A Coin Freed Apparatus for Operating a Miniature Game of Skittles, and for other purposes.
Year: 1893

page_text: Date of Application, 2nd May, 1893
Complete Specification Left. 2nd Mar., 1894-Accepted, 28th Apr., 1894
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
A Coin Freed Apparatus for Operating a Miniature Game of Skittles,
and for other purposes.
We JOHN ROBBINS of 6 Belgrave Villas Whitehorse Road Croydon in the
County of Surrey Engineer and FREDERICK THOMAS RUSHTON of 14 New Inn
Strand in the County of Middlesex Solicitor do hereby declare the nature of this
invention to be as follows:-
Our invention relates to a combination of mechanical movements for a coin-freed
apparatus with special mechanical arrangements as hereinafter described to enable
the said movement to operate a miniature game of "skittles."
The basis of our invention and prime or coin-freed controlling mechanical move-
ment is the action upon one another of two inclined plane surfaces formed by the
intersection of a cylinder at an angle with its axis one portion of the cylinder thus
intersected being attached to the axis and revolving with it the other portion not
being attached but free to revolve round the axis or to slide along it.
In the portion which is free to slide is cut longitudinally on the side which is
uppermost when in normal position a slot deep enough to receive the half of any
coin with which it is proposed to operate the mechanism, when dropped edgewise
into it.
Immediately contiguous to the upper surface of the portion of the cylinder in
which this slot is cut a rigid stop bar is fixed parallel to the axis of the cylinder.
This stop bar when a coin is dropped into the slot prevents the revolution of this
portion of the cylinder in consequence of the half of the coin which projects from
the slot coming into contact with it.
The bar at a determined point is cut away in such manner that when the coin is
carried along it a certain distance by means of the movement to be described, it no
longer prevents the coin from revolving with the cylinder and the axis.
Consequently on reaching this position the cylinder revolves carrying with it the
coin which is thrown out and by its own gravity drops into a receptacle arranged to.
catch it.
Round the axis upon which the slotted cylinder is free to move and pressing
against the end of the cylinder is a spiral compression spring which being fixed
against the support carrying the axis at one end presses against the end of the
cylinder and holds the inclined surface of one cylinder against that of the other in
its normal position of original angular intersection and which on the release of the
coin as above explained drives the cylinder axially back to its normal position.
The action of this movement is as follows:- When by any suitable device such
as a handle or lever the portion of the cylinder which is fixed to the axis is rotated
the other or free portion of the cylinder will rotate with it in consequence of the
tension of the spring described and the resulting friction of the two inclined plane
surfaces on each other. But if a coin be dropped into the slot in the free or sliding
portion of the cylinder it will be prevented from rotating with the axis and fixed
portion of the cylinder by such coin coming into contact with the stop bar as
aforesaid. The inclined surfaces of the two portions of the cylinders will interact
and as that portion fixed to the axis rotates it forces the free or sliding portion of
the cylinder along the axis by the friction of the surfaces in their changing angular
positions causing it to carry the coin along with it and at the same time compress
the spring. The distance which the free portion of the cylinder travels along the
axis is controlled either by the angle relatively to the axis at which the cylinder is
•

page_text: intersected or by the point at which the stop bar before mentioned is cut away
whereby all opposition to the rotation of the free portion of the cylinder is
removed.
It is evident that the travel of the free portion of the cylinder along the axis
may by a variety of mechanical devices be used to operate subsidiary mechanism.
For the purpose of the skittle game we use the following devices in combination
and we will now describe the mechanism by which the coin freed portion of the
combination is made to operate upon the shooting portion by which the ball is
propelled to knock down the skittles.
The shooting apparatus is composed of a pistol supported on a free pivot at the
firing base and attached to the machine in manner hereafter described and the
muzzle is capable of being pointed from right to left or elevated or depressed to
meet the requirements of the aim of the shooter.
A hole is made in the upper side of the barrel of the pistol through which the
ball to be projected is dropped after the pistol has been cocked. The hammer for
projecting the ball is of ordinary design and is held or released by a trigger in the
usual manner and on being freed drives a piston and rod in the barrel of the pistol
forward with sufficient force to propel the ball and if aimed straight knock over the
skittles. This piston rod sliding in the barrel is always held in touch on the
hammer by a slight spiral spring in the barrel and when the pistol is cocked
the piston rod follows up the hammer till it is caught by the trigger on cocking.
Round the nine pins or skittles is erected a wire cage which prevents the ball
from being thrown on to the ground and the floor on which the pins stand has a
slight fall towards the firing base so that the ball rolls of itself in that direction
and is available for repeated operations.
The intermediate mechanism by which is decided the number of shots to be
fired without the further insertion of a coin is situated partly in the case enclosing
the actuating movement and partly in the under frame which supports the pistol.
The part of the mechanism in the case consists of a rocking bar with two levers
of suitable form attached at suitable angles. One lever is plain the other has an
adjustable device attached to a chain or other flexible communication which passes
through a perforated ball upon which the pistol frame is mounted and whilst
allowing the pistol to be freely moved prevents it from being disconnected from
the stand or case
supporting the apparatus. This chain communicates with a
portion of the mechanism which we may call the locking part thereof in the under
frame of the pistol.
When the coin is about to be released the first mentioned lever on the rocking
bar is moved by the free or sliding portion of the cylinder which carries the
coin pushing against it. This movement by a reciprocal action through the rocking
bar forces down the other lever and so puts the chain into tension and causes it to
pull down the end of a third lever which we will call the locking lever thus
disengaging the locking device to be further described and permitting the pistol
to be fired as many times consecutively as may be desired by special arrangement
of the locking device.
When the sliding portion of the cylinder resumes its place after the liberation
of the coin these levers are forced to return to their original place by the action
of a compression spring inserted between the attachment to the locking lever and
the ball at the base of the under frame of the pistol through which the chain or
other flexible communication passes.
This spring comes into play immediately the locking lever can re-engage and
forces a tooth on that lever into its seat thus preventing the pistol being cocked
and fired till a further coin has been inserted in the proper manner.
The locking
device concealed in the under frame of the pistol which is controlled by the coin-
freed mechanism and which is designed to prevent the use of the pistol after a
pre-arranged number of shots is fired, (say one two three or more) consists of a
rod which is attached at one end by a pin to the hammer of the pistol not far
from the fulcrum or centre of movement and at the other by a similar pin to

page_text: extent
a rocking lever on a spindle or axis placed crosswise to the under frame of the
pistol and supported by it. The rod so attached to the rocking lever and
hammer by free pins forms a sort of link motion so that each oscillatory movement
an
manner and to
of the hammer works the rocking lever in a
corresponding to the proportions of the radii or distances of the pins from the
fulcra of the rocking lever and hammer respectively. The rocking lever at the
bottom end is furnished with a notch and acts in such manner that at an interval
desired other than each oscillation or discharge of the pistol the tooth of the
locking lever already described is forced into the said notch and so holds the
locking lever that the hammer of the pistol cannot move and consequently
the pistol cannot be discharged again without the insertion of a further coin.
The notch in the bottom end of the rocking lever should be cut at about an
equal distance from the spindle axis or fulcrum as the pin which attaches the
rod connected with the upper end of the rocking lever. In order to secure a
control of the number of shots to be fired we furnish the rocking lever with a
pawl which works into a ratchet wheel suspended on and fixed to the spindle or
axis on which the rocking lever oscillates so that every movement of that lever in
discharging the pistol causes the axis to revolve to the extent of one tooth of the
ratchet wheel. By the use of this ratchet wheel the number of shots controlled
by one action of the coin freed mechanism is arranged. On the same spindle to
which the ratchet wheel is attached and on which the rocking lever oscillates and
attached to it and revolving with it is a circular disc. This disc has its periphery
notched at certain intervals corresponding to the number of teeth in the ratchet
wheel intended to be inoperative or to be passed without locking. The periphery
of the disc is plain and smooth except for the notches and the radius identical
with the distance between the fulcrum of the rocking lever and the notch at its
bottom end. The notches in the disc are similar to that in the bottom end of
the rocking lever into which if the disc did not revolve with the ratchet wheel the
tooth on the locking lever would be pressed by its spring at every discharge of the
pistol. The tooth on the locking lever does not interrupt the action of the rocking
lever except where the periphery of the disc is notched and the notches in it
Thus when
become coincident with that at the bottom end of the rocking lever.
these notches become coincident the pistol is locked and cannot be used.
Ordinarily the machines made are adjusted so that each discharge of the pistol
operates one of twelve teeth on the ratchet wheel and the notches are arranged
quadrately at right angles on the disc so that the point of coincidence between the
notches in the rocking lever and those in the disc is once to three teeth of the
ratchet or three discharges of the pistol for one insertion of the coin.
It is evident this movement is capable of any different adjustment for different
results.
In order to prevent the compression spring forcing the tooth on the locking lever
back into the notch on the rocking lever and disc from which it has just been freed
by the insertion of the coin we attach to the locking lever a wire loop which when
the lever is depressed completely and the tooth thereby disengaged acts upon one
arm of a stop plate also suspended on the axis of rotation and so depresses it that
a portion of the outer edge of the stop plate by its rotation prevents the tooth
from reengaging.
The stop plate is jammed tightly against the rotating disc by a compression
spring between its face and the sides of the case holding the mechanism and when
the first oscillation of the rocking lever is effected it is carried back by friction of
the disc on it as it revolves to its normal position leaving the notch free for
engagement when the next release is effected by the coincidence of the notches in
the rocking lever and rotating disc as described.
The remaining portion of our mechanism to be described is that by which by a
simple movement the nine pins or skittles after they are knocked down can be
simultaneously replaced and which arrangement moreover attaches them to
the machine so that they cannot be removed or get lost when knocked down.

page_text: The pins or skittles are made of wood or other suitable material of a suitable
shape and are hollowed out and in the base is inserted a screwed metal plug on which
they stand truly and freely. This metal plug is screwed into the perforated end of
the pin or skittle leaving a chamber. Through the metal plug a hole is bored and
through this hole the attaching cord or wire is passed and knotted, the knot
preventing the cord being withdrawn unless the plug be unscrewed. The positions
on the floor on which the pins are to stand are metal plates and through their
centre is a hole through which the cord attached to the pins passes so that when the
cord is pulled tight the pin stands erect and cannot be overthrown but when it is
afterwards slackened it will stand till it is knocked down by the ball when
propelled from the pistol.
The cords attached to the pins are passed downwards through holes in a plate in
the interior of the case (which we will call the setting up plate) which holes
correspond with those in the floor and each cord carries a small counter weight
sufficient to counterpoise the pin to which it is attached when the cord is not pulled
tight.
The plate is actuated by a lever and slides up and down a guide vertically so that
should the lever be so actuated as to depress the plate all the cords are pulled taut
and the pins are set up and held up so long as the plate is depressed but when the
plate is released and rises on the guide the pins are no longer held taut but remain
upright in consequence of the counterweights attached to them. For the purposes
of adjustment the counterweights are attached to the pins or skittles by means of
cords having at their lower end a screwed hook enabling the position of the
counterweights to be regulated by screwing them up or down thereon.
The action of the setting up apparatus and lever is simple. The fulcrum of the
lever is fixed on the case of the apparatus at a point between the skittles and the
coin-freed mechanism one end of the lever is attached to the setting up plate by a
fork at the guide, the other or longer end passes over the sliding portion of the
cylinder of the coin freeing machinery already described and is held by a tension
spring on the further side of such cylinder so that this end of the lever is normally
held down and the plate held up and the pins depend for their balance only on the
weights attached to them.
When however the given number of shots has been fired if the pins are knocked
down in order to readjust them the lever actuating the coin-freed apparatus must
be turned over to its normal position ready for receiving a further coin and in so
doing turns with it the sliding portion of the cylinder which carries a projection.
This projection catches the long end of the lever and raises it at the same time
depressing the setting up plate on its guide and pulling taut the cords of the pins
thus setting them upright synchronously.
Immediately the coin is inserted and the lever is turned to actuate the cocking
and firing mechanism and release the coin the tension spring acts on the long arm
of the lever and causes the plate to rise again and leaves the pins free to be knocked
down by the ball propelled from the pistol.
For the purposes of financial control a register is attached to the apparatus.
This is actuated at the moment of release of each coin inserted and keeps count in
a simple and effective manner of the number of coins received and used by the
machine.
The working parts of the coin freed registration and setting up apparatus as well
as the bank or receptacle for the coins are encased in a convenient metal or wood
stand and are kept under lock and key.
The locking apparatus of the pistol is enclosed in a neat casing forming the under
frame of the pistol and by which it is attached to the stand and is only disclosed by
unscrewing.
The nine pin floor with wire guards as before explained forms the upper side of
the stand at one end, the pistol being at the other. The actuating lever or handle
is brought through the right side of the stand and there are two stops one on the
right to prevent its being turned too far when setting up the pins and the other on

page_text: the left to prevent the same when the coin is inserted and the lever turned to
actuate the mechanism.
.
The point of insertion of the coin is a slot at the front of the nine pin floor close
to the pistol.
The base of the frame carrying the pistol is on a slightly lower level than that
of the nine pin floor so that the ball when projected should strike the pins at a
moderate height.
DAL
1009
JOHN ROBBINS.
FRED. THOS. RUSHTON.
A Coin Freed Apparatus for Operating a Miniature Game of Skittles,
and for other purposes.
We JOHN ROBBINS of 6 Belgrave Villas Whitehorse Road Croydon in the
County of Surrey Engineer and FREDERICK THOMAS RUSHTON of 14 New Inn
Strand in the County of Middlesex Solicitor, 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 :-
Our invention relates to a combination of mechanical movements for a coin-freed
apparatus with special mechanical arrangements as hereinafter described to enable
the said movements to operate a miniature game of skittles.
For convenience of description we divide our apparatus into three parts.
1st. The coin freed controlling mechanism.
2nd. The spring pistol for firing the projectile.
3rd. The arrangement of the skittles and the mechanism connected therewith.
The annexed drawings will enable the text to be more readily understood.
The coin freed controlling mechanism is shown in Figure 1 and the required
movement is obtained by the action upon one another of two inclined plane surfaces
formed by the intersection of a cylinder at an angle with its axis which intersection is
marked a b one portion of the cylinder thus intersected marked c being attached to
the axis h and revolving with it the other portion marked d being attached in
such a way that it is free either to revolve with the axis or revolve round the axis
or to slide along it.
In the portion d which is free to move as described is cut longitudinally on the
side which is uppermost when in normal position a semi circular slot deep enough
to receive the half of any coin with which it is proposed to operate the mechanism
when dropped through the coin slot marked edgewise into it, a coin in position
being shown in the drawing and marked e.
The revolution of the portion of the cylinder marked d is prevented when a coin e
is in position in consequence of the half of the coin which projects from the
semicircular slot in cylinder d coming into contact with the rigid sides of the coin
slot f.
The side of the slot f is cut away at the point g so that when the coin reaches
this point by means of the movement to be described, it no longer prevents the part
of the cylinder marked d from revolving. Consequently on reaching this position
the portion d of the cylinder revolves carrying with it the coin which is thrown out
and drops into a receptacle arranged to catch it.
Round the axis upon which the slotted portion of the cylinder d is free to move
and pressing against the end of it is a spiral compression spring i which being fixed
against the support of the axis at one end presses against the end of the cylinder
at the other end tending to keep the inclined surfaces of the two parts d and c of
the cylinder against one another. This spring is compressed by the traversing
movement of the part of the cylinder marked d which movement causes the coin to

page_text: travel also and after the coin has fallen and the lever k hereafter mentioned has
been raised pushes back the portion d of the cylinder to its original position pressing
against the portion c.
The action of this traversing movement is as follows:-When by means of the
lever & the portion e of the cylinder which is fixed to the axis is rotated the other 5
or free portion d of the cylinder will rotate with it in consequence of the pressure
of the spring i described and the resulting friction of the two inclined plane surfaces
on each other. But if a coin be dropped into the semi-circular slot in the portion
of the cylinder marked d through the coin slot f the portion of the cylinder
marked d will be prevented from rotating with the axis and fixed portion c of the 1
cylinder by such coin coming into contact with the rigid sides of the coin slot ƒ
as aforesaid. The inclined surfaces of the two portions of the cylinder will interact
and as that portion c fixed to the axis rotates it forces the free or sliding portion d
of the cylinder along the axis A by the friction of the surfaces in their changing
angular positions causing it to carry the coin along with it and at the same time
compress the spring i.
The traversing movement of the free portion of the cylinder d along the axis h is
used to operate the mechanical devices hereafter mentioned.
The apparatus of the spring pistol is shown in Figure 2 and is composed of a
pistol supported on a free pivot at the firing base and connected with the
mechanism described in Figure 1. The muzzle is capable of being pointed from
right to left or elevated or depressed to meet the requirements of the aim of the
.shooter.
A hole is made in the upper side of the barrel g of the pistol through which the
ball to be projected is dropped after the pistol has been cocked. The action of
cocking the pistol compresses the main spring r. The hammer m is of ordinary
design and is held or released by a trigger n in the usual manuer and on being
freed drives the rod o in the barrel 9 of the pistol forward with sufficient force to
propel the ball and if aimed straight knock over the skittles. This rod o is kept in
proper position by a slight spiral spring p in the barrel.
The hammer is actuated by a spiral main spring r situated beneath the barrel by
means of the rod s attached to the hammer. At the end of the rods furthest from
the hammer is attached a pawl t which engages with the ratchet wheel u when the
pistol is cocked, for the purpose of regulating the number of shots as hereafter
described.
The method of regulating the number of shots to be fired for one insertion of the
coin is as follows. Every time the pistol is cocked the pawl t engages with the
ratchet wheel u and moves it the space of one tooth thereby causing it to wind up
a coil spring u¹, fastened to the boss of the ratchet wheel. The ratchet wheel u
has a concentric slot u in which is a stud fixed to the frame and when the ratchet
wheel has rotated the length of the concentric slot u² it is prevented by such stud
from rotating further and the pistol can no longer be cocked until another coin has
been inserted and the ratchet released as hereinafter described. A slight spring
and catch xx beneath the ratchet wheel prevents it returning until released as
hereafter described but when so released the coil spring u¹ causes the ratchet
wheel u to return to its former position ready to engage with the pawl t on the
pistol being cocked as hereafter mentioned. The number of shots to be fired is
governed by the relation between the number of teeth and the length of the
concentric slot in the ratchet wheel.
The third portion of the mechanism to be described is the arrangement of the
skittles and the movement by which they can be simultaneously replaced in position
after they have been knocked down and which arrangement moreover attaches
them to the machine so that they cannot be removed or get lost when knocked
.down.
The skittles a¹ are made of wood or other suitable material of a suitable
-shape. In the base is inserted a screwed metal plug on which they stand truly
and freely. This metal plug is screwed into the base of the skittle. Through the

page_text: metal plug a hole is bored and through this hole the attaching wire c' is passed
having a nut d' at its lower end which prevents the skittle being removed unless
the plug be unscrewed. The skittles are arranged ou a metal plate e¹ and at the
proper position for each a hole is pierced, through which the wires attached to the
skittles pass so that when the wires are pulled tight the pins stand erect and cannot.
be overthrown but when they are afterwards released by raising the lower plate fl
as hereafter described they will stand till knocked down by the projectile when
propelled from the pistol.
The lower plate f¹ has holes corresponding with those in the upper plate e
through which the connecting wires pass as described the nuts being beneath
the lower plate f¹.
This plate is actuated by the lever and slides up and down a guide g¹
vertically so that should the lever be so actuated as to lower the bottom plate fl
all the wires are pulled taut and the pins are set up and held up so long as the
plate is depressed but when the said plate is released and rises on the guide g¹
the pins are no longer held taut but yet remain upright.
Having described the three separate parts of the mechanism we will now describe:
the action of the machine as a whole and the manner in which the various parts.
re-act on one another.
When a coin is inserted in the slot f and the lever pulled down from the
position to the position 'the portion d of the cylinder travels along the axis h
as before described and this portion of the cylinder actuates the two levers v
and w.
The lever which is curved is connected with a rod y passing through
the pivot and draws down the catch releasing the ratchet wheel u allowing
the pistol to be cocked ready for firing. The lever w rests upon the portion d
of the cylinder and during the traversing movement of this portion of the
cylinder is held in place by the bar y₁ which is fixed to the portion d of the
cylinder but when by reason of the coin having been released as before described
the traversing movement ceases and the rotary movement commences the bar y¹
passes from under the lever wallowing the spring to draw it down. This
causes the other end of the lever w to raise the lower plate f¹ and so release the.
tension on the wires attached to the skittles thus leaving them free to be knocked
down.
Without the insertion of a coin the portion d of cylinder will not travel along
the axis but will rotate with it so that the lever w will not be brought into play
or the lower plate f¹ raised.
The pistol can now be fired the number of times for which the ratchet wheel u
and concentric slot u are arranged.
When this number of shots has been fired the ratchet wheel is prevented
from turning further by reason of the stud in the concentric slot u² of the ratchet.
wheel.
To again operate the machine the lever k must now be pushed back to its former
position viz. from position h³ to position ¹. This has the effect of reversing the.
action of lever w causing it to draw down the lower plate f¹ thus tightening the.
wires c¹ and so setting up the skittles on the plate e¹.
The machine is now ready for the insertion of another coiu when the operations.
described can be repeated.
Round the skittles is erected a wire cage which prevents the ball or projectile.
from being thrown to the ground.
The floor on which the skittles stand has a slight fall towards the firing base so
that the ball rolls of itself in that direction and is available for repeated
operations.
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 :-
First. In coin freed apparatus the diagonally intersected cylinder so constructed.

page_text: that one portion of such cylinder is permanently fixed to an axis while the other
portion is free either to rotate with such axis or to travel along such axis when
locked by the insertion of a coin in the manner described the travelling of such
free portion of the cylinder being the means of operating the required mechanism.
Second. The mechanism by means of which can be regulated the number of
times any given operation may be performed that is to say a ratchet wheel with
any desired number of teeth having a concentric slot and combined with the pawl
and catch constructed substantially as described.
Third. In an arrangement for skittles the attachment of the skittles to the
apparatus by means of jointed wires passing through two plates one fixed and one
moveable and so arranged that when the lower plate is raised the skittles are free
to fall and when the lower plate is depressed they are simultaneously set up on end
and held fixed substantially as described.
Fourth. A coin freed mechanical apparatus for operating a miniature game of
skittles and for other purposes substantially as described.
Dated this 2nd day of March 1894.
JOHN ROBBINS.
FRED. THOS. RUSHTON.