Year: 1898

page_text: Date of Application, 24th May, 1898
Complete Specification Left, 24th Feb., 1899-Accepted, 22nd Apr., 1899
We, GEORGE EDWARD TATE and WALTER HENRY GODFREY, of 17, White Lion
Street, Pentonville, in the County of London, Mechanical Engineers, do hereby declare
the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention relates to a coin-freed apparatus for playing the game of tug-of-war,
the said apparatus being so arranged that on the insertion of a coin or coins,
mechanism is released whereby two handles placed outside the apparatus can be pulled
against one another; the mechanism being also so arranged that a coin can be
returned when one handle has been pulled or otherwise moved through a predeter-
mined distance, that is to say, when one side has won.
In practice and to lend interest to the game we advantageously provide two or
more figures of men or the like in combination with the handles, the said figures
moving with the handles and having the appearance of pulling against one another
by being connected together by cord which is always kept taut.
In carrying out our invention we advantageously provide a case having two external
handles which are normally locked by a spring lever pivoted to a rocking frame carrying
coin troughs or platforms on to which the two coins drop and by their weight depress the
The handle
said frame and withdraw the lever from notches in the handle stems.
stems have attached to their inner ends the two ends of a steel band, chain or the
like which is secured to a sliding frame carrying the two figures above mentioned
and also the two coin chutes.
With this arrangement when the two coins are inserted into the chutes they drop
on to the platforms and by their weight depress the rocking frame and release the
handles which can then be pulled out for about one inch so as to tighten the chain
The movement of the chain in
or the like after which the tug-of-war commences.
either direction moves the sliding frame and the coin chutes thus bringing one of the
coins over the end of its trough or platform and allowing it to pass into the till, the
other coin being retained by its platform until it comes to either one or the other
end thereof according to which direction the sliding frame is moving so that it can
As soon as either one
drop into a chute and thereby be returned to the winner.
handle has been pulled home it is locked by the locking lever. The chain or the like
can be so arranged that the movement of the handles is transmitted to the figures in
such a manner that the latter move through a greater distance than the former.
The figures may be provided with extensions which can come against inclined
planes so as to incline the losing figure forwards thereby making the representation
more life like.
The sliding frame is returned to its initial or central position by a spring. Where
it is not required to return a coin to the winner the apparatus may be worked by one
coin only, in which case the sliding frame could be arranged to deliver a cigarette or
other article.
4th day of Nov 1808
G. F. REDFERN & Co.,
4, South Street, Finsbury, London, Agents for the Applicants.

page_text: We, GEORGE EDWARD TATE and WALTER HENRY GODFREY. of 17, White Lion
Street, Pentonville, in the County of London, Mechanical Engineers, 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:-
-
This invention relates to a coin-freed apparatus for playing the game of tug-of-war,
the said apparatus being so arranged that on the insertion of a coin or coins,
mechanism is released whereby two handles placed outside the apparatus can be
pulled against one another; the mechanism being also so arranged that a coin can be
returned when one handle has been pulled or otherwise moved through a pre-
determined distance, that is to say, when one side has won.
In practice, and to lend interest to the game, we advantageously provide two or
more figures of men or the like in combination with the handles, the said figures
moving with the handles and having the appearance of pulling against one another
by being connected together by a cord which is always kept taut:
In carrying out our invention we advantageously provide a case having two
external handles which are normally locked by a spring lever or bar pivoted to a
rocking frame carrying a coin trough or platform on to which a coin drops and by its
weight depresses the said frame and withdraws the bar from notches in the handle
stems. The handle stems are in connection by their inner ends with the two ends of
a steel band, chain or the like which is secured to a sliding frame carrying the two
figures above mentioned and also the coin chute; a second coin chute is fixed to the
frame of the apparatus.
With this arrangement, when the two coins are inserted into the chutes one drops
on to the platform and by its weight depresses the rocking frame and releases the
handles which can then be pulled out for about one inch so as to tighten the chain
or the like after which the tug-of-war commences. The movement of the chain in
either direction moves the sliding frame and one of the coin chutes thus bringing
one of the coins over one end of the trough or platform according to which direction
the sliding frame moving so that it can drop into a chute and thereby be returned
to the winner. The other coin is discharged into a till provided in the apparatus.
The chain or the like can be so arranged that the movement of the handles is
transmitted to the figures in such a manner that the latter move through a greater
distance than the former. The sliding frame is returned to its initial or central
position by a spring.
In the accompanying drawings
Figure 1 is an elevation of coin freed apparatus constructed according to the
invention, the upper part of the case being removed.
Figure 2 is an elevation of the lower part of the apparatus with the front part of
the casing removed to shew the internal mechanism.
Figure 3 is a vertical section on the line 3-3 Figure 1.
Figure 4 is a horizontal section on the line 4-4 Figure 1, the platform or stage
being removed to shew the mechanism.
Figure 5 is a section on the line 5-5 Figure 2; and
Figures 6 and 7 are views of a detail hereinafter described.
at is the case of the apparatus, the said case being preferably made of wood and
having a glass front a¹ at its upper part to allow the interior of the case to bevisible
and a removable front a² at its lower part which is locked in position by a lock a³ and
claws a' which engage pins b₁ upon the front part of the frame 6 carrying the
mechanism. c, c are the handles which are arranged externally to the front a² of

page_text: the case and are loosely mounted upon stems c¹, c¹ which pass through the said
front a², and d, d are chains which are secured at one end to the inner ends of the
stems c¹, each of the said chains then passing over a guide pulley d and around a
pulley d² to the periphery of which its other end is attached; the length of each
chain d is such that when its handle is in its normal, that is to say, in its innermost
position, it is slack upon the said pulleys as indicated in Figure so that the handles
are allowed an amount of movement corresponding to the extra length of chain (and
which may be as above mentioned about one inch) before the mechanism is operated
by the pull upon the handles. The handle stems c', c¹ are provided with lateral
extensions c² which engage in slots c³, c³ formed in the frame b of the apparatus so as
to act as guides and supports for the inner portions of the said stems, the outer ends
of which are mounted in supports c* secured to the said frame b. The two chains d, d
are connected by a spring d³ which passes over a guide pulley suitably mounted
in the frame b of the apparatus, the said spring being adapted to return the handles,
when released, to the initial position shewn in the drawings.
Each of the pulleys 2 is formed in one with a larger pulley e each pair of pulleys d²,
e being supported in position by vertical pivots e¹, el which are mounted in bear-
ings e, e² in the frame 6 of the apparatus. f is the chain (although we have here
shewn a chain it will be obvious that a band or its equivalent can be employed with
equal advantage) which passes around the two pulleys e, e being connected at its two
ends to the peripheries thereof. f is the sliding frame which is secured to the
chain and is carried upon guides f, f2 in the form of rods secured longitudinally in
the frame b. f³, fs, are two figures which are mounted upon the upper part of the
said sliding frame so as to project above the platform or stage ft fitted to the top of
the frame 6 and are connected by an elastic or other cord 5 so as to give the
appearance of two men pulling against one another.
g is the spring which is adapted to return the sliding frame to its normal position
in the centre of the apparatus when the handles are released. The said spring is
provided at each end with a fork g¹ carrying a pin g² which engages in a heart-shaped
cam g³ rigidly secured to the boss of the two pulleys d² and e; the apices of the two
heart-shaped cams point towards one another when the parts are in their normal
position so that when the sliding frame is pulled in either direction it is returned to
its central position, when the handles are released, by the spring g, the arrangement
of the heart-shaped cam enabling the chain to move in either direction against the
pull of the spring; the leverage of the spring upon the pulleys is reduced as its
tension increases by reason of the shape of the cams g3 by means of which the pull
of the spring is transmitted to the pulleys so that the increased tension of the spring
(caused by its stretching when the pulleys are turned) is not appreciably felt by the
operators.
As above mentioned the two handles are normally locked in their innermost
position in such a manner that the apparatus cannot be operated until a coin or coins
is or are inserted into the apparatus. The locking arrangement comprises a bar or
lever h the ends of which are normally held in slots 5 in the handle stems c¹ so as
to prevent the said handle from being pulled outwards; the bar or lever is centrally
pivoted to the outer end of a rocking frame or lever h² and is held in its operative
position by a weight h¹ which is mounted upon the inner end of the said rocking
frame or lever h²; h³ is a coin trough or platform attached to the outer end of the
rocking frame h² and into which a coin can be dropped as hereinafter described so as
to depress the front end of the lever h² against the action of the counterweight h',
thereby lowering the bar h and releasing the handle stems c¹, as indicated in the
broken lines Figure 3.
The coin chutes are two in number, the apparatus being arranged to receive two
coins. There is, however, one coin slot i, only, this being shewn in Figures 1, 3 and 4
and the first coin which is inserted into the apparatus drops in front of the plate j
which is pivoted in bearings j¹, depending from the frame b of the apparatus, at such
a point that its upper part normally tilts forward against the stop j, as illustrated in
Figure 3; the lower part of the said pivoted plate ; is provided with a curved

page_text: extension or carrier 10 which serves to receive the coin dropped, as above mentioned,
behind it. The weight of this coin upon the lower part of the plate j swings the
said plate backwards into the position illustrated in broken liues in Figure 3, so that
the second coin inserted into the apparatus passes in front of the plate j and drops
into the chute k through which it falls on to the trough h³ which is thereby depressed
against the action of the counterweight h¹ as herein before described so as to release
the bar h from the handle stems c¹. The chute is rigidly secured to the sliding
frame and moves therefore in either direction with the chain faccording to which
handle is being pulled with greater force so that the coin is moved along the
trough h³ in either direction until it drops over the end thereof. The coin chute, k
is illustrated in sectional elevation in Figure 6 and is formed with sides ¹¹ which
taper at their lower ends and work in guides, formed in the sides of the said coin
chute, against the action of springs ³, k³ which normally force them downwards;
A, are pin stops which limit the downward movement of the sides k¹ normally
maintaining their lower ends flush with the bottom of the chute. These spring sides
are provided to enable the chute to yield should the coin A be pulled into the
position indicated in Figure 6, by one person and then suddenly, before it drops from
the trough, be pulled in the other direction; in this case the spring side allows the
chute to move backwards until the relative positions of the spring side ¹ and the
coin A are those shewn in Figure 7 on reaching which position the said coin is shot
off the trough by the spring 3. On falling from the trough the coin is received into
one of the chutes 5 which delivers it to one of the receivers in the front a2 where
it is held by the inclined projections so that it can be lifted out by the winner.
is a bar which is provided upon the coin chute k for guiding the coin, when shot
out in the manner above described, into the chute 15. ks are lateral guides secured
to the chute, their object being to convey into the money till (which in the drawing
is formed by the case a) any coin which may be passed into the slot i when the parts
are not in their normal position, that is to say, when the mechanism has been
released by the insertion of the coins and used but not allowed to return to its initial
position.
The coin which was initially placed in the chute j is discharged into the money-
し
till by means of the spring teeth or projections upon the sliding frame f¹, the said
projections, when the said sliding frame is moved in either direction, discharging the
coin from the carrier jo into the money till.
The operation of the apparatus is as follows. The first coin passed into the
apparatus drops behind the plate ; and on to the carrier 70 so as to swing back
the plate to the position shewn in dotted lines in Figure 3, thereby uncovering the
chute and allowing the second coin inserted into the slot i to drop into the said
chute, depress the trough h³ and release the bar h from the slotted handle stems c¹.
The competitors now pull the handles c thereby first tightening the chains d, d and
then exerting a pull upon the chain and tending to move the sliding frame f¹ in
one direction or the other according to which handle is pulled with the greater
force; the chain f and frame f¹ move through a greater distance than the handles c
owing to the difference in the diameters of the pulleys d² and e. The pulling or
tug-of-war continues until the coin in the trough h³ is pulled to the end of the said
trough, that is to say, into the position indicated in Figure 6. The said coin then
drops, or is discharged in the manner hereinbefore described, into one of the chutes 5
leading to the receiver to the winner. The other coin, namely, that which is
supported by the carrier jo, is discharged therefrom by one of the spring teeth or
projections, as above described, and is retained in the till of the apparatus. As
soon as the returned coin drops, the weight h¹ raises the bar hand as the said bar is
pivoted to the rocking frame h² one end thereof can enter the slot 5 in the handle
stem of the loser (which is in its innermost or initial position) so as to lock the said
stem and prevent the apparatus being again used until further coins are inserted in
the ordinary way.
The figures may be provided with extensions which can come against inclined
planes so as to incline the losing figure forwards thereby making the representation

page_text: more life like. Where it is not required to return a coin to the winner the apparatus
may be worked by one coin only, in which case the sliding frame could be arranged
to deliver a cigarette or other article.
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 :-
1. Coin-freed apparatus for playing the game of "tug-of-war," the said apparatus
comprising a chain, band or its equivalent directly or indirectly connected to two
handles, and means whereby, upon the insertion of a coin or coins proper to the
apparatus, the handles can be pulled substantially as hereinbefore described.
2. Coin-freed apparatus for playing the game of "tug-of-war," the said apparatus
comprising a chain, band or its equivalent directly or indirectly connected to two
handle-stems having handles, which are normally locked and means for releasing the
said handle-stems so that they can be pulled against one another on the insertion of
a coin or coins proper to the apparatus, substantially as herein before described.
3. Coin-freed apparatus for playing the game of "tug-of-war" comprising a chain,
band or its equivalent connected to two pulleys and having a sliding frame (which
may be provided with figures), the said pulleys being adapted to be rotated by the
pull upon handles in connection therewith on the insertion of a coin or coins proper to
the apparatus, substantially as herein before described.
4. Coin-freed apparatus for playing the game of "tug-of-war" comprising a
chain, band or its equivalent carrying a sliding frame (which may be provided
with figures) and secured to two pulleys rigidly connected to smaller pulleys
having chains secured to handle-stems which are normally locked but are released
upon the insertion of a coin or coins proper to the apparatus, substantially as
herein before described.
5. In coin-freed apparatus of the kind described in Claim 1, for playing the game
of "tug-of-war" the employment of coin mechanism comprising a pivoted coin chute
which normally covers the opening to a second chute and is adapted to uncover the
said second chute on the insertion of a coin, substantially as hereinbefore described
and illustrated.
6. In coin-freed apparatus for playing the game of "tug-of-war," the employment
of releasing mechanism comprising a coin chute arranged over a coin trough or
platform mounted upon a rocking frame carrying a locking bar, the said chute
having spring sides, substantially as, and for the purpose, herein before described and
as illustrated.
7. In coin-freed apparatus of the kind described in Claim 1, for
game of "tug-of-war" the employment of coin receivers such as
inclined projections to hold the discharged coin, substantially as
described and illustrated.
playing the
having the
herein before
8. The combination and arrangement of parts forming the improved coin-freed
apparatus for playing the game of " tug-of-war," herein before described and
illustrated in the accompanying drawings.
G. F. REDFERN & Co.,
4, South Street, Finsbury, London, Agents for the Applicants.