Improvements in Coin-freed Exhibiting Apparatus.
Year: 1891

page_text: Date of Application, 1st Jan., 1891
Complete Specification Left, 31st Oct., 1891-Accepted, 24th Dec., 1891
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Coin-freed Exhibiting Apparatus.
I, ROBERT WILLIAM PAGE, of Stanley House, Hewlett Street, Cheltenham, in
the County of Gloucester, Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention
to be as follows:-
:―
This invention relates to apparatus for imparting or displaying information, or
exhibiting or displaying pictures and the like on the insertion of a proper coin.
In carrying out my invention I employ a mirror whose normal position is in a
vertical plane and which, on the insertion of a proper coin, is caused to swing or is
free to be swung to a suitable angle so that pictures or information or the like
contained in the case will be reflected by the mirror and will be seen by the
operator.
The mirror may be advantageously operated by means of a trigger or push-knob,
such trigger or knob being adapted to be released by the coin inserted in the
apparatus.
In some cases the weight of the coin may be utilized to overbalance the mirror
and cause it to swing into the required position and suitable means, such as an
arrangement of electro magnets, may be used to retain the mirror in position for a
given time; or an arrangement of clockwork mechanism may be used to operate
the mirror and retain it in such position for a stated time, such clockwork mechanism
being liberated by the insertion of the coin.
The information, pictures or the like to be reflected by the mirror is
advantageously placed on a roller or drum so connected with the mirror
that each time the latter is operated the roller or drum is revolved a portion
of a revolution so as to bring a fresh picture etc. in position to be reflected by the
mirror.
It will be obvious that my apparatus can be applied to various uses in addition to
those above named such for example, as for shewing the weight of a person standing
on a weighing machine.
Dated the 1st day of January 1891
G. F. REDFERN & Co.,
4, South Street, Finsbury, London, Agents for the Applicant.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Coin-freed Exhibiting Apparatus.
1, ROBERT WILLIAM PAGE, of Stanley House, Hewlett Street, Cheltenham, in
the County of Gloucester, 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 apparatus for imparting or displaying information, or
exhibiting or displaying pictures and the like on the insertion of a proper coin.
In carrying out my invention I employ a mirror whose normal position is in a

page_text: vertical plane and which, on the insertion of a proper coin, is free to be swung or is
caused to swing to a suitable angle so that pictures or information or the like
contained in the case will be reflected by the mirror and will be seen by the
operator.
The mirror may be advantageously operated by means of a trigger or push-knob,
or knobs, adapted to be released by the coin inserted in the apparatus
In some cases an arrangement of clock-work mechanism or an electro-motor may
be used to operate the mirror and retain it in a given position for a stated time,
such clock-work mechanism being liberated by the insertion of the coin.
The information, pictures or the like to be reflected by the mirror is or are
advantageously placed on a roller or drum so connected with the mirror that each
time the latter is operated the roller or drum is partially revolved so as to bring
a fresh picture, etc. in position to be reflected by the mirror.
To enable my invention to be fully understood I will describe how it can be
carried into practice by reference to the accompanying drawings, in which :-
Figure 1 is a front elevation of a coin-freed exhibiting apparatus constructed
according to my invention, the mirror being operated by push-knobs adapted to be
released by the coin inserted in the apparatus :
Figure 2 is
rear elevation partly in section of the interior of the apparatus:
Figure 3 is a vertical section looking from the right hand side of the 2
apparatus:
Figures 3 and 3B are respectively a side elevation and an end elevation of a
part of the apparatus, the latter figure being drawn to an enlarged scale:
Figure 3 is a similar view to Figure 3A but with a part removed:
Figure 4 is an elevation partly in section looking from the left hand side of the 2
apparatus:
Figure 5 is a front elevation partly in section of my apparatus in which the
mirror is operated by clock-work mechanism liberated by the insertion of the
coin.
Figure 6 is an elevation partly in section looking from the right hand side of 3
such apparatus.
I will first describe my invention by reference to Figures 1 to 4.
a is the case of the apparatus; b is the mirror fixed to a shaft c mounted in
brackets d, d behind an opening e in the front of the case a and adapted to be
swung, by the means hereinafter described, into the position shewn in dotted 3
lines in Figure 3, so as to reflect pictures or information placed or inscribed on the
periphery of the drum f, such pictures or the like being exposed to the mirror
through an opening e²; g is a lens which I advantageously arrange between the
mirror and the drum to magnify pictures or the like.
h is the coin receptacle normally situated in the position shewn so as to receive 4
the coin inserted in the money slit i. The coin receptacle h is fixed to one end of
a lever having its fulcrum at k. The other end of the lever is connected by a
link to a weighted arm m pivotted at n and provided with a tooth o normally
in engagement with a notched wheel p so as to keep such wheel from revolving.
The arm is disengaged from the wheel by the weight of the coin depressing the 4
receptacle h.
9 and r are the push knobs, one or the other of which is intended to be operated
by the person making use of the apparatus according to the kind of picture or
information which it is desired to see. The push knobs q and rare adapted to
operate ratchet wheels s and t respectively through the medium of pins u on the 5
push knobs in engagement with notched levers v carrying pawls w. The ratchet
wheels s and t are mounted on a shaft carrying a bevel wheel y in gear with a
similar wheel fixed to the drum f. By this means it will be seen that whichever
push knob is operated it will partially rotate the drum. In order to allow of
exhibiting two sets or kinds of pictures or information, such as the portraits of 5
men and women or information relating to either of the sexes, the portraits or
information are arranged alternately upon the periphery of the drum and the

page_text: ratchet wheels are arranged so that when the pawl of one wheel is immediately
against the front of a tooth the pawl of the other wheel is half way between the
fronts of two teeth. Thus, assume the drum to have on its periphery twenty four
portraits of men and women arranged alternately, and the ratchet wheels as shewn
to have twelve teeth each and to be in the position indicated, if the knob be
pushed in, the ratchet wheel will be rotated one twelfth of a revolution and will
bring to view another portrait of the sex last exhibited; if however the knob
operated the ratchet wheel s will be rotated one twenty fourth of a revolution and
will bring a portrait of the other sex to view.
be
The drum is provided with a number of holes a¹ in which engage the inner ends
of the stems a² of the push knobs when the latter are pushed in, for the purpose of
stopping the drum at the right point.
bare nuts on the push-knob stems a² forming stops for limiting the outward
movement of the knobs.
The mirror is operated from the push-knobs by the following arrangement of
mechanism viz. :-
Pins c, care provided on the stems a² of the push-knobs which pins actuate
levers d', d'on a shaft el carrying a lever f' and an arm g' operated by a spring .
The lever is connected by a link it to a sector j¹ having two teeth k¹ and mounted
loose upon the shaft c. Another sector having two teeth m' is similarly mounted
on the shaft e and carries a stud n' against which act the teeth A. Upon the stud n'
is hooked a bent rod o' to which is attached a tension spring pl for the purpose
which will be presently described. Upon the shaft c is fixed an arm q' having fixed
thereto a stud upon which is hooked another bent rod s' having a tension spring
attached thereto for keeping the mirror in its two extreme positions. When either
of the push-knobs is pressed in, its pin e¹ moves the corresponding lever d' whereby
the lever and link are caused to move the sector in the direction of the
arrow. The rear tooth acts upon the stud n¹ so as to move forward the sector l,
and when the stud¹ has just passed an imaginary vertical line drawn through the
centre of the shaft c in Figure 3, the sector j¹ stops and the spring pl will cause
the sector to continue its forward movement, whereby its rear tooth m¹ will strike
against the stud and move the arm q¹ and consequently the mirror into the
position shewn by the dotted lines in Figure 3, the stud n¹ being then against the
front tooth ready to be moved back upon the return of the sector j¹ when the push-
knob is released, the spring causing the return of all the parts to their normal
position by a reverse and similar series of movements to that already described.
π is an arm fixed to the shaft c and connected by a spring v¹ to the side of the
case a' for the purpose of counterbalancing the mirror.
w is a lever-arm connected by a rod a¹ to a bellows y¹ forming a pneumatic dash-
pot for controlling the movement of the mirror. The arm w is also connected by a
link z¹ to a hinged plate 2 forming a shutter for an opening 2 in a plate d² which
serves to cover in the open front of the coin receptacle whatever may be the
position of the latter. The plate d2 with its opening c² is shewn clearly in side
elevation at Figures 3 and 3c and is provided with a turned-up portion d³, also
shewn clearly in end elevation at Figure 3B, which portion acts as a guide for the
shutter. When the receptacle his lowered by the weight of a coin inserted in
the apparatus, the coin comes immediately behind the hinged shutter b² and, as the
arm is lifted when moving the mirror into its inclined position, the shutter b³ is
thereby raised upon its hinge and allows the coin to slide off the sloping bottom of
the coin receptacle into a suitable money drawer or till.
The operation is as follows:-
The coin being inserted in the money slit i, passes into the coin receptacle h. lowers
the same and causes the stop wheel p to be unlocked. The operator then pushes in
one of the knobs q or r which causes the corresponding ratchet wheel to turn and
consequently the drum to bring a fresh picture or the like into position beneath
the opening e. The mirror then moves into the position indicated by the dotted
lines in Figure 3 and will reflect the picture or the like through the opening e.

page_text: This movement of the mirror causes the shutter 2 to be raised so as to allow the
coin to pass out of the receptacle h. When the operator releases the push knob
the parts return to their normal positions.
In the modified arrangement shewn in Figures 5 and 6, in which the mirror is
operated by clockwork mechanism I dispense with the use of push knobs and employ
instead two coin receptacles 2 and 2 carried on spring counterbalanced arms /² and i²
pivotted to pillars on a plate *, sliding in guides fixed to the front of the
case a. The arms and are each provided with a tooth m² acting as pawls to
the ratchet wheel n² fixed to the drum shaft o2, the said teeth being arranged one in
advance of the other the distance of half the length of a tooth of the wheel n² so
that they can operate the drum f in a similar manner to the pawls w, in the arrange-
ment illustrated in Figures 1 to 4.
p² is a wheel having a notch in which engages a spring pivotted arm q2 having its
free end bearing against the under sides of the arms and 2. The wheel p² is
fixed on the arbor of the clockwork mechanism contained in a case s² in order
that when the arm q² is depressed by the action of either of the arms or i² when
a coin falls into their respective receptacles, the wheel p² being thereby released
will allow the clockwork mechanism to rotate the arbor . This movement of the
arbor serves to reciprocate the slide 2 through the medium of a disc t², provided
with a tooth u² acting alternately on teeth and w² provided on a frame a integral
with the slide k². The reciprocation of the slide causes the rotation of the drum f,
by means of the teeth m² and ratchet wheel 2 in the manner hereinafter described.
The slide in reciprocating also actuates by means of a bell crank y, the link
connected with an arrangement of mechanism for operating the mirror b, similar to
that hereinbefore described when referring to Figures 1 to 4. The coin receptacles f³
and g², work behind plates provided with hinged shutters 2 similarly to the
coin receptacles in Figures 1 to 4, the said shutters being operated from the shaft
of the mirror b, by means of the link actuating bell cranks connected by
links a³, a to the said shutters.
With this arrangement when a coin is introduced into either of the money slits i
it falls into the corresponding coin receptacle, f2 for example, which is thereby
owered and by means of its arm 2 lowers its tooth m² and moves the arm g², out of
the notch in the wheel p³, thereby setting the clockwork mechanisn. going. The
arbor in rotating causes a movement of the slide in the direction of the arrow
and, by means of the tooth m², rotates the ratchet wheel n² and therefore the drum f.
The slide at the same time operates the mirror by the means hereinbefore
described, and the shutter in connection with the coin receptacle is simul-
taneously raised to allow the coin to fall out of the said receptacle. The picture,
information or the like will continue to be reflected until the return of the slide /³
which is effected by the tooth u² bearing against the tooth w². The clockwork
continuing to act until the wheel pre-engages with the army. It will be obvious
that in place of clockwork an electro motor may be employed.
Although I have described my apparatus adapted to exhibit two sets or series of
pictures, information or the like, it will be readily understood that it could be
arranged to exhibit more than two such sets or series by increasing the number of
the push knobs or the coin receptacles and the pawls which must be suitably
arranged with relation to one of the teeth of the ratchet wheel and to the drum
which would have one of the pictures, for example of each set arranged in succession
thereon followed by another picture of each set in the same order and so on.
Instead of the drum f being arranged to rotate in a vertical plane it can be
arranged to rotate horizontally, the pictures or the like being placed on the flat
side of the drum.
It will be obvious that my apparatus can be applied to various uses in addition to
those above named such for example, as for shewing the weight of a person standing
on a weighing machine.
I am aware of Percival Everitt's Patent No. 16433 of 1884 and make no claim
to anything therein described or claimed,

page_text: Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :-
1. A coin-freed exhibiting apparatus so constructed and arranged that on a proper
coin being inserted a mirror will be free to be swung or is caused to swing to a
suitable angle and pictures or information or the like will be reflected by the
mirror so as to be visible to the operator, substantially as described.
2. In a coin-freed exhibiting apparatus of the kind hereinbefore described the
combination with a revolving drum having sets of pictures, information or the like
arranged thereon in the manner described, of the arrangement of ratchet wheels
and pawls for operating the said drum in the manner and for the purpose set
forth.
3. In a coin-freed exhibiting apparatus of the kind hereinbefore described the
arrangement of mechanism for operating the mirror, substantially as hereinbefore
described and illustrated in the accompanying drawings.
4. The manufacture and use of the improved coin-freed exhibiting apparatus
hereinbefore described and illustrated in Figures 1 to 4 and Figures 5 and 6 of the
accompanying drawings.
01 1
1
1001
G. F. Redfern & Co.,
R. W. PAGE.
4, South Street, Finsbury, London, Agents for the Applicant.