Coin handling – Deliverer – Rotary
Reexamination Certificate
1999-02-25
2001-04-03
Bartuska, F. J. (Department: 3652)
Coin handling
Deliverer
Rotary
Reexamination Certificate
active
06210264
ABSTRACT:
The invention relates to coin dispensing apparatus, being understood that the term coin includes not only monetary units but also similar shaped items such as tokens.
The invention is particularly concerned with the form of coin dispensing apparatus known as a compact hopper. A prior art form of compact hopper is shown in an exploded perspective form in FIG.
1
.
The prior art compact hopper comprises a base
10
on which is mounted a dispensing unit
11
. A bowl
12
is fitted onto the base to cover the dispensing unit
11
.
The unit
11
comprises a static bed
13
on which is mounted a rotary disc
14
having four holes
15
therein. Each hole
15
has a diameter which is greater than the diameter of the coin to be dispensed.
In use the bowl
12
is filled with coins which lie randomly within the bowl. However, as the disc
14
rotates, coins successively fall into the holes
15
and because the disc
14
has a thickness which is equal to the thickness of several coins, a plurality of coins form short stacks within the holes
15
, the lowermost coin of each stack abutting the bed
13
.
There is a gap between the disc
14
and the bed
13
which is fractionally greater than the thickness of the coin but the lowermost coin of each stack still moves round with the disc
14
because of projections
16
on the disc which protrude below the disc
14
.
Adjacent to a dispensing slot
17
one or more spring loaded fingers
18
protrudes from the bed.
The disc rotates anticlockwise as viewed in FIG.
1
and as the lowermost coin of each stack reaches the finger
18
the coin is squeezed between the projection
16
and the fingers
18
. Initially the fingers
18
are moved back against the action of its spring, storing energy, but when the coin comes into full registration with the slot
17
the stored energy causes the coin to flip out through the slot and the finger returns to the position shown in
FIG. 1
, ready to receive the lowermost coin of the next stack.
FIG. 2
is an underplan of the dispensing device and it can be seen that the shaded coin
19
is about to be squeezed between the pushing projection
16
and the spring loaded fingers
18
.
The prior art arrangement is fairly tolerant of changes in coin diameter, allowing one disc hole size to be used with a range of coins of different diameters. It can be seen from
FIG. 2
that there is quite a difference in size between the diameter of the holes
15
and the diameter of the shaded coin
19
. However, the gap between the disc and the bed is critical to a successful operation and must vary depending upon the thickness of the coin. If the gap is too small, coins will not be able to pass between the disc and the bed to the exit slot. If the gap is too large, the leading edge of a coin will be able to lift up and travel over the top of the fingers and the coin will not be ejected.
Each coin has to be allowed to engage partially in this gap, as the coin travels around the bed, to exercise control over the coin to prevent the leading edge from lifting. However the coin must not be allowed to pass too far into the gap otherwise it will not provide support for the coin immediately above. If the coin immediately above is not supported, then that coin will substantially overhang the lowermost coin and tip downwardly. It may therefore jam or it may hit the spring loaded fingers first, causing the spring loaded fingers to be pushed back too far, such that the lowermost coin rides over the fingers and is not dispensed.
Since the lowermost coin can only be allowed to engage partially in the gap as it travels around the bed, it is only the rear edge of the coin which can be controlled. To exercise a sufficient degree of control, the gap must be very closely matched to the thickness of the coin to be handled.
Hence the actual design of each hopper must be adjusted to suit each specific coin geometry.
We have developed an apparatus which is more tolerant to variations in coin thickness, thus allowing a range of coins to be dispensed efficiently and consistently from a single size of hopper.
The invention provides coin dispensing apparatus comprising a bed, a coin holder movable relative to the bed and spaced from the bed by a gap, the coin holder having at least one coin reservoir capable of holding a stack of at least two coins with the lowermost coin in contact with the bed, means to eject the lowermost coin from the apparatus through the gap between the bed and the coin holder, and support means to prevent or restrict tilting of the coin above the lowermost coin, as the lowermost coin is ejected.
Utilising the support means defined above has the advantage that a dispensing apparatus can be arranged such that the lowermost coin lies within the said gap to a much greater extent than with the prior art devices.
This may be brought about by providing a coin pushing device on the rotor which is appropriately spaced from the edge of the associated hole.
Since with the support means according to the invention, the lowermost coin can lie within the gap to a much greater extent, the thickness of the gap can be somewhat larger than the thickness of the coin, while still exerting a significant degree of control over lifting movement of the leading edge of the coin.
The coin holder may comprise a rotor which is rotatably mounted on the bed, the rotor having at least one hole therethrough, which hole acts as the coin reservoir.
The support means to prevent or restrict tilting of the coin above the lowermost coin may comprise a projection at the lower end of the hole.
The projection may comprise a ledge positioned to support the leading edge of the coin above the lowermost coin.
The rotor of the apparatus according to the invention may comprise a disc.
The disc may have a plurality of coin supporting holes therein, for example three or four.
The apparatus may be provided with at least one spring loaded finger against which a coin to be dispensed can be squeezed by the coin pushing member.
Where a plurality of holes is provided, the plurality of associated ledges may be provided by mounting an appropriately shaped member between the bed and the disc.
REFERENCES:
patent: 4257436 (1981-03-01), Smith
patent: 4798558 (1989-01-01), Bellis
patent: 43 10 411 A1 (1993-10-01), None
patent: 0 461 889 A2 (1991-12-01), None
patent: WO 95/05645 (1995-02-01), None
Arent Fox Kintner Plotkin & Kahn
Bartuska F. J.
Coin Controls Limited
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