for Delivering Prepaid Goods.
Year: 1885

page_text: for Delivering Prepaid Goods.
I PERCIVAL EVERITT of N° 13, Huggin Lane, in the City of London, Engineer,
do hereby declare the nature of the said invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN
APPARATUS FOR RECEIVING PAYMENT FOR AND FOR DELIVERING PREPAID GOODS
to be as follows:-
"
This invention relates to further improvements in that class of apparatus for
delivering prepaid goods for which Letters Patent were granted to John Glas
Sandeman and myself N° 2,033 dated the 21st day of April 1883.
In apparatus constructed according to the specification of the said former
Letters Patent it has been found in practice that although the apparatus is
perfectly successful when not designedly misused articles such as pieces of paper,
orange peel and other rubbish have been maliciously placed in the slit provided
for the admission of the coin; and that in consequence the channel provided for
the passage of the coins from the slit became blocked, so that if a coin were
subsequently inserted in the slit, the apparatus would not act and the person
attempting to use the apparatus could not obtain the post card or other article
for which he had paid by inserting a proper coin in the slit of the apparatus.
It has also been found that by maliciously manipulating the delivery slide in a
manner which it is not necessary or expedient to state it is occasionally possible
to obtain by the insertion of one coin more than one article.
The present improvements have for their object the rendering the apparatus
more secure against such misuse.
In carrying out these improvements I construct the improved apparatus
substantially in the manner described in the specification of the said former
Letters Patent, in so far as regards the skeleton frame or box, of suitable shape
to contain the articles to be delivered and in which the goods are placed one
on the top of the other, the said skeleton frame or box being placed over a
delivery slide fitted with a plate or backing piece of about the thickness of the
article to be delivered an aperture being provided in front of the box of a size
to allow of only one article being drawn out at a time. The delivery slide is
locked until a coin or coins of the proper denomination is or are placed in a slit
or slits when the delivery slide or slides will on an attempt to move it or them
out, be found to be unlocked and can be moved out when pulled or pushed
1:

page_text: whereupon the coin will fall into the money drawer as soon as the delivery slide
shall have travelled a sufficient distance to clear the lock from falling.
In order to prevent the blocking of the apparatus, instead of employing a
zig zag vertical channel as described in the specification of the said former Letters
Patent down which the coin travelled, I now connect with the delivery slide itself
an upright or uprights having fitted to the top part thereof a jaw or support with
an opening of a width regulated by the diameter of the coin required to work the
apparatus.
This jaw or support stands at such a distance below the slit through which
the coin is introduced that the coin is allowed to fall just far enough to clear
the top of the box or apparatus and is there held sidewise by means of proper
guides.
Attached to the said upright or uprights is a lever the spindle of which runs
somewhat behind the coin and this lever is connected with a finger or trigger
which can be caused to press against the coin.
On the said spindle is an arm having a rod hung on its extremity and extending
downwards through the delivery slide and engaging in a series of rack teeth
attached to the frame or box of the apparatus and forming the lock; this rod
has a projection on it, the use of which is hereinafter explained; on the side
of the box and forward of the lock bolt and the projection thereon is a plate
running the same distance as the above named rack teeth.
By this arrangement, assuming the lock bolt to be down and the delivery slide
shut, if a proper coin be placed in the slit it will rest by its periphery on the jaw
or support above referred to and being held sidewise by the guides is there fixed;
a little slack is allowed on the lock and by the delivery slide being pulled forward
the jaws or supports will slide under the coin the finger or trigger on the spindle
coming in contact with the coin thereby causing the spindle to make a partial
rotation so as to raise the arm carrying the locking bolt from the rack below and
to pass the projection thereon onto the slide plate.
On moving the delivery slide further out the coin will be deprived of its support
and will fall into the money drawer and the lock bolt would move so as to engage
with the rack teeth were it not held by the projection on it resting on the slide
plate.
The delivery slide being moved out still further the projection becomes un-
supported so that in the return journey of the delivery slide the said projection
passes under the plate and engages in the rack teeth. The unlocking arrangement
having thus been described it will be obvious that the choking of the apparatus
will be prevented because any article larger than the coin is prevented by the
size of the slit from being entered and any article smaller than the coin will be
too small to be retained in the support and will fall straight through.
Should the jaws or support through accident or otherwise become blocked the
alit will be blocked and no more coins can be inserted.
In order to prevent more than one article being procured for the payment of the
one amount which unlocks the drawer I combine with the rack what I term
a drop plate in the front of the aperture (which allows egress for only one article
at a time).
This drop plate consists of a plate extending the width of the article to be
delivered and having a projecting piece or projecting pieces at each end engaging
onto a wedge or wedges on the delivery slide, this drop plate is free to move up
and down in a guide to keep it vertical.
Its action is as follows: when the delivery slide is shut the wedges engage with
the projecting pieces on the plate and raise it sufficiently to allow the passage of
the article; when on moving out the slide the article has passed some little
distance under the drop plate the wedges terminate and allow the plate to rest
on the top of the article; on the article being taken away the plate falls on to the
delivery alide itself thus completely closing the aperture and on the reclosing
of the delivery slide the lock will have engaged with the rack teeth before the

page_text: wedges have commenced to lift the drop plate, thus rendering it practically
impossible to obtain a second article without a fresh payment.
The apparatus is fitted with an arrangement similar to the one described in the
specification of the said former Letters Patent, for closing by the action of pulling
out the delivery slide the slit in which the coin is placed, but I slightly modify
the levers so that should an attempt be made to open the delivery slide by means
of a knife or similar instrument the knife will be nipped and thus prevent the
opening of the drawer.
The arrangement for indicating when the box is empty is also similar to that
described in the specification of the said former Patent except that the levers
require to be slightly different owing to the shape of the box.
In my improved apparatus no arrangement is provided for returning coins not
of the proper denomination as I do not consider such provision necessary.
G. F. REDFERN,
Agent for the Applicant.

page_text: for Delivering Prepaid Goods.
I PERCIVAL EVERITT, of N° 13, Huggin, Lane, in the City of London, 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:-
This invention relates to further improvements in that class of apparatus for
delivering prepaid goods for which Letters Patent were granted to John Glas
Sandeman and myself No 2033 dated the 21st day of April 1883.
In apparatus constructed according to the specification of the said former Letters
Patent it has been found in practice that although the apparatus is perfectly
successful when not designedly misused, articles such as pieces of paper, orange
peel, and other rubbish have been maliciously placed in the slit provided for the
admission of the coin, and that in consequence, the channel provided for the
passage of the coins from the slit, became blocked, so that if a coin were sub-
sequently inserted in the slit, the apparatus would not act and the person
attempting to use the apparatus could not obtain the post card or other article
for which he had paid by inserting a proper coin in the slit of the apparatus.
It has also been found that by maliciously manipulating the delivery slide in a
manner which it is not necessary or expedient to state, it is occasionally possible to
obtain by the insertion of one coin more than one article.
The present improvements have for their object the rendering the apparatus
more secure against such misuse.
In carrying out these improvements I construct the improved apparatus sub-
stantially in the manner described in the specification of the said former Letters
Patent, in so far as regards the skeleton frame or box, of suitable shape to contain
the articles to be delivered and in which the goods are placed one on the top of the
other, the said skeleton frame or box being placed over a delivery slide fitted with
a plate or backing piece of about the thickness of the article to be delivered, an
aperture being provided in front of the box of a size to allow of only one article
being drawn out at a time. The delivery slide is locked until a coin or coins of
the proper denomination is or are placed in a slit or slits when the delivery slide or
slides will on an attempt to move it or them out, be found to be unlocked and can
be moved out when pulled or pushed whereupon the coin will fall into the money
drawer as soon as the delivery slide shall have travelled a sufficient distance to
allow of the locking bolt being withheld from falling.
In order to prevent the blocking of the apparatus, instead of employing a zig-zag
vertical channel as described in the specification of the said former Letters Patent
down which the coin travelled I now connect with the delivery slide itself an
upright or uprights having fitted to the top part thereof a jaw or support with an
opening of a width regulated by the diameter of the coin required to work the
apparatus.
This jaw or support stands at such a distance below the slit through which the
coin is introduced that the coin is allowed to fall just far enough to clear the top
of the box or apparatus and is there held sidewise by means of proper guides.

page_text: Carried by the said upright or uprights is a spindle which runs somewhat
behind the coin and is provided with a finger or trigger which can be caused to
press against the said coin.
On the said spindle is an arm having a rod hung on its extremity and extending
downwards through the delivery slide and engaging in a series of rack teeth
attached to the frame or box of the apparatus and forming the lock; this rod has
a projection on it the use of which is hereinafter explained; on the side of the box
and forward of the lock bolt and the projection thereon is a plate running the
same distance as the above named rack teeth.
In order to prevent more than one article being procured for the payment of the
one amount which unlocks the drawer I combine with the rack what I term a
drop plate in the front of the aperture (which allows egress for only one article at
a time).
:
This drop plate consists of a plate extending the width of the article to be
delivered and having a projecting piece or projecting pieces at each end engaging
onto a wedge or wedges on the delivery slide; this drop plate is free to move up
and down in a guide to keep it vertical.
The apparatus is fitted with an arrangement similar to the one described in the
specification of the said former Letters Patent, for closing, by the action of pulling
out the delivery slide, the slit in which the coin is placed, but I slightly modify the
levers so that should an attempt be made to open the delivery slide by means of a
knife or similar instrument the knife will be nipped and thus prevent the opening
of the drawer.
The arrangement for indicating when the box is empty is also similar to that
described in the specification of the said former Patent except that the levers
require to be slightly different owing to the shape of the box.
In order to enable my invention to be fully understood I will proceed to describe
the same by reference to the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 represents
a plan of an apparatus for receiving payment for and for delivering prepaid goods
constructed according to my present improvements the said apparatus being shewn
divided into two portions, one portion being adapted for the delivery of post cards
and the other portion for the delivery of a stamped envelope enclosing a blank
sheet of note paper. Figure 2, represents an elevation of the left hand side of the
same. Figure 3 represents a vertical section on the line A, B, of figure 1 looking
towards the left hand side of the apparatus and figure 4, represents a portion of the
view illustrated in figure 3, but shewing part of the mechanism in a different
position. Figures 5 and 6 represent a vertical section and a side elevation partly
in section the sections being taken on the lines C, D, and E, F, respectively of
figure 1, looking in the same direction as in figures 3, 4, 5 and 6.-Figure 7
represents a horizontal section on the crooked line G, H of figure 3. Figure 8
represents a vertical section on the crooked line I, J, of figure 3 looking towards
the front of the apparatus. Figure 9 represents a vertical section on the line K, L,
of figure 3 looking in the same direction as in the previous figure.
In figure 10 I have shewn my improved apparatus for delivering prepaid goods
with some of the parts somewhat modified the said figure representing a right hand
side elevation partly in section the section being taken on the line M, N of figure 11
which represents a vertical section of part of the apparatus on the crooked line O, P
of figure 10 looking towards the front of the said apparatus. Figure 12 represents
a side elevation partly in section the section being taken on the crooked line Q, R,
of figure 11 looking in the same direction as in figure 10. Similar letters of
reference represent similar or corresponding parts throughout the several figures of
the accompanying drawings.
Referring to figures 1 to 9; A, represents the case or box of the apparatus which
case or box as here shown is substantially the same as that described in the
specification of the said former Letters Patent and is divided by an open
partition w, into two compartments A¹, and A. The said compartments A¹
and A2, serve to contain the arrangements of mechanism for delivering post cards

page_text: and stamped envelopes respectively as herein before mentioned. The said arrange-
ments of mechanism in the two compartments A¹ and A', are similar to each other,
with the exception of slight modifications rendered necessary by reason of the
mechanism in the compartment A³, being duplicated to allow of the insertion and
operation of two coins instead of one as is the case with the mechanism in the
compartment A¹. I will therefore for the sake of simplicity confine myself at
present to describing the mechanism in the compartment À¹.
a, is the skeleton frame or box of suitable shape to contain the articles to be
delivered and held in position in guides a¹, and in which frame or box are contained
a number of post cards b, placed one on top of the other; on the top of the pile of
cards is placed a hollow weight 61; c, is the delivery slide over which the skeleton
frame or box a, is placed the said slide being arranged so as to slide on friction
rollers c'; c, is the plate or backing piece on the delivery slide c, the said backing
piece c¹, projecting above the surface of the delivery slide to the extent of about
the thickness of one of the post cards which it serves to deliver. On the under
side of the delivery slide c, is fixed a stop cs, which by coming in contact with the
front of the box A, limits the outward movement of the said delivery slide; dis
the aperture or space in the front of the box A, above the delivery slide o, which
aperture is of a size to allow of only one post card being drawn out each time the
delivery slide c, is moved or drawn out; e, is the money-slit formed in a plate e¹,
which as here shewn is fastened by screws to a bracket e, secured to the inside of
the back of the box A, as shewn in figure 3, and ƒ, is the locking bolt which serves
to lock the delivery slide c, until a coin of the proper denomination is placed in
the money slit e, when the delivery slide c, will, on an attempt to move it out, be
found to be unlocked and can be moved out when pulled; g, is a tablet on which
is written the word "Empty" or its equivalent, and which is connected by means
of a rod g¹, to a lever q having a weight q¹, at one end and pivotted to a pin q, on
a bracket q³. The rod g¹, is slotted at its lower end and engages with the end of a
pin g*, projecting at right angles from a lever g³, the free end of which is bent and
passes upwards through a slot c³, in the delivery slide c, and bearing against the
underneath face of the bottom post card in the skeleton frame or box a, so that
when the post cards in the box a, have been exhausted the said bent end of the
lever g², will move upwards and thereby expose the tablet g to view; h is a slide
which is arranged below the money slit e, and which as hereinafter described is
operated to close the said alit when the delivery slide is pulled out or when the
post cards are exhausted in the box a.-The top of the box A is inclined and is
divided into two parts B and B¹, the part B, being hinged as shewn at B³, in
figures 2 and 6, and the part B1, held in place by means of a bolt B³, hinged to the
same and passing through a lug w¹, on the partition w, the said bolt being secured
by a winged nut B (see specially fig. 8). The said part B¹, is further held by
screws e³, to the plates e¹, as shewn in figure 1, A3, is the money drawer which
works on guides A', at the bottom of the box A, a door A³, being arranged at one
end of the said box to allow of access to the drawer A³.
All the foregoing parts are substantially the same as the equivalent parts
described in the specification of the said former Letters Patent. I will now describe
iny present improvements in connection therewith.
;
i, is the upright formed-H-shaped in cross section or of other suitable shape and
connected with the rear end of the delivery slide c, so that, when the delivery
slide is in its locked position, the said upright is underneath the money slit e as
clearly shewn in figure 3; 3, is the jaw or support fitted to the top part of the
upright i, the said jaw or support being formed by two angular shaped pieces of
metal ¹, one of which is fixed at each side of the upright i, the opening in the jaw,
or support being of a width regulated by the diameter of the coin 1, (shown in
dotted lines in figures 3 and 8) required to work the apparatus, the jaw ³, forms a
support for the coin 1, and is at such a distance below the slot e, through which the
coin is introduced that the coin is allowed to fall just far enough to clear the under
side of the top of the box A; j,j, are the guides on each side of the money slit 6,

page_text: and fixed on the under side of the top of the box A the said guides consisting of
plates having vertical slots or recesses, ¹, which serve to guide the coin 1, to the
jaw i, and to there hold it sidewise; the guides j, are provided on the outside
with small strips of metal 73, placed across the slots or recesses j¹, to prevent the
coin 1, from falling out sideways in its descent onto the jaw ; 3, is the spindle
carried in the sides of the upright i, the said spindle running behind the coin 1, as
shewn in figure 3; , is the finger or trigger with which the spindle ³, is provided
which finger or trigger projects in an upward direction and can be caused to press
against the coin 1, in the manner hereinafter described; *, is the arm or lever fixed
to the spindle ³, the rod or locking bolt f, being connected to or hanging from the
outer end of the said arm or lever and extending downwards through a hole c³, in
the delivery slide c, and into a notch k, in a bracket k¹; k³, k³, are the rack teeth
in the bracket k¹, which is attached to the frame or box A of the apparatus and
forms the lock and with which teeth the rod or locking bolt f, engages as herein-
after described; f¹, is a projection on the rod or locking bolt f, and 7, is the loose
plate on the other side of the box or compartment A, and near the lock bolt f, and
projection f¹, thereon, the projection f¹, serving as hereinafter explained to engage
with the loose plate 7, in which is a slot 7, through which passes & pin l, on a
bracket, fastened to the side of the box A. The plate l, extends for about the
same distance as the rack teeth k³, and notch k, and has a projecting flange *, the
ends of the upper and under sides of which are curved in opposite directions as
shewn in figure 3. The ends of the plate 1, rest on pins 1, fixed to the bracket 1.
In order to obtain a post card by this arrangement, assuming the locking bolt f,
to be down and the delivery slide shut as shewn in figure 3, if a proper coin be
placed in the slit e, it will rest by its periphery on the jaw or support i, above
referred to and being held sidewise by the guides j, is there fixed; a little slack is
allowed in the notch k, of the lock so as to allow of the delivery slide being pulled
forward a short distance together with the jaws or supports, which will slide
under the coin 1, the finger or trigger it, on the spindle is, coming in contact with
the coin 1 thereby causing the spindle 3, to make a partial rotation so as to
raise the arm or lever i³, carrying the locking bolt f, out from the notch k, in the
rack k², below and to pass the projection f¹, thereon onto the upper side of the
flange, on the loose plate ; at the same time the lowerinost post card in the box
or frame a, will be pushed forward by the backing piece c¹, on the delivery slide c,
in a similar manner to that described in the specification of the said former
Letters Patent.
On moving the delivery slide c further out the coin 1, will be deprived of its
support and will fall into the money drawer A³, and the locking bolt f, would
move so as to engage with the rack teeth of the rack k¹, were it not held by the
projection f', on it, resting on the flange , of the plate l.
On the delivery slide being now moved out to its full extent the purchaser is
then enabled to obtain a post card and the projection f¹, on the locking bolt f, will
become unsupported so that in the return journey of the delivery slide c the said
projection passes under the loose plate l, and engages in the rack teeth of the
rack. The unlocking arrangement baving thus been described it will be obvious
that the choking of the apparatus will be prevented because any article larger than
the coin 1 is prevented by the size of the slit e from being entered and any article
smaller than the said coin will be too small to be retained in the jaw or support i³,
and will fall straight through into the drawer A³.
Should however the jaw or support ³, through accident or otherwise become
blocked the slit e, will be blocked and no more coins can be inserted
m, figures 3 and 9 is the drop plate in the front of the aperture d, and which in
combination with the rack kl, serves to allow of egress for only one post card at a
time and to prevent more than one post card being procured for the payment of
the one amount or coin which unlocks the drawer. The drop plate m, extends
across the aperture above the delivery slide c; m³, m³, are projecting pieces one at

page_text: each end of the plate m, and c³, are wedges or inclined surfaces on the delivery
slide c, as shewn clearly in figure 9 onto which the projecting pieces m³, engage;
m³, and m³, are the two plates forming the guide in which the drop plate m, is free
to move up and down in a vertical direction; the plates m³, and m³, are kept a
sufficient distance: apart by means of bosses or distance pieces m³, on the plate m³,
the said bosses passing through slots mt, in the said plate m.
Its action is as follows: when the delivery slide c, is shut, the wedges or inclined
surfaces, on the slide c engage with the projecting pieces m³, on the plate m, and
raise it sufficiently to allow the passage of the post card; when on moving out the
slide c the post card has passed some little distance under the drop plate m the
wedges or inclined surfaces c³, terminate, and allow the plate m, to rest on the top
of the post card; on the post card being taken away the plate m falls on to the
delivery slide c itself thus completely closing the aperture d, and on the reclosing
of the delivery slide c, the locking bolt f, will have engaged with the rack teeth k³,
before the wedges or inclined surfaces c³, have commenced to lift the drop plate m,
thus rendering it practically impossible to obtain a second post card without a fresh
payment.
The slide h (herein before referred to for closing, by the action of pulling out the
delivery slide, the slit in which the coin is placed) works (see specially figure 8) in
guides h¹, fixed to the under side of the top of the box A.-The slide h, has a
pin h³, fixed to one end and engaging with a slot in the central portion of a lever n
pivotted at one end to a pin n¹, and working at the other end in a slot 26, in a
lever o.
The lever o, is pivotted at o¹, and is formed with two arms or exten-
sions 03, 0³, provided at their outer ends with a weight o*, and a roller o³,
respectively. On one side of the delivery slide c, is a ledge or strip c, on which
the roller o³, of the arm o³ of the lever o runs, when the delivery slide c is moved,
to open or close the same. The strip c, is of such a length that when the delivery
slide c, is shut, the roller 0%, is caused by the weight o', on the arm o³, to rest on
the slide c, and against the end of the strip c', as shewn in dotted lines at figure 3;
the slide h, is then in the position shewn in the said figure and the slit e, uncovered.
Directly the delivery slide c, is commenced to be moved out (when a coin has been
inserted in the slit e) the roller o*, is caused to mount and roll on the top of the
strip c, thereby moving the lever o, on its pivot o¹, and the lever n, on its pivot n¹,
and causing the slide to cover the money slit e. To allow of operating the slide h,
so as to cover the slit e, when the apparatus is exhausted of postcards I form (see
specially figures 5 and 8) the rod g₁ which carries the tablet g, with an inclined
portion g, which is in contact with one end of a double ended lever p, pivotted in the
centre to a pin p¹³, on a bracket p³, the other end of the said lever p, having a slot
through which passes the pin h³, on the slide h. By this arrangement it will be
seen that when the box a, of the apparatus is exhausted of postcards and the bent
end of the lever g³, is thereby caused to ascend through the weight b', (which will
then be resting on the top of the delivery slide c,) the rod g¹, will be also caused to
ascend and the inclined part g³, will move the lever p, on its pivot p², thereby
moving the slide h, across the slit e, and covering the same.
The lever g', is formed at its free end with a slot g', in which is pivotted a bell
cranked piece go, go, which is formed with one of its arms g³, narrower than the
slot g, so that it can move freely through the same, while the other arm 96, is
prevented from doing so as it is formed with a head or flat portion 98, wider than
the said slot; the end 96, of the bell cranked piece is heavier than the end go, so
that the former normally rests on or against the lever g³, whilst the latter projects
out from the slot g', therein This piece g³, 96, serves when the box a, of the
apparatus is exhausted of post cards as previously described, to lock the said
lever g³, and tablet g, (when the bent end of the lever g³, is moved up through the
weight 6',) by reason of the end g, moving on to the solid portion 6*, of the
weight 6', as clearly shewn in figure 4, the heavier end 96, moving the end g*,
outwards when the latter has been pressed inwards in passing the solid portion of
the weight.

page_text: Instead of the arrangement just described for locking the lever g³, and tablet g,
I sometimes employ a suitable spring bolt adapted to take into a slot in or to pass
under the tablet g, when the latter rises on the cards being exhausted.
In the part or compartment A2, of the apparatus, in consequence of the position of
the tablet g, being altered and an extra slide h, being required I have found it
necessary to somewhat modify the mechanism for operating the same, videlicet ;-
the tablet g, as shewn in figures 6 and 8 is fixed to a bar or rod r, which works in a
vertical direction in a bracket 8. Fixed to the said bar r, is an extension or arm rl,
which projects outwards and is bent at right angles, the said arm r¹, supporting a
lever t, mounted on a shaft t¹, hereinafter described The lower end of the bar r, is
slotted at D and engages with a pin w, on one end of a lever u¹, pivotted at u³, to
the bracket 8, the other end of the lever u¹, being jointed to a vertical rod v, on
which is fixed a weight v¹. The lower end of the rod v, is jointed to the lever g³,
which is pivotted at v³, to a bracket ³, and works in a similar manner to the
lever g, hereinbefore described when referring to the mechanism in the compart
ment A¹. The slides h, are provided at one end with jaws h³, in which work pins t,
fixed in the outer ends of short levers or cranks t³, mounted on the shaft t¹.
The shaft t¹, is mounted in suitable bearings t, on the underside of the top of the
box A; on one end of the shaft t¹ is fixed a lever or crank to, jointed at t8, to a
rod to, carrying a weight t'. The rod to, passes down and works through a hole in
a bracket w³, fixed to the partition w, dividing the compartments A¹, and A², from
each other; the lower end of the rod to, bears on the upper surface of the slide c, in
front of a strip c*, on the said slide c. The rod to, operates in a somewhat similar
manner to the lever o, in the compartment A', that is to say, assuming the delivery
slide c, to be shut and the slides h, open as shewn in Figure 6, directly the slide c,
is moved outwards on the insertion of a coin in each of the money slits e, the rod to,
will be caused to mount and ride on the strip c*, thus raising the lever or crank to,
and causing the shaft t¹, to rotate the levers or cranks t, the pins t', of which will
cause the slides h, to cover the slits e. The slides h, are closed when the supply of
stamped envelopes, &, in the apparatus has been exhausted by means of the
extension or arm r¹, on the rod r, carrying the tablet g, being caused by the lever g³,
rod v, and lever u', to move upwards when the said tablet is exposed thereby
moving the lever t, which partly revolves the shaft t¹, and levers or cranks 3, thus
closing the slides h. By thus causing the slide or slides h, in each part of the
apparatus to move directly either of their respective delivery slides c, is pulled out,
it will be seen that should an attempt be made to open one of the said delivery
slides for the purpose of extracting either a post card or stamped envelope &, from
the apparatus by means of a knife or other similar instrument inserted in one of
the money slits e, so that the said knife or the like shall act instead of a coin to
form a resistance to the trigger i, the said knife will be nipped by the slide h, and
will thus stop any further movement of the delivery slide as the slide h, must move
over the slit e, before the outward movement of the said delivery slide can be
continued.
At C, in figure 5 I have shewn a suitable air dashpot fixed to the back of the
box A, the piston rod C, of which is fastened to a bracket C³, on the under side
of the delivery slide in the compartment A². The said dashpot serves to prevent
any severe shock or strain being imparted to the mechanism, in case the delivery
slide c, should be violently moved to and fro. To allow of access to the boxes a,
in the compartments A¹, or A³, when required to replenish the same when exhausted
of post cards or stamped envelopes &, I hinge the part B, of the lid of the box A,
as previously described, and to allow of locking or unlocking the same I provide a
bolt x, working in guides x², on the underside of the part B1 of the lid of the said
box A, which bolt passes through an eyex, fixed to the part B as shown in figure 5.
At the other end of the bolt x, is fixed a pin ³, engaging with a slot at the end of
a lever, which is fastened on one end of a shaft ³, journalled in bearings 25, and
running along the back of the box A the other end terminating at the side thereof,
a lever x7, being fixed to the said end; from the lever x', hangs a rod x³, extending

page_text: to a point a little below the top of the opening covered by the door A³, and through
which slides the drawer A³. By opening the door A, and pressing upwards, the
rod, the lever ', will cause the shaft x, to rotate the lever x, whereby the
bolt x, will be withdrawn from the eye x², thereby unlocking the part B of the
lid of the box A.
.
In each of the skeleton frames or boxes a, I have shewn an extra compartment
for containing cards or the like on which are printed suitable advertisements &º,
the delivery slides being made of a suitable width for the delivery of the same.
Instead of employing a flat slide as hereinbefore described and shewn in figures 3,
6, and 8 I sometimes use a rotary slide h, as shewn in figures 10, 11 and 12 the
said slide having a longitudinal slot h³; it is journalled in the guides ;, and extends
along and underneath the slit e..
To one end of the rotary slide h, is attached a cranked arm o, having a pin oo,
projecting from one side of the outer end thereof. The pin o, rests (when the
delivery slide c, is shut) in a notch oº, in a bracket c, fixed on one side of the
top of the upright i, and extending beyond the rear of the same, the said upright
being here shewn of a slightly different shape to that shewn in figures 3 to 8.
When the delivery slide is drawn out the pin o, will be caused to ride out of the
notch o, on to the inclined face o³, of the bracket c', and a partial rotation of the
rotary slide h, will be made, thereby closing the slit e.
On still further pulling
out the delivery slide c, the pin o, on the cranked arm o will be caused to ride up
the inclined face o, of the bracket c, onto the top thereof as shewn in dotted lines
in figure 12.
In this arrangement I have shown the plate l, provided with rack teeth 1º, the
pin f¹, on the locking bolt f, being made of the shape shewn in dotted lines in
figure 10, so as to engage with the said teeth, when the said pin is moved onto the
top of the said plate 7, by drawing out the delivery slide c, thereby preventing any
backward movement of the said delivery slide c; in this case I also provide the
finger or trigger i, on the spindle ³, with a backward extension i, having its
upper face concave as shewn whereby the coin 1 is prevented from dropping behind
the said finger or trigger till such time as the pin ƒ has engaged with the rack
teeth 16, on the loose plate l.
The rod g¹, together with the tablet g, is placed behind the money slit e, and the
said rod is connected directly to the lever g', the pin g*, herein before described
and shewn in Figures 3, 4, 5, 7 and 8, being dispensed with. I have also shewn
the tablet g, as not being fixed to the rod g¹, so that if the said tablet be raised or
be fixed in a raised position by any person before the goods in the apparatus are
exhausted the rod g¹, and its connections will not be affected.
In order to close the slit e, when the apparatus is exhausted of post cards
I provide the rod g¹, with an upward extension g', which is normally situated
under the cranked arm o; when however the apparatus is exhausted of post cards
the said rod g¹, will rise and the extension go, will be caused to lift the said cranked
arm o, thereby rotating the rotary slide h, and closing the slit e.
'
In order to prevent the delivery slides from being opened by inserting a knife
in the money slit e, I have shewn an upwardly extending arm , mounted on the
spindle, the end of which arm is formed so that it can move on the underside
of the money slit e; should a knife or the like be inserted in the said money slit e,
for the purpose referred to the said arm i, will come against the knife or the like
and thus prevent any movement of the spindle i³, and consequent unlocking of the
delivery slide.
For locking the lever g³, and tablet g, I have shewn a weighted pawl g³, which
engages with and underneath a shoulder 98, on the rod g¹, when the said rod is
lifted up to expose the tablet g, the said pawl g, being provided with an extended
part go, to allow of the said pawl being readily disengaged when a fresh supply of
cards or the like is placed in the apparatus.
In my improved apparatus no arrangement is provided for returning coins not
of the proper denomination as I do not consider such provision necessary.

page_text: I have described and illustrated my improvements as applied to an apparatus
constructed for receiving payment for and for delivering post cards and stamped
envelopes containing letter paper, and have shewn the skeleton frames or boxes
adapted also to contain and deliver advertisements with the post cards and stamped
envelopes but it will be obvious that the apparatus can be constructed to deliver
only one description of article and that it may also be constructed to deliver other
articles than post cards and stamped envelopes such for example as boxes of
matches and packets of cigarettes and that the provision for delivering adver-
tisements can be dispensed with-Also that the shape and proportions of the
containing case may be varied to suit the particular goods to be stored therein
for delivery.
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:-
1. In apparatus for receiving payment for and for delivering prepaid goods, the
arrangement of mechanism for preventing the blocking of the apparatus the said
mechanism being arranged and operating substantially as hereinbefore described
and illustrated in the accompanying drawings.
2. In apparatus for receiving payment for and for delivering prepaid goods the
combination with the rack of the locking apparatus of a drop plate for preventing
more than one article being procured for the payment of the one amount which
unlocks the drawer the said drop plate being constructed arranged and operating
substantially as hereinbefore described and illustrated in the accompanying
drawings.
3. In apparatus for receiving payment for and for delivering prepaid goods the
arrangement of mechanism for preventing the setting free the catch of the delivery
slide or drawer by means of a knife or similar instrument and thereby admitting
of the slide or drawer being improperly opened substantially as hereinbefore
described and illustrated in the accompanying drawings.
4. The improved apparatus for receiving payment for and for delivering prepaid
goods hereinbefore described and illustrated in the various figures of the accom.
panying drawings.