EP0047172B1

EP0047172B1 - Re leasing apparatus for coin-freed vending machine

Info

Publication number: EP0047172B1
Application number: EP19810303993
Authority: EP
Inventors: Herman Berthold Ratzker
Original assignee: PRECISION VENDING MACHINES Ltd
Current assignee: PRECISION VENDING MACHINES LIMITED
Priority date: 1980-09-01
Filing date: 1981-09-01
Publication date: 1986-07-16
Also published as: DE3174932D1; IE52847B1; IE811989L; EP0047172A1; WO1982000909A1

Description

This invention relates to a releasing apparatus for coin-freed vending machines.
Known slot machines have coin testers which test each individual coin inserted into the machine for properties such as size and weight, the coin tester rejecting counterfeit or defective coins before they can release the locking mechanism of the slot machine. Normally, a slot machine can be opened on the insertion of a number of coins of the same or different denominations, and the invention was devised to provide a coin-freed mechanism which checks the complete combination of coins inserted. As indicated below, however, the invention is also applicable to a coin-freed mechanism which is released by a single coin of a particular denomination.
Particular problems arise in devising a coin-freed mechanism which checks a combination of inserted coins. For example, the mechanism should be able to cope with dissimilar coins inserted into the machine in different orders and must be capable of aligning the inserted coins accurately for checking purposes. To allow for coins of different diameters to be inserted, sufficient lateral clearance must be provided in the coin inlet yet the coins must come to rest in predetermined positions in which an overall dimension can be checked.
From US-A-1 498 548 a coin-freed apparatus is known which comprises an electrical circuit controlling a unit of the apparatus which permits or prevents the apparatus to be freed and goods to be dispensed from the machine, and electrical coin sensing contacts forming part of a circuit which is normally open across the sensing means. The insertion of a predetermined number and size of coins is effective to establish a conductive path across the sensing contacts via the coins to close and energize the circuit and to free the unit. However, this known apparatus does not include means for distinguishing between the real and counterfeit coins.
From FR-A-1 460 027 a coin-freed apparatus is known in which inserted coins are caused to roll down an inclined chute provided with a fixed stop and electrical contacts. When the correct number of coins have accumulated in the chute, a circuit is closed through the relevant contact and an electromagnet swings the chute to one side to allow the coins to drop into a collector box and to release the dispenser. A separate selector checks the inserted coins before allowing them to reach the chute via a further electromagnet controlling a pin. The resulting machine is complex, involves the use of a plurality of electromagnets and does not reliably reject counterfeit coins.
DE-C-905 685 discloses a coin-operated mechanism with two chutes. A pivoted contact forming part of a solenoid circuit is engageable with the uppermost coin. Closure of the circuit causes a sprung bell-crank to rotate and remove a stop from the chute blocking the coin path, while also causing a motor switch to close and to initiate a cycle releasing the goods and resetting the crank and the solenoid. Again, the resulting machine is complex involves the use of a solenoid and an electronic motor and does not reliably reject counterfeit coins.
None of these prior specifications is capable of detecting a certain value of the aggregate of the coins introduced, whether made up of a mix of large and small-value coins. All these prior specifications are capable of a unique measurement of the number of coins.
This deficiency is overcome by the invention, which relates to releasing apparatus for a coin-freed vending machine, comprising an electrical circuit controlling the blocking or release of a part of the machine which provides access to the goods to be dispensed from the machine, and electrical coin-sensing contact assemblies one of which is formed at the base of a coin chute and at least one other assembly at a position spaced above the said one contact assembly at a height which is adjustable to enable the dimension of the coin or of the combination of coins to be varied, the said contact assemblies forming part of said circuit and being positioned and arranged to engage coin(s) of correct denomination(s) and diameters; the said circuit being normally open across said contact assemblies, the insertion of a predetermined number and size of coin(s) being effective to establish a conductive path across said contact assemblies to close and energize the circuit and to free said part.
The apparatus is characterised in that the said at least one other of said contact assemblies is pivotably mounted adjacent to and movable with an insulated feeler member under the effect of passage past it of inserted coin(s), the feeler member being effective to gauge the dimensions of the coin(s) inserted and to hold the said other contact asembly out of contact with the coins when their dimensions deviate from the correct ones.
Preferably, there is a plurality of said other contact assemblies connected in series.
Said other contact assembly may include a pivoted flap carrying a pair of parallel screws of which the one nearer to the pivot axis carries a knob of insulating material constituting said feeler member.
Expediently, the free end of said knob is chamfered so that it tapers to a tip on the side nearer to the screw; and the said one screw is longer than the other screw.
The invention will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:-

Figure 1 is a fragmentary rear elevation of a preferred embodiment of the apparatus according to the invention; and
Figure 2 is a cross-section on the plane C-C of Figure 1.

Referring to Figure 1, the releasing apparatus for a coin-freed vending machine is used to lock a drawer which is slidable from the locked position shown to an open position in order to dispense cigarettes. The direction of opening movement of the drawer 1 is perpendicular to the plane of Figure 1.
The drawer 100 is fitted with a latch plate into which projects a movable bolt by the armature of an electrical solenoid. One terminal of the solenoid is connected by a lead conductor to a battery (not shown) and the other terminal is connected by a lead 6 to a sprung wiper contact 107 attached at the lower end of a coin chute 108. The latch plate, movable bolt, and solenoid and conductor are not shown in the drawings, but reference may be had to Figure 1 of EP-A-0 047 172 for an illustration of these parts.
The wiper contact 107 has a sprung lower end which engages a strip contact 109 mounted in a groove 110 which is inclined to the horizontal, as shown in Figure 1. The machine has a back panel 12 of wood on which is mounted the solenoid and a channel-shaped piece 13 of clear plastics. The chute 108 is defined between the piece 13 of plastics and the back panel 12.
The plastics piece 13 of the con chute 108 has an elongated slot 114 within which are clamped, at preselected and variable positions, two top contact assemblies 115 and 115a, capable of pivoting about parallel axes X-X, X'-X' relative to a block 117 clamped in the slot 114 by a respective clamping screw 118. They are electrically in series. The two contact assemblies 115 and 115a are essentially identical, so it will be sufficient to describe one, 115, only.
The contact assembly 115 is capable of pivoting about an axis X-X relative to a block 117 clamped in the slot 114 by a clamping screw 118.
A contact screw 116 of the contact assembly 115 is connected by an electrical lead to a contact screw mounted in an insulating block carrying a depending beryllium-copper spring contact, the block being mounted on the back panel 12. The upper end of the solenoid armature carries a nylon cap which, on its upward movement, engages the beryllium-copper spring contact and urges the latter into electrical contact with the contact screw so as to complete a circuit to a device which produces a 'vend accept' audible signal. Although the lead, contact screw, insulating block, cap and spring contact are all not shown, again reference may be had to Figure 1 of EP-A-0 047 172 for an illustration of these parts.
Reverting to the contact assembly 115, it includes a metal plate flap 130 carrying screw 116 as well as a screw 132 parallel with screw 116. The screw 116 is in a lower plane as viewed, and its curved surface (or at least the bottom portion thereof) is provided with an insulated covering or coating 134. Its plane end face 136 is bare metal so that only this end face 136 can make electrical contact with the coins to complete a circuit, as will be explained.
The other screw 132 carries at its end a knob 138 of insulating material. The bottom surface of the knob 138 is partly chamfered at 140 so that it tapers to a tip 142 on the side nearer the screw 116. The screw 132 with the tip 142 is slightly longer than the screw 116.
The apparatus can be actuated by one high-value coin (such as the U.K. d1 coin) or by an equal combination of two or more coins. Moreover, if the high-value coin (again, such as the U.K. d1 coin) is of relatively small diameter, the step 111 in the groove 110 will ensure that it comes to rest in the desired plane and does not, for instance, roll too far to the right, as viewed in Figure 1.
The operation of the illustrated preferred embodiment will now be described.
When coins are inserted in the mechanism they fall down the coin chute 108, displacing the top contacts 116, 116a which pivot about their respective axes X-X, X'-X' with a rocking motion as the coins pass. The inclination of the coin chute 108, combined with the angle of the lower strip contact 109 mounted on the drawer 100, ensures that the lowermost coin (shown at 24 in Figure 2) occupies a predetermined position with its outer peripheral edge in contact with the lower strip contact 109. The strip contact 109 makes an obtuse angle with the right-hand side of the coin chute 108, as seen in Figure 1. Subsequently inserted coins 25 form a stack, the edges of the coins being in contact one with the next and with the left-hand edge of the coin chute 108, as seen in Figure 1. The screw 132 with the insulating knob 138 and chamfered surface 140 will be pushed up by the coins and serves to hold the contact screw 116 out of contact with the coins, unless the coins are 'right'.
Moreover, by use of the coating or covering 134 - it is ensured that electrical contact is made only when a correct coin is directly under the end face 136, thereby preventing fraud e.g. by jogging the drawer or rocking the whole vending cabinet in an attempt to make coin edge-to-screw contact.
If the combination of coins inserted is the correct one, the contact screw(s) 116 which act(s) as sensitive feeler(s), will engage the edge region of the uppermost coin at a position offset from the diametral line through the coins 25. Assuming that the drawer 100 is in its retracted closed position, electrical continuity is established from the contact screw 116 through the stack of inserted coins, through the lower strip contact 109 mounted on the drawer 100 through the wiper contact 107 and thence to the solenoid. Completion of this electrical circuit energises the solenoid the armature of which moves upwardly to release the drawer 100.
If electrical continuity is not established through the stack of coins, for example if a coin has been encircled with tape to make it larger in an attempt to pass it off as a coin of larger denomination, the bolt will remain engaged with the latch plate and the drawer 100 will not be openable. The coins are returned by the operator pushing the drawer 100. It will be appreciated that if the overall size of the stack of coins, as measured at the off-centre position of the contact screws 116 is not of the pedetermined magnitude determined by the position of the block 117 in the slot 114, the drawer 100 will also remain locked.
On release of the drawer 100 and the delivery of the product therein, the coins fall from the chute 108 behind the end of the drawer 100. On return movement of the drawer, the bolt rides up an inclined edge of the latch plate (shown in Figure 3 of EP-A-0 047 172) before engaging therein.
The contact assembly 115a has a fine adjustment mechanism for its position. The block 117 is slidably mounted in the slot 114 and carries a bracket 150 formed with a threaded aperture in which engages one end of a fine adjustment screw 152 extending from a bracket 154 fixed to the chute 108. The other end of the screw 152 has a head 156 which can be turned by a screwdriver to raise or lower the bracket 150 and so the assembly 115a.
Purely by way of example the mechanism is designed to dispense on the insertion of (i) one d1 coin, or (ii) two 50p coins, but a) one 10p or 50p or other current U.K. coin would not have the right diameter or thickness to disable the insulating knob 138, or b) one 50p and one 10p coin are of insufficient length and the screws 116,132 would be above them in the chute and engage the back panel 12, or c) one 50p and two 10p coins would be of sufficient length but the wrong thickness and so the chamfered surface 140 would hold the surface 136 of the screw 116 away from the third coin.
Clearly the selection of the number of contact assemblies, their distance from each other, the distance between the screws 116, 132, the angle of chamfer on the knob 138 are all best determined empirically to suit the coinage of a given country.

Claims

1. Releasing apparatus for a coin-freed vending machine, comprising an electrical circuit controlling the blocking or release of a part (100) of the machine which provides access to the goods to be dispensed from the machine, and electrical coin-sensing contact assemblies one (107, 109) of which is formed at the base of a coin chute (108) and at least one other assembly (115,115a, 116) at a position spaced above the said one contact assembly (107, 109) at a height which is adjustable to enable the dimension of the coin or of the combination of coins (25) to be varied, the said contact assemblies forming part of said circuit and which are positioned and arranged to engage coin(s) (25) of correct denomination(s) and diameters; the said circuit being normally open across said contact assemblies, the insertion of a predetermined number and size of coin(s) (25) being effective to establish a conductive path across said contact assemblies to close and energize the circuit and to free said part (100), characterised in that the said at least one other (115, 116) of said contact assemblies is pivotably mounted adjacent to and movable with an insulated feeler member (138) under the effect of passage past it of inserted coin(s) (25), the latter being effective to gauge the dimensions of the coin(s) (25) inserted and to hold the said other contact assembly (115, 116; 115a) out of contact with the coins (25) when their dimensions deviate from the correct ones.

2. Apparatus according to claim 1, characterised in that there is a plurality of said other contact assemblies (115, 116, 115a) connected in series.

3. Apparatus according to claim 1 or 2, characterised in that the electrical circuit includes a solenoid which, when the electrical contact assemblies (107, 109; 115, 116; 115a) are electrically interconnected through the coin(s) (25), is energised to release a locking bolt engageable in a patch plate attached to the said part (100).

4. Apparatus according to any preceding claim, characterised in that the coin chute (108) is inclined slightly to the vertical, the lower (one) contact assembly (107, 109) being inclined both with respect to the coin chute (108) and to the horizontal so that the first coin (25) inserted is caused to occupy a predetermined position with its edge resting on the lower (one) contact assembly (107, 109) and against one side of the coin chute (108).

5. Apparatus according to claim 4, characterised in that said other contact assembly (115, 116; 115a) projects into the coin chute (108) at a position offset from the diametral line passing through the uppermost coin (25) and parallel to the coin chute (108).

6. Apparatus according to any preceding claim, characterised in that said other contact assembly (115,115a) includes a pivoted flap (130) carrying a pair of parallel screws (116, 132) of which one (132) nearer to the pivot axis (X-X; X'-X') carries a knob (138) of insulating material constituting said feeler member.

7. Apparatus according to claim 6, characterised in that the free end of said knob (138) is chamfered (140) so that it tapers to a tip (142) on the side nearer to the screw (116); and that the said one screw (132, 142) is longer than the other screw (116).