US655772A - Telephone toll apparatus. - Google Patents

Description

No. 655,772. Patented Aug. |4. I900.

' w. A. FOSS.

TELEPHONE TOLL APPARATUS.

(Application filed Feb. 26, 1900.)

3 Sheets-Shaet (No Model.)

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No. 655,772. Patented Aug. 14, I900. W. A. FOSS.

TELEPHONE TOLL APPARATUS.

{Application filed Feb. 26, 1900.

3 Sheets-Sheet 2,

N0 Model.)

INVENTOO/i A54 ATTORNEYS Me News PETERS co. PHOTO-LKTNO.. \VASHNGTCN. 0 cv No. 655,772. Patented Aug. l4, I900.

* Y W. A. FOSS,

TELEPHONE TOLL APPARATUS.

7 [Application filed Feb. 26, 1900.) (No Modal.) 3 Sheets-Sheet 3.

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ATENT \VILLIAM A. FOSS, OF CLEVELAND, OHIO, ASSIGNOR TO TIIE AMERICAN TOLL TELEPHONE COMPANY, OF SAME PLACE.

TELEPHONE TOLL. APPARATUS.

srnorrrea'rron forming part of Letters Patent No. 655,772, dated August 14, 1900. Application filed February 26, 1900. Serial No. 6,583. (No model.]

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I,\/VILLIAM A. Foss, a resident of Cleveland, in the county of Cuyahoga and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Toll-Collecting Machines for Telephones; and I do herebydeclare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it pertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates to-improvements in toll-collecting machines for telephones; and it consists in certain features of construction and combinations of parts hereinafter described, and pointed out in the claims.

The primary object of this invention is to provide a machine of the character indicated that will inform the telephone-exchange when a coin or check required to pay the toll for the use of the machine has been conducted into the machine beyond control of the per son paying the toll, that is exceedingly simple in construction and reliable in its operation, that possesses other novel and meritorious features, as will hereinafter more fully appear, and that more especially comprises a clockwork whose operation is audible at the telephone-exchange and that is operated by an ordinary clock-spring that is always partially wound up and is wound up still further during the operation of the toll-collecting machine by other mechanism that forms a part of the machine.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure I is a side elevation, partly in section, of a machine embodying my invention. Fig. II is a top plan of the same. Fig. III is a rear end elevation of the machine. Fig. IV is a side elevation showing the clockwork that is wound up during the operation of the machine and that is instrumental in signaling to the telephone-exchange that the proper coin or check has been introduced into the machine beyond the control of the operator. Fig. V is a side elevation, partly in section, corresponding with Fig. 1, except that in this figure the coin or check is being fed to the inlet of the hopper provided to receive the same and some of the movable parts have been actuated into a position different from that occupied by them in their normal position illustrated in Fig. I. Fig. VI is a side elevation, partly in section, and illustrates the position of parts when a coin or check has dropped into the hopper below the path of the coinfeeder. Fig. VII is an elevation on line VII VII, Fig. VI, looking in the direction of the arrow. Fig. VIII is a side elevation, partly in section, showing the manner of dislodging a coin or check from the internal shoulders of the hopper and the operation of the coin or check after its dislodgment.

Referring to the drawings, a designates the stationary framework of the machine that comprises a front 10. The front is provided with a horizontally and transversely arranged slot 11. A table I) rests upon the bottom of the said slot and extends from a suitable distance forward of the front 10 through the slot 11 and rearwardly of the said front a suitable distance. The toll-feeder is mounted upon and movable endwise of the table I) through the aforesaid slot, that is consequently large enough vertically to accommodate the location and operation of the said feeder, that consists, preferably, of a slide-forming plate 0, provided at its outer end with a handle 30. The slide 0, between the central portion and inner end of the same, is provided with an aperture 31, that is preferably just large enough to receive the coin .or check required in payment of the toll charged for the use of the telephone that is provided with my improved machine, and if therefore the toll is a nickel the said aperture would be just large enough to easily receive a nickel. The relative arrangement of the slide 0 and the table Z) is such that the aperture 31 of the slide shall when the slide is in its extreme outer or toll-receiving position be in position over the table at the outer side of the front 10, and the table outside of the front 10 is provided, preferably, with an aper ture or perforation for affording access, as shown in Figs. I and II, from below to a coin or check placed by mistake or inadvertence within the aperture 31 of the slide 0 and facilitates the removal of the said coin or check from the slide. The table Z2 has its outer end provided with two guide-forming members 2i and 21, that are arranged at opposite longitudinal edges of the slide 0 and somewhat over table.

lap the upper side of the latter and prevent displacement of the slide laterally upon the The slot 11 is enlarged and extends rearwardly through a lug 12, with which the front 10, upon its rear or inner side, is provid ed, and the lug 12 is provided at the top with an inwardly-proiecting flange 18,to which the permanent magnet m is secured in any approved manner. The magnet on has its lower end extending into close proximity to the path of the slide 0, and the arrangement of parts is such that the toll-receiving aperture 31 of the slide 0 shall in the extreme inner position of the said slide, as shown in Fig. VI, register with an aperture 22, with which the tables portion that is underneath the aforesaid magnet is provided. The aperture 22 is large enough to accommodate the passage downwardly therethrough of a coin or check received thereby from the aperture 31 of the slide 0. The inner and toll-dis charging portion of the table I) constitutes the top of a hopper d, and consequently a coin or check carried by the slide 0 upon the table Z2 and not attracted by the magnet will as soon as the said slide has been actuated into its extreme inner position register fully with the hopper-inlet-forming aperture 22 of the table and drop by gravity into the said hopper. Obviously the magnet will attract any slug or counterfeit of iron or steel or other material that is sufficiently magnetic to render it capable of being attracted by the magnet, but will not attract a nickel or brass check that is not sufficiently magnetic to render it capable of being attracted by the magnet. It is obvious, of course, that a circular brass or non magnetic check having the dimensions of a nickel would be suitable for use in the operation of the machine that could be operated by a nickel, and in many instances the proprietor or person having charge of the toll-collecting telephone would exchange such checks that would be used exclusively for any money equivalent, so that a person desiring to use the machine would not necessarily be required to have a nickel in order to enable him to use the machine, but any other money equivalent--sucl1, for instance, as five one-cent coinswould enable him to obtain the check required for the use of the telephone.

An upwardly-projecting lug or member 23, formed upon the inner end of the table 1), 0perates, in conjunction with the inner end of the slide 0, in limiting the inward movement of the said slide, and the arrangement of parts is, of course, such that the slide when it is in its extreme inner position, with its aperture in registry with the inlet of the hopper, will engage the aforesaid stop-forming member 23. An inwardly-projecting lug or member 2-1;, that is formed upon the inner end of the slide 0, cooperates with the free end of the lug 12 in limiting the outward movementof the slide, and the arrangement of parts is such that the Said member 24E of the slide when the latter is in position with its aperture outside of the front 10 will engage the free end of the said lug 12. The hopper (Z has its rear wall 40 inclining downwardly and forwardly toward the outlet 41, with which the lower end of the said hopper is provided, and the forward side wall of the hopper is formed in the main by a window 42, through which the coin or check received by the hopper is visible. One or both of the side walls of the hopper are provided with an inwardly-projecting lug or shoulder 43, that is instrumental in arresting a proper coin or check dropping into the hopper. Preferably the hopper is provided with two internal lugs or shoulders 13 and 43, arranged the distance apart required to render them capable of forming a stop or seat for arresting the predetermined size of coin or check necessary to effect the operation of the machine, but far enough apart to permit the downward descent between them of a coin of smaller size, so that, for instance, a machine adapted to be operated by a nickel or corresponding check could not be operated by a cent, because the latter would be too small to be arrested by the lugs or shoulders 43 of the hopper. A forwardly and rearwardly swinging gate 6, that is arranged between the forward and rearward walls of the hopper, cooperates with the shoulders 43 in preventing a proper coin or check from descending into the extreme lower end of the hopper, as shown in Figs. V, VI, and VII.

The gate 6, that, as already indicated, is arranged within the hopper d, has its upper end pivoted horizontally and transversely of the hopper, as at 50, to the side walls of the hopper, so as to render it capable of swinging forwardly and rearwardly. In the normal position of the parts the gate 6 is in its forwardly-swung position, as shown in Fig. I, and is held in this position by the outer end of an arm 60, that projects forwardly from an upright rearwardly and foiwvardly tilting leverf, that is operatively mounted at or near its central portion upon a horizontally-arranged shaft 01, that is supported from the stationary framework of the machine. The free or outer end of the arm (30 is beveled upon its under side,as at 63, and the beveled or sloping surface 03 normally engages and bears forwardly upon an arm 52 0f the gate 6 and acts to hold the said gate in its forwardly-swung position.

A suitably-applied ordinary clock-springf acts to retain the lever f and attached members in their normal position, wherein the lever inclines forwardly, as shown in Fig. I, and has its arm 50 holding the gate 1; forwardly against the action of a suitably-applied spring (2, that acts to swing the gate 0 rearwardly into the said gates operative position. The cleek-springj" is mounted upon the shaft 61 and has opposite ends attached to the said shaft and to the stationary framework, respectively, as shown more clearly in Fig. IV. The spring 0 has one end attached to the stationary framework and has its other end attached to an arm 53 of the gate 6, as shown more clearly in Figs. II and IV.

The arrangement of the parts is such that in their normal position the slide 0 is in its extreme outer position and has its inner end arranged to engage the forward side of a lug 66,formed upon and depending from the lower side of the forward end of a vertically-tiltable bar 64, that extends forwardly from and has its rear end pivoted horizontally, as at 65, to the upper end of the lever f. The inward actuation of the slide 0 will result, therefore, in the tilting of the leverf rearwardly. The spring f is preferably normally partially wound up, and the arrangement of the said spring is such that it will be wound up still further upon the tilting of the lever f rearwardly, as aforesaid. Preferably the lug 66 of the bar 64 engages a recess 33, formed in the rear end of the slide, as shown more clearly in Figs. II and III. In Fig. V the slide 0 is shown feeding a coin or check It to the hop: per (Z, but not yet having quite actuated the coin or check If into complete registry with the inlet of the hopper. Obviously the lever-arm during the inward actuation of the slide 0 releases the gate e and permits the spring 6 to actuate the said gate rearwardly into engagement with the shoulders 43 of the hopper, as shown in Figs. V and VI, so that when the slide has been actuated into the extreme inner position and the coin or check if fed by the slide has dropped into the hopper and alighted upon the shoulders 43 the said coin or check is prevented from falling forwardly from the said shoulders by the gate (2, as shown in Fig. VI. To trip the coin or check upon the passage of the same through the inlet of the hopper and cause it to alight edgewise upon the shoulders 43, the hopper d is provided within the upper end of its rear portion next below the inlet of the hopper with a rounded projection 44, arranged transversely of the hopper and in position to be engaged by the rear portion of the under side of the coin or check dropping into the hopper, so as to cause the coin or check to descend edgewise within the hopper. The sides of the hopper are of course suitably slotted or cut away, as at 45, to accommodate the location and operation of the arms 52 and 53 of the gate e.

The outlet 41 of the hopper is normallyinterrupted bya gate-forming reciprocating rod or bar h, as shown in Figs. I and V.

To prevent a coin or check that is smaller in dimensions than the coin or check required for the operation of the machine from being instrumental in plugging or obstructing the passage-way through the hopper by piling up or accumulating edgewise upon the rear wall of the hopper, I provide the said wall, below the path of the gate 6, with a ing 47, projecting forwardly and downwardly a short distance and constitutingaguide that isinstrumentalin diverting the coin or check descending between and not arrested by the shoulders 43 into the forward side of the hopper at the rear of the latters window and cause the said coin or check to lodge edgewise upon the gate h. The conveyance of a coin or check that is too small to render it capable of being arrested by the shoulders 43 of the hopper into the lower portion of the hopper is important, because it enables the proprietor or person in charge of the telephone provided with my improved machine to see whether or not the user of the machine has used the proper coin or check required to operate the machine and prevent the user from making a claim that he did use the proper coin or check, because whatever coin or check he may have used will be visible through the window of the hopper until the next coin or check required to operate the machine has been introduced. As will hereinafter appear, the gate 71 is operated to permit the escape of a coin or check lodged thereon within the hopper before another proper coin or check has operated the machine.

The mechanism employed in the dislodg ment of the coin or check arrested by the internal shoulders 43 of the hopper and in the actuation of the said coin or check with the gate 6 in a forward direction against the action of the spring 6 comprises, preferably, an upright forwardly and rearwardly tilting lever 7r, that is fulcrumed at its upper end, as at 80, to the stationary framework of the machine and has its lower end provided with aforwardly-projecting arm 81. The arrangement of the parts is such that in their normal position the said lever 7:; has its arm 81 projecting into the hopper behind the gate 6, as shown in Fig. I. A suitably-applied spiral spring'k acts to retain the lever in its forwardly-swung or normal position. The spring in has its opposite ends attached to the lever 70 and to the stationary framework, respectively. The lever 70 is arranged, as required, to render it capable of being engaged by the rear end of the slide 0 during the inward actuation of the said slide, as shown in Fig. V. The arrangement of the parts is such that the actuation of the slide 0 into its extreme inner position swings the said lever 7a rearwardly against the action of the spring 7s, far enough to remove the arm 81 of the said lever from within the hopper (Z and prevent the said arm from obstructing the descent of a coin or check to the internal shoulders 43 check by the slide 0, as aforesaid, and thereby to prevent the arm 81 of the said lever 76 from possibly reentering the hopper d before the coin or check fed by the slide 0 to the hopper shall have had time to descend and reach the internal shoulders 43 of the hopper,

aperture in the cylinders forward head through which the piston-rod extends some what larger diametrically than the cross-sectional area of the rod. Hence during the actuation of the lever 7c in a rearward direction from its forward or normal position against the action of the spring 7: during the feeding of a coin or check to the hopper the piston Z is actuated in the direction of the .rear end of the cylinder and air enters the cylinder forward of the piston, so that when the slide 0 has been actuated into its extreme inner position and the coin or check has dropped into the hopper the action of the said spring L to return the said lever 7r. into its normal position will be retarded by the air-cushion formed within the cylinder 1 forwardly of the piston l, and the lever instead of being thrown by the spring into its normal position rapidly will return gradually into the said position and give the coin or check discharged into the hopper ample time to reach the internal shoulders 4-3 of the hop per before the arm 81 of the said lever again enters the hopper. The rear wall of the hopper d is of course suitably slotted, as at 48, to accommodate the location and operation of the lever-arm 81.

Means for interrupting operative engagement between the bar fiat and the slide after the slide has been actuated almost into its inner extreme position-for instance, when the slide has moved inwardly as far as illus t-rated in Fig. Vis provided and comprises, preferably, a rearwardly and upwardly extending incline 15, formed upon the stationary framework, as shown in Figs. I and V, and arranged to be engaged by a laterallyprojecting lug or pin ('37 of the said bar (it during the further actuation of the lever fin a rearward direction. In Fig. V the bar 61*, that is tilting the leverfrearwardly and has its lug or pin 67 engaging the lower end of the incline l5, and obviously the remaining movement of the slide 0 required to actuate it into its extreme inner position, causes the pin or lug 67 to ride up the said incline, and thereby lift the bar (34.- out of operative engagement with the slide 0, and consequently interrupt operative connection between the said slide and the lever f.

A clockwork n is operatively connected with the shaft 61 and comprises a train of gears and an escapement of any approved construction, as shown in Figs. II, III, and IV. The train of gears comprises a spurgear 90, operatively mounted upon the shaft 61 and carrying a pawl 91, that is pivotally supported from the said gear and has the arrangement required to render it capable of operatively engaging and cooperating with a ratchet-wheel 02, that is operatively mounted upon the aforesaid shaft 01. A suitably-applied spring 03 acts to retain the pawl in engagement with the ratchet-wheel, and the arrangement of parts is such that the said pawl and the ratchet-wheel will prevent the return of the lever f by the action of the springf independently of the operation of the clockwork upon the rearward actuation of the said lever by the slide 0. In the normal position of the parts the clockwork has run down, as shown in solid lines, IV, but is wound up during the rearward tilting of the lever f. The clockwork, as already indicated, comprises an escapement whose escape-wheel 91- is intergeared, as at 95, with the gear 90 and whose anchor 00 is centrally pivoted in the usual manner to the stationary framework and has an arm or lever 97 extending from the central portion of the anchor forwardly and upwardly to and has its forward end overlapping and resting upon a member 5i, formed upon and projecting rearwardly and downwardly from the arm of the gate 6. The arrangement of the parts is such that the member 54 of the gate a, when the latter is swung rearwardly by the action of the spring 6' during the rearward tilting of the lever f, will be elevated, as shown in dotted lines, Fig. IV, and thereby actuate the arm or lever 97 of the escapements anchor in the direction required to prevent the running down of the clockwork until after the arm 81 of the lever is permitted to return in a forward direction after the leverf has been tilted into its extreme rearward position by the slide 0, and consequently the clockwork that has been wound up during the said operation of the said lever is not permitted to run down until after the coin or check fed to the hopper (Z during the said operation of the leverf by the slide 0 has lodged upon the shoulders 43 of the said hopper in position to establish operative connection between the arm 81 of the lever 7.: and the gate 6 during the subsequent return of the said lever 7; into its forward and normal position. Fig. VIII shows the mannor in which the coin has been dislodged from the shoulders 43 and the formation of an op erative connection by the coin or check between the arm 81 of the lever 7i; and the gate 8. Obviously the arm 81 of the lever 7- as soon as it comes into engagement with the coin or check during the return of the said lever into its normal position actuates the gate 6 through the medium of the coin or check into its forwardly-swung or normal position, and thereby causes the member 52L of the said gate to release or recede from the arm or lover of the escapement and permit the operation of the clock work by the action of the springf, which operation results in the vibration of the anchor of the escapement, and the resulting buzzing noise, that is audible at the telephoneexchange, constitutes a signal that informs IIO the telephone-exchange that a proper coin or check has been employed in the operation of the machine and conveyed beyond control of the operator.

It will be observed that the coin or check during its dislodgment from the shoulders 43 of the hopper is firmly held by and between the gate 6 and the arm 81 of the lever it, because the springs e and 7t act to move the said members 6 and 81 toward each other. The arrangement of parts is such that the gate 6 when the lever 7; has returned into its normal position and before the lever f has fully returned into its normal position shall have its arm 52 engaged by the beveled end of the arm of the said lever, so that the remaining movement of the said lever-arm 6O during the return movement of the lever y" will result in the release of the coin or check held between the gate e and the arm 81 of the lever it from the said gate 6 and the coin or check will drop upon the gate-forming rod or bar 7t below. The bar or rod h extends from within the outlet 41 of the hopper rearwardly to and below the sweep of the lever f and has bearing in two boxes and '70, arranged a suitable distance apart longitudinally of the said rod or bar and rigid with the stationary framework of the machine. A suitably-applied spring h acts to retain the bar in its normal or operative position. The springh has one end attached to any stationary objectsuch, for instance, as one of the bearing-affording boxes 70and is attached at its other end to the bar h. The rear end of the bar h, as shown in Figs. I, III, and V, is provided with an upright forwardly-tiltable dog 0, that is pivoted at its lower end, as at 0*, to and horizon tally and transversely of the bar. The dog 0 is free to tilt in a forward direction and has its lower end provided with a depending lug 0 that is arranged to engage a rearwarcllyfacing shoulder 77, formed upon the bar 71, and thereby limit or prevent the dog from tilting in arearward direction. The suitably-applied spiral spring 0 acts to retain the dog in its normal position, wherein the depending lug o engages the aforesaid shoulder h The spring 0 has one end thereof attached to the dog 0 and has its other end attached to the rear end of the bar h. The dog 0 projects upwardly into the path of a projection or pin 68, formed upon an arm 69, that is formed upon and depends from the lower end of the lever f. The arrangement of parts is such that the arm 69 of the lever f during the return of the said lever into its normal position after having wound up the clockwork shall engage the forward side of the dogoand actuate the bar it rearwardly against the action of the spring h, as required to withdraw the gateforming portion of the bar h from the outlet ll of the hopper, and consequently to permit the escape from the hopper (Z of any coin or check that may have been in position upon the said gate-formin g portion of the bar 72 into the chamber or receptacle r formed below, and the member 68 of the arm 69 moves rearward ly beyond the dog 0 upon the rearward actuation of the said bar 71. As the dog 0 is obviously the lever-arm 69 during the rearward tilting of the leverf will not effect any movement of the rod. A runway 75 extends from below the hoppers outlet 41 downwardly and rearwardly and is arranged, as required, to receive any coin or check dropping from the said outlet and conduct or guide it rearwardly, and thereby prevent the piling up of coins or checks below the hoppers out let. Referring again to the operation of the bar 64 by the incline 15, I would remark that the arrangement of the parts is such that when the pin or lug 66 of the bar 64 has commenced to ride up the incline 15 during the rearward movement of the lever f the pawl 91 shall have commenced to ride over one of the teeth of the ratchet-wheel 92, as shown in Fig. IV, and before the pawl in riding over the said tooth in the direction of the outer extremity of the tooth has become disen wardly projecting rear end portion 3 of a leaf-spring s, that extends forwardly and rearwardly over the path of the slide 0 forward of the incline 15 and has the arrangement required to cause the lug or pin 66 of the bar 64, and consequently the said bar, during the return of the lever f by the action of the springfdnto its normal position, to remain elevated above the slide 0 until the lever f has returned to its normal position and until the slide 0 has again been withdrawn into its extreme outer position,when the bar 64,whose lug or pin 67 has become disengaged from the forward end of the spring 5, will descend and again have its depending lug 66 brought into engagement with the recess 33 in the aforesaid slide, and obviously the slide 0 must therefore be actuated into its outer or tollreceiving position before the lever f can again be operated thereby. The rear end of the spring 3 preferably depends somewhat into the path of the lug or pin 67 of the bar 64 during therearward movement of the bar, and is consequently lifted by the said pin or lug, as required, to enable the latter to pass thereunder during the said rearward move ment of the bar, and the low location of the rear end of the spring 8 positively prevents the lug or pin 67 from getting thereunder during the return or forward movement of the bar. The forward end of the spring 8 projects somewhat upwardly and forwardly 7\ 7 free to tilt forwardly, as already indicated,

to avoid any possibility of the lug or pin 07 from getting upon the said spring during the rearward movement of the bar (it.

The gate 6 is slotted laterally, as at 55, to accommodate the location and operation of the arm 81 of the lever 7c during the return of the said lever into its normal or forward position when there is no coin or check upon the shoulders 43 of the hopper, and thereby avoid the release of the clockwork when a proper coin or check has not been introduced into the machine. Obviously, therefore, the clockwork will not run down during the return or outward movement of the lever 7; unless a coin or check that is not arrestable by the permanent magnet and that is arrest-able within the hopper (Z is fed into the machine. I would remark also that the rapidity of the return of the bar 7t into its normal position by the spring 71, during the running down of the clockwork will cause the said barto strike forcibly against the forward wall of the outlet of the hopper, and the resulting click will be audible at the telephone-exchange, and con sequently serve as a signal supplementary to the operation of the clockwork, and conse quently the operator at the telephoneeX- change would, if he failed to hear the click to be occasioned by the striking of the bar 71 against the forward wall of the hoppers outlet, be justified in concluding that the person desiring to use the toll-collecting telephone had used another instrument to imitate the operation of the clockwork and thereby to deceive or impose upon the telephone-exchange.

What I claim is p 1. A machine of the character indicated, comprising a clockwork that includes an escapement having its anchor provided with an arm or lever, means for winding up the clockwork, a movable part within the machine and arranged to be engaged by a coin or check of a predetermined size and provided with a member arranged to engage and detain the aforesaid anchor arm or lever, and means whereby the aforesaid coin-engageable part is actuated, through the medium of the coin or check, in the direction required to release the aforesaid anchor arm or lever, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

2. A machine of the character indicated, comprising a clockwork including an escape ment that has its anchor provided with an arm or lever, mechanism for winding up the clockwork, a suitably-supported swinging part arranged to be engaged by a predetermined size of coin or check introduced into the machine, which swinging part is provided with an arm that has a member arranged to bear the free end of the anchor arm or lever during the winding up of the clockwork, and means for actuating the said swinging part, through the medium of the coin or check, in the direction required to cause it to release or recede from the aforesaid anchor arm or levelr, substantially as and for the purpose set fort 1. v

A machine of the character indicated, comprising a signal-constituting noise-producible instrument; a passage-way for conducting the coin or check, required in the operation of the machine, into the latter; means for arresting the coin or check within the machine; a movable part arranged to be engaged by the coin or check in the arrested position of the latter and provided with means for maintaining the signal inoperative,an d means whereby the said coincngageable part is, through the medium of the coin or check, actuated in the direction required to effect the operation of the signal.

4. In a machine of the character indicated, the combination, with a clockwork comprising an escapement whose anchor is provided with an arm or lever, a hopper internally of the machine for receiving the coin or check required in the operation of the machine, means for feeding the coin or check to the hopper, and means for winding up the clockwork while the coin or check is fed to the hopper, and a shoulder or shoulders internally of the hopper for arresting the coin or check, of a movable part adapted. to cooperate with the said shoulder or shoulders in the detention of the coin or check within the hopper and provided with a member that bears the free end of the aforesaid anchor arm or lever during the winding up of the clockwork, and means for dislodging the coin or check from the aforesaid shoulder or shoulders, and, through the medium of the coin or check, actuating the aforesaid movable detaining part in the direction required to release the aforesaid anchor arm or lever, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

5. A machine of the character indicated, comprising an internal hopper, a signaling device, a suitably-supported gate 6 arranged within the hopper and capable of swinging forwardly and rearwardly and instrumental in the operation of the signaling device,which gate is slotted laterally, as at 55, and is normally in its forwardly-swung position, means acting to actuate the gate rearwardly,mcchanism for holding the gate in its forwardlyswung position, means for feeding the coin or check required in the operation of the machine to the hopper, a shoulder or shoulders 43 formed internally of thehopper,a suitablyoperated forwardly and rearwardly tiltable lever having an arm 81, all arranged and operating substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

(3. A machine of the character indicated, comprising an internal hopper arranged within the forward side of the machine and hav ing its rear wall inclining forwardly and down wardly and provided with a slot 4L8, means for feeding the coin or check required in the operation of the machine to the hopper, coinarresting means provided internally of the hopper, a forwardly and rearward] y swinging gate 6 within the hopper forward of the said coin-arresting means and having the lateral slot 55 andan arm 52, the suitably-operated lever having the arm 81, and the suitablyoperated leverfhaving the arm 60, all arranged and operating substantially as shown, for the purpose specified.

7. A machine of the character indicated, comprising an internal hopper having its forward side provided with a window, and having its rear wall inclining forwardly and downwardly and provided with a slot 48, a device for feeding the coin or check to the hopper,coin-arresting means internally of the hopper, the forwardly and rearwardly swinging gate 6 within the hopper forwardly of the coin-arresting means, which gate has an arm 52 and the lateral slot 55, means acting to swing the said gate rearwardly, the suitablyoperated leverf having the arm 60, the lever 71? having the arm 81 and arranged to be ac- .tnated by the aforesaid feeding device in one direction, a spring for actuating the said lever in the opposite direction, and means for retarding the operation of the said spring, all arranged and operating substantially as shown, for the purpose specified.

8. A machine of the character indicated, comprising an internal hopper having its forward side provided with a window and having its rear wall inclining forwardly and downwardly and provided with a slot 48, a device for feeding the coin or check to the hopper, coin-arrestin g means form ed internally of the hopper, the forwardly and rearwardly swinging gate 6 within the hopper forward of the said coin-arresting means, which gate has the arm 52 and the lateral slot 55, means acting to swing the said gate rearwardly, the suitably-operated leverf having the arm 60, the lever 7c having the arm 81 and arranged to be operated by the aforesaid feeding device in the one direction, a spring for operating the said lever fin the opposite direction, the piston Z, and the rod Z, and the cylinder Z containing the piston and having the air-inlet Z all arranged and operating substantially as shown, for the purpose specified.

9. A machine of the character indicated, comprising the stationary framework provided with a front having a slot extending therethrough; a hopper at the inner side of the said front; a device for feeding a coin or check from the outer side of the front to the said hopper, a shoulder or shoulders formed internally of the hopper and having the arrangement required to arrest a coin or check of a predetermined size; a gate arranged to signal, and means whereby the signal is renderedoperative by the aforesaid dislodgment of a coin or check from the aforesaid shoulder or shoulders, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

10. A machine of the character indicated, having an internal hopper for receiving the coin or check required in the operation of the machine, a device for feeding the said coin or check to the hopper, a rearwardly-tiltable lever arranged at the inner end of the path of the slide, a bar operatively connected with the lever and arranged to be operated by the coin-feeding device during the inward actuation of the latter, a clockwork comprising a clock-spring wound up during the rearward tilting of the said lever and adapted to return the said lever from its rearwardly-tilted to its normal position, and means for disengaging the aforesaid bar from the coin-feeding device and arranged to operate upon the said bar upon the winding up of the clock-spring as aforesaid.

11. A machine of the character indicated, having an internal hopper for receiving the coin or check required in the operation of the machine, a slide for feeding the coin or check to the hopper, a forwardly and rearwardly tiltable lever arranged at the inner end of the path of the slide, a bar operatively connected with the lever and arranged to be operated by the slide during the inward actuation of the latter, a clockwork comprising a clockspring acting to retain the said lever in its forwardly-tilted and normal position, and means for disengaging the aforesaid bar from the slide, all arranged and operating substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

12. A machine of the character indicated, comprising an internal hopper arranged within the forward side of the machine, and having its rear wall inclining forwardly and downwardly and provided with a slot 48, means for feeding the coin or check to the hopper, two shoulders 43 and 43 formed internally of the hopper upon opposite side walls, respectively, of the hopper, asignal-constitutingnoise-producible instrument, a movable part arranged to be engaged by the coin or check when the latter has been arrested within the hopper by the aforesaid shoulders and provided with means for maintaining the signal inoperative, and means whereby the said coin-engageable part is, through the medium of the coin or check, actuated in the direction required to permit the operation of the signal.

13. A machine of the character indicated having a slide for feeding the coin or check into the machine, the forwardly and rearwardly tiltable lever f,the bar 64 having the depending lug 66 and the laterally projecting pinor member 67, a clockwork comprising a clock-spring f, the stationary incline 15 and the spring 8, all arranged and operating substantially as shown, for the purpose specified.

14. A machine of the character indicated, having a slide for feeding the coin or check s essma into the machine, a forwardly and rearwardly tiltable leverarranged at the inner end of the path of the said slide, a bar (it operatively connected with and extending forwardly from the said lever and havingits forward end provided with a depending lug or member 66 having the arrangement required to render it capable of being engaged and actuated rearwardly by the slide when the slide is in its forward position, a clockwork comprising a clock-spring that is operatively connected with and wound up by the aforesaid lever when the lever is tilted rearwardly, and means for disengaging the aforesaid bar from the slide when the aforesaid spring has been wound up as aforesaid, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

15. A machine of the character indicated; having an internal hopper for receiving the coin or check required in the operation of the machine, which hopper has its lower end provided with an outlet, a gate-forming endwise: shiftable rod or bar arranged to normally obstruct the lower end of the passage-way through the said outlet, at forwardly-tiltable dog supported from the said bar or red, a stop upon the bar for preventing tilting of the said dog rearwardly of its normal position, means acting to retain the aforesaid rod or bar in its forward or normal position, a slide for feeding the coin or check to the hopper, a bar (l-t arranged to be operated by the slide, means for disengaging the said bar from the slide, and the leverf operatively connected with the said bar and having an arm (39 provided with a laterally-projecting pin or member 68 arranged as required to render it capable of engaging the forward side of the aforesaid dog during the feeding operation of the aforesaid slide and thereupon resultingin the actuation of the aforesaid rod or bar into its non-obstructing position.

16. A machine of the character indicated, having an internal hopper for receiving the coin or check required in the operation of the machine, which hopper has its lower end provided with an outlet, a plate of glass forming a window at the forward side of the hopper, a gate-forming cndwisc-shiftable rod or bar arranged to normally obstruct the lower end of the passage\\'ay through the said outlet, at forwardlytiltable dog supported from the said bar or red, at stop upon the bar for preventing tilting of the said dog rearwardly of its normal position, means acting to retain the aforesaid rod .or bar in its forward or normal position, a device for feeding the coin or check to the hopper, and mechanism arranged to be actuated by the said feeding device during the latters operation and provided with means for engaging the forward side of the aforesaid dog during the feeding operation of the aforesaid feeding device and thereupon actuating the rod or bar into its non-obstructing position, and the arrangement of parts being such that the said bar or red shall have its forward end engaging the inner side of the aforesaid window in the normal and obstructing position of the said rod or bar so that the latter, upon its release after each rearward actuation thereof, shall return and strike against the aforesaid window, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

17. A machine of the character indicated having an internal hopper for receiving the coin or check required in the operation of the machine, which hopper has its lower end pro vided with an outlet, the gate-forming endwise-shiftable rod or bar It having the shoulder 71", the spring 7t, the dog 0 having the lug 0 the spring 0, a slide for feeding the coin or check to the hopper, the bar 64: arranged to be operated by the said slide, the means for operatively disengaging the said bar from the slide, and the leverf having the arm (59 provided with the laterally-projecting pin or member (58, all arranged and operating substantially as shown, for the purpose specified.

Signed by me at Cleveland, Ohio, this 15th day of February, 1900.

\VILLIAM A. FOSS.

'Witnesses:

11. Donna, A. H. Panna'r'r.

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