An Automatic Exhibition Delivery Box.
Year: 1889

page_text: Date of Application, 15th Mar., 1889
Complete Specification Left, 14th Oct., 1889-Accepted, 22nd Feb., 1890
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
An Automatic Exhibition Delivery Box.
I EDWARD RELPHI of 1 Victoria Cottages Mount Nod Square Lewisham in the
County of Kent Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:
The combination of a moving figure of a human being or an animal with a simple
automatic delivery machine for the sale of sweetstuff and other articles and both
working together. For this purpose I construct an automatic delivery box of simple
description having a tower to hold the articles for sale and with an internal arrange
ment of slides worked by the combined effect of a coin being dropped through a slot
and the turning of an external handle. The dropping of the coin and the turning of
the handle set in motion the slides and cranks and internal clockwork with the result
that an article is released from the storage tower and slips down a shoot into a
receptacle held by the figure which thereupon turns round and presents it to the
purchaser through an opening in front of the box. The figure would be protected by
glass and a lever attached to the spring of the clockwork and acted upon by one of
the slides would rewind that spring at each operation. This arrangement of a moving
figure worked with an external handle in combination with the dropping of a coin
could be applied to some of the automatic machines already made.
Dated this 14th day of March 1889
EDWARD RELPH.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
An Automatic Exhibition Delivery Box.
I, EDWARD RELPH of 1 Victoria Cottages, Mount Nod Square Lewisham in the
County of Kent 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 :-
The combination of a moving figure of a human being or an animal with a simple
automatic delivery machine for the sale of sweetstuff and other articles and both
working together. For this purpose I construct an automatic box of simple description
having a tower to hold the articles for sale and with an internal arrangement of slides
worked by the combined effect of a coin being dropped through a slot and the turning
of an external handle to the right & back again. The dropping of the coin and the
turning of the handle set in motion the slides and cranks and internal clockwork with
the result that an article is released from the storage tower and slips down a shoot
into a receptacle held by the figure which thereupon turns round and presents it to
the purchaser through an opening in front of the box. The figure would be protected
by glass and a lever attached to the spring of the clockwork and acted upon by one of
the slides would rewind that spring at each operation.
In carrying out my Invention I construct of wood, iron or other suitable material a
box having a storage tower A to hold the articles for sale and an opening in front
recessed to receive and hold a sheet of glass.
Immediately under this opening is another opening B for the delivery of the article
sold. At the lower part of the front of the said box is a handle (as shown in
Sheet 1) fixed to a spindle D that reaches to the interior of the box and is connected
to an arrangement of two slides E & E placed immediately one above the other each
having a slot F to receive a coin the said slots correspond when the slides are at rest.
The upper slide is connected by a rod to a lover on the end of the before mentioned

page_text: spindle so that on turning the handle to right & left this slide will move freely back-
wards and forwards. To the under slide is attached a lever G that reaches to the lower
part of the storage tower A placed on top of the box. Under this slide is placed a
bar H that, reaches in the same direction and nearly as far as the slide travels. Now
on a coin being passed into the slot F it travels along a passage and falls partly
through the slots in the slides E. E on to the bar H (as shown in Sheet 2).
The slides would now be practically locked together whilst the coin is in this position
the bandle C being turned to the right the upper slide moves forward carrying the
lower one with it to the end of the stroke where the coin being no longer supported
by the bar falls through. A projection I on the tail end of the lower slide (and
reaching the upper slide) serves to carry both slides back to the former position by
the turning the handle to the left with the result that an article is released from the
tower A and slips down a shoot J. into a receptacle K. held by the figure which
thereupon turns round and delivers it to the purchaser through the opening B in the
box. But this fall of the article only occurs when the handle is turned back to the
left.
The figure would be protected by glass and worked by clockwork. The weight of
article falling into the receptacle K. held by the figure raises a balance weight L.
which releases a catch M. & sets the clockwork in motion with the effect of turning
the figure to the front while the weight of the article in the tray lifts the balance
weight L so that the article drops down the shoot into the hands of the purchaser as
before described.
To the spindle on wh. is placed the spring of the clockwork is fixed a lever O
reaching to & just above the upper slide E. in wh. is placed a pin so that when the
slide travels by being drawn forward as the handle C. is turned to the right the pin
comes in contact with the lever O. turng. it a certain distance thereby sufficiently
rewinding the spring at each operation. When the article falls out of the tray the
balce. weight at back of figure acts & with the clockwork turns it round to its
former position.
A partition is placed top bottom & on each side of the figure which alone is visible
thro' the glass the said partition hides from sight the working parts in the interior of
the box.
By making the upper slide E. wider two or more under slides could be placed side
by side each with its lever reaching to a corresponding division in the tower by this
means different articles could be sold from the same machine.
This arrangement of a moving figure worked by clockwork could be applied to some
of the Automatic Machines already made.
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. The combination of an automatic delivery box with a moving figure working
together by the united operation of dropping a coin into the box and turning an
external handle substantially as above described.
נו
EDWARD RELPH.