EP2765559B1 - Coin sorting apparatus - Google Patents

Description

The invention relates to a device for sorting coins which comprises a first and at least one second receiving container for receiving coins. Furthermore, the device has a separating unit for separating coins and a transport unit for transporting coins from the separating unit to the first receiving container arranged downstream of the separating unit and the second receiving container arranged downstream of the first receiving container, the transport unit having a first transport section and a second transport section. The first transport section is arranged between the separating unit and the first receiving container, so that both the coins to be fed to the first receiving container and the coins to be fed to the second receiving container are transported along the first transport section. The second transport section is arranged between the first and the second transport container, so that only the coins not fed to the first receiving container are transported along it.

In the device for inputting and / or outputting coins, the coins entered as unsorted amount of coins, after they have been separated, their authenticity has been checked and their denomination has been determined, are distributed to a large number of receptacles, so-called coin hoppers, depending on their denomination. In particular, the coins are stored according to type, that is to say that at least one receptacle is provided for each denomination.

For this purpose, a sorting section is provided in particular, which comprises a support surface on which the coins rest during transport and in which several holes are arranged with increasing size in the direction of transport of the coins. One of the coin receptacles is arranged below each of these holes so that the coins are distributed over the individual receptacles depending on their size. Due to the high processing speed and the different properties of the coins, however, it can happen that a coin is accidentally fed to the wrong receptacle. This is particularly critical when the coins are also paid out again, since if a wrong coin is received in a coin hopper, the wrong amount of money would be paid out.

There are therefore known devices in which to determine the correct supply of the individual coins to the individual receptacles in the entrance area of the receptacle or in the area between the hole and the receptacle, so in any case in the area in which the coins are in the free Case are, light barriers are arranged to detect the coins. Such devices are for example from the documents DE 20 2006 007 932 U1 and DE 29807688 U1 known. The problem with this is that with coins in free fall it can easily happen that, due to the rotation of the coins and the dense sequence of coins fed one behind the other, the light beam of the light barrier is continuously interrupted when two coins are fed one after the other, so that the two coins Coins are only perceived as one coin by the light barrier. It can also It may also happen that a coin does not interrupt the light beam at all if it is rotated and positioned incorrectly. Both of these result in incorrect determinations of the number of coins fed to the corresponding receptacle. Furthermore, it can happen that the light beam of the light barrier is permanently broken when the receiving container has such a high fill level that the coins received are stacked up to the area of the light barrier.

From the document U.S. 3,785,386 A a device for sorting coins is known in which the coins are transported along a transport path in which a plurality of holes are provided which become larger downstream so that the coins fall into different receiving containers according to their size and thus their denomination. A sensor that determines the number of coins transported past it is arranged between each two holes. By forming the difference value between the number of coins determined in front of a hole and the number of coins behind a hole, the number of coins fed to the respective hole and thus to the associated receiving container is determined.

The document DE 37 24 994 A1 describes a further device for sorting coins, in which the coins are also transported along a sorting path with increasingly larger holes, between which in turn sensors are arranged to determine the number of coins fed to the respective holes.

It is the object of the invention to provide a device for sorting coins in which a simple manner Monitoring of the scheduled supply of coins to the individual receptacles is possible reliably.

This object is achieved by a device with the features of claim 1. Advantageous further developments of the invention are given in the dependent claims.

According to the invention, a first sensor for detecting coins transported along the first transport section is arranged in the first transport section. A second sensor for detecting coins transported along the second transport section is also arranged in the second transport section. A control unit determines the number of coins supplied to the first receiving container as a function of the information obtained from the first sensor and from the second sensor. During the transport along the first transport section and the second transport section, the coins have a predetermined orientation and do not rotate either. The coins are in particular on a support surface along which they move. Providing the sensors in these transport sections of the transport unit ensures that the individual coins can be reliably identified so that the number of coins transported along the first transport section and the number of coins transported along the second transport section can be reliably determined. Correspondingly, the calculation of the coins fed into the first receiving container on the basis of these two values can be carried out with high accuracy.

Furthermore, the arrangement of the sensors in the transport sections and thus outside the receptacle ensures that when the receptacle is filled to a high level (so-called turret formation), at least one coin is permanently arranged in the detection area of the sensor and thus one Detection of further supplied coins prevented.

The terms upstream and downstream relate to the direction of transport of the coins along the transport path within which they are transported in the device.

The control unit determines the number of coins transported along the first transport section with the aid of the first sensor and the number of coins transported along the second transport section with the aid of the second sensor. Furthermore, the control unit determines the number of coins fed to the first receiving container, in particular by subtracting the number of the coins transported along the second transport section from the number of coins transported along the first transport section. Since the difference between the coins transported along the first and those along the second transport section can only have been supplied to the first receiving container, the corresponding number can be reliably determined from this.

In a particularly preferred embodiment of the invention, at least one third receiving container is provided for receiving coins. It is particularly advantageous if a large number of additional receptacles are provided for receiving coins. In particular, the number of receptacles provided corresponds to the number of different denominations of the currency rate to be handled. In the case of euro coins, eight receptacles in particular are thus provided, the receptacles being arranged one behind the other in relation to the direction of transport. A sensor for detecting coins is provided in each of the transport sections of the transport unit, which are located between two receiving containers arranged one behind the other. The control unit then determines the number of coins fed to one of the receptacles by subtracting the number determined in the transport section arranged behind the receptacle from the number of coins determined in the transport section in front of the receptacle. The number of coins supplied for each receptacle can thus be determined in a simple manner.

For the last receptacle seen in the transport direction, it is not necessary to provide a further sensor after this, so that the control unit assumes the number of coins fed to it as the number determined by the sensor located immediately in front of the last receptacle. Both the first sensor and the second sensor preferably each include a light barrier, the transport of a coin along this transport section being detected by interrupting the light barrier. In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the further sensors for detecting coins each include a light barrier. The use of light barriers has the advantage that with their help the coins can be detected easily and reliably and the light barriers are inexpensive to purchase. Alternatively, instead of light barriers, ultrasonic sensors, capacitive sensors and / or inductive sensors can also be used. It is likewise also possible for different types of sensors to be used in the various transport sections.

Furthermore, a checking unit is provided for determining the denomination of supplied coins, the control unit using the determined denominations to determine a target value for the coins to be supplied to it according to plan for each receiving container. In particular, how many coins of which denomination are to be fed to it is preset for each coin receiving container. On the basis of this predetermined scheme, the control unit determines how many coins are in the respective receptacle by comparing the corresponding number of coins of the individual denominations would have to be fed if the feed is according to the preset distribution.

The checking unit serves in particular not only to determine the denomination but also to check the authenticity of the coins. Coins and / or other objects classified as spurious are in particular sorted out before the other coins are fed to the receptacles by the transport unit.

The checking unit is arranged in particular upstream of the transport unit and downstream of the separating unit.

For at least one of the receiving containers, the control unit compares the number of coins fed in, i.e. the actual number, determined with the aid of the sensors, with the corresponding setpoint value. It is particularly advantageous if the control unit compares the actually supplied number with the setpoint value for each receiving container. Using this comparison, the control unit can easily determine whether the distribution of the coins to the individual coin receptacles took place in accordance with the specified scheme or whether a coin was fed to the wrong receptacle.

The control unit carries out the comparison between the target value and the actually supplied number of coins after each individual coin has been supplied.

The comparison after each individual coin has been fed in has the advantage that it can be recognized immediately if there is an error. Since coins are only paid out again when all the coins of a coin quantity entered at once have been distributed to the receptacles, there is also no risk during the division of the coins that an incorrect amount will be generated due to the incorrect supply of a coin to the wrong receptacle could be paid off.

In a particularly preferred embodiment of the invention, the control unit not only determines that at least one coin has been fed to a wrong receiving container, but also specifically determines which receiving container the wrong coin was fed to. This can happen in that the control unit compares which receiving containers too few coins and which receiving containers, in particular, too many coins have been supplied. If more coins have been fed into a receptacle than coins of the corresponding denomination have been entered, at least one false coin must be received in such a receptacle.

It is particularly advantageous if the control unit does not use those receiving containers in which at least one coin intended for this receiving container was received when coins are being dispensed via an output unit. The control unit replaces this in particular the denomination accidentally removed from this receptacle by a corresponding number of coins of other denominations from other receptacles.

In an alternative embodiment of the invention, the control unit can not only use those receptacles in which an unassigned coin was received, but all receptacles in which the actual value deviates from the target value for the later payout.

The transport unit is designed, in particular, in such a way that it has a supporting surface on which the coins rest during transport along the transport unit. In particular, a plurality of holes are provided in the support surface, one of the receiving containers being arranged below each hole. The holes differ in size, with the size of the holes increasing from hole to hole as seen in the transport direction, so that the coins are distributed to the individual receptacles according to their size and thus according to their denomination, without the need for actively controlled elements . A simple, inexpensive solution for effective sorting is thus achieved.

The sensors are preferably arranged just in front of the holes so that the number of coins fed to the holes can be determined with them. The distance is selected here such that the coins, when they are transported past, still rest on the support surface and are not yet in the hole in the case. In an alternative embodiment of the invention, instead of a supporting surface with holes, actively controlled elements can also be used for sorting out the coins onto the respective receptacle.

It is also advantageous if the device has an output unit for outputting information, the control unit, when it has determined the incorrect supply of at least one coin to a receptacle, controls the output unit in such a way that it outputs information about this to an operator. The output can in particular take place via a display, a warning tone and / or a screen. An operator can thus easily correct the incorrect sorting. Since the operator knows specifically from the information in which the receiving container a coin was incorrectly fed, the operator only has to correct this receiving container accordingly manually.

Further features and advantages of the invention emerge from the following description, which explains the invention in more detail on the basis of exemplary embodiments in connection with the accompanying figures.

Figur 1

eine schematische Darstellung einer Vorrichtung zum Sortieren von Münzen;

Figur 2

eine stark vereinfachte Seitenansicht eines Ausschnitts der Vorrichtung zur Handhabung von Münzen;

Figur 3

eine stark vereinfachte Darstellung einer Draufsicht aus dem Ausschnitt aus Figur 2;

Figur 4

eine Tabelle von einer Folge zugeführter Münzen und möglichen Verteilungen auf die einzelnen Aufnahmebehälter; und

Figur 5

eine Tabelle der sich in den einzelnen Fällen nach Figur 4 sich ergebenden Sensorwerte.

Show it:

Figure 1

a schematic representation of an apparatus for sorting coins;

Figure 2

a greatly simplified side view of a section of the device for handling coins;

Figure 3

a greatly simplified representation of a top view from the detail Figure 2 ;

Figure 4

a table of a sequence of coins supplied and possible distributions to the individual receptacles; and

Figure 5

a table of the individual cases Figure 4 resulting sensor values.

In Figure 1 is a schematic representation of an apparatus 10 for sorting coins. The device 10 is in particular a device for inputting and / or outputting coins. The coins to be inserted are input via an input compartment 12 and fed to a separating unit 14 for separating the inserted coins. The separating unit 14 is designed in particular in the form of a coin centrifuge in which the coins are transported individually through a hole in the wall of the coin centrifuge by centrifugal forces acting on them. The individual coins are checked for authenticity with the aid of a checking unit 16. Coins and / or foreign objects classified as spurious are rejected. The denomination is determined for coins classified as genuine. Then, with the aid of a transport unit 18, the coins are distributed to coin receiving containers, one of which is designated by the reference number 20 by way of example is. In the example shown, five receptacles 20 are provided. For simplicity, in Figure 1 , as well as in the following Figures 2 and 3 the transport unit 18 shown linearly. However, the transport unit 18 can also have any other shape. In particular, the transport unit 18, and thus also the receiving containers 20, can be arranged in a circle around the coin centrifuge 14, so that a particularly compact design is achieved. The coins received in the receiving containers 20 can be removed from them again and output via an output unit 22.

In Figure 2 FIG. 13 is a greatly simplified representation of a section of the device 10 according to FIG Figure 1 shown, only the checking unit 16 and the transport unit 18 are shown. In Figure 3 a plan view of this section is shown.

The transport unit 18 comprises a support surface 30 on which the coins 31 are transported in a transport direction P1 with their front or back resting on them. Here, the edges of the coins 31 rest against a guide element 42 so that they have a predetermined orientation on the support surface 30.

Five holes 32 to 40 are provided in the support surface 30, with exactly one receiving container 20 being arranged for each hole. Thus there is a first receptacle 20 under the first hole 32, a second receptacle 20 under the second hole 32, a third receptacle 20 under the third hole 36, a fourth receptacle 20 under the fourth hole 38 and a fourth receptacle 20 under the fifth hole 40 fifth receiving container 20 arranged. Here, the receptacles 20 can be arranged in such a way that coins which fall through the corresponding hole 32 to 40 fall directly into this receptacle 20. Alternatively, further transport and / or deflection elements can also be provided, via which the coins 31 are transported or deflected before they are then fed to the actual receiving container 20.

The dimensions of the holes 32 to 40 increase as seen in the transport direction P1, so that, as in FIG Figure 3 can be clearly recognized by the two coins 31 shown as an example, first the smallest coins 31 are sorted out through the first hole 32, then the next larger coins 31 through the second hole 34, etc. Thus, the coins 31 can, due to their size and thus due to their denomination be distributed to the individual receptacles 20.

Through the holes 32 to 40, the transport path along which the coins are transported with the aid of the transport unit 18 is divided into a first transport section 52, a second transport section 54, a third transport section 56, a fourth transport section 58 and a fifth transport section 60, the first transport section 52 between the testing unit 16 and the first hole 32, the second transport section 54 between the first hole 32 and the second hole 34, the third transport section 56 between the second hole 34 and the third hole 36, the fourth transport section 58 between the third Hole 36 and the fourth hole 38 and the fifth transport section 60 between the fourth hole 38 and the fifth hole 40 are arranged. A sensor designed as a light barrier 62 to 70 is arranged within each of these transport sections 52 to 60, with the aid of which the coins 31 transported along the respective transport section 52 to 60 can be detected.

With the help of the information obtained via the light barriers 62 to 70, i.e. the number of coins 31 transported along the respective transport sections 52 to 60, a control unit 24 of the device 10 can easily identify the coins 31 that have fallen into the respective hole 32 to 40 and thus the determine coins 31 fed to the respective receiving container 20.

To determine the coins 31 fed to the first receptacle 20, i.e. those coins 31 that have fallen out of the transport path through the first hole 32, the control unit 21 subtracts the number of coins 31 determined with the aid of the second light barrier 64 and the number of coins 31 with the aid of the first light barrier 62 in the first transport section 52 determined coins 31.

The determination of the coins 31 fed to the individual holes 32 to 40 and thus to the receptacles 20 with the aid of light barriers 62 to 70 arranged along the transport path of the transport unit 18 in front of the holes 32 to 40 has the advantage over light barriers arranged below the holes 32 to 40, that the coins 31 rest on the support surface 30 in a predetermined orientation during their detection via the light barrier 62 to 70 and rest against the guide element 32.

This has the advantage that each coin can be reliably identified individually. Since all the coins 31 rest with their edge on the guide element 32, there is always a free gap between two coins 31 transported one behind the other, at least in the area immediately adjacent to the guide element 32, since the coins 31 are all circular. Since the light barriers 62 to 70 are aligned in such a way that their light beam is arranged in this area, it is ensured that it cannot happen that the light beam is continuously interrupted by two coins 31 transported one behind the other and thus two coins 31 only as one coin 31 would be valued.

The coins 31 supplied to the individual holes 32 to 40 and thus to the individual receptacles 20 can thus be determined reliably and securely in a simple manner.

In Figure 4 a table of a sequence of supplied coins is shown, the coins 31 supplied one after the other to the transport unit 18 being listed in the first line 71 with their respective denomination. Here, in the assumed example, coins of five different denominations, namely denomination A, B, C, D and E are fed, with the coins of denomination A scheduled via the first hole 32 to the first receptacle 20, the coins of denomination B via the second Hole 34 to the second receiving container 20, the coin of denomination C via the third hole 36 to the third receiving container 20, the coin of denomination D via the fourth hole 38 to the fourth receiving container 20 and the Coin of denomination E are to be fed to the fifth receptacle 20 via the fifth hole 40.

The second line 72 shows the nominal distribution of the coins over the individual holes 32 to 40 and thus over the corresponding receptacles 20, the numbers given in line 72 corresponding to the reference symbols of the corresponding holes 31 to 40. In the target distribution, all coins of denomination A through the first hole 32, all coins of denomination B through the second hole 34, all coins of denomination C through the third hole 36, all coins of denomination D through the fourth hole 38 and all Coins of denomination E transported through the fifth hole 40. Thus, in the target distribution according to line 72, fifteen coins are transported along the first transport section 52, so that fifteen coins are detected by the first sensor 62. Of these fifteen coins, all coins of denomination A, i.e. four coins, are transported through the first hole 32, so that only eleven coins are transported along the second transport section 54 and are accordingly detected by the second sensor 64. All coins of denomination B, that is to say three coins, fall through the second hole 34, so that only eight coins are transported along the third transport section 56. Accordingly, the third sensor 66 also only detects eight coins.

Since then all the coins of denomination C, that is to say four coins, fall through the third hole 36, only four are left along the fourth transport section 58 Coins transported, which are detected by the fourth sensor 68 accordingly.

The two coins of denomination D fall into fourth hole 38, so that only the two remaining coins of denomination E are transported along fifth transport section 60 and are detected by fifth sensor 70, i.e. by light barrier 70.

In Figure 5 these corresponding values of the individual sensors 62 to 70 are entered in column 82. In column 84, the difference between the respective values of the corresponding sensors 62 to 70 is indicated, ie those values that are also determined by the control unit 24 by the corresponding subtraction of the values of two adjacent sensors 62 to 70 and the number of the Hole 32 to 40, which is arranged between the two sensors 62 to 70, corresponds to fed coins.

In the third row 74 of the table after Figure 4 a first error scenario is shown in which the fifth coin is only fed to the third hole 36 instead of the second hole 34. In column 86 in the table from FIG. 5, the sensor values are shown which result in this corresponding first error scenario. Column 88 indicates the difference values between the values determined by sensors 62 to 70. In this first error scenario, the control unit 24 can determine in a simple manner by comparing the actual values now obtained with the actual target values, as these are indicated in column 84, that there are errors a coin that should actually have been fed to the second receptacle 20 through the second hole 34 was incorrectly fed to the third receptacle 20 through the third hole 36.

In a preferred embodiment, in such a case the control unit 24 blocks the third receiving container 20 for the payout of coins 31 so that a wrong denomination cannot be paid out accidentally. In addition, an error message can in particular also be output so that an operator knows in which receptacle 20 an error has occurred and the operator can correct this error accordingly.

In the fourth row of the table Figure 4 a second error scenario is shown in which the fifth coin only falls into the fourth hole 38 instead of the second hole 34. Like the resulting actual values of the sensors 62 to 70 in column 90 of the table Figure 5 and the differences calculated from this are shown in column 92, the control unit 24 determines in this case that only two instead of three coins were supplied to the second receiving container 20 and three instead of only two coins were supplied to the fourth receiving container 20.

On line 78 Figure 4 a further error scenario is shown in which the sixth coin 31 falls through the second hole 34 instead of the first hole 32 and the eleventh coin falls through the third hole 36 instead of the second hole 34. In columns 94 and 96 the resulting sensor measurement values and the resulting differential values are specified.

On line 80 in Figure 4 a further error scenario is shown in which the tenth coin falls through the second hole 34 instead of through the first hole 32 and the twelfth coin falls through the fourth hole 38 instead of the third hole 36. Like the resulting actual values in columns 98 and 100 of the table Figure 5 show, this constellation results in a deviation of the actual stock from the target stock for the first, second, third and fourth receptacle 20, with too many coins being received in the second receptacle and the fourth receptacle is critical.

In an alternative embodiment of the invention, other sensors, in particular other optical sensors, ultrasonic sensors, capacitive sensors and / or inductive sensors can also be used instead of light barriers 62 to 70. Furthermore, it is alternatively possible to use fewer than five receiving containers 20 and correspondingly fewer than five holes 32 to 40 or more than five receiving containers 20 and correspondingly more than five holes 32 to 40, in particular eight receiving containers 20.

List of reference symbols

10

contraption

12

Input tray

14th

Separation unit

16

Examination unit

18th

Transport unit

20th

Receiving container

22nd

Output unit

24

Control unit

30th

Support surface

32 to 40

hole

31

coin

42

Guide element

52 to 60

Transport section

62 to 70

sensor

71 to 80

row

82 to 100

column

P1

Transport direction

Claims (12)

1. Coin sorting apparatus,
   having a first and at least one second receptacle (20) for receiving coins (31),
   a singularization unit (14) for singularizing coins (31), and
   having a transport unit (18) for transporting coins (31) from the singularization unit (14) to the first receptacle (20), arranged downstream of the singularization unit (14), and the second receptacle (20), arranged downstream of the first receptacle (20), wherein the transport unit (18) has a first transport section (52), which is arranged between the singularization unit (14) and the first receptacle (20) and along which both the coins to be supplied to the first receptacle (20) and the coins to be supplied to the second receptacle (20) are transported, and a second transport section (54), which is arranged between the first receptacle (20) and the second receptacle (20) and along which only the coins that are not supplied to the first receptacle (20) are transported,
   wherein the first transport section (52) has a first sensor (62) arranged in it for detecting coins (31) transported along the first transport section (52),
   the second transport section (54) has a second sensor (64) arranged in it for detecting coins (31) transported along the second transport section (54), and
   there is provision for a control unit (24) that takes the information obtained from the first sensor (62) and the second sensor (64) as a basis for ascertaining the number of coins (31) supplied to the first receptacle (20),
   wherein the control unit (24) uses the first sensor (62) to ascertain the number of coins (31) transported along the first transport section (52),
   wherein the control unit (24) uses the second sensor (64) to ascertain the number of coins (31) transported along the second transport section (54),
   wherein the control unit (24) ascertains the number of coins supplied to the first receptacle (20) by subtracting the number of coins transported along the second transport section (54) from the number of coins (31) transported along the first transport section (52),
   wherein there is provision for a testing unit (16) for ascertaining the denomination of supplied coins (31), wherein the control unit (24) takes the ascertained denominations as a basis for stipulating for each receptacle (20) a setpoint value for the coins (31) that are to be supplied to it as scheduled, and
   wherein the control unit (24) compares the number of supplied coins (31), ascertained using the sensors (62 to 70), for at least one receptacle (20) with the applicable setpoint value, characterized
   in that the control unit (24) compares the number of supplied coins (31) ascertained using the sensors (62 to 70) with the applicable setpoint value each time after each coin (31) is supplied.
2. Apparatus (10) according to Claim 1, characterized in that there is provision for at least a third receptacle (20) for receiving coins (31), preferably a multiplicity of further receptacles (20) for receiving coins (31), and in that there is provision in the transport section (52 to 60), situated between two receptacles arranged in succession, of the transport unit (18) for a respective sensor (62 to 70) for detecting coins (31).
3. Apparatus (10) according to Claim 2, characterized in that the control unit (24) determines the number of coins (31) supplied to one of the receptacles (20) by subtracting the number of coins (31) ascertained by the sensor (62 to 70) arranged immediately after the respective receptacle (20) from the number of coins (31) ascertained by the sensor (62 to 70) arranged immediately before the respective receptacle (20).
4. Apparatus (10) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the control unit (24) stipulates the number of coins (31) ascertained by the sensor (70) arranged immediately before the last receptacle (20) as the number of coins (31) supplied to the last receptacle (20) as seen in the direction of transport (P1) of the coins (31).
5. Apparatus (10) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the first sensor (62), the second sensor (64) and/or the further sensors (66 to 70) each comprise at least one light barrier, an ultrasonic sensor, a capacitive sensor and/or an inductive sensor for detecting coins (31).
6. Apparatus (10) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the control unit (24) compares the number of supplied coins (31) ascertained for each receptacle (20) using the sensors (62 to 70) with the applicable setpoint value.
7. Apparatus (10) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the control unit (24) takes the result of the comparison or the results of the comparisons as a basis for ascertaining in which receptacle (20) at least one unassigned coin (31) was received.
8. Apparatus (10) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the control unit (24) does not use receptacles (20) in which at least one unassigned coin (31) was received when dispensing coins (31) via a dispensing unit (22).
9. Apparatus (10) according to one of the preceding Claims 1 to 7, characterized in that the control unit (24) does not use receptacles (20) for which the number of supplied coins (31) ascertained using the sensors (62 to 70) differs from the applicable setpoint value when dispensing coins (31) via a dispensing unit (22).
10. Apparatus (10) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the transport unit (18) has a support surface (30) on which the coins (31) rest during transport, and in that there is provision for holes (32 to 40) in the support surface (30), wherein a respective receptacle (20) is arranged beneath each hole (32 to 40).
11. Apparatus (10) according to Claim 10, characterized in that the holes (32 to 40) become larger from hole to hole as seen in the direction of transport (P1).
12. Apparatus (10) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that there is provision for an output unit for outputting information, and in that the control unit (24), having ascertained that at least one coin (31) was erroneously supplied to a receptacle (20), actuates the output unit such that it outputs information about this to a user.

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