Improved Coin Freed Apparatus for the Hire of Opera Glasses in Theatres and the like.
Year: 1889

page_text: Date of Application, 18th June, 1889-Accepted, 3rd Aug., 1889
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improved Coin Freed Apparatus for the Hire of Opera Glasses in
Theatres and the like.
I EDWARD JOHN COLBY of 1005 Opera House Block Chicago United States o
America Mechanical 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 :-
My invention relates to coin controlled opera glass cases and attachments therefor.
Figure 1, is a view of two chairs with the device in position..
Figure 2, is a front view of the device.
Figure 3 a similar view with the doors open.
Figure 4 is a vertical cross section.
Figure 5 is a detail of the padlock.
Figure 6 a detail of the key.
The invention consists briefly of a case adapted to contain an opera glass, and a
key adapted to unlock such case and simultaneously to automatically engago and be
locked to the opera glass; and it further consists of these devices in combination with
a chain secured to such key and to the seat in the rear of the seat to which the case is
attached.
A, A, are the seat frames or opera chairs, B, B the seats, C, C, the arms, D, D, the
backs, E, E the opera glass cases having the front doors F, and F1 and the lower
door F, and money draw F³. This lower draw is locked in the usual manner by
the insertion of a key at F and has a knob F³. I have shown the case and lock
for the doors of the opera glass compartment G in their simplest forms though it
will be easily understood that these forms could be greatly varied. The key is a
flat key H, having the handle H¹, with the eye H and hole H3, and the projecting
edge H. The door lock contains the swivelled portion J having the slot J which
registers with the slot J in the door F. As indicated in figure 3 this part J is
swivelled at the edge of the door F so as when turned to bring the slot J¹ into a
horizontal position, the same then opens directly out and away from the door Fas
indicated in figure 3, These doors may be provided with spring hinges K, K, if
desired, to cause them when unlocked to be thrown open. L are opera glasses. M is
the upper part of a coin chute which registers with the coin receiving chute M¹ and
discharges against the lug M on the door F. M³ is the lower part of the coin chuto
which opens into the coin drawer F. To the coin chute M is pivoted the rod N having
the friction roller N¹ and the slot to receive the pin N³, on the reciprocating bolt N*.
This bolt noves in the keepers O, O, and is retracted by the helical spring 0%, so as to
engage the catch 03, and lock the doors together. P is the coin which having been
inserted through the chute M', M, rests against the lug M2, and the friction roller N'.
R is a spring padlock having the key hole R' and the swivel connection R' with
the central rod R' of the opera glasses L. S, is the link of the padlock pivoted at S¹
and carrying the elbow lever S², pivoted at the same point and provided with
spring S, connected to the elbow lever at S* and to the padlock at S³. T is a chain
secured to the the eye H' of the key and to the reel T on the side frame of each
chair. The reel is preferably a spring reel similar to those employed for tape lines or
measures so as to keep the chain ordinarily rolled up when not in use.
The use and operation of my invention are as follows
The parts having been arranged substantially as indicated in the drawings each
chair will be provided with a closed case E and the reel T¹ on which is wound the
chain T. Inside the case E is placed the opera glass in the position shown in figure 3

page_text: and carrying the padlock R indicated in figure 5. and the padlock stands out in a
horizontal position.
The doors are closed and the bolts N' engages the catch O' and retains them locked.
If now a person occupying the rear seat indicated at figure 1 desires to use the opera
glasses in front of him, he firsts inserts a coin of the requisite value in the coin
chute M' whence it passes through M and rests upon the lug M' and against the friction
roller N¹. The key H is now taken in the hand of the occupant of the chair and
inserted in the slot J¹ of the swivelled portion J of the door lock. This of course
unwinds the chain from the reel T¹ and brings it into the position indicated in figure 1.
If now the key be turned over as indicated by the arrows in figure 2 and 4 respectively
until the slot J¹ is in a horizontal position as indicated in figure 3 the coin will be
forced over together with the rod N and.bolt N into the position indicated in dotted
lines, thus releasing the bolt from the catch 02 and permitting the doors to open by the
influence for example, of the spring hinges K, K; at the same time the key H is released
from the lock or swivelled portion by the operation of the doors, it passing freely
through the edge of the door F. When the key is inserted in a vertical position
which position it must occupy in order to permit the extended side H, to pass
through the slot J³, its inner end engages the elbow lever S' as indicated in figure 5
and as the key is further pushed in the elbow lever and link S are turned on their
pivot and immediately the spring S³ is permitted to operate to throw the parts into the
position indicated in dotted lines. The padlock being a spring padlock is thereby
locked with the link passing through the aperture H³ in the key. Thus the key is
secured to the lock and can only be released by opening such lock and as the lock is
swivelled to the opera glass and the chain is secured to the key and the side of the
chair the opera glass though released from the case is chained to the chair. The coin
passes on through the slot M into the locked money drawer below. The occupant of
the rear seat illustrated in figuro 1 is thus at liberty to use the opera glass during
the performances, the chain T passing conveniently over or under his shoulder.
Having now 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
1. The combination of a coin controlled opera glass case a lock on the opera glass,
and a key adapted to unlock the case and to be itself locked to the opera glass.
2. The combination of a coin controlled opera glass case a lock on the opera glass
a key adapted to unlock the case and to be itself locked to the opera glass, and a chain
fastened to the opera chair and the key.
3. The combination of a coin controlled case a removable articlo therein, and a key
adapted to unlock the case and to be itself locked to such article.
4. The combination of a coin controlled case a removable article therein, a lock
adapted to unlock the case and to be itself locked to such article and a chain secured
at one end and at the other fastened to the key so that by such key the article is
released from the case but secured to the chain.
"
5. The combination of a coin controlled opera glass case a lock on the opera glass
and a key adapted to unlock the case and to be itself locked to the opera glass and a
chain fastened to the opera chair and the key said opera glass case secured to one chair
and the chain to the next chair in the rear.
6. The combination of a case, a coin controlled lock therefor an article provided with
a lock to be contained in such case a key adapted to unlock the case and to be at the
same time automatically engaged by the lock on the article so as when the case is
opened to leave the key secured to the lock on the article.
7. The combination of a case having a lock said case being provided with a slotted
swivelled portion in the edge of one of its folding doors, and a key adapted to enter
such slot and when turned toward the edge of such door to permit said door to open
pass from such slot.
and

page_text: 8. The combination of an opera glass having a spring lock secured thereto with a
case therefore, a coin controlled lock thereon and a key and a chain said key adapted to
unlock the case and to be itself engaged while so doing by the spring lock on the
article.
Doted this 18th dow of Inna 1980
FREDERIC PRINCE,
1, Quality Court, Chancery Lane, London, W.C., Agent for Applicant.