1 COIN RETURNER FOR COIN-OPERATED MACHINES [0001] The present invention relates to a coin returner for coin-operated machines, 5 such as game machines and/or vending machines. [0002] In machines of this type, coins which are collected or recovered arrive from one or more containers which supply the required coins according to instructions which they receive. Coins which exit the returner fall by their own weight towards the return 10 tray or window. This forces such tray or window to be located lower than the returner, which in turn must be lower than the selector. 10003] All of this means that the point of collection of the coins must be located in the bottom of the machine, so that generally the user will have to bend over to collect the 15 coins. 10004] In addition, requiring gravity for coins to pass from one device to another forces a minimum height for the machine frames. 20 [0005] In order to avoid these problems, returners are known which include a coin elevator consisting of a rising chute with a cross-section approximately equal to that of the coins in the container, with a lower inlet and an upper outlet located in the smaller walls. Through such lower inlet coins are admitted from the coin container, driven by a pushing device, so that each coin is pushed by the next coin along the duct, rising 25 through it until the outlet is reached. [0006] These returners present limits in height due to coin friction, and can also become stuck when they receive coins of different sizes. 30 [0007] Also known by Japanese patent no. 5-20524 is a returner which includes an endless belt inclined upwards, which the coin returner outlet faces directly. The belt is provided with transverse ribs which simplify coin transport. The coin container is provided with a mechanism which carries the coins towards the belt at a certain position. When the coins reach the upper end of the belt they pass to a second 35 horizontal transporter.
2 [0008] One problem presented by the described returner is that as the elevator belt is inclined it requires a large space to be installed which may be similar to or greater than that needed for the coin returner. 5 [0009] Space available inside game and vending machines is limited and mechanisms should occupy as little space as possible [0010] In addition, the returner of the described Japanese patent requires a special mechanism at the outlet of the coin returner to supply such coins to the belt in the 10 correct position. [0011] Finally, the inclined belt of the described returner serves only as a coin elevator, and such coins cannot be recovered and returned to the container once they are outside it. 15 [00121 The object of the present invention is a coin returner consisting of an endless belt which occupies a small space and allows to raise coins with respect to the outlet point of the returner. The returner of the' invention also has the advantage that it can be applied to traditional construction coin returners or containers. 20 [0013] A further advantage of the returner of the invention is that the coins supplied by the container can return to the container or delivered for a second use. [00141 Another advantage of the returner of the invention is that it can include means 25 for determining the value of the different coins which may be carried by the belt as well as their position, selecting those which are to be returned and those which must return to the container, so that it can be applied to a coin container which receives and stores coins of different value. 30 [00151 The returner of the invention consists of an endless belt with transverse transport blades whose belt connects two points located at different heights, a lower one corresponding to the coin returner outlet and a higher one corresponding to the outlet to the collection tray. 35 [00161 According to the first characteristic of the invention the belt has its rising 07 3 segment bordered by a screen consisting of a front wall next to the longitudinal free edge of the blades and side walls next to the adjacent belt edges. This screen is provided with a bottom opening and at least one more upper opening. The bottom opening is located in one of the side walls while the upper opening or openings can be 5 on the side walls or on the front wall. 100171 The bottom opening is placed opposite the coin returner outlet in order to receive coins one by one parallel to the belt. It shall be provided at least with one outlet opening on top which will be opposite the collection tray. The rising path of the coins is 10 intercepted by a trapdoor placed even with the top opening which reroutes the coins towards the outlet opening. The trapdoor is retracted by the blades as these pass. [00181 As the elevator belt is placed vertically, the space it occupies is minimised and it can reach a height equal to the length of the belt. The screen which encloses the 15 rising segment of the belt on the front and sides prevents the coins from falling, ensuring that they are carried from the inlet opening to the outlet. In this way the belt can be placed vertically, at least in its rising segment, which may even have a negative slope, and thus the space occupied by the belt is minimised and a height can be reached equal to the length of said belt. 20 [00191 According to a further characteristic of the invention the belt may include means for identifying the value of coins carried by the blades as well as means for detecting the position of these blades, so that at all times the coins in the different position are identified by their value. In this way, as the coins reach the upper section 25 of the belt they are re-routed towards the collection tray, returned to the coin container or sent for a second use, depending on whether or not their value agrees with that of the coins that must be returned. [0020] For this the screen shall be provided with at least two upper openings, and the 30 coins carried by the belt will be selectively re-routed towards one or another of these openings. [00211 The positional control of the transportation blades and of the coins can be obtained by using optical, magnetic, capacitance, etc. sensors. In addition, the belt drive 35 motor may include a Gray code reader to control the revolutions of this motor. W D~ 4 [00221 The length of the belt will depend on the number of coins which must be carried and on the height which must be attained with respect to the coin returner outlet. 5 [0023] The conveyor belt will be capable of moving in either direction. By controlling the position of the coins and the motor we will know whether we need the system to turn in one sense or another, so that the system delivers the exact coins which must be returned or paid to the user. 10 [00241 The returner will preferably have a coin inlet detector and an outlet detector. The returner will stop when the coin outlet detector has counted the pre-set number of outlets. [00251 These and further advantages and characteristics of the present invention will 15 become apparent in view of the accompanying drawings, in which a non-limiting example of an embodiment is shown. [00261 In these drawings: 20 100271 Figure 1 is a side elevation of a coin returner constructed according to the invention. [00281 Figure 2 is a front elevation of the returner of figure 1. 25 [00291 Figure 3 is a view similar to figure 1 of a returner with a coin identification element. [0030] Figure 4 is a view similar to figure 3 of a returner with two upper outlets. 30 [0031] Figure 5 is a front elevation of the returner of figure 4. [0032] Figures 6 and 7 are views similar to figures 1 and 2 showing an alternative construction.. 35 [00331 Figures 8 and 9 correspond to area A of figure 6 enlarged with the trapdoor in
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5 the retracted and re-routing positions respectively. [00341 The returner shown in figures and 2 consists of an endless belt, labelled 1 mounted between a driving roller 2 and direction changing rollers labelled 3 and 4. 5 Endless belt 1 is provided in its transportation surface with transverse transportation blades labelled as 5. [00351 The endless belt, at least in its rising section, is bordered by a screen consisting of a front wall 7 and side walls 8 which are next to free longitudinal edge and the 10 transverse edges respectively of transportation blades 5. [00361 The described screen is provided with a bottom opening placed on one of the side walls facing the coin returner outlet. The position of this lower opening is labelled as 9 in figure 5 where receipt of coins 10 from coin container 11 is shown. 15 [00371 The screen which surrounds the rising segment of belt 1 is also provided with at least one upper outlet opening labelled as 12. Immediately above this upper outlet 12 is a trapdoor 13 which can intercept the rising path of the coins and re-route these towards outlet 12. Trapdoor 13 is retractable so that it can adopt position 13' of figure 1 where 20 it allows blades 5 to pass freely. [0038] With the described construction coins 10 arriving from container 11 reach inlet 9 with each coin being carried by a blade 5 in the rising segment of the belt until outlet 12 is reached, which will be situated opposite a chute or duct which will carry the coin 25 to the collection tray. [00391 With the described construction rising segment 6 of the belt can be placed vertically as shown in figure 1 and labelled 14, or even with a negative slope as labelled 15 in said figure. 30 100401 Figure 3 shows a construction similar to the one described with reference to figures 1 and 2 but including a coin identifying element 16 as well as an impulse generator 17 in drive roller 2 and an impulse reader 18. 35 100411 By means of identifying element 16 the value of coin 10 carried by each blade 5 0 6 may be known, while by means of the impulse generator 17 and reader 18 the position of blades 5 can be known. 10042] Drive roller 2 is driven by a micro-engine 19. 5 [0043] With the embodiment described in figure 5 the screen surrounding the rising segment of the belt will preferably have two upper outlets which in the example shown in figures 4 and 5 are placed at different heights and labelled 29 and 21. Directly above each of these openings is a trapdoor 22-23, similar to trapdoor 13 described with 10 reference to figures 1 and 2. These trapdoors shall also be retractable to allow blades 5 to pass. In addition trapdoor 23 shall be activated depending on the value of coins 10 carried by the different blades 5. [0044] When the returner starts to operate in order to return a given amount, trapdoor 15 23 may or may not intercept the coin which reaches outlet 20 depending on whether said coin must be returned or not, as a function of the information provided by identification element 16 and impulse generator 17 and reader 18. [0045] In the event that the coin must be paid trapdoor 23 shall intercept it and it is re 20 routed towards outlet 20 which leads to the collection chute or tray. If the coin reaching the position of outlet 20 must not be paid trapdoor 23 is retracted and the coin continues to rise carried by the corresponding blade until trapdoor 22 is reached, which reroutes such coin towards outlet 21 leading to the coin container for its recovery. The coin could also be directed towards a second use or application. 25 [00461 In this way coins carried by blades 5 will be taken to collection outlet 20 or recovery outlet 21 depending on their value. [00471 With this construction the returner may be installed in containers 11 holding 30 coins of several values, the returner identifying and selecting the coins which must be paid. [00481 With the described construction a belt 1 may be used which can move in both directions. By controlling coin positions with impulse generator 17 and reader 18 and 35 by knowing the value of the coins using identifier 16 the system will always know in p I R 1 , k 7
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7 which direction to turn, all of this so that the coins which must be returned or paid to the user are delivered to outlet 20. [0049] The returner may also be provided with a coin entry detector near inlet 9 and an 5 outlet detector near payment outlet 20, so that the returner stops when the outlet detector counts the pre-set number of coins as decided by their value. [00501 With the described construction a returner is obtained with which the coins are raised from the outlet of coin container 11, with the endless belt adopting a vertical 10 position so that the space used inside the vending or game machine is reduced. [0051] Figures 6 to 9 show an alternative construction wherein the trapdoor which can intercept the rising path of the coins, labelled as 25, moves linearly and is controlled by an electromagnet 26. Figure 8 shows trapdoor 25 in its retracted position while in figure 15 9 trapdoor 25' intercepts the path of the coins and reroutes them towards the outlet as shown in figure 7. [0052] In addition, as shown in figure 7, blades 5 may have an inclined surface 5' for the coins to rest on, which facilitates their exit when trapdoor 25' intercepts their path 20 and ensures a position of the coins which allows mounting detectors which identify their value, for example as a function of their diameter. Otherwise, this embodiment is equivalent to the one described with reference to figures 1 to 4.