A New or improved Coinfreed Game of Skill.
Year: 1899

page_text: Date of Application, 9th Sept., 1899
Complete Specification Left, 9th June 1900
A New or improved Coinfreed Game of Skill.
I, JOHN GERARD CORNELIUS MARIA PESSERS, of No. 70, Gains Road, Southsea
in the County of Hampshire, Gentleman, do hereby declare the nature of this
invention to be as follows:
My invention relates to a new or improved coinfreed game of skill, and has
5 for its object the freedom of a push or plunger by the impact of a coin, so that
pressure upon such push or plunger may cause a ball to shoot upwards, which
may or may not pass through a hole of predetermined diameter and position,
and in the event of doing so and being deposited upon an upper platform to
cause the delivery of articles or tokens.
In carrying my invention into effect I construct an ordinary case or box,
which contains a plunger acting against the tension of a spiral or other spring,
the press button of which is carried outside the box. Said plunger is connected
to a pivotted lever carrying a cup at one end, holding a ball ready for shooting
upwards when the plunger is depressed, said ball being in the centre of a concave
surface upon the top of the case or box, and visible to the player, being enclosed
in a transparent case or cage.
is a platform suitably supported by pillars or the like, and having a hole in it
Above this concave surface and parallel with it
larger than the diameter of the ball, and supporting internally a parallel bared
sleeve, pivotted as a gimbal so that any movement or vibration may divert the
passage of the ball. The plunger normally is locked by a detent lever, and
released by a coin falling thereon, when the ball may be shot upwards, and the
success of the player depends upon it striking the hole in the upper platform
centrally so as to pass through it and be retained thereupon, until restored to
the lower concave surface and the cup by a tilter which rocks the upper platform
towards one side.
I may arrange that two types or sizes of coins may be used, two slits and one
letent lever being employed. Said detent or locking lever in this case is linked
to a second lever which controls a step by step or ratchet movement, unrolling
band carrying cigarettes or like articles or tokens so that a shot freed by the
oin of highest value may thus deliver said article or token whilst a shot freed
y a coin of lower value does not actuate the ratchet or like movement, but if
assing the ball through the hole so as to rest upon the upper platform is a
isible sign of success and is open to a higher prize.
The return of the plunger after each shot, by the tension of the spring, dis-
ngages the coin from the detent lever, and again becomes locked until again
infreed.
I may use a drawer forming the base of a hollow tube or the like containing
kens or articles, so that said drawer is freed to deliver one token or article when
e weight of the ball is imposed upon the upper platform by being shot through
e hole therein. In this case the pillars or supports of said upper platform are
nnected to the releasing lever, and the return of the drawer to its normal
sition will cant the platform so as to again throw the
[Price 17
.
11

page_text: concave surface, whence it falls into the central moveable cup actuated by the
coinfreed plunger.
I may add a step by step motion to the device herein before described, in order
to deliver at each turn or movement tokens or articles of a predetermined value,
and irrespective of the use of the machine as a game of skill.
I may modify the actual details of construction in carrying my invention
into effect without departing from the essential features thereof.
Dated this 8th day of September 1899.
FREDK. WALKER,
73, St. Stephen's Road, Upton Park, London, E.,
Agent for the Applicant.
I, JOHN GERARD CORNELIUS MARIA PESSERS, of No. 70, Gains Road, Southsea,
in the County of Hants, Manufacturer and Merchant, 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 relates to a new or improved game of skill, and has for its object
the inechanical freedom or release of a push or plunger by the impact of a coin
so that pressure upon such push or plunger when released may cause a ball to
shoot upwards, which, according to the skill exercised may or may not pass
through a hole of predetermined diameter and position, and in the event of
doing so, is deposited upon a platform which causes the delivery of articles or
tokens.
In order that my invention may be the better understood, I have appended
the accompanying four sheets of drawings in which Figure 1 Sheet 1 is a sectional
elevation of the device, and Figure 1ª is a detail thereof. Figure 2 Sheet 2 is
a sectional view of the upper platform. Figure 3 Sheet 3 is an elevation of an
alternative device with an unstable platform, and Figure 4 is a plan view illus-
trating the same, both drawn to a smaller scale. Figure 5 Sheet 4 is a sectional
elevation of the aforsaid device, showing the mechanism. Figure 6 is a plan
view of the base thereof. Figure 7 is a front elevation, and Figure 8 a plan view
of the coinfreed mechanism, drawn to a larger scale. Figure 9 is a sectional
elevation of the base showing the release of a token or article by the position of
the ball. Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts throughout
the several views.
slot s.
In carrying my invention into effect. I construct a case or box A which contains
a plunger P acting against the tension of a spiral or other spring S, the press
button being carried outside the case or box A. Said plunger P may be
freely moved without actuating the game unless a coin Z be passed through the
A pivotted lever L is actuated by the depression of P against the tension
of a spiral spring S. The detached sectional view Figure 1 shows how the
coin Zimpinges against the inner faces of the lever L and another pivotted
lever L', which is kept its normal position by another spiral spring spartly
shown in Figure 1. The depression of P, by reason of the interposed coin Z
causes both levers L L¹ to be depressed together, until such an angle is assumed
that the coin Z is released, and falls into the till or receptacle provided therefor
in the case A. A plunger P¹ is drawn down by the action of L, said plunger
having a cupped top, placed centrally within and through the stand Y, which

page_text: ..
Above
is made with a concave surface so as to cause the ball B to normally rest upon
said cup, and is always visible to the player by reason of the transparent glass
or other cover W, a cage, however being substituted in certain cases.
the concave stand Y, and approximately parallel thereto is a platform X suitably
supported by pillars or the like, having a central hole in it in which is freely
suspended a tube w by a "gimbal" joint and band.. Therefore, when the
plunger is depressed, and a coin Z interposed between the levers L L', the
plunger is also depressed, and the ball shot upwards. The slight vibration
caused by the release of the coin, (which is the shooting point produces a
variation of the position of the tube w, swinging lightly on the gimbal, and of
course increases the amount of skill necessary to play the game, the object being
to shoot said ball through the tube w, when dropping upon the platform X which
is slightly grooved or inclined towards the upper orifice of a tube V drops into it,
and is returned to the centre of Y by reason of the concave surface thereof
above mentioned, which extends below the bottom of the tube V. A small
hinged guard, offering no resistance to the exit of the ball may be provided.
A detent lever L" controlled by a spring S¹ engages with a pawl fixed to the
lever L', and its function is to prevent the plunger 1" from being actuated at
any part of the stroke of P short of the full stroke, i.e. the release of a coin of
predetermined size and calibre. At this point a pin upon the lever L sufficiently
depresses L to release it from the pawl and enable L' to assume its normal
position.
I may arrange the whole device so as to be unstable by reason of resting upon
four rests or legs as in Figures 3 and 4 Sheet 3, respectively elevational and
plan views, the central rest or leg being the longest and really fixing the device
in the case A freely upon the stand U.
I may modify the mechanism as shown by the sectional elevation Figures 5,
plan view Figure 6, and details Figures 7, 8 and 9 Sheet 4. In this case the coin
passing through the slots falls flatwise through the chute e upon the ends of two
pivotted levers L L', dropping between two rims r r formed on each lever.
Said coin dropping between as aforesaid approximately fits them and in the
normal position joins the two levers L L', the arrangement being shown in
detail by the elevation Figure 7, and plan Figure 8, drawn to a larger scale.
Normally the ball B rests upon the top of the shooting plunger P by reason of
the concave surface of the platform Y, and said plunger P is controlled by the
lever L', which is held in normal position by the tension of a spiral spring $1.
The lever L is held in position by a spiral spring S, and a piston plunger m is
operated by the lever b on a fulcrum y against a spiral spring s¹ when bis raised.
The piston m freely passes between the rims when no coin rests between
them, and consequently no action takes place. When a coin is dropped between
the levers L L' are locked, and the piston m pressing on the coin may
depress them until said coin is released the plunger P following the downward
movement. Upon the release of the coin, the recoil of the levers L L by reason
of the tension of the springs S S¹ causes the plunger P to strike the ball B and
drive it upwards. If it drops again upon the concave surface of Y, another
coin must be inserted in order to secure another shot. If, however said ball
drops into the mouth of the tube V, it depresses a cup shaped plunger k against
a balanced spiral spring K. Referring now to Figures 6 and 9 Sheet 4, a slide (i
covers the lower part of a vertical tube E which may contain tokens or prizes,
said slide being opened by pushing a lever M against the tension of a spring St
The slide G is locked when closed by an ordinary spring catch H with a bevelled
return edge. The token or prize being thus delivered outside the case, the slide G
is again locked by the catch H and its freedom is only effected by the pressure
of the ball B upon k actuating a lever J Figure 9 connected by K³ to the spring
of H. A vertical wire or rod 7 connected to the slide G by a rod 7 passes up
through and above & so that the return of the slide may throw the ball B out
of the recess in k and into the concave surface so as to return to its normal

page_text: position over P. The upper end of the wire or rod 7 is suitably bent to effect
this purpose, and is not shown upon the drawings.
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 a coinfreed game of skill, the combination of a double vertical
lever L L for the reception of a coin edgeways, so that said coin may form a
fulcrum for propelling a ball vertically through a sleeve supported by a "gimbal "
joint; substantially as and for the purposes herein described and shown by the
appended drawings.
Second. In a coinfreed game of skill, as referred to in the preceding claim,
the arrangement of and combination with a gimbal " "sleeve of an unstable
auxiliary stand, substantially as herein described and shown by the appended
drawings.
Third. In a coinfreed game of skill the method of and means for allowing the
coin to drop flatwise upon the levers L L held by the rims r I and depressed by
the plunger m locking the levers L L¹ and on the further depression and release
of the coin shooting the ball B vertically substantially as herein described and
shown by the appended drawings.
Fourth. In a coinfreed game of skill as referred to in the preceding claims the
method of and means for releasing a prize or token when the ball B depresses
a plunger against a spring K, and is returned to the shooting position by the
action of a bent wire coincident with the withdrawal of a prize or token sub-
stantially as herein described with especial reference to Figures 5, 6 and 9 of the
appended drawings.
Fifth. In a coinfreed game of skill the combination and arrangement of parts
in which the coin forms a fulcrum for shooting a ball in a vertical direction
said ball delivering a prize or token, or returning to shooting position sub-
stantially as herein described and shown by the appended drawings.
Dated this 3rd day of June 1900
FREDK. WALKER,
73, St. Stephen's Road, Upton Park, London, E.,
Agent for the Applicant.