Improvements in Coin Freed Apparatus and Appliances therefor.
Year: 1888

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Coin Freed Apparatus and Appliances therefor.
HELEN ALICIA BURT, of 82, Lupus Street, London, S.W., artist, do hereby declare
the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
My Invention consists in and relates essentially to improvements in the mechanism
of coin freed apparatus and is applicable to any machine which delivers goods
supplies information, displays pictures advertisements or objects of interest or gives
value in exchange or operates mechanism in exchange for coin.
Its object is to prevent machines for the above purposes, or the like, being operated
by spurious coin such as lead iron glass or pot.
My Invention is in many respects similar to that described in my Specification
No. 15,570 1887 for displaying information in exchange for coin but I have made
certain improvements in my present invention, and adapted it to delivery boxes and
other purposes.
The apparatus can be fitted to most of the existing machines which are actuated by
coin.
To more particularly describe the nature of my invention and its mode of
working I give the following particulars.
The slit for receiving the coin is preferably placed in the upper part of the
apparatus and, in the normal position of the machine. is open, upon the insertion of
a coin it passes down the money slide in which I place a magnet or pair of contacts
from an electric battery.
The coin can pass directly over the magnets or contacts or directly under them
and a lever or attachment is provided to detach iron from the magnets or contacts
and also to divert the money slide, or a portion of it. The money slide and the
magnets are not affected by the weight of the coin but both or either of them are
moved by the mechanism of the machine.
In some cases I use a separate money hopper or box where good coin is
separated from spurious but in other cases I provide a sorting chamber in the slide
or tube itself or the tube itself forms the sorting chamber.
In cases where I use a separate money hopper the coin whether good or spurious
slides freely down the money tube into it.
The hopper is preferably formed with sloping sides and a moving end, through
the money hopper I cause to pass a bar or lever with one or more points attached
and actuated by a handle for pulling out the drawer or working the mechanism, or
by a separate handle or push bar or fast attachment.
Instead of providing the moving bar with the points attached, I can attach the
points to one or other of the sides of the hopper.
When the bar with the points attached or the side of the hopper to which they
are fixed moves against the coin, or the coin is moved against the points it forces
open the moving side of money hopper till a catch engages with it, and on the
return of the lever the coin falls out into the ordinary money slide of existing
machines on the other hand should lead have been put into the money slide..it
will be detained on the points of the bar or side of hopper against which it has
been forced until it is removed by mechanism provided therefor. Should the article
inserted be glass or pot or the like the points will splinter it into fragments and
mechanism is operated to expel them from the hopper.
To the moving side of hopper or other convenient part of the mechanism I
connect attachments and levers that close the money slot and it remains closed till
the handle or footboard reverts to its normal condition or the spurious coin may on
Pic 871

page_text: falling from the magnets or from the lead slide impinge on or actuate a catch which
releases the moving side of the hopper and causes the money slot to reopen, the
spurious coin on passing from the machine can be caused to operate electric or other
bell mechanism for the purpose of raising an alarm.
In some cases I employ minute photographic apparatus which operating instan-
ianeously from the inside of the apparatus will preserve the features of the person
attempting to operate the machine fraudulently.
In some cases where the sorting chamber is constructed in the moving slide
itself I place a moveable stop in the slide which arrest the good or spurious coin in
its descent, immediately opposite the place where the coin stops I provide a series
of points or serrations which being actuated by mechanism impinge on the coin and at
the same time remove or divert the stop in such a manner that the coin if good will
pass down the money slide but if soft will be retained by the points or serrations
and is diverted into a different channel or receptacle.
In some case I may hinge the money slide at a convenient point and by mechanism
move it so that fixed points will pierce through openings provided therefor and
attach to the spurious or soft coin and diverting the money slide or a portion of it
cause the soft coin to pass through a separate channel. I may also provide a table
on which coin is deposited and upon which it is sorted by moving points or the points
may be fixed and the table caused to move by mechanism.
Dated this 10th dor of Now 1000
Improvements in Coin Freed Apparatus and Appliances therefor.
I, HELEN ALICIA BURT. of 124, Cheyne Walk, London, S.W., 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 consists in and relates essentially to improvements in the mechanism
of coin freed apparatus, and is applicable to any machine which delivers goods,
supplies information, displays pictures, advertisements, or objects of interest, or gives
value. or operates mechanism in exchange for coin.
Its object is to prevent machines for the above purposes, or the like, being operated
by spurious coin. such as lead and iron, glass or pot.
My invention is, in many respects, similar to that described in my Specification
No. 15,570, 1887, for displaying advertisements and supplying information in
exchange for coin, but I have made certain improvements in my present invention,
and adapted it to delivery boxes and other purposes.
The apparatus can be fitted to most of the existing machines which are actuated
by a coin.
The nature of my invention and its mode of working may be briefly described as
follows:-
The slit for receiving the coin is preferably placed in the upper part of the
apparatus, and, in the normal position of the machine, is open. Upon the insertion
of a coin, it passes down the money slide, in which I place a magnet or pair of
contacts from an electric battery. The coin can pass directly over the magnets or
contacts or directly under them, and a lever or attachment is provided to detach iron
from the magnet or contacts, and also to divert the money slide or a portion of it.
The money slide and the magnets are not affected by the weight of the coin, but
both or either of them are moved by the mechanism of the machine.
In some cases, I use a separate money hopper or box where good coin is separated
from spurious, but in other cases I provide a sorting chamber in the slide or tube
itself, or the tube itself forms the sorting chamber.

page_text: In cases where I use a separate money hopper, the coin, whether good or spurious,
slides freely down the money tube into it.
The hopper is preferably formed with sloping sides and a moving end. Through
the money hopper I cause to pass a bar or lever, preferably with one or more points
attached, and actuated by a handle for pulling out the drawer or working the
mechanism, or by a separate handle or push bar or foot attachment.
Instead of providing the moving bar with the points attached, I can attach the
points to one or other of the sides of the hopper.
When the bar with the points attached or the side of the hopper to which they are
fixed, moves against the coin, it forces open the moving side of money hopper till a
catch engages with it, and, on the return of the lever, the coin falls out into the
ordinary money slide of existing machines. On the other hand, should lead have
been put into the money slide, it will be detained on the points of the bar or side of
hopper, until is removed, as hereinafter described.
Should the article inserted be glass or pot or the like, the points will splinter it
into fragments, and they at once fall from the hopper.
To the moving side of hopper or other convenient part of the mechanism, I connect
attachments and levers that close the money slot, and it remains closed till the handle
or footboard reverts to its normal condition. Or the spurious coin may, on falling
from the magnets or from the lead slide. impinge on, or actuate a catch which
releases the moving side of the hopper. as in the machine set forth in my Patent
Specification No. 15,570 of 1887. The spurious coin, on passing from the hopper can
be caused to operate electric or other bell mechanism for the purpose of raising an
alarm, as in the above Specification No. 15,570 of 1887.
In some cases I employ minute photographic apparatus which, operating instan-
taneously from the inside of the apparatus, will preserve the features of the person
attempting to operate the machine fraudulently.
In some cases where the sorting chamber is constructed in the moving slide itself,
I place a movable stop in the slide which arrests the good or spurious coin in its
descent. Immediately opposite the place where the coin stops. I provide a series of
points or serrations, which, being actuated by mechanism, impinge on the coin and, at
the same time, remove or divert the stop, in such a manner that on the return of
said points the coin, if good, will pass down the money slide, but if soft, will be
retained by the points or serrations and be directed into a different channel, or
receptacle.
The precise manner in which I prefer to carry out the invention may be understood
by the following detailed description, reference being had to the accompanying
drawings.
In these.
Figures and 2 represent a side and front elevation of a machine (with the sides
of the case removed), which is worked by a push bar (or its equivalent) from the
outside and they show the gear in the position it would assume when the genuine coin
has been inserted. and the push bar is pressed home.
and b, and e is the
the fixed side of the
the sloping sides of
b is the push bar which is provided with the collars b', b,
frame work of the showcase through which it works. h is
hopper and is the moving side of the hopper. ", " are
the hopper (one preferably being on hand the other on h¹). is the pivot of the
moving side of the hopper, and a is the detent or serrated bent lever which engages
with the moving side of the hopper and is pivoted at f, having at its other end an
arm long enough to engage with or strike the collar bon the push-bar on its
return stroke. dis the duct down which genuine coins pass to the money hopper,
and d is the duct down which a spurious coin is conveyed without operating the
machine. is the duct leading from the hopper to the money drawer or receptacle,
or in some cases, to the actuating mechanism of machines to which the gear is
attached. S' is the spring which returns the moving side of the hopper to its
position when the coin' has fallen out and the pressure been removed from the push

page_text: bar. c is the coin shute through which the coin is inserted into the machine, and
m is the magnet or magnets which protrude through the coin shute when the
machine is in its normal condition. c¹ and c" are detached portions of the coin
shute, which assume the position shown by the dotted lines when the machine is in its
normal condition. cis pivoted at f, and c is pivoted at n. c is a curved bar or
plate which is attached to the portion of coin shute c', and works through a slot or
groove cut in coin shute c. S is a spring which assists to return coin shute c' to its
normal position, as shown in dotted lines, when the apparatus is not in operation, and
I is a lever provided at one end with a slot in which a pin works, the said pin being
attached to one end of coin shute c", and the other or shorter end of the lever l being
connected by a pin to a projection on coin shute c¹. is a connecting link also
connected to the lug y on c', the other end being connected to lever is a
lever pivoted at t, and one end of which is connected to connecting link and
controlled by the collars b" and on push-bar. b' is a collar on push-bar which
controls its range of travel, and a' is a slot in the edges h and h' of money hopper,
large enough to allow clearance for the lever a to engage the serrated edges on the
side h. p is a coin held against the sloping sides "h", which are wide enough to
allow a halfpenny to fall through. e is the front of the machine, and e¹ the side.
xx are two holes in hinged shute c', to allow the arms of the magnet to protrude, and
k is a crossbar or guard to prevent coins from jumping over or out of the shute c".
is a lip on the lower side of the shute c", which rests near up to the magnet m and
prevents the good coin from getting under the shute c" after it has slid over the
magnet m. This lip is in close contact with the upper side of the shute c', when the
slide is in its normal position: In some cases, however, I prefer to dispense with
the pivot and attachments for moving c¹ and attach them to the magnet m instead
(which is, in this case, movable instead of fixed), so that, on pressure being applied to
the push-bar b, the coin slide c" will be tilted and the magnet m withdrawn from
the coin slide c¹ simultaneously. The machine shown in Figures 1 and 2 is worked as
follows:- =
of
When a genuine coin is inserted at c, it slides down the coin shutes c, c' and c¹¹
into the duct d, and thence into the hopper h, where it is held by the sloping
sides "h", if it be of the proper size (if it be too small it falls out). If the bar b is
now pushed by the operator, it strikes against the coin pand opens the side
hopper, till one of the catches on lever a engages with it and keeps it in that position.
The movement of the side h! may operate or release the mechanism of any well
known description, to give value in exchange for the coin so put in; or the coin may
pass down into the duct d", and operate or release mechanism for the same
purpose. If, however, no coin has been put into the shute c, and the bar bis pushed
in, it will pass through an opening on the hinged side, and will not actuate the
machine. When the operator releases the pressure from the push-bar b, the
collar actuated by the springs (by means of the levers and parts and c¹)
strikes the end of the bent lever a, and puts the catches or serrations thereon out of
gear. The hinged side of hopper will now return to its normal position, being
assisted by the spring s¹. If, however, an iron disc has been put into the machine
at c, it slides down the shute cand c¹ till it is caught by the magnetm. When the
operator pushes in the push-bar b. the lever is moved into the position shown,
and the two shutes c¹ and care tilted. c assumes such a position that it closes
the entrance to the duct d. and, at the same time, c¹ detaches the disc from the
magnet m, and the said disc slides down and falls into duct d', and is conveyed
away from the working parts of the machine. Should great force be employed in
detaching a disc from the magnet, the shute c' will throw the disc against the back of
shute c. The machine is then returned to its normal position by the spring s, on
the pressure being released from the push-bar b. The guard e prevents coins being
inserted after pressure has been applied to the push-bar.
The stop b prevents the push-bar coming back too far. The slot or opening in the 5
shute c, through which c" works, is sufficiently large to clear itself of cardboard,

page_text: pins, etcetera. In fact, a coin of predetermined size may only be conveyed by its
edges in passing along the shute.
In order to prevent leaden discs or similar soft articles from passing through the
hopper h h and freeing the mechanism, the push bar bis provided at its inner end
with one or more hard sharp points b, which, when the side h' is pushed open are
pressed into such soft article and retain the same, so that on the return of the push
bar b, the said article, instead of falling down the duct dis carried backwards
until it strikes the side of the money box, when it is detached from the points b³
and falls down the duct onto the dash pan n as hereinafter described.
The points might be attached to the side of the hopper, which would in this
case be made movable, and be pushed inwards with the side h' by the bar b. On the
return of the bar b, the hinged side his retained in its open position, as before
described, while the side h returns with the bar carrying the spurious article with it.
the latter being shaken off or detached by any suitable abutment or catch, and
deposited in the duct d
It is thus seen that the money box, in conjunction with the points b, forms a sorting
chamber for leaden discs or the like. This chamber instead of being placed at the
lower end of the duct d, may be located in, or form part of, the duct itself, or it may
even be placed in, or form part of, the moving coin slide or shute c¹ c¹, the con-
nections between the bar b and side h' being of course modified accordingly.
When the sorting chamber is constructed within the moving slide itself, I may
use instead of the sloping sides " Figure 2 for fetaining the coin a movable stop
which projects into the slide and arrests the progress of the coin (whether spurious or
good) until such time as the points are pressed firmly against it. The further
movement of the points or their connections acts to withdraw the stop from the slide,
and it remains withdrawn therefrom as long as the hinged side of the sorting
chamber is held in its open position, so that on the withdrawal of the points be there
is nothing to prevent the coin (whether good or spurious) falling down its proper
slide or duct.
Figures 3, 4 and 5 represent side elevation, front elevation, and plan respectively,
of a machine for delivering cigarettes or other goods in exchange for coin.
The machine is fitted with a drawer for pulling out the articles to be delivered
which drawer may be locked by any coin freed device till liberated by the action,
preferably, of a falling coin. My attachment shown thereon is to prevent the
machine being actuated by iron discs. In this machine, m is a magnet or set of
magnets, and m' m' are two bars forming a slipper path for the magnet to move on.
11 is a lever pivoted about and is a pin or its equivalent in the drawer b
actuating the lever 11.
cccare rods or strips forming a grid, and also one side of the path of the
spurious coin slide d' through which the end of the magnet m passes. p represents an
iron disc caught on the magnet m. c is the money shute, and d is the shute for good
coin, communicating with c. e is the front of the machine, and e' e' are the sides of
the apparatus.
The action of the apparatus is as follows:-
:―
In order to procure the articles in the machine, the drawer has to be pulled out but
the recess in the drawer which carries the articles will not conie clear of the front of
the machine till unlocked by a coin, preferably falling onto a balanced tray
or other well known device. When the operator however inserts a good coin
at c it passes down the money shute d and unlocks or liberates a catch and allows the
recess in the drawer to come clear of the front of the machine, and the article can
then be removed. If, however, an iron disc or ring has been inserted at c, it slides
down the upper portion of the shute d until caught by the magnet m, and when the
operator pulls the drawer, the lever is moved, and causes the magnet to draw the
iron disc through an opening provided in the back of the shute d, until the disc p
strikes against the bars or grid c" "c", when it is knocked off the magnet and falls
down the shute d', where it is either conveyed away or is rendered inoperative to
unlock the mechanism of the machine.

page_text: In nearly all machines the drawer has to be pushed back by the operator, but in
machines fitted with my attachment as described above, preferably provide a springs
which brings the drawer back to its position shown in the drawing.
The springs may be attached to the lever, as shown, or to the drawer or other
suitable place; or a weight may be used instead of a spring.
To preserve the features of a person attemptingto operatethe machine fraudulently,
the following device may be employed, reference being had to Figure 6.
The duct for spurious iron articles and the duct for leaden ones (herein-
before described) both have their exit above a dash pan n which is pivoted at n' and
is connected by a rearward extension n and a link n² to an angled lever " pivoted
at n*.
N is a very small camera which is located behind a minute opening N in
the wall of the cabinet and at about the height of the operator's face. N is a rod
attached to the dark slide of the camera which is provided with a suitable slit or
hole to give an instantaneous exposure to the sensitized surface when the slide is
released. A spring N which is introduced between the bottom of the camera and a
collar N on the rod N2, tends always to force the dark slide downwards. This
downward movement is prevented by a catch № which is carried by the depending
arm of the angle lever n³ and engages the underside of the collar N³.
article falling on the dash pan n immediately withdraws the catch N. releases the dark
A spurious
slide, and effects an instantaneous exposure of the sensitized surface.
To prevent coin operated machines, in which articles are delivered in exchange
for coin, or where pictures are displayed, being operated by lead washers, 1 employ
a gear similar to that shown in my Patent No. 15,570, 1887, by which the moving
side of the hopper is made to remove a catch, and so liberate the delivery, or the
rollers for displaying pictures.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed. I declare that what I
claim is;-
1. In a coin freed machine, a coin slide consisting of an upper fixed part c and
two lower hinged or pivotted parts such as c' c in combination with a fixed magnet m
or its equivalent located in proximity to the upper hinged part c', and mechanism
such as described for separating and tilting the said parts c¹ c" whenever a push-bar
or its equivalent is actuated on the outside of the machine, substantially as and for
the purposes set forth.
2. In a coin freed machine, the combination with a hinged part c¹ of a money
slide actuated at each operation of a push-bar or its equivalent on the outside of the
machine, of a bar or plate c carried by such hinged part and adapted to be placed
thereby across the coin orifice, whereby the introduction of a coin into the machine
during the operation of the same is prevented, substantially as described.
3. The improved mechanism for preventing the working of coin freed machines by
means of iron or steel articles fraudulently inserted therein, the said mechanism being
constructed substantially as described and shown in Figures 1 and 2.
4. In a coin freed machine, a reciprocatory magnet having its poles projecting
normally into or through a suitable opening in the coin slide, and connected by a
spring pivotted or counterweighted lever such as with a pull bar, delivery tray or
its equivalent, in combination with a grid c" "c" or its equivalent located at a
suitable distance behind the opening in the coin slide, whereby an iron or steel article
is arrested by the magnet in passing down the coin slide and (on an attempt being
made to operate the machine) is transferred through the opening in the slide and is
detached from the magnet and deposited in another part of the machine substantially
as described.
5. In a coin freed, machine, the employment of a minute photographic camera
located in front of the operator's face and operated automatically by the action of an
iron or leaden disc or the like fraudulently inserted into the machine, substantially as
and for the purpose set forth.

page_text: 6. The application of the mechanism set forth in my Patent Specification No. 15,570
of 1887, and again herein specified, to machines for delivering goods, displaying
pictures or objects of interest, or operating mechanism in exchange for coin.
Dated this 18th day of March 1889.
WM. P. THOMPSON & Co.,
Of 6, Lord Street, Liverpool, Patent Agents for the Applicant.