Old coin operated welcome meter ?

Today i saw a strange device . Outward it looks just like a very big 2
burner hot plate with solid metal burners .
On front it has a square metal panel with a vending type lock and a hole
to put in a dime and a knob you turn .
On a metal plate it says `` Welcome Meter`` and a few other specks i
noticed it hooks up to 230 volts ac . The top was chrome i think the
sides were wrinkle paint light brown each corner had little feet & the
whole thing sat on a table .

Now what is it ????????? a coin operated hot plate

On Fri, 23 Jul 2004 20:28:08 -0600, (Ken G.) wrote:

Today i saw a strange device . Outward it looks just like a very big 2
burner hot plate with solid metal burners .
On front it has a square metal panel with a vending type lock and a hole
to put in a dime and a knob you turn .
On a metal plate it says `` Welcome Meter`` and a few other specks i
noticed it hooks up to 230 volts ac . The top was chrome i think the
sides were wrinkle paint light brown each corner had little feet & the
whole thing sat on a table .

Now what is it ????????? a coin operated hot plate


It would appear that way.

Here in Australia coin operated public barbecues are in common use in
parks and some rest areas. They typically are electrically operated
but I do recall seeing gas powered ones in the 1970s. The top is
square stainless finish about 1' 6 square. A small light on the front
panel goes out once the time is finished - you can then leave it or
insert another coin to continue.

They do work very well - in fact a good friend of mine she prefers
them to the standard home hot plates for some cooking (ie pancakes)

(In some areas these units have been converted to free operation - the
slot is replaced by a push button, pressing it will give 15 min or so
of heating.)

----------------

I would imagine this unit you have might have been used in staff lunch
rooms, hostels or such for guests. Maybe even in hotel rooms too ? I
recall being told once that in the 60's coin operated tvs and radios
were common in motels.


PS: solid hotplates really suck. Spiral ones are much faster and
better.

When Dick Bueschel was still alive (MAN, I miss that guy!) he shared with me
lots of information on strange old coin operated stuff.
He even had a coin operated typewriter from a hotel room in his collection!
There were coin operated hot plates, radios, TV's, Irons, coffee makers, and
even toasters! Some of them had the coin unit built into them, but many of
them were hard-wired to a timer box that could be set anywhere from 30
seconds to several hours. I have a few of the timer boxes that I got from
him years ago. I keep threatening to hook one up to my kid's TV, but never
get around to it!

"KLR" wrote in message
...
On Fri, 23 Jul 2004 20:28:08 -0600, (Ken G.) wrote:

Today i saw a strange device . Outward it looks just like a very big 2
burner hot plate with solid metal burners .
On front it has a square metal panel with a vending type lock and a hole
to put in a dime and a knob you turn .
On a metal plate it says `` Welcome Meter`` and a few other specks i
noticed it hooks up to 230 volts ac . The top was chrome i think the
sides were wrinkle paint light brown each corner had little feet & the
whole thing sat on a table .

Now what is it ????????? a coin operated hot plate


It would appear that way.

Here in Australia coin operated public barbecues are in common use in
parks and some rest areas. They typically are electrically operated
but I do recall seeing gas powered ones in the 1970s. The top is
square stainless finish about 1' 6 square. A small light on the front
panel goes out once the time is finished - you can then leave it or
insert another coin to continue.

They do work very well - in fact a good friend of mine she prefers
them to the standard home hot plates for some cooking (ie pancakes)

(In some areas these units have been converted to free operation - the
slot is replaced by a push button, pressing it will give 15 min or so
of heating.)

----------------

I would imagine this unit you have might have been used in staff lunch
rooms, hostels or such for guests. Maybe even in hotel rooms too ? I
recall being told once that in the 60's coin operated tvs and radios
were common in motels.


PS: solid hotplates really suck. Spiral ones are much faster and
better.




-----= Posted via Newsfeeds.Com, Uncensored Usenet News =-----
http://www.newsfeeds.com - The #1 Newsgroup Service in the World!
-----== Over 100,000 Newsgroups - 19 Different Servers! =-----