US660539A

US660539A - Coin-controlled electric-shock machine.

Info

Publication number: US660539A
Application number: US485600A
Authority: US
Inventors: Bethuel M Davis
Original assignee: Advance Machine Co
Current assignee: Nilfisk Inc
Priority date: 1900-02-12
Filing date: 1900-02-12
Publication date: 1900-10-23
Anticipated expiration: 1917-10-23

Description

Nu. ee0,539. Patented Oct 23, I900. B. m. DAVIS.

COIN CONTROLLED ELECTRIC SHOCK MACHINE.

(Application filed I). 19, 1900.)

(No M d l.) I 3 sneats sneet wrkha as 'umemsss. Patented on. 23, I900. B. m. DAVIS;

COIN GUNTBOLLED ELECTRIC SHOCK MACHINE.

(Application filed I'eb. 1 2, 1900.

E 55 E5 I Bri it- "m: mums PETERS c0. PHOTO-LITHQ, msmnawn, a. c.

Patented Oct. 23, I900. B. M. DAVIS. COIN CONTROLLED ELECTRIC SHOCK MACHlNE.

{Application filed Feb. 12, 1900.)

3 Sheats$heet 3.

(No Model.)

A Vllrllll/l/l/ll;VIlIl/IrYf/lll/l/ll/4 0 w o i i 0 UNTTET) STATES PATENT OFFICE.

BETHUEL M. DAVIS, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO THE ADVANCE MACHINE COMPANY, OF SAME PLACE.

COIN-CONTROLLED ELECTRIC-SHOCK MACHINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 660,539, dated October 23, 1900.

Application filed F bruary 12, 1900. Serial No. 4,856. (No model.)

To all whom, it may concern.-

Be it known that I, BETHUEL M. DAVIS, a citizen of the United States,'residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Machines for Automatically Vending Electrical Shocks, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact specification.

My invention relates to coin-controlled or vending machines more especially designed for vending electrical shocks; and it has for its primary object to provideimproved means whereby the coin will unlock the mechanism and enable the operator to receive the current as long as the handle or handles are depressed or otherwise actuated, but to open the circuit and prevent it being again closed for the same coin as soon as the handle is released, and all this without depending on the conductivity of the coin.

Another object of my invention is to lock the handle orhandles against movement until .a coin is inserted, thus preventing mischievous persons from subjecting the machine to needless wear and danger of damage.

In electrical devices employing inductioncoils it is customary to use a rheostat for regulating the current and preventing a too great shock to the user at the outset, and this is true even when a movable slide or core is employed in the primary coil of the inductionv coil for graduating the current; but these devices neither singly nor combined are capable of graduating the current from a very mild current'and practically a total absence of current to the highest or maximum current of which the machine is capable, because the induction-coil always produces some current even when the slide is entirely withdrawn, and the employment of the rheostat, besides being an expense, is objectionable, because when the battery becomes weak the rheostat offers too much resistance. Hence my invention has for its further object to provide an improved form of induction-coil which will not produce any induced current at all while the full primary current may be passing through the primary coil.

With these ends in view my invention consists in certain features of novelty in the con struction, combination, and arrangement of parts by which the said objects and certain other objects hereinafter appearing are attained, all as fully described with reference to the accompanying drawings, and more particularly pointed out in the claims.

In the said drawings, Figure 1 is a view looking into the back of my improved machine, the back of the casing being removed. Fig. 2 is a face view thereof. Fig. 3 is a vertical sectional view taken on the line 3 3, Fig. l, the bottom of the casing being omitted. Fig. I is a detail side elevation of the circuitclosing switch hereinafter described, showing the same in its open or elevated position. Fig. 5 is a similar view of said switch, showing it in its closed or depressed position.

Fig. 6, is a view similar to Fig. 5, but showing the position of the switch after it has once been depressed and the handles allowed to partially rise before they are again depressed. Fig. 7 is an enlarged detail sectional view of the lock hereinafter described for holding the handles against movement and also preventing the switch being closed. Fig. 8 is a detail rear elevation of said lock. Fig. 9 is a detail sectional view taken on the line 9 9, Fig. 2; and Fig. 10 is a detail View of a part of the dial.

1 represents a cabinet or suitable casing in which the mechanism is housed, and in the front of this cabinet is a dial 2, around which are indicated numbers or other signs to indicate the degree of current being ad ministered, such indication being eifected by a pointer 3, mounted on an arbor 4, which is journaled in the dial 2 at one end and in a suitable bracket 5 at the other end. On this arbor 4c is secured a pinion 6, which is engaged by a rackbar 7, mounted on a cross-head 8. The crosshead Sis guided in its rising and falling movements by vertical guide-rods 9 10, secured at their upper ends in a cross-bar 11 and at their lower ends in blocks l2 l3, and the cross-head 8 is held normally aloof and returned to its elevated position by a pair of coil-springs 14, suspended from the top of the'casing, or by any other suitable cushion, and the outer ends of the cross-head are provided with handles or knobs l5, composed of metal or other electrical conducting material, the cross-head 8 being projected through vertical slots 16in a ceased the sides of the casing and the handles or knobs being for the purpose of transmitting the current to the operator, who depresses them to intensify the current, and thereby causes the rotation of the pointer 3 through the intermediary of the arbor 4 and readiness to engage with a tooth 21, formed on the side of a plunger 22, which is projected normally into the coin-slot 16 at its lower end and has its upper end secured to the crosshead 8, thereby holding the cross-head and handles 15 from being depressed until the locking-dog 17 has been forced outwardly by the coin, which is shown at 23 in Fig. 7, the normal position of the tooth 21 being slightly above the dog 17, so as to permit the plunger to move a sufficient distance before the tooth 21 reaches the dog 17 to push the coin against the shoulder or cam 19 and project the dog 17 beyond the path of the tooth 21. When the coin passes the shoulder 19, it falls from the coin-slot into a drawer or coin-receptacle 24, inserted through the front side of the casing and having a staple 25 on its inner end projected through a slot 26 in the back 27 of the cabinet and held by a lock 28 or other fastening device, thus serving the twofold purpose of holding the drawer from being withdrawn through the front and preventing the back 27 from being withdrawn from the rear, the back 27 being held at the upper end by pins or dowels 29.

30 represents a solenoid or the secondary coil of an induction-coil which is arranged in a vertical position and has one of it's terminals 31 connected to theguide-rod 10 by means of a binding-post 32 or other suitable device and its other terminal 33 connected to the guide-rod 9 by binding-post 34 or other suitable means, and the handles 15 are electrically connected with the rods 9 10, respectively, by means of conductors 35, while they are insulated, of course, from each other, thus placing each handle in electrical communication with one terminal of the solenoid 30 at a point throughout the height of the guiderods 10. In the base of the cabinet or casing or at any other convenient point is arranged a battery or series of cells 36, having one of its terminals 37 connected to an isolating contact-plate 38, while the other terminal 39 is connected to one pole of a vibrator or buzzer 40, and the other pole of thevibrator 40 is connected by conductor 41 to one terminal of a helix 42, whose other terminal 43 is connected to a contact-plate44, carried on the cross-head 8. This contact-plate 44 is provided with a pair of spring-tongues 45, which constitute a friction-hold and which grip a vertical rod 46, constituting a switch and adapted to impinge the contact-plate 38 when the cross-head 8, together with the rod 46, is depressed, thus closing the circuit from the battery 36 through the buzzer or vibrator and the helix 42. This switch-rod 46 is guided at its upper end by an eye 47, secured to the cross-bar 11, which eye permits the rod 46 to freely rise and fall at will; but bearing against the rodi46 is a'catch 48, which is adapted to engage in a notch 49, formed in the upper end of the rod, and thus prevent the friction-hold 45 from pulling the rod 46 downwardly and closing the circuit through the contact 38. When the cross-head Sis in its normal or elevated position, however, the catch 48 is held out of engagement with the notch 49 by means of a tailpiece 50 on the catch 48, which has a curved end, as clearly shown in Figs. 4 to 6, inclusive, adapted to be engaged by the cross-head 8 and deflected outwardly, so as to hold the catch 48 away from the rod 46. Hence should it be attempted to close the circuit without inserting a coin the downward movement of the switch-rod 46 would be prevented by the locking-dog 17; but as soon as the locking-dog 17 is deflected the rod 46 may be depressed with the cross-head 8 until it engages with the contact 38, and the springs or friction-hold 45. after that will simply slide down the rod 46; but it is obvious that shouid the operator permit the handles 15 to rise even a slight distance and then attempt to again depress them for closing the circuit through contact 38 a second time the upward movement of the cross-head 8 would also cause the rod 46 to rise and bring the notch 49 therein into engagement with the catch 48, which would hold it until the cross-headhad risen into engagement with the tailpiece 50, and after that had occurred it would be impossible to again depress the cross-head, because of the engagement of the notch 21 by the dog 17.

The helix 42 is also carried by the crosshead 8, and it constitutes the primary coil of the induction-coil of which the solenoid 30 is the secondary coil, and the helix 42 is wound upon acore 51 and supported directly over the passage through the solenoid 30, so that whenthe cross-head 8 is depressed the helix 42 and core 51 will-enter the solenoid 30, and thereby constitute an induction-coil and induce a secondary current-in the coil of the solenoid, which will be communicated by the conductors 31 33 to the handles 15 via the guide-rods 9 l0 and conductors 35. It will thus be seen that the current will be closed through the primary coil and vibrator and as soon as the switch 46 engages with the contact 38; but no 'currentwill be felt in the handles 15 until the primary coil or helix 42 enters the secondary battery coil or solenoid 30, and as a consequence the secondary current felt in the handles 15 may be graduated from nothing to the maximum current of which the apparatus is capable.

The armature of the vibrator is provided with a bell-clapper 52, and secured to the cross-head 8 is a hell or gong 53, which comes into contact with the clapper 52 when the cross-head reaches the limit of its downward movement and the current is at its maxim um.

The dial 3 is provided with two apertures 54, and mounted behind the dial is a disk 55, which is journaled loosely on the arbor 4 and is provided with a ratchet-wheel 56, engaged by a spring or pawl 57, secured to and carried around by the arbor 4. \Vhen the cross-head 8 is suddenly released after having been depressed, the pawl or spring 57 engages with the ratchet 56 and rapidly rotates the disk 55, which continues its rotation after the crosshead 8 reaches its upward movement by virtue of its momentum, and the face of thedisk 55 is provided'with a series of difierently-colored spots 58, arranged in line with the apertures 54, so that when the disk 55 ceases to rotate two of these spots 55" will be opposite the apertures 54, respectively. The colored spots 58 on the disk 55 may be made to correspond with differently-colored cards 59, contained in a frame 60 in the front of the cabinet, and each card being printed with a fortune or other prediction, or, if desired, the printed matter may be placed directly on the disk 55, so as to be disclosed through suitable apertures, such as 54, in the dial 3.

While I have described the vibrator 40 separate from the core 57 and provided with the bell-clapper 52, it is nevertheless obvious that the vibrator, if desired, might be arranged directly on the core 51, as is usual in induction-coils.

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

1. In an apparatus for the purpose described the combination of a handle, means for closing a circuit through said handle when the latter is moved, a coin-slot, a plunger working through said slot and connected with said handle and a locking-dog for said plunger having a portion adapted to be engaged by the coin for releasing said dog from the plunger, substantially as set forth.

2. In an apparatus for the purpose described the combination of a handle, means for closing a circuit through said handle when the latter is moved, a coin-slot, a plunger working in said slot and connected with said handle and having a tooth in the side thereof, a dog engaging with said tooth and having a cam projecting into said slot in the path of the coin and adapted to support the coin in the slot preparatory to ejectment by the plunger, substantially as set forth.

3. In an apparatus for the purpose described the combination of a yieldingly-supported cross-head, a handle secured to each end thereof, vertical guide-rods on which said cross-head slides, a coin -actuated lock for holding said cross-head against movement and means for closing a circuit through said handles when the cross-head is moved, substantially as set forth.-

L. In an apparatus for the purpose described the combination of a handle, a friction-hold movable in unison therewith,-an electric circuit having one terminal connected with said friction-hold, an isolated contact connected with the other terminal of said circuit, a switch carried by said friction-hold and adapted to engage said isolated contact, a catch fixed with relation to said switch and adapted to hold the same when separated from said isolated contact and a coin-controlled mechanism for locking said handle, substantially as set forth.

5. In an apparatus for the purpose described the combination of a handle, a friction-hold movable in unison therewith, an electric circuit having one terminal connected with said friction-hold, an isolated contact connected with the other terminal of said circuit, a switch carried by said friction-hold, a catch fixed with relation to said switch and adapted to engage and hold the same, a part movable in unison with said handle for disen- 5 gaging said catch and a coin-controlled lock for said handle, substantially as set forth.

6. In an apparatus for the purpose described the combination of a sliding crosshead having handles thereon, a friction-hold on said cross-head, an electric circuit having one terminal connected with said frictionhold, an isolated contact connected with the other terminal of said friction-hold, a switch carried by said friction-hold and adapted to engage said isolated contact, and having a notch, the fixed catch 48 adapted to engage said notch and having a tailpiece adapted to be deflected by said cross-head and a coincontrolled mechanism for locking said friction-hold, substantially as set forth.

7. In an apparatus for the purpose described the combination of a handle, an isolated contact, an electric circuit with one terminal of which said contact is connected, a switch movable with said handle and connected with the other terminal of said circuit and adapted to connect with said isolated contact, means for holding said switch out of connection with said contact when separated therefrom, means for releasing the last said means and a coin-controlled mechanism for holding the last said releasing means against movement, substantially as set forth.

8. In an apparatus for the purpose described the combination of a handle, an elec tric circuit, an isolated contact con nected with one terminal of said circuit, a switch connected with the other terminal of said circuit and movable in unison with said handle, said han dle being 'also capable of movement independently of said switch, a catch for holding said switch while the handle moves in one direction, means for releasing said catch when the handle is restored to its normal position and a coin-controlled lock for holding said releasing means, substantially as set forth,

9. In an apparatus for the purpose described the combination of a handle, an elec* tric circuit, an isolated contact connected with one terminal of said circuit, a switch connected with the other terminal of said circuit, means for moving said switch in unison with said handle toward said isolated contact, detaining means for holding said switch against movement toward said contact, means for rendering said detaining means inactive when the handle is locked and a coin-controlled means for locking the handle when said detaining means is inactive, substantially as set forth.

BETHUEL M. DAVIS. Witnesses:

F. A. HOPKINS, EDNA B. JOHNSON.