Improvements in Coin Controlled Musical Instruments.
Year: 1891

page_text: Date of Application, 2nd Sept., 1891
Complete Specification Left, 2nd June, 1892-Accepted, 2nd Sept., 1892
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Coin Controlled Musical Instruments.
We JOHN FRANCIS PEASGOOD of 4 Maberley Road, Upper Norwood in the
County of Surrey, Manufacturer's Agent, and PAUL TRACY of 18 Compton
Street, Goswell Road, in the County of Middlesex, Engineer, do hereby declare
the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
:―
This invention for improvements in coin controlled musical instruments has for
its object to enable a pin barrel or other mechanical musical instrument to be
turned or played for a definite number of turns on the insertion of a proper coin
and consists in connecting a free outside handle and the internal mechanism, so
that the instrument can be wound up or played, by means of a coin inserted through
a slot in the case of the instrument.
In carrying out this invention the required movement for winding the spring or
weight or actuating the barrel or other mechanism is effected by rotating an axis
or spindle inside the case. A crank arm fixed at or near the extremity of the
axis or spindle is provided with two or three projecting pins, and on another
arm, connected only with a lever or crank handle outside the case and capable of
motion in a concentric circle to the first arm, two or three similar pins are fixed
in such a position that they shall alternate with the first mentioned pins but pass
between them freely. To wind or play the instrument a coin is inserted through
the slot and is guided directly between the pins on the arms so that the movement
of the crank handle will be transmitted to the arm connected with the internal
mechanism.
To ensure the coin falling in the correct place, the slot is closed by a slide
withdrawn by suitable mechanism when the two arms are respectively in their
right positions to receive the coin between their pins.
In order to release the coin at the end of the required movement, a projection
with an inclined side, is so arranged on one arm that it shall come in contact with
a moveable pin, fixed to the other arm and normally held clear of the projection
by a spring but pressed against the incline of the projection by means of a cam
operated by the mechanism so that the pins of the two arms are slightly parted
and thus release the coin and allow it to fall.
The tune is altered by means of an independent handle outside the case and
provided with a pointer for indicating the tune on a dial; the handle is con-
nected by snail gearing communicating the necessary movement in the ordinary
manner.
Dated this 2nd day of September 1891.
WHEATLEY & MACKENZIE,
40, Chancery Lane, London, W.C., Agents.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Coin Controlled Musical Instruments.
We JOHN FRANCIS PEASGOOD of 4 Maberly Road, Upper Norwood in the
County of Surrey, Manufacturer's Agent, and PAUL TRACY of 18 Compton
Street, Goswell Road, in the County of Middlesex 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:-
This invention for improvements in coin controlled musical instruments has for
its object to enable a pin barrel or other mechanical musical instrument to be
Pin1

page_text: turned or played for a definite number of turns on the insertion of a proper coin
and consists in connecting a free outside handle and the internal mechanism by a
coin, so that the instrument can be wound up and played on the insertion of the
coin through a slot in the case of the instrument.
In carrying out this invention the required movement for winding the spring
or weight or actuating the barrel or other mechanism is effected by rotating an
axis or spindle inside the case. A crank arm fixed at or near the extremity of
the axis or spindle is provided with two or three projecting pins, and on another
arm, connected only with a lever or crank handle outside the case and capable of
motion in a concentric circle to the first arm, two or three similar pins are fixed
in such a position that they alternate with the first mentioned pins and pass
between them freely. To wind or play the instrument a coin is inserted through
the slot and is guided directly between the pins on the arms so that the movement
of the crank handle will be transmitted to the arm connected with the internal
mechanism.
To ensure the coin falling in the correct place, the slot is closed by a slide
withdrawn by suitable mechanism when the two arms are respectively in their
right positions to receive the coin between their pins.
Suitable means are provided for retaining the coin between the pins until the
spring is sufficiently wound and for releasing it and dropping it into the coin
receptacle after the spring is wound and before the instrument is started.
The tune is altered by means of an independent handle outside the case and
provided with a pointer for indicating the tune on a dial; the handle is connected
with a cam for communicating the necessary end movement to the pin barrel and
locked except when the pin barrel is in its normal or starting position.
In the accompanying three sheets of illustrations,
Fig. 1 is an elevation of the mechanism within the box, Fig. 2 is a plan,
Figs. 3 and 4 are sectional elevations on the line za and y y respectively of the
same.
Figs. 5 and 6 are plans of the slot-closing mechanism showing the slot open and
just closed respectively.
Figs. 7 and 8 show a modification of the tune setting arrangement.
The instrument is wound up by rotating the axis 1 through a quarter rotation
and thus winds up the spring in the box 2. On the axis 1 is a crank arm 3
carrying at its outer extremity two pins 4. Mounted loosely on the axis 1 is a
sleeve 5 which is rotated by ineans of a handle 6 fixed on a crank arm 56 outside
the box and is provided inside the box with a crank arm 7 carrying at its outer
extremity two pins 8 passing outside the two pins + of the crank arm 5 so that in
the absence of the coin the handle 6 can be operated without affecting the axis 1.
The movement of the crank arm 56 is limited to slightly more than a quarter
rotation by the notched plate 57.
Between but projecting forwards of the two pins 8 is a pin 9 which passes between
the two pins 4 and is fixed to the spring blade 10 rigidly attached to the crank arm 7
at its lower extremity, a projection at its upper end engaging with the pawl 11.
Normally the spring 10 holds the pawl 11 out of gear with the toothed sector 12,
so that the handle can be moved backwards and forwards freely. The pin barrel 13
is operated from the toothed wheel 14 mounted loosely on the axis 1, and rigidly
connected to the wheel 15 provided with four equidistant notches for engaging with
a pawl 16 pivotted on a crank arm 27 on the axis 1 and forced to engage in the
notches in the wheel 15 by the spring 17. When the coin 18 is inserted between
the pins 4 and 8 and the handle 6 operated in the direction indicated by the arrows,
the pin 9 is first forced backwards from the position shown in Fig. 3 to that shown
in Fig. 4 where it is in line with the pins 8, when the pawl 11 gears with the
toothed sector 12 and prevents back motion of the handle 6 if released before the
pawl 16 drops into gear; the coin is thus firmly held between the pins 4 and 8 by
the pressure produced by the main spring of the instrument. When the handle 6
has made a quarter rotation the pawl 16 drops into a notch in the wheel 15; the

page_text: handle 6 can then be moved backwards as the pressure of the main spring is taken
up by the wheel 15 and consequently the arm 3 will not follow the arm 7 and the
pin 9 is forced forwards by the spring 10 and draws the pawl 11 out of gear with
the sector 12. The last tooth of the sector 12 is reached just before the pawl 16
drops into gear so that when the handle 6 is carried to its stop just beyond where
the pawl 16 drops into gear to ensure engagement it can be moved backwards,
causing a pin 48 fixed on its crank arm 7 in front of the pins 8 and normally in
line with the pins 4 to knock the coin into the coin receptacle.
In order to prevent the barrel from rotating until the handle has. been moved
back to its vertical or normal position and the coin knocked into the coin receptacle,
the ordinary catch 49 is arranged to drop into a notch in the pin barrel at the end
of every tune to stop the fly in the usual manner but is forced out when the handle 6
is turned to the vertical or normal position by means of the lever 20 pivotted at 21
and operated from the crank arm 7 by the lever 22 pivotted at 23. As shown,
the instrument is arranged to give two tunes for every insertion of the requisite
coin and in order to prevent the fly being stopped by the catch 49 at the end of
the first rotation of the barrel if the handle 6 has been moved from the vertical
position, a second lever 24 pivotted at 25 is normally forced by its spring 26
against the tail of the catch 49 so as to keep it from dropping into the notch
in the barrel and thus stopping the fly. At the end of the second tune this
lever is withdrawn by the reverse end of the arm 27 on the axis 1. The crank
arm 28 on the axis I at the end of the second tune comes in contact with the
stud 29 on the spring box 2 and ensures the stoppage of the mechanism.
In order to ensure the coin falling in the correct place and to prevent a coin
being inserted until all the parts are in the required position, a lever 30 is pivotted
to the shutter 31 which is capable of sliding over the slot 32 and the spring 33
tends to hold it approximately in the position shown in Fig. 6. The spring 34
tends to cause the shutter 31 to cover or close the slot. The shutter is opened
when the two crank arms 3, 7 are in their normal position; the arms, in returning
to this position operating on the two ends of the lever 30. If either arm is not in
its normal position, the slot will be closed by the shutter. The coin passes through
the slot between the pins 4 and 8, being guided by grooves in the arms 3 and 7
which also prevent the coin falling too far.
In order to alter the tune the barrel 13 is moved longitudinally by means of
the two pins 35 fixed in a bar 36 moved longitudinally by the lever 37 pivotted
at 38 and having one end bearing on a cam or snail wheel 39 which determines
the position of the barrel. The spring 40 forces the end of the lever 37 into
contact with the cam 39. The cam 39 is set in the desired position by means of
the handle 41 outside the box and provided with the indicator finger 42.
In order to prevent the barrel being moved longitudinally except at its
initial position, the end of the lever 43 is forced by the spring 44 to engage in
notches 45 in the edge of the cam 39 and is withdrawn by means of the
reverse end of the crank arm 27 at the end of the second tune when it returns
to its normal or initial position. The spring pawl 46 engaging in notches in the
wheel 47 fixed on the shaft of the cam 39 ensures that the cam is moved to the
exact position.
In the modification shown in Figs. 7 and 8 the next tune to be played can be
set at any time but the barrel is not moved until it arrives at its initial position,
so that whilst the first tune is being played, the operator can set the instrument
for a second tune instead of a repetition of the first. In this arrangement at the
end of each tune the projection 50 on the pin barrel 13 enters the race 51 fixed
on the sliding bar 36, the position of which is determined by the cam 39 and so
alters the tune as desired. The barrel is retained in this position by means of
the tooth 52 which takes into one or the other of the notches in the pivotted
link 54, the number of notches corresponding to the number of tunes. The link 54
rotates with the pin barrel and is moved out of gear to allow the barrel to be
altered by a shoe 55 sliding on the projection 50 and operated as the barrel rotates

page_text: by the piece in which the race 51 is cut or the notches are so shallow that the link
moves out of gear automatically. The race is bell mouthed to insure that the
projection 50 is properly guided into it. Fig. 8 shows the link 54 just moved out
of gear by the shoe 55.
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 what we
claim is :-
―
1. Connecting the outside handle to the internal mechanism by means of a coin
substantially as described.
2. Holding the coin in position so that it cannot fall during the winding of the
mechanism by means of the pressure of the main spring which is held by the coin
until the winding is completed and the pressure is taken up by a pawl falling into
a notch in the driving wheel substantially as described.
3. Preventing the handle from springing back during the winding of the
mechanism by means of a spring pawl which is brought by the pressure on
the coin into position to engage with a toothed sector substantially as described.
4. Preventing the instrument from starting until the handle is in its normal
position by means of the ordinary catch and levers arranged so that the catch is
free to fall into gear and so stop the mechanism except when the handle is in its
normal position substantially as described and for the purpose set forth.
5. Closing the slot through which the coin is inserted except when all the parts
are in their initial position, by means of a slide actuated by a lever which must be
operated from the main axis and from the independent axis to open the slot sub-
stantially as described.
6. The arrangement for changing the tune consisting of a cam operated from
the outside and of a lever operated from the cam and operating to force the pin
barrel to the desired position, substantially as described, the said cam being held
stationary during the playing of the tune.
7. Preventing the pin barrel being moved when the instrument is playing by
means of a spring lever taking into notches to fix the barrel in position and
withdrawn when the main axis returns to its normal position, substantially as
described.
8. The arrangement for determining the next tune to be played consisting of
the projection on the pin barrel and of the race into which the projection enters
when the barrel arrives at or is in its initial position and which is operated by
a snail or other suitable cam to cause its position to correspond with the desired
tune substantially as described together with the means for holding the barrel in
the set position during the playing of the tune and which is automatically removed
at the end of the tune.
Dated this 2nd day of June 1892.
WHEATLEY & MACKENZIE,
40, Chancery Lane, London, Agents.