US893493A - Coin-controlled postal-card-dispensing machine. - Google Patents

Description

, iJ-ATHNTHD JULY 14,' 1908. H. H. & H. o'. HARRIS. 4 G01N GONTHOLLHD POSTAL GARD DISPHNSINGVMAGHINH.

PPLIOATION FILED MAY 3, 1907.

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No. 893,493. PATHNT'HD JULY 14, 1908.

H. H. @A H. c. HARRIS. I

G01N GONTHOLLHD POSTAL GARD DISPHHSING MACHINE.

APPLIOATION FILED MAY 3,1190?.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

@Vi bussen A PATENTED JULY 14, 17908. H. H. L H. C. HARRIS.l

` COIN G`0NTROLLED POSTAL GARD DISPENSIANG MACHINE.

APPLIoATIoN HLBD MAY 3, 1907.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

l 61mm,

HARVEY H. HARRIS AND HENRY C.

HARRIS, OF COWGILL, MISSOURI.

COIN-CONTROLLED POSTAL-CARD-DISPENSING MACHINE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 14, 1908.

Application filed May 3, 1907- Serial No. 371,618.

To all whom it may concern.'

Be it known that we, HARVEY H. HARRIs and HENRY C. HARRIs, citizens of the United States, residing at Cowgill, in the county of Caldwell and State of Missouri, have invented new and useful Improvements in Coin-Controlled Postal-Card-Dispensing Machines, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to a coin-controlled postal card dispensing machine of that type in which the vcards are cut off a ribbon that is ada ted to be fed througlra cutting device whereliy a card can be severed from the ribbon every time a coin is dropped into the machine and the operating crank turned.

The invention has for one of its objects to improve and Simplify the construction and operation of devices of this character so as tobe comparatively easy and inexpensive to manufacture, readily charged and ,manipulated, and thoroughly reliable and eflicient in use.

A further object 'of the invention is the provision of a souvenir postal card dispensing machine provided with a feeding device with controlling means-whereby the postal card ribbon can be fed forwardly a length equal to one card for every coin that is dropped intothe machine.

A still further object is the employment of an automatic cutting device for severing the postal cards from the ribbon simultaneously with the stopping of the ribbon feeding dev1ce.

With these objects in view and others, as will appear as the description proceeds, the invention comprises the various novel features of construction and arrangement of parts which will be more fully described hereinafter and set forth 'with particularity in the claims appended hereto.`

In the accom anying drawings, which illustrate one of t e embodiments of the invention, Figure 1 is a vertical section of the machine. Fig. 2 is a side view thereof with the casing removed. Fig. 3 is a central ver` tical section ofthe safety coin receptacle. Fig. 4 is a detail view of the cutter or knife and cam `device for actuating the same. Fig. 5 is a detail view of the feed rolls. Fig. 6 is Aa .detail sectional view showing the manually actuated device for discharging `the coin from the chute to actuate thedetent of the operating 'crank locking means. Fig. 7

is a fragmentary plan view showing the ribbon roll and supporting means therefor.

Similar reference characters are employed to designate corresponding parts throughout the several views.

Referring to the drawing, A designates the metal or other framework of the machine inclosed in a suitable casing B provided with a hinged back 1, as lshown in Fig. 1, the framework and casing'being of any approved construction. The front 2 of the casing is provided with a horizontal slot 3 forming a mouth through which the ostal cards are discharged, there being a legge or rest 4 eX- tending outwardly from the front to hold the cards after they have been severed from the ribbon. The front has an opening 5 that is closed by a pane of glass 6 or other transparent medium through which a plurality of post cards are exposed, while feeding from the spool to the cuttingy device.

At the top of the framework A is a spool 6 carrying the ribbon 7 of postal cards. The ribbon 7 passes forwardly from the spool to a guide roll` S and thence vertically throughA grooved members or guides 9 that receive the longitudinal edges of the ribbon and hold the latter in a vertical position behind the window or opening 5. At the bottom of the guides 9 are horizontal rolls 10 and 11 for feeding the ribbon forwardly, the rolls being preferably of rubber and mounted on shafts 12 and13. As shown in Figs. 1 and 5, the shaft 12 is journaled in slidable bearing blocks 14 that are pressed by a bowespring 15 in a direction to yieldingly maintain the roll 10 in coperative relation with the roll 1 1. The middle of the spring 15 is securedto an adjustable cross-piece 1,6 having its ends movably disposed between the horizontal members 17 of the frame A that serve as a guidew'ay for the slidable bearing blocks and cross- -piece 16., The tension of the spring 15 may be varied by an adjusting screw 18 threaded in a cross-piece 19 and bearing against the rear side of the cross-piece 16. The rollsl'lO and 11 constitute a feeding device, and the shaft 13 ofthe roll 11 is provided with an operating crank 20, the said shaft being-extended through the wall of the casing for receiving the operating crank. Intermedivate the feed rolls 10 and 11 and slot 3 is a horizontal deilector or guide 21 that is inclined downwardly and forwardly from u nder vao' ' retard the free rotation of the latter.

the roll 10 so as to direct.v the free end of the ribbon outwardly through the slot 3 as the ribbon 7 is advanced by the turning of the crank. The spool or'roll 6 has its journals 22, as shown in Figs. 2 and 7 mounted in notches 23 inthe top cross-pieces 24 of the framework A, the said notches forming bearings for `removably supporting the spool. The spool is retained in position by leaf springs 25 arranged on the member '24 to extend across the journals and to remove the spool it is merely necessary to flex the springs upwardly for permitting the journals to be disengagedfrom the bearing notches. The ribbons of postal cards are supplied on their own s ools and when the spool'inthe machine ecomes empty, it is taken out and a full one substituted. To prevent the ribbon from unwinding too freely, the dampening device is employed. A This comprises a disk or pulley 26 lthat is removably attached to one of the journals 22 that is extended for this purpose and a leaf spring 27 attached to the framework A at one end and frictionally engaging at its other end the disk 26, so as to Obviously, this disk is taken 0E each time an `empty spool is removed and placed 'on the full spool that is substituted.

Since the postal cards are attached together in ribbon form, it is necessary to employ ,a simple device for severing the postal cards as the ribbon is fed forwardly, and for this purpose a knife 28 is provided that has a sharp cutting edge 29 that cooperates with a Astationary handle or cutting member 30 disposed between the bottom edge of the deflector 21 and slot 3 at a point above the ribbon. The knife 28 swings on a horizontal shaft 31 journaled on the framework A at a point below the level of the feed rolls, the blade being bolted or otherwise suitably secured to a plate 32 rigidly secured to the shaft 31 and adjustably connected with a helical extension spring 33 suitably anchored at one end on the framework ofthe machine;

At one end, the shaft 31v is provided with a crank arm 34, as clearly shown in Figs. 4 and 5 that has mounted on its free extremities an anti-friction roller 35 arrangedin the path of a snail-cam 36 keyed or otherwise suitably secured to the shaft 13 of the feed roll 11 so that simultaneously with the feeding of the ribbon by theturning of the operating crank 20, the knife 28 will be moved downwardly to the dotted line position shown in Fig. 1 to thereby energize the spring 33 and cause the knife to move forcibly upward for severing the lowermost postal card. The feed rolls 10 and 11 are so proportioned that one turn of the crank will advance the ribbon 7 a'distance corresponding to the length of the postal card, and the knife operating mechan.- lsm is so designed that the knife will `come into play at the very time that one card has Y been fed forwardly, or simultaneously with the stopping of the operating crank; In Fig. 4, the cam 36 is shown in a position assumed just after theknife has 4severed a card, the roller 35 having passed off the high point of the cam to the lowest.

In order to prevent more than one card to be dispensed throu h the agenye of one coin, a coin-controlled l(locking device is used for locking the operating crank 20 after one card has been dis ensed. A coin chute 37 is provided that has its up er openend 38 arranged at the front of "ille machine, ,while its lower end 39 terminates at a point slightly above the level of the feed rolls. On the framework A is fulcrumed at 40, a detent 41 dis osed at one end under the discharge end o the chute 37 so as to be in the path of the coin dropped through the latter. The detent is pressed by a compressionspring 42 that normally holds the detent. against a stop 43, as shown in Fig. 2. O n the shaft 13 is a disk-or wheel 44 that carries a pivot'ed locking member 45. While the detent is in normal osition, its forward end engages the mem er 45, thereby preventing the Shaft 13 bein turned by the operating crank 20. The loe g member 45 is acted on by a f coiled s ring 46 in such a manner as to snap under t e' detent when the vforward end thereof is Araised through the medium of the coin in the chute so that the crank can be freely turned. Arranged on the disk is a stop pin 47 for limiting the movement of the lockmember, as shown by dotted lines in Fig. 2. To limit the rotation of the shaft 13-to a clockwise direction, va ratchet wheel 47 is provided on the shaft 13 with which coperates a gravity acting pawl,48. n Lthe disk 44 is a peripheral extension 49 that passes under the detent and holds the latter raised during the first uarter revolution of the shaft 13. AfterVA t e crank has been turned throu h one revolution, the locking lmember 45 wi enga e the detent and thereby prevent the sha t from being again turned until the detent has been actuated by a coin.

When a coin .is dropped into the chute'37, it will come to rest in the'hottom thereof by the detent and positive means are employed to operate through the coin to actuate the detent'. This means comprises a push-rod feo 50 extending vertically and guidedvon -the .v

framework with its uplper endprojectng out of the casing so as to e manually actuated.. The lower end of the rod, which latter is offset at 51, to extend along one side of the chute/37, is hingedly connected with a lever 52 fulcrumed at 53 on the framework and arranged with its free end ext'ending into a .slot 54 of the chute so as vto engage over the coin 5,5 and expel it from the chute. Theexpelling lever 52 is acted on by a leaf spring 56 secured to the framework and arranged to holdvthe lever raised and out of the path of the coin as it passes down the chute. Below and in line with the chute, isl a coin receptacle 57 that is secured to the framework by strap loops 58 and a spring latch 59. By flexing the latch 59 tothe left, Fig. 3, the safety coin receptacle can be slipped out of the loops 58 in a downward direction. The bottom of the receptacle is hingedly connected to the body and is normally held in closed position by a lock 60, thekey of which is held .by some authorized person. The top of the coin receptacle 57 has an inwardly converging mouth v60 formed by downwardly inclined members 61 secured to the side walls. Below the mouth isa hinged keeper 62 pivoted at its upper' edge at 63 and normally resting on a stop 64. The coins enter the receptacle 57 through the mouth 60 and drop on the inclined keeper 62 and slide thereon and fall vthrough the space between the lower edge of the keeper and adjacent side wall lof the receptacle. This keeper prevents the coins from being worked out of the mouth should anyone attempt to extract the money. That is to say, should the re ceptacle 57 be removed and inverted in an attempt to empty the same, the keeper will fall to the dotted line position, as shown in Fig. 3, land therebypositively prevent the money from being worked out.

In practice, the machine is placed in stores and other public places where anyone can operate the machine to receive a souvenir postalcard or the like by depositing an a propriete coin. The coin is dropped into t e chute 37 and the push-rod 50 thereafter depressed so as to cause the coin to actuate the detent 41. The locking member 45 thereupon springs under the front end of the detent so as to permit the operating crank Ito be turned. It will thus be seen that three operations are necessary, namely, the dropping of the coin, the pressing of the rod 50, and the turning of the crank 20, these being carried out in successive order. By one turn ofthe crank, the ribbon 7 is fed forwardly and a postal card slipped off the lower end thereof, after which the crank will be automatically locked. The severed card will be received by the rest 4 and held thereon until removed by the person 'using the machine. It will thus be seen that the cards can be dispensed one at a time until the spool 6 is emptied. When this occurs, no more cards can be exposed through the window or opening 5 and in their stead will be viewed a curtain 65'having the word "empty"7 thereon so as to inform thepublic that the machine is no longer'charged so that it would be useless to drop in any morecoins.

From the foregoing description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, the advantagesof the construction and of the method of o eration will be readily a parent to those s illed in the art to which t e invention appertains, and while we have described the principle of operation of the invention, together with the apparatuswhich we now consider to rbe the best embodiment thereof, we desire to have it understood that the apparatus shown is merely. illustrative and that such changes may be made when desired as are within the-scope of the claims. Having thus described the invention, what we claim is 1. In a machine of the class described, the combination of a strip -carrying roll, feed rolls between which the strip passes, a crank Afor operating the feed rolls, a ratchet and pawl device for preventing the crank from being turned in reverse direction, a cutter, an arm connected with the cutter for oscillating the same, a cam rotating with the crank and engaging the arm for moving the cu ter in one direction, a spring arranged and ad pted to move the cutter during its cutting stroke and to hold the arm in engagement with the cam, a locking device arranged and adapte/d to automatically set for preventing the crank from turning, and'manually actuated means arranged to release the locking device to permit the-crank to be turned.

Z. In a machine of the class described, the combination of a strip-carryingroll, a pair of feed rolls, a rest disposed in coperative relation to the rolls, means for guiding the strip to be cut-from the rolls to the rest, a shaft, a cutter fixed on the shaft to oscillate about the latter as a center, an arm on one end of the shaft, an operating shaft, means between the operating shaft and arm for actuating the latter, means for preventing the operating shaft from turning in reversey direction, means coperating with the cam for actuating the cutter, a locking device including a detent for arresting rotation of the operating shaft after the cutter has completed its cutting stroke, and manuallyv actuated means for releasing the detent.

3. In a-machine of the class described, the combination of a strip-carrying roll, a pair of feed rolls, grooved guides arranged to receive l the edges of the strip in assing from the strip-carryingrolls to the eed rolls, a driving meansconnected lwith one of the feed rolls, and a locking device controlling said driving means, said device comprising a rotatable element, a spring-pressed member on the element, a springactuated lever arranged to engage the member for arresting the said driving means', and means for actuating the lever for releasing the locking device.

4. In a machine `of the class described, the

combination of a pair of feed rolls, a crank connected with one of the feed rolls, a ratchet wheel, a pawl cooperating therewith for controlling the direction of rotation with the crank, a pivoted member rotating the crank, van element mounted to engage the member for preventing turning of the crank, manual means vfor disengaging the element from the member, and means for actuating the member to a position to hold the element disengaged to permit the crank to be turned.

5. In a machine of the class described, the combination of a pair of feed rolls, shafts on which the rolls `are mounted, a crank connected with one of the shafts, a ratchet and pawl mechanism for preventing the crank from, turning in a reverse direction, an eleme'nt rotating with the crank, a pivoted member thereon, a spring pressing on the member, a lever arranged to engage the member7 manually actuated means for releasing the lever from the member, a cutter, and means forA actuatingl the cutter by the crank, said lever and member being so arranged as to automatically lock the crank against turning when the cutter has .completed its cutting stroke.

6. In a machine of theclass described, the

combination of ribbon feeding rolls, a crank shaft for one of the rolls, a rotatable element secured to the shaft, a locking member thereon, a detent arranged in the' path of the' locking member, means for releasing the de'- tent from the member, and a spring for throwing the locking member under the detent to permit the crank shaft to be rotated. 7. In a'machine of the class described, the combination of a feeding device including a shaft mounted for rotation, a member rotatablevtherewith, a detent foi1 engaging the member to lock the shaft, and means for preventing the shaft from rotating in reverse direction, a swinging cutter, a crank arm connected with the cutter, a snail-cam on the shaft for actuating the crank-arm to move the cutter in one direction, and a quick aeting device for moving the cutter in the opposite direction. v

` In testimony whereof, we aflix our signatures in presence'of two witnesses.

HARVEY H. HARRIS. HENRY o. HARRIS.

Witnesses:

J. W. RICE, J. F. MoNEw.

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