Improvements in Apparatus for Permitting the Opening of a Book or the like on the Receipt of Coin.
Year: 1895

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Apparatus for Permitting the Opening of a Book
or the like on the Receipt of Coin.
I, MARGARET ANNE EATON, of Bridgewater, County of Plymouth, State of
Massachusetts, United States of America, do hereby declare the nature of this
invention to be as follows:-
This invention relates to a coin controlled apparatus, and has for its object to
provide a book, such for instance as a directory, or other reference book, with
suitable devices which when operated by a coin permits the book to be opened;
and which will afterwards automatically close the book.
In accordance with this invention the book is secured by its back cover or
otherwise, to a table having a coin receiving receptacle or chamber provided
with a slot into which the coins are introduced.
An arm is pivoted to the table at the left hand side of the book, which arm.
is bent, or formed right-angularly, to extend up across the binding and over upon
the front cover, the extremity of which is loosely attached thereto near the right
hand edge.
A strong spring is provided which acts upon said arm, throwing it in a direction
to continuously keep the book closed.
The detent which is attached to the pivot shaft of the arm which engages a
letent lever contained within the coin receiving chamber, or beneath the table,
said detent lever normally holding the detent, and thereby preventing the arm
from being turned on its pivot.
The detent lever is extended so that one end passes beneath the coin receiving
slot or raceway, in order that a coin dropped therein may fall upon and be
supported by said lever.
The detent lever is. properly counterbalanced, so that when the coin falls upon
it, it will be moved by it sufficiently to release the detent, and at such time the
book may be opened.
The parts are preferably so arranged that the coin is permitted to drop into
the coin-receiving chamber by the act of opening the book.
While the book is being used the front cover will be held open by the user,
and as soon as he has finished using the book, the bent arm automatically closes
the book, and the detent connected therewith or attached thereto is again engaged
by the deteut lever.
The book of any kind, is secured to the table by suitable fastenings passing
through the back cover, or it may be otherwise secured in place.
An arm made right-angular or of bent form is located at the left hand side
of the book, crossing the binding thereof, and extending over upon the top or
front cover.
One extremity of the bent arm is attached loosely to the front cover of the
book, near the right hand edge.
The other end of the bent arm passes down through an opening in the table,
and is secured to a pivot shaft having its bearings in suitable brackets or hangers.
The opening in the table is made long enough to permit the arm to be turned on
its pivot in order that the book may be opened.
A strong spiral spring encircles a pivot shaft, one end of which is connected
27

page_text: to one of the hangers and the other end to the arm, the function of which is
to continuously hold the arm in its normal position with the book 'closed, yet the
spring may be otherwise arranged to accomplish this result.
To one end of the pivot shaft a detent is secured, which normally engages or is
engaged by a detent lever pivoted to a hanger provided for it.
The detent lever is provided with an adjustable weight by means of which it
is held up in its normal position, to lock the detent and thereby prevent the arm
from being turned on its pivot.
The detent lever is extended beneath a coin-receiving slot or raceway into
which the coins are introduced, and as a coin is dropped into the raceway it
falls upon the detent lever, moving it sufficiently to release the detent.
The counter-balancing weight is suitably adjusted for this purpose.
The detent lever having been moved, the arm is free to be turned on its pivot
as it will be when the book is opened, although said arm is turned against the
action of the closing spring.
The user must thereafter hold the book open while using it.
The detent has formed upon it a projection which as the arm is turned on its
pivot strikes the deteut lever and further depresses it, in order that the coin may
fall into the chamber provided for it.
As soon as the coin thus falls, the detent lever is free to be raised by the
weight, and will rise as the projection is withdrawn from engagement with it, as
the arm is restored to its normal position.
As soon as the user has finished looking at the book the spring acts upon
and restores the arm, closing the book, and the detent again engages the detent
lever and by it is held until another coin is dropped into the raceway.
I may use a square ended pin or stud projecting from the piyot shaft of the
detent lever which is accessible by means of a square socketed key, so that the
detent lever may be turned and the book opened without the necessity of dropping
a coin into the slot.
Tables of various designs and constructions may be employed, also other means
of closing the book automatically in lieu of the spring controlled lever, as for
instance, a spring binding or any equivalent therefor, and the several parts above
described may be differently arranged or organized to accommodate any other
construction of table and spring closing device, without departing from the spirit
and scope of this invention."
Dated this 9th day of Avril 1895.
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45 Southampton Buildings, London, W.C., Agents for the Applicant.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Apparatus for Permitting the Opening of a Book
or the like on the Receipt of Coin.
1, MARGARET ANNE EATON, of Bridgewater, County of Plymouth, State of
Massachusetts, United States of America, 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 relates to a coin controlled apparatus, and has for its object to
provide a book, such for instance as a directory, or other reference book, with
suitable devices which when operated by a coin permits the book to be opened;
and which will afterwards automatically close the book.
In accordance with this invention the book is secured by its back cover or
otherwise, to a table having a coin receiving receptacle or chamber provided with
a slot into which the coins are introduced.

page_text: An arm is pivoted to the table at the left hand side of the book, which arm is
bent, or formed right-angularly, to extend up across the binding and over upon the
front cover, the extremity of which is loosely attached thereto near the right
hand edge.
A strong spring is provided which acts upon said arm, throwing it in a direction
to continuously keep the book closed.
The detent which is attached to the pivot shaft of the arm which engages a
detent lever contained within the coin receiving chamber, or beneath the table,
said detent lever normally holding the detent, and thereby preventing the arm
from being turned on its pivot.
The detent lever is extended so that one end passes beneath the coin receiving
slot or raceway, in order that a coin dropped therein may fall upon and be
supported by said lever.
The detent lever is properly counterbalanced, so that when the coin falls upon it,
it will be moved by it sufficiently to release the detent, and at such time the book
may be opened.
The parts are preferably so arranged that the coin is permitted to drop into the
coin-receiving chamber by the act of opening the book.
:
While the book is being used the front cover will be held open by the user, and
as soon as he has finished using the book, the bent arm automatically closes the
book, and the detent connected therewith or attached thereto is again engaged by
the detent lever.
In the accompanying drawing I have shown how my said invention may be
conveniently and advantageously carried into practice.
Figure 1, shows in front elevation a book provided with a coin-controlled
apparatus or attachment embodying this invention.
Figure 2, is a left hand side view of the parts shown in Figure 1, the side of the
coin-receiving chamber being removed to expose the parts contained therein.
The book a, of any kind, is secured to the table b, by suitable fastenings 2
passing through the back cover, or it may be otherwise secured in place.
Au arme made right-angular or bent as shown in Figure 1, is located at the left
hand side of the book, crossing the binding thereof, and extending over upon the
top or front cover.
One extremity of the bent arm is attached loosely to the front cover of the
book, near the right hand edge.
The other end of the bent arm e passes down through an opening in the table, and
is secured to a pivot shaft d having its bearings in suitable brackets or hangers d'.
The opening in the table is made long enough to permit the arm c to be turned
on its pivot in order that the book may be opened, as represented by dotted lines
Figure 1.
A strong spiral spring e encircles the pivot shaft d, one end of which is
connected to one of the hangers.d' and the other end to the arm c, the function of
which is to continuously hold the arm in its normal position with the book closed
as represented by full lines Figure 1, yet the spring may be otherwise arranged to
accomplish this result.
To one end of the pivot shaft d a detent f is secured, which normally engages or
is engaged by a detent lever fl pivoted at f, to a hanger provided for it.
The detent lever f¹ is provided with an adjustable weight fs by means of which
it is held up in its normal position, to lock the detent and thereby prevent the
arm e from being turned on its pivot.
The detent lever flis extended beneath a coin-receiving slot or raceway g into
which the coins are introduced, and as a coin is dropped into the raceway it falls
upon the detent lever f¹, moving it sufficiently to release the detent f.
The counter-balancing weight f is suitably adjusted for this purpose.
The detent lever f¹ having been moved, the arm c is free to be turned on its
pivot as it will be when the book is opened, although said arm is turned against
the action of the closing spring e.

page_text: The user must thereafter hold the book open while using it.
The detent has formed upon it a projection which as the arm c is turned ou
its pivot strikes the detent lever f' and further depresses it, in order that the coin
may fall into the chamber provided for it.
As soon as the coin thus falls, the detent lever is free to be raised by the
weight, and will rise as the projection f is withdrawn from engagement with it,
as the arm c is restored to its normal position:
As soon as the user bas finished looking at the book the spring e acting upon the
arm c, restores it to its closed position, closing the book, and the detent again
engages the detent lever and by it is held until another coin is dropped into the
raceway.
I have herein shown a square ended pin or stud h projecting from the pivot
shaft of the detent lever which is accessible by means of a square socketed key, so
that the detent lever may be turned and the book opened without the necessity of
dropping a coin into the slot.
Tables of various designs and constructions may be employed, also other means
of closing the book automatically in lieu of the spring controlled lever, as for
instance, a spring binding or any equivalent therefor, and the several parts above
described may be differently arranged or organized to accommodate any other
construction of table and spring closing device, without departing from the spirit
and scope of this invention."
. 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 :-
1. The combination with a table adapted to sustain a book when closed by
engagement with one of its covers, of a swinging self-closing device adapted to
engage the other cover of the book, and a coin-controlled locking device for said
closing device, substantially as described.
2. The combination with a table adapted to sustain a book when closed by
engagement with one of its covers, of a pivoted arm adapted to be attached to the
other cover of the book, a spring acting on said arm to turn it and thereby
automatically close the book, and a coin-controlled locking device for said arm,
substantially as described.
3. The combination with a table adapted to sustain a book when closed by
engagement with one of its covers, of a swinging self-closing device adapted to
engage the other cover of the book, a detent on said closing device, and a lever
engaging said detent and adapted to be acted upon and moved by a coin,
substantially as described.
4. The combination with a table adapted to sustain a book and with a self-
closing device for said book, of a detent on said closing device having a projection,
and a lever engaging said detent adapted to be acted upon and moved by a coin,
said lever being also acted upon and moved by said projection, substantially as
described.
Dated this 9th den of T
1000
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45 Southampton Buildings, W.C., Agents for the Applicant.