Improvements in Automatic Machines for Indicating the Force of a Kick.
Year: 1891

page_text: Date of Application, 29th Aug., 1891
Complete Specification Left, 23rd June, 1892-Accepted, 27th Aug., 1892
· PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Automatic Machines for Indicating the Force of
a Kick.
I, ALEXANDER BARR, of 141, Hill Street, Glasgow, in the County of Lanark,
North Britain, Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows, that is to say :-
My said invention has for its object to provide for football players and others
apparatus to enable them to ascertain the degree of force each is capable of
exerting by a kick, the apparatus being contrived to allow of an indication, and
only one, being obtained every time a coin is inserted in a slot.
In carrying out the invention, there is fixed at the lower part of a suitable frame
or casing a football or equivalent vessel of flexible material charged with com-
pressed air, and which communicates through a pipe with a pressure gauge. The
football or equivalent is enclosed by a door which has to be opened by a person
intending to try his kick, but which is held shut by a catch until released by the
action of the coin inserted into the slot. The kick by further compressing the air
in the football or equivalent, causes the gauge index to show the force exerted.
The compressed air at the same time by acting on a piston in a cylinder or in a
small bellows or by the movement of the football or vessel causes a valve ou the
connecting pipe to be closed so as to prevent further action on the gauge, and the
door is at the same time closed and secured by its catch. The valve is opened on
another coin being inserted, and the actions already described are repeated.
The gauge index may be arranged to carry a small representation of a football
which is raised upon a dial or indicator face to a height corresponding to the force
of the kick.
Dated this Twenty-nighth day of August 1801
EDMUND HUNT,
Applicant's Agent.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Automatic Machines for Indicating the Force of
a Kick.
I, ALEXANDER BARR, of 141, Hill Street, Glasgow, in the County of Lanark,
North Britain, 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, that is to say:-
My said invention has for its object to provide for football players and others
apparatus to enable them to ascertain the degree of force each is capable of
exerting by a kick, the apparatus being contrived to allow of an indication, and
only one, being obtained every time a coin is insorted in a slot.
In carrying out the invention there is fixed at the lower part of a suitable frame
or casing a football or equivalent vessel charged with compressed air, and which
communicates through a pipe with a pressure gauge. The vessel is enclosed by
doors which have to be opened by a person intending to try his kick but which are
held shut by a catch until released by the action of the coin inserted in the slot..
The kick by further compressing the air in the football causes the gauge index to
show the force exerted. Immediately the kick has taken place the doors close and
are secured by the catch the same actions being repeated when another coin is
inserted.

page_text: :
4
-'P
"
And in order that my said invention and the manner of performing the same may
be properly understood I hereunto append two sheets of explanatory drawings to
be hereinafter referred to,and showing, an example of my improved automatic
machine for indicating the force of a kick.
Figure; 1, on Sheet; 1, of 'the drawings is a 'front elevation,
Figure, 2, is a vertical section asut right angles to Figure, 1, and
Figure, 3, is a horizontal section as taken immediately below the slot for receiving
the coin.
Figure, 4, on Sheet, 2, is a vertical section as at right angles to Figure, 2, and
drawn to a larger scale.
In these drawings the same reference letters and numerals are used to mark the
same or like parts wherever they are repeated.
As shown in the drawings there is fixed at the lower part of a suitable frame or
casing, A, in a bracket, A1, fixed to the bottom of the casing by bolts, A 2, and to
the back of the casing by a stud, A 3, a football or equivalent vessel, B, charged
with compressed air, and which communicates by menus of a pipe, B 1, a small
bellows, C, a connecting rod, D, a rack D I, and pinion, D 2, with a pressure gauge
or indicator, E. The football or equivalent, B, is enclosed by doors, F, when the
machine is not in operation. A person intending to try bis kick drops a coin in a
slot, G, provided for the purpose, and which is inclined so that the coin slides down.
it and dropping into a box, G 1, the bottom of which is inclined and which is fixed
on'the end of a lever catch; G 2, swinging on a centre, G 3, depresses the end, G4,
of the catch. The depression of the end; G 4, of the catch, G 2, releases a bar, H,
''which is held securely by the other end, of the catch which fits into a recess, HI,
in the bar and into similar recesses in small plates, H 2, fixed on the sides of a
stationary bar, J, securely bolted to the back and front plates of the casing, A.
The movable bar, II, has then to be drawn out by means of the. handle, H3,
attached to its end whereupon it causes a catch; K, by means of a pin, K I, screwed
in the bar, to raise a gag, L. When the gag, L, has been sufficiently raised the
bar, H, at the same time being drawn out, the doors, F, begin to open owing to the
action of a cam shaped block, L 1, bolted to the movable bar, on brackets, L 2,1on
axial bars, F1, which are fixed to or formed ou and turn with the doors;..and when
the bar has been drawn out until stopped by a pin, M, fixed in it at a convenient
distance back from the boss, M1, the football or equivalent, B, is disclosed and
the catch, G 2, carrying the coin is depressed until it sits on the bottom of a
recess, P, cut in the movable bar, II, at a suitable place. The catch, G2, has in
one side of the box, G1, fixed on its end, G4, a slot Q, which when the catch is
fully, depressed comes opposite-a similar slot in a coin slide, Q1, bolted to the side
of the fixed bar, J, and when the catch, G2, is fully depressed the coin 'moves
freely through the slot, Q, down the slide, Q1, and drops into a box, Q2, fastened
to the side of the machine. The movable bar, H, having been brought back to its
original position by a spring, Q3, the person kicks the ball, B, and the compressed
air expands the bellows, C, causing the rack, D1, which slides in fixed guides; R,
to turn the pinion, D 2, which is carried by a bracket, R 1, and the gauge index, R 2,
is moved correspondingly being fixed on the same spindle as the pinion. The
bellows, C, in expanding lifts the gag, L, and the doors, F, being released.close by
action of springs, S, regulated by air cylinders, S1. Parts, S2, S3; of the sides
of the casing, A, are constructed so as to be removable; the upper parts being
'fastened at the top by catches, S 4, and at the bottom by buttons, So, in, the inside
while the 'bottom parts, S3, are similarly fastened at the top and are secured by a
lock, T, in the inside at the bottom. The upper plates; S2, are made with
divisions, S 6, ou the outside on which advertisements can be placed; and a part, U,
of the front plate can be similarly employed. A plate, U 1, bolted on to the front
plate is employed for carrying whatever instructions. may be deemed necessary to
enable any person to use the machine. The top, V, of the casing, A, is inclined so
that any water falling there may escape by the hole, Vily made in its back. The
gauge index, R2, is arranged to carry a small representation, R 3, of a football
'

page_text: which is raised upon a dial or indicator. face, E, to a height corresponding to the
force of the kick. If desired a box (Q2) for receiving the money may be arranged
on each side instead of as shown on one ouly. To prevent noise when the bar, H,
is being pushed back a piece of rubber, H 4, or other suitable material is let into
the back plate to be struck by the bar and bosses, W, with rubber let into them
are arranged for the doors to strike if violently pulled open.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed 1 declare that what I
claim is :-
:-
1. The combination and arrangement of parts constituting my improved automatic
machine for indicating the force of a kick substantially as heroinbefore described
and as shown in the accompanying drawings.
2. In automatic machines for indicating the force of a kick, a football or
equivalent vessel charged with compressed air and communicating with a pressure
gauge, or equivalent and an indicator, the football and other parts being enclosed
in a casing made with doors the opening of which is actuated by mechaniem
controlled by the action of a coin inserted in a slot the parts being all arranged
and operating substantially as and for the purposes hereinbefore described.
Dated this Twenty-second day of June 1892.
EDMUND HUNT,
Applicant's Agent.