Coin handling – Supply level detector
Patent
1992-10-15
1993-12-07
Bartuska, F. J.
Coin handling
Supply level detector
453 56, G07F 1734
Patent
active
052678920
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
FIELD OF TECHNOLOGY
This invention relates to a token management system for a slot machine island. In the slot machine island, tokens counted by a token counter or to be collected from the individual slot machine are re-supplied to the slot machine while being polished. This invention relates to a token management system capable of controlling such flow of tokens in the slot machine island.
BACKGROUND TECHNOLOGY
A slot machine island is currently known in which a token polisher is connected vertically from a tank communicating with a token counter and a collection conveyer and in which tokens can be supplied to a supply conveyer from a hopper communicating with an upper portion of the token polisher.
In such slot machine islands, practically, the tokens obtained from one island may be conveyed to any other nearby island where the tokens may be counted by a token counter associated therewith. However, in the conventional slot machine island, since the capacity of the tank is predetermined and limited to a specific quantity of tokens which are to be used within each island, the tank might become full when the tokens obtained from another island are inserted into the island associated with the token counter, so that counting is stopped, which causes inconvenience to a player.
DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION
With the foregoing problems in view, it is an object of this invention to perform token management comfortably in each island. For this purpose, there is provided a token management system for a slot machine island, comprising a buffer tank communicating with a token counter and a collection conveyer, a token polisher vertically mounted from the buffer tank, a hopper communicating with the token polisher at its upper portion for supplying tokens to a supply conveyer, a main tank for receiving the tokens from the hopper when the hopper is filled with tokens, communicating with the buffer tank which is normally being constantly emptied, but is supplied with tokens from the main tank upon becoming empty.
The main tank may include a plurality of main tank units communicating with the hopper and the buffer tank.
With this arrangement, the tokens to be counted by the token counter or to be collected from the slot machine are fed to the token polisher where the tokens are raised to the hopper from the buffer tank while being polished. Then the tokens are supplied from the hopper to the individual slot machines. When the hopper is full, overflow tokens are supplied to and stored in the main tank. When the hopper becomes empty, it is possible to supply the tokens from the main tank to the buffer tank. Since the tokens supplied to the buffer tank are raised and polished by the token polisher, it is possible to keep the tank normally empty and therefore it is possible to satisfy the player's demands at all times without stopping the use of the token counter.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is a token management system, for a slot machine island, according to a first embodiment of this invention; and
FIG. 2 shows a second embodiment.
PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS OF THIS INVENTION
In FIG. 1, reference character A designates a slot machine island composed of a pair of parallel arrays facing opposite directions, each array including a plurality of slot machines a, and a plurality of inter-machine token dispensers B, disposed adjacent to the slot machines a. A supply conveyer 6, for supplying the tokens to the individual slot machines a, and the inter-machine token dispensers B, and a collection conveyer 2, for conveying the tokens to be discharged, extend respectively through the upper and lower portions of the slot machine island A.
The slot machine island A is equipped with a token counter 1 for counting the inserted tokens and for issuing a receipt or a card according to a counted value. In the lower part of the inside of the slot machine island A, there is equipped a buffer tank 3 communicating with the token counter 1 and the collection conveyer 2. A token polisher 4 to be driven by a motor 8 extends upwa
REFERENCES:
patent: 4342384 (1982-08-01), Fukase et al.
patent: 5067928 (1991-11-01), Harris
patent: 5100367 (1992-03-01), Abe
Kasahara Keizo
Muramatsu Meiji
Takemoto Takatoshi
Bartuska F. J.
Kabushiki Kaisha Ace Denken
LandOfFree
Token management system for slot machine island does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.
If you have personal experience with Token management system for slot machine island, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Token management system for slot machine island will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-2012631