CA1208518A - Token mechanism with magnetic separation means - Google Patents

Abstract

TOKEN MECHANISM WITH MAGNETIC SEPARATION MEANS

ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE

A token which cannot be easily counterfeited by inexpensive methods and a simple token acceptance mechanism which will reject easily-made counterfeit tokens. The token is a disk-shaped object which has two sections along its axis. One section has a notched periphery and the second section has a smooth periphery. The notched section interacts with a pawl in the token acceptance mechanism and the smooth section interacts with an arm. The pawl and arm are interlocked so that only tokens which contain both the notched section and the smooth section are accepted. Therefore tokens which can be easily made by stamping or by turning on a lathe are not accepted by the mechanism. A chute with a barrier projecting from one sidewall and a magnet adjacent the opposing sidewall acts to pass semi-magnetic tokens but trap non-magnetic or wholly magnetic tokens.

Description

~2~
FI~LD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to tokens and token acceptance mechanisms for use in token or slug operated vending machines, amusement machines, and access control devices such as turnstiles.
B~CKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
During recent years increasing numbers of slug or token operated machines have been made and used. Many of these machines can be operated by means of coins. ~Iowever, it is convenient to use a slug or token other than a coin so that the value of th~ services or goods dispensed by the machine can be changed without requiring a corresponding change in the acceptance mechanism of the machine.
Since automatic slug or token operated machines normally operate unattended, they are subject to operation by counterfeit tokens or slugs. In some circumstances, such as a large subway system, the arnount of revenue lost through the use of counterfeit tokens is significant.
The most common methods of counterfeiting or copy-ing slugs or tokens are stamping or machining on a lathe.These two methods can be utilized at a sufficiently low cost to make the counterfeiting operation economically feasible.
Various prior art arrangements have been used to prevent counterfelt coins from operating the associated machinery~ In particu~ar, tokens or slugs with various notched peripheries have been used in an attempt to distin-guish the token or slug from common coins and to discourage counterfeiting. Unfortunately, notched designs are easily counterfelted by a s-tamping process. Other prior art designs have utilized a smooth periphery with various grooves located along the axis of ~2~351~3 the token. Specially shaped slots are then used in the acceptance mechanism to reject tho~e tokens which do not have the corresponding grooves. Unfortunately this type of token is easily counterfeited by means of machininq on a lathe.
Some prior art mechanisms are capable of discriminatinq tokens composed of maqnetic materials from those compoced of non-magnetic materials. However, makin~ counterfeit tokens either whollY magnetic or non-magnetic is not difficult.
Producing a semi-maanetic token and discriminating it from tokens of other deqrees of ma~netization would ~ermit ~ore so~histicated anti-counterfeitinq measures.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a token which is not easily counterfeitahle by either stamping or machining.
It is another object of the invention to provide a sim~
inexpensive and jam-proof mechanism for the acceptance of a token which is not easily counterfeitahle.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a token which is easily and inexpensively constructed an~ is compatible with many token acceptance mechanisms presently in use.
It is a still further ob~ect of the Present invention to provide a token and token acceptance mechanism which can be used in addition to those to~en accePtance mechanisms already in use to provide additional protection aqainst counterfeitin~.
It is yet another ob~ect of this invention to provide a semi-magnetic token and a mechanism to discriminate it ~rom wholly maqnetic and non-maqnetic tokens.

SUM~ARY OF TH_ INV~NTION

The fore~oin~ Problems are solved and the oreqoinq oh~ects are achieved in an illustrative embodiment of the invention in which a token is provided which has two sections alonq its axis. One section contains a notched or serrated periphery and the second section contains a smooth periphery. When the -` ~Z~1351~
inventive token enters the illustrative token accePtanCe mechanism, the notched section interacts with a pawl in the mechanism and moves the pawl to a predetermined position. The motion of the pawl unlocks an arm which is then move~ ~v the smooth periphery section. Only tokens which contain both the notched and smooth sections will interact properly with hoth the pawl and the arm in order to be accepted by the mechanism.
To provide additional safety aqainst counterfeitinq, the illustrative acceptance mechanism can be used in conjunction with a magnetic separation means which Passes onlY
semi-magnetic tokens.

BRIEF DES('RIPTION OF THE DRAWING

Figure 1 of the drawinq shows plan and side views of the illustrative two-section token.
Figure 2 of the drawing i6 a persPeCtive view of the token and a first embodiment of the acceptance mechanism.
Figure 3 of the drawin~ i5 a plan view of the token entering the first embodiment of the acceptance mechanism.
Figure 4 of the drawinq is plan view of the token interacting with the pawl and arm of the acceptance mechanism.
Fiqures 5 throuqh 10 of the drawin~ are examPles of counterfeit tokens which will not be accepted by the first embodiment of the acceptance mechanism.
Figure 11 is an example of a counterfeit token which wil~
be accepted by the first embodiment of the acceptance mechanism, but not by the second emhodiment.
Fiqure 12 is a plan view of the counterfeit token of fiqure 11 in the second embodiment of the accePtance ~echanism, causinq the mechanism to ~am.
Fiq~ure 13 is a cross~sectional view of a ma~netic separation mean~ for di,fferentiatinq semi-maqnetic token~ from non-magnetic tokens ~nd wholly magnetic tokens.

~Z~518 DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Figure 1 of the drawing shows a slug or token made in accordance with an illustrative embodiment of the invention.
The token is a disk-shaped object having two sections alonq its axis labeled 10 and 11 in Fiqure 1. Section 11 has a notched periphery consisting of a numbe~ of teeth 13. In the embodiment shown, the teeth are shown arranged symmetrically around the periphery of the token. However, this is not necessary for the operation of the acceptance mechanism.
Section 10 has a smooth periphery. In the illustrative embodiment the fliameter of this ~ection is ~hown e~ual to the diameter of the outer periPhery of teeth 13. However, this is not necessary for a proper operation of the token accePtanCe mechanism as will be hereinafter described. The token may have a circular, square or other geometrical cutout, 12 in the center. Such a cutout does not affect operation of the illu~trative token acceptance mechanism and may he omitted if desired.
It will be noted from an inspection of the inventive token that, due to flange 10, the token cannot be easily duplicated by stampin~. In addition, due to teeth 13, the token cannot he easily duplicated by means of machining on a lathe. One ~imple and inexpensive way of manufacturinq such a token is by usinq a sintered metal process. In such a process metal for formina the token is provide~ in powdered form to a set of dies and subjected to high pressure. The pressure causes preliminary bondinq of the metal particles to produce a Preliminary part with the desired shape. The part is then heated under a controlled atmosphere to fuse the metal particles and produce the finished article. The sinterinq process is weJl known in the art of metal proce~sinq and wil3 not be de~cribed ~urther herein. ~ne advanta~e of the sinterinq proce~s i6 that a variety of metal Powders may he mixed to make the final metallic composition from which the article is manufactured.
Thus, it is possible to use a comhination of maqnetic and iZ~:~51~3 non-magnetic metals and metals of different densities in order to produce a token with the proper maqnetic permeability and weight so that it will be accepted by presently-existing token acceptance mechanisms, as well as the inventive token acceptance mechanism. In this way the same token can be used with both the inventive token acceptance mechanism and conventional mechanisms placed in series to qive added protection against counterfeitinq. It is also Possible to use a combination of metals with appropriate maqnetic properties and densities so that the resultinq token will have uniaue magnetic properties and/or a unique density. Such a token could not be counterfeited easily by means of tokens comprised of a single metal or metallic alloy.
Referrinq to Figure 2, token 200 is shown enterinq the inventive acceptance mechanism 201. Mechanism 201 is Provided with guide members 210 and 220 which position token 20n in proper position to interact with the pawl and arm mechanism as will he hereinafter described. Guide members 210 and 22n mAy be removably connected to the body 205 of the acceptance mechanism by means of ~crews, rivets or pins, (for example, screws 215) so that the guide members may be removed and replaced if they become damaqed or worn. Guide member 220 contalns a pair of teeth, 285 and 286, which toqether with tooth 245 of pawl 225 interact with the teeth of token 2no so that only tokens which have a notched periphery will be accepted. The illustrative acceptance mechanism i.8 desiqned to be inserted into a housinq surrounding an existinq token acceptance mechanism. One wall of the housin~ toqether with members 21n and 22n and hody 2~5 form a slot throuah which token 20~ may drop. Alternatively, a cover ~not shown) iF, removeably fastened to g~lde members 210 and 22n so that the cover, members 21n and 22n and the body 205 of the mechaniæm form a slot through which token 200 may drop. ~he cover has heen omltteA in Fiqure 2 for clarity.
In particular, mechanism 2nl has a pawl 225 and an arm 250. Pawl 225 rotates around pivot 230 and is weiqhted so that 3SlB
it normally rests against stop 235.
Arm 250 Pivots around pivot 255 and is weiqhted so that it normally rests against stop 260. Pawl 225 and arm 250 are interlocked by means of projections 27n and 275. The interlocking is such, as wi]l be hereinafter descrihed in connection with Fiqures 3 and 4, that pawl 225 must be rotated in the direction of arrow 240 by means of the interaction of the token with the pawl before arm 250 can ~e rotated in the direction of arrow 265 by means of an interaction of the token and the arm. Both paw] 225 and arm 250 must be moved out of the way before the token is allowed to drop throuah mechanism 2nl and actuate the a.ssociated token-operated device.
To allow token 200 to be inserted in either of its two axial orientations, arm 250 is composed of two identical sections 251 which cam interact with the flanqe of the token.
Arm 250 also contains a slot 2~0 thereby allowinq tooth 2~S on pawl 225 to move into slot 280 when the pawl and arm interact as will he hereinafter described.
Figure 3 of the drawing shows token 325 entering token acceptance mechanism 370. As token 32~ drops under the influence of qravity throuqh mechanism 370 it is quided by quides 315 and 32n so that token teeth 300 engaqe stationary teeth 305 and 310. Teeth 305 and 310 are set in the center of quide 320 so that the flanqe portion of token 325 may Pass either behind or in front of the teeth allowinq the token to clear the mechanism.
When teeth 300 engage teeth 305 and 310, the token is momentarily arrested on its riqht side thereby causing the left side to plvot a~ainst pawl 34~, in turn causin~ tooth 301 to engage tooth 340 on pawl 345. Prior to the engagement of tooth 340 by tooth 3nl, pawl 345 rests a~ainst stoP 330. Arm 3~n is prevented from rotatinq by the interaction of pro~ection 355 and pro~ection 360. However, as token 3~ moves downward, tooth 301 pre8~es aqainst tooth 340 causlnq pawl 345 to pivot around its pivot 335 lnto its position as shown in Fiqure 4.
As a result of the pivotinq action, projection 355 moves into 51~

recess 375, releasing arm 350.
Referring to Fiaure 4, as token 425 continues its downward movement throuqh the mechanism~ flange portion 400 of the token bears against the projectinq portion 4n5 of arm 4~0 causinq it to pivot around pivot 456 and move to the left.
With both pawl 445 and arm 450 moved to their release positions, token 425 is free to fall throuqh the mechanism. As it does so arm 450 hecomes free to fall hack into its re~tina position. Arm 450 is wei~hted and pivoted to move under its own weiqht into its restina position after the token passes.
When arm 450 moves into its resting position, pawl ~45 is released and also falls back into its restinq po~ition under its own weight. The return of the mechanism into its restinq state is also assisted when the token falls throu~h the mechanism and strikes the inclined portion 470 of quide 420.
Inclined portion 470 is used to line the token up with any additional pre-existinq acceptance mechanism which may he placed in series with the inventive mechanism. ~owever, portion 470 also causes the fallinq token to move towards the left. The flanqe portion of the token then strikes edqe 475 of arm 450 causinq it to move to the left aqainst stop 480. Thi~
action releases pawl 445 which then pivots around pivot 460 (due to the weiqht of portion 465) brin~ing the mechanism into its resting position, ready for another token.
Figures 3 throu~h 10 of the drawing show examples of easily manufactured counterfeit tokens which will he rejected by the mechanism. In particular, Figure S of the drawinqs shows a slmple, round token which can be produced easlly hy stampinq.
Since it does not have a notched periphery, however, such a token when enterinq the accePtance mechanism when shown in Figure 2 will jam against teeth 285 and 2R6 and either quide 210 or stop 235.
Fiqure 6 of the drawing shows a counterfeit token which may be easlly manufactured on a lathe. It consists of two sections 60 and 61 alonq its axis, hoth of which have smooth peripheries. Although the diameter of secton 60 may be small ~2~5~

enough to clear the mechanism teeth, pawl 2Q5 will not be operated. Section ~l could normally oPerate arm 250 hut since pawl 245 and arm 250 are interlocked, the counterfeit token jams aqainst arm 25n.
Figure 7 of the drawin~ shows a counterfeit token which has three sections, 70, 71 and 72, along its axis. The diameter of section 71 may be small enouqh to clear the mechanism teeth, however pawl 245 will not be operated. Sections 70 and 71 could normally operate arm 250 but since pawl 245 and arm 2~
are interlocked, the counterfeit token ~ams aaainst arm 2~0 in the same manner as the token shown in ~iqure ~.
Figure 8 of the drawing shows a token with a notched periphery which can be easily produced hy stampina. In this counterfeit token the notched periphery may be able to interact with the teeth in order to operate pawl 22~. However, since there is no smooth flanqed portion of the token, arm 250 is not moved out of the way and therefore jams the token before ;t can move through the mechanism.
Figure 9 of the drawin~ shows a counterfeit t:oken which has a reduced thickness. The reduced thickness allows the token to clear the teeth 285, 28fi and 245 and rest aqainst arm 250.
However, since pawl 225 is not operated, the interlockinq arranqement between pawl 225 and 25n prevents arm 25n from operating and therefore the token does not clear the acceptance mechanism.
Figure lO of the drawing shows a standard thickness token which has a reduced diameter. A sufficiently reduced diameter might allow the token to clear throuqh the acceptance mechanism. However, such a token is easily re~ected by a ~tandard acceptance mechanism and thus a combination of a ~tandard acceptance mechanism and the illustrative token acceptance mechanism preventæ the acceptance of such a token.
Figure ll of the drawing shows a counterfeit token which would successfully actuate the mechanism shown in fiqureæ 2-A.
This counterfeit has a central layer 120 havinq a notched periphery 130 capable of moving the pawl aside, and _ g _ ~Z~351~3 small-diameter, washer-like spacers 100 affixed to each side of the central layer 120. The spacers 100 act to keep the notched portion of the counterfeit sufficiently centered to actuate the ~awl 225. Although ~his counterfeit has no smooth flanged portion 200 to actuate the arm 250, the spacers 100 are of sufficiently small diameter that they can pass between the guide 220 on the right and the arm 250 in its rest position, and the central layer 120 is positioned so that it can pass through the same slot 280 of the bifurcated arm 250 throuqh which the tooth 245 of pawl 225 passes.
Figure 12 illustrates an alternate embodiment of the token acceptance mechanism which, unlike the embodiment of fiqures

2-4, jams when the counterfeit token shown in figure 11 is used. This alternate embodiment fea~ures an additional leftward-pointing hook 140 on the underside of the pawl 225, and an additional diagonal extension 145 of arm 250 having a rightward-pointing hook 150 which interlocks with hook 140 when the tok.en of figure 11 is used. By contrast, when the proper token previously described is used, the smooth flange of the token moves arm 250 sufficiently to the left, prior to complete rotation of the pawl 225, that hook 150 is out of the path of hook 140 and does not en~aqe it as the pawl 225 is rotated.
Figure 13 illustrates a magnetic separation means which may be located below the mechanical acceptance mechanism described above, to provide additional security against counterfeits. It includes a section 5nO of a slot 50, in which left sidewall 510 and right sidewall 5~0 are vertical, parallel and close enough together to impart a vertical alignment to a descending token.
Directly beneath section 500 i8 a section 530 of divergina sldewalls, in whlch, for example, left sidewall 540 remains vertical but a slanted right sidewall 55n diverges to the right. ~mbedded within or mounted behind right sidewall 550 is a magnet 560, while about a half-diameter of a token below magnet 5hO, a protr~sion 570 protrudes from opposite left sidewall 540. The protrusion 570 will mechanically stop a non-magnetic token, while the ma~net 560 will attract and stoP

a wholly magnetic token. A semi-ma~netic token will be sufficiently attracted by magnet 560 to avoid protrusion 570 and slide down right sidewall 550 instead, but the magnetic attraction will not be sufficient to prevent gravity from pulling the token down the sidewall 550 past the magnet 560. A
suitable method of manufacturing such a semi-magnetic token is to sinter together powder of type 304 stainless steel, which is relatively non-magnetic, with powder of type 400 stainless steel, which is fairly strongly magnetic. An appropriate strength for the magnet can be chosen after considering the length of the vertical drop in the slot above the magnet and the thickness of the sidewall 550.
Although a specific illustrative embodiment of the inventive token and acceptance mechanism have been shown, other modifications and variations within the scope of the invention will be obvious to those skilled in the art. For example, the notched and smooth sections of the token may be of unequal diameters and the notches need not be spaced at egual intervals around the periphery of the token.

Claims (21)

The embodiments of the invention in which an exclusive property or privilege is claimed are defined as follows:

1. In combination, a disk-shaped token having a first section and a second section disposed perpendicularly to the axis of said token, said first section having a notched periphery and said second section layer having a smooth periphery, and a token acceptance mechanism comprising:
means for defining a slot in said token acceptance mechanism through which said token moves, means responsive to said notched periphery for enabling said acceptance mechanism, comprising a plurality of teeth, including at least one fixed tooth located on one side of said slot and at least one movable tooth on the other side of said slot, whereby a token with a notched periphery entering said token acceptance mechanism causes movement of said movable tooth, and means, when enabled, responsive to said smooth periphery for accepting the token, said acceptance means comprising a movable arm, said arm being responsive to the movement of said movable tooth and to said smooth periphery for moving in a direction to allow said token to move through said token acceptance mechanism, whereby only tokens having both a notched periphery section and a smooth periphery section will be accepted by the token acceptance mechanism.

2. The combination according to claim 1 wherein said movable tooth is attached to a rotatable pawl and said pawl has a projection that bears against said arm and said arm has a recess located therein to accept said projection on said pawl when said pawl has been moved by the passage of a token having a notched periphery.

3. The combination according to claim 2 further comprising means for resetting said mechanism after said token has passed through said mechanism.

4. A token acceptance mechanism for use with a disk-shaped token having a first and a second section disposed perpendicularly to the axis of said token, said first section having a notched periphery and said second section having a smooth periphery, said token acceptance mechanism comprising:
means for defining a slot in said token acceptance mechanism through which said token moves, means responsive to said notched periphery for enabling said acceptance mechanism, comprising a plurality of teeth, including at least one fixed tooth located on one side of said slot and at least one movable tooth on the other side of said slot, whereby a token with a notched periphery entering said token acceptance mechanism causes movement of said movable tooth, and means, when enabled, responsive to said smooth periphery for accepting the token, comprising a movable arm, said arm being responsive to the movement of said movable tooth and to said smooth periphery for moving in a direction to allow said token to move through said token acceptance mechanism, whereby only tokens having both a notched periphery section and a smooth periphery section will be accepted by the token acceptance mechanism.

5. The token acceptance mechanism according to claim 4 wherein said movable tooth is attached to a rotatable pawl and said pawl has a projection that bears against said arm and said arm has a recess located therein to accept said projection on said pawl when said pawl has been moved by the passage of a token having a notched periphery.

6. The token acceptance mechanism according to claim 5 further comprising means for resetting said mechanism after said token has passed through said mechanism.

7. The token acceptance mechanism according to claim 6 wherein said means for resetting said mechanism is responsive to the passage of said token through said mechanism.

8. A token for use in a token-operated vending machine or turnstyle, said token being comprised of two circular planar surfaces separated by a generally circular rim, said rim being comprised of a first section having a smooth periphery and being located immediately adjacent to one of planar surfaces and a second section having a maximum diameter equal to or less than the diameter of said first section and having notches extending inwardly from the periphery of said second section.

9. A token according to claim 8 wherein the diameter of said first section is equal to the maximum diameter of said second section.

10. A token according to claim 8 wherein the notches in said notched periphery are triangularly-shaped.

11. A token according to claim 10 wherein some of the triangularly-shaped notches are positioned so that one side of the triangle lies along the periphery of said second section and the angle of the triangle opposite said one side is positioned toward the center of said second section.

12. A token according to claim 11 wherein the notches in the periphery of said second section are arranged substantially adjacent to each other forming a plurality of triangular teeth along said periphery of said second section.

13. A token according to claim 8 wherein the notches in the periphery of said second section are arranged symmetrically around the axis of said token.

14. A token according to claim 8 wherein the width of said first section comprises at least one third of the entire width of said token.

15. A token for use in a token-operated vending machine or turnstyle, said token being generally disk-shaped and having two parallel faces, said token being comprised of a first generally disk-shaped section and a second generally disk-shaped section, said sections each being disposed perpendicularly to the axis of said token, said first section having a smooth periphery and being located immediately adjacent to one of said faces, said second section having a plurality of teeth spaced around the periphery of said section, and a maximum diameter, including said teeth, equal to or less than the diameter of said first section.

16. A token according to claim 15 wherein the diameter of said first section is equal to the maximum diameter of said second section.

17. A token according to claim 15 wherein said teeth are triangular.

18. A token according to claim 17 wherein some of the triangular teeth are positioned with the point of the triangle facing the periphery of said section.

19. A token according to claim 18 wherein said teeth are arranged substantially adjacent to each other.

20. A token according to claim 15 wherein said teeth are arranged symmetrically around the axis of said token.

21. A token according to claim 15 wherein the width of said first section comprises at least one third of the entire width of said token.