Improvements in and relating to Coin Operated Peep-show Apparatus.
Year: 1892

page_text: Date of Application, 4th Mar., 1892
Complete Specification Left, 5th Dec., 1892-Accepted, 4th Feb., 1893
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in and relating to Coin Operated Peep-show
Apparatus.
1, ARTHUR OPENSHAW of Warnford Court in the County of London Gentle-
man, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
The object of my invention is to provide an apparatus so contrived that on
an observer looking into the peephole a picture view or other object is beheld, but
on insertion of a certain coin or token the aspect of the picture, or object is
changed for a given time at the lapse of which it will resume its normal-aspect.
The invention consists in the means for attaining this result, and in the con-
struction of a movable pendent timing device operated by the coin so as to reveal
the change for a pre-arranged period, and in its adaptation to the picture or object
as hereinafter explained.
:
I use a casing of suitable size and shape mounted upon or having a hollow
pedestal or chamber in which is arranged a pendent timing device said casing has
a money slot and fixed shoot leading to the upper part of the timing device. A
peep-hole or holes is or are arranged in its front side and the picture or object is
disposed within the casing near the back; normally it is inclined backwards at a
suitable angle, and above the picture a glass window is arranged to admit light
thereto behind the picture a reflector or glass window may be arranged.
The picture object or the frame thereof is mounted on a bar or lever centred
in the casing; the shorter arm extending behind said picture and having a down-
wardly acting counterweight or spring.
To the other arm of the said lever or to one of a system of levers connected
thereto is pivotted the upper end of the pendent coin-operated timing device, and
the parts are so balanced that normally the picture is inclined backward as stated
and the timing device is in its uppermost position.
The picture or object is provided with a transparency or other suitable change
device which is invisible in the normal position of the picture but becomes visible
on alteration thereof. The pendent timing device may be a zig-zagged channel
down which the coin will slowly travel its weight during the said travel depressing
the whole and the lever from which it depends for a pre-arranged period; or the
timing device may take the form of an endless band running over rollers and
having buckets which will be moved down by the weight of the coin, the whole
being suspended to the picture lever as before. The system of levers above
alluded to is to make the arrangement more delicate so as to ensure its action by
the weight of the inserted coin or token.
During the descent of the coin to its base the timing device is depressed and this
pulling down the picture lever alters the backward inclination of the picture or
object to a suitable forward inclination, and then the light being admitted to its
back through the glass above (aided by the reflector or back window) reveals the
transparency or other device which changes the aspect and character of the picture
or object in the desired manner.
It will be obvious that a picture or equivalent may be divided up into various
squares or sections each having its own transparency or changing medium so as to
illustrate a complete story, in which case each such square or section would have
its peephole opposite to it in the casing, and they would be separated from each
other by suitable internal compartments. The forward inclination of the picture
is limited by its engaging a cross piece or partition or the lever engaging against a
suitable stop.

page_text: When the coin arrives at the bottom of the timing device it falls into a suitable
receptacle, and its weight being removed the timing device is returned to normal
position by the counterweight or spring acting on the picture lever.
Dated 4th day of March 1892.
J. C. CHAPMAN,
Agent.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in and relating to Coin Operated Peep-show
Apparatus.
I, ARTHUR OPENSHAW, of Warnford Court, in the County of London,
Gentleman, 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 my invention is to provide an apparatus so contrived that on an
observer looking into the peep-hole a picture, view or other object is beheld, but on
insertion of a certain coin or token the aspect of the picture or object is changed
for a given time, at the lapse of which it will resume its normal aspect..
The invention consists in the means for attaining this result, and in the construc-
tion of a movable pendent timing device operated by the coin so as to reveal the
change for a pre-arranged period, and in its adaptation to the picture or object as
hereinafter explained.
The word "picture" is hereinafter used for the sake of brevity, but I would
have it understood that I include as well as a picture or pictures, views or the like,
questions, jokes, fortunes, and such like objects, the replies or the missing word or
words of which will appear on the change of position caused by the insertion of
the coin.
I will describe my invention in reference to the accompanying drawing in
which
Fig. 1 is a sectional elevation, Fig. 2 a section on line 1-1 of Fig. 1, Fig. 3 a plan
with top covers removed, and Fig. 4 is a front elevation of the apparatus.
Figs. 5, 6 and 7 are constructional details of the pendent timing device herein-
after explained.
Similar letters refer to similar parts in all the figures.
A is a casing of suitable size and shape such as illustrated enclosing the
peep-
show. It is mounted upon a hollow pedestal or chamber B which may be glazed
wholly or in part as desired, and in which is arranged a movable pendent timing
device T hereinafter fully described, and at the base a coin receiving drawer is
placed. S is a money slot located in any convenient position in the casing A and
connected by a fixed shoot s to the upper part of the pendent device T.
A peep-
hole or peepholes a of convenient type is or are arranged in the front side of the
casing, and P is the "picture" disposed as shown within the casing A and near the
back thereof normally said picture is inclined backwards as shown Fig. 1at a
suitable angle above it a glass window G is arranged to admit light, and behind
it a reflector or glass window may if desired be arranged. This is not however
necessary, and it is convenient to dispose at the back of the casing a box such as A¹
for containing a supply of fresh pictures as shown Figs. 1 and 3. The picture P.
or the frame thereof is mounted on a central bar or lever or on a pair of levers LL
as shown, one centred at 7 at either side of the casing A and connected at the
forward ends by the cross bar . The rear arms of the levers L extend behind
said picture and have adjustable counterweights W, or equivalent springs. To
the forward ends of one lever or to the cross-bar as illustrated, or it may be to
one arm of a system of delicately mounted power-multiplying levers connected'
thereto in any known manner-is pivotted the upper end of the pendent coin-
operated timing device T by a link such as ; and the parts are so balanced that

page_text: normally the picture P is inclined backward as stated and leans against the back
of A so that the light through G falls on its face, and the timing device T is in its
highest position. If a picture is employed it may represent any attractive device
or drawing and it is provided with any surprise transparency in the known manner
or other suitable change device which is invisible in the normal position of the
picture, but which becomes visible on alteration therefrom to the position shown
dotted at P when the light through G falls on its back.
"
The pendent timing device or "coin run
may be a zigzagged or a spiral channel
in which the coin will slowly travel either sliding on its side or running on its edge
as most convenient. For edge running I construct the coin run as illustrated in
the broken plan, Fig. 5 and enlarged cross-sections Figs. 6 and 7.
The run may
be U, V or shaped in section, about of an inch deep, and of width slightly in
excess of that of the coin. The ends of the inclines are stopped by end plates and
at the lower end of each the material is cut away and neatly turned down so as to
allow the coin to fall easily into the return incline. Above each incline I fix a
pair of wire coin-guides wat such height as will suffice to guide either a penny D
or a halfpenny d as illustrated in Figs. 1 and 6. In order to equalise the value
given for different coins received (for example, pence and halfpence) at any point
say half way down the run, I raise the level of the wires w so that a halfpenny
will cease to be supported thereby and fall out, when the device would return to
normal position; while a penny would be guided and continue its run to the base.
The device is so suspended and balanced that the counter-weights W normally hold
it at the top of its stroke, but so that the weight of the coin during its descent will
overcome the weight and depress the whole and the lever or levers L from which it
depends for a pre-arranged time which may be regulated by the length of the run
and consequent duration of travel given to the coin; or the timing device may
take the form of an endless band running over rollers mounted in a frame and
having buckets adapted to receive the coin and which band will be slowly rotated
by the weight of the coin, the whole arrangement being suspended to the lever L
as above described. The depression of the device and its connections serves to
alter the backward inclination of the picture P to a suitable forward inclination,
the parts taking the positions shown dotted in Fig. 1, and then the light being
admitted at the back reveals the transparency or other device which changes the
original aspect or character of the picture in the desired manner. It will be
obvious that the picture or equivalent object may be divided up into various squares
or sections each having its own transparency or changing medium so as for
example to illustrate a complete story, in which case cach such square or section
would have its peephole a opposite to it in the casing. Such an arrangement is
indicated in Fig. 4 and in such cases the pictures would or might be separated from
each other by suitable internal compartments.
The forward inclination of the picture is limited by its engaging a suitable cross-
bar such as a or the lever L may engage any conveniently arranged stop. When
the coin arrives at the bottom of the timing device it falls into the locked receiver b,
and its weight being removed the whole timing device is returned to normal position
by the counterweight or weights or equivalent spring action acting on the lever or
levers L. The drawings show a platform C fixed in front of the apparatus with
side rails c for the convenience of children.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this inveu-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :-
(1). A coin-operated peepshow apparatus in which a picture, view, or other
object is normally visible through a peephole or holes, but on insertion of a coin
the position and aspect of the picture or equivalent are changed for a given time
at the lapse of which it will resume its normal position and aspect, substantially, in
the manner hereinabove described and illustrated.
(2). The construction and arrangement of the movable pendent timing device or

page_text: coin run adapted to be depressed by the weight of an inserted coin and to remain
depressed until relieved of the weight thereof for the purpose of automatically
obtaining a movement capable of adjustment to any required period of time,
substantially as set forth.
(3). In a coin-operated apparatus such as above described, the combination of
the pendent timing device described and claimed with the arrangement of the
picture or object P and the lever or levers L and connections, substantially as
shown for the purpose specified.
.
ՆԵԽՆ
For the Applicant,
J. C. CHAPMAN,
70, Chancery Lane, London, W.C., Chartered Patent Agent.