US1753949A - Coin-controlled clock - Google Patents

Description

April 8, 1930. w, D, SHAFER 1,753,949

COIN CONTROLLED cLbcx Filed July 5, 1927 3 Sheets-Sheet l April 8, 1930;

w. D. SHAFER COIN CONTROLLED CLOCK Filed July 5, 1927 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 April 8, 1930. w. D. SHAFER 1,753,949 com CONTROLLED dLocK Filed July 5, 1927 3 Sheets-Skeet s zw'zgzewakr.

w iillll t 3 Ill 1 H I I I I I l I l II a in Z! 1 1 I u n Ill/Ill Patented Apr. 3, 193% UNETEC STATES @FFEE I WILLIS D. SHAFER, OF CHICAGO, ILLIHOIS, ASSIGNOR TO SHAFEB-HALLIGAN-COMP- TON, INC, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OF ILLINOIS COKE-CONTROLLED CLOCK Application filed July 5, 1927. Serial No. 203,549.

My invention relates to coin controlled clocks. and is intended primarily to be used in connection with coin savings banks-devices, frequently referred to as clock banks.

One of the objects of the invention is to provide a simple and efficient savings device so constructed that in order to wind the clock a coin must be deposited, thus creating an in centive to periodic savin s One of the more specific objects is to provide an advantageous form of locking device for preventin winding of the clock, which device may be unlocked only through the agency of a coin, thus making it necessary to deposit a coin before the clock can be wound.

Another object is to provide mechanism so constructed that the user may, if he wish, deposit a coin without winding the clock or without releasing the lock.

Another object is to provide coin controlled mechanism the admission slot of which is my coin-controlled clociz bank comprises a casing 2 having a front opening in which.

normally closed to exclude dust and other foreign matter, and to compel the one who would wind the cloclr to open the slot to receive the coin by means of a push button so that the coin is received and held in the right position for, winding without further actuation of levers. 7

Further objects of-niy invention are to provide a coin-controlled mechanism formed primarily of sheet metal of simple parts arranged to be easily assembled within a clock casing of standard construction and operable upon the winding shaft of the clock thereof so as to prevent the winding of the shaft unless coin is inserted; to provide a guard or shutter for preventing the coins from being removed whether by accident or design after they have been deposited and to provide these and other objects of invention which will be apparent from a perusal of the following specification when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings wherein,

Figure 1 is a front view of the complete clock bank,

Figure 2 is a rear view thereof with the back plate oil,

Figure 3 is a view of the inside of the back plate,

Figure l is a perspective view of the spring detent for locking the winding shaft,

Figure 5 is a fragmentary view of the construction shown in Figure 3 but with a coin in position,

Figure 6 is a rear view of the back plate,

Figure 7 is a side sectional view of the clock,

Figure 8 is a section on line 8-8 of Figure 7 Figure 9 is a section on line 99 of Figure 7.

Figures 10, 11 and 12 are sectional views of the coin controlled mechanism for locking the winding shaft, the same being shown in successive positions of operation.

Referring now to the drawings in detail,

is mounted the face of the clock 4 provided with the usual winding stem 6 projecting rearwardly thereof. In addition the clock has the usual fast and slow adjusting mechanism, controlled by the usual lever 7.

The bottom of the casing is closed by a sheet metal plate 8 having means for fastening to the casing. In addition thebottom plate is formed with a hole for the insertion of paper money when rolled into compact form. r

The clock is held in position within the cas in any desirable manner; in the present instance I provide rear partition comprising a sheet metal plate 12 to which the rim 14 of theclock may be attached. This partition is formed with lateral flanges 16 which in turn are fastened to the inside walls of the casing 2 so that the clock is effectively partitioned from the coin controlled mechanism hereinafter described. Ample room is provided beneath the clock within the casing for sage of the m as receiving and containing the accumulation of coins which are inserted in order to wind the clock. Partition member 12 is formed with a suitable number of apertures for the passetting stem 18, the winding stem (3, and the t and slow adjustment.

In the present instance the winding stem is shown as carried by a rear plate and as projecting inwardly therefrom and formed on its inner end with an angular portion 22 adapted to be inserted within a correspondgly shaped bore of the winding mechanism of the clocl: not shown. On its outermost end he winding stem has he usual finger turna V In addition the winding stem c with a detent mechanism, pref- 'n the form of oppositely extending adapt d to be engaged by a cooperaclring mechanism controlled by a coin, ,sirable the stem 6 may be formed perianently as a part of the clock and project t-ut vardly through a hole in the partition.

he detent or locking mechanism which enes t 1e pins 26 is preferably formed as a resilient elonga'tes strip of metal which may 2e shaped shown in Figure 4, altho its form may, of course, be varied. It is fasten-ed at its lower end to the basal part of the casing 2 and partition 12 and in a manner so that its upper end is resiliently pressed outwardly. in the form shown the strip 28 is shaped so that even though it is fastened to one side of the bottom of the partition 12, its upper end extends opposite the winding aft which is located approximately opposite the center line. of the partition. In order to secure this disposition, the strip is cut to provide a lo ver lateral or inclined portion 30, an intermediate vertical portion 32 and an upper laterally extending portion. The last mentioned portion is formed with a perforation 36 through which passes the winding Jhaft 6 and is also provided with two adja- '-.-.ntly disposed and oppositely extending 23th or dctc ts 38 which are norn'lally disosed to enga e the pins 26 on the winding ."haft. The vertical portion of the strip 28 is ormed with two laterally bent lugs 40 arin spaced relation and projectable a 1 slots in the par tition l2 and the strip bore these is bent outwardly as at as to project through a relatively wide Ioaned in the partition plate 12. As noted the upper end of the strip 3 presses outwardly and the ses through the bore 36 a e {L DR.- :l at the teeth 38 engage the pins haft and hold it from rotation. is hence locked from winding movement.

Means are rnnvided for pressing the lateral lugs l0 of the dctcnt strip inwardly to force the upper end of the detent inwardly to release the teeth from the pins 26 on the shaft that the winding shaft may be ees wound. To this end the rear plate 20 is suitably punched or pressed out to provide an upper inset and a lower inset. The upper inset 4L6 is formed by punching or pressing the metal of the plate inwardly as shown in Figure 6 while the lower inset 48 is formed by pressing in the metal from the other direction. The intervening metal forms a horizontal ledge or shelf 50 and I suitably slot this ledge to provide a coin-insert slot 52. The lower inset is formed on its inner wall with two inwardly extending stripper members preferably formed by soldering them to the inner face of the inset. Alternatively they may be formed by punching the metal in if desired.

I also provide a hand actuated coin moving member 5% for causing the coin itself to press against the lugs 40 and bring about the releasing movement of the strip 28 which controls the shaft 6. In the preferred embodiment this coin moving member comprises a metal strip 54 attached at its base 56 to the back plate 20. At its upper end-the strip 54" is bent outwardly so as to project into the lower inset l8 and to lie parallel therein.

This outwardly bent strip portion is formed v on its inner face with two spaced slots 58 through which the stripper members 55 project. In addition the marginal portions of that portion of the coin moving member 54 which is adapted to lie within the lower inset are formed with flanges 60 to provide a coin guide or pocket. The lower portions of these flanges converge inwardly to form a coin retaining poc ret. The upper flange 62 is formed with a slot 64 to receive the coin therethrough and this flange corresponds in width to the horizontal ledge between the upper and lower insets. lVhen the back plate 20 is secured in position so as to close the rear of the casing, the coin actuating member 54: lies opposite the lateral lugs 40 and the upper portion of the part- S lies within the lower inset, shown in Figure 10 ot' the drawings. The front part of the upper flange 62 normally covers the slot 52 of the horizontal ledge. The rearmost face of the coin actuating member 54 is provided with an outwardly projecting finger piece (i l which extends through a hole in the face of the lower inset l8 so that when the parts are in operative position shown in Figure 10 and a coin is inserted in the slot 52 and the finger piece 64 is pushed inwardly the front flange 62 of the coin actuator will be moved inwardly to uncover the slot 52 and the coin will then drop into posi tion opposite the pocket in the coin actuator 5-1 formed by the flanges 60, as shown in F ure 5 of the drawings. The stripper members 55 prevent the coin from lodging within the pocket. Continued movement of the coin actuator inwardly then causes the coin to press inwardly the lateral lugs 44- of the detent strip 28 to cause the teeth 38 to release Ill) the pins so that the stem may be wound. When the stem has been sufficiently wound the operator releases the finger piece 646" and the strip 54 returns to position within the lower inset. At the same time the projecting stripper members prevent the coin from coming into the seat formed by the flanges so that the coin is compelled to fall by gravity down into the bottom of the casing.

Means are provided for preventing the return of the coin through the coin slot. This comprises the outwardly extending stationary flange 66 on the partition member and a shutter 68 pivotally mounted on the side walls of the casing, This shutter 68 has an upstanding portion 70 which engages a spring '52, the upper end of which is fastened to the rear face of the partition plate. The lower end of the spring passes through the stationary partition and resiliently presses against the upstanding portion 70 to keep the flange 68 in substantially horizontal position. lVhen a coin drops down the coin chute, the weight of the coin is su'llicient to press down the flange, whereas after the coin has passed therebelow, the spring will hold the flange in raised position so that the coin can not pass back out of the storage chamber.

It will be seen that I have provided a simple construction of clock bank wherein most of the parts are made of sheet metal stampings and in a manner that they are readily assemblable in a clock casing of practically ordinary and standard construction. The de tent 28 is arranged in a simple manner to cooperate with the winding stem of the clock and eifectively to hold the stem in locked position until released by a coin inserted in the coin slot. I

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

l. A coin controlled clock having a casing provided with a storage receptacle for the coins, clock mechanism, a lock for prevent ng the same from being wound, said lock being adapted to be released when pressed by a com, a hand controlled temporary receptacle for temporarily holding a coin in posit on to press laterally upon the lock, and a stationary ejector projecting into the temporary receptacle for ejecting the coin therefrom when said temporary receptacle returns to non-acting position.

2. In a device of the class described, a casing, a clock mechanism therein having a winding member, a shiftable member for locking the winding member, said casing having a coin slot, a shiftable coin guide havmg a portion normally closing the coinslot and adapted to be moved to permit the insertion of the coin and the passage of the coin into the guide opposite the shift-able member, and means for actuating the coin gulde.

8. In a device of the class described, a casing, a clock mechanism therein having a winding member, a shiftable member for locking the winding member, said casing having a coin slot, a shiftable coin guide having a portion normally closing the coin slot and having a slot, a stripper adapted to project through the slot, said shiftable guide being constructed and arranged to be moved to permit the insertion of the coin through the slot and the passage of the coin into the guide 0pposite the shiftable member and the movement of the coin into contact with the shiftable member to actuate the latter, said stripper being operable to strip the coin from the shiftable guide.

4:. In a clock bank, the combination of a casing a clock mechanism therein having a winding stem, a sheet metal strip having a locking member ada ated to engage the stem to prevent turning thereof, said strip having integral lugs extending therefrom, a second sheet metal strip attached'at its lower end to the rasing and having an upper portion forming a coin guide adapted to receive the coin and position it opposite the lugs of the first mentioned strip and means for shifting the second strip to press the coin into contact with said lugs to actuate the locking member.

5. In a clock bank, the combination of a casing, a clock mechanism therein having a winding stem, a sheet metal partition en closing the clock mechanism within the casing and having an aperture through which the stem projects, a relatively long sheet metal strip disposed within the partition and having its upper end projecting through a slot in the partition to a point outside of the partition adjacent the winding stem and having a lug projecting through another slot in the partition, cooperative lockingmechanism on said stem and the upper part of the strip, a sheet metal back for the casing, a second sheet metal strip attached to said back and shiftable relatively thereto toward and from the lugs on the strip, said second strip forming a coin guide adapted to position a coin adjacent the lugs and means for actuating the second strip toward the lugs projecting through the partition.

6. In a device of the class described, a clock Winding mechanism, means including a shiftable member for controlling the opera tion of the clock winding mechanism, a shiftable member formed to receive a coin, said member having a slot, a stripper arranged to project through said slot when in retracted position, means for moving said member to coin receiving position and to a position in which the coin engages the shiftable clock winding control member.

7. A clock bank comprising a casing having clock mechanism arranged therein, a clock winding mechanism, a shiftable member for controlling the operation of said clock Winding mechanism, a second shiftable member formed to provide a coin rcceptacle, said sec ond shiftable member having a slot, a stripper member adapted to project through said slot when the shi'ftable member is in retracted position and means for advancing said member to a position in Which a coin deposited in said receptacle forms operative lateral engagement With said clock Winding control member to shift the same to release the clock windingmechanism for operation.

In Witness whereof, I have hereunto subscribed my name.

WVILLIS D. SHAFER.

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