US2013960A - Coin controlled weighing scale - Google Patents

Description

Sept.. 10, 1935. s. N. HURT 2913,96@

COIN CONTROLLED WEIGHING SCALE Filed DSC. l0, 1931 A TT ORNE Y.

Patented Sept. 10, 1935 UNITED STATES 'r orties ooIN ooNTRoLLEn WEIGHING SCALE Application December 10, 1931, Serial No. 589,132

3 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in coin operated weighing scales and in particular to improvements in the closure means for the coin receptacle of such scales.

f5 Scales of this type are usually placed on the sidewalk in front of stores, banks or other mercantile establishments and in many cases are unguarded during the night. The coin receptacles are frequently broken open and their contents pilfered. Due to their location, they are also exposed to the inclemencies of the weather. For this reason, scales of the type hereinafter described must be designed and constructed in a manner which makes them reasonably pilier and y weather proof.

Locks used heretofore, for the purpose of securing the closure or cover for the opening into the coin receptacles were easily opened by prying with an instrument like a chisel behind the edge oi' the cover, as they are necessarily small and the bolts correspondingly weak. I have therefore, constructed a locking means for such coin receptacles in which the resistive strength lis not dependent upon the strength of the bolt nor does the construction aord an opportunity to exert a pressure thereon, and at the same time the coin receptacle cover is reasonably weatherproof.

The principal object of my invention is, therefore, the provision of a pilfer proof coin receptacle cover, in a device of the class described.

Another object is the provision of a coin receptacle cover which is reasonably rain and moisture proof.

A still further object is the provision of a coin receptacle cover which is neat in appearance and which may be economically manufactured.

These and other objects and advantages will be apparent from the following description in which reference is had to the accompanying drawing, illustrating a preferred embodiment of my invention and wherein similar reference numerals designate similar parts throughout the several views.

In the drawing:-

Figure I is a front elevational view, having parts broken away, of a scale embodying my invention.

Figure II is an enlarged cross sectional View through the coin receptacle, substantially along the line II-II of Figure I.

Figure III is an enlarged cross sectional view through the coin receptacle, substantially along the line III- III of Figure I.

Figure IV is an enlarged fragmentary view of the coin receptacle bottom having portions broken away and showing the lock construction in greater detail.

Figure V is an enlarged sectional view through the lock substantially along the line V-V of 5 Figure IV.

Referring to the drawing in detail, the scale in which I have shown my invention embodied is of a well known type and as the mechanism per se does not form a part of the invention, I l0 have not shown it in greater detail than is necessary to properly disclose the invention. A base I houses the load supporting lever system which supports a platform 2. A tension rod 3 pivotally engages a part of the load supporting lever sysl5 tem and extends through a column fl, which is mounted on one end of the baseV l and transmits the force resulting from a load on the platform to a, counterbalancing and indicating mechanism 5 which. is suitably supported in a substantially 2o watch-case-shaped housing 6 which surmounts the column ll. The counterbalancing mechanism 5 comprises a pair of load ofsetting pendulums l, which through the action of a load actingv upon them, move outwardly and upwardly 25 a distance proportional to the weight of such load, and being in operative engagement with an indicator il, rotate it, and thus indicate the weight of the load, on the chart 9. In the type of the scale illustrated, the mechanism remains 30 in a locked condition until a coin is introduced in the slot lil provided for this purpose. This releases a latching mechanism which is not shown and which is located in the upper part II of the column 4.

When a coin has been introduced into the slot and the weighing mechanism released, the coin drops through a chute I2 into the column which in this embodiment has been adapted as a coin receptacle by placing a coin receptacle bottom 40 I3 in a position to collect the coins. The coin receptacle bottom I3 rests on a ledge I4 cast integrally with the column and is locked in this position by the screws I5. The bottom I3 is provided with a circular opening IB which, when 45 it is in its proper position within the column 4, coincides with a, circular opening Il in the column 4. A steel plate I8, having a circular opening lil, is securely fastened to the face of the coin receptacle bottom i3. When the screws I5 50 are in their proper position within the column 4, the plate I8 lies between the face of the base I3 and the ledge Bil of the opening Il, and cannot be pried out except with great diiiiculty and expenditure of considerable time. 55

A coin receptacle cover 2 I, circular in shape and equipped with a shoulder 25, has a plurality of projecting pins 22 in spaced relation to each other and to the bolt 23, of a lock 24. These pins, which are located in the shoulder, are spaced from the body portion of the cover 2 I, by a distance slightly greater than the thickness of the plate I3. When in a retracted position, the end of the bolt 23 is below or even with the surface of the shoulder 25.

When closing the coin receptacle, the cover is introduced into the registering openings II and I 6, in the column 4 and the coin receptacle bottom I3 respectively, slightly turned about its axis so that the pins 22 may enter the slots 26 in the plate I8. The cover being circular, is then turned back into its normal position in which the longitudinal axis of the bolt 23 is horizontal. The bolt, which has been held in the retracted position by the key 2I, is released, and projects into the substantially rectangular recess 28 cast in the coin receptacle base I3.

It will be readily seen that the projecting pins 22 now lie in back of the plate I8 and as they are fixed in a solid portion of the cover 2|, will resist any attempt to break the bolt 23 of the lock 24, as they take all the strain. The only purpose of the lock bolt is to prevent the cover from being turned about its axis for the release of the pins.

A ridge 29 surrounds the opening Il in the column 4 and projects beyond the face of the cover 2 I. This make the introduction of a chisel, or other instrument, for the purpose of prying out the cover, extremely diicult. Even if such an instrument would enter the crack surrounding the cover, sidewise pressure only could be exerted and no strain would be thrown on the pins 22 or the bolt 23. The ridge of metal 29, however, serves still another purpose, projecting beyond the face of the cover 2|, it successfully prevents the entrance of rain into the interior of the scale, thus prolonging its life considerably.

The embodiment of my invention herein shown and described is to be regarded as illustrative only, and it is to be understood that the invention is susceptible to variation, modification and change Within the spirit and scope of the subj oined claims.

Having described my invention, I claim: l. In a device of the class described, in cornbination, a hollow weighing scale column having a coin passage leading into the interior of the 5 column, a coin receiver member positioned within said column and having an inlet opening for collecting coins from said passage, said coin receiver member having an outlet opening, a closure for said outlet opening, and means for locking said closure in said outlet opening, said column having an opening overlying the outlet opening in said coin receiver member through which said closure may be removed and replaced.

2. In a device of the class described, in combinatio-n, a hollow weighing scale column having a coin passage leading into the interior of said column a coin receiver member positioned Within said column and having an inlet opening for collecting the coins from said passage, said coin receiver member having an outlet opening, a closure for said outlet opening, means for locking said closure in said outlet opening, said column having an opening overlying the outlet opening in said coin receiver member through which said closure may be removed and replaced, said locking means including lugs adapted when in locking position to prevent the removal of said closure, and locking means for securing said lugs in locking position,

3. In a device of the class described, in combination, a hollow weighing scale column having a coin passage leading into the interior of said column, a coin receiver member positioned within said column and having an inlet opening for collecting the coins from said passage, said coin receiver member having an outlet opening, a closure for said outlet opening, means for locking said closure in said outlet opening, said column having an opening overlying the opening in said coin receiver` member through which said closure may be removed and replaced, said closure being circular, means adapted upon rotation of said closure to locking position to prevent its removal, and locking means to prevent rotation of said closure from locking position.

SAMUEL N. HURT.

Images