US3387616A

US3387616A - Coin sorting and dispensing device

Info

Publication number: US3387616A
Application number: US629762A
Authority: US
Inventors: Harold E Bortz; James E Thomson
Original assignee: WESTERN STAMPING CORP
Current assignee: WESTERN STAMPING CORP
Priority date: 1967-04-10
Filing date: 1967-04-10
Publication date: 1968-06-11
Anticipated expiration: 1985-06-11

Description

June 11, 1968 H. E. BORTZ ETAL 3,387,616

COIN SORTING AND DISPENSING DEVICE Filed April 10, 1967 7 Sheets-Sheet 5 iNVENTORfi b drayf.fiorzig By J2me! I 770mm? W W O/FA/Ziff.

June 11, 1968 BORTZ E 3,387,616

COIN SORTING AND DISPENSING DEVICE June 11, 1968 H. E. BORTZ ETAL 3,387,616

COIN SOR'I'ING AND DISPENSING DEVICE Filed April 10, 1967 7 Sheets-Sheet 5 June 11, 1968 H, E, BORTZ ETAL 3,387,616

COIN SORTING AND DISPENSING DEVICE Filed April 10, 1967 7 Sheets-Sheet 6 BY 'ZH0177J0)! Tr in/I75.

u 11, 1958, H. EQBORTZxETAL 3 6 .v

, con: SORTINGjAND DISPENSING DEVICE:

Filed April .10; 1967 I 1 7 Shets-Sht 7 arram zxi By came! I 702750,

United States Patent 3,387,616 CSIN SGRTWG AND DISPENSING DEVICE I-Iaroid E. Bortz, Englewood, N..I., and James E. Thomson, Munith, Mich, assignors to Western Stamping Corporation, Jackson, Mich, a corporation of Michigan Fiied Apr. 10, 1967, Ser. No. 629,762 11 Ciaims. (Cl. 1333) ABSTRAQT 0F THE DISCLOSURE A toy bank having a lockable coin release mechanism is incorporated in a casing construction having three principal parts, a base of hollow construction contains a coin dispensing apparatus, a flipper for tossing coins upwardly into visible rampways, and an open cup for discharged coins. The base supports an upstanding relatively fiat structure formed of the other two casing parts. The two upper sections define a series of compartments within which coins of different denominations are stacked and also define rampways and coin sorting means through which coins travel visibly as in a bagatelle game. The coins are diverted into their proper compartments to stack in accordance with denomination by stationary cams molded on the back wall and which selectively tilt rolling coins of predetermined diameters forwardly toward their compartments, the forward rolling of each tilted coin being arrested by the farther sidewall of its compartment. The coin releasing means is operated by key levers on the front of the machine for selectively releasing the coins into a coin discharge pocket. The key levers can be locked against operation to prevent removal of the contents. All parts are assemblable by pushing them into positions in which they interlock and are held against separation and misalignment by inherent contouring. I

Brief summazy of the invention Numerous types of toy banks, amusement devices and games for impelling rollable articles through mazes and the like have been developed in the past, and devices of various constructions for sorting, stacking and dispensing coins have also been developed. The present application differs both in its specific construction, which achieves extreme simplification with relation to the numerous functions performed, and in the overall combination of means.

The invention is particularly directed to an improved toy bank incorporating operative features of an amusing character, which also achieves utilitarian advantages, and which is inexpensive to manufacture. More specific objects are to provide a device of the indicated character having a relatively large coin capacity, wherein the coins on deposit are segregated, but wherein the amount on deposit is visible at all times, a unique sorting means being provided for segregating the coins, as well as an entertaining method of inserting the coins, and dispensing means for individually releasing coins of selected denominations, as well as means for locking the dispensing means to secure the contents against unwanted removal.

Other objects, advantages and features of the invention will be apparent upon consideration of the present disclosure in its entirety.

In the drawing:

FIGURE 1 is a front elevational view of my preferred bank construction, partially broken away;

FIGURE 2 is a top plan view of the assembly;

FIGURES 3 to 9 inclusive, are sectional w'ews taken, respectively, substantially as indicated by lines and arrows on FIGURE 1 which are designated by corresponding Roman numerals;

3,3816% Patented June 11, 1968 FIGURE 10 is a bottom plan view;

FIGURE 11 is a vertical sectional view taken substantially as indicated by the line and arrows XI--XI of FIGURE 4;

FIGURE 12 is a horizontal sectional plan view of the rear upper section of the casing only, taken substantially at the position indicated by the line XII- X11 of FIG- URE 1, and looking in the direction of the arrows;

FIGURE 13 is a perspective view of the base from above the right front corner;

FIGURE 14 is a somewhat diagrammatic vertical sectional view of the three casing sections illustrating the method of assembly thereof;

FIGURE 15 is a plan view of the ejector slides showing the same prior to assembly and attached to their sprues;

FIGURE 16 is a perspective view of the upper front casing section with the member forming the coin chute partition and front trough section installed therein, removed from the other parts and viewed from the interior;

FIGURE 17 is a sectional detail on the same plane as FIGURE 4 showing a portion of one of the coin release mechanism on a larger scale;

FIGURE 18 is a view similar to FIGURE 17 but showing the mechanism in a different operative position;

FIGURE 19 is a sectional detail on the line XIX-XIX of FIGURE 4 and looking in the direction of the arrows, and

FIGURE 20 is a sectional detail on the line XX-XX of FIGURE 15 and looking in the direction of the arrows.

Referring now to the drawing, the supporting base generally designated 15 is preferably formed as a single molded part which may be of a suitable plastic. The base is of thin-walled hollow form defining an enclosure resembling an inverted box having a flat top portion 16 and a stepped front wall. The upper portion of the front wall curves rearwardly and blends into the generally fiat portion 16, being so curved and ribbed as to provide individual guiding seats 21 for coin dispensing keys 20 having conformably curved bottom portions which slidably fit thereupon. Seats 21 for finger pieces 20 are formed in a plurality of sections which are progressively stepped rearwardly with relation to each other toward the left, as brought out in FIGURES 7 and 12. The functioning and arrangement of the foregoing and other parts of the coin release means will be described more particularly hereinatfer.

The horizontal upper portion 16 of the base is provided with a rectangular silghtly depressed and substantially fiat seat area 22, joined to the top portion by substantially vertical shoulder walls 23. The rear longitudinally extending shoulder wall portion 23 is pierced by three horizontal slots 25.

The depressed seat section 22 supports an upward extension of the casing structure formed in two relatively flat sections which also may be fonmed of molded plastic, comprising a rear section generally designated 28 and a front section 36. The rear section 28 is preferably opaque, while the front section 30 is transparent. The

sections

28, 30 may, as in base section 15, be so molded as to provide walls of substantially uniform thickness, and sections 28, Silinterfit at the sides and top to define a relatively flat transverse enclosure which is only open at the bottom, where it communicates with the base in selected areas.

At the right side, as the parts are viewed from the front,

casing sections

28, 30 define a vertical coin entry and riser chute portion 32, into which a coin may be dropped via an entrance slot 33. The chute guides a deposited coin to rest vertically on edge upon the top surface of a ram piece 35, actnatable by a fingerpiece 102 in the base in such manner as to toss the coin upwardly and impel it through an upward extension 34 of the coin chute, and a eftward continuation 37 thereof, into which continuation the coin is guided by an arcuate top guide wall 38. The continuation portion guides the coin laterally and rearwardly in a vertical plane, blending into the portion of the front wall to the left of and below continuation portion 37 and above the coin compartments 45-49. Such portion of the front wall is designated 31. From continuation 37 the coin drops onto an inclined ramp 40 which descends toward the right beneath and to the rear of extension 37. The coin then rolls off the right end 42 of ramp 40 and drops downwardly in a drop chute area 34', behind front chute section 34, and which is separated therefrom by a partition portion 54, onto a second inclined rarnpway defined by a trough generally designated 44 of V-section and which descends toward the left at a lower elevation and passes successively through and at the upper rear of five

coin stack compartments

45, 46, 47, 43 and 49. Compartments 45-49 are proportioned to hold coins of graduatedly decreasing diameter as, for example, half dollers, quarters, nickels, pennies and dimes.

One half of the trough 44 is defined by a sloping rear wall portion 51 integral with back casing section 28, and the other half by a front trough section 52 integral with coin chute partition portion 54. Partition portion 54 extends upwardly in the area of, and defines the rear wall of, the upper portion 34 of the coin chute through which flipped coins rise. The trough 44 defined by portions 51, 52 extends the full width of the casing, projecting behind the coin riser chute portion 34 as well as behind the compartments 45-49. Partition portion 54 extends upwardly from the top of the front trough section in the coin chute area and lies in the same plane as front wall portion 31 and prevents coins from dropping into the trough portion 44 until they have passed to the left of the inclined top edge 53 of the partition. The member comprising the integral trough section 52 and partition 54 is generally designated 55 and best shown in FIGURES 3, 4, 9 and 16. The inclined upper edge 53 of member 55 extends angularly up wardly and to the right, as viewed from the front, approximately to the corner, as shown in FIGURE 1, and is positioned by a rearwardly turned flange portion 57 integral with the upper extremity of partition portion 54 and which extends towards the rear and bears against the inner wall of rear section 28. Near the lower end of the inclined top edge 53 the divider partition portion 54 is provided with a flat tongue portion 58 which projects through a slot (undesignated) in the forwardly projecting wall 56 which forms the lower surface of the lateral coin guide portion 37.

The trough section 52 of member 55 is confined between conformably cutout portions of the rear edges of the partitioning walls 61, 62, ea, 64 and 65 of the compartments 45-49 and the inner wall of rear section 28. Vertical alignment of trough section 52 is effected by

shoulder portions

66, 67 defining the tops and bottoms of the cutout areas of the rear edges of the partitioning walls 61-65.

The rear and front

upper casing portions

28, 30 are so secured to the base 15 as well as to each other as to accurately maintain their relative positioning with respect to each other and the other components and resist distortion or misalignment during the life of the device. The parts are fastened together without the use of special fasteners, cement or heat sealing. Along each vertical side edge of the rear casing section 28 in the area below the trough section 51, the rear wall of section 28 is indented selectively to define not only the wall of the trough but also the rear walls of the coin chute 32, coin compartments 45, 49, etc., as shown in FIGURE 12, but such vertical side edge portions are not indented, and define vertical slots 71, 72 at the right and left edges respectively for reception of the rearwardly directed edges of the

side walls

68, 69 of front section 30. Forwardly facing vertical positioning slots are also provided by sloping buttress

wall portions

73, 74 molded on the back wall and positioned to 4 overlie the partitioning walls 62-65 at the bottom. The top wall 76 of the front section, and the portions of the

side walls

68, 69 which extend upwardly above the trough 44, telescope into and fit snugly within the forwardly projecting top wall portion and the corresponding

side wall portions

78, 79 of the rear section 28.

As shown in FIGURES 2 and 4, the upper wall 76 of the front section is provided with three upwardly projecting tongue portions 81 along its rear edge which project into conformably proportioned and positioned slots 83 in the top wall 75. When the parts are fully interfitted, downwardly directed shoulder portions 82 on the rear edges of the

side wall

69, 68 overlie projections 84 integral with the back wall and located in the bottoms of the slotted portions 71, 72. The spacing between the top wall '76 and the shoulders 82 on the front section 35 is such as to fit accurately between the top flange wall 75 and projections 84 on rear section 28, so that when the parts are fully interfitted, the front and

back sections

38, 28 are accurately held against relative sliding movement or displacement in any direction with respect to each other.

Along the front portion of the depressed area 2.2 of the upper surface of the base 15, three

vertical slots

86, 37, 88 are provided extending in a fore and aft direction and proportioned to receive forwardly directed depending hook portions 90, 5 1, 92 which are, respectively, integral with left end wall 6@, right end wall 68 and partitioning wall 63. When the parts are assembled, the hook portions -92 project forwardly beneath the base from the areas of

slots

86, 87, 88 to hold down the upper front section 30, while the tongues 24 project through slots 25 in the shoulder wall 23 along the rear of the depressed seat section 22 of the base 15.

The method of assembling parts 23 and 36 to base 15 is indicated in FIGURE 14. As shown in the latter view, the tongues 24 of rear section 28 extend rcarwardly front the flat bottom near flange 2? of section 28. These tongues are pushed throngs slots 25, and hooks t)-92 of section 39 are pushed through their respective slots 36-88 and underengaged with the base, While the selections 28-39 are spread apart at the top to permit such insertion of the tongues 25 and hooks 90-92. The sections 28-30 are then forced together. When so forced together, the upper flange walls 75-76 are sprung sutficiently to permit the tongues 81 to snap into the slots 83 in the top wall 75 without distorting the parts beyond their elastic limit, the shoulders 32 at the same time moving into overengaged relation with the projections 84. The tongues 81 thus lock the upper portrons together and cooperate with the tongues 25, hooks 99-92 and portions 82-84 to rigidly secure the three casmgsections together.

The ram element 35 is biased upwardly by a compression spring 95 trapped beneath an ac uating lever 96 pivoted in and near the back wall of the base and projecting forwardly through a vertical slot 98 in wall portion 9? which constitutes the front wall of the coin chute and flipper section at the right end of the base and which also constitutes the rear wall of an integral open-topped pocket 100 formed in the base and into which released coins are discharged. The flipper lever 95 carries at its forward end in an accessible position above the coin pocket an integral finger portion 192. At its lower end the ram 35 straddles and over-engages the lever 96, the lever arm being of T-section and the ram having a conforming T-slot for interengagement therewith loosely enough to permit pivotal or sliding movement to the necessary extent. The fulcrum bearing of the lever is formed by a pair of laterally extending coaxial cylindrical projections 204 on the sides of the lever at the rear and which are rockably fitted in downwardly opening slot in a pair of suitably spaced integral tongues 196 formed in and integral with the base 15. The spring 95 bears upwardly against an intermediate portion of the lever and is trapped between an upwardly extending locating boss 108 formed in a spring pocket portion 116, which is also formed integrally with the base, and a locating boss 111 projecting down wardly from the lever.

It will be seen that when the lever 96 is pressed downwardly by means of the finger piece 102, and then released for upward actuation by the spring 95, a coin on the ram will be tossed upwardly under the force of the spring, and then deflected laterally by the wall 38 through lateral guide portion 37 and roll successively down the ramp 4t) and trough 44. As indicated previously, the rear wall portion 51 of trough 44 is integral with the back wall of casing section 28, which prevents the coins from falling rearwardly, while the front section 52 is relatively low vertically, but high enough to tend to retain the coins in their upright rolling attitude unless the coin is tipped forwardly far enough to overbalance itself and fall forwardly into a compartment. The height of the front guiding wall portion 52 of the trough should be less than the radius of the coin, for each area, and the slope of the trough in cross section is such that when its center of gravity is thus displaced forwardly, it is free to fall over the top of trough wall portion 5.2.

Formed integrally with the back wall and located spacedly above and parallel to the trough 44, are a series of

coin deflecting cams

115, 116, 117 and 118 and 119, one of which is located at the rear of each compartment and projecting forwardly thereinto. Each of the cams 115- 118 is spaced high enough above the trough to clear and allow to pass therebeneath the coins of all smaller sizes, but to engage and tip outwardly and into its compartment a coin of the size for which its compartment is designed. As shown in FIGURES 1, 4 and 6, a coin 120 of the denomination (e.g.: twenty-five cent piece) for the compartment 56 will roll freely beneath cam 115 (half dollar cam) but will engage and be tipped outwardly by cam 116. When so tipped outwardly, the coin will also strike the wall 63 and thus be positively arrested against rolling further down the trough 44. Thereafter the portion of its inertia which has been converted into momentum in a forward direction causes the coin to fall forwardly over the top of trough section 52 and into its compartment. Each of the cams is correspondingly positioned and proportioned with respect to its intended coin.

Spacedly above each of the cams 116-119, a guard wall 122 is provided, lying parallel to the cam at a height sulficient to clear the intended coin and extending inwardly far enough to resist efforts to remove coins from the bank by inverting it and attempting to cause the coins to resume their position in the trough so that by manipulating the bank they might be caused to roll backwardly and out of the bank.

A deposit slot 225 is provided extending through the overlapping

top walls

75, 76 above ramp 46 to permit insertion of coins without using the flipping mechanism when desired.

The coins which drop into each compartment rest upon an

ejector slide

125', 126, 127, 128 or 129 which, in its normal retaining position, prevents the coins from escaping from the bottom of the compartment. Each of the slides 1.254% is in direct slidable overlying relation to the base at the bottom of one of the compartments.

Extending transversely in the base behind all of the compartments and sloping downwardly toward the right is an integral coin discharge trough generally designated 13%) formed as a depression in the base and which at its right end curves forwardly and opens into the coin pocket 100 in the area between the wall 61 and the coin flipper mechanism. The side walls of the discharge trough are close enough near the bottom to maintain coins in rolling position, and diverge upwardly with smooth contours. In alignment in a fore and aft direction with each of the compartments 4 5, 49, but spaced rearwardly thereof, a circular coin receiving enlargement is provided in the trough contour and which is large enough to freely admit the intended coin and guide it to an upright rolling position in the trough. Such coin-admitting enlargements of the discharge trough, designated 131-135 inclusive, are offset toward the rear but overlap their respective coin compartments 4549 to an extent such that a cord projected across the area of greatest overlap exceeds the diameter of the coin, so that the latter will fall into the trough when the slide is retracted (by movement toward the front).

Each slide -129 is normally urged to a rearward overlapping position in which it partially blocks its enlarge ment 131-135 to prevent escape of a coin. The overlapping forward margin of the slide is curved on a radius exceeding that of the coin. The positioning of coins resting in the compartment is indicated in dotted lines at 120'. When the coins are resting on the slide, they are thereby main tained in a position slightly elevated above the base, and are fiat and parallel thereto. At such time rearward movement of the bottom coin is still blocked by the rear wall of easing section 28, the coin being thick enough to project upwardly a slight distance above the lower edge of the back wall. The slide is thinner than the coin, and when the slide is retracted the coin (or stack of coins) drops downwardly a distance equal to the thickness of the nowretracted slide, which distance is sufficient so that the bottom coin (only) no longer overlaps the back wall. As shown in FIGURE 17 the bottom coin thereby reaches a position wherein it is free to slide rearward y beneath the rear wall and into the enlargement 131-435 and fall into the discharge trough. When after being retracted to a position clear of the coin, the slide is permitted to move back toward the overlapping position, it pushes the bottom coin into the discharge trough 130, whence it rolls down the trough and into the cup 199 where it is accessible for removal when desired.

Each of the finger pieces 29 has its top finger portion carried by an integral arm extending angularly downwardly and rearwardly into the base and pivoted in the base at its lower extremity concentrically with respect to the curved portion 21 over which the finger piece moves in the manner previously described. On the rear upper portion of each finger piece an integral downwardly projecting lug 141 is formed, which projects into a hole 142 sized to receive it in the forwardly extending stem portion of the generally Y-shaped slide. The slides are formed of a resilient material, such as flexible low density polyethylene. The front wall of each of the compartment portions of casing section 30 is spaced above the subjacent portion of the base a distance just slightly exceeding the thickness of the slide, and the stem portion of the slides extend forwardly through the slot-like openings thus provided and under the rear portions of the finger pieces where each is interengaged with lug portion 141 of 'its finger piece. The portion of the slide within the compartment is thus held flat and parallel to the top wall of the base, while as the finger piece and leg 140 move arcuately forwardly and downwardly to retract the slide, the increasingly projecting forward portion of the stem of the slide curves downwardly correspondingly. The finger piece and slide are biased toward the coin retaining position by a hairpin spring 144.

The pivotal mounting of each of the finger pieces and associated parts in the base is relited to the method of assembly of the device. A pair of sector-shaped webs as 1 .5, 146 are provided for each finger piece. The webs, which are integral with the base, are flat and supported only at their upper and forward edges, and lie in planes generally fore and aft of the base. The two Webs of each pair are gradually inclined toward one another as they ex end downwardly and rearwardly toward the pivot axis of their finger piece, their lower extremities being provided with aligned rounded kerfs which open downwardly and rearwardly, to rockably receive coaxial trunnion bosses 151, 152 extending from opposite sides of the arm 14%) to retain and pivotally support the arm and finger piece.

The space between the

webs

145, 146 of each pair at the curved bearing surface 21 of the base is open, forming a wide arcuate slot in which arm 140 travels and which is overlaid and concealed by the wider top portion of the finger piece. Additional guidance for the finger pieces is furnished by

integral rib portions

155, 156, 157 and 158 of the base, which rib portions project outwardly a short distance between the bearing surfaces 21. A transverse flange 160 bridges the

webs

145, 146 of each pair near the front of the base to provide an abutment for the hairpin spring 144, which is biased to increasing angularity of its legs, thereby urging the finger pieces upwardly and rearwardly, clockwise as viewed in FIGURE 4.

A series of aligned and coplanar substantially vertical slots as 161 are formed in all of the

webs

145, 146 and a similar slot 162 in the left wall portion 101 of the coin pocket 106. Slots 161 form a slideway for a lock bolt member 165 formed of a strip of sheet metal and which is slidable transversely through the slots 161 in all of the

webs

145, 146 in a path directly in front of lugs 141. Bolt 165 is provided with a plurality of cutout areas 166 spaced conformably to the spacing of the lugs 141 and large enough to pass the lugs therethrough, all of which openings are alignable and disalignable with respect to all of the lugs simultaneolsly, by sliding movement of the bolt. A lock plug 170 rotatably mounted in the rib portion 158 and actuatable as by means of a removable key 171, has a roll-back portion 172 which projects into an opening 174 in the bolt 165 to actuate the same. The positioning of the openings 166 and the opening 174, and the length of the bolt 165 are such that the permitted travel of the bolt is just sufficient to permit the openings 166 to move to proper aligned and disaligned positions, thus when the bolt is installed the

walls

17 and 101 of the base limit the travel of the bolt. After installation its end nearest slot 162 is slightly bent so that its movement toward the wall 181 is limited by such wall after installation and the bolt is in effect trapped between and its movement is limited by the

walls

17 and 101.

When the bolt is in the locking position in which it blocks the lugs 141 the coin releasing finger pieces 20 are not actuatable and the bank is thereby locked against removal of its contents. When unlocked, the device may be employed as a dispensing divice for coins of desired denominations, or used as a bagatelle game with repeated release and reuse of the same coins. The transparent front upper casing portion provides an intriguing view of the operation of the device, and also enables the contents of the coin compartments to be seen and evaluated (as with the aid of embossed indicia 179).

As previously indicated, the upper portions of the casin g and trough structures are quickly assemblable to each other and to the base without the need for adhesives, sealing, or special fasteners, the combined trough and partition member 55 being quickly snapped into position in the front section 30, and the two

sections

28, 30 then quickly attachable to each other and the base in the manner previously described. Prior to such assembly of the

upper casing sections

28, 30 and base 15, however, the components attached to and within the base are first installed. The bolt 165 is projected through the slot 162 into its slidably mounted position in slots 161, the lock plug inserted, and rollback 172 engaged in the opening 174 in the bolt. The ram is inserted in the chute, the flip lever 96 projected therethrough in operative interengagement with the T-slot in the ram, the pivot portions 104 engaged in kerfs 105, and the spring 95 is installed through the open rear face 113 of spring pocket 110.

All of the ejector slides 125-129 are cast in a set, and they are molded in a spacing and positioning corresponding to that in which they will be used in the bank. For purposes of assembly, they are left attached to their sprue portions as 189, 181, as shown in FIGURE 15. Using the sprue portions as a handle, the slides 125-129 are laid in position on top of the base with their stems projecting outwardly to overlie and bridge the bearing areas 21 between the ribs 155-158, etc. The holes 142 for the lugs 141 are thereby positioned in proper overlying relation to the slot-like openings between the

webs

145, 146. The top casing sections 23, 30 are then installed on the base in the manner previously described, and when assembled the slides are held against escape, since their wider portions lie inside the coin compartments. The sprue attachments are then cut and sprue portions discarded. Unwanted subsequent inward movement of the slides beyond the desired position, prior to installation of the finger pieces 20, and which might interfere with easy assembly of the finger pieces, is prevented by small lug portions 143 integrally cast upon and projecting downwardly from the bottoms of the ejector slides in position to abut the inner end of the slot-like space between the

webs

145, 146 and limit inward travel of the slides. The springs 144 are preinstalled upon the arms of the finger pieces 20. Each spring has a laterally turned end portion 144 on one leg, which is projected through a hole in the arm 140, the same leg of the spring being passed between lugs 184 projecting from the side of arm portion 140 to locate the spring. The bight of the spring is looped around one of the trunnion pivot lug portions 150, and the arm 14-0 with the spring preinstalled thereupon in the manner described is pushed downwardly from above into the space between the

webs

145, 146, the lug 141 being at the same time pushed into the hole 142.- in the ejector slide. The bearing lug portions 151, 152 force the

webs

145, 146 apart with a camming action as the arm 145i moves downwardly, but without bending the webs beyond their elastic limit, so that when moved downwardly into proper position, the webs spring back over the bearing portions 151, 152, thereby retaining them to complete the pivotal mounting of the finger piece. At the same time the lowerforward leg of the hairpin spring 144 comes to rest against the top of flange 160, biasing the key to the raised position.

It will thus be seen that the preassembled keys and springs may simply be pushed into position, either individually or by means of a fixture allowing installation of all at the same time, and these parts thus also become locked in position with no separate fastening, the resiliency of the

webs

145, 146 being suificient to elfectively hold the finger pieces against removal while the concentrically curved bottom portions of the finger portions prevent downward displacement. Similarly, the flip lever 6 requires no special fastening, since its bearing lugs 104 are constantly biased upwardly into the trunnion bearing kerfs 105 by the spring 95, due to the rocking couple resulting from the spacing between the top of slot 98 and the spring, when the device is idle, or between the spring and the finger of the user, when the device is in use.

The foregoing portions of this disclosure and the appended drawings are furnished in compliance with the requirement of the law to set forth the best mode contemplated by the inventors of carrying out their invention, and changes may be made in the preferred embodiment disclosed without departing from the fair and proper scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A toy bank comprising a casing including upright portions defining upright coin compartments individually proportioned so that each compartment will hold a stack of coins of a different predetermined diameter, and means for introducing coins of such different predetermined diameters into their respective compartments from a common position comprising an upright combined coin receiving and riser chute adjacent said compartments, a coin flipper in the bottom of the chute, means for actuating the flipper to impel coins upwardly in the chute, coin sorting means including an inclined rampway extending transversely behind an intermediate portion of said chute and unintcrruptedly across the upper portions of all of said compartments, means for guiding flipped coins from the upper end of said chute into the rampway behind the chute in position to roll down the rampway to and across the upper ends of said compartments, and means appur- 9 tenant to the rampway adjacent each compartment for deflecting into the compartment coins of the size predetermined for such compartment.

2. Means as defined in claim 1 wherein said casing includes a base supporting said upright portions and defining the bottoms of said compartments and chute, a p1urality of individual coin release means carried by the base, one of such release means being appurtenant to the bottom of each compartment, a released coin runway in said base for receiving coins from said release means, a discharged coin cup in the base and into which said runway leads, said actuating means for the flipper including a finger piece on the base, and individual finger pieces on the base for the coin release means.

3. Means as defined in claim 1 wherein said casing includes a base supporting said upright portions and defining the bottoms of said compartments and chute, a plurality of individual coin release means carried by the base, one of such release means being appurtenant to the bottom of each compartment, a released coin runway in said base for receiving coins from said release means, a discharged coin cup in the base and into which said runway leads, said actuating means for the flipper including a finger piece on the base, individual finger pieces on the base for the coin release means, the said base projecting forwardly from said compartments and chute, and said chute, flipper and released coin cup being located at one end of the assembly, said finger pieces being arranged in a row extending forwardly with respect to the base, the finger piece for the flipper overhanging the coin cup.

4. A toy bank or the like as defined in claim 1 wherein said compartments are arranged in a series of progressively smaller cross-sectional area and the rampway inclines downwardly from a higher portion behind said chute to one side of the compartment of largest area to a lower portion at the compartment of smallest area and the means for deflecting the coins comprises a series of cam portions spaced above but at decreasing vertical distances from the rampway, considered in a direction toward the lower end of the rampway, one cam portion being appurtenant to each compartment, the effective vertical distance of each cam portion from the rampway being less than the diameter of coins intended for the appurtenant compartment but exceeding the diameters of coins intended for smaller compartments.

5. In a toy bank or the like as defined in claim 4, blocking wall portions extending transversely to the rampway within each compartment in a position along and close to the rampway and downhill thereof with respect to the appurtenant cam portion and engageable by coins deflected by such cam portion to positively block deflected coins from further rolling down the ramp.

6. A toy bank as defined in claim 5 wherein said compartments and chute are defined by a front casing portion with partition walls segregating the compartments and having portions defining said blocking wall portions, and a rear wall portion common to all of said compartments and extending behind said chute, said compartments being arranged in a row substantially parallel to the rear wall, and the rampway extending along the rear Wall between the latter and the partition walls.

7. A toy bank or the like as defined in claim 4 wherein the casing includes a front section having a front wall and upright side and partition walls segregating said compartments from one another and from said chute, a rear casing section having rear wall portions extending behind and closing said compartments and forming the rear wall of the chute in the area below the rampway, the rear section being spaced from said chute in the area above said rarnpway, a partition portion defining the rear wall of said chute in the area above said rampway and coacting with the rear section to define a drop chute behind the first mentioned chute and through which coins are directed to the rampway by said means for guiding flipped coins, the rampway comprising a trough-like guide wall extending through the compartments, the portion of said guide wall in the area of and on the side toward each compartment being of a height less than the radius of coins intended for such compartment, each cam portion projecting forwardiy into its appurtenant compartment far enough to tip a rolling coin forwardly far enough to overlap, strike and be arrested by one of said upright walls and to tip forwardly over said guide wall into the compartment.

8. A toy bank as defined in claim 1 wherein said casing includes a base supporting said upright portions, said upright portions comprising a molded rear panel having areas defining rear portions of said compartments and of said chute and rampway, a molded front panel coacting with the rear panel to define front portions of said compartments and chute, partitioning and rampway means inerposed between said panels and dividing an upper portion of said chute into a front riser section and a rear dropping section lying to one side of said compartments at the higher end of said rarnpway, the bottom of the dropping section being defined by the rampway, said means for guiding flipped coins into the rampway comprising means for deflecting coins fromgthe upper end of the riser section laterally and angularly rearwardly over the compartments between the panels and retrovertly into the dropping chute section.

9. A toy bank as defined in claim 8 wherein said firstmentioned means for deflecting coins comprises fixed camming parts molded on said rear panel.

10. A toy bank as defined in claim 8 wherein said firstmentioned means for deflecting coins comprises fixed camming parts molded on said rear panel, and said secondmentioned means for deflecting coins is molded on said front panel.

11. In combination with means as defined in claim 3, a key-operable locking bar in the base movable into and out of simultaneous blocking engagement with respect to all of said individual finger pieces for the coin release means independently of the finger piece for the flipper.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 553,078 1/1896 Smith et al. 3,227,363. 1/1966 I-Iecker et a1. 1333 X 3,313,477 4/1967 Brown 133-3 X STANLEY H. TOLLBERG, Primary Examiner.