GB527154A - Improvements in or relating to coin-freed mechanism - Google Patents

Abstract

527,154. Coin action; electric connection. MICHAELSON, G. April 1, 1939, No. 10206. [Class 27] A coin-freed mechanism has a shoot down which the coin &c. passes to lie in the convolutions Th of a helical device S which is rotated either continuously or only on insertion of a coin, and either manually or automatically. The coin falls to the lower part of the convolutions and rests on one of a plurality of strip electrical contacts C' ... C', the contact touched depending on the size of the coin by reason of their location on a curve tapering with respect to the cylindrical base of the device S. The contacts C' ... C' may be displacable relatively to their supports B for adjustment of the period of actuation of the device, and in a modification the contacts are disposed spirally on a cylinder which can be turned about its axis to vary the length of contact strip touched by the coin. The passage of the coin through the shoot is controlled by a gate consisting of an insulated L-shaped member PL pivoted at P' and movable relatively to the shoot SSL by an electro-magnet PM so that its lower end opens or closes the passage, the lower end SC of the shoot SSL engaging and contacting with the convolutions Th which have one or more release notches in the rim. The mechanism may function by single coins or by a plurality of coins of the same or of different denominations, and the apparatus controlled may be of any nature, those mentioned specifically being wireless sets, television sets, radiograms, telephones, refrigerators, teleprinters, telegraphic equipment, motor vehicles, display or advertising devices, vacuum cleaners, vending machines, sport and game machines, ticket vending and printing, change-giving and coin-sorting machines, and stamping, franking and embossing letters &c.