An Improved Apparatus for the Delivery of Toilet-paper or the like in Exchange for Coins Inserted Therein."
Year: 1893

page_text: Date of Application, 27th Mar., 1893-Accepted, 15th Apr., 1893!
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
An Improved Apparatus for the Delivery of Toilet-paper or the like
in Exchange for Coins Inserted Therein."
We, EVELYNE ADAMS-RANDALL, of 1 The Avenue, Bedford Park, and
ALBERTA MARY FRANCES THATCHER, of 3 Addison Road, Bedford Park, both
in the County of Middlesex, do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in
what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascer-
tained in and by the following statement :-
Our invention is designed to provide a simple and efficient apparatus for the
delivery or sale of toilet-paper, and its chief object is to afford the means whereby
persons may, upon making any required prepayment, obtain a supply of such paper
in water-closets at railway-stations, exhibitions, theatres, music-halls and other
places of public resort.
In our improved apparatus, the paper is provided in the form of a roll, which is
arranged in a suitable box or case in combination with means for delivering the
paper from the apparatus, and with a device for locking the delivery-mechanism,
in such a manner that, upon the insertion of a suitable coin into the apparatus, a
predetermined length of the paper can be delivered by turning a knob or handle.
One feature of our said invention is the combination, with a suitable support for
a roll of paper, of a measuring feed-roll and a coin-freed locking device therefor,
so constructed and arranged that, on the insertion of a half-penny or other coin for
which the apparatus is designed in a slot provided for the purpose in the case of
the apparatus, the said measuring-roll can be turned by hand through a complete
revolution or through two or more revolutions and thus caused to feed through a
slit or aperture in the case of the apparatus, a quantity of paper the length of
which is equal to the circumference of the said roll or to a multiple of such cir-
cumference, and the said roll, in its rotation, will effect the release of the coin and
thus permit the automatic re-locking of the parts. By this means, we provide for
ensuring the delivery of an equal or uniform quantity of paper from the roll in
exchange for each coin, notwithstanding the variation in the diameter of the said
roll due to the consumption of the paper.
Another feature of our said invention is the combination, with the measuring
feed-roll, of an auxiliary feed-roll pressed against the same by means of adjustable
devices, preferably arranged to act through the medium of springs.
Our said invention, moreover, comprises the employment, in combination with
the measuring-roll, of a detent-lever adapted to engage with the said roll, or with
an arm fixed on the axle thereof, and provided with a tilting pocket to receive a
coin inserted in the coin-slot, suitable means being provided whereby the said roll,
or the arm fixed on the axle thereof, will, in its rotation, tilt the said pocket to
permit the coin to drop out of the same and thus allow the said detent-lever to
again engage with the said roll, when the latter has been turned through one or
more complete revolutions as the case may be.
In the accompanying drawing we have shown how our said invention may be
conveniently and advantageously carried in practice.
Figure 1 is a front elevation, and
Figure 2 a side elevation, showing one form of our improved apparatus, the box
or case being shown in vertical section.
Figures 3 & 4 are vertical sections on the line x, x, Figure 1, showing the parts
in different positions.
Figure 5 is a side elevation, some of the parts being removed, showing a slight
modification of our apparatus.
Like letters indicate corresponding narts throughout the drawino.

page_text: A is the box or case; B is a frame secured therein and supporting the operating
mechanism. C is a roll of toilet-paper, which is supported on a roller or shaft D.
E is the measuring-roll, which also serves for feeding the paper out of the machine.
F is an auxiliary feed-roll for pressing the paper against the measuring feed-roll E.
The roller D is mounted in open bearings at the top of the frame B so that it can
easily be removed to permit the insertion of a fresh supply of paper when required.
To prevent the unwinding of an undue quantity of paper by the continued rotation
of the roller D after the movement of the measuring feed-roll is arrested, we
employ a spring a provided with a washer a' of leather or other suitable material,
which is pressed by the spring against one end of the roller D and thus acts as a
brake, the pressure exerted by this spring-brake being varied as required by means
of an adjusting-screw b.
The measuring feed-roll E is fixed on an axle E' provided with a handle or
knob G for turning it, and also with a pointer c which indicates when the said
feed-roll E has been rotated through a complete revolution; the axle E¹ is, more-
over, provided with a ratchet-wheel d, with which engages a retaining pawl e, to
prevent backward movement of the measuring feed-roll E. The auxiliary roll F is
mounted in levers f, which are pivoted at to the frame B, and are provided at
their free ends with springs f resting on adjusting-screws g, whereby the pressure
exerted upon the paper by either end of the roll F may be effectually regulated so
as to ensure the feeding of the paper evenly between the said roll and the measuring
feed-roll E.
The rotation of the feed-roll E is prevented (until a coin is inserted) by a lever H
pivoted at H to the frame B and provided with a projection H2 which engages
with an arm J fixed on the axle or shaft E' of the feed-roll E. The lever H is
normally held in the position shown, by means of a balance-weight K suspended
from a cord K which is passed over a pulley L and attached to the lever H. The
weight K is preferably made in the shape of a cup, so that the total weight
counterbalancing the lever H may be varied by the introduction of mercury, shot
or the like into the said cup, or the removal of the same therefrom. To prevent
swinging of the said weight, I provide a guide or tube K2 in which it is free to
slide up and down. Below the lower end of the coin-chute M a coin-pocket N is
pivoted at N¹ to the lever H; this pocket is normally held in the position shown
by means of a spiral or other spring or by gravity. The free end of the.coin-
pocket N is made with an arm or extension N2, with which the extension .¹ of the
arm J comes in contact in the rotation of the measuring feed-roll E, for the
purpose of tilting the said pocket as shown in Figure 4 and allowing the coin to
drop therefrom.
In
The operation of the machine is as follows:-When a suitable coin is inserted in
the coin-slot, it falls into the coin-pocket N. Its weight depresses the lever H, as
shown in Figure 3, thus releasing the arm J and allowing the measuring feed-
roll E to be turned through one revolution by means of the knob or handle.
each revolution of the feed-roll E, a quantity of paper, the length of which is equal
to the circumference of the said feed-roll, is fed out of the apparatus, whether the
roll of paper be of large or small diameter. Shortly after the commencement of
the rotation of the said feed-roll, the extension Ji of the arm J tilts the coin-
pocket N and allows the coin to drop therefrom into a drawer A' or other suitable
receptacle arranged in the lower part of the box or case A, and the coin-pocket N
is returned to its original position by its spring or by gravity. The lever H is then
raised by the counterbalance weight K and brings the projection H2 again into the
path of the arm J in time to prevent the measuring feed-roll E from commencing a
second revolution until another coin is inserted in the apparatus.
The paper leaves the machine by means of the tube or passage R and can be
torn off against the edges thereof or against a fixed blade K¹ provided for the
purpose at the lower edge of the aperture and having suitable saw-teeth.
The roller D, or the ordinary hollow cylinders on which the paper is wound,
may have the word "Empty" printed thereon, so that, when all the paper has

page_text: been unwound from the roll, this word will be visible through a window A' in the
box or case. The coin-chute M is preferably formed with a curve or bend at
or about the centre thereof as shown; below the lower end of the upper half of the
said coin-chute is provided an elongated aperture M' of such a length as to allow
all coins smaller than the one by which the machine is designed to be operated, to
pass out of the said coin-chute before reaching the releasing mechanism; in this
manner also, the fraudulent operation of the machine by means of pieces of wire,
whalebone or the like is prevented.
In the modification of our improved apparatus shown in Figure 5 we employ, in
place of the weight K, a counterpoise Padjustable on an arm or tail-piece H³ of
the lever H by means of screw-threads, the weight P being secured in any desired
position on the said arm by means of a set-screw P¹.
The margins of the paper and the surfaces of the box or case may, if desired, be
utilized for advertising purposes. And, in some instances, we perforate the paper
(as shown for example in Figure 1) in such a manner that the advertisements can be
readily torn therefrom if desired.
The apparatus is preferably so constructed that its operation will be permitted
upon the insertion of a halfpenny into the coin-slot.
We sometimes so construct our improved apparatus that the measuring feed-roll,
when released by means of a coin, can be turned two or more revolutions before it
is re-locked by the detent-lever. For instance, we mount the measuring feed-roll
on a separate axle and connect it by suitable gearing with the axle or operating
shaft E', so that the measuring roll will make two revolutions in each revolution of
the said axle or shaft E'.
It is obvious that, if desired, our improved apparatus may be used for the
delivery or sale of paper for purposes other than that above mentioned.
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 is:-
First. A coin-freed apparatus for the delivery of toilet-paper, wherein a
measuring feed-roll is arranged in combination with a support for a roll of paper
and with a coin-freed locking device substantially as hereinbefore described, so that,
on the insertion of a coin in the apparatus, the said measuring feed-roll can be
turned about its axis and thus caused to feed a predetermined quantity of paper
through a slit or aperture in the case of the apparatus, and the operating shaft will,
in its rotation, effect the release of the coin and thus permit the automatic re-locking
of the parts, as, and for the purpose, above specified.
Second. The combination, with the measuring feed-roll, of the auxiliary feed-
roll and the adjustable devices for pressing the same against the said measuring
feed-roll, substantially as, and for the purposes, above specified.
Third. The combination, with the operating shaft, of a detent-lever for locking
the said shaft, provided with a tilting pocket to receive a coin inserted in the coin-
slot, and means whereby, in the rotation of the said shaft, the said pocket will be
tilted to permit the coin to drop out of the same and thus allow the detent-lever
to re-lock the said shaft, substantially as, and for the purposes, above specified.
Fourth. The improved apparatus consisting of the parts constructed and com-
bined substantially as described with reference to the accompanying drawing and
operating as, and for the purposes, above specified.
Dated the 27th dor of March 1902
D. YOUNG & Co.,
11 & 12, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C., Agents for the Applicants.