US2204897A - Check controlled and dispensing turnstile - Google Patents

Description

CHECK CONTROLLED AND DISPENSING TURNSTILE Filed April 16, 1936 5 Shepts-Sheet 1 une 1940. 5 J Y H. M. KILPATRICK 2 4897 CIiEOK CONTROLLED AND DISPENSING TURNSTILE Filed April 1a, 1936 s Sheets-Sheet 2 June 18, 1940.

H. M. I (ILPATRICK 2,204,897

CHECK CONTROLLED AND DISPENSING TURNSTILE Filed April 16, 1936 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Hz/en for:

Patented June 18, 1940 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE Howard M. Kilpatrick, New York, N. Y.

' Application April 16, 1986, Serial No. 74,775

17 Claim.

This invention relates to dispensing machines and devices, and relates more particularly to machines for dispensing cardboard checks and similar articles.

5 In many restaurants where customers wait upon themselves, there is presented to each customer on entering, a check which is subsequently to indicate the total amount of his purchase. Many restaurants are provided with dispensing l machines from which the customer takes a check and thereby automatically sets in operation mechanism which presents a check for the next customer andrings a bell. These machines are supposed to dispense with the services of an l attendant to deliver the check to the customers;

but in practice during the busy hours, an attendant is usually stationed at the machine to hand the checks to the customers and prevent any customer from entering without receiving a 50 check. An object of the present invention is to eliminate the need of this attendant. Other objects will also appear.

To this end I have provided a machine which projects each check to a position where it may be taken away by the customenthe machine being provided with a turnstile, revolving door or other barrier which prevents the customer from entering until he has taken the check. As the customer passes through the turnstile, the ma chine presents another check and positions the turnstile for the next customer, holding the turnstile locked until said next customer takes away the newly presented check.

While the description herein relates to checks 5 .and turnstiles, it is understood that the invention, as claimed in the broader claims is not limited to them, and that the device may be greatly varied in many respects without departing from the scope of the invention as defined in the broader claims.

In the accompanying drawings, Fig. 1 isa fragmental front elevation, partly in vertical section;

Fig. 2 is a fragmental sectional view partly 5 taken on the lines 2-2 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a fragmental view showing motor drive and control therefor; and

Fig. 4 is a side elevation. parts beingbroken 0 away.

The mechanism support The machine is shown carried on a pedestal 5 having a base (not shown) adapted to be secured to the floor or other support. At the upper 5 end of the pedestal is mounted a housing t hava boss on the housing wall.

ing, in its topand bottom, openings I and 8 rotably receiving a shaft ill on which are mounted the turnstile II and various operating wheels and cams of the device.

While herein the turnstile is of the inclined axis 5 type and mounted on the bottom of the shaft, rather than the usual axially vertical type mounted on the upper end of the shaft, the invention as claimed is not thus limited. In either case the principle of operation is practically the 10 same and will here be described in connection with the inclined axis mechanism.

The housing The housing may be made in any suitable manner, and is here shown as comprising upper and lower castings l2, l3 having a plane of parting i4 adapted to be secured together by screws I'l.

Turnstile positioning means Keyed or otherwise fast upon said shaft at the upper part thereof is a spider I 9 carrying three rollers 20, adapted, one or two at a time, yieldably to receive a pressure bar 2i fixed across a plunger rod 22 (Fig. 2) slidably carried in a bore 23 in Said bar is yieldably pressed against the rollers by a spring 24 compressed between shoulders 25 and 26 formed in the bore and on the rod respectively. Saic bar presses against two rollers at the normal position 30 of rest of the turnstile and yieldably holds the turnstile in said position andcarries the turnstile to the next position of rest after one of the rollers has passed the middle of the bar.

The positioning spider has three rollers, because I the associated turnstile has three arms. When the turnstile is provided with a different number of arms, said rollers equal such number.

Check feed means wardly through an opening 34 in the'bottom of the housing, and thence around an angularly disposed flxed pin 35 (Fig. 51) later to be described, thence under a flat guide spring 36 carried on the pin, and aroundthe .feed wheel 28 for the distance between adjacent pins 29, thence through 55 a guide slot SI (Fig. 2) in a bracket 39, to a discharge slit at the side of the housing, through which the end check 32' is partly projected when the stile is in normal position.

The bracket 38 (Fig. 1) is secured fast to the housing wall and is provided with a lower flat lug 42 to which is secured fast, by a shouldered screw 48, a supporting plate 44 disposed Just under the feed wheel and carrying the cylindrical guide pin 35, the plate being provided with an opening 48 loosely receiving the shaft ll.

The outer end of the spring 36 is provided with a longitudinal slot 48 (Fig. 4) through which said pins 2! pass as they feed said strips. When the stile is turned from one normal position to the next, the strip is fed the distance of one check.

For threading the check strip, access may be had to the check strip, pin 35 and slot 18 through doors l8 and 49 (Fig. 4).

Check cut-on means After the check 32' is fed to the projected position, it is severed from the strip at a perforation 30 (Fig. 1) in order that the customer may withdraw it from the machine. This severing is accomplished by means of a pair of blades 5|, M (Fig. 2), one blade ill being secured fast to the wall 52 of the bracket 39. the other blade 5| being slidable in a guide slot 53 in the bracket and provided at the outer end with a pivot block 54 to which is pivoted the free end of the active arm 56 of a three arm cutter lever 56, 51, 5| fulcrumed at 59 on a fixed arm 60 of the bracket ll.

The cutter lever is actuated to cutting pomtion by one of three bumps 62, 62' disposed equal angles apart on the periphery of a cutter cam 63 secured fast on said shaft III. As the stile moves to normal position, one of said bumps 62 engages a roller G4 on the end of the active arm 51 of the cutter lever, and moves the movable blade II to closed position, thus severing the check.

As soon as the stile is moved forwardly from said normal position, the next forward bump 62' of the cutter cam moves opposite to a roller 65 on the end of a return arm I8 of the cutter lever and positively forces the cutter lever to retract the blade ii.

During cutting, the passage of the strip through the shears is stopped while the feed wheel moves slightly, and the part of the strip between the blades and feed wheel pin will bend slightly, but will tend to straighten as soon as the blade ii is retracted.

The stile control mechanism Means are provided to prevent forward movement of the stile and entrance of the customer until the customer has taken the severed ticket from the discharge slit I. This means includes a control wheel fast on said shaft II and provided with peripheral stop lugs II, II one for each stile arm, equally spaced around the control wheel, one of which lugs is adapted (if the severed check is not withdrawn) to be engaged and stopped by the hooked free end ll of the active arm ll of a three-arm control lever II, 12, I3 intermediately fulcrumed on the shouldered screw 43 on the lug 42.

If the severed check be not removed by the customer the feeler end ll of the arm 12 of said control lever is engaged by the unremoved severed check, and the control lever is held, with the.hooked end II in the path of the stop lug 0, feeler end passing through an opening ll in the wall of the guide slot It and pressing against the unremoved check. As soon, however, as the check is removed by the customer, the feeler end I! passes through an opening 11 on the opposite wall of the guide slot, under the action of a spring 18 tensioned between the arm H and the side of the casing. This removes the hooked end 1. from the path of the stop lug and allows the stile to turn and the customer to enter.

In order to remove the feeler end 15 from the path .of the check before the next check is fed thereto, a restoring cam provided on the arm 13 of the control lever is adapted to be engaged and pushed back by the next stop lug I! as soon as the stop lug 39 moves from the path of the hooked end ll.

Manual operation The mechanisms just described are sumcient for the manual operation of the machine. The

parts are normally in the position shown in Fig. 2,

soon as the customer takes the severed check, the I feeler end 15 and the hooked end ll move to releasing position under the action of spring II, and allow the customer to turn the stile past the dead center (the point where the roller 2| passes the middle of the bar 2|) and then pass through the stile and enter the restaurant. The locked turnstile gives a reminder, to the person attempting to pass, that a check has not been taken and that he should take a check. The manual operation by the customer and the action of the spring 24 cause the stile to move from one normal position to the next; and while this is taking place the feeler end 15 is removed from the path of the strip as soon as the stop lug is clears the all hooked end II. Also the blade II is immediately retracted because of the action of the bump 02' on the roller 65. The blade I is not again cloud, on the blade 50, until the next bump 82 reaches the roller M as the stile reaches the next normal position of rest.

Retrograde movement of the stile and exit through the stile are prevented by the pawl and ratchet later to be described.

Motor ope ation If desired, motor operation may be provided and is shown herein. The motor II (m 1 and 3) is driven by current received from a suitable source through conductors 94, ii, l0 (Fig. 3) when the switch 01, I is closed.

The motor switch This switch comprises normally separate spring conducting members 11, ll connected to the conductors ll, l5.

The switch is normally open when the cam end ill ofthe-spring-lll inone of the deep notches II! in the switch cam Ill fast on the main-shaft ll: When the customer to turn the stile on his entrance therethrough, the incline ill of the switchcam engag s the cam end Ill and pushes the insulating block lllsgainstthemember ll,thus closingtheswitch and applying current to the motor II which drives the stile (as will be explained), thcland portion ll" oftheswitchcamholdingthes'witch s closed until just before the next normal position of the stile is reached whereupon the cam end The motor drive mounted in bearing brackets I09, between which its shaft carries a worm H meshing with a worm wheel Ill carried loose on the main shaft lll. Saidjworm wheel carries a pawl spring pressed against a ratchet wheel H6 fast on the j main shaft, whereby the main shaft and stile are driven forwardly by the motor when the switch is closed as explained. a

The pawl and ratchet allow the customer to turn the stile faster than the motor drives it; but in any case, the switch will open as the stile reaches the next normal position, and the stile cannot pass the next normal position until the next check has been removed, and the hooked end In retracted. This motor drive could be used without the dispensing means.

The worm wheel cannot rotate the worm. Therefore, the pawl 5 will always. serve to prevent retrograde movement and prevent exit through the stile. But the pawl allows forward movement whether power be supplied to the motor or not. If preferred, the motor and switch may be omitted entirely; but the ratchet and the pawl suitably pivoted should be retained to hold the stile against retrograde movement.

The dispensing device and turnstile are carried on the same pedestal, rather than on sepa rate pedestals on opposite sides of the entrance, to save the expense of two pedestals and interconnection under the fioor between them.

The check is projected at the side where it will be easily seen. customer, after having passed through the turnstile will try to reach back and take another check. However, to discourage this, it would be obvious to position the housing so the slit 40 would be at the entrance side of the stile, so that the newly projected check would project forwardly of the picture plane of Fig. 1, where it would be out of easy reach of the customer after he had passed through the stile. As an additional precaution, the projecting check could be surrounded by a guard open only at the front. Should a four-arm turnstile with vertical axis be used, the stile would have to be above the housing, as is usual; and the arms could be in the form of vertical panels to keep the customer from reaching back to take an extra check.

It is understood that the word check" as used in the claims herein is not limited to restaurant checks, but covers tickets and other articles which may be presented by presenting or dispensing means.

I claim as my invention:

1. In combination an article presenting means adapted to hold an article in position to be removed; a barrier to prevent the passage of a person past said article when in said position; and means set in operation by the removal ofthe article from said position for causing said barrier to allow the person to pass the barrier.

2. In combination an article holding means adapted to hold an article in position to be re- It is not thought that a ceived; and means set in operation by the attempted passage of a person .by said holding means without the removal of the article, to give a reminder that the article has not been removed.

and to withhold said remainder if the article has been removed. v

3. A check dispenser comprising a turnstile; and a check presenting means operated by the turnstile, when revolved for forcing the person passing the turnstile to present a check into a position to be removed by the next person passing.

4. A dispenser as in claim 3 comprising means caused by said check when in said position to hold said turnstile against turning, and adapted when the check is removed to allow the turnstile to be turned.

5. In combination a check presenting means adapted to hold a check in position to be removed; a barrier to prevent the passage of a person past said check whenin said position; and means set in operation by the removal of a check from said position for causing said presenting caused by said end check when in said position to hold said turnstile against turning, and adapted when the end check is removed to allow the turnstile to be turned, to sever and present another check.

8. In combination, a turnstile having a part adapted to be pushed upon; a check presenting means operated by the turnstile for presenting a check into a position to be removed; and means caused by said check when in said position to hold said turnstile against turning, and adapted when the check is removed to allow the turnstile to be turned, and power means automatically set in operation when said part is pushed upon to cause said turnstile to revolve.

9. In combination, a turnstile having a part adapted to be pushed; a check strip feeding means operated by the turnstile, when rotated, for projecting and severing the end check of the strip; and means caused by said check when thus projected to hold said turnstile against turning, and adapted when the check is removed from the projected position to allow the turnstile to be turned; and power means set in operation when said part is pushed for turning the turnstile.

10. A check dispenser comprising a turnstile; a check feeding andsevering means operated by the turnstile on turning for severing and presenting the end check of a' strip into a position to be removed, whereby the person operating the tumstile is forced to furnish the power which presents and severs the check.

11. A dispenser as in claim 10 comprising means caused by said end check when in said position to hold said turnstile against turning, and adapted when the end check is. removed to allow the turnstile to be turned, to sever and present another check, whereby a person is prevented from passing the turnstile until he removes the check.

12. A check dispenser comprising a turnstile having a shaft; a check feeding means; a severon turning for operating the feeding and severing ior'the turn'stile and means caused by said end check when in said position to operate said lock to hold said turnstile against turning, and adapted when the end check is removed to operate said lock to allow the turnstiie to be turned, to sever and present another check, whereby a person is prevented from passing the turnstile until he removes the check.

14. In combination, a completely revolving barrier adapted to revolve in one direction a distance sumcient to allow passage, and having a part adapted to be pushed against; an electric motor automatically set in operation as soon as said part is pushed against; pawl and ratchet means between said motor and barrier, to cause said motor when operating to revolve the barrier in said direction at a certain speed, and to allow the .article dispensing means; and mechanism set in operation by the passage of a person passing the passing means to operate the dispensing means.

17. In combination, a barrier; a check presenting means adapted to hold a check in position to be removed; and means cooperating with said barrier, means and the check when in said position to remind a person moving against the barrier that the check is still in said position.

HOWARD M. KILPA'I'RICK.

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