US1732446A - Coin-controlled and coin-collecting mechanism - Google Patents

Description

Oct. 22. 1929.

1.]. e. LYDECZKER Filed July 5, 1928 d Sheets-Sheet ATTORN EY Oct. 22, 1929.

J. G. LYDECKER COIN CONTROLLED AND COIN COLLECTING MECHANISM Filed Jul; 5,, 1928 3 Sheets-Sheet E N R O T A Oct. 22, 1929. J. G. LYDECKER 001). CONTROLLED AND COIN COLLEGTINQ IECHRNISM' Filed July 5, 192B 5 Sheets-Sheet m n m. u a

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ifiiil aiml Fatented Oct 2 2 192?;

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE JOHN GEORGE LYDECKEB, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNOR, BY MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, TO E. Z. E. CUSHION CORPORATION, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., A CORPORATION OF DELAWARE COIN-CONTROLLED AND COIN-COLLECTING- MECHANISM Application filed July 5, 1928. Serial No. 290,353.

My present invention refers to that classfi Figure 2 is a similar partial front eleva-' of automatic vending machinery commonly described as coin-controlled locking and unlocking mechanism operated by the insertion oi a coin or similar unit thereinto; and more particularly it relates to means for collecting from the coin-controlled locking devices the coins so inserted and used to actuate the same, said collecting means being fully protected mechanically against any unauthorized appropriation of the coins by the collecting agent.

While, as above stated, the invention relates more particularly to a coin-collecting mechanism, the coin-controlled locking means is to a large extent, in accordance with my lnvention, so constructed as to cooperate with the collecting means in accomplishing the purposes of the invention. 2 The collecting means, as also the com-actuated lock devices, may be applied to a large variety of objects and purposes, and the collecting agencies may obviously be adapted to a wide field of coin-controlled machines; but a specimen device, which I offer and describe for explanatory and illustrative purposes only and with no intention of being confined thereto, consists in the combination with the coin-controlled locking devices and collecting means of a box or receptacle used to contain seat cushions or pads and similar articles.

With these and other objects in view, the invention may be said to consist essentially in the construction, arrangement and combination of: parts, substantially as will be hereinafter described and then particularly pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawingsillustrating my invention:

Figure 1 is a front elevation of my improved coin-controlled locking mechanism and collecting means therefor, shown as operatively applied to a box or receptacle, the cover of which is indicated in its closed position.

tion of the same, showing the receptacle cover unlocked and opened.

Figure 3 is an enlarged detail inside view of the lock casing, viewed from the rear when removed from the cushion'receptacle to which it is attached to expose the inner mechanism, the members of which are shown in the locked position which they assume when the receptacle cover is closed and locked.

Figure 4: is a similar inner view of the lock casing with the inner mechanical parts in the position they take when unlocked by and after the insertion of a coin which cooperates with the latch bar and then passes down the coin chute.

Figure 5 is a similar view of the same parts after the manually-operable coin-moving lever has automatically returned to its normal position and further shifted the latch bar into its extreme unlocking position and placed all the parts in proper relation to effectuate a relocking of the cover when the coin-collecting and removing means engages and actuates the said interior mechanism.

Figure 6 is a similar view of the same parts after the coin-collecting means has been adjusted on the lock casing and thus caused an expulsion of the coin from the lock easing into the collecting box, and simultaneously restored the locking members into the position shown in Figure 1, with the receptacle cover again shut and locked, and all parts reset for a further coin operation; but before detaching the collection means.

Figure 7 is a verticalsection on the line 7, 7, of Figure 3, including therein the cushion holder also.

Figure 8 is a vertical section on the line 8, 8, of Figure 5, including likewise the cushion receptacle.

Figure 9 is a vertical section on the line 9, 9, of Figure 6.

Figure 10 is a horizontal section on the line 10, 10, of Figure 3.

Figure 11 is a horizontal section on the line 11, 11,0f Figure 3.

Figure 12 is a detail sectional View of a part of the collecting box.

Like characters of reference designate corresponding parts in all the difierent figures of the drawing.

To illustrate the practical use of the invention I have shown a receptacle or holder 1, which may be arranged in conjunction with a chair or seat, and is designed to hold a cushion or pad which is withdrawable for rental, sale, or otherwise, said receptacle having a cover or lid2 hinged thereto at 5 and provided with a lift spring 7. The ends of cover 2 have cleats 2 that lit down closely over the ends of easing 1 to make a tight weather joint. This cover when closed may be locked, and for this purpose carries an eye member. hook or staple 6 secured thereto,

which drops into a recess 35 in the upper part of lock casing 3 when cover 2 is closed, and is adapted to be engaged by the latch hook or bolt 16 on the latch bar 15, pivoted at 17 in casing 3 and actuated by a coin and a manually operable lever carrying the coin as I shall presently explain.

On the, front of receptacle 1 is secured by screws or other devices 3, passing through from the inside of receptacle 1 so as to be inaccessible when the receptacle is looked, a thin small rectangular closed lock casing 3. It is of a convenient size, although its proportions may vary as devised. The front wall of receptacle 1 forms the rear side of easing 3. The purpose of the latter is to contain the parts of the coin-controlled locking mechanism and'theinterior mechanism cooperating with the coincollection means and releasing the coins at the proper time to permit their automatic withdrawal from the lock easing when the collection means is properly related thereto.

Secured to the inner surface of the front wall of the casing 3 is a parallel plate or partition 14;. This plate is spaced from the said front wall far enough to provide a thin space of suitable width to contain certain of theoperative parts and also to furnish a ch'ute'through which the coins may pass to cooperate with'the mechanical parts in effectin the unlocking. The partition 14 may 0 course be supported in agreat variety of ways, and what I have depicted is merely an'example. Besides being spaced from the front wall, it is also conveniently spaced from the receptacle-front wall which forms the rear side of the lock casing, to supply a space for the latch bar and other parts. Of coursethis partition 14 is chiefly utilized to provide for the coinchute, and its lower end 28 at the bottom of the lock casing and extending upward vertically for some distance affords a "properly sized and shaped passage wherein the coin drops down to a point where detaining mechanism holds it temporarily until removed by the collecting means. At the top of the chute formed as described is an inlet slot A in the upper edge of easing 3, thrOugh which a coin as C, as a dime, quarter nickel or the like, is introduced to enter the chuteway and do its unlocking duty under the impulse of inner mechanism which I shall described.

The inner coin-controlled mechanism has two chief factors,lirst a manually operable pivoted lever which receives the coin on its edge and lifts it, and second a pivoted latch member having a locking hook and adapted to be vibrated by the coin striking it when lifted by the lever, so that the latch will be shifted on its pivot far enough to disengage the locking hook from the staple and also to permit the coin to be shot forward into the chute, after which a spring returns the coinlifting lever to its normal lower position and sets the parts in the position they occupy until the coin is removed by the coin-collecting means, simultaneously with which a relocking by the latch bar takes place.

I will now further describe the coin-controlled locking mechanism in greater detail. Directly below the coin inlet slot A is the spring-restrained lever 9, pivoted at 11 in the front wall of the casing 3 by means of a horizontal pivot or journal. The upper edge of lever 9 is preferably curved so that the coin C ma i fall thereon and rest in place on the said edge which is relatively somewhat wider than the coin as clearly shown in Figure 7, and the lever 9 is so situated in relation to the partition 14 and the chute space between it and the front wall of casing 3 that the lever 9 may be lifted and swung on its pivot a greater or less distance through said chute space, carrying the coin C with it. Lever 9 therefore lies in part between plate 14 and the casing and is adapted to be moved in that space, its curved upper edge being engaged by coin C when it falls upon it. This lifting is effected by an outside front button or knob 8 having a pin 13 which works in a curved slot 12 in front wall of easing 3 and is rigidly attached to lever 9. The slot 12 limits the extent to which lever 9 can be moved by hand by the button 8.

Lever 9 is normally held in a depressed approximately horizontal position, as in Figure 3, by a spring 10 attached thereto and also to the wall of easing 3, but when the button 8 is raised to lift lever 9 from its idle position in Figure 3 to its unlocking position in Figure 4, carrying the coin C with it, the coin will strike against the pin 20, lug or other projection, whieh projects horizontally from the latch bar 15 at a short distance from its latching or bolt-shaped end 16 and in the line of the path of movement of lever 9 and the coin C carried thereby. For while the latch bar 15 is on the outside of partition 14 the pin 20 extends into recess 35 in the upper end of easing 3 (in which recess are eye-bar 6 and latch hook 16) and plays back and forth in said recess being controlled as to the extent of its travel by the size and shape of said recess, the lower end of which if desired may be shaped as a guide slot as shown to more surely define the limits of the movement of the pin 20..

The latch bar 15 is pivoted at 17 to the wall of casing 3 by a pin or journal that passes horizontally through the casing wall. The bar 15 has a general oblong shape and lies outside of partition 14 or in the space between the latter and the front wall of receptacle 1 as shown in the edge views in Fig ures 7 and 8. When the coin C drops through slot A its edge will be contiguous to pin 20, and the coin bridges the gap between lever 9 and pin 20. If button 8 lifts lever 9 when no coin is present it will exert no effect on the latch, but when a coin has been inserted in slotA the lifting of button 8 causes coin C to strike against pin 20 and throw the latch 15 over on its pivoted point 17 and disengage latch hook 16 from staple 6, so that cover 2 is set free and is immediately urged by spring 7 into its upper open position, as shown in Figure 2, to allow the withdrawal of the contents of receptacle 1.

As soon as the coin C thus throws latch 15 over a ways, pin 20 passes out of the descending path of the coin, as in Figure 4, and the coin is free to slide under the in fluence of gravity beneath pin 20 and down the coin chute along the incline of the latter and into and down through the vertical part 28 of the chute until it comes to rest on the lobe 24 of a toothed segment 21 pivoted at 22 in the lower part of easing 3, with said lobe 2 1 projecting into chute 28 in the path of the coin when the lobe is held in such a position as to obstruct the coin for the time being. Segment 21 is temporarily so held by a spring 25 attached to segment 21 at 21 and also to the wall of easing 3 at its other end.

WVhen the lock is in its fastened condition the latch 15 is substantially perpendicular, as in Figures 3 and 6, but when the device is unlocked the latch 15 is more or less inclined, as in Figures 4 and 5. The latch bar in ad dition to having the other features that have been described, has a pin 26 projecting horizontally therefrom adjacent to the lower end of the coin-moving lever 9. Further, the lower end of latch bar 15, below its pivot 17, has an offset downward foot projection 18, which is adapted to be struck by the toothed segment 21, when it is rotated to release a coin from chute 28, at the time when the collection means is in action to gather in the money and reset the lock, as will be explained.

Also the coin-moving lever 9 has certain further details to be noted, in that its lower end is provided with means for engaging and operating with the latch bar 15. At said low er end lever 9 has a notch a on its upper edge and alongside of it is a pointed tooth formed with an inclined outer edge 27. When lever 9 is lifted by moving button 8 to raise and press coin G against tl e latch pin 20 far enough to shift the latch 15 on its pivot 17 and remove bolt 16 from staple 6, to unlock cover 2, the first etlect of raising the left end of lever 9 is to depress the right end and disengage the latch pin 26 from notch a, so that latch bar 15 will be free to shift as soon as the coin strikes the latch pin 20, and thus latch bolt 16 passes out of staple 6.

Thus the latch bar 15 is tipped over from its perpendicular to an inclined position, as it is shown in Figure 4, where the pin 26 is out of notch a and moved some little distance from it. In the process of unlocking by the use of a coin, as set forth, as soon as the movement of button 8 has caused this change to take place in the position of latch bar 15, and the coordinate propulsion of the coin down its chute to the coin-detention mechanism, the person operating the device will let go of butten 8. Then the spring 10 will draw the lever 9 back into its normal quiescent depressed position, as shown in Figure 5, and in so doing will move the notched end of lever 9 so it will lift and the inclined edge 27 of the toothed end of said lever will contact with pin 26, and by virtue of its inclined edge ride upon the pin and push the lever over further towards the right from the position in Fig ure 1. 111 this latter position the latch hook 16 will be entirely beyond the recess 35 and free from any close association with it, and entirely out of the way of the return of staple 6 into recess when the cover is again closed to be relocked; and the inclined edge 27 is now so positioned relatively to pin 26 that when the latch bar 15 is vibrated to the left the pin 26 will ride on the edge 27.

That is to sa when the parts are in the position shown in Figure 5 with latch pin 26 against lever incline 27, the parts are in readiness for restoration to locking position where they may be again controlled by a coin in unlocking. This restoration comes into eilect automatically by the use of the coin collection means, which not only collects the coin, but in so doing moves the latch bar again to its perpendicular position, thereby causing the pin 26 to ride on inclined edge 21 and depress the toothed end of the lever 9., lifting of course the other end and stretching spring 10, until the pin 26 passes over the sharp end of the lever tooth and is caught by snapping into th notch a, the spring 10 now compressing and holding notch at around pin 26, at which time the latch bar 15 is locked in the position shown in Figures 3 and 6, which is its position when cover 2 is locked shut.

the casino This reverse action of thelatch is caused when the shutter is relocked.

observing the shape of latch bar 15, as portrayed in edge view in Figures 7 and 8, it will be seen that just above its pivot 17 it has a jog or shoulder which allows the'upper hooked or bolt'shaped part to lie outside the chute and between the plate 14: and the adj acent front wall of easing 1; while the lower portion which carries the pivot 17 in close against the front wall of easing 3. Such specific arrangement, to which of course I am not confined, is preferably adapted to conserve the compact and neat arrangement of the few simple mechanical elements which compose my device.

Vertically below the latch bar 15 a toothed or dentated segment 21 is pivoted at 22 to the wall of lock casing 3. Segment 21 has lobe or arm 24 that projects into an opening in the adjacent side of the vertical part 28 of the coin chute, so as to form a stop and support in the path of the dropping coin C on which it may rest as snown in Figures l and 5, so long as the segment 21 is in its normal position projecting into the chute 28 and held there by the spring 25, which is fastened to the segment at 21 and also to and which holds lower end of segment bearing against the chute. The segment 21 has a series of teeth 23 cut therein in any regular or irregular manner and number. Segment 21 is rotatable, and when it is rotated the last tooth or an equivalent projection or lug thereon will strike against the V projecting foot 18 on the lower end of latch bar 15 and oscillate the latch bar on its pivot 17, so as to raise it from the inclined position shown in Figure 5 and restore it into the vertical locking position shown in Figures 3 and 6, from which it was taken in unlocking. 7

. llorif the segment 21 be rotated far enough to strike the projection 18 the latch bar 15 will be vibrated on itspivot 17, which will cause pin 26 to strike against incline 27, and as it rides thereon the pin will depress the rear end of the lever 9, lifting the other end of this lever, against spring 10, which will be extended, thus permitting the pin 26 to depress the lever 9 and snap over the pointed end of the tooth on 1 ver 9 and engage the recess a, which will hold the latch bar in a vertical position; and manifestly at the same time the members 6 and 16 will interengage and lock cover 2 if it has already been closed.

Obviously also the partial rotation of the segment- 21 has released the coin for collection.

' and the receptacle is relocked; these functions take place simultaneously, and for this purpose I use a coin-collecting means which enables the coin or coins to be taken out of the look casing 3 without exposure to loss in the collection, and without being handled or seen at the time by the agent making the collection.

The cash collecting mechanism for my coin-controlled device, which I use in 0011- nection with the above coin-controlled looking means, and which is associated operatively therewith as stated, comprises a portable closed box l having an upper extension 31 which embraces three sides of lock casing 3 for a certain distance up from the bottom of casing 3 when the top or box 4 is placed closely beneath the bottom of easing 3, as shown in Figures 6 and 9. The upper portion of box a is provided with a straight vertical toothed bar 32 adapted to enter casing 3 through an opening in the bottom when the collection box is in collecting position. lVhen bar 32 is thus introduced into casing 3 it is guided upwardly by a vertical inner stationary guide post 19 in casing 3. This post 19 is contiguous to the serrated edge 23 of the segment 21, and surely guides the bar 32 into mesh with the teeth of segn'ient 21, so that when the bar 32 enters through an opening in the bottom of casing 3 and passes between the post and segment it will be guided upwardly by post 19 and will engage segment 21 and partly rotate the same, thus I'GlllOVll'lg lobe at from under the coin and shifting the latch bar 15 to relock the apparatus as just described.

l urthermore, when the cash collection box at is caused to enclasp the casing 3 by its three-sided extension 31, the top of box 4- which is seated under the bottom of casing 3 not only introduces a segment-rotating member 32 into casing 3 which delivers the coin to box 4, but also aligns a channel or spoutmember 29, carried inside box l, with the vertical chute member 28, the registry of the two parts being coordinated so that the member 29 may form a continuation of the coin chute. Hence when the collection box is localized on the lock casing, the segment 21 is rotated as suggested to remove its lobe 2i from its supporting attitude under coin C, so that the latter will be discharged into the box i. I place a pin 3 1 in wall oi box 4 below chute 29 to deflect the coin when it falls and also to prevent its withc rawal through chute 29 or any picking of the box, after the latter is detached from casing 3.

The close relation of the collection means to the coin-controlled locking means is apparent and their interdependence is obvious. At the same time, it will be noted that the collecting mechanism is applicable for use with any kind of coin-controlled mechanismfor locking, and especially with collection means including a revoluble segment or its equivalent that is operable by a toothed member projecting from the coin box, which segment also has a function in the coin-controlled mechanism.

Assuming that the receptacle 1 is purposed to contain a soft seat pad or cushion to be rented for use on a metal chair, concrete form or other hard seat, at a nominal cost of some coin, the renter can open the receptacle by dropping the coin into the slot A and then moving the knob 8 up to the limit of slot 12, which will disengage the latch from staple 6 and release cover 2. After the rental period of the pad is over the superintendent of the seats may go about with a portable cash box to gather up the coins from the ditlerent seats, each time first re-inserting the cushion in its receptacle and closing the cover before attaching the cash box and thus simultaneously taking out the coin from the lock case and relocking the cover. Thus a large seating capacity may be quickly and easily served.

What I claim, is:

1. In coin collecting means of the class described, the combination with a receptacle and its cover, and coin-controlled locking mechanism therefor including a casing having a coin outlet, of means for removing the coins from the casing consisting of a separate box having a coin inlet adapted to register with the said coin outlet, and carrying an insertible releasing member, together with coin releasing means in the lock casing engaged and operated by said releasing member.

2. In coin collecting means of the class described, the combination with a receptacle and its cover, and coin-controlled locking mechanism therefor including a casing having a coin outlet, of means for removing the coins from the casing consisting of a separate box having a coin inlet adapted to register with the said coin outlet, and provided with a toothed member adapted to enter the lock casing, and a pivoted toothed segment in the lock casing having a coin-supporting and releasing member, said segment being ongaged and rotated by the toothed bar when the latter is inserted in the casing.

3. In coin-collecting means of the class described, the combination with a receptacle and its cover, and coin-controlled locking mechanism therefor including a casing having a coin outlet, of means for removing the coins from the casing consisting of a portable box having a coin inlet adapted to register with the said coin outlet, and provided with an insertible releasing member, and a rotatable spring-actuated coin-supporting-and-releasing and relocking means pivoted in the lock casing and operated by the releasing member when inserted into the lock casing.

4. In coin-controlled locking and collecting means, the combination with a coin-controlled device including a casing having a coin outlet, of a portable box having a coin inlet adapted to register with the coin outlet, and carrying an insertible releasing member, together with coin releasing means in the lock casing engaged and operated by said releasing member.

5. The combination with a coin-controlled device including a casing having a coin outlet, of a portable collecting box having a coin inlet adapted to register with the coin outlet, and carrying an insertible releasing member, together with coin releasing means in the lock casing engaged and operated by the said releasing member.

6. In a coin-operated device of the class described, the combination with a coin-controlled locking means including a casing-haw ing a coin outlet and an opening to admit a releasing member, of a portable collector l1aving a releasing member thereon adapted to project into the lock casing and also a coin inlet to connect with the coin outlet, and means in the casing operable by the releasing member to set free a coin and pass it into the collector.

7. The combination with a coin-controlled device including a casing having a coin outlet, and a locking means with mechanism for unlocking same, of a portable collection box having a coin inlet adapted to register with the coin outlet, and provided with a toothed bar adapted to enter the lock casing, together with a pivoted toothed segment in the casing for supporting and for releasing a coin and for effecting a relocking of the locking means, said toothed bar engaging and actu ating the toothed segment when it enters the caslng.

8. In a coin-controlled locking and coin collection means, the combination with locking means comprising essentially a casing having an inlet and outlet, a pivoted coinsupporting and moving lever, a pivoted latchbar actuated in unlocking when a coin is introduced between them and the coin-moving lever is turned on its pivot, a portable collection box having a coin inlet adapted to connect with the aforesaid outlet and having also a releasing member, and a coin-releasing and relocking means in the lock casing operable by the box-releasing member when it is introduced into the casing and engaged with said coin-releasing and relocking means.

9. In a device of the class described, the combination with locking means comprising essentially a casing having an inlet and outlet, a pivoted spring-provided coin-supporting and moving lever, having a notched end with an incline, a pivot-ed latch bar actuated in unlocking when a coin is introduced be tween them and the coin-moving lever is turned on its pivot, said latch bar having a pivot that engages the notched end of the coin moving lever at times and having also a foot, a portable separate box to receive coins from the said outlet and having a releasing member, means Within the casing for ejecting the coins and resetting the latch bar in locked position, said latter means being operated by the box-releasing member when it is introduced.

- 10. In a device of the class described, the combination with locking means comprising essentially a casing having an inlet and outlet,

' a pivoted lever for moving a coin thereon, a

coin chute, a pivoted latch bar having a pin engaging the coin-moving lever, a portablebox having a toothed bar, a spring-provided toothed segment in the casing having a lobe that supports a coin at times in the chute and releases it at other times and having a part that engages the latch bar to set it in looking position, said toothed segment being actuated by the toothed bar When the box is positioned on the lock casing to collect the coins.

In testimony whereof I hereunto affix my signature.

JOHN GEORGE LYDECKER.

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