Improvements in Coin Freed Apparatus for Obtaining a Current of Electricity for Producing Electric Light or for other purposes.
Year: 1890

page_text: Date of Application, 11th Oct., 1:90
Complete Specification Left, 11th July, 1891-Accepted, 15th Aug., 1891
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Coin Freed Apparatus for Obtaining a Current of
Electricity for Producing Electric Light or for other purposes.
We, HERBERT JOHN DOWSING, of 4 Queen Victoria Street, and HENRY
SHERLEY PRICE, of 52 Queen Victoria Street, both in the City of London,
Electrical Engineers, do hereby declare the nature of the said invention to be as
follows:-
:-
This invention relates to improvements in coin-freed apparatus for obtaining a
current of electricity for producing an electric light, or for other purposes, and has
for its object to provide means whereby a person who is about to use the apparatus
can ascertain, before placing his coin in the slot, whether there is a sufficient supply
of electricity available in the battery or other source of current connected with the
apparatus to supply his requirements for the full period of time for which the
apparatus is arranged to supply current in exchange for the prescribed coin.
For this purpose we employ apparatus of the following character:-
According to one arrangement, a sliding plate is placed behind the slot for
receiving coin and normally this plate leaves the said slot uncovered, so that the
latter is usually open to receive the coin, and if an intending user of the apparatus
neglects to use the testing appliances (or as we prefer to call it the "honesty
appliances" to be hereafter described for ascertaining whether there is current
enough available in the apparatus, before placing the coin in the slot, he takes the
risk of there not being sufficient, and therefore of his not receiving the proper
value and of his coin being lost to him; but, if he chooses to avail himself of the
said testing or honesty appliances he will be unable to place his coin in the slot
if the current has become too weak or insufficient to serve the intended purpose.
The testing or honesty appliances consist of a spring push or equivalent instru-
ment arranged to act on the aforesaid sliding plate so as to cause the same to cover
the coin slot, it is also arranged to close directly or indirectly an electric circuit
through the coil of an electro-magnet the armature of which forms, or is connected
with, a latch or catch which holds the aforesaid sliding plate in the position
covering the coin slot, into which position it has been placed by the push. If the
current passing through the coil of the electro-magnet is not strong enough to
cause the armature to be attracted, the latch or catch is not released and the coin
slot remains covered by the sliding plate, and a coin cannot be introduced. But if
the current passing through the said coil is strong enough, the armature is
attracted, the catch releases the sliding plate, and a spring or weight moves the
latter so as to open the coin slot which indicates that the current is available and
that a coin may be placed in the said slot without fear that a proper supply of
current will not be obtained in return therefor.
According to another arrangement the sliding plate normally covers or closes the
coin slot so that no coin can be introduced until the push or equivalent instru-
ment is operated. This operation of the push causes electrical contact to be
made, and a current to pass round the coil of an electro-magnet, the armature of
which is thereby attracted and acts upon the sliding plate to uncover the coin
slot, and the coin may then be inserted. The coin slot is closed again, by the
action of a spring or its equivalent, immediately the push is released and electrical
contact thereby broken. If the current is not of sufficient strength to be available
for its intended purpose, the armature will not be attracted by the electro-magnet,
the sliding plate will not therefore uncover the coin slot, and the insertion of a coin
will be thereby prevented.

page_text: The electric current for exciting the electro-magnet of the testing or honesty
appliance may either be taken direct from the battery or other source of current
independently of the circuit for supplying the electric lamp or for other purpose,
or it may consist of the main current and in the latter case the testing apparatus will
show not only whether the current is of sufficient strength to be available for use,
but also whether the connexion is complete through the electric lamp for example,
because if such connexion is complete the current will pass through the coil of the
electro-magnet and the armature will be attracted, but if the carbon filament be
broken or the connexions otherwise defective the armature will not be attracted and
the coin slot will remain closed.
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COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Coin Freed Apparatus for Obtaining a Current of
Electricity for Producing Electric Light or for other purposes.
We, HERBERT JOHN DOWSING, of 4 Queen Victoria Street, and HENRY
SHERLEY PRICE, of 52 Queen Victoria Street, both in the City of London,
Electrical Engineers, do hereby declare the nature of the said invention, and in what
manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained
in and by the following statement, reference being had to the accompanying sheet
of drawings, and to the letters and figures marked thereon, that is to say :-
This invention relates to improvements in coin-freed apparatus for obtaining a
current of electricity for producing an electric light or for other purposes and has
for its object to provide means whereby a person who is about to use the apparatus
can asce tain, before placing his coin in the slot, whether there is a sufficient supply
of electricity available in the battery or other source of current connected with the
apparatus to supply his requirements for the full period of time for which the
apparatus is arranged to supply current in exchange for the prescribed coin.
For this purpose we employ apparatus of the following character :-
According to one arrangement a sliding plate is placed behind the slot for
receiving coin, and normally this plate leaves the said slot uncovered, so that
the latter is usually open to receive the coin, and if an intending user of the
apparatus neglects to use the testing appliances (or, as we prefer to call them, the
"honesty appliances ") to be hereafter described, for ascertaining whether there is
current enough available in the apparatus before placing the coin in the slot, he
takes the risk of there not being sufficient, and therefore of his not receiving the
proper value, and of his coin being lost to him; but if he chooses to avail himself
of the said testing or honesty appliances, he will be unable to place his coin in the
slot if the current has become too weak or insufficient to serve the intended
purpose.
This arrangement is illustrated in Figures 1 and 2 of the drawings,
Figure 1 being a side elevation of an apparatus mounted on a slot plate, as used
for example in an apparatus for supplying electric light for a given length of time
on the introduction of a coin into the said slot; and
Figure 2 an elevation of same as seen from the inside of the case containing the
apparatus.
The testing or honesty appliances consist of a spring push A or equivalent instru
ment, arranged to act by means of the bell crank lever B, and sliding rod C on a
sliding plate D, and to draw the same downwards so as to cause its upper part D
to cover the coin slot E in the plate F, a projection G on the rod C at same time
closing an electric circuit by means of the springs H through the coil I of an electro-

page_text: magnet the armature J of which forms, or is connected with a latch or catch K
behind which the lower end of the bell crank lever B takes when it is pushed back
by the push A so as to hold the aforesaid sliding plate D in the position covering
the coin slot E. If the current passing through the coil of the electro-magnet
is not strong enough to cause the armature J to be attracted the latch or catch K
is not released from the lower end of the bell crank lever B, and the coin slot E
remains covered by the part D' of the sliding plate D, and a coin cannot be
introduced. But if the current passing through the said coil is strong enough
the armature J is attracted, the catch K releases the lower end of the bell crank
lever B, and consequently the sliding plate D, and a spring L moves the latter
back into the position shown in the figures so as to open the coin slot E, which
indicates that the current is available, and that a coin may be placed in the said slot
without fear that a proper supply of current will not be obtained in return therefor.
According to another arrangement (illustrated in Figures 3 and 4, which are
respectively side and back elevations similar to those shown in Figures 1 and 2),
the sliding plate D normally covers or closes the coin slot E, so that no coin can
be introduced until the push A or equivalent instrument is operated.
This operation of the push A closes an electric circuit, in a manner well under-
stood, which causes a current to pass through the coil of an electro-magnet. If
this current is of sufficient strength the arinature J is attracted and draws down
the lever B to which it is connected. The plate D being connected to the end of
the lever B by the rod C, is also drawn down, and the slot E is uncovered allowing
of the insertion of a coin thereinto. If however the current is not of sufficient
strength, the armature J is not attracted, and the plate D remains over the slot E
so as to prevent the insertion of a coin. The plate D is returned into its normal
position after having been drawn down, as above described, by means of a spring L
when the push A is released and opens the circuit with the coil 1.
It will be understood that in the above described apparatuses the resistance and
other conditions of the coil of the electro-magnet I must be so arranged that when
the strength of the main current, intended to produce the electric light or other
desired effect, has fallen too low, the effect of the current traversing the said coil,
when the testing push is operated, shall not be sufficient to cause the electro-
magnet to attract its armature: but if the said main current is of sufficient strength,
then the current traversing the coil shall be sufficient to cause the electro-magnet to
attract its armature.
The electric current for exciting the electro-magnet of the testing or honesty
appliance may either be taken direct from the battery, or other source of current,
independently of the circuit for supplying the electric lamp or for other purpose;
or it may consist of the main current, and in the latter case the testing apparatus will
show, not only whether the current is of sufficient strength to be available for use,
but also whether the connexion is complete, through the electric lamp for example,
because if such connexion is complete, the current will pass through the coil of the
electro-magnet and the armature will be attracted, but if the carbon filament be
broken, or the connexions otherwise defective, the armature will not be attracted,
and the coin slot will remain closed.
Similar letters of reference relate to like parts in all the figures of the
drawings.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what we
claim is :-
First In coin freed apparatus for obtaining a current of electricity for producing
electric light, or for other purpose, the use of apparatus for ascertaining whether
there is a sufficient supply of electricity available, in which a slot-covering device
normally leaves the slot uncovered, but on being moved by a push or other
equivalent device, so as to cover the said slot is retained or held in that position if
the current of electricity is too weak to be available for the intended purpose, and

page_text: is moved back into its normal position so as to uncover the slot if the current of
electricity is of sufficient strength to be available for the intended purpose,
substantially as hereinbefore described, and illustrated in Figures 1 and 2 of the
drawings.
Second-In coin freed apparatus for obtaining a current of electricity, for
producing electric light, or for other purpose, the use of apparatus for ascertaining
whether there is a sufficient supply of electricity available, in which a slot-covering
device normally keeps the slot covered, and retains it covered when a testing push
or other equivalent instrument is operated if the current of electricity is too weak
to be available for the intended purpose, but uncovers the said slot when the testing
push or other equivalent instrument is operated if the current of electricity is of
sufficient, strength to be available for the intended purpose, substantially as herein-
before described, and illustrated in Figures 3 and 4 of the drawings.
Third The testing or honesty appliance consisting of a slot-covering device, a
hand operated testing push or other equivalent instrument, acting to move the said
slot-covering device into position to cover the slot, an electro-magnet armature and
catch, and means for closing an electric circuit through the coil of the electro-
magnet, combined, arranged, and operating substantially as hereinbefore described,
and illustrated in Figures 1 and 2 of the drawings.
Fourth-The testing or honesty appliance, consisting of a slot-covering device,
an electro-magnet, an armature connected with the said slot-covering device, and
a hand operated testing push or other equivalent device, acting to close an electric
circuit through the coil of the said electro-magnet, combined, arranged, and
operating, substantially as hereinbefore described, and illustrated in Figures 3
and 4 of the drawings.
H. J. DOWSING.
H. S. PRICE.
Per W. H. Beck,
115, Cannon Street, London, E.C., Agent.