GB364662A - Improvements in coin-collecting mechanism for hire-purchase systems - Google Patents

Abstract

364,662. Coin-freed apparatus. HORNBY, R., 7, Carlisle Street, Dean Street, London. Oct. 2, 1930, No. 29511. [Class 27.] Collecting hire-purchase payments.-Prepayment mechanism for collecting hire-purchase instalments is provided with means for automatically stopping the operation of the collecting mechanism, when the final instalment is paid. As applied to a collecting mechanism such as described in Specification 282,509, [Class 27, Coin-freed apparatus &c.], two usual gears 2, 3, Fig. 1, of the mechanism drive by a worm 4 a toothed wheel 1 loose on a small spindle, the wheel 1 driving a wheel 6, fast on the spindle, by a friction clutch 7 formed of spring fingers. The wheel 6 drives a unit figure drum 11 of a counter, the other drums 12, 13 of which are rotated by wheels 8, 9 loose on the spindle. The wheels 6, 8, 9 have extended bosses, each provided with a slot 14 in which fingers 15, formed as branches of a pivoted spring-controlled plate, engage, when the counter is at zero, thereby locking the counter. In this position, another branch 18, Fig. 3, through an insulating stud 19 raises a spring contact arm 20 of an auxiliary switch 20, 21 to interrupt the shank circuit, which constitutes the driving force of the collecting mechanism. The counter is first set by turning an extended end 23 of the spindle carrying the wheels 6, 8, 9 by a key inserted through a sealable aperture, to a figure representing the number of payments which make up the total hire-purchase price. Insertion of coins in the collecting mechanism automatically alters the counter 11, 12, 13 towards zero by the operation of the gears 2, 3. When the final payment is made, the counter is locked and the collector apparatus is thrown out of action by the opening of the switch 20, 21, thus preventing any further interruption of the main supply to the apparatus which it has controlled. A pointer indicates on a dial the number of coins to the credit of the purchaser beyond his actual minimum schedule of prepayment.