A Novel Construction of Case for Displaying Objects or Exhibiting Notices for a Limited Time.
Year: 1886

page_text: Date of Application, 13th Apr., 1886.
Complete Left, 20th Dec., 1886.
Complete Accepted, 28th Jan., 1887.
A Novel Construction of Case for Displaying Objects or Exhibiting
Notices for a Limited Time.
I, THOMAS COOPER of Great Ryburgh in the County of Norfolk, Engineer do hereby
declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
The object of this invention is to provide a case in which articles may be placed and
exhibited for a determinate period, on the insertion, in the apparatus, of a coin of
predetermined size and weight.
The show case may be of any convenient size and shape, and is provided with a
window or eye hole, and lens obscured by a shutter.
The shutter is carried by a lever within the case, which is acted on by the coin
placed in the apparatus, and is caused to lift the shutter, thereby exhibiting the con-
tents of the case. The shutter is prevented from taking too soon its normal position
in front of the window, when the coin has ceased to act upon the shutter carrier, by a
train of clock work provided with a balance wheel or brake contrivance, so that the
return of the shutter may be retarded to any desired.extent, and by this means, the
period is determined during which one payment will cause the articles in the case to
be exposed to view.
It is obvious that the articles which are suitable for exhibition in the above
described show case are practically numberless. Many objects of interest may be
thus exhibited, both artistic and scientific; useful information might also be given,
such as the latest telegrams.
In this way, also, testing apparatus, such, for example, as that commonly seen at
fairs for testing bodily strength, or indicating the force of a blow, might be put at the
disposal of the public at a small charge. In this instance, the indicator of the testing
apparatus would be within the show case, and only visible for a certain limited period
after a coin had been placed in the apparatus.
NEWTON & SON,
Agents for the Applicant.

page_text: A Novel Construction of Case for Displaying Objects or Exhibiting
Notices for a Limited Time.
I, THOMAS COOPER, of Great Ryburgh in the County of Norfolk, Engineer, do
hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what manner the same is to he
performed to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement:
The object of this invention is to provide a case in which articles may be placed and
exhibited for a limited period, on the insertion in the apparatus, of a coin of
predetermined size and weight.
The case may be of any convenient size and shape and is advantageously provided
with one or more windows or eyeholes and lenses provided with a shutter.
The shutter is carried by a fever or levers within the case, which is or are so acted
on by the coin placed in the apparatus that the lever or levers will remove the shutter
and thereby exhibit the contents of the case. The shutter is prevented from too
quickly resuming its normal position in front of the window, when the coin has ceased
to act upon the shutter carrier, by a clockwork provided with a balance wheel or
brake contrivance or a dash pot so that the return motion of the shutter is retarded to
the desired extent, and by this means, the period is determined during which one
payment will cause the articles in the case to be exposed to view.
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 is a front
elevation partly in section of a case for displaying objects or exhibiting notices for a
limited time according to my invention; figure 2 represents a vertical section on the
line A. B. of figure 1: figure 3 represents a horizontal section on the line C. D of
figure 2; figures 4 and 5 represent plans of parts of the mechanism detached.
Similar letters indicate similar parts throughout the drawings.
A is the case and a, a, are the eye-holes therein which can he provided with
windows a', or with lenses; b, is a frame for containing or holding the article to be
viewed, a slip of paper e, representing either a telegram or the like, being shewn by
way of illustration; d, is the shutter and e, e, are the levers carrying the same which
are shewn counterweighted and adapted to be operated by a coin placed in the appa-
ratus as hereinafter described, the shutter d, when in its normal position (as shewn by
the full lines in figure 2) serving to prevent the object c, from being seen by a person
looking through the eyeholes a, a. The levers e, el, are pivotted at, to the sides of
the case A. On one of the pivots f, rotates a toothed wheel g, and a ratchet wheel /,
which are fixed to one another. The lever e, carries a spring pawli, engaging with
the ratchet wheel ; the toothed wheel g, gears with a pinion, on the arbor of which
is a fly k, which serves as a brake for preventing the shutter d, from rising too quickly
when it has been lowered by the weight of a coin as hereinafter described. The ends
of the levers e, e', are connected by a piece, the centre portion (which receives the
coin) being cut away at 1, (as shewn in figure 5) and a web or flange m, is provided,

page_text: thereby forming a ledge m', on when the com rests. The web or nange m, serves to
prevent the said coin from slipping backwards or sideways when deposited on the
ledge m².
°
is the money slit, and o, (figure 4) is the shoot for conducting the coin onto the
ledge m³, on the part, of the levers e, el, when the said levers are in their normal or
raised position. The shoot o, is formed with an opening o', for the purpose of allowing
any coin smaller than the required size to fall through into the drawer instead of
passing onto the part 2 of the levers. The sides of the shoot o, are extended and
connected as shewn at ², this part being situated over the ledge m², as shewn in
figures 2 and 3, when the levers are in their raised position; by this means any
attempt to improperly operate the shutter by the introduction of a piece of wire or the
like will be frustrated.
A window P (figure 2) is provided at the top of the apparatus in order to throw a
light on the object being exhibited; q, is a drawer for receiving the coins deposited in
the case.
The operation is as follows:
If a coin of the required size and weight be inserted in the slit n, the said coin will
be conducted by the shoot o, onto the ledge m²; it will then by reason of its weight
cause the leverse, and el, io move down, thereby removing the shutter d, from the eye-
holes a, a, and allowing the object c, to be viewed-The levers e, e', will move down
into the position shewn in dotted lines in figure 2, and the coin will then slip off the
ledge m, into the drawer 7, the spring pawli, on the lever e, being at the same time
caused to move over the feeth of the ratchet wheel h. After the coin has been de-
posited in the drawer 7, the levers will be raised but their movement will be retarded
by the fly (or the dash pot or its equivalent attached to the levers if used) the
pawl, on the lever e, then engaging with the teeth of the ratchet wheel h, thereby
causing the wheel g, to actuate the fly (by means of the pinion ) as will be well
understood.
It is obvious that the articles which are suitable for exhibition in the above described
show-case are practically numberless-Any objects of interest may be thus exhibited
both artistic and scientific as for instance photographs pictures or the images formed
by a camera obscura or various forms of useful information might also be displayed,
such as the latest telegrams-Again the eye pieces of scientific instruments may be
temporarily displayed or closed by like means.
In this way also weighing machines and testing apparatus, such, for example, as
those commonly seen at fairs for ascertaining a persons weight, and for testing bodily
strength, or indicating the force of a blow, might be placed at the disposal of the
public at a small charge-In this case the indicator of the apparatus would be within
the show case, and only visible for a certain limited period after a coin had been placed
in the said apparatus.
Although I have described and shewn a fly operated by clockwork mechanism as a
suitable means of retarding the return movement of the shutter it will be obvious that
other means can be employed for effecting this object.
I have described and illustrated my invention as applied to a convenient and simple
form of apparatus for carrying out the object I have in view, but it will be obvious
that the invention admits of many variations.
For instance it will be obvious that the operation of disclosing the article to be
displayed can be accomplished in various manners-For example a looking glass could
be employed, which looking glass the action of the coin would bring into the line of
sight, thus allowing the article to be displayed to be visible through the aperture to
which the eye is placed-Another way would be by allowing the coin to unlock a
slide which slide could then be pulled down by hand, thus disclosing the object-After
a certain time by arrangement of the dash-pot clockwork or flier the slide would be
released and close the aperture whether the person kept hold of the handle on slide or
not-Instead of making the closing shutter to work vertically, it could of course
be made to work horizontally and two or more shutters could be employed-The
weight of a person standing on a platform, also in connection with the coin, could be

page_text: made to open the aperture-A revolving disk or drum could also be employed which
could receive motion either from clockwork, or from the weight of a person-The
penny mechanism would stop the revolving disk thus disclosing the object to be
displayed. Further, the objects to be displayed could be on a drum or endles band
inside the case which would be caused to revolve by the action of a coin going in on
a spring; or the weight of a person could be made to revolve the disk or continuous
band, and the action of a coin simply release the mechanism, and open the aperture
for sight.
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. A new kind of case or apparatus for displaying objects or exhibiting notices or
the like, the said case being so constructed and arranged that on the insertion in the
apparatus of a coin of predetermined size and weight the said objects will be displayed
or exhibited for a limited time.
2. In a case or apparatus for displaying objects or exhibiting notices or the like
the combination with a lever or levers carrying a shutter adapted to cover and un-
cover eye holes in the said case of suitable mechanism for retarding the closing of the
said shutter in the manner substantially as hereinbefore described and illustrated in
the accompanying drawings.
3. The manufacture and use of a case for displaying objects or exhibiting notices
for a limited time such as is hereinbefore described and illustrated in the accompanying
drawings.
G. F. REDFERN,
4, South Street, Finsbury, London,
Agent for the Applicant.