An Improved Coin Freed Automatic Supply Machine.
Year: 1890

page_text: Date of Application, 17th Sept., 1890
Complete Specification Left, 16th June, 1891-Accepted, 12th Sept., 1891
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
An Improved Coin Freed Automatic Supply Machine.
I WILLIAM PACKER BINGHAM of No. 5 Greyhound Road Fulham in the
County of Middlesex Cabinet Maker do hereby declare the nature of this invention
to be as follows:-
An improved coin freed automatic machine for supplying various articles upon
payment. It consists of one or more circular shelves divided by upright partitions
into a number of cells for containing the articles for sale these shelves being
arranged one above another to revolve round a central axle rising vertically from a
metal stand and being enclosed in a cylindrical case of metal and glass through
which the contents of the shelves may be seen, by the insertion of a coin or coins
through a slot and by afterwards pressing in a push knob one of the cells is brought
opposite an opening in the outer case and its contents may then be removed by
the hand.
The objects and advantages of this invention are:-
Firstly. To display the goods offered for sale in a more effective and enticing
manner and in such a way that the purchaser may be able to see exactly what he
will receive for the outlay of his coin or coins.
Secondly. That articles of almost any kind or shape may be placed in the machine
provided only that they are of moderate size such as cakes, buns, small haberdashery,
cigars, tobacco, soap, perfumes, toilet powder and other chemical preparations,
cheap trinkets, etc. etc.
Thirdly. The advantages it possesses over the ordinary automatic supply machines
comprised in the more symmetrical appearance of its shape and the greater facility
it offers for artistic decoration.
Fourthly. The facilities it offers for the displaying of advertisements around the
various tiers of which it is composed.
Fifthly. The simplicity of its acting parts. The ease with which the purchaser
may obtain the article required there being no drawers to pull out and push back
again but simply to insert the coin press a push button and take out the article ;
and the improbability of its getting out of order.
:
These objects are effected in this machine in the manner hereinafter described.
The machine consists of a stand made of cast iron or other suitable matèrial on
which is arranged a series of circular revolving trays or shelves which move
horizontally around an upright iron rod or axle which rises from the centre of the
stand. Each of these shelves is divided by upright partitions radiating from the
centre into separate cells or compartments for the reception of the separate articles
to be sold and these shelves rise tier above tier from say a height of 2 feet 6 inches
to 5 feet 6 inches above the ground. The whole of the tiers being enclosed in a
cylindrical gallery consisting of as many upright metal columns or tubes as their
are vertical rows of cells in the machine the interstices between the columns being
filled with glass so that the contents of the cells may be seen but cannot be taken
out except in the manner now to be described :-
On one side of the cylindrical gallery the glass is left out in front of one of the
compartments in each tier and it is intended that those cells should be left empty
by the attendant who fills the machine at the right hand of each of these unglazed
openings is a hollow vertical column containing a slot for the insertion of a coin or
coins; these coins fall edgeways into a receptacle on the end of a lever balance
fixed under the shelf to which that particular slot belongs. The heaviest end of
the lever being towards the centre of the machine causes the lightest end to rise in

page_text: 1
front of a series of teeth or latches one of which is fixed underneath the partition of
each cell and prevents the cells being moved round to the left when the coin falls
upon this lever it depresses it below the level of the teeth and the shelf may then
be moved round to the left so as to bring the first right hand cell in front of the
unglazed opening so that by inserting the hand its contents may be removed. In
moving the shelf round, the tooth pushes the coin off the receptacle on the end of
the lever balance so that it falls down through the hollow column into a locked
receptacle underneath all the shelves in the stand below, and allows the lightened
end of the lever to fly up again to prevent the passing of the next cell. A ratchet
wheel and catch spring fixed under each shelf round the central axis prevents its
being moved back from left to right.
In order to manipulate the turning of the shelves with facility I also arrange
another ratchet wheel with large teeth equal in number to the number of cells on
the shelf, one of these is fixed underneath each shelf and a triangular shaped latch
worked by a push knob under the slot forces one of these teeth round when pressed
in after the coin has released the edge of the shelf, and of course carries the shelf
round with it the distance of one cell. On the pressure being removed the latch
flies back from the teeth of the ratchet wheel and leaves them clear for the next
operation. In order that the nose of the latch may catch the point of the next
tooth each time; a curved spring is fixed on the right hand side of each tooth the
end of which spring slightly overlaps the end of the tooth; or one curved spring
only may be fixed on the left hand edge of the sliding latch worked by the push
knob so as to overlap the end of the latch when drawn forward away from the teeth
of the ratchet wheel and catch the edge of the next tooth a little to the right of the
radial line.
In order to prevent the lever balance being pressed down by the insertion of a
wire through the slot the coin is made to travel through a series of bends in its
downward passage and on one side of each of these bends is a depression or cell in
the wall of the flattened tube through which the coin passes forming a ledge or sill
at the base which would catch and double up the wire a grating of upright wires
fixed in front of each of the depressions prevents the coins being stopped by the
sills or ledges.
For convenience in refilling the machine a portion of the outer cylindrical case
or gallery is made to open on hinges forming a door which may be fastened either
by a lock and key or by a sliding bolt at the top end inside and a hinged rod at
bottom the end of which rod could be made to enter and fix in the coin receptacle
underneath. When this door is opened the lever balances can be weighed down
with a small weight and the springs can be released from the small ratchet wheels
so that the empty cells can be turned back and refilled.
A silk ribbon on which advertisements may be printed may also be added to this
machine to close the front of the empty cells one end of the ribbon being fastened to
the edge of the first cell to the right of the unglazed opening and the other being
fastened to a light spring roller of the kind used for small blinds the said roller
being enclosed in a hollow tube which forms the upright column at the left hand
side of the opening in the outer cylindrical case; consequently as each purchaser
presses the knob and thereby moves the empty cell which was in front of the
opening to the left the ribbon is carried with it and displays a fresh advertisement
or portion of an advertisement immediately on the left hand of the opening.
The unglazed openings may together with the slots for the coins and the push
knobs be on different sides of the machine so that several persons can use it at one
time and different articles may be displayed on the various tiers.
Dated this 19th day of August 1890.

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
An Improved Coin Freed Automatic Supply Machine.
I WILLIAM PACKER BINGHAM of No. 5 Greyhound Road Fulham in the
County of Middlesex, Cabinet Maker 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 :-
An improved coin freed automatic machine for supplying various articles upon
payment by the insertion of a coin or coins through a slot and by afterwards
pressing in a push knob. The machine consists of one or more circular shelves
divided by upright partitions into a number of cells for containing the articles
for sale. These shelves being arranged one above another to revolve round a
central axle rising vertically from a metal stand and being enclosed in_a
cylindrical case of metal and glass through which the contents may be seen. By
pressing in the knob after releasing the mechanism by the insertion of the coin
or coins one of the cells is brought opposite to an opening in the case and its
contents may then be removed by the hand.
The objects of this invention are―
Firstly. To display the goods offered for sale in a more effective manner and in
such a way that the purchaser may be able to see exactly what he will receive for
the outlay of his money.
Secondly. That articles of any kind or shape provided that they are of moderate
size may be placed in the machine such as cakes, buns, sweets, tobacco, perfumes,
tablets of soap, samples of foods, chemical preparations, etc.
Thirdly. The simplification of the process by which articles may be obtained
from the machine there being no drawers to pull out or handles to turn but simply
to insert the coin or coins and press in a knob when the article can be removed by
the hand from an opening in the machine.
Fourthly. The facilities it offers for the display of advertisements both round the
various tiers of which the machine is composed and on the silk blinds which cover
the empty cells.
These objects are effected in this machine in an efficient manner as hereinafter
described in detail.
The machine consists of a cast iron stand A. Fig. 1 or of a stand made of any
suitable material on which is arranged a series of circular revolving shelves B
which move horizontally round an upright iron rod or axle C which rises from the
centre of the stand. Each of these shelves is divided on the top by upright
partitions radiating from the centre into separate cells or compartments D for the
retention of the separate articles to be sold and these shelves rise tier above tier
from a height of two feet six inches to five feet six inches above the ground the
whole being enclosed in a fixed cylindrical gallery formed of as many upright
metal columns or tubes as there are partitions between the cells, having openings
filled with glass opposite each of the cells on each shelf through which the
contents may be seen but cannot be taken out except in the manner now to be
described-
On one side of the fixed cylindrical gallery the glass is left out in front of one of
the compartments on each tier as at E Fig. 1 and it is intended that these open
cells shall be left empty by the person who fills the machine. At the right hand of
each of these unglazed openings is a hollow vertical column F containing a slot G
for the insertion of a coin or coins, these coins fall edgeways into a receptacle on
the end of a lever balance H fixed upon a metal partition or fixed shelf J under-
neath the particular movable shelf to which the slot belongs. The lightest end K
of this lever balance rises when not depressed by the weight of the coin Lin
front of one of a series of projecting teeth or latches M one of which is fixed
under the partition of each cell and prevents the cells being moved round to

page_text: the left, when the coin falls upon this lever its weight depresses it below the
level of the teeth and the shelf may then be turned to the left the distance of one
cell thereby bringing the first right hand cell with its contents in front of the
opening so that the article or articles for sale in that compartment may be taken
out, in moving the shelf round the tooth slides the coin or coins off the lever
balance as shown in Fig. 4 and it falls down through the hollow column into a
locked receptacle below all the tiers in the stand and allows the lever to spring
up again, to prevent the passing of the next cell in the same manner. A ratchet
wheel N and catch spring O fixed under each shelf prevents its being moved back
from left to right.
In order to manipulate the turning of the shelves with facility I also arrange
another ratchet wheel P with large teeth equal in number to the number of
compartments on a shelf one of these is fixed under each shelf and a triangular
shaped pawl or latch Q worked by a push knob R in the manner hereinafter
described forces one of these teeth round when pressed in after the coin has
released the edge of the shelf by depressing the lever balance and carries the
shelf round with it the distance of one cell. On the pressure being removed the
latch and push knob fly back moved by a spiral spring R leaving the teeth
clear for the next operation. In order that the point of the latch should catch the
end of a fresh tooth each time a curved spring $ is fixed on the right hand side of
each tooth the end of which slightly overlaps the end of the tooth, or one curved
spring only may instead be fixed on the left hand edge of the sliding latch so as
to overlap the end of it when it draws back from the ratchet wheel and so
catch the edge of the next tooth a little to the right of the radial line when pressed
in again.
In order to transmit the motion obtained by pressing in the push knob to the
sliding latch or pawl Q, and to increase the length of space traversed, the short
sliding rod attached to the push knob R is made to impinge against the centre of a
lever W, one end of which is pivoted to the fixed shelf J and the other end
engages with the sliding pawl Q by means of the two projections shown at Q'. A
spiral spring R' is coiled round a thin metal rod fixed behind the lever W the end
of the rod passing through it and entering a longitudinal slot or hole bored in the
push rod its object being to press back the push knob to its normal position
after use.
In order to prevent the lever balance being pushed down by inserting a wire
through the slot the coin is made to travel through a series of two or more bends
in its downward passage. On one side of each of these bends is a depression or
cell in the wall of the flattened tube through which the coin passes forming a ledge T
which would obstruct and double up a wire, a grating U of upright wires or metal
bars fixed in front of each of these shelves or ledges prevents the coins also being
stopped by them.
For convenience in refilling the machine a portion of the outer cylindrical
case is made to open on hinges forming a door which may be fastened by a lock and
key. When this door is opened the springs can be released from the small-teethed
ratchet wheels which prevent the shelves being turned back to the right and the
lever balances can be weighed down to disengage the teeth under the edges of the
shelves.
A silk ribbon V Fig. 3 on which a series of advertisements may be printed may
also be added to the machine to close the front of the empty cells after passing the
openings, one end of the ribbon being fixed to the edge of the partition of the first
cell to the left of the unglazed opening on each tier and the other being fastened
to a light spring roller of the kind used for small blinds the said roller being
contained in a hollow tube which forms the left hand column at the side of each of
the unglazed openings consequently as each purchaser presses the knob and thereby
moves the empty cell which was in front of the opening to the left the ribbon is
carried with it and displays a fresh advertisement immediately at the left hand of
the opening.

page_text: The unglazed openings slots and push knobs will be on different sides of the
machine as each tier will require its own separate coin column and blind tube
and by this arrangement several persons may stand round the machine and serve
themselves at one time and different articles may be displayed on each shelf.
The sliding latch has a projection upon it to engage with a projection Y Fig. 5
on the lever balance so that it cannot be pushed in until the lever balance is
depressed by the weight of the coin or coins.
In order that the shelves may turn easily three or more small rollers Z are fixed
radially in the fixed partitions under the movable shelves so that the small-teethed
ratchet wheels rest on them and carry the weight of the shelves to which they are
fixed.
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 I
claim is:
1. An improved coin freed automatic supply machine consisting of one or more
circular shelves divided by upright partitions into a number of cells for containing
the articles for sale. These shelves being arranged one above another to revolve
round a central axle rising vertically from a metal stand and being enclosed in a
cylindrical case of metal with glass filled openings through which the contents may
be seen.
2. The arrangement of the mechanism herein described for working this machine
and which consists of the large-toothed ratchet wheels with or without spring
covered teeth, the small-toothed ratchet wheels and spring catch for same, the
arrangement of the latches and push knobs with or without a spring on the end of
the latch the locking teeth on the edges of the shelves, the arrangement of the lever
balances and the projection on the latches to prevent the push knobs being pressed
in until the coin is inserted, the arrangement of ledges and gratings inside the slot
columns, the rollers under the shelves, the arrangement of the door with lock for
refilling the machine and the arrangement of the ribbon blinds for covering the
emptied cells, the several parts being combined and operating substantially in an
improved automatic supply machine as herein before described and illustrated in
the accompanying drawings.
Dated this 15th day of June 1891.
WILLIAM PACKER BINGHAM.