Improvements relating to Apparatus for the Automatic Delivery of Goods, the Display of Advertisements, the Imparting of Electric Shocks, and similar Purposes.
Year: 1887

page_text: Date of Application, 19th July, 1887
Complete Left, 18th Apr., 1888
Complete Accepted, 19th July, 1888
Improvements relating to Apparatus for the Automatic Delivery of
Goods, the Display of Advertisements, the Imparting of Electric
Shocks, and similar Purposes.
I JOHN STEWART WALLACE of Cliftonville Avenue, Belfast, in the County of
Antrim Ireland, Timber Merchant, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to
be as follows:-
My invention relates to apparatus for the automatic delivery of cigarettes, sweets,
newspapers, or other goods or articles; for the display of advertisements; the
imparting of electric shocks; or any other operation of which such apparatus are
capable, the delivery or other desired effect being caused, or rendered possible, by the
deposit of a coin or coins.
One object of the present invention is to provide simple and direct means for
causing, or permitting, the coin to operate the mechanism for effecting the delivery
or other desired operation, this part of my said invention being carried into practice
in the following manner that is to say, I provide a narrow case preferably of rectangular
form, which is of such dimensions that it will receive and hold edgewise the coin
which is intended to be used, say, for example, a penny. This case is open at one
edge and within the opening a lever is pivotted at its upper end so as to be capable of
swinging to and fro, into and out of the case. This lever is so formed that, when in
its normal position, it occupies a portion of the space within the case in such manner
as to present an inclined edge which renders the space available for the coin gradually
less in a downward direction that is to say, from the top to the bottom of the case.
This swinging lever is held normally in this position by means of a suitable spring
the resistance of which is overcome by the act of forcing the coin through the case,
the lever being thus pushed outward by the direct action of the coin itself which is
in contact therewith." The coin having been dropped into the case, operated by a
suitable push-piece or lever accessible to the customer, and the necessary mechanism
for effecting the delivery of the goods or other operation is suitably connected with
the aforesaid swinging lever.

page_text: Another part of my present invention consists in providing a sliding plate or
carrier of special construction for receiving from the hopper or receptacle, and
delivering to the customer, the cigarettes or other articles. This plate or carrier is
made with a solid part so situated as to lie ordinarily beneath the hopper, instead of
with a cavity at this point, and I provide a cavity in the said carrier immediately
adjoining this solid part. In the operation of the apparatus, the plate or carrier being
pushed inward, the cavity comes into coincidence with the hopper and receives the
cigarette or other article only at such times as the delivery thereof is required, and
thus the liability of two articles being delivered, instead of one, is obviated. After
the article has dropped into the cavity of the plate or carrier, the forward motion of
the latter brings the article over the delivery chute and it is thus delivered to the
customer, the lower end of the hopper being, at the same time, closed again by the
solid part of the plate or carrier.
When using automatic apparatus for the delivery of newspapers or the like I
enclose the same within wrappers of cardboard or stiff paper which not only confines
the said newspapers in a compact and convenient form but may also be used as a
medium for advertisements of various kinds.
It may be desirable, in some cases, to provide a series of the swinging levers
herein before referred to so that more coins than one may be dropped into the apparatus
at one and the same time the levers being so connected with the external push piece
or lever as to be simultaneously operated thereby.
It is obvious that instead of coin I may use any equivalent therefor.
In some cases I may provide a series of advertisements upon an endless band or
upon a disc or drum so connected with the push bar or lever that the whole of the
advertisements may be successively displayed without any payment. This arrange-
ment may be applied to any suitable automatic apparatus whether provided, or not
provided, with the above described swinging lever."
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C.,
Agents for the Applicant.

page_text: Improvements relating to Apparatus for the Automatic Delivery of
Goods, the Display of Advertisements, the Imparting of Electric
! Shocks, and similar Purposes.
I, JOHN STEWART WALLACE, of Cliftonville Avenue, Belfast, in the County of
Antrim, Ireland, Timber Merchant, 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 :-
My invention relates to apparatus for receiving payments and giving value in
exchange therefor, that is to say for permitting a person to obtain for instance one or
more articles or certain information by inserting a coin or coins of the proper size
into the apparatus and operating the said apparatus from the outside thereof by means
of a push piece handle or other device provided for the purpose.
One object of my present invention is to so construct the apparatus that the
mechanism thereof which is, under ordinary conditions, inoperative will be made
operative by the insertion of one or more coins into the said apparatus or will be
actuated by the coin or coins inserted therein.
In the accompanying drawings I have shown how my said invention may be
conveniently and advantageously carried into practice.
Figure 1 is a side elevation of one form of my improved apparatus, one of the
doors being removed.
Figure 2 is a plan of the said apparatus, the top or cover being removed.
Figure 3 is a vertical section on the line x, x, Figure 1.
Figure 4, is a vertical longitudinal central section, and
Figure 5 a section on the line a¹, ¹ Figure 4, showing a modification of my said
invention, hereinafter described.
Like letters indicate corresponding parts throughout the drawings.
A is the box or case of the apparatus, B is the slit or slot for the insertion of the
coin or coins. is a hopper for containing cigarettes or other articles.
a is a lever fixed upon a spindle a* by means of which it is pivoted at a¹ to the
front of the hopper C. The lower extremity of the lever a is provided with a plate or
carrier 6 having a slot 61 adapted to contain one of the cigarettes or other articles.
The slot is normally under the aperture c in the bottom of the hopper C. The
cigarette or other article is prevented from falling through the slot by the plate d.
The lever a is provided with a slot a directly opposite guide pieces e placed at either
side of the slot or slit B. A pin a³ is fixed in the slot a in such a manner that when
a coin of the proper size is inserted in the slot B, it will be retained in a vertical
position edgewise by the slot a² and the guide pieces e and will rest upon the pin a³,
and upon a shoulder e below the slot B between the guide pieces e. A suitable push
piece provided with a spring f' is arranged in such a manner that it can be actuated
from the outside of the box or cover A so as actuate the mechanism of the apparatus
directly by the said coin in the manner hereinafter described.
g is a receptacle for the coins, h is a chute through which the cigarettes or other
articles are delivered to the trough i from which they can be removed by hand.
The lever a is moreover provided with an extension at which bears against a plate c²
pivoted at ein the front of the hopper C. The plate e² is provided with a spring c
which tends to keep the same in a slanting or inclined position. The said spring c
acts moreover through the medium of the plate cand the extension a¹ to maintain the

page_text: lever a in its normal position, and to return it to this position after each operation of
the apparatus.
For closing the aperture B when all the cigarettes or other articles are delivered
from the hopper C, I provide a shutter j pivoted at and acted upon by a spring
which tends to keep it in a closed position. When the hopper C is full of cigarettes
or other articles the said shutter j is held open by a catch k pivoted at k¹ to a bracket /
attached to the side of the box or case A. The catch k is provided with a spring k² to
retain the same in connection with the shutter j, the said catch k is also provided with
a projection k³. A ratchet wheel m the spindle m¹ of which is carried in suitable
bearings in the brackets l, is so arranged as to be moved forward one tooth, every
time the mechanism is actuated, by means of a pawl n carried by an extension a³ of
the spindle a✶ a second pawl n' is moreover provided to prevent backward movement
of the said ratchet-wheel. The ratchet-wheel m is provided with a projection m³ which
when the said wheel has made one complete revolution bears against the projection k³
upon the catch k and moving the said catch releases the shutter ; which is moved by
the spring to close the aperture B. The number of teeth upon the ratchet-wheel m
corresponds with that of the cigarettes or other articles in the hopper C.
The operation of the apparatus is as follows that is to say, when a coin of the proper
size is inserted through the slit or slot B it falls in a vertical position edgewise between
the guide pieces e and the slot a² as above described and rests upon the pin a³, and the
shoulder e. Upon pressing down the push piece f the coin is forced past the pin a³
and the shoulder e' thereby moving the lever a and the plate or carrier b, the slot b¹
of which is thus caused to coincide with the chute h down which the cigarette or other
article falls from the said slot, b₁ into the trough or tray i from which it can be
removed by hand. The coin then falls into the receptacle g, and the lever a and plate
or carrier & returning to their normal position, another cigarette or other article falls
from the hopper C into the slot b¹.
The cigarettes or other articles in the hopper C are shaken at each operation of the
apparatus by the turning of the plate upon its pivot by means of the extension at of
the lever a, the articles are thus prevented from sticking or jamming in the said
hopper. The slit or slot B is closed as above described when all the cigarettes or other
articles are thus delivered from the said hopper C.
Figures 4 and 5 illustrate a modification of my invention wherein the plate or
carrier 6 is attached to the extremity of a spring o. The spring o is provided with a
projection o extending into a coin chute p. The chute p is so arranged that a coin of
the requisite size and weight inserted into the slit or slot B, will fall down the said
chute P and striking the projection o¹ edgewise cause the movement of the said
spring o and the plate or carrier b so that the slot b' in the latter coincides with the
chute and the cigarette or other article will fall into the trough or tray i, from
which it can be removed by hand. The plate or carrier 6 is moreover provided with
a guard plate 6 which supports the column of cigarettes in the hopper C until the
said plate or carrier has resumed its normal position. The coin after having thus
actuated the mechanism falls into the receptacle g in the bottom of the box or
case A.
I sometimes modify my invention as follows, that is to say, I provide a sliding
plate or carrier for receiving from the hopper or receptacle and delivering to the
customer the cigarettes or other articles. This plate or carrier is made with a solid
part so situated as to lie ordinarily beneath the hopper instead of with a cavity at this
point, and I provide a cavity in the said carrier immediately adjoining this solid part.
In the operation of the apparatus, the plate or carrier being pushed inward, the cavity
comes into coincidence with the hopper and receives the cigarette or other article
only at such times as the delivery thereof is required and thus the liability of two
articles being delivered instead of one is obviated. After the article has dropped into
the cavity of the plate or carrier the forward motion of the latter brings the article
over the delivery chute and it is thus delivered to the customer the lower end of the 5
hopper being at the same time closed again by the solid part of the plate or carrier.
In a further modification of my apparatus intended for the delivery of newspapers.

page_text: or the like I enclose the same within wrappers of cardboard or stiff paper which not
only confines the said newspapers in a compact and convenient form but may also be
used as a medium for advertisements of various kinds.
It may be desirable in some cases to provide a series of the swinging levers herein-
before referred to so that more coins than one may be dropped into the apparatus at
one and the same time, the levers being so connected with the external push-piece or
lever as to be simultaneously operated thereby.
I sometimes moreover dispense with the arrangement hereinbefore described for
closing the slit or slot through which the coin or coins are inserted into the apparatus
when all the cigarettes or other articles are delivered, and form the top of the box or
case of glass, or provide a suitable window in the same so that any person can tell
whether there are any cigarettes or other articles in the hopper before inserting a
coin, or coins into the apparatus.
It is obvious that instead of coins I may use any equivalent therefor.
In some cases I may provide a series of advertisements upon an endless band, or
upon a disc or drum so connected with the push bar, or lever that the whole of the
advertisements may be successively displayed without any payment. This arrangement
may be applied to any suitable automatic apparatus whether provided or not provided
with the above described swinging lever.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what
I claim is:-
First. An apparatus for the purposes above specified, so constructed that, by operating
a push-piece or other device from the outside thereof after the insertion of a coin or
coins therein, the mechanism will be operated or released directly by the passage of
the said coin or coins between a movable part of the said mechanism and a stationary
guide substantially as hereinfore described.
Second. The swinging lever or spring having at its lower extremity a slotted plate
or carrier or equivalent device and arranged to be operated by a coin or coins inserted
in the apparatus or by means of a push-piece or other device acting upon the said
coin or coins, substantially as, and for the purposes, set forth.
Third. The combination, with the swinging lever, of the pins shoulders or stops
which retain or support a coin when inserted in the apparatus, and between which
the said coin is pushed to operate the said lever, substantially as, and for the
purpose set forth.
Fourth. The swinging lever provided with the extension for oscillating the pivoted
part of the hopper, substantially as, and for the purpose set forth.
Fifth. The improved means for closing the slit or slot for the insertion of the coins
when all the cigarettes or other articles are delivered from the apparatus, comprising
the shutter, the catch, the ratchet wheel actuated by means of a pawl upon an exten-
sion of the spindle carrying the swinging lever, and suitable springs, substantially as
described.
Sixth. The improved apparatus for receiving payments and delivering value in
exchange therefor, consisting of the parts constructed and combined substantially as
described with reference to either of the forms or modifications shown in the accom-
panying drawings and operating as above set forth.
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London,
Agents for the Applicant.