Improvements in Coin-freed Exhibiting Apparatus.
Year: 1889

page_text: Date of Application, 4th Nov., 1889
Complete Specification Left, 31st Mar., 1890-Accepted, 3rd May, 1890
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Coin-freed Exhibiting Apparatus.
I, PERCIVAL EVERITT, of 47, Cannon Street, in the city of London, and 293 & 295,
Broadway, New York, United States of America, Engineer, do hereby declare the
nature of this invention to be as follows:
-
This invention relates to coin-freed exhibiting apparatus, and is an improvement on
a patent granted to Thomas Cooper No. 5139 of 1886 according to which a picture
or other object is displayed to view when a coin or its equivalent is inserted in the
apparatus.
According to my invention I disclose or bring to view certain signs, numbers or
answers to questions, etc, but there are more signs than one to be displayed although
only one sign can be brought into view at one time, it depending entirely upon chance,
after the coin enters the apparatus, which of the signs is displayed.
For instance I provide a case having a coin slot and a small aperture of sufficient
size to admit of a sign being displayed therein. Beneath the aperture is a dial on
which near its periphery are marked a series of questions and the dial is free to be
turned round by hand so that any question which is on the dial can be brought directly
underneath the aperture in the case. Within the case are two levers to one end of
each of which is attached an automatic coin bucket and to each lever is attached a
plate, one being marked "yes" and the other "no."
When a coin falls into one of the buckets it depresses the lever and thereby brings
to view one of the plates directly opposite the aperture in the case. Attached to the
coin slot is a double chute leading to the two buckets and this chute is constructed in
such a manner that it is entirely due to chance which bucket the coin falls into and
therefore whether the word "yes" or the word "no" is displayed.
22
When a person wishes to obtain an answer to a question on the dial he turns the
dial round until the required question is directly beneath the opening in the case; he
then inserts a coin in the slot when the answer either "yes" or no is shewn in the
opening.
Or red or black or other colours can be shown to correspond with colors on the
dial, etc.
G. F. REDFERN & Co.,
4, South Street, Finsbury, London, Agents for the Applicant.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Coin-freed Exhibiting Apparatus.
I, PERCIVAL EVERITT, of 47, Cannon Street, in the city of London, and 293 and 295,
Broadway, New York, United States of America, Engineer, do hereby declare the
nature of this invention and in what manner the same is to be performed to be parti-
cularly described and ascertained in and by the following statement :-
This invention relates to coin-freed exhibiting apparatus of the kind first patented
by Thomas Cooper by patent No. 5139 of 1886 according to which a picture or other
object is displayed to view when a coin or its equivalent is inserted in the apparatus.
The object of my invention is to provide an automatic machine of this kind which
will act as a fortune-teller, or oracle, and will answer any question the person intro-
ducing the coin, and hereinafter terined the "operator" may be inclined to put to it,
or will shew red or black respectively or any other colour or figures, or writing or
sign, as may be previously arranged, thereby affording an endless source of innocent
amusement for the public.

page_text: According to these improvements I cause to be disclosed or brought to view certain
signs, numbers or answers to questions, etc., but there are more signs than one to he
displayed although only one sign can be brought into view at one time, it depending
entirely upon chance, after the coin enters the apparatus, which of the signs is
displayed.
For this purpose I provide a case having a coin slot and a small aperture of sufficient
size to admit of a sign being displayed therein. Beneath the aperture is a dial on
which, near its periphery, are marked a series of questions and the dial is free to be
turned round by hand so that any question which is on the dial can be brought directly.
underneath the aperture in the case. Within the case are levers (say two for example)
to one end of each of which is attached an automatic coin bucket and to each lever is
attached a plate, one being marked "yes" and the other "
no."
When a coin falls into one of the buckets it depresses the lever thereof and thereby
brings to view one of the plates directly opposite the aperture in the case. Attached
to the coin slot is a double chute leading to the two buckets and this chute is con-
structed in such a manner that it is entirely due to chance which bucket the coin falls
into and therefore whether the word "yes 37 or the word no is displayed. If more
than two levers be employed, the number of chutes would be increased. The dial
and plates could obviously bear colours, numbers or signs instead of questions and
answers.
In order that the said invention may be fully understood I will describe it by
reference to the accompanying drawing, in which-
Figure 1 is a front elevation; and
Figure 2 is a horizontal section of a coin-freed exhibiting apparatus constructed
according to my invention.
Figure 3 is a vertical section on the line of figure 1.
Figure 4 is a section of the upper part of the case of the apparatus showing some
of the parts slightly modified.
Similar letters indicate similar parts in all the figures.
a is the case, to the front of which is attached the dial b, by means of a pivot or
spindle c to which it is secured; this spindle can be turned at pleasure by the
operator by means of a knob or handle d which is secured on it. The dial has on its
face near its periphery, a series of questions or numbers or other desired symbols, any
one of which, when the dial is turned, can be brought directly underneath the
aperture e in the case a, which aperture is above the centre of the dial, and is of
sufficient size to permit the sign or mark within the case, to be displayed to view
when brought opposite this aperture. Both the aperture e and the dial bare
protected and covered by glass as shown at e¹ and respectively.
is the coin slot having fitted to it the two diverging chutes f¹ f', each leading to
one of the two coin-buckets g, g; the action of these coin-buckets need not here be
particularly described as it is substantially the same as is shown and described in the
specification of Letters Patent granted to me for "Improvements in machines for
testing muscular power" No. 15813 of 1886 except that the buckets are arranged to
discharge the coin on their descent instead of during their upward or return
movement.
The buckets g, g. are severally connected to each of the two levers h, h pivotted
at and balanced by means of the adjustable weights h², h².
k, kare the two plates hung on the two levers h, at j, j, and these plates in the
present instance for the sake of illustration are marked "
::
yes" and
no respectively;
but it is also evident that they may be marked with any desired letters, words, signs,
figures, emblems, objects or pictures without departing from the nature of my
invention.
When in their normal position both the plates k, kare, by the action of the
weighted levers h, he raised above the opening e so as to be entirely out of sight.
When, however, a coin is inserted in the slot fit falls into either one or the other of
the two buckets g, g and by its weight depresses the corresponding lever hand brings

page_text: the plate which is carried by such lever into full view through the opening e and
displays either the "yes" or the "no" (or whatever mark may have been placed on
the said plates) it being entirely uncertain, as aforesaid, which plate will be displayed;
the coin is released from the bucket g by the bucket being tipped by its arm g¹ coming
against the pin in a well known manner.
The bucket may, if desired, be dispensed with, and, in such case, each of the
levers h, his provided with a platformy (see figure 4) onto which the coin will drop
and from which it will slide or roll off by its own gravity. The lover in either case
being thus released from the weight of the coin promptly returns to its normal
position shown in dotted lines in figure 1.
In figures 1 and 4 it will be seen that exactly in a line with the contre of the coin-
slot is fitted an angle or knife-edge coin-shed 7 (or a round pin or a roller may be
used) the said coin-shed being made of suitable material such as hardened steel, upon
which the coin falls, and thence passes down the chute on either side of the said
knife-edge and it is obvious that each one of the chutes f¹, f may, if desired, and
in the same manner, be made to diverge to constitute two other chutes, thus making
four available chutes for the coin and, if desired, each of such four chutes may also
diverge into two and so on; a corresponding number of levers h and plates k being of
course provided.
;
The operator in depositing a coin in the slot cannot possibly guide it into one
chute in preference to another as the slot is made to fit the coin for a certain distance
as shown, and therefore the said coin cannot move either to one side or the other
until it is entirely within the slot and beyond the control of the operator.
When any person wishes to obtain an answer to any question on the dial he turns
it until the desired question (which, for example, as shown in figure 1, might be
"Shall I be rich?") is directly underneath the aperture e in the case a. He then
inserts a coin into the apparatus through the slot ; the coin will first fall onto the
knife-edge and will then drop through one or the other of the chutes f¹, finto one
of the coin-buckets g, g, figures 1, 2 and 3, or onto the platform g figure 4. The
weight of the coin will cause that end of the lever h which carries it to descend
thereby bringing the plate k bearing either "yes" or no or some similar pre-
arranged reply immediately behind the aperture e in the case a.. A person may slso
ask any question that may enter his head without consulting or making use of the
dial. The coin is discharged and the bucket and lever are then raised by the
weight and the apparatus is again ready to be similarly operated.
The back ground of the signs to be displayed may be severally red and black and
the two sections on the front dial such as are indicated in figure 1 by the lines I may
be of corresponding. colours, or several colours may be displayed on the signs to
correspond with colours on the dial. Where more than two signs are used the
colours may be varied and other replies than or in addition to "yes" and
" no" may
be exhibited.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my aid
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is:
1. In a coin-freed apparatus having a single coin-inlet passage, the use of two or
more chutes leading from such inlet passage, down one or the other of which chutes
the deposited coin shall pass according as it may chance to fall and being beyond the
control of the depositor.
2. In a coin-freed or operated apparatus, the combination with two or more coin-
chutes or passages leading from a single coin-inlet passage, of a dividing knife-edge
coin-shed (or coin-sheds) or its described equivalent beneath the inlet slot and serving
to deflect the coin into one or the other of such passages.
3. The diverging coin-chutes used in combination with the weighted levers, one for
each chute, and plates severally attached to such levers, substantially as set forth.
4. In combination with the case having the opening e therein, the diverging
coin-chutes, the weighted levers and the plates supported thereon, the said case being

page_text: provided with a dial face capable of being rotated as, and for the purpose,
set forth.
5. The described apparatus comprising a case having an opening e therein and a
coin inlet passage leading into two or more outlet chutes for the coin, a coin deflector
to deflect the coin casually into one or other of such chutes, two or more levers
actuated individually by the coin as it leaves a chute, exhibiting plates on the said
levers, and a marked dial arranged to be revolved by hand all substantially as
set forth.
Dated the 31st day of March 1890.
G. F. REDFERN & Co.,
4, South Street, Finsbury, London, Agents for the Applicant.