Improvements in Apparatus for Detecting or Preventing Fraud in Automatic Machines Operated by the Action of a Coin.
Year: 1887

page_text: Date of Application, 16th July, 1887
Complete Left, 16th Apr., 1888
Complete Accepted. 1st June, 1888
Improvements in Apparatus for Detecting or Preventing Fraud in
Automatic Machines Operated by the Action of a Coin.
We, EDWARD PHIPPS APPLEYARD of 4 Gloster Street, Haulgh, Engineer, and
JAMES JOHNSON of Clive Street, Merchant, both of Bolton in the County of Lancaster,
do hereby declare the nature of our said invention to be as follows :--
This invention is designed for the purpose of detecting or preventing fraud in
automatic machines operated by the action of a coin, and consists in providing a
metallic or other case for receiving coin with slots to direct genuine coin to the
operating apparatus of the machine and counterfeits to a receptacle provided to receive
them or otherwise. The receiving chamber is made semi-circular, or thereabouts, so
that nothing, other than circular, can be admitted beyond the inlet slot. Immediately
behind the bridge of the inlet slot is placed a pin or projection inclined to the angle of
the slot leading to the operating apparatus of the machine, which ensures the correct
passage of genuine coin. This pin or projection is also provided to divert the passage
of metallic washers, or their equivalents with a hole therein, which hooks or catches
on the same in the act of falling, and turns the washer or its equivalent over, allowing...
it to fall into a chamber below from whence it is directed by an inclined plate through
a slot to a receptacle for counterfeits, or outside the machine, if desired, to expose the
cheat. To prevent the admission of pieces of lead or other analogous materials, other
than the diameter of a penny or any other coin the machine is provided for, the slot of
the receiving chamber is fitted on each side with pivoted or other catches operated by
springs or their equivalents.
In another modification of this invention the metallic or other case for receiving
coin is provided with an inclined slotted or other magnet extending from the mouth
or inlet to an opening or receptacle to receive the counterfeits. Between the openings

page_text: for coin and counterfeits is placed an angular or other guiding piece to ensure of the
articles admitted being conducted to their proper receptacle. When a copper coin is
admitted the magnet has no effect on the same allowing it to fall by gravitation
direct onto the angular piece inclined to the cash box, after which the machine is
operated. In case a metallic washer or its equivalent is admitted it is drawn by the
magnet to the opposite side and dropped into the waste box, the machine being
inoperative. A suitable cross pin, or its equivalent, is provided to prevent the coin or
counterfeit re-bounding to the opposite side.
EDMUND CHADWICK, Fel. Inst. P.A.,
92, St. George's Road, Bolton,
Agent for Applicants.

page_text: Improvements in apparatus
Automatic Machines Operated by the Action of a Coin.
We, EDWARD PHIPPS APPLEYARD, of 4 Gloster Street, Haulgh, Engineer, and
JAMES JOHNSON, of Clive Street, Merchant, both of Bolton, in the county of Lancaster,
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 the construction of improved apparatus for detecting or
preventing fraud in what are known as automatic machines operated by the action of
coin and the improvements comprise mechanism for preventing discs or pieces of soft
material such as lead or cardboard (of about the size or diameter of the coin required
to operate the machine) being passed into or through the money slot; the improve-
ments also comprise mechanism for preventing the introduction or admission into
automatic machines (where the money slot is horizontal) of pieces of metal or other
material other than circular in shape but large enough to operate the machine; also
for preventing metallic or other washers from operating the machine.
In order to enable our invention to be fully understood we will describe how the
same can be carried into practice by reference to the accompanying drawing in
which.
Figures 1 and 2 represent a plan and a side elevation respectively of our arrange-
ment of mechanism for preventing discs or pieces of soft metal or material such as
lead or cardboard being passed into or through the money slots of automatic
machines.
Figures 3 and 4 represent a plan and a front elevation respectively of our said
arrangement of mechanism for preventing the introduction through the money slot of
soft discs as in Figures 1 and 2, with the addition of means for preventing the intro-
duction or admission through the money slot of pieces of metal or other material other
than circular in shape, and also for diverting the course of washers or their equivalents
from the coin shoot or duct, and thus prevent such washers from operating or
unlocking the apparatus.
Figure 5 is a section on the line A B of figure 4.
Figure 6 is a vertical section of a modified arrangement for diverting the course of
washers.
We will first describe the arrangement shewn in Figures 1 and 2 for preventing
discs or pieces of soft metal or material being passed into or through the money slot
of an automatic apparatus.
In this arrangement a represents the money slot of an automatic machine; on
each side of this slot we apply a catch or clip 6 such catches or clips pivotting at c, c ;
d represents an india rubber spring which tends to bring the points of the catches
towards one another; e, e represent stops which limit the inward movement of the

page_text: catches and keep them normally in the position shewn in the drawing, that is to say,
in a position such that the space between the points of the catches is somewhat less
than the diameter of the coin required to operate the apparatus.
By this arrangement if a proper coin, say a penny, be passed into the money slot a,
the hard smooth periphery of the coin coming against the points of the catches b, b
will by the application of slight pressure overcome the pressure of the spring d and
move the catches apart and pass into the apparatus. If however a disc of soft metal
such as lead or of soft material such as cardboard be passed into the money slot, the
points of the catches b, b will be pressed against or slightly into the periphery of the
soft disc and so hold it and prevent it being forced or passed into the apparatus.
a', is an opening to allow coins or pieces of metal or other material of smaller size
than the proper coin to drop down before reaching the coin duct.
It will he obvious that instead of each of the catches working on a separate pivot
they may both pivot on one stud or centre and that any other suitable spring than
that shewn may be employed; also that the catches can be constructed so as to form
springs.
We will now describe, by reference to Figures 3, 4 and 5, our arrangenient for
preventing pieces of metal or other material, other than circular in shape, say oblong
for example, being passed into the apparatus; also the arrangement for diverting
washers from the coin duct.
In these figures, a is a horizontal money slot; b, b are catches or clips, and d, d.
their springs, such catches operating in a manner similar to that herein before
described and shewn in Figures 1 and 2. Immediately behind or in continuation of
the money slot a we provide the receiving chamber with a semi-circular shroud or
flange as shewn at f, which prevents a piece of metal or other material other than
of circular or curved shape being passed sufficiently beyond the inlet slot or
aperture to drop into the coin duct ġ leading to the operating part of the mechanism.
To divert the course of washers and the like, we cut away a portion of the sides
of the bridge gl of the money slot so as to leave a tongue, pin or projection /
behind the said bridge such tongue being inclined so as to correspond with the
angle of the duct g leading to the operating part of the mechanism.
The bridge g (which forms the bottom of the money chamber) has a width from
front to back exclusive of the tongue or projection of less than half the diameter
of the coin required to operate the apparatus.
By the use of this tongue or projection it will be seen that if a proper coin be
passed into the apparatus through the money slot the said tongue will guide it into
the coin duct g, but if a washer or a piece of material having a hole in the centre, be
passed through the money slot a the hole in the washer will come over the projection h
and the washer being no longer supported will drop over and pass through the
opening into the chamber j instead of into the duct g. Or if desired the washer
can be caused to pass by means of a suitable channel to the outside of the
machine.
kis a shield which we find it advantageous to provide to prevent the coin being
pushed through the slot in an upward direction, and is a slotted plate which we
place in front of the money slot a such plate having a recess m in the centre, which
recess allows the coin to be pushed into the money slot by the thumb and finger
but prevents the coin (or counterfeit) being wriggled sidewise with a view to open
the catches.
Figure 6 shows a slightly modified arrangement for diverting washers from the
coin duct. In this case we form the projection into a kind of hook onto which
the washers drop as shewn.
We would here remark that our improvements can be employed separately or
in combination, also that the mechanism for preventing soft discs being passed into
an automatic machine can be used with money slots which may be vertical, horizontal
or at any angle, whereas the arrangements for preventing irregular pieces of metal
or other material being passed into the apparatus and for preventing washers being
used to operate the apparatus can only be used with horizontal money slots.

page_text: 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. The combination with the money slots of automatic machines, of spring catches
or clips so arranged that, while they will allow the passage of genuine coin into the
machine the points of the catches will grip into the periphery of soft discs so as to
hold and prevent them being passed into the apparatus, substantially as hereinbefore
described and illustrated in Figures 1 to 5 of the accompanying drawing.
2. Forming the coin receiving chamber of automatic machines with a semi-circular
shroud or flange as, and for the purpose, hereinbefore described and illustrated in
Figures 3, 4 and 5 of the accompanying drawing.
3. The combination with automatic machines of a money chamber or receptacle the
bottom or bridge of which is cut away to a width less than half of the diameter of
the coin required to operate the apparatus leaving only a tongue or projection for the
purpose of preventing washers being used to operate the machine substantially as
hereinbefore described and illustrated in Figures 3 to 5 of the accompanying
drawing.
4. The modified arrangement for diverting the course of washers substantially as
hereinbefore described and illustrated in Figure 6 of the accompanying drawing.
5. The manufacture and use of the apparatus hereinbefore described and illustrated
in the accompanying drawing for detecting or preventing fraud in automatic machines
operated by the action of a coin.
G. F. REDFERN & Co.,
4, South Street, Finsbury, London,
Agents for the Applicants.