A Novel Apparatus for use in Competitions, combined with Instructional and Educational Purposes.

摘要

21,235. Jackson, A. J. Sept. 25. Drawing and writing and question-and-answer and like games.-After payment, a shutter is adapted to be moved to expose a strip of paper on which are written a series of questions, preferably of an educational character, or limericks, of which the last lines are to be supplied, and a second portion of paper, on which the question is to be answered, a definite time being allowed, at the end of which the shutter is returned by clock-work, an alarm bell being rung just prior to the return. The strip is afterwards examined and prizes awarded. The apparatus is adapted to be used as an advertising- medium, answers being sold with packets of goods or advertisements may be displayed on the question &c. strip. The inserted coin enters a slotted carrier j on a pivoted external handle i and a second carrier k on a spindle k1, which also carries an arm n bearing a pivoted weighted lever n, the nose of which holds the lever k and coin in position. A competitor operates the handle i, thereby rocking the lever n and moving back the shutter f, which is carried by a bar s working on guides t and engaging slots t2 in swinging arms q carried by a spindle r, a pin p on one of the arms engaging a slot o6 in a link o carried by the lever n. A catch plate 38 carried by a lever 36 pivoted to the framework snaps into a.notched plate t1 on the bar s to retain the shutter in the open position. The question &c. paper passes from a storage roller 5 by tension roller 15, over table 16, beneath aperture e (where the shutter having been withdrawn it is exposed to the operator), and thence by tension roller 17 to winding-up roller 9, the rollers 5, 9 being in frictional engagement with a central delivery drum z, which is also provided with pins near its edges which grip the paper. Simultaneously with the withdrawal of the shutter, the movement of the lever n feeds the strip forwards to expose a fresh question, a link v connecting the lever to a second link v1, which is mounted on a spindle wand carries a quadrant v2 which rotates the drum z through a loose wheel x, pawl 3, and ratchet 2. If only one feed of the paper is to be permitted for each coin inserted, a link q1 connected to the arm q is attached by a pin q2 to a crank-arm o3 on a ratchet-wheel o2 carried by the link o. With the link q1 in this position, the ratchet-wheel o2 is rotated by the movement of the arm q when the shutter is opened, and the extremity o5 of an arm o' carried by the crank o3 rocks a detent o' pivoted to the link o so that its nose o x engages the pin p, locking the levers n, q in the raised position and permitting the escape of the coin. If, however, the pin q2 engages a slot 57 or a longer slot 58 in the arm q1, the ratchet o2 is not rotated by the motion of that arm so that the detent o1 does not engage the pin p, the arms n, q therefore returning, a pawl r1 attached to the framework by a rod r3 dropping behind the tooth o7 or o8 according as the pin q2 engages the slot 57 or 58, and a lever r2 pivoted to the pawl engaging behind the loaded lever m maintaining its point against the receiver k and preventing the escape of the coin. One or two operations of the apparatus are permitted according as the pawl r' engages the the tooth o7 or o8, the wheel o2 being rotated a tooth at each operation before the pawl o' engages the pin p. The opening of the shutter starts clockwork mechanism, the bar s turning a lever 44 pivoted to the framework so that its finger 47 passes from behind and flicks a projection 48a on the pendulum. A shaft 26 of the clock-work carries a pointer c which works in front of a graduated dial, and, just prior to the expiration of the allotted time, the nose 54 of a lever 27 on the shaft 26 escapes from the nose of a pivoted lever 40, when a spring-controlled hammer 42 strikes an alarm bell 43. Shortly after a cam 55 on the lever 27 engages a screw 56 on the lever 36, lifting the retaining catch 38 from the notch t1, when a spring w2 connecting the spindle w to the arm q returns all the parts to the normal position. The pointer c is returned and the mainspring of the clock-work rewound sufficiently for the next operation, the spindle w being connected by rods 21, 22, 24 to the lever 27.