An Improvement in Machines for the Automatic Sale of Cigarettes and Matches.
Year: 1887

page_text: PROVISIONAL DIGITIVATION
An Improvement in Machines for the Automatic Sale of Cigarettes
and Matches.
KICHARD SYDNEY SMITH General Dealer 30 Wheeler Gate Nottingham do hereby
declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
:-
My Invention consists of a Box, containing a verticle Cylinder, divided into a
number of equal Compartments; made to hold 1 Cigarette & 1 Match each, which is
acted upon by the return movement of a lever.
On pressing forward the said lever, a Flat Tube containing the coin, (which is
dropped in at the Top of the Machine,) is moved forward, & deposits the coin in a
receptacle provided for the purpose, & on the return of the Lever to its normal
position, which is effected by a Spring the Cylinder is moved one division & discharges
the Cigarette & Match in the front or side of the Machine.
When there is no coin in
the flat Tube the Lever cannot act on the Tube, but passes through it. There is a
contrivance attached to the Cylinder which closes the mouth of the tube when the
Cylinder is empty.

page_text: I, RICHARD SYDNEY SMITH 30 Wheelergate, Nottingham, 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 :-
My Invention has for its object the production of a machine for automatically
delivering cigarettes and matches in exchange for coins of predetermined size and
.value.
In order that my Invention may be the better understood, I have appended the
accompanying two sheets of drawings in which Figure 1 represents a plan of the
machine with the cover removed, and Figure 2 is an end elevation with the side of
the containing case or box detached. Figure 3 is a view of the under side of the
cover of said case or box, showing the closing device to be hereinafter referred to.
Fig. 4 shows a front elevation of the case or box exposing to view the orifice for the
automatic delivery of the cigarettes and matches. Figures 5 and 6 Sheet 1 are
detailed views of the mechanism for the reception of the coin above referred to.
In carrying out my invention 1 provide a containing case or box A inside which
is pivoted vertically at F a drum or cylinder B provided with a number of cells or
compartments a Figure 1 passing vertically through said drum or cylinder B, and are
closed at their lower ends by reason of the drum or cylinder resting upon a shelf 1.
An orifice E corresponding to the compartment opposite to it is formed in the shelf D,
and communicates with a slot in the front of the box as shown at E Figure 4. Two
annular reversely denticulated ratchets C, C are fixed to the outer periphery of the
drum B. A flat tube Garranged vertically is connected to a horizontal slider I
arranged to slide upon the rigid frame J, upon which slider I is pivoted a pawl k
engaging with the upper annular ratchet C and is maintained in gear with said
ratchet by the flat spring 1. A bracket n is also attached to the slider I, and a suitable
set-pin o fitted therein in such a manner that it may depress the lever p when the
slider is at rest in its normal position. A catch is formed at the end of the
lever p so as to engage with the teeth of the lower ratchet Chereinbefore referred to.
A bracket m carrying a set screw is attached to the fixed frame J so that the point
of the said set screw acts as a stop against the set pin o and thus prevents the
motion of the slider being extended backwards beyond a prearranged point, adjustment
being effected by the set screw » aforesaid.
A push bar K terminating in a knob L is so fitted within the box or case A that
said knob L may be pressed in from the outside, and will return to its normal
position by reason of the tension of a spiral spring M. The flat tube G shown in
detail in Figures 5 and 6 is provided with a hole in both sides, so that a plunger N
attached to the push bar K by means of the bracket O may freely pass through said

page_text: flat tube until obstructed by dropping into said flat tube a coin Qor other suitable
object which rests upon the semicircular trough H, thus, said coin impedes the free
passage of the plunger N, and consequently when the rod K is pushed inwards the
Hat tube G is pressed forward with the slider I. The semicircular trough H being
fixed to the box or case A the forward motion of the flat tube, when impelled by the
rod K causes the coin Q to be disengaged when clear of the edge of said trough H,
and drops into the receptacle R in the bottom of the box or case A.
The manner in which the device in accordance with my invention is operated is as
follows, that is to say :-
In each of the compartments a in the vertical drum or cylinder B is placed a cigarette
and match. The lid $ of the box or case A (Figure 3) which is furnished with a slit T
corresponding with the flat tube G when the latter is in its normal position of rest, is then
closed and locked. A coin Q is dropped into said slit and rests in a vertical position
upon and in the trough H. The rod K now being pushed inwards causes the
plunger N to press against the coin Q, thereby causing the flat tube G to travel
inwards with the slider I upon the frame J. The pawl & therefore is caused to engage
with another tooth of the ratchet C, at the same time that the catch upon the
lever is disengaged from the teeth of the reverse ratchet C" by reason of the
withdrawal of the set pin o allowing the tension of the flat springs to act upon the
lever p. The rod K being released is forced back by the tension of the spiral spring M,
and, as the coin Q is now free of the trough H it drops into the receptacle R, and the
drum or cylinder B is advanced to a distance equal to the width of one compartment
by the pawl k, the number of teeth in the ratchets and corresponding with the
number of compartments a in the drum B. By this arrangement the contents of
each compartment a are dropped through the orifice E. Each time that this operation
is repeated, a cigarette and match is delivered through the slot or orifice E, outside
the box or case A. In order to prevent the drum or cylinder B from advancing more
than one tooth of the ratchets C. and C, the catch q engages with the corresponding
tooth of the ratchet C during the return motion of the knob L and holds said drum B
firmly. The whole of the compartments a may thus be emptied alternately, an equal
number of coins being automatically collected in the receptacle R. In order to close
the aperture T in the lid S, when the whole of the compartments are empty, I provide
on the under side of said lid S (Figure 3) a slider U with a recess z formed upon its
inner edge into which takes a sliding bar or bolt V. When the box or case A is
unlocked for the purpose of filling the compartiments a in the drum or cylinder B,
said slider U may be pushed back so as to uncover the slit T, being held in position
by the sliding bar or bolt V provided with a projecting tongue corresponding and
engaging with the recess r. A spiral spring X is attached to the slider U, for the
purpose of drawing it over the slit T when released by the sliding bar or bolt V.
The latter operation is automatically accomplished by means of a pin w fixed to the
drum or cylinder B in such a manner that when the last compartment is moved over
the slot E as hereinbefore described, said pin w presses against the shoulder y on the
sliding bar or bolt V and thus causes the latter to slide back and release the slider U,
which is drawn over the hole by the spiral spring X, and effectually prevents any
coin being dropped into the slit T until the compartments in the drum or cylinder B
have been refilled.
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:
First In an apparatus for the automatic delivery of cigarettes and matches, the
method by which I cause a coin to transmit the movement of a knob and rod to a
slider, pawl and ratchet, so as to advance a drum or cylinder sufficiently to enable the
contents of one of the compartments with which said drum or cylinder is furnished
to be discharged from the containing box or case, substantially as herein described
and shown in the accompanying drawings.

page_text: Secondly In an apparatus 'for the automatic delivery of cigarettes and matches
the employment of a plunger N, Figures 1, 5 and 6 substantially as and for the
purposes herein described and set forth.
Thirdly The mode of and means employed for closing the slit or aperture T
Figure 3 and so preventing the insertion of a coin or other object after the contents
of the compartments in the cylinder have been discharged substantially as herein
set forth and shown.
Data din m
f Deasmhan 1007