Check-actuated control mechanisms – Control mechanism responsive to plurality of checks – Including part locked by detent and released by check
Reexamination Certificate
1999-02-05
2001-02-13
Bartuska, F. J. (Department: 3652)
Check-actuated control mechanisms
Control mechanism responsive to plurality of checks
Including part locked by detent and released by check
C194S255000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06186309
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a coin discriminating device incorporated in, for example, an automatic vending machine for selling commodities, and the like; and to an automatic vending machine containing the coin discriminating device.
2. Earlier Development
A portion of an automatic vending machine according to an earlier development is shown in FIG.
20
. Such automatic vending machines
90
are arranged in amusement houses, the landings of staircases in the department stores and the like. In an automatic vending machine
90
, when a buyer puts in one or two normal coins (for example, one-dollar coin, 100-yen coin or the like) and turns a handle
91
, a commodity is discharged at a commodity take-out port
92
. The automatic vending machine
90
is provided with a coin discriminating device for discriminating whether the put-in coin is the normal coin or a coin smaller than the normal coin.
Such a coin discriminating device and an automatic vending machine containing such a device are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,715,925 which is based on the application by the same inventor. The coin discriminating device comprises: a turn plate having a cut-out portion in the periphery, which can receive double-layered put-in coins in a direction parallel to the axis of rotation; two coin discriminating levers provided in a state double-layered in the direction parallel to the axis of rotation so as to be operable independently; a spring for biasing the free ends of the coin discriminating levers to abut the turn plate independently; a handle for rotating the turn plate by force, and a passage regulating member for going in the cut-out portion of the turn plate at the initial position to regulate the number of normal coins which can be put into the cut-out portion.
In order to change the number of normal coins which can be put-in, from 2 to 1, in such a coin discriminating device, while the two coin discriminating levers are united as a body by a first setting member for setting the number of coins to be put in, the entirety of or a part of the regulating member for regulating the number of normal coins to be put in the cut-out portion is entered into the cut-out portion of the turn plate by operating the regulating member by a second setting member for setting the number of coins to be put in. On the contrary, in order to change the number of normal coins which can be put-in, from 1 to 2, while unification of the two coin discriminating levers are released by the first setting member, the entirety of or a part of the regulating member is taken out of the cut-out portion of the turn plate by operating the regulating member by the second setting member.
Such a coin discriminating device has a problem that the structure and the operation for controlling two coin discriminating levers are complicated. Further, there is a problem that two operations of the setting members are required in order to change the number of normal coins which can be put-in.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention has been made for solving such problems.
Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide a coin discriminating device in which the structure and the operation for controlling coin discriminating levers are simple.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a coin discriminating device which can easily change the number of normal coins to be put-in.
A further object of the present invention is to provide an automatic vending machine including such a coin discriminating device, which has a simple structure and can easily change the number of normal coins to be put-in.
In accordance with one aspect of the present invention, a coin discriminating device for discriminating put-in coins into a normal coin and a coin smaller than the normal coin includes:
a turn plate having a cut-out portion which can receive a plurality of layered put-in coins and having a coin discriminating pawl portion on a periphery thereof. A plurality of coin discriminating levers, each of which has an engaging portion engageable with the coin discriminating pawl portion of the turn plate and which are provided near the turn plate and are swingable around an axis independently of one another, abut against the corresponding received put-in coins in the cut-out portion, respectively, so that when a coin smaller than the normal coin is placed in the cut-out portion, the engaging portion of the coin discriminating lever runs against the coin discriminating pawl portion of the turn plate by rotation thereof to prevent the rotation of the turn plate. When a normal coin is placed in the cut-out portion, the coin discriminating lever is pushed by the normal coin in the cut-out portion to clear the engaging portion of the coin discriminating lever from engagement with the coin discriminating pawl portion of the turn plate. A biasing member biases a free end of each coin discriminating lever to a side of the turn plate, a handle is provided for rotating the turn plate. A regulating member is provided for regulating a number of normal coins to be put-in the cut-out portion of the turn plate by going in or out of the cut-out portion which is at an initial position thereof, and a setting member is provided for setting the number of normal coins to be put-in to make the regulating member go in or out of the cut-out portion by a predetermined depth corresponding to the number of normal coins set by the setting member. A clearing member clears the engaging portion of an unnecessary coin discriminating lever out of a region to engage with the coin discriminating pawl portion of the turn plate.
According to such a coin discriminating device, because the clearing member for is used to change the number of normal coins which can be put-in, it is possible to change the number of normal coins to be put-in effectively and to make the mechanism therefor simple.
Preferably, the setting member doubles as the clearing member. The setting member may comprise a first cam for adjusting a depth of the regulating member going in the cut-out portion, and a second cam for clearing the unnecessary coin discriminating lever out of the region to engage with the coin discriminating pawl portion of the turn plate.
According to the coin discriminating device having such a structure, because the regulating member and the unnecessary coin discriminating lever are operated by using the first and second cams, it is possible to simplify the structure. In the coin discriminating device, when operating only the setting member, the regulating member goes in or out of the cut-out portion of the turn plate which is at an initial position thereof, by a predetermined depth corresponding to the number of normal coins set by the setting member to regulate the number of normal coins which can be put in the cut-out portion while an unnecessary coin discriminating lever is operated to clear the engaging portion thereof out of the region to engage with the coin discriminating pawl portion of the turn plate. Therefore, because only an operation of the setting member works on both the regulating member and the unnecessary coin discriminating lever, it is possible to easily change the number of normal coins to be put-in.
Preferably, the regulating member is adjusted by operating the setting member through a first cam. The first cam may comprise first and second pressing surfaces which are formed in stages on a surface of the first cam circumferentially, the first and second pressing surfaces pressing to keep the regulating member at first and second stage positions different from each other, with respect to the cut-out portion, respectively. The first cam may further comprise a third pressing surface which is formed in a stage on a surface of the first cam circumferentially, the third pressing surface pressing to keep the regulating member at third stage position different from those of the first and second pressing surfaces, with respect to cut-out portion.
According to the coin discriminating device having such
Bartuska F. J.
Nixon & Vanderhye P.C.
Tomy Company Ltd.
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