shooting appliance hereafter mentioned. Coins placed in the
machine of less than the predetermined size fall into the case A either by the
aperture F¹ in the guide passage F, Figure 2, or by the base of the shoot G, or if
by chance it comes into the barrel B³ it will still escape by the opening D2 in the
shoot D shown by detached view Figure 5.
The shooting apparatus is composed of a lever H, preferably counterbalanced as
shown and mounted upon a centre or pin H' in the case A; one end of this lever H

page_text: protrudes through a slot in the case and forms a trigger H2 by which the lever may
be pressed down against the elasticity of a spring J attached thereto. In the
example now shown the lever H has a rear projection H³ extending across the lower
opening of the shoot G, such projection acting as a striker for projecting the coin.
The shoot G is, as shown, so located that a straight line drawn horizontally across
the top of the barrels would enter the centre of the said shoot G.
When a coin has been inserted, upon the trigger H² being pulled down, and
released sharply, the rear projection H³ strikes the lower edge of the coin in the
shoot G, and impels it upwards with a trajectory or arc varying in degree according
to the force with which the coin has been struck, and this force varies according to
the extent the trigger has been depressed, and to the rapidity of its release. The
coin is thus thrown out of the shoot G laterally and we have found it convenient to
insert within the shoot an adjustable impact plate K, Figure 2, by which its course
may be directed towards the barrels, the course or direction of a coin after having
been struck is indicated by the dotted lines Figure 2, although such varies according
to the force of the blow given thereto. K' is a guide plate inclined from the back
of the case A to direct the falling coin into the barrels.
Attached to the front of the case as shown at Figure 1 we provide a scoring
apparatus L of ordinary or approved construction that shown having two
pointers L' L' capable of being slidden in slots to indicate numbers on an index
and thereby recording the numbers gained by the coins passing into the respective
barrels so that the machine is rendered capable of being used as a game or
amusement.
It is obvious that instead of the barrels being upright they may be placed in
other positions, and that instead of barrels, other receptacles may be used, such as
a board with holes through it.
One essential feature of our invention is that the coin may be shot more than
once without being actually returned to the operator, so that an operator has the
advantage before trying to shoot the coin in the receptacle out of which it will be
returned to him, or otherwise, of being able to test the strength of the spring which
fires the shot and so euable judgement to be formed as to the distance the trigger
should be pulled down, and released, to shoot the coin into the desired receptacle,
while, as before explained, by numbering the barrels or other receptacles, the
machine may be used as a game or amusement.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what
we claim as our improvements in coin freed games of skill machines, is :-
1. A machine adapted to receive a coin to be afterwards projected by the action
or operation of a spring actuated lever, at an object or objects such as barrels, and
when so projected may be returned one or several times to the said spring actuated
lever to be again projected until it misses an object aimed at, or is returned to the
operator, all substantially as hereinbefore described and illustrated with reference
to the accompanying drawings.
2. A machine adapted to receive an inserted coin, or the like, to be afterwards
projected, and wherein the same coin, so projected, may be returned once or several
times to be again projected but not returned to the operator, or may be returned to
the operator, or be caused to operate coin freed mechanism and thereby to effect
the delivery of an article, or may fall within the case and become lost to the
operator, all according to the degree of accuracy of the shot of the operator, and
thereby forming a game of skill substantially as herein before described and illustrated
with reference to the accompanying drawings.
3. A machine adapted to receive an inserted coin, or the like, to be afterwards
projected once or several times, or to be returned to the operator, or to be received
within the case and lost to the operator, all as claimed by the preceding claims, in
combination with a scoring apparatus for indicating the relative scores of one or
several operators substantially as herein before set forth.

page_text: 4. The particular construction and combination of parts and mechanism composing
the machine adapted to receive an inserted coin, or the like, to be afterwards
projected, all constructed, arranged, and acting substantially as and for the purposes
hereinbefore described and illustrated with reference to the accompanying
drawings.
Dated this 12th day of th
1005
BREWER & SON,
London and Leeds, Agents for Applicants, and
Chartered Patent Agents.