10
T h e A u t o m a t ic A ge
used in the United States by street
car conductors, are used but spar
ingly in Germany. Street car com
panies and the Federal Railway Co.
might be interested in adopting such
machines, time-saving devices always
being in demand, although they are
not much in favor o f such machines,
their experiences with them not hav
ing been favorable so far.
To introduce fare collecting de
vices in Germany will be quite a
task. On street cars it is preferred
to have the conductor collect the fare,
make change, regulate the starting
and stopping and in general super
vise the traffic o f the cars.
A considerable business in coin
counting and wrapping machines is
being done by a German manufac
turer o f these machines. This firm
has among its customers many o f
the largest firms, one bank alone
having purchased 200.
Current Sales Methods
Vending machines are at present
being sold in Germany either direct
or through the medium o f agents,
principally to manufacturers o f can
dy or perfume who have them in
stalled in public places fo r the sale
and advertisement o f their own prod
ucts. A smaller proportion o f the
machines are sold by agents to res
taurants,
department stores, and
places o f amusement. Such agents
would presumably be in a position to
handle the sale o f the lighter type o f
counter vending machines to the
smaller retail shops. While there are
a few companies in Germany formed
exclusively fo r the purpose o f oper
ating vending machines over extend
ed territories, none o f them is situat
ed in the cities o f the Leipzig con
sular district. It is understood, how
ever, that such companies are estab
lished in Cologne, Berlin, Breslau,
Kiel, and Hanover.
© International Arcade Museum
General Comment
Coin carriers, collectors, change
making machines, coin counting ^
wrapping machines should find 8 ,
ready market in Germany. Vending
machines, other than the heavy tyPeS’
should also do well in this territory’ ,
but it must be remembered that the# 1
are seventy German manufacture^
er^aged in making automatic vend'
ing machines o f various kinds, aut°'
matic scales, etc.
An assortment o f circulars is
'
file in the Specialties Division whi^
briefly describe in word and pictur®
some o f the Germain coin handing
and coin vending machines. These j
are available fo r inspection upon re'
quest.
Electric measuring, counting, an^
registering
apparatus
and
parts
thereof imported into Germany P ^
a duty o f 100 marks per 100 kil°s*
Other mechanisms, as also automata
measuring and registering devices
without clockwork, and automatic
registering tills (not pedometers °r
cash registers), all, so far as they are
not subject to higher duties by re3"
son o f being combined with other
than common metals, pay 120 marks
per 100 kilos.
Returns From Legion
Convention in Europe
Have just returned from a three
months’ tour in Europe, where I at'
tended the American Legion conven
tion, and read with interest the a r t i
cle in A U T O M A T IC A GE concern
ing trips that others in the vending
machine industry have made in Eu
rope.
L A W R E N C E BARCUS,
Operator,
Oolitic, Ind.
http://www.arcade-museum.com/