An Improved Apparatus for the Automatic Sale and Delivery of Goods or Articles on the Insertion of Coins.
Year: 1888

page_text: Date of Application, 2nd Feb., 1888
Complete Specification Left, 1st Nov., 1888
Complete Specification Accepted, 22nd Jan., 1889-
An Improved Apparatus for the Automatic Sale and Delivery of
Goods or Articles on the Insertion of Coins.
We, EDWARD AMORY CROSS, and HENRY BORN NOBLE, both of 29 Henrietta
Street, St. Ann's Road, Stamford Hill, in the County of Middlesex, Engineers, do
hereby declare the nature of our said invention to be as follows:-
The object of our invention is to manufacture improved apparatus for the automatic
delivery of articles advertised for sale, and contained in the apparatus, on the insertion
of a coin (usually a penny piece): -
Our invention consists of a strong case, capable of being securely locked and having
one slot for the insertion of a coin, and another slot or opening for the delivery of the
articles contained therein, for sale.
We place a magazine or reservoir within the case, having two, three or more
parallel compartments, running the whole length of the reservoir. Each compartment
is filled with packets of goods or articles ready for delivery. The compartments are
open at the bottom, and the magazine is suspended to the upper part of the inside of
the case in a slanting position, over a plate, one compartment being sufficiently beyond
the plate for the goods to fall out, by gravitation, to or upon a small rotary hopper,
which delivers the articles one by one into the delivery shoot. The weight of the
article required is utilised in causing this hopper to turn a portion of a circle, according
to its construction.
The axle of the rotary hopper carries a spur wheel at one end, which actuates a
similar spur wheel fitted upon a ratchet wheel of larger diameter. The ratchet wheel
is fitted with a similar number of cups to that of the hoppers upon the hopper wheel,
so as to act simultaneously therewith. The coin shoot is placed over the ratchet
wheel. A pawl is so fitted to the ratchet wheel that when a tooth or ratchet is
released the ratchet wheel rotates as far as the next tooth. The pawl is fitted with
the usual spring and is also formed with a bent lever which enters a slot in the coin
shoot. When a coin falls down this shoot, it presses against the pawl lever and
D

page_text: momentarily lifts the pawl from the ratchet wheel, the latter then rotates a portion of
a circle, and lets fall the coin into a drawer or other portion of the case provided to
receive the same.
The magazine is. so fitted that the articles contained therein govern the position of
the several reservoirs. Thus, the first reservoir retains its position above the rotary
hopper, until all the articles have been removed therefrom, when the magazine imme-
diately shifts forward and commences to deliver from the next reservoir, and so on.
This is effected by means of a slot in the magazine into which a fixed pin enters,
against which pin the articles press until they are dropped out in due course.
Various modifications may be made in the relative diameters of wheels, and other
details to adapt our invention to the goods intended to be sold.
Dated 2nd Fabra 1400

page_text: 1
Goods or Articles on the Insertion of Coins.
We EDWARD AMORY CROSS and HENRY BORN NOBLE both of 29 Henrietta
Street St. Ann's Road Stamford Hill in the County of Middlesex 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:-
The object of our invention is the manufacture of an improved apparatus for the
automatic delivery of articles contained in the apparatus on the insertion of a Coin
usually a penny.
In carrying out our Invention we make use of a metal Magazine or Container for
the goods intended to be delivered such Container consisting of two three or more
parallel compartments, the one behind the other extending the whole length of the
Container and being of a width to suit the goods.
Each of these Compartments is intended to be filled with the packets of goods or
other articles ready for delivery and which are placed in the compartments from the
top, one on the other.
The Compartments are open at the bottom and have a slot down the sides.
The Magazine or Container is suspended by means of a bar on the front of the
Container to the upper part of two strong upright standards in such a manner as to
allow the bottom part to swing forward.
These standards are shaped larger at the bottom than the top and are securely
fastened to a strong base so that the apparatus will stand firm. Each of these
standards has attached thereto on the inside and level with the bottom of the
Container a plate or Bearer supporting the goods contained in all the Compartments
except the front one, the front Compartiment being sufficiently beyond the plate to
allow the goods therein to rest or fall upon one of the flanges of a small rotary hopper
working in bearings between the two upright standards, and which, on revolving,
delivers the articles one by one into a ribbed delivery slide placed thereunder. The
weight of the articles intended to be sold is utilized in causing this hopper to turn a
portion of a circle according to the number of the flanges upon the hopper.
The axle of the rotary hopper except when the articles intended to be delivered
are very light carries at one end, but on the outside of the Standard, a geared wheel
fitted with a stop to prevent its being pushed back. This geared wheel operates on a
similar geared wheel above it fastened upon the inside of a ratchet wheel of larger
diameter.
This ratchet wheel is fitted with a similar number of stops to that of the flanges of
the Rotary hopper so as to act therewith. The object of the geared wheels is to save
the strain upon the governor hereinafter described and when the articles are light
they may be dispensed with and the ratchet wheel fixed on to the axle of the rotary
hopper.
Over the ratchet wheel is placed a shoot for the Conveyance of the coin from a slot
in which it is inserted on the outside of the apparatus.

page_text: Attached to the Standard carrying the ratchet wheel is a governor, so fixed to
operate on the ratchet wheel, that when one stop is released the ratchet wheel rotates
to the next stop. This governor is kept in position by a spring of the usual description
worked by a pin at one end of the governor and it also has a pin at the other end
which enters a slot in the coin shoot. When a coin falls down the shoot it strikes
this pin of the governor and momentarily lifts the governor from the ratchet wheel,
the latter then rotates to the next stop and causes the rotary hopper to rotate to the
same extent and release one of the articles in the container above it and which then
falls down the delivery slide. The spring then returns it to its position and the coin
falls into a drawer or other portion of the case provided to receive the same.
The magazine is so fitted that the articles contained therein govern the position of
the several compartiments. Thus the first compartment retains its position above the
rotary hopper, until all the articles have been delivered therefrom, when the magazine
immediately shifts forward and commences to deliver from the next compartment, and
so on, so long as any articles remain in any of the compartments. This is effected by
means of a catch or fastening fixed at the bottom of each compartment, and operated
upon by a fixed pin at the end of a weighted key placed upon the top of the articles
in eacli compartment, and which pin extends through the slot in the side of the com-
partment and thus causes the key to follow down with the goods until the last one is
delivered when it sirikes the catch or fastening on the side of the container. This
.releases the magazine so that it swings or shifts forward until it is stopped by the
catch or fastening at the bottom of the next compartment, thus bringing the following
full compartment over the rotary hopper and ready for delivery of the articles
therefrom.
Various modifications may be made in the size of the container the number of flanges
on the rotary hopper and stops on the ratchet wheel to adapt the invention to the
weight and shape of the goods intended to be sold.
A modification may also be made by having an additional striking pin acting
upon the governor so as to cause the ratchet wheel to rotate to the extent of
2 stops on the insertion of a coin & thus deliver 2 articles in succession for the one
coin.
The advantage of this modification is that the apparatus can be constructed to
deliver either one or two articles or both one and two as may be desired. The
latter method is effected by having two separate money shoots side by side the one
conducting a coin to the Governor so that the coin in its descent strikes both of the
striking pins thus delivering two articles in succession and the other shoot conducting
a coin to the governor so as to strike one only of the striking pins and thus deliver
one article and by this means enabling to be sold from the same container two
articles for one coin as for instance a penny and one article for another coin say a
halfpenny.
.
The apparatus is enclosed in a suitable case of wood or metal with lid and money
drawer or other receptacle and capable of being securely locked and preferably having
a glass panel shewing the goods in the magazine or container. The base of the
apparatus is firmly fastened to the bottom of the case.
In the accompanying drawings Fig. 1 is a front elevation of apparatus enclosed
in the case but with the door removed to shew the apparatus inside.
Fig. 2 is a vertical section she wing the arrangement of a magazine or container of
3 compartments and the inner side of the standard to which it is attached.
Fig. 3. is an elevation or end view of the standard to which the geared and ratchet
wheels and governor are attached being the outer side of the standard described in
figure 2.
Fig. 4. is an elevation or end view of the standard at the other end of the case &
with the rotary hopper removed & she wing position of the catch on the front
compartment of the magazine or container when ready for delivering articles.
Fig. 5 is an end view of container having 3 compartments shewing position of
catches for shifting the compartments and the method of such shifting,
Fig. 6 shews the shape of the key with pin releasing the catches.

page_text: Similar letters in all the figures represent similar parts.
In Fig. 1. A is the container swinging from the top of the 2 standards by the bar b.
fastened near the top of the Container and shewing the front compartment filled with
articles ready for delivery and immediately above the rotary hopper C.-D, D' are the
Standards to which the container is attached showing on the outside of D. the geared
wheels E and E' and the Ratchet wheel K controlled by the Governor L.
In Fig. 2 the Standard D is shown on the inside and fastened to the base Q and
the magazine or container A shews the 3 compartments filled, and the method of
arrangement of the articles to be delivered, together with the keys I which release
the catches on each compartment becoming empty, thus allowing the next compartment
to shift over the rotary hopper. C is the rotary hopper by means of which the goods
are delivered on to the delivery slide J which is ribbed to prevent friction and down
which the article to be delivered slides. H is the bearer on this standard to support
the goods in the compartments not over the rotary hopper.
In Fig. 3 E is the geared wheel attached to the axle of the rotary hopper and
operating on the geared wheel E' on the inside of the ratchet wheel K which is timed
so as to allow the rotary hopper to revolve a portion of a circle corresponding to the
number of stops on the ratchet wheel.
L. is the Governor for the holding of the ratchet wheel in position until released by
the coin and having a pin 1 touching the spring G to bring the governor L back into
position after the coin has passed through and released the ratchet wheel K
and a pin against which the Coin strikes. M is the money shoot down which the
coin passes.
In Fig. 4 and 5 000 slew the catches which are released by the key 1.
On a coin of the arranged size being passed through the slot and down the money
shoot M it falls on the Governor L and lifts the catch from the ratchet wheel K which
then rotates a sufficient space to turn the rotary hopper C and thus allow one article
to drop down the delivery slide J. So soon as the first compartment is emptied the
key I, lifting the catch O, brings the second compartment over the rotary hopper and
so on for as many compartments as there may be.
into use,
and
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 :-
1. The improved apparatus for the automatic delivery of goods on the insertion of
a coin hereinbefore described and represented in figs. 1. 2. 3. 4. 5 and 6.
2. In apparatus for the automatic delivery of goods on the insertion of a coin the
combination of the upright container having two three or more compartments and the
method of causing the second to follow on when the first is empty and so on for as
many as there may be substantially as hereinbefore described and represented.
Dated this Eirst day of November 1888.