Coin-Operated Radio
Coin Operated, weighing machines,Coin Operated scale
This Coin-Operated Radio Was Like a Vending Device For The Ears
In the 1920s, it seemed everything was getting coin-operated. Throughout the U.S., you could find the automatic coin-operated boot glow equipment was actually threatening to put its flesh-and-blood version out-of a job and coin-operated digital weighing machines at train stations; coin-operated vending machines were chock full of other tasty treats;, cigarettes and candy. A 1926 problem of Radio News magazine called dropping coins in a position the great American past-time. But unlike the candy vending machine as well as weighing models, there's one Jazz Age coin gadget you had be hard pressed to get today: the coin-operated radio.
As Radio News described the newest coin-operated radio in 1926:
If you forget to create your wallet portable receiver with you, and there's a program on the air that you are particularly anxious to listen to, just walk into a store that's one of these radio receiver slot machines, drop a dime in the slot, set the two knobs of the set and your place is likely to be seen from the loud speaker in the top of the machine.
The newspaper explained how the radio worked, using the machines recently showing up in Philadelphia stores:
The radio would find some success in hospitals, hotels and resorts (generally before television hit the picture in an economical way), but eventually the engineering faded away without much excitement. Perhaps it was since the radio left a lot to chance. Sure, you might have a favorite music station that you had like to give everybody else in the malt shop. Nevertheless when it comes to investing your challenging acquired nickels, the jukebox was the only real reasonable choice for supplying the music you're dying to know.
That slot machine made its appearance recently in Philadelphia and includes a five-tube radio frequency device, having one stage updated R.F., one stage of fixed R.F., sensor and two levels of audio frequency amplification. There's also a time device which restricts the party to five full minutes. On the side of the device next to the position where the nickels are settled, is a dining table showing the instances when stations are broadcasting and also the vital dial settings of the receiver.
Eventually, it's possible these machines will be as common a sight as the many different forms of vending machines which can be familiar to everyone today and then a American boy and girl will have another motto, 'Papa, gimme a nickel I waunta hear some radio music!'
Following the nickel is placed the little knob below the slot is turned. This starts the engine which works the time device. After four minutes of music a red electric light lights in the top of the cabinet, warning the audience that if he desires to keep the party beyond the period of another second another nickel must be decreased in the position. That should be repeated every 5 minutes. The beginning of the loud speaker horn is behind the grill work above the knobs of the radio, and the time system is under it.