US3797735A

US3797735A - Locking cover for coin box

Info

Publication number: US3797735A
Application number: US00277245A
Authority: US
Inventors: A Sciortino; C Rissmann
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1972-08-02
Filing date: 1972-08-02
Publication date: 1974-03-19
Anticipated expiration: 1991-03-19

Abstract

Locking coin box to be inserted into a coin-controlled vending machine in alignment with the coin chute to receive coins. The box has a cover locked onto the box with openings and a trigger mechanism including a spring pressed plunger movable to block the openings, the cover having a two position rocking latch cooperating with the plunger and operated by a rearward extension of the plunger. Initially, prior to installation into the machine, the plunger is cocked in open condition by the latch being in its first position. When the box is inserted into the machine, the extension engages a rear wall of the recess into which the box is inserted moves slightly forward and releases the latch from the first position uncocking the plunger to permit its movement but the movement requires the extension to move rearwardly. This movement is blocked by the rear wall. The latch cannot move into its second position so long as the box is in the recess of the machine. When the machine is serviced and the box, now containing coins, is removed, the extension is permitted to move rearwardly. This is done while the box is being withdrawn and without control or access by the serviceman. At the completion of movement, which occurs while the box is still substantially within the recess, the rocking latch is moved into its second position, locking the plunger into blocking position. The box can be unlocked by the proprietor of the machine. The proprietor unlocks the cover, removes the same, empties the box, releases the latch from its second position, pushes the plunger forward, manipulates the latch to its first or cocked position, returns the cover onto the box and locks it in place. The box can now be reinstalled in another machine by the serviceman.

Description

Unite States Patent 191 Sciortino et al.

[ Mar. 19, 1974 LOCKING COVER FOR COIN BOX [75] Inventors: August M. Sclortino, 1838 Weeg Way, Park Ridge, 111. 60068; Charles R. Rissmann, Skokie, Ill.

[73] Assignee: said Sciortlano, by said Rlssmann [22] Filed: Aug. 2, 1972 [21] Appl. No.: 277,245

[52] US. Cl. 232/16 [51] Int. Cl. G07b 15/00 [58] Field of Search 232/15, 16, 31, 32

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 379,811 3/1888 Reimann 232/15 1,121,063 12/1914 Beck 232/15 1,685,219 9/1928 Lorentzen 232/15 1,894,823 l/l933 Hoyt 232/15 2,096,476 10/1937 Veale 232/15 2,371,114 3/1945 Von Stoeser 232/15 2,580,752 l/l952 Forester 232/15 2,604,259 7/1952 Anderson... 232/15 2,973,139 2/1961 Leone et al.... 232/15 Primary ExaminerPaul R. Gilliam Attorney, Agent, or Firm-1. lrving Silverman et a1.

[57] ABSTRACT Locking coin box to be inserted into a coin-controlled vending machine in alignment with the coin chute to receive coins. The box has a cover locked onto the box with openings and a trigger mechanism including a spring pressed plunger movable to block the openings, the cover having a two position rocking latch cooperating with the plunger and operated by a rearward extension of the plunger. Initially, prior to installation into the machine, the plunger is cocked in open condition by the latch being in its first position. When the box is inserted into the machine, the extension engages a rear wall of the recess into which the box is inserted mpves slightly forward and releases the latch from the first position uncocking the plunger to permit its movement but the movement requires the extension to move rearwardly. This movement is blocked by the rear wall. The latch cannot move into its second position so long as the box is in the recess of the machine. When the machine is serviced and the box, now containing coins, is removed, the extension is permitted to move rearwardly. This is done while the box is being withdrawn and without control or access by the Serviceman. At the completion of movement, which occurs while the box is still substantially within the recess, the rocking latch is moved into its second position, locking the plunger into blocking position. The box can be unlocked by the proprietor of the machine. The proprietor unlocks the cover, removes the same, empties the box, releases the latch from its second position, pushes the plunger forward, manipulates the latch to its first or cocked position, returns the cover onto the box and locks it in place. The box can now be reinstalled in another machine by the serviceman.

15 Claims, 9 Drawing Figures PATENTEDHAR 1 9 m4 SHEET 2 OF 2 FIG. 7 46 FIG.9

LOCKING COVER FOR com BOX BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The invention herein is concerned with a locking cover for a coin box for the type that is used with coincontrolled machines.

Vending machines operated by coins will normally have coin boxes or receptacles to receive the coins dropped into the machines by those who have purchased merchandise from the machines. Such coin boxes are locked into recesses provided in the machines and when the machine is serviced, the service man removes the coin box, empties it and replaces it.

For security purposes it has become customary to have a coin box whichis locked, and remains locked until it is returned to the proprietor of the vending machine who opens the same and removes the coins. In such cases, the service man has an additional coin box with him, removing the box having coins already contained therein, bringing the filled coin box back to the headquarters of the owner of the coin-controlled ma chine.

To prevent pilferage from the coin box after it has been removed from the coin-controlled machine, the service man is not given the keys to the box itself. Accordingly, the box must have a mechanism in connection therewith to provide for the procedure described above.

First. the coin box must be in a condition to receive coins when the service man installs the same in the machine. There is a window or entrance into the coin box, normally at the top of it. which is open. The service man is given the fresh coin box at his base of operations, which must remain open to receive coins after the service man has installed the new coin box. When the service man removes the coin box, his act of so removing the same must close the coin entrance, lock it in such closed condition, and must thwart any attempts to reopen the same without authority for the surreptitious removal of coins.

Apparatus of this general type is known. Reference may be made, for example, to US. Pat. Nos. 2,973,139; 1,685,219; 2,580,752 and the many prior telephone coin boxes known in the art.

The principal advantages of the invention herein over the prior art are the extreme simplicity of the apparatus, and its ability to be used with conventional coin boxes. Very slight modification of a form of coin box which is commonly used at the present time is all that is required in order to install the particular locking cover.

An unscrupulous service man will be able by ingenuity to beat" most machines. The invention herein teaches the construction ofa machine that is not easily beaten but if tampered with, the fact can be readily ascertained in spot checking by simply removing the locking coin box.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The invention is characterized by the provision of a cover locked to a coin box held in place by tongues engaging recesses in the side walls of the box on a lock. The cover has a housing formed by upper and lower channel-shaped parts enclosing a spring-pressed plunger having a rearward extension protruding beyond the cover and beyond the box when the cover is installed. There is a window in the top part aligned with a window in the bottom part and the windows being together aligned with the internal coin chute leading to the recess of the coin-controlled machine into which the box is adapted to be installed. A rocking latch carried on the bottom part cooperates with the plunger in two latch positions. The latch is manipulated to a first position in which the plunger is disposed in a condition unblocking the windows. In this condition the box is installed in the recess. the engagement of the extension with the rear wall of the recess releasing the latch from its first position, but preventing the plunger from moving from its unblocking position and also preventing the latch from moving to its second position. When the box is removed from the recess the extension is free to move rearwardly and such movement permits the plunger to move to window blocking position and the latch to move to its second position. In this second position the latch is in the path of the plunger preventing its being moved from window unblocking position by pushing the extension forward.

The latch can be manipulated from the bottom of the cover, to remove it from its second position and reinstate it into its first'position. The proprietor does this at his office after unlocking the cover, removing it and emptying the box of coins. He may then replace and lock the cover onto the box.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a perspective view with a portion broken away showing a substantially conventional coin box having a locking cover constructed in accordance with the invention;

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary median sectional view taken generally along the line 22 of FIG. 1 and in the indicated direction, the box being in cocked condition prior to insertion into a coin-controlled machine;

FIG. 3 is a view similar to that of FIG. 2 but illustrating the condition of the mechanism within the cover after the box and cover have been installed in a coincontrolled machine, this being called the released condition;

FIG. 4 is a view similar to that of FIGS. 2 and 3 except in this case the coin box has been removed from the machine and the entrance to the cover has been locked shut;

FIG. 5 is a top plan view of the cover alone, most of the top wall of the cover having been broken away to show the interior thereof;

FIG. 6 is a fragmentary bottom plan view of the cover with portions broken away;

FIGS. 7, 8 and 9 are fragmentary sectional views showing a modified form of the invention.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS The invention herein relates primarily to a locking cover for a coin box and includes the combination of such a locking cover with a modified form of box.

FIG. 1 illustrates a coin box and cover generally designated by the reference character 10, the same comprising a more or less conventional coin box 12 and a cover 14. The coin box 12 has rectangular side walls 16, a bottom wall (not shown), a front wall 18 and a rear wall 20 which is seen in FIG. 2.

The front wall 18 has a tumbler or other type lock 22 installed therein to cooperate with a suitable formation on the cover 14 (not shown), and also has a rearwardly bent lip 24 at the top thereof. The rear wall 20 has a slot 26 punched therein to cooperate with the mechanism of the cover 14, as will be explained. The side walls 16 have shear-formed inwardly extending strips 28 adjacent the top edges thereof, these strips forming loops to be engaged by tongues 30 that are formed along the sides 32 of the cover 14.

The cover 14 is dimensioned closely to fit flush within the upper opening of the coin box 12, such opening being defined by the upper edges of the side walls 16, the rear wall 20, and the front wall 18. The cover 14 includes two channel-shaped parts, one being the upper part 34 having a top wall 36 and the side walls 32, previously mentioned. The upper channelshaped part 34 opens downwardly. The lower channelshaped part 38 has a bottom wall 40 and interior side walls 42. The lower, or channel-shaped part 38 opens upwardly and is nested within the upper channelshaped part 34. Both the parts have their ends opened although the part has an extension or protrusion 44 which is angled downwardly and covers the right hand end of the cover.

Each of the

walls

36 and 40 has a rectangular window punched therein, the window 46 being provided in the upper wall 36 and the window 48 being provided in the lower wall 40. The windows are in vertical alignment and when the coin box and cover have been inserted into a coin-controlled machine, these windows will align also with a coin chute such as indicated at 50, the chute 50 being part of the machine and serving to convey coins into the coin box to be dropped into the box through

windows

46 and 48.

The bottom wall 40 has a bracket 52 mounted to the underside thereof in a suitable manner. the bracket carrying a doubleended trigger 54 thereon by means of a rivet 56 passing through suitable holes provided in the bracket and trigger respectively. which will appear. The trigger or rocking latch 54 has a rearwardly extending angled tip 58 and a forwardly extending angled tip 60.

Openings

62 and 64 respectively are provided in the lower wall 40 in alignment with these angled tips. The rocking latch member 54 is made of resilient material so that the tips assume positions and tend to maintain the same. The rear tip 58 tends to move upwardly into the opening 62 while the from tip 60 tends to move downwardly out of the opening 64. The significance of this arrangement shortly will be explained.

The bottom wall 40 has an extension 66 which serves somewhat as a key or guide that enters the punched out slot 26 of the rear wall of the coil box 12 when the cover 14 is installed in place.

In addition to the upper and lower channel-shaped

parts

34 and 38, the lower cover 14 includes an interior plunger 68 which is substantially shorter than either of the channel-shaped parts and is adapted to reciprocate right (rearward) and left (forward) on the interior of the cover 14. Looking at FIG. 5, the plunger comprises a channel-shaped body 70 having side walls 72 which nest within and are guided by the side walls 42 of the bottom channel-shaped part 38. There is an upstanding transverse partition 74 bent from the body 70 and a second upstanding transverse partition 76 spaced from the partition 74 to the right as viewed in FIG. 5. An extension of the body 70 connects the two

partitions

74 and 76 including a portion of the sides 72. It will be seen that the opening 78 formed in the body 70 is substantially the same size as the

opening

46 and 48, and almost aligned therewith when the trigger mechanism is in cocked condition as shown in FIGS. 2 and 5.

At its right hand end the body has an elongated strip of metal 80 which is integral with the body and extends a substantial distance beyond the key or guide 66. A slot 82 is formed in the strip adjacent the body 70. The strip 80 is called an extension of the plunger 68 hereafter.

Looking now at the opposite end of the plunger 68, it has a formed tube 84 integral therewith and extending beyond the body 70 to the left as shown in FIG. 5. The coil spring 86 is mounted on a rod 88 that in turn is secured to a shear-formed ear 89 that is punched out of the bottom wall 40, the rod extending only part way into the tube 84, but the spring extending fully into the tube and being under compression so as to continuously force the plunger 68 to move to the right or rearward.

When the cover 14 is to be installed on a coin-box l2 and given to a service man to take out into the field, the cover is fully assembled as shown with the upper and lower channel-shaped

parts

34 and 38 welded or otherwise permanently attached and the plunger 68 in place.

Now assume that the cover 14 is in the condition shown in FIG. 4. The proprietor of the coin-controlled machine now installs the cover onto a coin box 12 and for this purpose he must cock the trigger mechanism. If he pushes the extension strip 80 to the left against the compression of the spring 86, the partition 76 will engage the bent tip 58 of rocking latch 54 that has entered the window 78 and is now disposed in the path of movement of the partition 76 to the left. Accordingly, the proprietor pulls the tip 58 downwardly by means of a finger grip 90 that is secured to the rocking latch 54 trigger mechanism at the bent tip 58. Once having pulled the tip 58 out of the opening 62, pushing the extension strip 80 to the left will move the plunger 68 to the left compressing the spring 86. When the plunger 68 reaches the approximate location shown in FIG. 3 where the opening 64 aligns with the slot 82 of the extension strip 80, the bent up tip 58 is riding on the bottom of the extension strip 80 but the bias of the bent-up tip 60 leaves that tip in the condition shown in FIG. 3. The operator then manually presses upwardly on the bent-up tip 60 forcing the tip 60 to pass through the slot 82 and at the same time releases high pressure on the extension strip 80. When this is done, the plunger 68 moves slightly to the right under the influence of the spring 86 and the tip 60 now engages the end of the slot 82 as shown in FIGS. 5 and 2, preventing further movement of the plunger 68. At this time the opening 78 is almost in alignment with the

openings

46 and 48.

To install the cover 14 onto the box 12, the operator inserts both the key 66 and the extension strip 80 into the punched out slot 26 and moves the same to the right with the bent down protrusion 44 disposed as shown until the front of the cover clears the front lip 24. He now pushes the cover down until all of the tongues 30 engage their respective loops 28. The key 66 establishes the level of the cover so that it is flush with the top of the coin box 12. The cover is then pushed forward towards the front wall 18 and the lock 22 is manipulated with a suitable key to secure the cover in place.

In this cocked condition the service man carries the locked coin box to the machine that he is servicing.

After removing the previous coin box he installs the cocked coin box into the suitable space. This space is a recess or compartment enclosed on all sides in all conventional coin-controlled machines. As he does so. the extension strip 80 moves against the rear wall the compartment into which the coin box is to be locked. Such rear wall is shown in FIGS. 1 and 3 at 92. The movement of the extension strip 80 pushes the plunger 68 to the left slightly by a distance which is sufficient exactly to align the opening 78 with the

windows

46 and 48. This movement causes the slot 82 to move to the left relative to the bent-up tip 60, clearing the tip and enabling it to drop down to the position shown in FIG. 3.

This latter condition of the trigger mechanism is what may be termed released. The plunger 68 will remain in its position as shown in FIG. 3 with the opening 78 in alignment with the

windows

46 and 48 for the remainder of the time that the locked coin box remains in the coin-controlled machine. When the service man now removes the coin box 10 from the machine the spring 86 will force the plunger 68 to move to the right as the box 10 is being moved. The recess or compartment in which the box 10 is located has an entrance which is completely enclosed on all sides except for the opening which has a cross-section identical to the front of the box 10 and so the service man cannot reach inside to stop the operation of the return of the plunger 68 through the condition of FIG. 4. By the time the coin box 10 has been removed from the machine the plunger 68 has moved through the condition of FIG. 4, the bent-up tip 58 of the rocking latch 54 has moved into the opening 62 and is now in blocking condition relative to the wall or partition 76. The extension 44 prevents the service man from inserting any instrument into the rear of the mechanism to manipulate it, while the tongues in cooperation of the loops 28 prevent the workman from prying the sides 16 away from the cover 14 to pilfer coins out of the box.

Movement rearward or to the right by the plunger 68 is stopped either by the downwardly bent extension 44 or by the upwardly bent tabs 93 integral with the key 66.

FIGS. 7, 8 and 9 illustrate another form of the invention which comprises a modification of the trigger mechanism, specifically a modified form of rocking latch.

In this case there is a bracket 52' mounted on the bottom wall of a cover 14' in which a plunger 68' is adapted to move. The plunger has a strip 80' which carries the slot 82'. The bracket 52' has a pivot 56' to which is mounted a rocking latch member 54' having a hook 60 at its front end and a projection 58 at its rear end. The lower wall 40' has an opening 62 and the rocking latch member 54' is biased to rock in a counterclockwise direction by means of a spring 95 connected between the hole 96 and the loop 98.

In FIG. 7 the mechanism is cocked because the hook 60' is engaged through the slot 82' and prevents the pluner 68 from moving to the right. When the strip 80 is pushed slightly ,to the left, the spring 95 will draw the hook 60' out of the opening 82' and the plunger will move forward so that its opening 78' aligns with the 6 When the strip is permitted to move to the right by virtue of the spring 86', the projection 58' will enter through the opening 62' and engage through the opening 78' and block return of the plunger 68 to the left by virtue of its blocking movement of the partition 76.

In both embodiments, the proprietor removes the cover 114 or 14 from the box and manipulates the rocking latch member 54 and 54'. In the case of the member 54 he pulls the tip 58 downward by engaging his finger in the car 90. If no ear is provided. he can insert a sharp instrument under the tip 58 to bend it downward against its resilient bias. In the case of the latch 54 he may grasp the end near the projection 58 and pull down against the compression of the spring 95. In both cases he must hold the tip 58 or projection 58' down while simultaneously pushing leftward on the

extension strip

80 or 80. At least he must hold these projections down until the opening 62 or 62' has passed the location where the tip or projection will return. Thereafter the tip or projection will ride on the bottom of the extension strip. The condition is as shown in FIGS. 3 and 8. The proprietor must push the extension strip forward sufficient to align the slot 82 with the tip 60 or the slot 82 with the hook 60'. Holding the extension strip in this position, he must push the rocking latch in each case upward at the front end thereof and when the respective tip 60 or hook 60 is up past the

opening

82 or 82, he releases the extension strip to permit the spring 86 or 86' to push the plunger to the right. The plunger 68 and 68' now engages the tip 60 or 60' and prevents return rocking of the

latch

54 or 54. This is the cocked condition of FIGS. 2 and 7.

In the claims, the cocked conditions of FIGS. 2 and 7 will be referred to as the first position of the rocking

latch

54 or 54. This is a position which must be achieved by manual manipulation of the latch. The latch is biased to move the tip 60 or hook 60' downward by virtue of the resilience and normal position of the tip 60 or by virtue of the spring in the case of the latch 54. The locked condition of FIGS. 4 and 9 is referred to as the second position of the rocking latch 54 or 54'. The latch in each case is biased to move the tip 58 or projection 58' to the second position. Note that the latch 54 could be separated into two independent members, each held in place by separate rivets or fastening means. Such structure is contemplated as coming within the purview of the invention.

It will be obvious from the above that modifications may be made in the constructional details of the invention without departing from the spirit or scope thereof as defined in the appended claims.

What it is desired to be secured by Letters Patent of the United States is:

l. A cover adapted to be locked onto a coin box which is to be inserted into the recess of a coincontrolled machine of the type that has a stop on the interior of the recess and a coin chute ending in the recess, the box having a slot in its rear wall, the cover comprising:

A. a top wall part having a first window adapted to be aligned with the coin chute when the cover is engaged on the box and the box is in the recess,

B. a bottom wall part having a second window aligned with the first window,

C. means securing the wall parts in vertical spaced relation whereby to form an elongate housing having an elongate guide passageway therein between the wall parts,

D. a plunger mounted in the housing for sliding movement in said passageway substantially between window open and window blocking positions and including means secured to said housing and biasing the plunger to move rearwardly toward window blocking position, said plunger having i. an opening therein of a size and configuration to align with the windows when the plunger is in window open position relative to the housing,

ii. a blocking plate arranged to be interposed between the windows when the plunger is in window blocking position relative to the housing,

iii. an extension connected to the plunger, extending rearwardly out of the cover and adapted to be engaged against the stop in the recess when the coin box is inserted therein, the plunger having a slot therein,

iv. and stop means,

E. rocking latch means mounted on the bottom wall part, having first plunger engaging means biased away from said extension but capable of being manually moved to a first position entering said plunger slot and engaging said plunger to hold said plunger in window open position, and second plunger engaging means biased toward said extension and tending to assume a second position in the path of said stop means holding the plunger in window blocking position,

movement of said extension slightly inwardly as when said box is inserted into a recess with the first plunger engaging means having previously been placed in first position and the plunger in window open position so that the extension engages said stop serving to disengage said first plunger engaging means from the plunger without permitting substantial movement of said plunger so long as said box remains in said re cess, but withdrawal of said box from said recess permitting rearward movement of said extension whereby the plunger moves to window blocking position while the second plunger engaging means automatically moves to second position preventing return of said plunger to window open position by movement of said extension forwardly.

2. A cover adapted to be locked onto a coin box which in turn is adapted to be installed in a coin machine which has a space for receiving the coin box including a wall at the rear of the space, said cover comprising:

A. a housing having a coin receiving window therein,

B. a sliding plunger within the housing having a window covering area and adapted to move between a first position in which the window covering area is displaced from the coin receiving window leaving the latter unblocked and a second position in which the window covering area is in registration with the coin receiving window rendering the latter blocked,

C. spring means urging the plunger in a direction to move the window covering area into said second position,

D. an extension member within the housing having a part protruding rearwardly beyond the cover and coupled with the plunger for moving in concert with said plunger and adapted to be pushed forward into the cover to force the plunger against the urging action of the spring means,

E. a latch mechanism mounted to the housing on the bottom thereof and having two parts cooperating with said plunger and extension member, each part having a latching tip and the plunger and extension member having a slot for alternately cooperating with the respective latching tips, one tip being biased to disengage from said slot but being manually movable to a position engaged with said slot when the plunger is in window unblocking position and holding the plunger and extension in said window unblocking position against the urging action of said spring means, the second tip being biased to engage in said slot when said plunger is in window blocking position and serving to obstruct movement of said plunger and extension member when so engaged but capable of being manually moved out of said engagement,

F. the extension member and plunger adapted to be arranged with the plunger moved to and held in window unblocking position when the cover is on the coin box and the coin box is free of the coin machine and the one latching tip has been manually engaged in said slot to hold said plunger and extension member in said window unblocking position,

G. the protruding part of said extension member adapted to be forced slightly forward of the cover when said cover and coin box are installed in said space of said coin machine, moved against the back wall and held in said installed condition, said slight movement serving to release said one latching tip so that its bias can move the same out of engagement with said slot thereby freeing said extension member and plunger for movement by said spring means which includes substantial movement of said plunger rearward out of said cover, but said extension member and plunger adapted to be prevented from moving to window unblocking position while the coin box is so installed due to the presence of said back wall,

H. said extension member and plunger thereafter adapted to be freed for movement when the coin box is withdrawn from said space of said coin machine to permit said spring means to move said plunger to window blocking position while the second latch tip moves into engagement with said slot to lock said plunger and extension member in said window blocking position.

3. The cover as claimed in claim 2 in which said housing is formed of upper and lower wall parts secured together and forming a passageway therebetween, said plunger and extension member being mounted for movement in said passageway, said latch mechanism being mounted on the bottom of the lower wall part and openings in said lower wall part to permit movement of said latching tips into the passageway to engage with said slot when said plunger and extension member are in either of said first and second positions, the said coin receiving window comprising a first window opening in the upper wall part and a second window opening in the lower wall part vertically aligned with said first window opening.

4. The cover as claimed in claim 2 in which said first latching tip includes an angled hook part adapted to pass through said slot and engage under an edge of said slot requiring movement of said edge a slight distance relative to said latching tip before there is sufficient clearance to permit withdrawal of said latching tip from said slot.

5. The cover as claimed in claim 2 in which said housing has a bottom wall provided with a coin passing opening aligned with said first-mentioned window, said plunger and extension member are elongate and flat and the upper surface of said bottom wall has means confining and guiding the movement of said plunger and extension member in face to face engagement with said upper surface and said wall has openings adapted to align respectively with said slot to permit said latching tips to pass through said bottom wall and into engagement with said slot in the said first and second positions of said plunger and extension member.

6. An elongate, generally rectangular cover adapted to be locked onto a coin box and being substantially pilfer-free, said cover comprising A. an enclosed housing having a coin receiving window therein providing access only from the upper part thereof through the housing to the underside of said cover,

B. a plunger having a plate-like flat body mounted for sliding movement in the housing and having a second window formed in said flat body and the plunger being adapted to slide lengthwise in said housing between window alignment position with the two windows aligned and window blocking position with the second window displaced relative to the other window and an imperforate portion of said flat body aligned with said first window,

C. means mounted to said housing and connected to said plunger biasing the plunger to slide rearward of the housing and thereby to move to said window blocking position, the housing and plunger having cooperating stop means to limit the extent of said rearward movement when said window blocking position is achieved,

D. an extension of the plunger extending to the rear end of and beyond the cover and adapted to be pushed forward by exterior pressure to force the plunger to slide forward within the housing against its bias.

E. a trigger mechanism including rocking latch means mounted to said housing on the bottom thereof and cooperating with the plunger to afford control of the sliding movement thereof, one part of the latch means being movable toward and away from the path of movement of the plunger and having a first free end, the plunger having first registry means cooperating with said first free end to effect engagement therewith, said one part being biased to move away from said path to disengage said first free end from the first registry means of said plunger but being manually movable toward said path to a first position to effect such engagement in window blocking position but being manually movable away from said path out of said second position and out of engagement with said second registry means,

F. the extension adapted to be pushed slightly forward by said exterior pressure when the one part of the latch means is in first position to disengage said first free end from said first registry means but without moving said plunger out of window alignment position, and thereafter adapted when said exterior pressure has been removed from said extension to be permitted to move rearward to enable the plunger to slide to window blocking position while the second free end of said second part of said latch means moves toward said path to effect engagement with said second registry means to place said second part of said latch means in said second position, and

G. said registry means comprising passageways in said plunger into which said free ends are adapted to enter in coupling engagement.

7. The cover as claimed in claim 6 in which one of the registry means comprises a passageway in the extension which aligns with the first free end only when the plunger is in window alignment position.

8. The cover as claimed in claim 6 in which the registry means for said second free end comprises a portion of said second window, said second free end adapted to be disposed adjacent the rear edge of said window to obstruct movement of said plunger when said plunger is in window blocking position.

9. The cover as claimed in claim 6 in which said rocking latch means comprises a single member secured at its center to the housing and each part comprises an independently movable resilient bent end of said single member.

10. The cover as claimed in claim 6 in which said rocking latch means comprises a relatively rigid member having said latch parts at opposite ends and pivotally mounted to said housing on the bottom thereof and biased to rotate in a direction carrying the second part toward said second position.

1 l. The cover member as claimed in claim 6 in which said housing is formed of upper and lower wall parts secured together and forming a passageway therebetween for the movement of the plunger, the trigger mechanism is secured to the bottom of the lower wall part and said lower wall part has openings therein to permit movement of said latch parts into the passageway to said first and second positions and the lower wall part has a third window in alignment with said first window.

12. A coin box comprising an open topped box having front, rear, bottom and side walls, a cover adapted to be engaged in said open top between the side walls and locked thereon, key-operated means 'on the front wall and cooperating lock means on the cover for locking the cover to the box, the cover comprising a housing having a top wall with a coin receiving window therein adapted to be aligned with a coin chute of a coin-controlled machine in which the coin box is adapted to be installed, a plunger including a flat blade mounted for sliding movement along a path defined in the housing, having a second window in the blade and slidable within the housing between window alignment position wherein the second window is aligned with the first window and window blocking position wherein the second window is offset relative to said first window, means carried by the housing biasing the plunger to move to said window blocking position, a trigger and latch mechanism connected to the housing and having a pair of plunger-engaging arms each adapted to move toward and away from the path of movement of the plunger, the plunger having coupling means capable of establishing a connection with each said arm, a slot in the rear wall, an extension of said plunger protruding out of the slot of the rear wall and adapted to engage a stop member on the interior of the recess of said coincontrolled machine within which said coin box is adapted to be installed, the trigger and latch mechanism adapted to be preset to a cocked condition and one plunger-engaging arm connected to said coupling means with the plunger in window alignment position before installation of the coin box in said recess, the cocked condition adapted to be released by slight forward movement of said extension during installation but without substantially changing the position of said plunger, the said one arm being biased to move away from said path and to release said connection but being prevented from doing so during the cocked condition by the pressure exerted by the plunger itself acting in response to said movement biasing means thereof, and the trigger and latch mechanism adapted to operate to move the plunger to window blocking position when the extension is permitted to move rearward thereafter by withdrawing the coin box from the recess and to lock the plunger in said window blocking position, the second plunger-engaging arm being normally biased to move toward said path to connect with said coupling means but being blocked from such connection by being out of alignment with said coupling means until said plunger has moved said blade to window blocking position.

13. The coin box as claimed in claim 12 in which the housing and side walls of said open topped box have cooperating tongues and shear-formed loops engaging when the cover is installed in said box top to prevent prying the side walls away from the cover.

14. The coin box as claimed in claim 12 in which the top wall has a tab at the rear thereof being bent downwardly to block the slot of said rear wall from entry of unauthorized tools.

15. The coin box as claimed in claim 12 in which said trigger and latch mechanism comprise rocking latch means having two parts comprising, respectively said plunger-engaging arms, one part being manually movable to a first position in which it engages the plunger while the plunger is in cocked condition to hold the plunger in window alignment position but is biased to disengage from the plunger when the plunger is released as by said slight forward movement of said extension, the second part being normally biased to move to a second position in which it prevents return of the plunger from window blocking position after said plunger has moved to said window blocking position but being manually movable from said second position when it is desired to move the plunger forward manually back to window alignment position through the use of said extension.

PC4050 4 l v 4 PatentAnorneyo' Supplies Divi (5/69') w Pengad Publlshen, Bayonne,

Y 4 NITED STATES .iPATENT OFFICE I CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION Patent No. 797,735 D d March 19, 1974 Inventofls) August M." Sciortino and Charles R. Rissmann A It is certified that error appears in the above-identified patent and that said LetterePatent are hereby corrected as shown below:

Abstract, line 27, after "unlocked" insert only I Column 3', line 21, after "the" insert -upper Column .3, line 38,- after "res pectively." insert -The. trigger 54 is,. ca-lled a rocking} latch hereinafter for reasons- I Column 3, line. 51, change '"coil" to --c'oin-- Column 4,' line 4, change "elongated" to -'elongate- Column 4, line 47,, change "high" to '-his- Column '5, line 23, change "moved" to "removed Column 5, line 54, change "58" to -58- 1 Column 5, line 61, change pluner" to plunger-.

Signecland sealed this 3rd day of December 1974,

' (SEAL) mom. GIBSON "JR. r c. MARSHALL'DANN Attes'ting Officer I Commissioner of Patents

Claims

1. A cover adapted to be locked onto a coin box which is to be inserted into the recess of a coin-controlled machine of the type that has a stop on the interior of the recess and a coin chute ending in the recess, the box having a slot in its rear wall, the cover comprising: A. a top wall part having a first window adapted to be aligned with the coin chute when the cover is engaged on the box and the box is in the recess, B. a bottom wall part having a second window aligned with the first window, C. means securing the wall parts in vertical spaced relation whereby to form an elongate housing having an elongate guide passageway therein between the wall parts, D. a plunger mounted in the housing for sliding movement in said passageway substantially between window open and window blocking positions and including means secured to said housing and biasing the plunger to move rearwardly toward window blocking position, said plunger having i. an opening therein of a size and configuration to align with the windows when the plunger is in window open position relative to the housing, ii. a blocking plate arranged to be interposed between the windows when the plunger is in window blocking position relative to the housing, iii. an extension connected to the plunger, extending rearwardly out of the cover and adapted to be engaged against the stop in the recess when the coin box is inserted therein, the plunger having a slot therein, iv. and stop means, E. rocking latch means mounted on the bottom wall part, having first plunger engaging means biased away from said extension but capable of being manually moved to a first position entering said plunger slot and engaging said plunger to hold said pLunger in window open position, and second plunger engaging means biased toward said extension and tending to assume a second position in the path of said stop means holding the plunger in window blocking position, movement of said extension slightly inwardly as when said box is inserted into a recess with the first plunger engaging means having previously been placed in first position and the plunger in window open position so that the extension engages said stop serving to disengage said first plunger engaging means from the plunger without permitting substantial movement of said plunger so long as said box remains in said recess, but withdrawal of said box from said recess permitting rearward movement of said extension whereby the plunger moves to window blocking position while the second plunger engaging means automatically moves to second position preventing return of said plunger to window open position by movement of said extension forwardly.

2. A cover adapted to be locked onto a coin box which in turn is adapted to be installed in a coin machine which has a space for receiving the coin box including a wall at the rear of the space, said cover comprising: A. a housing having a coin receiving window therein, B. a sliding plunger within the housing having a window covering area and adapted to move between a first position in which the window covering area is displaced from the coin receiving window leaving the latter unblocked and a second position in which the window covering area is in registration with the coin receiving window rendering the latter blocked, C. spring means urging the plunger in a direction to move the window covering area into said second position, D. an extension member within the housing having a part protruding rearwardly beyond the cover and coupled with the plunger for moving in concert with said plunger and adapted to be pushed forward into the cover to force the plunger against the urging action of the spring means, E. a latch mechanism mounted to the housing on the bottom thereof and having two parts cooperating with said plunger and extension member, each part having a latching tip and the plunger and extension member having a slot for alternately cooperating with the respective latching tips, one tip being biased to disengage from said slot but being manually movable to a position engaged with said slot when the plunger is in window unblocking position and holding the plunger and extension in said window unblocking position against the urging action of said spring means, the second tip being biased to engage in said slot when said plunger is in window blocking position and serving to obstruct movement of said plunger and extension member when so engaged but capable of being manually moved out of said engagement, F. the extension member and plunger adapted to be arranged with the plunger moved to and held in window unblocking position when the cover is on the coin box and the coin box is free of the coin machine and the one latching tip has been manually engaged in said slot to hold said plunger and extension member in said window unblocking position, G. the protruding part of said extension member adapted to be forced slightly forward of the cover when said cover and coin box are installed in said space of said coin machine, moved against the back wall and held in said installed condition, said slight movement serving to release said one latching tip so that its bias can move the same out of engagement with said slot thereby freeing said extension member and plunger for movement by said spring means which includes substantial movement of said plunger rearward out of said cover, but said extension member and plunger adapted to be prevented from moving to window unblocking position while the coin box is so installed due to the presence of said back wall, H. said extension member and plunger thereafter adapted to be freed for movement when the coin box is withdrawn from saiD space of said coin machine to permit said spring means to move said plunger to window blocking position while the second latch tip moves into engagement with said slot to lock said plunger and extension member in said window blocking position.

6. An elongate, generally rectangular cover adapted to be locked onto a coin box and being substantially pilfer-free, said cover comprising A. an enclosed housing having a coin receiving window therein providing access only from the upper part thereof through the housing to the underside of said cover, B. a plunger having a plate-like flat body mounted for sliding movement in the housing and having a second window formed in said flat body and the plunger being adapted to slide lengthwise in said housing between window alignment position with the two windows aligned and window blocking position with the second window displaced relative to the other window and an imperforate portion of said flat body aligned with said first window, C. means mounted to said housing and connected to said plunger biasing the plunger to slide rearward of the housing and thereby to move to said window blocking position, the housing and plunger having cooperating stop means to limit the extent of said rearward movement when said window blocking position is achieved, D. an extension of the plunger extending to the rear end of and beyond the cover and adapted to be pushed forward by exterior pressure to force the plunger to slide forward within the housing against its bias, E. a trigger mechanism including rocking latch means mounted to said housing on the bottom thereof and cooperating with the plunger to afford control of the sliding movement thereof, one part of the latch means being movable toward and away from the path of movement of the plunger and having a first free end, the plunger having first registry means cooperating with said first free end to effect engagement therewith, said one part being biased to move away from said path to disengage said first free end from the first registry means of said plunger but being manually movable toward said path to a first position to effect such engagement and thereby to retain said plunger in window alignment position, the second part of the latch means being also movable toward and away from the path of movement Of said plunger and having a second free end, the plunger having second registry means cooperating with said second free end to enable engagement therewith, said second part being biased to move toward said path to a second position to effect engagement of said second free end with said second registry means of said plunger to hold same in window blocking position but being manually movable away from said path out of said second position and out of engagement with said second registry means, F. the extension adapted to be pushed slightly forward by said exterior pressure when the one part of the latch means is in first position to disengage said first free end from said first registry means but without moving said plunger out of window alignment position, and thereafter adapted when said exterior pressure has been removed from said extension to be permitted to move rearward to enable the plunger to slide to window blocking position while the second free end of said second part of said latch means moves toward said path to effect engagement with said second registry means to place said second part of said latch means in said second position, and G. said registry means comprising passageways in said plunger into which said free ends are adapted to enter in coupling engagement.

11. The cover member as claimed in claim 6 in which said housing is formed of upper and lower wall parts secured together and forming a passageway therebetween for the movement of the plunger, the trigger mechanism is secured to the bottom of the lower wall part and said lower wall part has openings therein to permit movement of said latch parts into the passageway to said first and second positions and the lower wall part has a third window in alignment with said first window.

12. A coin box comprising an open topped box having front, rear, bottom and side walls, a cover adapted to be engaged in said open top between the side walls and locked thereon, key-operated means on the front wall and cooperating lock means on the cover for locking the cover to the box, the cover comprising a housing having a top wall with a coin receiving window therein adapted to be aligned with a coin chute of a coin-controlled machine in which the coin box is adapted to be installed, a plunger including a flat blade mounted for sliding movement along a path defined in the housing, having a second window in the blade and slidable within the housing between window alignment position wherein the second window is aligned with the first window and window blocking position wherein the second window is offset relative to said first window, means carried by the housing biasing the plunger to move to said window blocking position, a trigger and latch mechanism connected to the housing and having a pair of plunger-engaging arms each adapted to move toward and away from the path of movement of the plunger, the plunger having coupling means capable of establishing a connection with each said arm, A slot in the rear wall, an extension of said plunger protruding out of the slot of the rear wall and adapted to engage a stop member on the interior of the recess of said coin-controlled machine within which said coin box is adapted to be installed, the trigger and latch mechanism adapted to be preset to a cocked condition and one plunger-engaging arm connected to said coupling means with the plunger in window alignment position before installation of the coin box in said recess, the cocked condition adapted to be released by slight forward movement of said extension during installation but without substantially changing the position of said plunger, the said one arm being biased to move away from said path and to release said connection but being prevented from doing so during the cocked condition by the pressure exerted by the plunger itself acting in response to said movement biasing means thereof, and the trigger and latch mechanism adapted to operate to move the plunger to window blocking position when the extension is permitted to move rearward thereafter by withdrawing the coin box from the recess and to lock the plunger in said window blocking position, the second plunger-engaging arm being normally biased to move toward said path to connect with said coupling means but being blocked from such connection by being out of alignment with said coupling means until said plunger has moved said blade to window blocking position.