Improvements in Coin Controlled Apparatus for Producing Various Electrical Phenomena or Effects.
Year: 1895

page_text: Date of Application, 22nd Jan., 1895-Accepted, 11th May, 1895
COMPLEIE
Improvements in Coin Controlled Apparatus for Producing Various
Electrical Phenomena or Effects.
A communication by JOSEPH LEONHARD KETCHER, a subject of the King of
Sweden and Norway, but at the time of this communication residing at New
York, in the County and State of New York, United States of America.
I, WILLIAM PHILLIPS THOMPSON, F.C.S., M.I.M.E., of The Agency for
Foreign Patent Solicitors, 6, Lord Street, Liverpool, and 6, Bank Street, Manchester
both in the County of Lancaster, 118 New Street, Birmingham, in the County of
Warwick, and 31 High Holborn in the County of Middlesex, Civil Engineer, 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:
The purpose of this invention is to produce a coin-controlled machine or apparatus
for producing various electrical phenomena or effects, and to this end it consists
in the construction, combinations, and arrangements of parts hereinafter set forth,
and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which:
Figure 1 is a face elevation of the apparatus with the front of the enclosing
shell or casing removed to show the internal devices;
Figure 2 a vertical section at right angles with Figure 1, and
Figures 3 and 4 views illustrating details of construction hereinafter referred to.
Figures 5, 6, 7 and 8 are views illustrating a simple form of the improved
apparatus suitable for use in public places.
The invention is primarily designed to give to the masses an opportunity of
observing various physical phenomena which, at the present time are not within
their reach, owing to the costliness of apparatus generally constructed for their
production.
To this end are combined in one structure various electrical devices together
with a switch for bringing said devices into operation successively, and with a
coin-controlled detent or locking dog, the actuation of which releases the switch
and permits it to act.
The form and dimensions of the apparatus may be varied at will, and the
electrical current employed may be generated within the structure itself, by battery
or dynamo-electric generator, or it may be obtained from a general supply main as
found expedient. In the drawings however is represented a dynamo-electric
generator, actuated by a spring motor, in order to adapt the apparatus for general
application and use, without cost beyond the original outlay and the occasional
expenditure of a moderate amount of manual labour.
Referring again to said drawings, A indicates a shell or casing of any convenient
form and material,-here represented as of circular form in its upper part, with a
suitable base or pedestal below.
Within the upper portion of this shell or casing are arranged the various
electrical appliances to be exhibited, here represented as an electric drum B; an
electric hell C; a word or design D, composed of slightly separated and electrically
insulated bits of tin foil or other conducting material, which design becomes
luminous upon the passage
of an electric current, owing to the arcs forming
between the bits of foil; rotary discs E of transparent material bearing designs,
and illuminated by an electric light F behind them; an electric cascade G; a

page_text: transparent rotary spiral H illuminated by an electric light I; a rotatable trans-
parency J, illuminated by an electric lamp K; a music box L; a sparking induction
coil M, and a rotatable group of Geissler tubes N.
These several devices are suggestive rather than essential but will be found quite
suitable for general adoption.
O indicates a dynamo-electric generator,. and P.a spring motor for driving said
generator. These may both be of ordinary form and construction, and will be of
dimensions suited to the requirements of the apparatus.
Motion is transmitted from the motor to the generator by belt or gearing, a
simple belt being shown in the drawing, connecting a speed wheel of the motor
with the armature shaft of the generator.
Instead of this dynamo-generator and its motor, a galvanic battery may be
employed, or a storage battery, or any other source of electric energy, hence the
further use of the term generator is to be understood as meaning or comprehending
broadly any convenient source of electric energy:
For some of the devices employed a continuous or direct current is necessary or
desirable, while for others an alternating current is required; thus the primary
current of the induction coil, the electro-magnet within the drum; the clectro-
magnet of the bell; and the several lamps receive a continuous current directly from
the generator 0; while the word or design composed of separated and insulated
bits of tin foil; the cascade and the Geissler tubes are supplied with an alternating
current from the secondary coil of the inductorium M.
The delivery of current to the several devices is controlled by two switches, Q
and R, Figures 1 and 2. Switch Q consists of a fixed plate or disc, which may
conveniently be made of vulcanized fibre or other non-conducting material,
provided with a series of conducting studs or blocks d, from each of which a
separate conductor passes to one. binding post. or terminal of one or another of the
devices which is to receive current through.said switch; and of a movable contact
arme adapted to travel over and make contact with the studs or blocks din
succession. The contact arm e is carried by but is electrically insulated from a
shaft, which also carries a pulley g, and receives motion through a belt from
a pulley secured upon the slowly rotating main shaft of motor P.
By this arrangement the arm e is caused to travel slowly over all the, contacts d,
and thereby to bring each connected device into and retain it in circuit with the
source of electric supply for a proper length of time.
The running of the circuits is indicated in the drawing and is so obvious that no
detailed explanation is required, it being sufficient to say that one of the conductors
of each circuit connects with one of the contacts d, and consequently each circuit
is completed and interrupted in like manner, and the devices in said circuits
consequently go into and out of action consecutively.
с
The switch R is in all material respects the same as switch Q, but its contact
studs.or blocks i are alternately with the blocks d of the switch Q, or its contact
arm is set out of line-with-contact arm e, so that when either closes a circuit the
other shall not do so.
The contact arm of, switch R is included in the secondary circuit, of induction
coil M, and controls the delivery of current to the device D, the cascade G and
the Geissler tubes-N, and also completes the sparking.circuit of the induction coil.
To bring the Geissler tubes into circuit, they are mounted in holders carried by
a rotatable sleeve S, provided with a pulley, and receiving motion by a belt from
a pulley on one of the shafts or spindles of the motor P having a higher speed of
rotation than the main shaft thereof.
4
The sleeve S is made of or covered with insulating material, and is provided
with a metallic hub or collar k, which is electrically connected through the spindle
or axle on which sleeve S rotates, or otherwise, with a series of radial metallic
arms m, equal in number to the Geissler tubes employed. A spring arm n bears
upon the hub or collar k, and thus delivers electric current from the secondary
circuit of induction coil M with which it is connected, to the arms m. The sleeve S

page_text: also carries a second series of arms o, each designed to support and carry one end
of a Geissler tube, the opposite end of which is carried by one of the arms m.
Each arm o is insulated from the others and from the spindle or axle l, but is
electrically connected with a collar on the circumference of the sleeve S. Against
each collar bears a contact spring 9, each electrically connected with one of the
contact studs or blocks of switch R, hence, whenever and so long as arm of
switch R rests upon a stud i, the secondary circuit of the induction coil M will be
completed through the Geissler tube connected with said collar.
As above mentioned, the sleeve S carries a pulley T, which is provided with
a series of grooves, so that, being itself driven by belt from the motor P, it may
in turn transmit motion to the discs. E, the spiral H, the transparency J and the
drum or cylinder of music box L, as illustrated in Figure 1.
The speed of rotation of sleeve S is such that during the advance of arm; of
switch R from one contact to the next, the sleeve will make a number of revolutions,
and thus the effect produced will be made more striking.
The case A is formed with an opening r, through which to observe the devices
within.
To control the action of the apparatus any convenient or usual type of coin-
controlled lock or catch may be employed. Such a device is illustrated in Figure 1,
and consists of a lever U, pivoted at a suitable point within the case A and having
one end arranged directly beneath a coin shute v; a second lever V provided with
a dog or detent r to engage with a shoulders on a disc or wheel t carried by the
main shaft of the motor P; and a connecting rod u extending from lever U to
lever V and causing one to move the other. The parts are counterbalanced, so
that a slight weight falling upon the free end of lever U shall serve to withdraw
the deteut, and permit the motor to go into operation. This weight is afforded by
the coin, entering through shute v, the coin, however, falling from the lever as the
latter tips or recks upon its pivot, and permitting the detent to re-engage the
shoulder's as soon as one revolution is completed.
In this way each coin deposited will bring about one complete rotation of the
main shaft of the motor, and this, under the arrangement set forth, will cause
each of the devices described to go into operation once, and so continue for a
pre-determined length of time.
Any usual construction and arrangement of appliances may be employed in
connection with the coin shute to preclude the introduction of bogus coins, or
the release of the mechanism thereby ; but such devices are not a part of this
invention.
It is obvious that the extent of rotation, the relative number of turns of the
different rotary devices, and other details may be considerably varied without
departing from the spirit or scope of the invention.
In Figures 5, 6, 7 and 8 are represented a cabinet of convenient and suitable
form for hotel lobbies, restaurants and public places, and embodying portions of
the above described apparatus in modified form.
The Geissler tubes N are here represented as arranged in the upper part of the
cabinet, and between two mirrors W, W, placed at any angle to each other which
is an aliquot part of 360°, whereby a kaleidoscopic effect is produced.
The rotatable transparency J here represented as turning about a horizontal
axis is placed in the lower part of the cabinet and so located that its pictures are
not thrown upon or reflected by the mirrors.
The peep holes are placed in the top of the cabinet, and the switch is arranged
to bring the pictures and the Geissler tubes into play alternately.
The pictures may be produced in any convenient way, but photography affords
à peculiarly simple, cheap and satisfactory means of production, and gives the best
effects. When the upper portion of the cabinet is dark, the effect produced by
the transparencies J lighted by the incandescent lamp behind the picture at the
time in position to be viewed is very striking. A motor, P, will be employed to
rotate the Geissler tubes, the switch, and the transparency as before.

page_text: Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, as communicated to me by my
foreign correspondent, I declare that what I claim is :-
1. In an electric display apparatus, the combination of a source of electric.
energy, a series of translating devices for utilizing the current so supplied, a switch
adapted to direct the current to and divert it from the translating devices in series
or succession, a motor for actuating said switch, and a locking device for holding
the motor out of action, adapted to be moved or released by the introduction of
a coin, substantially as set forth.
2. In an electric display apparatus, the combination of an actuating motor,
an electric generator driven by said motor, a detent for said motor, and a coin-
actuated lever connected with and serving to withdraw the detent and thereby to
permit the motor to operate.
3. In an electric display apparatus, the combination of an electric generator,
a motor for operating said generator, a series of translating devices, a switch
interposed between the generator and the translating devices and adapted to bring
said devices successively into circuit with the generator, and a coin-controlled
detent adapted to hold the motor out of action until a coin is deposited and then
to permit the motor to operate to a predetermined extent.
4. In combination with a source of electric energy, a series of translating
devices, rotatable transparencies adapted and arranged to co-operate with the
translating devices, a switch for directing the current to the translating devices in
predetermined order, and a motor connected with and serving to actuate said
rotatable devices and the switch.
5. In a display device such as described, the combination of an electrically
lighted tube or bulb, and mirrors arranged in proper relation thereto and to each
other to produce kaleidoscopic effects, or reproductions of the light.
Dated this 21st day of Tamu 1905
WM. P. THOMPSON & Co.,
Agents.