GB2178212A - Coin-operated machines - Google Patents

Abstract

A coin-operated gaming or vending machine comprises one or more coin collection mechanisms (6,6',26) together with release means (8), operable from externally of the machine to release coins from the collection mechanisms (6,6',26). First indicator means (18) are provided to give an indication of the quantity of coins released from a collection mechanism (6,6',26) on operation of the release means (8). <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Coin-operated machines This invention relates to coin-operated machines, which may be gaming machines or vending machines.

Hereinafter the phrase 'coin-operated machines' is to be understood as including within its scope machines operated by tokens, discs or the like having monetary value, as well as machines operated by legal currency in coin form.

Coin-operated machines can be capable of receiving and storing therein large quantities of coins, and the collection and management of these coins can cause major problems to the owners or managers of the machines.

In particular, the large sums of money contained within the machines can be very tempting targets for wouldbe thieves, while the money, once removed from the machines by authorised personel, has to be labelled, counted and subsequently banked, all of these stages putting the money at further risk to thieves as well as to pilfering by the personel involved.

Furthermore, such machines do not accept paper money, and it is therefore necessary for a substantial float of suitable coins to be available at source for potential users of the machines. However, as the float is used up, a large quantity of paper money will eventually be collected at the location of the machine, thus providing another target for thieves, and requiring the management of the locations to take the paper money to the bank to change it back into coins to maintain a float for the users of the machines, again exposing the money to potential thieves and pilferers.

It would be desirable to be able to provide a coinoperated machine less prone to the accumulation of large sums therein, less prone to undetectable pilfering therefrom, and capable of maintaining a relatively small float therefor.

According to the present invention there is provided a coin-operated machine comprising at least one coin collection mechanism within the machine, release means operable from externally of the machine to release coins from the collection mechanism, and first indicator means providing an indication of the quantity of coins released from the collection mechanism on operation of the release means.

It will be appreciated that such an arrange ment enables operation of the release means by authorised personel to empty a machine as and when required, the indicator means meter ing the fact that emptying has occurred and also registering the quantity of coins released.

suitable coins to be available at source for potential users of the machines. However, as the float is used up, a large quantity of paper money will eventually be collected at the location of the machine, thus providing another target for thieves, and requiring the management of the locations to take the paper money to the bank to change it back into coins to maintain a float for the users of the machines, again exposing the money to potential thieves and pilferers.

It would be desirable to be able to provide a coinoperated machine less prone to the accumulation of large sums therein, less prone to undetectable pilfering therefrom, and capable of maintaining a relatively small float therefor.

According to the present invention there is provided a coin-operated machine comprising at least one coin collection mechanism within the machine, release means operable from externally of the machine to release coins from the collection mechanism, and first indicator means providing an indication of the quantity of coins released from the collection mechanism on operation of the release means.

It will be appreciated that such an arrangement enables operation of the release means by authorised personel to empty a machine as and when required, the indicator means metering the fact that emptying has occurred and also registering the quantity of coins released.

Thus, small regular sums can be released and can be used to replenish the float, while an accurate record is made of all coins taken from the machine, thus eliminating the possibility of pilfering.

Although the release means may be operated at any time to release coins from the collection mechanism, a preferred machine comprises further indicator means associated with the or each coin collection mechanism and operable to indicate when a predetermined number of coins has been received in the coin collection mechanism, subsequent operation of the release means releasing said predetermined number of coins from the coin collection mechanism, which predetermined number is indicated on said first indicator means.

There may be two coin collection mechanisms per machine each such mechanism having a further indicator means associated therewith, the arrangement being such that, when said predetermined number of coins has been received in a first collection mechanism, the further indicator means associated therewith is operated and subsequent coins fed into the machine are directed into the second collection mechanism.

The release means may be operable from a location remote from the machine, for example by means of an electronic or electromagnetic signal from a remote control centre, or may comprise a locking device mounted on the machine.

Said locking device may comprise, for example, a key-operated switch, a combination lock-type switch or a token-operated switch.

The first indicator means may provide an indication at a location remote from the machine, for example by means of an electronic or electromagnetic signal to a remote control centre, or may comprise an electrical or mechanical counter mounted internally or externally of the machine.

By way of examples only, embodiments of the invention will now /be described in greater detail with reference to the accompanying drawings of which: Figs. 1 to 3 are schematic internal side views of three different machines according to the invention, and Fig. 4 is a logic control arrangement suitable for a machine according to the invention.

As mentioned above, machines according to the invention may be for gaming purposes or vending purposes, although the following descriptions are of coin-operated gaming machines.

Referring to Fig. 1, there is shown a coinoperated gaming machine indicated generally at 2 having a conventional coin-receiving slot 4. Coins entering the machine via the slot 4 pass into a coin collection tube 6, at the lower end of which is provided a releasable delivery mechanism 8 which, in its normal rest position, forms a barrier to the passage of the coins therepast.

A. coin-level sensor 10 is provided adjacent the upper regions of the tube 6, said sensor 10 being triggered when a predetermined number of coins has been received within the tube 6.

The sensor 10 is linked to an indicator 12 visible from externally of the machine 2 and adapted to provide a 'tube-full' readout when said predetermined number of coins is in the tube 6 and the sensor 10 has been activated.

The machine 2 further comprises a key-operated switch 14 mounted externally of the machine, said switch 14 being linked with the delivery mechanism 8 such that, on actuation of the switch 14 by the appropriate key, the delivery mechanism 8 is released from its normal rest position such that the coins in the tube 6 are released into a delivery chute 16 and can be removed from the machine.

A totalling meter 18 is provided within the machine and is linked to the delivery mechanism 8 to provide an indication that said mechanism has been actuated and to provide a meter reading of the number of coins released from the collection tube 6 into the delivery chute 16.

Thus it will be appreciated that a machine 2 can be emptied at regular intervals by authorised personel in possession of the appropriate key to actuate the switch 14, an accurate record being retained in the machine of the total yield therefrom.

Once the tube 6 is full, coins subsequently fed into the machine are routed to a cashcollection box 18, thus by-passing the collection tube 6. Routing means 20 may be provided adjacent the top of the tube 6 to close said tube once the predetermined number of coins are contained therein.

In gaming machines provided with a conventional coin service tube for pay-out purposes, said service tube may be extended to comprise the collection tube 6, means being provided to release part only of the content of the collection tube on release of the delivery mechanism, thereby maintaining pay-out or service coins within said tube.

Fig. 2 illustrates a slightly modified version of the machine in Fig. 1, like parts being similarly referenced. More particularly, the machine of Fig. 2 includes a second coin collection tube 6' provided with associated releasably delivery mechanism 8', sensor 10' and routing means 20'.

The arrangement is such that, once collection tube 6 is full and sensor 10, indicator 12 and routing means 20 have been actuated, subsequent coins are directed to the second tube 6'. Provided that the first tube 6 is emptied as described with reference to the machine of Fig. 1 before the second tube 6' becomes full, the routing means 20 is actuated such that, when the second tube 6' does become full, subsequent coins are directed into the first tube 6.

In the event that the first tube 6 is not emptied before the second tube 6' becomes full, the routing means 20' is actuated to direct further coins to the cash collection box 18.

Indicator 12 is arranged to display when either collection tube 6 or 6' is filled and therefore available for release by a local operator, the machine including a further indicator 22 operable to indicate when both tubes are full and therefore that the machine is not being serviced adequately.

The machine of Fig. 3 operates on a slightly different principle from those in Figs. 1 and 2, in that coins inserted into the machine through slot 4 are fed by a tube 24 into a hopper 26 provided with a weight sensor 28 which determines when a predetermined minimum weight of coins is contained within the hopper 26. The sensor 28 is linked to the indicator 12 to provide a display that the machine is ready for emptying.

On actuation of the switch 14 by the appropriate key, the delivery mechanism 8 is released to cause ejection of a predetermined number of coins, details of the coins released being registered on the indicator 12.

If the hopper 26 is filled before the delivery mechanism 8 is released, the coins overflow into the cash collection box 18.

In this embodiment of the invention, the number of coins released by the delivery mechanism 8 is under the control of a counter within the mechanism and, unlike the ma chines of Figs. 1 and 2, does not rely upon the storage of exact amounts of coins in tubes such as 6 and 6'.

The key-operated switch 14 for actuating the delivery mechanism 8 may be replaced by other types of locking devices, for example a combination-type lock, a tokenoperated switch or the like, providing authorised personel only are in control of the operation thereof.

Alternatively, the delivery mechanisms 8 may be actuated from a remote control centre, for example by a signal transmitted from said centre, thus dispensing with the necessity for a switch 14 at the machine.

In a similar fashion, indication that a collection tube 6 or 6' is full may be provided at said remote control centre by way of a signal transmitted thereto by the sensors 10 or 10', thus obviating the requirement for the indicators 12 at the machines 2, while the totalling meter may also be at said remote location.

Other modifications and variations from the described arrangement will be apparent to those skilled in the art.

Referring to Fig. 4, there is shown a logic control circuit suitable for the machines of Figs. 1 and 2. More particularly, when either of the sensors 10 or 10, is actuated to indicate that the associated collection tube 6 or 6' is full to that predetermined level, operation of the key switch 14 energises signals to acti vats the delivery mechanisms 8,8' at the outlet end of each collection tube as appropriate.

Edge detection circuitry 30 associated therewith causes the totalling meter 18 to be incremented accordingly, twice in the case of both tubes 6,6' being released, thus providing a meter reading facility.

The routing means 20,20' are set by routing signals which cause change-overs thereof once a collection tube is filled. As mentioned above, and when both tubes 6,6' are full, the routing signals are de-energised to cause the routing means to direct further coins to the machine's conventional collection box 18.

The indicator 12 is set to display when one or other of the tubes 6,6' is full, while the indicator 22 indicates when both said tubes are full.

Thus there is provided a gaming machine capable of being emptied at regular intervals by authorised personel and such that an accurate record of the yield from the machine is maintained at all times. It will therefore be appreciated that the transportation and counting of substantial sums of money can be avoided, thus substantially reducing potential theft, while any pilfering from the collected sums can be readily detected by reference to the totalling meter.

Further, the smaller amounts than heretofore removed at regular intervals from the machine can be used to maintain a substantially constant float available to users of the machine and such that large sums of paper money do not build up at the locations of the machines.

Claims (9)

1. A coin-operated machine comprising at least one coin collection mechanism, release means operable from externally of the machine to release coins from the collection mechanism, and first indicator means providing an indication of the quantity of coins released from the collection mechanism on operation of the release means.

2. A coin-operated machine as claimed in claim 1 and comprising further indicating means associated with the or each coin-collection mechanism and operable to indicate when a predetermined number of coins has been received in the coin collection mechanism, subsequent operation of the release means releasing said predetermined number of coins from the coin collection mechanism, said predetermined number being indicated on said first indicator means.

3. A coin-operated machine as claimed in claim 2 and comprising two coin collection mechanisms,each said mechanism having a further indicator means associated therewith, the arrangement being such that, when said predetermined number of coins has been received in a first collection mechanism, the further indicator means associated therewith is operated and subsequent coins fed into the machine are directed into the second collection mechanism.

4. A coin-operated machine as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 3 in which the release means are operable from a remote location.

5. A coin-operated machine as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 3 in which the release means comprises a locking device mounted on the machine.

6. A coin-operated machine as claimed in claim 5 in which the locking device comprises any one of a key-operated switch, a combination lock-type switch or a token-operated switch.

7. A coin-operated machine as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 6 in which the first indicator means provides an indication at a remote location.

8. A coin-operated machine as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 6 in which the first indicator means comprises an electrical or mechanical counter mounted internally or externally of the machine.

9. A coin-operated machine substantially as described with reference to and as iilustrated by Figs. 1,2 and 4 or Fig. 3 of the accompanying drawings.