Improvements in Money Changers.
Year: 1891

page_text: Date of Application, 19th May, 1891-Accepted, 11th July, 1891
ADRATICATION
Improvements in Money Changers.
I, MARK BOOTH LOWREY, of No. 263 Madison Street, Memphis, Tennessee,
United States of America, Travelling Salesman, 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 certain improvements in mechanical devices for
facilitating the giving of change in coin, and it consists of a device containing a
plurality of suitable tubes for the various coins, a channel at the base of each tube
slightly greater in width and depth than one of the coins contained in said tube; a
device for simultaneously opening one side of said channel and ejecting a single
coin therethrough; a receptacle for said detached coin, and other features which
will be understood after reference to the accompanying drawings.
While my invention is applicable, with few modifications to many forms of device
for facilitating the giving of change in coin, in shops, coffee houses, tramcars, and
other places where a secure and convenient means of giving change is required, I
have shown it as adapted for use in shops generally.
In the drawings similar parts are indicated by similar letters.
Fig. 1 represents a perspective view of a case fitted with a number of the coin
tubes and coin detaching devices.
Fig. 2 represents a transverse vertical section showing one form of coin detaching
device.
Fig. 3, represents a perspective view of five of the graduated tubes and detaching
devices mounted on the same platform.
Figs. 4, 5, 6, 7 and 8 represent a modification of the coin detaching device shown
in Figures 1, 2 and 3, Fig. 4 being an elevation, partly in section of a single tube
with the modified form of detaching device.
Fig. 5 represents a perspective view of the device shown in Figure 4.
Fig. 6 represents a sectional elevation of the same, parts being omitted.
Fig. 7 represents the form of sliding tongue, or coin extractor shown in Figs. 4,
5, and 6.
Fig. 8 represents the base plate in which the said sliding tongue travels.
A represents the box or case enclosing the various parts.
B represents the lid of the said case, which is hinged at 6 and locked at c.
A locking bar C¹ engaging staple C2 and having lock C; all shown in dotted lines
in Fig. 1, furnishes means for preventing the keys from being moved and the coins
in the tubes from being extracted.
In the lid B a number of slots 2, 62, 63 &c. flaring outwards are cut.
D is a shelf in the said case which supports the coin detaching apparatus, and
may also be used as a support for the lower ends of the coin tubes.
E is an apron in the bottom of the case for the reception of the coin detached
from the tubes, said apron having an open space E' for the attendant to take out
the said coins.
F, F, Fig. 2 are two arms which support the coin tube G. In the form of my
device shown in Figs. 4, 5 and 6, the tube has one support F2, in the form of a
collar or ferrule partly cut away, attached to the base of the tube and mounted on
the shelf D; a guide arm F see Fig. 2, then steadies the tube in the case.
The tops of the tubes may or may not be funnel-shaped as shown in Fig. 2.
The coin tubes G, G, G, G³, &c. are made slightly larger in diameter than the
coin they are intended to contain; thus in Fig. 3 Gi may be adapted for dollars,
G' for half dollars, G for quarter dollars, G for dimes &c.

page_text: The said tubes should preferably be arranged in the order of value rather than
the size of the coin intended to be placed in each.
These tubes should preferably be made of metal and soldered to their supports.
The base of each of these tubes is held by the said supports at a distance from
the surface of the shelf D somewhat greater than the depth of one of the coins
It will be obvious that if a plate be let into the shelf D
beneath the said tube that either the tube or the plate must be cut away to allow
the exit of the coin.
contained in the said tube.
Hin Figs. 2 and 3 and H¹ in Figs. 4, 5, 6, and 7 are two forms of the coin
ejector, consisting of a sliding tongue or clutch for pushing the coin from beneath
the tube.
The depth of this tongue is somewhat less than that of a single coin in the corre-
sponding coin tube. Longitudinal motion is given the coin ejector by pressing
down on the key K in Figs. 2 and 3 or K¹, in Figs. 4 & 5, which straightens out
the spring joint L.
This joint is composed of two bars M and M', hinged together: the bar M has a
fixed pivot on the shelf D, while the bar M is pivoted to the sliding tongue or
coin ejector.
A suitable spring, shown in one form N in Figs. 2 and 3; and in another form N₁
in Figs. 4 and 5 normally tends to force the key back in the original position and
so to allow the coins to settle down in each tube after one coin has been ejected.
The motion of the key upwards is limited by the loop O.
The coin ejector shown in Figs. 2 and 3, has curved arms or clips and slides
along the top of the support D while in Figs. 4, 5, and 6, a base plate Q shown in
Fig. 8, is let into the said support.
This base plate has side rails or guides q for the sliding tongue while the end
beneath the coin tube is enlarged to form a chamber slightly broader and deeper
than one of the coins in the tube above.
In order that the coins may not be shaken out of their respective tubes a guard
spring P is secured beneath the shelf D, this spring is bent upwards near the end,
as at p and normally blocks the opening at the side of the tube opposite the coin
ejector. When the key K or K¹ is pressed down an arm k or presses down the
said spring and leaves the passage open for the coin, while at the same time the
pressing down of the key also moves the coin ejector and pushes the coin through
the said open passage, from whence it falls into the apron E or other receptacle
provided. Both the sliding tongue and the support D must be slotted as shown,
as must also the bedplate Q if that be used, for the passage of the arm k or k¹, on
the key K or K
The operation of my device is as follows:-
A requisite number of coins are placed in each tube, which may be done either
by dropping the coins through their respective holes in the hinged lid, or by unlocking
the lid and placing the coins directly in the tubes, then by pressing the proper keys
which are all appropriately marked, any combination of the coins contained in the
tubes may be obtained. The coins given to be changed may also be placed in their
appropriate tubes. When the apparatus is not in use the bar C' should be locked
at C when the keys cannot be moved. A locked drawer may be supplied for
bank bills, cheques, &c. and also a register and indicator to mark the amount of
each individual purchase, but these features are not part of my invention.
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
Firstly A mechanical device for facilitating the giving of change in coin;
which consists of a suitable case with a receptacle for the coin beneath the same, a
tube or tubes for the coin in said case, said tubes being each mounted at a distance
from a fixed support slightly greater than the thickness of one of the coins therein
contained, a coin ejector moving across the base of each of said tubes, and a key

page_text: normally pressed back by a spring, said key adapted to press said coin ejector
forward, substantially as described in the Specification and shown in the drawings
hereunto annexed.
Secondly: A mechanical device for facilitating the giving of change in coin
which consists of a suitable case with a receptacle for the coin beneath the same, a
tube or tubes for the coin in said case, said tubes being each mounted at a distance
from a fixed support slightly greater than the thickness of one of the coins therein
contained, a coin ejector moving across the base of each of said tubes, a guard
spring blocking the passage of said coin from the base of said tube, and a key
normally pressed back by a spring, said key adapted to simultaneously press forward
said coin ejector and press backward said guard spring, substantially as described
in the Specification and shown in the drawings hereunto annexed.
G. J. CLARKSON,
Stockton-on-Tees, Agent for the Applicant.