GB991521A - Improvements in or relating to coin freed apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

991, 521. Coin-freed apparatus. FISHER & LUDLOW Ltd. Jan. 10, 1964 [Jan. 11, 1963], No. 1314/63. Heading G4V. A coin-freed apparatus supplies energy to a material to be delivered by the apparatus upon insertion of the appropriate coinage and upon the operation of a manual control which is adapted to release the energy and permit delivery of the material for as long as the control is being operated and the energy has not been exhausted. As shown for an instantaneous water heater, a coin inserted into a coin selector 11 incorporating a testing mechanism falls down an acceptance shoot 12 into a receptacle 13 and in its passage operates an arm 26 which, through a relay, opens a water inlet valve 15 and causes a blocking member 31 to project across the coin shoot and prevent the insertion of a further coin. To draw hot water, the user opens the outlet valve 16 which allows the water to pass into a heating chamber 17 and then discharge through an outlet 20 provided with a restriction. A pressure switch 19 in the heating chamber operates when the pressure of water has built up to initiate the supply of electrical energy to the water and start a rotary timer 22. When the timer has reached the end of its cycle it closes the valve 15 thereby causing the pressure switch to cut out the heating element and stop the timer. The supply of hot water may be interrupted by opening and closing the valve 16, the timer also being interrupted at the same time. The blocking member 31 is arranged to be withdrawn as soon as the timer commences its cycle so that a subsequent user can insert a coin in the event of someone closing the valve 16 before the timer cycle has finished; a subsequent user opening the valve 16 would initially receive hot water for the remainder of the previous user's cycle. An over-temperature switch 34 protects the apparatus in the event of a faulty pressure switch.