US500015A - Coin-controlled machine - Google Patents

Description

(No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet '1. J. A. LIGHTHIPE. COIN CONTROLLED MACHINE.

No. 500,016. Patented June 20, 1893.

(No M de1 3 SheetsSheet 2. J. A. LIGHTHIPE.

00m CONTROLLED MACHINE.

Patented June 20, 1893.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFRICE.

JAMES A. LIGHTHIPE, OF SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA.

COIN-CONTROLLED MACHINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 500,015, dated June 20, 1893.

Application filed February 20, 1893. Serial No. 463.087- (Il'o model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, JAMES A. LIGHTHIPE, a citizen of the United States, residing at San Francisco, in the county of San Francisco and State of California, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Coin-Controlled- Machines; and I-do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention,"such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it most nearly appertains to make, use, and practice the same.

This invention relates to a certain new and useful coin controlled device, which consists in the arrangement of parts and details of construction as will be'hereinafter more fully set forth in the drawings, described and pointed out in the specification.

The object of the present invention is to provide a coin controlled device whereby by the placing of a piece of money therein, of suitable denomination, the operator may win two or more pieces therefor; the mechanism of which device is so constructed that the winning or losing shall be taken entirely from within the power of the operators control.

Referring to the drawings forming a part of this application, wherein similar letters of reference denote corresponding parts th rou ghout the entire specification,-Figure 1, is a rear elevation of the machine with the back of casing or box removed. Fig. 2, is a front elevation with indicating dial and front of casing or box removed. Fig. 3, similar view as Fig. 2, but showing position of operating mechanism after the handle has been pulled its full outward distance and just prior to its being released in order to drop the coin held thereby. Fig. 4,a top plan of Fig. 3,with top of easing or box removed; Fig. 5, a detail top plan of the coin dropping mechanism. Fig. 6, is a side elevation of Fig. '5; Fig. 7, an enlarged detail elevation of the coin retaining and releasing lever; Fig. 8, a similar view of the feed regulating rod. Fig. 9, is a front elevation, similar to Fig. 3, showing relative position of the operating mechanism prior to the raising of the piston within the air cylinder. Fig. 10, is atop plan of Fig. 9, with lock plate or disk and operating lever removed; and Fig. 111}, is a perspective view of the complete mac me.

The letter A, indicates the casing or box of my machine, which may be of any suitable size or shape,-and A, the front thereof. Through the top of the casing, preferably, is cut an opening Within which fits and is secured the coin tube A This tube is made equal in diameter to any piece of money-desired to pass therethrough, ordinarily a nickel. Within the interior of the box or casing is fitted the partition plate B, and to the plate is secured the hereinafter described mechanism.

To the back of the plate B, is secured or attached, through the medium of guide plates or hangers, a, a,a the slide rod B,the outer end of which ext-ends through an opening formed in the casing and terminates in the handle B is somewhat larger than the outer, as shown at b, and from said slide rod project the pins or lugs b. The slide rod is held inward by means of the spring B one end of which is secured to the guide plate or hanger a, while the opposite end is fastened to the face of said rod, as shown, consequently making the slide rod spring-actuated.

Through the openings 0, 0', formed within the plate or hangers a a works the plate 0, the rear portion of which is reduced and projects beyond hanger 0, as shown at 0 From this plate projects the pin or lug 0 This plate is held in position by means of fiat spring Theinner'portion of the slide rod 4 O, which is secured to the partition plate B,

by screw or bolt and projects upward passing in front of pin b and then being bent backward and the upper end bearing against the face of lug or pin 0 Within the side of plate O, is cut an elongated slot (1 and within this slot is fitted an elastic metallic lever D, the rear end of which is secured tothe plate by pin d. The forward end of this lever is provided with an inwardly and an outwardly projecting inclined shoulder or lug D, D The distance between the face of inclined shoulder D, and the pins Z), of the slide rod, is equal to the diameter of the coin to be used in operating the device, and comes directly beneath the tube A The slide rod and plate 0, run parallel to each other, but are such a distance apart as will permit of a piece of coin passing therebetween.

The bottom of plate C, is provided with an inwardly projecting shoulder or flange b which forms a seat or rest for the coin when dropped from the coin tube A between the slide rod and plate 0, in order to provide against the coin dropping from between the slide rod and plate. When the coin is placed within the coin tube, it passes therethrough and falls between the slide rod and plate 0, and when the slide rod is pulled outward, through the medium of handle B thecoin is held tightly between the pins 1) and inner face of inclined shoulder D. i As thus held the outward movement of the slide rod carries plate 0, therewith, and likewise the coin. As

the plate 0, is carried forward, by the move ment ofthe slide rod,the spring arm E,which is attached to guide plate a rides uponinclined shoulder D until the same has passed the end. thereof, when the same springs inwardly. If the pressure upon the handle or slide rod be released after the spring arm has passed .the inclined shoulder, the pressure of spring C, will force the plate 0, to moveinward,and the,end of spring arm E, to pass within an inclined groove, indicated in dotted lines in Figs. 4, 5 and 10, out within the under face of the inclined shoulder D. As the end of spring arm travels within the inclined groove, the spring lever isforced outward until the face of shoulder D is removed from contact.

with periphery of. the retained coin. The coin will then fall from between the slide rod and plate G,int0 coin holder E. This holder runs any convenient distance and finally passes out of the casing, as shown, or connects with any suitable discharge device. Should, however, the outward pressure upon the handle or slide rod be not released when the spring arm has passed the inclined shoulder D but the outward pull continued, the smaller end of inclinedshoulder D will enter within the Slot 0, of guide plate (1. and in this manner canselthe spring lever to move outward until the shoulder D moves from within contact with the retained coin, when the same will drop into coin holder as before described.

The coin holder is always filled with coin and unless a number of pieces bedischarged therefrom,ashereinafter'morefullydescribed, when a fresh one is placed within the machine, it is necessary that the last piece introduced be thrown to one side of the coin holder into the receptacle, else the machine would clog. For this purpose the upperportion. of the retaining flanges I cut away, as shown as IE and to the plate (I, there is secured the downwardly extending hookarm E Now as the plate 0, is moved forward, the hook arm E throws the top coin from within the holder, that is knocks it toone side and causes itto fall within the casing. The coin is only thrown out when the holder is filled to a height equal to the point l,.for until the holder is filled to such a height no coin will be on a level with the hook arm. This effectually provides against the clogging of the machine.

When the pressure is released from the handle E the resiliency of. spring B serves to draw the slide rod back into position to receive another piece of coin.

To the front of partition plate B, I fulcrum the lever F, by. means of pin f. The upper end of this lever is connected to plate 0, by

the bolt or pin'if, whichworks within the elongated slot F, as the plate 0, is moved in or out, and the outward or inward movement of said plate necessarily, correspondingly throws the lever F. To this lever is secured at its upper end, the pawl F the lower end of which is connected by' means of pin f, to

red H, which rod is movably secured to plate B, by bolt h. The pin f works with an elongated slot h, m order to permit rod H, to raise orlower as lever F- is moved in or out.

Upon the axle H, which passes through plate B, is secured sleeve H which sleeve has secured thereto ratchet wheel I, and disk I, the latter of which is located in front of the ratchet wheel. Thepawl F engages with the ratchet wheel when the upper end of lever F, is thrown to the rear, as shown inFig. 9, and thus causes rotation of the sleeve H and disk I. However, when lever F, has made its full backstroke, the pawl is moved from engagement with the ratchet wheel, due to the raising of rod H, asjshown in Fig. 2,

but the disk will continuento, revolve until stopped by the hereinafter described mechanism; i

To the lower end of lever F, is movably fastened the lever 1 which has a notch 2',

formed in its outer end, into which reduced end '11, of hell crank leverG, fits when the lever 1 has been moved its full distance backward, as shown in Fig. 3, the position of said lever being, when the machine is at rest, that showninFigr2. This lever is provided with an inwardly projecting guide. pin g, which rests upon supporting guide piece 9', as said lever ismoved rearward and prevents the same fromfalling into locked position with end 'i', of crank lever G, until "ithas moved the full distance, when pin 9, moves from off guide pieceg',and permits the lever to fall. As the lever moves forward by the inward movement of plate C, through the medium of the connecting lever F, the free end thereof rides upon the inclined guide piece The periphery of the'disk I, is provided the rotation of the same. J This piston works throughthe guide bracket j, and within air cylinder J and is forced upwardxby means I20 with a series of deep and shallow indenta of the air within said cylinder. The discharge from thecoin holder depeudsupon the fact as to whether the rotation of the-disk wheel is stopped by the piston :moving into locked engagement with a deep or shallow indentation. In order that the stoppage of disk ro-.

tation may be gradual, I locate a roller i within the upper end of the piston, the periphery of which projects beyond the end of the piston. When the lever 1 is moved inward, arm 1?, of crank lever G, is carried therewith, the movement of which throws arm 1, of said lever downward, and inasmuch as the end thereof rests upon inwardly projecting pin it, of piston J, the movement thereof causes the piston to descend, as shown in Fig. 9. As the lever 1 travels forward the free end thereof rides upon inclined guide piece 9 which serves to gradually release the same from engagement with the reduced end of arm 4?, of cran-k lever G. WVhen the lever 1 and crank lever G, have been separated, the crank lever is'given an opposite throw by the upward movement of the piston J, from within the air cylinder.

To the partition plate B, is secured, below crank lever G,- the lever K, the outer end or arm Z0 of which fits between pins Z0 and Z0 which project inwardly from the piston J, and as the piston is raised or lowered the arm of the lever K, is carried thereby. As this lever is raised or lowered, the feed mechanismis operated in order to control the discharge of the coin from the coin passage. The feed rod K, is secured to plate B, by means of screw Z, as shown. This rod is constructed of spring metal and projects upwardly in front of lever arm Z, and is provided with an inclined inwardly projecting shoulder Z To the upper portion of this rod are secured two pins, m, m, one above the other, which project inwardly therefrom and through openings formed in plate B, into the coin holder E, see Figs. 1 and 8. These pins serve to regulate the downward feed of the coin, as hereinafter described.

The coin retaining rod L, is pivotally connected to ear n, and the upper end thereof is turned at right angles to the body portion and projects through an opening n, formed in plate B, and into the coin holder. The distance from the pins m, m, to inwardly projecting end of retaining rod is say equal to the diameter of the two coins within the holder. Consequently when the retaining rod is withdrawn from within the coin holder, two pieces will make their-escape. The retaining-rod and feed rod work alternately, that is to say, when the retaining rod moves from within the coin holder, the releasing rod pins m, m, project therein, and when the pins'are Withdrawn the end of the retaining rod projects therein. These rods are operated by lever K. As the arm is, of this lever moves downward, arm Z, is caused to move upward and in its movement contacts withinclined shoulder Z and thus forces-spring feed rod K, outward, which withdraws the pins 'm, m, from within the coin holder, consequently permitting the retained coin to move downward within the coin holder until stopped by end of retaining rod. The outer end of arm Z works within an elongated slot 0, cut in retaining rod, which slot terminates in an angular extension, as shown. In case the end of the piston stops within a shallow indentation of disk I, then the uplift of arm Zn, of lever K, will only be sufticient to cause arm Z, of said lever to travel downward such a distance as will cause it to move off shoulder Z when the spring releasing rod will move inward so as to cause pins m, m, to extend within the end of coin holder. During this down movement the end of arm Z, of lever K, only works within the straight portion of the elongated slot formed in the retaining rod L. Should, however, the piston engage one of the deep indentations,the rise of arm K, will be much greater, and the downward movement of arm Z, correspondingly so. This extreme downward movement of arm Z, forces the end thereof into the angular portion of the slot 0, which moves the retaining rod outward and takes the end from within the coin-holder. The coins being then released will make their escape.

Inorder to assure the movement of lever K, the arm Z, is connected to ear n, by means of spring N.

The front of the casing A, has a circular opening formed therein, which may be closed by glass. This opening is covered by a dial N, which is divided into different colored or numbered sections, as shown. numbers may be made to correspond with the shallow or deep indentations of disk I, and in this manner be employed as an indicator. This dial is bolted or otherwise fastened to The colors or IOO disk I. Consequently as the disk revolves the dial is carried therewith. The retaining rod is only released when the piston engages or looks within a deep indentation, but when it so locks the operator receives two or more pieces of money, or whatever may be within the holder, for one placed within the machine. Instead of making use of deep or shallow indentations within the rotatable disk, a series of pins or studs may be arranged around the circular edge thereof, which pins may be of variable lengths, so that when the piston stops at a short one the same will pass thereover, or the pins may be arranged in two'rows, one a short distance beyond the other. However, I prefer to make employment of the indentations. It will thus be observed that the discharge of coin from my machine is entirely mechanical and is in no manner whatever under the control of the operator.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure protection in by Letters Patent of the United States, is"

1. In a coin-actuated machine, the coin receiver consisting of a sliding bar, a sliding plate arranged alongside of and parallel with the said bar, a lever carried by said plate and adaptedto engage the coin, whereby the bar will be connected with the plate and. means for automatically actuating said lever to release the coin and thereby disconnect the plate from the bar.

2. In a coin actuated machine, the combination with the coin receiver, said receiver consisting of a sliding rod and a spring-actuated sliding plate, of the spring lever working within the sliding plate, said lever being pro vided with an inner and outer projecting in clined shoulder, 'the spring arm for engaging with one of the inclined shoulders, the coin holder, and mechanism for controlling the discharge of coin.

3. In a coin controlled machine, the combination with the coin receiver, of the coin holder for receiving the coin as dropped from the receiver, and a device for throwing the coin from the holder when the same is filled in order to prevent clogging of the machine. 4. In a coin controlled machine, the combination with the coin tube, of the receiver, said receiver consisting of a spring actuated sliding rod or plate, of the coin. holder, a device for dropping the coin from the receiver into the coin holder, as the receiver is moved forward, the handle for operating the machine, and suitable mechanism for controlling the discharge of the coinfrom the coiuholder.

5. In a coin-controlled machine, the combination of a coin receiver, a coin holder, means for dropping the coin into the holder as the re ceiveris drawn outward, a rotatable indicator, mechanism controlled by the coin receiver to actuate the indicator, and mechanism actuated by the coin receiver to stop and lock the said indicator.

6. In a coin controlled machine, the combi nation with the mechanism for receiving and dropping the coin, of the rotatable disk, the va riablc pins or indentations located within the periphery of said disk, the locking device for engaging with said disk in order to stop the rotation thereof, the feed regulating and retaining rods for the coin holder, and suitable mechanism for operating said rods with th movement of the locking device. 7. Inacoin controlled machine, the combination with the mechanism, substantially as described, for receiving and dropping the coin, of the coin holder, the retaining and the feed regulating rods, the lever for throwing said rods in or out, therotat-able disk, ratchet wheel connected to said disk, the pawl for engaging with the ratchet wheel in order to rotate the disk, a device forinterlocking with said disk,

and suitable mechanism-foroperatingthe locking device.

8. In a coin controlled machine, the combination with the rotatable disk, of mechanism, substantially as described, for operating said disk, the air cylinder, the piston working within said cylinder, said piston adapted to move into locked engagement with the rotatable disk, a seriesof levers for lowering said piston, the retaining andreleasing rods for the coin holder, and the lever for moving said rods in or out.

9. The combination with the sliding coin receiver and the rotary disk, of a ratchet wheel secured on the shaft of the disk, a pawl pivotally secured to the coin receiver and adapt it from the disk, and connections between the said lever and the coin receiver.

11. In a coin controlled machine, the combination of the sliding coin receiver, the coin holder in which the coin is deposited by the receiver, the retaining bar projecting into the coin holder and provided with an angle slot,

afeed baralso projecting into the coin holder and having a projection on its edge, a lever having itsside bearing against said projection and its and playing in the angle slot of the retaining. bar,and mechanism controlled by the coin receiver to vibrate said lever.

12. In a coin-controlled machine, the combination with the mechanism for receiving and dropping the coin, of a rotatable disk, variable pins or indentations located. within the periphery of said disk, alocking device to engage said disk and stopthe rotation thereof, and suitable mechanism for controlling the discharge of the coins.

In testimony whereof Iaffix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

JAMES A. LIGHTHIPE.

Witnesses:

N. A. ACKER, LEE D. CRAIG.

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