US2202897A

US2202897A - Coin-operated device

Info

Publication number: US2202897A
Application number: US42231A
Authority: US
Inventors: Butherus Frederick Roy
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1934-10-06
Filing date: 1935-09-26
Publication date: 1940-06-04
Anticipated expiration: 1957-06-04

Description

June 4, 1940.

F. R. BuTHERUs i 2,202,897

y COIN OPERATED DEVICE Filed Sept. 26, 1935 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 June 4, 1.940. F. BUTHERus L2,202,897

com cPERA'rl-:D DEVICE Filed Sept. 26, 1935 5 Sheets-*Sheet 2 F. R. BUTHERUS COIN OPERATED DEVICE June 4,

Filed Sept. 26, 1935 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 June 4, 1940.

F. R. BuTHERus 2,202,897

com OPERATED DEVICE Filed Sept. 26, 1935 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 @gm/@ @Wu/f Patented June 4, 194@ UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE Application September 26, 1935, Serial No. 42,231 In Great Britain October 6, 1934 6 Claims.

i different values, it is capable of being applied to coin-operated mechanisms suitable for a single coin.

One feature of the present invention is the simplication of the operation which has to be performed by the user of the mechanism and broadly speaking is characterized by arranging that the user has only to perform a single movement after a coin has been inserted.

Another feature of the invention is that the inserted coin is callipered and the subsequent operation of the mechanism in dependence upon the Value of the inserted coin is effected by the movement of a manually controlled member in a single direction.

A further feature of the present invention is the provision of a manually controlled member which is adapted to be rotated a complete revolution for each coin inserted during which rotation all the operations incidental to the recording of V2li a coin are effected such as the callipering of the coin, the operation of the indexing mechanism, the control supply of a commodity and the collection of the coin.

A further feature of the invention is to provide for the satisfactory operation of the mechanism by coins which are of the correct` size but which would normally be unusable by reason of being bent or deformed, thereby avoiding the customary jamming and consequent failure of the device.

A still further feature of the present invention is the provision of means whereby the coin if capable of being inserted even by force through the ordinary coinslot will be held during a pren liminary operation and subsequently released after the required function has been performed by the coin by separating the boundary walls of the coin chamber.

Yet another feature of the present invention is the provision of a signalling device adapted to be operated only at the instant that a certain predetermined stage, e. g., the nal stage, of the setting of the mechanism after the insertion. of a coin, has been reached.

In order that these and other features of the invention may be more clearly understood one constructional embodiment thereof will now be,

described with reference to the accompanying drawings wherein.

Fig. l shows a perspective view of a coin-operated prepayment mechanism embodying the invention with part removed to show more clearly certain features thereof.

Fig. 2 is a sectional elevation, drawn to a larger scale than Fig. l, taken substantially upon the line II-II of Fig. 1.

Fig 3 is a plan view of the parts shown in Fig. 2 While Fig. 4 is a sectional plan view taken along the line IV--IV of Fig. 2;

Fig. 5 is a sectional elevation taken substantially upon the line V-V of Fig. l and illustrating the path of a coin through the coin chamber of the apparatus;

Fig. 6 is a side elevation of Fig. 5 looking in the direction of the arrow X.

Figs. 7 and 8 are sectional views taken along the line b-bof Fig. 6 showing different operative positions of the coin chamber mechanism.

Fig. 9 is a sectional elevation of the switch operating mechanism and taken substantially along the line IX-IX of Fig. 1;

Fig. 10 is a vertical section taken along the line X--X of Fig. 9 while Figs. 11 and 12 are detail views showing diiTerent operative positions of the switch mechanism.

The invention shown generally in Fig. 1 is applied to a prepayment mechanism for an electricity meter and adapted for operation by coins of diierent denominations. Referring more pary ticularly to Figs. l, 2, 3 and 4 the device com-v prises an operating shaft l rotatably mounted in frameplates l2, I3 and Mheld spaced apart by means of spacing members 24 and forming the main frame of the mechanism. The shaft lll is provided with an operating knob I l, a ratchet disc i5 carrying a cam member I6, a switch operating lug il', a gearwheel I8 and a coin barrel I9. The ratchet disc l5 cooperating with a pawl 2li which is pivotally mounted upon the frameplate l2, ensures the unidirectional rotation of the shaft lil thereby preventing backward movement during the operation of the mechanism.

The cam member i6 carried by the ratchet disc i5 is arranged to engage an arm 2l loosely mounted upon a vertically disposed rod 22 which in turn is pivotally mounted between a plate 23 and one of the spacing members 24 extending between the frame plates l2 and I3. A lever 25 is rigidly secured to the rod 22 near its lower end while an abutment lever 26 arranged to engage the arm 2l is rigidly secured to the rod 22 near its upper end, a helical spring 2'! embracing the rod 22 and connected at its upper and lower ends to the arm 2l and lever 25 respectively serving to urge the loosely mounted arm 2l into con- CII tact with the abutment lever 26. The whole assembly of arm 2 I, abutment lever 25, spring 2T and lever 25 mounted upon the vertical rod 22 thus forms a resiliently linked two armed lever. The lever arm 25 engages a bearing plate 2B which is secured, together with a slotted disc 29 and a multiple gear unit 30 to a square shaft 3i. The shaft 3| is mounted so as to slide axially as well as to rotate in the frameplates I2 and I3 and is normally urged outwardly in the direction of the arrow a. by a spring 32 carried by a circular forward extension of the shaft 3l.

The shaft 3i carries at its inner end a coin engaging flange 33 which works within a coin receiving and callipering chamber 34. This inner end of the shaft 3| is slidably carried in a square hole formed in a gearwheel 35 and a cam disc 36 which are disposed on opposite sides of the frameplate I3 but rigidly connected together by a bearing collar 31 which forms means for rotatably mounting the

parts

35 and 36 upon the frameplate I3. The gearwheel 35 is driven from the gearwheel I8 fixed to the operating shaft I9 by an intermediate gear 38 which also engages a further gearwheel 39 for a purpose hereinafter clescribed. The gearwheels I8, 35 and 39 are of equal size and therefore rotate together to an equal extent.

Referring now more particularly to Figs. 5-8 the coin-receiving and callipering chamber 34 comprises two separated plates 40 and 4I arranged to extend between the frame members I3 and I4, the plate 46 being held in xed relation to the frame members I3 and I4 while the plate 4I is arranged to be rocked bodily about pivot pins 42 at the upper extremity thereof. The movement of this plate 4I takes place about an axis parallel to the plane of the xed plate 4I) and is limited in either direction by lugs 43 integral with the plate 4I working in slots 44 formed in the frame members I3 and I4. The slots 44 are so arranged that when the plate 4I is situated in its nearest position to the xed plate 40, the two plates are separated to an extent sufficient to enable a coin inserted through the coin aperture 45 to reach the closing plate 46 situated at the bottom of the cam slot, without permitting such coin to take up a position whereby its diameter will be measured incorrectly. On the other hand when the plate 4 I is situated in its further position to the fixed plate 40, the distance between the plates is such as to permit of coins which are bent to a considerable extent falling freely into the coin box when the closing plate 46 is removed so as to open the bottom of the coin slot.

Arranged immediately above the ared upper ends of the plates 40 and 4I is the coin barrel I9 carried by the operating shaft I9. The barrel I9 is provided with a diametrically disposed slot 4T arranged to form a connecting channel between the coin insertion slot 45 which is formed in a xed cover plate 48 and the coin receiving and callipering chamber 34 when the operating shaft Ill is in its normal or initial position. A masking plate 49 attached to the upper end of an arm 56 which is pivotally mounted between the frame members I3 and I4 serves to cover the coin insertion slot 45 immediately after the insertion of a coin by reason of the engagement of the inserted coin with a nger 5I formed on the arm 50 and projecting into the coin chamber 34. The masking plate 49 is also held t0 cover the slot 45 during the subsequent operation of the mechanism by the contact of upwardly extending arms of a member 53 with the edge of the masking plate 49.

The sides of the coin-receiving and callipering chamber 34 other than the plates 4I] and 4I are formed in one case by a turned over lug 52 on the xed plate 40 and constituting the xed surface against which the inserted coins are urged during the callipering operation by the other or movable side composed by the flange 33 of the axially movable shaft 3|. The bottom of the coin-chamber 34 is constituted by a removable plate 46 forming part of a member 53 pivotally mounted between the frame members I3 and I4 and normally urged into the coin-chamber closing position shown in Fig. '7 by means of the spring 54. When in the coin-chamber closing position the plate 46 passes through the

slots

55 and 56 in the plates 40 and 4I respectively and is provided with a stop pin 5l normally in contact with the movable plate 4I thereby serving also to maintain this plate in its position nearest to the opposing plate 40. A spring 58 is linked between an outwardly bent lug 59 on the plate 4I and the coin-chamber closing member 53 and serves to resiliently connect the two members for a purpose hereinafter described. The member 53 is also provided with upwardly extending arms adapted to engage the outer edge oi the masking plate 49 and is additionally provided with an operating lug 6U extending substantially parallel to its pivotal axis and projecting through a slot 6I in the frame member I3 so as to present its extremity adjacent the periphery of a floating annular disc 62 which is secured upon the frame member I3 by the head of a pin 63. disc 62 serves to enable the cam 36 which is rotatably mounted in the frame member I3 and is connected to the gear 35 by the bearing collar 3'I to effect the movement of the lug 60. The cam 36 is shaped so as normally to allow the member 53 and plate 46 to close the bottom of the coinchamber 34 but after a suitable amount of rotation from the normal or initial position has taken place the cam 36 causes the disc 62 to move the lug 6I) and member 53 into the position shown in Fig. 8 and thereby eifect the opening of the bottom of the coin-chamber 34 and also to expand the sides 40 and 4I apart in a manner hereinafter described.

Referring now more particularly to Figs. l, 9,

10, 11 and 12, the switch operating lug I7 carried by the operating shaft IIJ is arranged to engage, during the rotary movement of said shaft, with the cam surface 64 of a lifting lever 65 which is pivoted to the frameplate I3 at 66. lever 65 has a two armed member 6T pivotally secured to its free extremity by means of a pin 38 which also engages in an arcuate slot 69 formed in the frameplate I3 so as to guide the movement of the various parts. the member 61 projects towards the shaft Ill so as to be engaged by the lug I'I during part of the rotary movement of said shaft while the other arm II of the member 6T projects in a downward direction and is provided with a tail piece 'I2 at the upper edge of which is formed a champered face 'I3 (see Figs. 10 and 12). The tail 'I2 of the member 6T is normally urged by a spring 14 to abut against the body of a stop pin 'I5 secured to the frameplate I3, the tail 'I2 of the member 6'I in this position passing between an enlarged head 'I6 formed on the pin 'I5 and the frame plate I3.

A horizontal shaft TI, rotatably mounted in lugs 'I8 projecting from the frameplate I3, has a The fioating The lifting One arm 'IU of bell crank lever 19 rigidly secured thereto together with a loosely mounted switch operating arm 89 positioned adjacent the bell crank 19, while an adjustable lever 3| also rigidly secured to the shaft 11 engages catch mechanism 92 which operates in a manner hereinafter described to maintain the` switch 83 in the closed position and to release the switch at the appropriate instant under the control of the electricity supply meter and the indexing mechanism. The switch operating arm 89 is provided with an extension 84 (Fig. 10) terminating in two

lugs

85, 99, the lug 85 forming an anchorage for one endof a spring 81 while the other lug 89 projects through a hole 88 in the franieplate I3 and is bent over to form an abutment 39 lying immediately behind the tail 12 of the member 61. The bell crank lever 19 has its outwardly extending arm 99 connected to the other end of they spring 91, while the other arm 9| projects downwardly and is formed with a cammed nose piece 92 and a lug 93. The nose 92 is positioned immediately above and in alignment with the champered face le of the member 91, while the lug 93 is bent over so as to engage with the lower extension 34 of the adjacently mounted switch operating arm 99. The spring 81 is slightly tensioned so as to urge the lug 93 into contact with the arm 99. The shaft l1 together with the bell crank 19 and switch operating arm 89 carried thereby are normally urged into the switch opening position (shown in Figs. l and 10) by pressure of the spring IIl associated with the catch mechanism, 92 and operating through the lever i3! in the direction of the arrow e (Fig. l).

The gearwheel 39 meshed with the gearwheel 93 is provided with an eccentric pin Sli to which is connected one end of a tension spring 95, the other end of which is anchored to the frameplate I9. The pin 94 is so arranged that in the normal or initial position of the mechanism, the spring 95 tends to turn the operating shaft I9, through the

gears

39, 39 and i8, in an anticlockwise direction when looked at from the front of the mechanism) so that the pawl 29 is held in engagement behind the last tooth of the ratchet disc I5 and so maintains the shaft I9 in the correct initial position with the slot 41 of the coin barrel I9 in alignment with the coin insertion slot 45.

Referring again more particularly to Fig. 2,.the one-way rotation (in this instance clockwise, when viewed from the front of the mechanism and anticlockwise in the view shown in Fig. 2) of the operating shaft I9, is ensured by the pro- Vision of a ratchet wheel I5 secured to the shaft I9 and co-operating with the pawl 29 which is pivotally mounted upon the frameplate I2 of the mechanism. The pawl 20 is provided with a tail 95 carrying a striker 91 at its extremity capable of engaging a gong 98 secured to the frameplate I2 of the mechanism. A spring 99 connected to the pawl 29 Serves to maintain it in contact with the ratchet wheel I5.

The catch mechanism 82 consists of a grooved sleeve |95 slidably mounted upon a shaft |91 and having a flange |98 which is adapted to be engaged by a fork member |99 which is pivotally mounted upon a trip carrying member I I9 rigidly secured to the shaft |91. The groove of the sleeve |99 is engaged by the lower end of the adjustable lever 8| of the horizontal shaft 11 so that movement of said shaft causes the sliding of the sleeve |96 along the shaft |91 against the action of a spring III mounted concentrically with said shaft and abutting at its other end against the trip carrying member I I Il. The fork member |99 is connected to an extending arm II2 having a tongue H3 which is arranged to project on the opposite side of the trip carrying member IIB to that of the fork |99, when the latter is engaging and holding the ange |93. The tongue, when in this position is held against the action of the spring i l l and a further return spring I I9 by the engagement of a yshoulder H5 of the tongue II3 under a projecting edge II@ of the trip carrying member H9. A pin H1 carried by a gear wheel i it is arranged to engage the tongue I3 and dislodge the shoulder H5 from the edge IIS and s0 cause the release of the sleeve |99 from the fork |99 and the consequent movement of the shaft 1l to move the switch to its open position. 'I'he gear wheel IIii is screwed upon the shaft |01 so that relative rotation between the two parts causes the movement of the gear Il in an axial direction as well as the normal rotary movement. The gear l I8 is driven by a pinion II9 from the electricity meter mechanism and is rotated in a direction so as to bring the pin l I1 carried thereby towards and into engagement with the tongue I i9 while the shaft l91 is rotated through the indexing mechanism by the shaft |02 carrying the gear i9! which is rotated by one or other of the sections of the multiple gear unit 39 during the operation of the prepayment mechanism. The rotation of the shaft |91 by means of the gear IGS is in such a direction as to cause the movement of the gearwheel I i9 and pin I I1 away from engagement with the tongue I I3.

The operation of the device is as follows: With the device in the normal or initial position a coin inserted in the slot 45 falls or if bent may be forced through the slot i? in the coin barrel I l9, into the coin-chamber 3e. This chamber is normally arranged with the plate lll in its position nearest the opposing plate 49 to correctly accommodate coins of normal thickness, but if the insorted coin is bent or deformed to a greater extent than can. be accommodated by the normal spacing of the plates i9 and 9|, the plate 4I will be rocked about its pivots 42 against the action of the spring 59, which spring due to the engagement of the stop pin 51 on the plate 49 of the member 53 with the said plate 5I normally urges the plate 9| towards the plate 49.

Rotation of the operating shaft I9 in` a clockwise direction (when viewed from the front of the mechanism) by means of the knob I I causes a corresponding rotation of the square shaft 3| by way of the gear-wheels I8, 38 and 35 while at the same time the cam member I9 mounted upon the shaft I9 moves the arm 2 I, together with the lever resiliently linked thereto, about the axis of the .rod 22. This movement of the lever 25 operating against the bearing plate 28 moves the shaft 3| axially in the direction of the arrow c (Fig. l) together with the slotted disc 29 and multiple gear unit 39. The shaft 3| continues to be moved axially against the pressure of the return spring 3i! until the flange 33 engages the coin contained in the coin chamber 39 and callipers it against the fixed end wall 52. A satisfactory coin will cause the arrest of the axial movement of the shaft 3i at a position where the slotted disc 29 is aligned with one of the slots in a slotted plate |99 secured to the plate 23, any further movement imparted by the cam IB `to the arm 2| being absorbed by the resilient coupling between the arm 2i and lever 25 provided by the spring 21. The position of the shaft 3| in an axial direction, thus determined, effects the alignment of the appropriate gear of the multiple gear unit 30 with the common engaging gear ||J| fixed to the shaft |92 which is connected to and operates the indexing or crediting mechanism. Each gear of the gear unit 30 has a different number of teeth in accordance with the value of the coin causing its alignment with the gear IDI and in consequence an appropriate amount of movement is imparted to the shaft |02 in accordance with the value of the inserted coin, e. g., coins having relative values of l, 6 and 12 will effect the alignment of gears whose teeth numbers are in the ratio of 1:6 and 12 respectively.

During the rotation of the shaft 3| in the above described callipering operation the gear unit 30 turns idly by reason of all the gears thereon being unprovided over part of their peripheries with teeth capable of engaging the gear IUI. At the same time the pawl 2E] rides up the face |03 of the ratchet disc I5. Immediately after the callipering stage of the operation has been completed, the pawl 20 engages the ratchet teeth to prevent any backward movement of the knob and shaft l0, while the cam |6 passes out of engagement with the arm 2| and thereby removes the pressure of the lever 25 from the bearing plate 28. The shaft 3| however cannot be returned by the spring 32 to its normal position in an axial direction because of the entry of the slotted disc 29 within one or other of the slots of the plate |99. The continued unidirectional rotation of the shaft lll therefore causes corresponding rotation of the shaft 3| to effect predetermined rotation of the gear by the gear unit 3|l. During the course of this second stageof operation continued rotation of the operating shaft I0 and shaft 3| causes the cam 36 to move the floating annular disc 62 which in turn moves the lug 69 so as to rock the member 53 into the position shown in Fig. 8. This operation causes the removal of the plate 46 from the position closing the bottom of the coinchamber 34, thereby allowing the coin therein to fall into the coin box or till. At the same time the movable plate 4| is also rocked about its pivots 42 to its fullest extent away from the opposing plate 40, due to the removal of the stop pin 51 from contact therewith, and the simultaneous tensioning of the linking spring 58 by the outward movement of the member 53. The coin-chamber 34 is thus opened and at the same time expanded so that the coin therein, even if bent or deformed and gripped between the plates 40 and 4| during the callipering operation, can fall unobstructed into the coin box or till.

The degree of enlargement of the coin chamber 34 to receive a deformed coin is dependent upon the amount of deformity of the coin itself and therefore the callipering operation can take place with the usual degree of accuracy and without the necessity of undue freedom of movement in the case of normal unbent coins, while after the callipering operation the coin-chamber 34 is opened to an extent greater than that necessary to accommodate any coin that could possibly be inserted or even forced through the coin-insertion slot 45. Jamming of coins is therefore avoided.

During this stage of operation also, the switch operating lug carried by the shaft Il) comes into contact with the cam surface 64 of the lifting lever 65 so as to raise the latter and the member 61 carried thereby to the position shown in Fig. 11. The upward movement of the member 61 causes the champered face 13 to move past the cammed nose 92 of the bell crank 19 so as to rock this bell crank together with the shaft il about its axis in the direction of the arrow d (Fig. l0) the catch mechanism cooperating with the arm 8| causing the locking of the shaft 'Il in this position. This movement of the bell crank 19 causes the tensioning of the spring 87 so that a corresponding tendency to movement is imparted to the switch operating arm 80 which however is prevented from moving by reason of the lug 89 engaging behind the tail piece 12 of the member 51. Further rotation of the shaft l0 causes the engagement of the lug with the arm TD of the member 61 whereby this member is rocked bodily about its pivot 68 so that the tail piece T2 is removed from the path of the lug 89 of the lever 89 shown in Fig. l2. This lever 89 is now free to respond to the tension spring 8l and the switch is rapidly closed, the maintenance of this closure and the subsequent release being effected by the catch mechanism 82 operating through the arm 8|. The final portion ol the rotation of the shafts I0 and 3| to complete one revolution cause the various parts of the mechanism to assume their normal positions in readiness for the insertion of a fresh coin. During the rotation of the shaft |0 in the operation of the mechanism the pawl 26 engages the teeth of the ratchet I5 in succession to prevent any backward rotation, until at the completion of one complete revolution of the shaft |EJ, the pawl 20 drops behind the last tooth |95. This tooth is cut deeper as shown in Fig. 2, than any of the other ratchet teeth, and is dimensioned as to cause the striker 91 to strike the gong 98 and so give the operator audible advice that the whole operation has been properly completed. The ratchet teeth generally, with the exception of the last tooth |05, are dimensioned so that the striker 91 is normally positioned clear of the gong 98 and during the initial portion of the rotation of the shaft I0 the movement of the striker 91 by the teeth of the ratchet I is such as to be away from the gong 98 so that only when the last tooth |95 is reached is the movement imparted big enough to allow the striker to reach the gong and cause a sound to be emitted.

It should be noted that usually the knob would be rotated slightly in excess of the complete revolution and the normal position of the various parts is assumed only by ultimately releasing the knob so that the spring 95 acts through the

gears

39, 38 and I8 to rotate the shaft Ill backwards until the pawl 20 engages the last tooth |95 of the ratchet disc l5, as illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2.

While one form of carrying the invention into effect has been described with particular reference to a prepayment mechanism for an electricity meter'. it will be understood that considerable modifications will be made in the constructional details without departing from the spirit of the invention.

I claim:

l. In a coin controlled mechanism, in combination, a coin chamber formed by a pair of relatively movable side plates, resilient means disposed to bias said plates toward each other, a cover plate provided with an aperture aligned with said coin chamber through which a coin can be inserted, and a masking plate disposed to cover said aperture and operable by insertion of a coin in said chamber to prevent insertion of a second coin as long as a coin remains in said chamber.

2. In a coin controlled mechanism, in combination, a coin chamber formed by a pair of relatively movable side plates, resilient means disposed to bias said plates toward each other, a movable bottom plate disposed to cooperate with said side plates to form a bottom for said chamber, and means for simultaneously moving said side plates away from each other and said bottom plate from cooperation therewith to permit a coin inserted in said chamber to fall out of it.

3. In a coin controlled mechanism, in combina,M tion, a coin chamber formed by a pair of relatively movable side plates, resilient means clisposed to bias said plates toward each other, a cover plate provided with an aperture aligned with said coin chamber through which a coin can be inserted, a masking plate disposed to cover said aperture and operable by insertion of a coin in said chamber to prevent insertion of a second coin as long as a coin remains in said chamber, a movable bottom plate disposed to cooperate with said side plates to form a bottom for said chamber, and means for simultaneously moving said side plates away from each other and said bottom plate from cooperation therewith to permit a coin inserted in said chamber to fall out of it.

4. A prepayment mechanism comprising in combination a coin receiving device, a slidable member for calipering a coin in said coin receiving device, a rotatable cam by which said slidable member is moved toward the edge of the coin, mechanism for registering in accordance with the value of the coin inserted, a slidable and rotatable member linked to said slidable member so as to take up diierent positions in accordance with the diameter of an inserted coin as determined by said slidable member, variable gearing between said slidable and rotatable member and said registering mechanism for causing said registering mechanism to be operated by said slidable and rotatable member to an extent depending upon the position of said slidable member, a manually rotatable device to which said rotatable cam is connected, driving means controlled by said rotatable cam to effect the movement of the slidable member to caliper the coin and the longitudinal movement of said slidable and rotatable member, and further driving means controlled by said manually rotatable device by movement in the same direction to effect the rotation of said slidable and rotatable member and thereby operate the said registering mechanism through said variable gearing to an extent dependent upon the diameter of the coin inserted.

5. A coin controlled mechanism comprising a coin receiving chamber having a xed Wall and a movable wall supported in a yielding manner to accommodate coins of different thickness, a coin entry passage through which bent and deformed coins can be forced into said chamber, means for calipering a coin positioned in said coin receiving chamber, means for operating the mechanism in accordance with the diameter of the inserted coin as determined by said calipering means, and means controlled by said operating means for moving said movable wall away from said xed wall to an extent greater than the thickness of any coin insertable through said coin entry pas sage to enable coins to be released into the coin collecting' chamber. v

6. A prepayment mechanism comprising, in combination, a member having movement in a longitudinal and a rotary direction, a vcoin receiving chamber, registering mechanism, a manually operated member having operative movement in one plane only, driving means controlled by said manually operated member and operatively connected to said two-directional member to move the same in a longitudinal direction into said chamber to caliper a coin between it and the opposite wall of said chamber, a second driving means also controlled by said manually operated member and operatively connected to said twodirectional member to rotate the same, and variable gearing operatively interconnecting said registering mechanism and said two-directional member adjustable in accordance with the position taken up by the two-directional member when moved in a longitudinal direction.

FREDERICK ROY BUTHERUS.