US2742996A - Multiple coin controlled turnstile - Google Patents

Description

April 24, 1956 H. A. GERSBACH ETAL 2,742,996

MULTIPLE COIN CONTROLLED TURNSTILE Filed Nov. 28, 1952 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 April 24, 1956 H. A. GERSBACH ETAL 2,742,996

MULTIPLE COIN CONTROLLED TURNSTILE Filed Nov. 28, 1952 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTORSL fllszaearg smca I :I ,9 87 I I I IV EL 06'0 A TTOR NE Y5 United States Patent MULTIPLE COIN CONTROLLED TURNSTILE Herbert A. Gersbach, Malverne Park, and Daniel R.

Bacon, Monroe, N. Y., assignors to Perey Manufacturing Company, Inc., New York, N. Y., a corporation or New York 7 Application November 28, 1952, Serial No. 322,858

6 Claims. (Cl. 194-55) The invention is concerned with turnstiles adapted to be controlled by a plurality of coins. The desired fee for patron passage at various places may be an amount which corresponds to two or more standard coins and for which there is no single coin of that precise value. In some such cases turnstiles have been provided adapted to be operated by a single token assigned an arbitrary value corresponding to the desired amount, but the use of tokens has various well-known inconveniences and disadvantages.

The present apparatus provides a dependable, relatively simple arrangement enabling the control to be had through the use of a plurality of standard commonly available coins. A particular example is a turnstile adapted to be released by the insertion of a dime and a nickel. The arrangement is of a character, however, which aifords the advantage of being readily convertible as desired by a simple means to operation by a singlecoin or token.

' The apparatus embodies elements most at least of which are well-known, but which are combined in a novel way to cooperate in a novel manner resulting in a turnstile which has proven very successful and practical for the purpose. The apparatus includes a separate chute for each coin in which the coin has a short direct path to the operating parts. Associated with each chute is a coin finder slide which is adapted to engage the coin edgewise as distinguished from a flatwise engagement, which latter is the more common arrangement in coin controlled devices. Each slide is adapted to shift its coin laterally edgewise into engagement with and thereby to move a common opposing lever connected to release the turnstile lock.

Of particular importance is the incorporation in the slide operating mechanism of a pivoted floating lever, the opposite ends of which engage the ends of the respective coin slides and by a cooperating arrangement of elements including certain spring means, when there is an appropriate coin in each chute and an initial force is applied to the turnstile, the connecting operating mechanism will shift both slides and their coins and the movement imparted through the coins will operate to release the lock, but if the appropriate coin is missing from either slot the floating lever will merely rotate on its pivot and the corresponding slide will be moved but the other slide at which the coin is located will remain stationary and the turnstile lock will not be released.

The foregoing describes generally the conditions and operation when the turnstile is adjusted for multiple coin operation. If it is desired to render the turnstile releasable by a single coin or token the conversion may be easily made by the simple adjustment of mechanism associated with the floating lever to lock it against rotation whereby is becomes in elfect a rigid connecting element. Also the entrance to the appropriate coin chute may be blanked off and the turnstile in external appearance. as well as operation becomes a single coin machine.

The above indicates the general character of the apparatus. The particular advantages and the manner in which the elements are combined and their manner of cooperation will be more readily apparent from the apparatus to be described comprising an exemplification of the invention.

Reference may be had to the drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a perspective View of a turnstile representative of one type in which the invention is adapted to be embodied;

Fig. 2 is a general plan view of the operating mechanism located in the upper portion of the casing with the cover removed to expose the major operating elements;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged view of the coin mechanism and immediately associated levers partly in section through.

the coin chutes with coins in each of the chutes and the mechanism in process of being operated;

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary view similar to that of Figure 3 showing a condition in which an attempt is made to operate the turnstile without inserting a coin in each of the chutes;

Fig. 5 is a view similar to Figure 4 but with the mechanism adjusted to enable the turnstile to be operated by the insertion of a coin in one only of the chutes;

Fig. 6 is a vertical cross sectional view through one of the coin chutes taken on the plane ,6-6 of Figure 2;

Fig. 7 is a vertical section taken on the line 7-7 Figure 6;

Fig. 8 is a perspective view of one of the coin slides;

Fig. 9 is a perspective view of a coin wiper block associated with each of the coin slides;

Fig. 10 is a fragmentary vertical view showing the application of a closure plate over one of the chutes when it is desired to block ofi the chute; and

Fig. 11 is a vertical cross sectional view taken on the line 1111of Figure 10.

The invention is capable of embodiment in turnstiles of different types varying considerably as to the details of the turnstile operating mechanism. The particular type disclosed in the present drawings is generally similar to that shown in the patent to Gersbach 2,319,541, issued May 18, 1943. As shown in Figure 1 it comprises in general a compact three-arm type turnstile in which the arms are rotatable about'an axis arranged at an angle between the horizontal and vertical. The elements include a casing 1 which is opensided at 2 to provide a compartment into which the arms 3 recede as they are rotated progressively from the effective horizontal position. plate 4 mounted on a top cover'plate 5 of the housing. The operating mechanism is located in a top compartment shown in plan with the top cover plate removed in Figure 2.

The arms 3 are mounted upon a shaft It), the upper end of which is supported in a bracket 11 and the lower end in a suitable bearing in the plate 12. Secured to the main shaft 10 is a ratchetplate 14 which'carries three equally spaced studs 15 which may each be provided with a roller sleeve 16. The turnstile isnormally urged into its home position by a mechanism which includes a U-shaped pressure member 20 pivoted at 21 on the end of an arm 22' rigid with or secured to a lever 23 pivoted on a stud 24 mounted in the plate 12. The lever 23 and arm 22 are normal coin controlled direction of passage for patrons is in accordance with the arrow A shown in Figures 1 and. 2,

. and correspondingly the normal admission direction of ro- Patented Apr. 24, 1956 The entrances to the coin slots are located in a 3 tation of the ratchet plate 14 is in a clockwise direction as viewed in Figure 2. If it is desired to make the turnstile one way acting, a suitable one way acting locking pawl may be provided adapted to cooperate with the notches 28 located at spaced intervals around the plate 14.

As a major feature of the turnstile it is provided with a means for also locking it normally against the operation by a patron except as released by the insertion of the appropriate coins in the coin mechanism. A locking pawl for this purpose is indicated at 30, the pawl being pivoted on a fixed stud 31. It is provided with a nose piece adapted to engage successively angularly spaced notches or shoulders 32 formed on a lower disc portion 14a of the ratchet plate 14. The number of such shoulder points will, of course, correspond to the number of arms of the turnstile of which there are three in the present case.

The details of the mechanism for releasing the pawl 30 from engagement with a shoulder 32 will be described shortly, but for the present it is noted that the general features thereof include a link pivoted at 41 to the pressure member lever 23 and pivoted at its opposite end through the medium of a pin 42 to a coin lever 43 mounted on a supporting stud 44 carried by a fixed plate 45 comprising part of the general frame structure. The lever 43 carries an extension arm 46 operatively associated with the coin slides as will be described more fully.

Also pivoted on the plate 45 is a lock release lever 50 supported on the stud 51. The lever 50 has pivoted to the lower side thereof at 52 a link 53 the opposite end of which is pivoted at 54 to a bell crank 55 pivoted on the fixed stud 56. The bell crank 55 has an elongated arm 55a, the left end of which has pivoted thereon a floating latch 58 carried by a pin 59. The latch 58 is normally biased in a clockwise direction by a suitable spring means such as that shown at 60 whereby the nose portion on the latch 58 engages behind a pin 61 extending upwardly from the locking pawl 30. It will be seen that rocking of the bell crank 55 in a counterclockwise direction causes the latch 58 to engage the pin 61 and swing the locking pawl 30 out of engagement with the shoulder 32 of the ratchet plate 14a. As will be described in more detail, initial rotation of the turnstile including the ratchet plate 14 swings the coin lever 43 in a counterclockwise direction and when the appropriate coins are located in the coin chutes the lock release lever 50 will be swung in a corresponding direction which will release the locking pawl 30. It may be noted that, as appears in Figure 2, the operating mechanism at the left thereof is shown as at an angle to the plane of the paper but the coin mechanism at the right may be positioned in a horizontal plane corresponding to the plane of the paper. The connecting links 40 and 53 readily permit this angular relation between the operating parts at the left and those at the right in Figure 2.

Referring now to the coin mechanism, the coin chutes C and D each have their upper ends extending through the top plates 4 and 5. Associated with the chutes are horizontally movable coin slides and 71 respectively (Figs. 6 and 7) adapted to be moved to the right in Figures 2, 3 and 6 by a floating lever 72 pivoted at 73 between spaced ears integral with the arm 46 and adapted to bear against the ends of the slides. A pair of studs 74 and 74:: are screw threaded through the arm 46 in the plane of the lever 72. As shown in Figures 2, 3 and 4 these studs are shown in a retracted inefliective position for multiple coin turnstile operation but in Figure 5 they are adjusted into a forward position where they engage and prevent rocking of the lever 72 when it is desired to operate the turnstile from a coin in one of the chutes only, as will be more fully explained. The slides are normally urged to the left into engagement with the floating lever 72 each by a light spring means. For this purpose the slide 70 has secured thereto a finger 75 (Fig. 3) to which one end of a tension spring 76 is hooked, the opposite end being fastened to the outer end of the lever extension 46. Slide 71 has a similar arrangement comprising a stud 77 extending therefrom with an outer finger 78 and a tension spring 79 connected between the finger 78 and the pivot pin 73 on the lever arm 46. The coin chute C is formed by a vertical channel in the plate 80 which is secured against a bracket plate 81 bolted to horizontal plate 45, and the plate 81 has a horizontal channel 82 to accommodate the coin slide 70. Similarly coin chute D is formed by a vertical channel in the plate 83 which is secured against a bracket plate 84 which has a horizontal channel to accommodate coin slide 71.

Screw bolts 85 and spacer blocks 86 hold these coin chute parts in assembled relation. Each coin slide channel includes an outer coin wiper block 87 shown assembled in Figure 6 by means of screws 88, and shown detached in reversed position in Figure 9. The blocks have a cam surface 87a for ensuring that the coins are freed and drop into the lower discharge channel as will be described in the operation. Lower removable channel enclosing shields 89 are secured to the respective housing parts 81 and 83.

Each of the slides has a shape corresponding to that shown in Figure 8 which is designated as slide 70 and the description of one of these slides and its associated elements will suffice for a description of the other. Accordingly, referring particularly to Figures 8 and 6, it will be noted that the movement of the slide 70 to the left is limited by the bent over end portion 700. The slide has a cut out area defined by the shoulder 90 to accommodate a fixed pin 91 extending across the channel 80. The slide also has a slotted opening 92 therein through which extends a finger 59a comprising the outer end of the release lever 50. In the normal locked position of the turnstile the parts will be as shown in Figures 2 and 4, for example, and when the appropriate coin is dropped in the chute C such as a nickel, if the arrangement is so intended, the nickel will normally be arrested and held in a position such as that shown in Figure 4 by reason of the coin being engaged at one side by the finger 50a and at the opposite side by the fixed stud 91. It should benoted that the lever 50 is normally urged in the clockwise direction to engage and hold the coin as shown by a suitable spring means such as the spring 95 coiled around the pivot and having one end held against a stud 96: and the free end pressing against the pin 97 on the lever 50.

The appropriate coin such as a dime when inserted in the chute D will likewise occupy a position in the chute relative to its slide 71 similar to that just described in connection with the slide 70. Assuming now that the turnstile is adjusted for release and operation only when an appropriate coin has been inserted in each of the respective chutes, and that such coins are present, if a patron pushes against the barrier arm 3 of the turnstile the operating arm 22 will be rocked and correspondingly the lever 23, pushing the link 40 to the right in Figure 2 and causing the lever 43 and. its arm 46 to be rocked counterclockwise and pressing the floating lever 72 against the ends of the respective coin slides '70 and 71 which causes the coin N in the chute C to be compressed between the shoulder 70b and the end 50a of the release lever. The coin T in the chute D will be similarly engaged and the lever 50 swung counterclockwise (Fig. 3) pulling link 53 to the right in Figure 2, swinging the arm 55a to cause the latch 58 to engage the pin 61 on locking pawl 30 and release the nose portion thereof from the shoulder 32 on the ratchet plate 14a. It may be noted that because of the relative proportions including the length of the arm 55a, only a small angular movement of the turnstile is required to release the pawl there normally being a slight clearance between the pawl 30 and the shoulder 32 when the turnstile is in a home position. The turnstile having been thus released, the patron advances through the turnstile and advances the ratchet plate. 14 a sutficient distance to carry it past a dead center position so that the pressure member 20 will insure that the turnstile is carried forward to and centered in its next home position. During the first half of the cycle of operation in the movement of release lever 50 to the right the end of arm 5541 will sweep through a relatively large distance and after swinging pawl 30 completely out of locking position the end of latch 58 will ride away -from engagement with pin 61, freeing pawl 30 for looking engagement when the next ratchet plate notch arrives. "On the return movement of arm 55a the latch 58 will pivot until the end is again free to pass behind pin 61.

In the above operation, as the coin slides and the entrained coins move to the right and begin to approach the extreme position in that direction, a stud 100 mounted on the coin lever 43 engages the release lever 50 and accelerates its movement so that the end finger 50a advances away from the coins freeing them so that they maydrop into the respective discharge chutes such as that shown at 101 in Figure 6. This engagement of the stud occurs as a result of course of the relative positions of the pivot points 44 and 51 of the respective levers 43 and 50. The dislodgement of the coins from the respective slides is ensured since if they fail to release by gravity they will be cammed down by engagement with the cam surfaces 87a.

Assuming still that the turnstile is adjusted for multiple coin operation, and it is attempted to operate the turnstile without inserting both of the appropriate coins in the respective chute, for example, that a nickel is inserted in the chute C but no coin is inserted in the chute D, then when pressure is exerted upon the turnstile arm a condition will be set up similar to that shown for example in Figure 4, that is the slide 71 will be unobstructed and relatively free to move to the right without exerting any pressure on the lever, 50'and accordingly the floating lever 72 will merely rock on its pivot and slide 70 will not advance and no force will be exerted on lever 50 sufficient to move it against the force of its spring 95 and the locking pawl will not be released. In this connection it is noted that the coin slide springs 76 and 79 are relatively light in their tendency to hold the slides to the left as compared to the stronger spring 95 eifective to resist any movement of the lever 50. A spring may be embodied such as that indicated at 102 arranged to urge lever 43' in the clockwise direction for taking up back lash and ensuring that the slides are fully returned to the left. I

The coin mechanism includes provision for insuring that only appropriate size coins willbe elfectual. In other words, the chutes C and D approximate quite closely in size the diameter of the prescribed respective coins and larger coins will not enter therein such as a penny in the dime; slot. On the other hand, if a coin or a slug is inserted in the chutes of too small a diameter for which the apparatus and slot are designed, it will pass directly on through into the rejection slot 103 as shown in Figure 6.

As heretofore stated the turnstile'may be easily converted over .to'operation by a single coin or token and the other? chute blocked off. Figure 5 shows the coin slide mechanism so adjusted, which: requires merely that the appropriate stud 74 or 74a or preferably both be adjusted to a forward position such as to engage against the rear face of lever 72 toprevent it from rotating and. hold it in its proper mid position. Assuming then that it is desired tooperate the turnstile from a coin in chute C and the entrance to chute D has been closed off, with an appropriate coin dropped in chute C pressure from arm 46 will cause the coin slide 70 to engage the coin and press it against the finger 50a and move the lever 50 counterclockwise to release the turnstile lock in the manner heretofore described. Similarly, of course, the chute C may be blocked oif and the turnstile made responsive to an appropriate single coin deposited in chute D.

Figures and 11 show a suitable means for closing ofi either chute. A small cover plate 104 corresponding in shape and dimensions to the cross section of the upper end of the chute has secured thereto a pair of spaced pins 105 adapted to be received in corresponding holes or slots extending downwardly from the top end of the chute as, for example, in the plate for chute C. Set screws 106 are threaded in from the side to lock the pins in position. After the cover plate 5 and auxiliary plate 4 are assembled the screws 106 are concealed and inaccessible, and only the plain top surface of plate 104 is exposed.

With respect to each of the coin chutes and associated coin slide mechanism it is noted that the chutes are adapted to receive and hold a plurality of coins the extra ones being retained in reserve and successively fed into the coin slide one at a time as the turnstile is successively unlocked by the passage of patrons. Assuming e. g. that there were additional coins in the chute C above the coin N shown in Figure 6, as the slide 70 advances to the right, the thicker portion of the slide moves under the next coin preventing it from dropping until the slide 70 returns to the left empty.

As a typical example in the use of the turnstile the coin mechanism has been described as for control and release by a nickel and a dime. It will be recognized, however, that within the principles of the machine disclosed it is readily adaptable to other combinations of coins and also either one or both may be a token and when the terms coin or coins are employed in the claims it is to be definitely understood that such terms include tokens and any such'physical elements adapted to serve the corresponding functions.

Various safety features may be included in the mechanism as a whole. For example the arm 46, instead of being made integral with its lever 43, may have a flexible connection therewith as indicated in Figure 3, for example, comprising a bolt 107 extending through the arm 46 and lever 43 and having a compression spring 108 located between the nut 109 and the arm 43 whereby if some unusual obstruction is encountered in the coin slots or elsewhere the lever 43 may move a limited distance relativeto the extension arm 46 sufficient to cause the lost motion to be taken up at the locking pawl and for the pawl thereby to remain effective.

The turnstile may include if desired other features the details of which are not important with respect to the present invention. For example, it may include a shock absorber means for easing the turnstile into home position such as that shown at 110 to the arm 111 of which is connected a cam lever 112 pivoted at 113 having a cam portion adapted to engage in an appropriate manner the successive rollers 16 on the turnstile ratchet plate. Also the turnstile may have a counter mechanism such as that shown at 115 appropriately connected to the turnstile shaft such as by the gearing shown at 116.

Since certain changes may be made in the above construction and different embodiments of the invention could be made without departing from the scope thereof, it is intended that all matter contained in the above description or shown in the accompanying drawing shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

' We claim:

1. In a multiple coin controlled turnstile having a rotatable barrier and a releasable lock therefor the combination of, a movably mounted member and an operativ'e. connection for moving it by the rotation of said barrier, a pair of coin chutes, a coin finder cooperatively associated with each of said chutes and movable transversely thereof and arranged to engage and shift transversely the corresponding coin, a movably mounted means arranged to be moved by the said shifting of either of said coins and a connection therefrom to operate said lock to release position by such movement, a connection from said member to said finders for moving the finders in the coin shifting direction comprising a floating lever engaged at its mid point with said member and with the ends each engaged with one of said finders, a spring means associated with each of said finders and adapted to urge the corresponding finder toward saidgmember opposite to the coin shifting direction, and a spring means connected to said movably mounted means to urge it in the direction opposite to the lock release, said latter spring means being stronger in effect than either of said finder spring means whereby in an attempted operation of the turnstile with the coin missing from one of said chutes the corresponding finder will be moved by said member andits spring wil! be additionally strained without moving the finder in the other chute in which a coin is located and without operating said movably mounted means in the lock releasing direction.

2. In a multiple coin controlled turnstile having a rotatable barrier and a releasable lock therefor the combination of, a movable mounted member connected to be moved by the rotation of said barrier, two coin chutes, a coin slide associated with each of said chutes slidable transversely thereof and arranged to engage the corresponding coin edgcwise and shift it laterally edgewise, a

pivoted lock release lever having a free end engageable with the edge of each coin opposite to its slide and adapted to be rocked by the said shifting of the coins, a connection for operating said lock to release position by the said rocking of said lever, a floating lever pivoted at its mid point to said member and with the opposite free ends each engaged with the end of one of said slides, a tension spring connecting each slide with said member thereby to maintain the corresponding slide in engagement with said floating lever, and a spring acting on said lock release lever to urge it in a direction opposite to the lock releasing, said latter spring having a stronger efliect than either of said slide springs whereby in an attempted operation of the turnstile with a proper coin in only one of said chutes the slide therein will remain stationary and the slide in the other chute will be shifted and its spring correspondingly deformed without operating said lock release lever.

3. In a turnstile adapted electively for single coin or multiple coin control having a rotatable barrier and a releasable lock therefor the combination of, a movably mounted member and an operative connection for moving it by rotation of said barrier, a pair of coin chutes, means for blanking off either of said chutes, a coin finder for each of said chutes adapted to engage and shift the corresponding coin, means for operating said coin finders from the movement of said member, a lock release means including means engageable by a coin when so shifted to operate the lock release means, and actuating means associated with said finders electively adjustable and eifective in one adjustment to shift'the corresponding coins or coin to operate said lock release means only when a coin is present in each of said chutes or in a different adjustment when a coin is present in a selected one of said chutes.

4. In a turnstile adapted for single coin or multiple coin control having a rotatable barrier and a releasable lock therefor the combination of, a movably mounted member and an operative connection for moving it by the rotation of said barrier, a pair of coin chutes, a coin finder cooperatively associated with each of said chutes and movable transversely thereof and arranged to engage and shift transversely the corresponding coin, a movably mounted means arranged to be moved by the shifting of either of said coins, a connection from said means to operate said lock to release position, a connection from said member to said finders for moving the 8 finders comprising a pivoted lever engaged at its mid point with said member, and with the opposite ends each engaged with one of said finders, and means selectively adjustable to restrain said lever from rotating on its pivot or to release it for rotatable movement.

5. in a multiple coin controlled turnstile having a rotatable barrier and a releasable lock therefor the combination of, a movably mounted member connected to be moved by the rotation of said barrier, a pair of coin chutes, a movably mounted coin finder cooperatively associated with each of said chutes and arranged to engage and shift the corresponding coin, a movably mounted means engageable by each of the coins in the chutes and connected to operate said lock to release position by the said shifting of either coin, a connection from said member to said finders for moving the finders comprising a pivoted floating lever engaged at its mid point with said member and with the opposite ends each engaged with one of said finders whereby when appropriate coins are in the respective chutes both finders will advance and cause the coins to engage and operate said lock release but if the coin is missing from one chutethe floating lever will pivot and advance only the finder in said latter chute without operating the lock release means, means for blanking oil either of said chutes, and means selectively adjustable to restrain said lever from rotating on its pivot whereby a coin in a single selected chute will be moved by its finder to operate the lock release means.

6. Ina multiple coin controlled turnstile having a rotatable barrier and a releasable lock therefor the combination of, a movably mounted member connected to be moved by the rotation of said barrier, a pair of coin chutes, a movably mounted coin finder cooperatively associated with each of said chutes and arranged to en gage edgewise and shift the corresponding coin, a movably mounted means engageable by each of the coins in the chutes and connected to operate said lock to release position by the said shifting of either coin, a connection from said member to said finders for moving the finders comprising a pivoted floating lever engaged at its mid point with said member and with the opposite ends each engaged with one of said finders whereby when appropriate coins are in the respective chutes both fingers will advance and cause the coins to engage and operate said lock release but if the coin is missing from one chute appropriate coins are in the respective chutes both finders in said latter chute without operating the lock release means, means for blanking off one of said chutes, and means selectively adjustable into engagement with said lever to restrain it from rotating on its pivotwhen the turnstile is operated with a coin in the other chute only thereby to operate the lock release from a single coin.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 371,145 Lynde Oct. 4, 1887 387,103 Osterberg July 31, 1888 1,699,353 Grant Jan. 15, 1929 1,758,514 Grover May 13, 1930 2,279,664 Du Grenier Apr. 14, 1942 2,319,541 Gersbach May 18, 1943 FOREIGN PATENTS 112,201 Germany July 30, 1900

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