US577216A - Machine - Google Patents

Description

(Nb Model.)

W. WEBBER'.

GOIN CONTROLLED GAS VENDING MACHINE. No 577,216. Patented Feb. 16. 1897.

. l WI THE SSE 8 J IN VEN T08 A TTORNEI' m: Noam; Prrzns co. PNOYO'LITHQ. WASHINGYON, o. c.

UNITED STATES PATENT iEEicE.

WESLEY l/VEBBER, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

COIN-=CONTROLLED GAS-VENDING MACHINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 577,216, dated February 16, 1897. Application filed February 19, 1896. Serial No. 579,836. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, WESLEY l/VEBBER, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of New York city, in the county of New York and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Coin- Oontrolled Gas-Vending Machines, of which the following is a specification.

My present invention relates to improvements in the coin-controlled gas-vending machine shown and described in my copending application, filed February 3, 1896, and serially numbered 577,814; and my present invention consists of a coin-controlled gas-vending machine wherein an escapement-disk operated in one direction bya spring admits the flow of gas through the meter, and a wheel operated by the power of the meter acts, through a suitable engaging device and a spring, to return the escapement-disk and cut off the flow of gas, the tentative operation of the escapement disk being effected by a double-pawl device or pallet arranged to be oscillated by the act of inserting coins in the machine either by the coin itself directly or indirectly by coin-inserting mechanism.

In the accompanying drawings, to which reference is made, Figure 1 is a sectional plan view of my new and improved coin-controlled gas-vending machine, taken on line x 00 of Fig. 2. Fig. 2 is a front elevation of the mechanism, sh owing the box and coin-chamber in section; and Fig. 3 is a transverse sectional elevation taken on line 3 y of Fig. 2.

A represents the inclosure or box for the operative mechanism. Said box is provided with a front plate B and intermediate plate 0, held on studs or posts a b c or by other suitable means attached to the box A, and

said box is provided with a plate D, by which it may be secured to the meter, so that the rod or pawl E may properly reach into the meter to be reciprocated thereby.

F represents a ratchet-wheel adapted to be rotated tooth by tooth by the action of the pawl E. This ratchet-wheel is secured to a shaft d, which reaches through the plate 0, where it is provided with a pointer e, which, in connection with a scale on the plate O, indicates the gas purchased and unconsumed. On the said wheel F or on its shaft 62 is fixed a lifting device or cam f, which serves to lift the lever G and the toothed engaging rod H, which is pivoted at one end to the said lever G and connected at its opposite end to a spring H. Except during the downward movement of the engaging rod H and lever G, the said engaging rod is by preference held out ofcontact with the escapement disk or wheel J by a cam or other rotating device g, which turns with the wheel F or shaft d. The said escapement disk or wheel J is attached to shaft h, which reaches to the front of the plate C, where it is provided with a pointer h, which, in connection with a dial on said plate, indicates the number of coins deposited in the machine at any one time. Said shaft h or the wheel J is acted upon by a coiled spring 11, which tends to turn the escapement-wheel in the direction of the arrow. Said escapement disk or wheel J is form-ed or provided with a flange k, which serves to operate the lever Z, which reciprocates the valve-rod Z, which operates a valve in the gas-pipe, as described in my said 00- pending application.

L represents a double pawl or pallet to act in conjunction with the escapement-disk J. One member m of said pallet is normallyheld in engagement with the escapement-disk by a spring m The opposite member-m reaches to a point adjacent to the coin-depositing device, which is constructed in such manner that with each coin deposited the pallet will be oscillated, permitting the escapement-disk to turn one notch in the direction of the arrow. If the machine be constructed to receive only one coin at a time, the escapement need have but two teeth on a side, and the flange 70 need be nothing more than a short 9:) shoulder or. stud; but in case the machine be constructed to receive several coins, which is the preferred construction, the escapementdisk will be toothed throughout its entire circumference and the flange is will be concentrio and extend nearly the entire circle, as shown.

The coin-depositing device may be of any approved construction which will obviate fraudulent use of the machine and at the same time will operate to oscillate the pallet L once for each coin deposited. I do not desire to limit myself to any definite construction in this respect. As here shown, the coin-depositing device consists of a rotating barrel N, formed with a slot 11 of a size to partially inclose a coin n proper to the machine, the margin of the coin which projects from the slot serving as the barrel is revolved to reciprocate the pallet, as will be understood from Fig. 2. The coin enters the barrel N from a narrow chamber N, into which it is inserted through coinciding slots 0 0 in the plates 13 O the same as in my said copending applica tion, and the barrel is revolved by the crank or knob 0, its crank 0, spring 0, and crank O the same as in my said copending application, and the same need not be here again described.

It will be noticed that the member m of the pallet'L stands in front of the lower end of the engaging rod H, so that the oscillation of the pallet will also reciprocate the said rod, and it will also be noticed that the spring H is arranged in rear of the pivot of said engaging rod, so that the tendency of the spring is to engage the tooth of the engaging rod with the teeth of the escapement-disk. I

In operation a coin being inserted in the barrel N and the latter revolved the coin will operate the pallet L and permit spring i to turn the ratchet-disk J in the direction of the arrow the space of one tooth. This will be repeated teeth by tooth, one for each coin inserted, and with the first operation the shoulder 2" of the flange will turn the lever Z and cause it to lift the rod l, thereby permitting the gas to flow through the meter. The operation of the meter will now slowly turn the wheel F in the direction of arrow to and cause cam g to swing the rod H out of engagement with the escapement-disk J and also cause cam f to lift the lever G and rod H against the tension of the spring H. One

complete revolution of the wheel marks the delivery of one coins value of gas, and with each revolution of said wheel the cam g permits the rod H to engage with the escape ment-disk, and at the same time the toe f of the cam Q will pass the end of the lever G, whereupon the spring H will draw down the rod H and cause it to turn the escapementdisk one tooth. has thus been turned back as many teeth as it was turned forward by the number of coins inserted, the shoulder t" of flange 7e will disengage the lever Z and permit the rod Z to drop back to its original position and cut off the flow of gas.

While I have shown springs t and H for operating the escapement-disk in both directions, it is obvious that weights and cords might be substituted therefor, if desired,without departing from my invention.

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

1. In a coin-controlled gas-vending machine, an escapement-disk, a pallet arranged to release the same on the insertion of a coin in the machine and a reciprocating engaging rod operated by the power of the meter for turning back said escapement-disk, substantially as described.

2. In a coin controlled gas -vending machine, a wheel operated by the power of the meter and an escapement-disk operated by the insertion of coins in the machine, a lever and engaging rod in combination with a device for lifting. said engaging rod and a spring for returning the same for turning back the escapem'ent-disk, substantially as described.

3. In a coin-controlled gas-vending machine, the combination with an escapementdisk J, and pallet L, arranged to be operated on the insertion of a coin in the machine, of the wheel F, lifting device f, spring H, and engaging rod H arranged to be reciprocated laterally by the action of the pallet, substantially as described. 7

'WESLEY XVEBBER.

\Vitnesses:

H. A. Wnsr, EMILE RIESER.

When the escapement-disk-

Images