Improvements in Apparatus for Delivering Goods in Exchange for Coin.
Year: 1888

page_text: Date of Application, 17th Nov., 1888
Complete Specification Left, 17th Sept., 1889-Accepted, 19th Oct., 1889
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Apparatus for Delivering Goods in Exchange
for Coin.
We EDWARD SAMUEL FORD and George Haydon, both of 73 Grange Street,
St. John's Road, Hoxton, in the County of Middlesex, Engineers, and JAMES
CONSTANTINE DUKE of 91 Queen Victoria Street in the City of London, Engineer,
do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
Our invention has reference to apparatus of the kind in which, by the introduction
of a coin, mechanism is acted upon so as to enable goods to be withdrawn or obtained
from the apparatus in exchange for the coin, and it relates more particularly to
apparatus in which the withdrawal is effected by means of a pull bar.
The invention consists in the combination with a pull bar of a balanced coin
receiver and a pull piece so arranged that the coin falls from the coin shoot upon the
coin receiver, and by thereby depressing the same, raises the pull piece sufficiently to
enable it to pull out the lowermost article in the container when the pull bar is drawn
forward. The pull piece may either be a fixture to the balanced coin receiver, in
which case the coin receiver travels with the pull bar, or the pull piece may be
separate from the balanced coin receiver, in which case the latter need not travel with
the pull-bar.
The invention further consists in constructing the coin receiver in such manner that
the coin is prevented from falling through the same by means of a spring, until, in
the drawing out movement of the pull-bar, the coin either comes against a projection,
or in the case where the coin receiver does not travel, a projection on the pull-bar
comes against the coin so that, the spring being pushed by the coin, the latter is able
to fall through the receiver.
The invention further consists in arranging the apparatus so that more than one of the
prescribed coins can be introduced into it without drawing out the pull-bar between
the successive introductions, and then by successive withdrawals of the pull bar a
number of articles equal to that of the coins previously introduced can be obtained in
succession.
The invention also includes arrangements whereby the slot through which the coin
is introduced is closed during the withdrawal of an article from the container, so that
no other coin can be inserted until such article has been entirely withdrawn.
The invention also consists of arrangements whereby, when the lowest article has
been withdrawn from the container, the coin slot is closed.
The invention comprises various minor improvements which will be understood
by the following description of the construction and working of one of our improved
apparatus.
In our apparatus the coin, after having been pushed through the slot, falls down a
shoot which delivers it to the coin receiver into which it falls edgewise; the coin
receiver has a vertical slot or passage, at one end of which is a small spring plate
which prevents the coin passing entirely through the receiver. The receiver is hinged
to the back end of the pull-bar, and carries a pull-piece which is above the bar..
Before the introduction of the coin this pull-piece is at a lower level than the articles
in the container, and if any attempt be made to pull out the bar by means of the
usual handle, the pull piece comes against a stop and thereby prevents the bar being
moved more than a slight distance. But when the coin falls into the balanced
receiver, and the receiver consequently descends, the pull-piece is thereby raised clear
of the stop, and sufficiently high to act upon the lowest article in the container; the
pull-bar can then be pulled out, and in this movement the pull-piece pushes out the
lowest article through an opening at the front of the box far enough to be taken hold

page_text: of by the fingers. During this outward movement of the pull-bar and coin receiver,
the coin comes against a fixed stop, and pressure having been thereby brought upon
it, it pushes the spring of the receiver aside and drops through the latter into a
receptacle below. When the coin has thus dropped, the balanced receiver and the
push piece do not return at once to the positions they occupied before the introduction
of the coin, because the push piece is prevented from falling by means of a guide
along which it runs. When the operator releases the handle of the pull-bar, a strong
spring pushes back the latter together with the balanced receiver, which then rises to
its normal position ready for the next operation.
When two coins are introduced in succession without the pull-bar being drawn
out, the second coin remains at the bottom of the shoot, resting upon the first coin
until the pull-bar is drawn out; the coin receiver being drawn forward by the same
movement, the second coin drops edge-wise upon an unslotted part of the receiver,
and bears against the back of the box or other fixed part; it subsequently drops into
the slotted part of the receiver when this returns to its normal position.
When the coin receiver is arranged not to move with the pull-bar we pivot it to a
fixed point, and I employ a loose or independent pull-piece the lower end of which
rests upon the tail of the coin receiver, while its upper part passes vertically through
the back of the pull-bar so that when the coin receiver is tipped by the weight of the
coin its tail lifts the pull piece, and causes the upper end of this to project above the
pull-bar a sufficient distance to enable it to take hold of the lowest article in the con-
tainer when the pull-bar is drawn outwards. If in this modification the pull-bar be.
pulled out before the introduction of a coin, the pull-piece, not having been lifted
simply does not act upon the lowest article in the container. The discharge of the
coin from the receiver is effected by a projection on the pull-bar which in the outward
movement of the latter, comes against the coin, and thereby causes this to push the
spring of a receiver aside as already explained.
In another modification the pull-piece is independent of the coin receiver, which
moves backwards and forwards with the pull-bar. In this case the coin receiver
forms one end of a lever, the other end of which is hooked; if the pull-bar be pulled
before the introduction of the coin, a projection on the bar comes against the hook.
But when the coin has been introduced, its weight tips the lever so as to raise the
hook above the projection, and the pull bar can then be pulled outwards. The pull-
piece is attached to the back end of the pull bar at such a height as to act upon the
lowest article in the container, and it is pivoted, so that when the lowest article has
been withdrawn the weight of the remaining articles presses it down until the pull
bar has been pushed back. The pull-piece is then raised to its normal position by
means of a spring or weight.
In order to close the coin slot while an article is being withdrawn, we place inside
the outlet aperture, a flap which is lifted by the article in being withdrawn. A pro-
jection or cam on this flap acts during the lifting movement upon a plate, which works
on a pin, and moves this plate so that it covers the coin slot. As soon as the article
has been entirely withdrawn the flap falls and the plate again moves clear of the coin
slot. This flap also serves to prevent the introduction of a coin into the outlet.
aperture by mistake, and also to prevent the insertion of a knife or other instrument
through this aperture with the object of fraudulently extracting goods from the con-
tainer. Or, instead of acting upon the slot closing plato by means of a flap as
described, we can act upon it by means of the lever of which the coin receiver forms
part, the tipping movement of this lever being utilized to act upon the plate.
For the purpose of closing the coin slot when the last article has been withdrawn
from the box, we employ a tumbler, one portion of which is held down by the weight
of the article or articles in the container, another part being then just clear of the coin
slot. When the last article is withdrawn the portion of the tumbler which was
previously held down rises, and the portion which was near the coin slot moves over
the slot so as to prevent the introduction of any more coins. Or, for the same purpose
we mount the side of the container that carries the coin-shoot and the bottom of the
container on a horizontal axis so placed that when the container is empty, the centre

page_text: of gravity brings the side into a position in which a portion of it closes the coin slot,
but when the articles are placed in the container the centre of gravity is altered and
the side of the container moves so as to leave the coin slot clear.
11
1007
J. C. MEWBURN,
169, Fleet Street, London, Patent Agent.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Apparatus for Delivering Goods in Exchange
for Coin.
We EDWARD SAMUEL FORD and GEORGE HAYDON both of 73 Grange Street,
St. John's Road, Hoxton in the County of Middlesex Engineers, and JAMES
CONSTANTINE DUKE of 91 Queen Victoria Street in the City of London Engineer,
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:
Our invention has reference to apparatus of the kind in which, by the introduction
of a coin, mechanism is acted upon so as to enable goods to be withdrawn or obtained
from the apparatus in exchange for the coin, and it relates more particularly to
apparatus in which the withdrawal is effected by means of a pull bar.
The invention consists in the combination with a pull bar of a balanced coin
receiver and a pull piece so arranged that the coin falls from the coin shoot upon the
coin receiver, and by thereby depressing the same raises the pull piece sufficiently
to enable it to pull out or cause the ejection of the lowermost article in the container
when the pull bar is drawn forward. The pull piece may either be a fixture to the
balanced coin receiver, in which case the coin receiver travels with the pull bar, or
the pull piece may be separate from the balanced coin receiver, in which case the latter
need not travel with the pull bar.
The invention further consists in constructing the coin receiver in such manner that
the coin is prevented from falling through the same by means of a spring until in the
drawing out movement of the pull bar the coin either comes against a projection, or
in the case where the coin receiver does not travel, a projection on the pull bar comes
against the coin, so that, the spring being pushed by the coin, the latter is able to fall
through the receiver.
The invention further consists in arranging the apparatus so that more than one of
the prescribed coins can be introduced into it without drawing out the pull bar between
the successive introductions, and then by successive withdrawals of the pull bar a
number of articles equal to that of the coins previously introduced can be obtained in
succession.
The invention comprises various minor improvements which will be understood
by the following description of the construction and working of our improved
apparatus.
The accompanying drawings represent several modifications of our invention. The
first of these modifications is shown in Figures 1 to 4, Figure 1 being a side elevation,
Figure 2 a back elevation and Figure 3 a plan, while Figure 4 is an elevation corre-
sponding to part of Figure 1, but showing the coin receiver and pull piece in the
position they take up when the coin falls upon the receiver. The outer box or case
with which the apparatus is provided and which may be of any desired ornamental
form is not shown.
a is the container in which the goods or articles 6 are superposed. c is the coin
shoot, its inlet being at d corresponding with a slot in the outer box; the shoot
shown in this modification is of zig-zag form but any other suitable form may be
adopted. e is the coin receiver situated below the bottom of the shoot c.
The coin,
marked f, falls upon the receiver e edgewise and enters a vertical slot or passage g
therein, but is prevented passing at once entirely through the receiver by means of a

page_text: mall spring plate h. The receiver e is balanced by being hinged at i to a transverse
piece fixed to the back end of the pull bar & which is fitted with a knob or handle /
and with a spring m that keeps it normally in its inward position as seen in the
figures. The receiver e carries a pull piece n which is above the bar. Before the
introduction of the coin this pull piece is at a lower level than the goods b in the con-
tainer as seen in Figure 1, and if the pull bar be pulled out the operator fails to
procure one of the goods. But when the coin falls into the receiver e, and the
receiver owing to the weight of the coin descends, (see Figure 4) the pull piece n is
thereby raised sufficiently high to act upon the lowest article in the container a. If
now the pull bar be pulled out the pull piece n in this movement will push out the
lowest article through an opening in the front of the outer box far enough to be taken
hold of by the fingers. If it be thought better to prevent the pull bar being pulled
out when a coin has not been inserted a stop can be provided for the pull piece to
come against when not lifted by the weight of the coin, but we do not consider this
stop necessary. During the outward movement of the pull bar and coin receiver with
the coin retained therein by the spring plate h the coin comes against a fixed stop o
on the end of a bar p (preferably adjustable) and pressure being thereby brought upon the
coin it pushes the spring plate haside and drops through the slot g into a receptacle
below. When the operator releases the handle 7 of the pull bar the spring m pushes
back the latter together with the receiver e which rises to its normal position ready
for the next operation.
When two coins are introduced in succession without the pull bar being drawn out
the second coin remains at the bottom of the shoot, see f¹, Figure 4, resting upon the
first coin funtil the pull bar is drawn out; the receiver e being drawn forward by
the same movement the second coin drops edgewise upon an unslotted part e¹ of the
receiver and bears against the back of the bottom of the shoot; it subsequently drops
into the slot 9
of the receiver when this returns to its normal position.
Figures 5 to 8 represent another modification, Figure 5 being a side elevation,
Figure 6 a back elevation and Figure 7 a plan of the underside, while Figure 8 is a
view the same as Figure 5 but showing the parts after the coin has been inserted, the
pull bark and the pull piece n being also shown in dotted lines in the positions
they occupy when drawn out. In this modification the coin receiver e is separate
from the pull piece n and does not travel with the pull bar. It is pivoted at i to a
fixed part while the pull piece is pivoted to a transverse frame carried by the pull
bar. An extension of this frame ; carries an army which in the forward or out-
ward movement of the pull bar and pull piece comes against the edge of the coin in
the receiver e and by thus overcoming the spring plate allows the coin to drop
through the slot in the receiver. Before the coin receiver is depressed by the
weight of the coin which reaches it through the shoot c, the pull bar cannot be drawn
out because the part j comes against the tail r of the receiver which is notched as
shown for the purpose. It will be seen that the tail has two notches; the lower of
these is intended to act as a stop to prevent a person, after having withdrawn one
article from the container, allowing the pull bar and pull piece to go back just far
enough to engage the next article and then pulling them out again; such an attempt
is prevented by the lower notch which engages with the part before the pull piece
returns far enough to engage with the next article. s is a stop to prevent the tail
of the receiver falling too far. During the backward_movement the pull piece n
turns on its pivot into the position shown in dots n¹ in Figure 8 so as to move under
the lowest article in the container.
Figures 9 and 10 illustrate in side elevation and plan respectively another modifica-
tion in which the coin receiver e does not move with the pull bar, being pivoted to a
fixed point i, and in which we employ a loose or independent pull piece n; the lower
end of this pull piece rests upon the tail r of the coin receiver, while its upper part
passes vertically through the back piece ; of the pull bar. If in this modification the
pull bar be pulled out before the introduction of a coin the pull piece n not having
been lifted simply does not act upon the lowest article in the container; but when on
the other hand the coin receiver is tipped by the weight of the coin its tail lifts the

page_text: pull piece and causes the upper end of this to project above the pull bar a sufficient
distance to enable it to take hold of the lowest article in the container when the pull
bar is pulled out. The discharge of the coin from the receiver is effected by a
projection on the pull bar which in the outward movement of the latter comes
against the coin and thereby causes this to push the spring plate h aside as already
explained.
-11
Figure 11 is a front elevation, Figure 12 a side elevation and Figure 13 a plan on
the line 1 1 of Figure 12, of a modification in which the pull piece n instead of
acting directly upon the lowest article in the container a when pulled forward with
the pull bar k, acts against the lower end of a levert the other end of which carries
a pusher which pushes the lowest article until it fails through an opening in the
bottom of the container and is conducted by a shoot v to an outlet in the outer case.
The coin receiver e as in the modification shown in Figures 1 to 4 carries the pull
piece n and is pivoted at i to the pull bar k. Until the coin reaches and rests upon the
receiver e the pull piece n is below the level of the lever t and if pulled forward it would
not act upon this lever; there is besides a stop w to prevent the forward movement though
this stop is not essential. When the coin reaches and depresses the receiver e the pull
piece n is raised sufficiently high to catch the pin y on the lever t; consequently when
the pull bar k is pulled the piece n pulls the lower end of the lever, thereby causing
the upper end to move backwards so that the pusher u that it carries ejects the lowest
article from the container. In the forward movement of the pull bar and coin
receiver the edge of the coin comes against the stop or projection o so that the
pressure of the spring plate h is overcome and the coin drops through the slot g in the
receiver.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed we declare that we do
not claim generally the combination in apparatus for delivering goods in exchange for
coin of a balanced or pivoted coin receiver with a pull bar and a pull piece, as we
are aware that such a combination is not new, but what we claim in respect of
apparatus for delivering goods in exchange for coin is :-
1. The combination with a pull-bar of a balanced or pivoted coin receiver and a
pull piece so arranged that until the prescribed coin falls upon and is retained by the
coin receiver the pull piece is not sufficiently high to act, but when the coin falls
upon, is retained by and has depressed the receiver the pull piece is raised sufficiently
to enable it to pull out or cause the ejection of the lowermost article in the container
when the pull bar is drawn forward, substantially as set forth.
2. A balanced or pivoted coin receiver having a slot or opening to receive the coin
edgewise, the said slot being fitted with a spring or spring plate at one end which
retains the coin until during the operation of the apparatus the spring is pushed aside
and thereby allows the coin to fall through, substantially as set forth.
3. A balanced or pivoted coin receiver constructed and working in the manner
referred to in claim 2, and having an unslotted part or continuation upon which, in
the event of two coins being introduced into the apparatus in succession without the
pull-bar being drawn out, the second coin drops edgewise and temporarily rests while
the pull bar is being drawn out, this coin subsequently dropping into the slotted part
of the receiver, substantially as set forth.
4. The several arrangements or combinations of parts substantially as hereinbefore
described and shown in the drawings, constituting improved apparatus for delivering
goods in exchange for coin.
D
..
1
2
1
1000
J. C. MEWBURN,
55 & 56, Chancery Lane, London, Patent Agent.