US542796A

US542796A - Coin receptacle and register

Info

Publication number: US542796A
Authority: US
Publication date: 1895-07-16
Anticipated expiration: 1912-07-16

Description

(No Model.)

A. W. GOPPIN. com RBGEPTAOLE AND REGISTER.

No. 542,796. Patented July 16, 1895.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ARTHUR W'ALLACE COFFIN, OF SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA.

COIN RECEPTACLE AND REGISTER.

SPECIFICATION forming part Of Letters Patent No. 542,796, dated July 16, 1895. Application filed January 14,1895. Serial No. 534,861- (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, ARTHUR WALLACE COFFIN, a citizen of the United States, residing in the city and county of San Francisco, State of California, have invented an Improvement in Coin Receptacles and Registers; and I hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the same.

My invention relates to a device for receiving, holding, and registering the amount of various coins.

It consists in certain details of construction, which will be more fully explained by reference to the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a perspective view showing the dial and indicating-pointer. Fig. 2 is a rear perspective view showing the back broken away to expose the interior housing and discharge-door. Fig. 3 is a rear view of part of the case and the interior mechanism. Fig. 4 is a perspective view of the same with the rear cover and housing removed. Fig. 5 is a vertical section through the center of my safe.

The object of my invention is to provide a simple mechanism for registering the amount of various-sized coins which are introduced into a receptacle within which they are to be collected until a certain amount has to be accumulated, this amount being always indicated by the dial, over the face of which an indicating-pointer is movable, this pointer being actuated whenever a coin is introduced.

A is the outer case, whichIprefer to make of metal, and which may be made cylindrical or ofany other suitable or desired form. The back of the case may be entirely removable or it may have a suitable door B, through which the contents can be extracted from time to time, the back or door being locked and the key in custody of the person or ofiicial whose duty it is to open the device and removethe accumulations. Theoppositeside of the device has a dial 0 with divisions and figures, which may indicate any subdivision of money which is to be placed in the receiver. In the present case these subdivisions represent an amount equal to a half-dime or five cents of United States money, and the circumference of the dial is marked so as to indicate ten dollars, which may be introduced either in five-cent pieces, dimes, quarters,

half-dollars, or dollars. Each line or tooth of the dial represents five cents; two teeth, ten cents; five teeth, twenty-five cents; ten teeth, fifty cents, and twenty teeth, one dollar.

Through the center of the dial passes a short shaft D, the inner end of which is supported and turnable upon a suitably-supported pivot-pin E, while the outer end is supported and turns in the hole through the dial. Upon the outer end of this sleeve is fixed an index hand or pointer F, which is movable over the dial 0, previously described. Surrounding or interior to the line of figures, as is most convenient, is a circular rack G, the teeth of which are inclined or beveled in the direction in which the pointer moves, and are vertical upon the other side, so as to prevent the return of this pointer. By this construction the pointer itself serves as a pawl and greatly reduces the mechanism necessary to operate the device.

Through the upper side of the case A are two slots H and H, the slot H being intended for the reception of silver coins, from the smallest upward, while the slot H is intended for the reception of nickels.

The mechanism which is actuated by the insertion of the coins is so disposed that the different diameters of the coins will move the mechanism and the index hand or pointer an amount depending upon the diameter of the coin.

The teeth of the ratchet G are so divided that, for instance, a coin the size of a dime will move the pointer forward two teeth, a twenty-fivecent piece will move it forward five teeth, a fifty-cent piece ten teeth.

As the nickel five-cent piece is of an intermediate diameter it will be manifest that it cannot be introduced into the same slot which receives the silver and properly indicate its amount. Therefore the slot H is made to extend a little beyond one edge of the silver-receiving slot, so that its opposite edge stands at a point with relation to the silver-receiving slot that will cause the nickel to move the interior mechanism one-half the distance that it would be moved by a silver dime.

The actuating mechanism for the indicator consists of arms I and J, fitting loosely upon the sleeve or shaft D, and between these is an arm K. These arms are all bolted or oth- ICO ' erwise secured together and all move in unison, as hereinafter described. The arm J is short, extending but a little distance from the sleeve or shaft D, and the arms I and K extend to the inner periphery of the case A. The arm J serves as a bearing and support to steady the arm K in its movements as it turns about the central shaft. The arm K is provided with a curved extensionK at its outer end, as shown, this extension following the curvature of the interior of the case A, and serves to close the slot when in its normal position.

M is an arm fulcrumed at one side of thecase, as shown at N, and having at its opposite movable end a pin 0, which projects heneath the slots 1-1 and H, and in such a position as to form contact with the outer end of the arm K.

P is a spring, one end of which is fixed within the case and the other connects with oneof the arms I, J, and K, and as these three arms are fixed so as to move together this spring returns them after they have been pushed away from their normal position. In their normal position the pin 0 projects in such a manner that when a coin is introduced, as shown in Fig. 3, one edge of the coin will press against the side of the slot or opening in which it is introduced. The other one will press against the pin 0 and thus cause the lever M to. move about its fulcrumpin, and the pin 0, pressing upon the rear of the arm K, will force this arm forward a distance depending upon the diameter of the coin thus introduced. The edge of thearm K over which the pin 0 moves is so. cu'rved that the varying diameters ofthe, coins acting against the pin 0- will press it; forward, and through it will move the arm K proportionally to the value of the coin which is introduced, although the diameters do not vary in a like proportion.

The arm K,fittcd to turn loosely around the shaft D, as before described, has upon its inner end a pawl or point B, which is adapted to engage the shaft D, which may be grooved or toothed whenever the arm K is moved by the introduction of a coin, and thus rotate the shaft and pointer a distance, corresponding to the diameter of the coin, as previously described, the curvature of the arm K being such that a dime will move the arm and shaft so as to advance the pointer F two notches of the rack G, and a twenty-five-cent piece will advance it five teeth, although this does not represent the proportional diameter of the coins, and so on in the same manner up to one dollar. When the coin has passed within the edge of the slot, the action of the spring P returns the parts to their normal position and the coin falls within the receptacle.

It will be manifest that the pawl R, engaging the shaft D, may represent also any wellknown paWl-and-ratchet or clutch mechanism which may be used for this purpose, the object being simply to transmit the movement of the arm K to advance the pointer over the dial, which is, in turn, held by the teeth G, previously described, and to allow the arm K to be retracted by the action of the spring as occupy such a position that no coin once introduced can. be again extracted through the opening by reason of the extension L; but in order to make thismore secure, I have shown a housing or interior case S, which incloses the operating mechanism. here shown, and

has a small door or gate T in the lower part,

which normally remains open, so that as soon as a, coin drops into that portion of the receptacle containing the levers and mechanism, it will pass through this gate into the other part of the apparatus where the coins are to be accumulated. This door, swinging loosely upon its hinges, if the apparatus is. turned upon its side or bottom upward in order to. extract any coin, the door will close automatically and prevent any return of the coins into the-space which is connected with the slots or openings, thus making an additional safeguard.

The shape of that portion of the arm K against which the pin 0 operates is such that each coin will always movethe arm a distance depending upon. the diameter of the coin, and will accurately register the amount of the coin thus introduced, and the curvature of the arm acts as a governor or regulator of of the movements of the pointer F over the dial.

The device may be supported upon a bracket, stand,or other well-known or suitable supporting medium W, in any manner that, may seem appropriate.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is,-

1.. A device for receiving and registering the value of coins introduced, consisting of an exterior case, a dial with subdivisions and figures indicating amounts, a hand or pointer centrally pivoted and movable over said dial,

interior mechanism by which said pointer isadvanced in one direction by the introduction of a coin proportionally to its diameter, and a, circular rack concentric with the dial so formed that the pointer will move freely over it in one direction, and will be prevented from returning in the opposite direction.

2. A device for receiving and indicating the amount of coins, consisting of a closed case having a dial, movable pointer, and a holding rack engaged by said pointer,a shaft extending through the dial having the pointer fixed upon its outer end, and the inner end loosely journaled, arms turnable aboutsaid shaft extending therefrom to the inner periphery of the case, slots made through the top of the case in the plane of movement of the arms, and a clutch or ratchet mechanism by which one of the arms engages the pointer shaft to advance it in one direction, and the arms are allowed to return freely in the opposite direction.

o. A device for receiving and indicating the amount of coins introduced, consisting of a closed receptacle having a dial upon one side with an indicating pointer movable over it and a ratchet with which said pointer engages to prevent its return after being advanced, a central shaft projecting through the dial to the outer end of which the pointer is fixed, the inner end of said shaft being journaled to turn freely, arms loosely turnable upon said shaft extending therefrom to the inner periphery of a case, slots made through the case approximately in the plane of movement of the arms, and a spring by which the arms are normally held to partially intercept the slots, an independent arm fulcrumed at one side of the case having a pin engaging one of the centrally pivoted arms, and extending across the slots through which the coins are introduced whereby the introduction of a coin will force the pin and the arm with which it contacts to move forward a distance corresponding with the varying diameters of the coins introduced, and a clutch mechanism whereby the movement of the arm is transmitted to the pointer shaft to move the latter forward.

4. A device to receive and indicate the value of coins introduced therein, consisting of a case having slots through its periphery for the introduction of the coins, a dial and an index pointer movable over it to register the amounts of the coins, a circular rack concentric with the dial over which the pointer is adapted to move freely in one direction, and is prevented from returning in the opposite direction, an arm so connected that its advance will advance the pointer, said arm standing normally in such relation to the slots, that it will be advanced by the passage of a coin, and having the contact edge curved so that it will be advanced in proportion to the value of the coins, whose diameters do not vary in proportion to their value.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand.

ARTHUR WVALLAOE COFFIN. \Vitnesses:

A. A. IIINCHMAN, F. A. DUFFY.