Coin handling – Deliverer – Belt or chain
Reexamination Certificate
2000-02-18
2001-12-11
Ellis, Christopher P. (Department: 3652)
Coin handling
Deliverer
Belt or chain
C453S057000, C453S017000, C221S174000, C221S203000, C198S550010, C198S550500, C198S562000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06328646
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a coin dispensing apparatus and more particularly to a coin dispensing apparatus having a large coin storage capacity including a first tank, a second tank for storing a large supply of coins and a conveyor for transferring coins from the second tank to the first tank.
2. Description of the Related Art
U.S. Pat. No. 4,589,433 discloses a first type of hopper-type coin dispensing apparatus.
FIG. 9
shows a perspective view of the coin dispensing apparatus including a support stand
1
, a base plate
2
mounted to the support stand
1
in a position inclined to a horizontal surface and a hopper head
3
secured to the base plate
2
by bolts
4
to form a hopper
5
for holding a supply of coins. The coin dispensing apparatus further includes a rotary disc
6
rotatably mounted to the support plate
2
within the hopper
5
. A peripheral portion
6
a
of the rotary disc is provided with a plurality of pins
8
arranged at regular intervals. A central portion of the rotary disc
6
is provided with an overlaying central disc
9
. The outer edge of the central disc
9
a
and the plurality of pins
8
define spaces on the rotary disc
6
for picking up coins from the hopper
5
and transporting them to a delivery zone
7
. Three agitating coils
15
, extending radially from the center of the rotary disc
6
, stir the coins in the hopper. A delivery knife secured to the support plate
2
at the delivery zone
7
and having a tip
10
a
resting on the outer edge of the central disc
9
a
transfers coins from the rotary disc
6
to an exit chute
11
. A roller
13
positioned above the delivery knife
10
and rotatably mounted to the free end of a spring loaded actuator arm
12
counts the number of coins as they pass between the roller
13
and the delivery knife
10
. Elliptically shaped wipers
14
, each secured to the support plate
2
by a mouth piece
16
, prevent any overlapping of coins on the rotary disc
6
from being transported to the exit chute
11
. Each wiper
14
includes a deflection plate
17
for pushing the wiper
14
against an upper circumferential wall
19
to define a clearance between the wiper and the rotary disc
6
.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,122,094 discloses a second type of hopper-type coin dispensing apparatus.
FIG. 18
shows a perspective view of this type of coin dispensing apparatus including a support stand
103
, a base plate
104
in a position inclined to the horizontal and a hopper
101
secured to the supporting plate
104
for holding a supply of coins. The second coin dispensing apparatus further includes a rotary disc
150
connected to a rotary shaft
142
of a motor and rotated in the clockwise direction A. The rotary disc
150
has a thick bottom and an integrally formed circumferential wall
106
. The bottom of the rotary disc
150
has circumferentially spaced holes
152
for receiving coins. An under surface of the rotary disc
150
includes coin feeding arms
153
each of which extends from a peripheral edge of the rotary disc
150
to one of the holes
152
at an angle to the radial direction of the rotary disc
150
(see FIG.
19
). Each of the coin feeding arms
153
has a thickness slightly smaller than the thickness of a coin. A support mount
154
under the rotary disc
150
and centered with the rotary shaft
142
rotatably supports the rotary disc
150
. The support mount
154
has a thickness slightly larger than the thickness of the coin. As the rotary disc
150
is rotated clockwise A, coins drop one by one through the holes
152
and between the feeding arms
153
under the rotary disc
150
. The feeding arms
153
transport the coins upwardly to a coin exit
160
. A guiding elliptical plate
155
is fitted around the support mount
154
under the rotary disc
150
. The guiding plate
155
includes a linear portion
156
for guiding coins transported upwardly on the feeding arms
153
into the coin exit
160
. A lower portion of the coin exit
160
includes a first roller
161
rotatably supported on a roller shaft
162
fixed to the base plate
104
. An upper portion of the coin exit
160
includes a movable roller
163
rotatably supported on a movable shaft
164
that moves along an arched groove
165
formed in the base plate
104
. The movable shaft
164
is connected to a spring loaded actuator arm
166
pivotable secured by a pin
168
to a bracket
167
fixed to the supporting plate
104
. A count sensor
169
secured to the bracket and operated by the actuator arm
166
counts the number of coins as they pass between the first roller
162
and the movable roller
166
.
A problem that has occurred in hopper-type coin dispensing apparatuses is the relatively low coin storage capacity of their hopper. This problem is especially pronounced in the gaming industry which relies on coin dispensing apparatuses in game machines to continuously pay out coins to players at high speeds. Game machines are more likely to experience coin shortages in the middle of a play because of the low coin storage capacity of the hopper. Therefore, there is a need to increase the coin storage capacity of both hopper-type coin dispensing apparatuses to avoid coin shortages.
SUMMARY OF THE PRESENT INVENTION
The object of the present invention is to provide a coin dispensing apparatus having a large coin storage capacity with simple construction.
A first embodiment of the present invention includes a first storage tank and a rotary disc having a central disc and a plurality of members for transporting coins from the storage first tank to an exit chute. The first embodiment further includes a case secured to the first storage tank and housing a belt-type conveyor, and a second storage tank secured to the case and having a large coin storage capacity. As the coin supply of the first storage tank is depleted, the coins stored in the second storage tank are transported to the first storage tank using the belt-type conveyor in the case. The second storage tank allows the coin dispensing apparatus of the first embodiment to continuously pay out coins for longer periods of time and reduces the frequency at which coins have to be loaded into the coin dispensing apparatus.
A second embodiment of the invention includes a cylindrical first storage tank and a rotary disc having coin receiving holes and coin feeding arms for transporting coins from the storage first tank to a coin exit. The second embodiment further includes a case secured above the first storage tank and housing a conveyor, and a second storage tank secured to the case and having a large coin storage capacity. As the coin supply of the first storage tank is depleted, the coins stored in the second storage tank are transported to the first storage tank using the conveyor in the case. The second storage tank allows the coin dispensing apparatus of the second embodiment to continuously pay out coins for longer periods of time and reduces the frequency at which coins have to be loaded into the coin dispensing apparatus.
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patent: 3061145 (1962-10-01), Sharpe
patent: 3680566 (1972-08-01), Tanaka et al.
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patent: 5165520 (1992-11-01), Herve et al.
patent: 5190495 (1993-03-01), Taxon
patent: 5333718 (1994-08-01), Pannell et al.
patent: 5496211 (1996-03-01), Zimmermann
patent: 5775537 (1998-07-01), Doyle, Jr.
patent: 5954576 (1999-09-01), Coulter et al.
patent: 6003652 (1999-12-01), Murata et al.
patent: 6030284 (2000-02-01), Frank
patent: 6174230 (2001-01-01), Gerrity et al.
patent: 2459251 (1975-07-01), None
patent: 3611607A (1987-10-01), None
patent: 786596 (1935-09-01), None
Abe Hiroshi
Umeda Masayoshi
Asahi Seiko Co. Ltd.
Ellis Christopher P.
Price and Gess
Shapiro Jeffrey A.
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