Improvements in Coin-freed Game Apparatus.
Year: 1899

page_text: Date of Application, 13th Nov., 1899
Complete Specification Left, 12th Sept., 1900-Accepted, 13th Dec., 1900
Improvements in Coin-freed Game Apparatus.
I, ROBERT ERNEST WICKES, of 39, De Crespigny Park, Denmark Hill, in the
County of Surrey, Medical Student, do hereby declare the nature of this inven-
tion to be as follows:-
My invention relates to improvements in coin-freed game apparatus and con-
sists essentially of a suspended channel or coin shoot forming a pendulum, a wire
or the like being pressed by a spring across the free end of the pendulum to
prevent the coin falling out. Motion can be given to the pendulum by a cord
attached to it, preferably elastic. A receptacle divided by partitions is fixed
below the pendulum, and the wire across the free end of the pendulum is adapted
to pass freely over the partitions when the pendulum moves from the vertical but
is engaged by one partition when returning to the vertical position. A coin
placed in the machine operates a lever which depresses the partitioned receptical
and the pendulum is then free, the coin falling to the free end thereof and being
retained there by the wire. The operator then swings the pendulum by means
of the cord and the wire will catch in a partition; if it be the winning partition
the coin will drop and return to the outside of the machine, or will operate a
drawer to deliver a ticket for a cigar, cigarette, or other article; if it should not
be the winning partition the coin will fall to the till. As a modification, the
partitions may be operated from outside the apparatus case, the game then being
to arrest the pendulum by a particular partition.
As a further modification in lieu of depressing the partitions as above described
to free the pendulum I provide a separate pivoted catch on the pendulum for
engaging a stop so that the weight of the coin will raise said catch and so release
the pendulum.
Improvements in Coin-freed Game Apparatus,
I, ROBERT ERNEST WICKES, of 39, De Crespigny Park, Denmark Hill, in the
County of Surrey, Medical Student, do hereby declare the nature of this inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed to be particularly described
and ascertained in and by the following statement:---
My invention relates to improvements in coin-freed game apparatus and is
illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which,-

page_text: Figure 1 is an external front view of the apparatus case.
Figure 2 is a rear view of the case, with back removed, showing the lever for
swinging the coin-shoot or receptacle.
•
Figure 3 is a front view of the apparatus showing the coin-receptacle in section.
Figure
is a cross sectional view on line A-B Figure 3.
Figure 5 is a cross sectional view on line C-D of Figure 3 showing the coin-
receptacle at its lowest position.
b
b
The same letters refer to the same parts in the several figures of the drawings.
My invention consists essentially of a suspended coin-shoot or receptacle a
pivoted at a¹ a wire or other suitable stop & being pressed by a spring across the
free end of said coin receptacle to prevent the coin falling out, but adapted to
be operated to free the coin as hereinafter described. Motion can be given to
the suspended coin receptacle by a connection c from it to the operating lever or
handle fulcrumed at d. A box, or the like, e (see Fig. 3) divided by partitions
is fixed below the coin receptacle a and the wire or stop at the free end of said
suspended receptacle is adapted to be engaged by a pin or projection a fixed in
a partition z in the casing to free the coin. A coin placed in the machine on
dropping down the suspended shoot or receptacle a operates a lever or catch f,
pivotally mounted on said receptacle a, by striking its end f¹ and disengaging
said catch from a pin or stop m in the above mentioned partition, which action
frees the coin receptacle a and allows it to move to its lowest position, as shown
in Figure 5, the coin falling to the end of a and being retained there by
stop 6 on the end of rod or wire 61 which is pivotally mounted at in the shoot
or receptacle a a spring bª¹ (Fig. 5). keeping said stop 6 normally in the position
shown in Figure 3 namely across the end of said shoot so as to prevent the coin
dropping out. On the operator now swinging the suspended channel or coin
receptacle a by depressing lever g, which through spring connection A com-
municates movement to said receptacle a, the end of wire b will in the forward
movement of a strike the pin or projection thereby moving said stop b (or said
stop might be operated in any other convenient manner) so as to free the coin and
allow it to drop into one or other of the compartments of box e according to the
force exerted by the operator to swing the shoot or receptacle a, the force applied
combined with the weight of the coin (or the weight of the coin only) being
sufficient to free said coin from the end of f¹, jis the slot for the insertion of
the coin, a handle or plunger which is adapted to operate suitable mechanism
for delivering checks or other articles if the coin is thrown into a particular
compartment of box c. If the coin drops into say the first compartment e¹ it
will be returned to the operator through shoot 1, but if it drops into either of
the other compartments or it will be retained in the apparatus. The catch f
reengages the pin m when the coin is released from the pivoted coin-shoot a and
holds said shoot or receptacle in the position shown in Figure 3 ready for the
next operation. n is a spring for returning lever d to its normal position.
o and o¹ are projections on the catch of which prevent said catch moving too far
in either direction by coming in contact with a, thus ensuring that when the
coin is released as above described the catch f will always be in correct position
to reengage stop m.
As shown in Figure 3, if the coin is thrown into compartment & it will enable
the operator to obtain a check on operating the knob or plunger k. The knob
is connected to a sliding plate 1 which is provided with a slot which is longer
than the diameter of the coin. Below the sliding plate 1 is a second sliding
plate 2, also provided with a slot which is longer than the diameter of the coin,
said sliding plate 2 resting and working on a fixed hottom plate 3. The plate 1
is cut away or provided with a central passage extending from its inner end to
about its middle to provide a free way or space for the check shoot or holder 4
(Fig. 3) as said plate 1 is moved inwards. Springs 5 and 6 are connected to lugs
or projections 5 and 6 respectively on the plates 1 and 2 and to projections or
lug 7 and 8 (one only being shown, in Fig. 4) on the fixed bottom plate 3 or

page_text: other fixed part of the apparatus, said springs returning the plates 1 and 2 to
the normal position when pressure on the knob k is removed. The slots in the
plates 1 and 2 are in line with each other but are so situated longitudinally that
when said plates are in the normal position as shown in the drawings a slot or
opening, through the two plates, is provided of sufficient length to allow the coin
to nearly pass half way through, that is to say, not quite long enough to allow
the coin to drop right through, the coin thus forming connection between the
two plates 1 and 2. 9, Figure 4, is a catch or trigger centred to the back of the
check shoot or holder 4 said catch engaging a projection on the lower sliding
plate 2 when the latter is moved to its worked position by pressing knob k
10 is a projection on the upper sliding plate 1 which on the return movement of
said plate to the normal position comes in contact with the trigger 9 and releases
it from the projection on the bottom plate 2 so as to allow said plate 2 to return
to the normal position through the action of spring 6. When the knob k is
puslied in it moves the plates and 2 which are connected by the coin which
drops into the compartment (Fig. 3), the end of plate in its forward move-
ment pushing one of the checks 11 (Fig. 4) which rests on the bottom of the
fixed plate 3 over the edge of said plate into a sloping channel 12 which leads to
the exterior of the apparatus case, the plate 2 being retained in its worked or
forward position by means of trigger or catch 9; plate 1 is returned to its normal
position by spring 5 immediately pressure is withdrawn from knob k and as it
moves back the slot in said plate 1 moves longitudinally with reference to the
slot in plate 2 (which is held stationary as above described) thus increasing the
length of the opening or slot through the two plates and allowing the coin to
drop into the till. When plate 1 has moved back towards its normal position a
certain pre-determined disfance its projection 10 strikes the top of catch 9 and
releases it from the projection on the lower plate 2 thereby allowing said plate
to return to its normal position by means of spring 6.
I wish it to be distinctly understood that the above described check, delivery
mechanism does not form part of my present invention and that any other well
known or convenient form of delivery mechanism may be employed.
As a modification, the partitions of box e might be operated from outside the
apparatus case, the game then being to arrest the swinging shoot or receptacle a
by a particular partition.
Further modifications might be made, for instance the game might be to hitch
up the swinging coin-shoot at varying positions.
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:-
In coin-freed game apparatus a suspended coin-shoot or receiver adapted to
be moved or swung by a handle on the insertion of a coin, means for retaining
The coin in said receiver and means for releasing it therefrom, all substantially
as described with reference to the accompanying drawings.
ANN
CLOS
A&
KUAN
TAKE AN AYN or Amat
JOHN P. O'DONNELL,
Fel. Chart. Inst. P.A., Agent for Applicant,
70 & 71, Palace Chambers, Westminster, S.W.