EP0212165B2 - Vending machine with an exchangeable coin box - Google Patents

Abstract

A coin feed opening (16) formed in the lid (1) of the coin collection box is associated with a closure with a closing slide (17) displaceble by means of a moving mechanism (49, 45, 46) operable on the outside of the coin collection box. An escapement (29-32) designed as a jump mechanism makes possible, after every closing of a lock (6) securing the lid (1) against unauthorized opening, only a one-time opening and subsequent closing of the closure. Once the coin collection box is in the automat in its predetermined position, a catch (57, 59) blocking the closure in the opening direction (28) is released by a bolt (53) fixedly connected to the automat. At the same time, the bolt (53) is locked by means of a latch (58) in the coin collection box when the closing slide (17) is in the open position.

Description

The invention relates to a self-cashing machine with interchangeable coin collecting containers provided with a coin inlet opening. The machine can e.g. a vending machine or a service machine, e.g. Payphone or coin changer.

From DE-C-596 310 a cassette for payphones with automatic, inevitable closing and locking of the cashier slot is known. The cassette, which was initially closed, is automatically opened when it is inserted into the coin-operated telephone housing and inevitably and automatically closed when it is removed therefrom. For this purpose, a bolt is arranged in the housing, which is inserted into a channel of the locking mechanism. The locking mechanism is activated and the cassette opening is released. When the cassette is removed from the housing, the aforementioned bolt closes the opening. The locking mechanism is designed so that it can no longer be operated before a control disk has not been brought back into the original position by the authorized person.

A removable coin collector is also known from GB-A-793 977. The coin collector has an opening, above which is arranged a closure which can only be removed by authorized persons. When the cassette is inserted into the housing of the automatic telephone system, the opening mechanism is actuated by a toothed rack which is fixedly arranged on the housing and the opening is released. On the other hand, when the cassette is removed, the opening is automatically closed.

From US-A-3433185 an arrangement is known in which a security cassette in the manner of a drawer can be inserted into a housing for receiving cash. The closed container is held in the open housing with a locking mechanism, which is housed in the container. This locking mechanism can be released by a lock.

In such machines, the coin collecting containers, which contain the coins collected by the machine, are regularly replaced by empty coin collecting containers and brought to a collection point. There they are opened and then closed again after the coins have been removed, so that they can be inserted into the machine again instead of coin collecting containers which have received coins. Only the personnel at the collection point have a key for a lock securing the coin collection container against unauthorized opening, but not the personnel who transport the coin collection container between the collection point and the machine.

Experience has shown that when transporting and exchanging the coin collection containers, attempts are made to obtain coins collected from the machine without authorization, e.g. an attempt is made to remove coins from the sealed coin collecting containers or to make this possible by preparatory actions on the empty coin collecting containers or by manipulations when replacing them.

In the case of machines which are equipped with counters for the coins collected or for the services provided, a shortage of coins, if necessary after checking the operation of the counters, can subsequently be correctly ascertained, but cannot be prevented. If, as usual, the counter reading is read by the person who exchanges the coin collection containers and is incorrectly noted by him or at the collection point, namely after taking into account the number of coins stolen, the thefts can go unnoticed for a long time.

The invention seeks to remedy this. The invention characterized in claim 1 solves the problem of creating an automatic machine of the type mentioned, in whose coin collecting containers an unauthorized removal of coins is reliably prevented and all conceivable interventions by which this could be attempted, the success has failed.

The locking device, together with the lock, ensures that the closure is only open when the coin collecting container is in the position in the machine that is intended for the coin holder, and is otherwise always closed and cannot be opened, so that coins are not removed without authorization can. When the lock is open, the coin collecting container is locked in the machine.

While the coin inlet opening in this position of the coin collecting container can be opened in the machine, but is not accessible and is otherwise closed, the lock, the lock and / or the locking mechanism cannot be accessed through the coin inlet opening, e.g. to influence their interaction with the locking device for the purpose of enabling later unauthorized removal of coins.

The locking device requires interaction with an element of the machine. It cannot be ruled out that attempts will be made to simulate the effect of this element when the coin collecting container is located outside the machine, so that the lock can be released and the closure can be opened for unauthorized removal of coins or for the purpose of an intervention.

Success is denied if the lock is provided instead of or in addition to the lock. The result is that the closure cannot be opened again after it had to be opened to accept the coin and then closed again in order to allow the coin collecting container to be removed from the machine. Only after the coin collecting container container has been opened and closed again at the collection point for authorized coin withdrawal, the lock can be opened again.

However, the locking mechanism does not prevent the lock from opening before the coin collecting container is inserted into the machine (if the locking mechanism is not additionally provided). However, the locking device can be designed such that the coin collecting container cannot be inserted into its predetermined position in the machine when the lock is open. The closure will therefore have to be closed again so that the coin collection container can be inserted into the machine, and then the closure can no longer be opened to accept the coin from the container. The premature opening of the lock may have been for an intervention or it could be an incorrect operation. It leads to a disruption in the process of exchanging the coin collection containers because the coin collection container with the incorrectly handled closure, without having picked up coins, has to be returned to the collection point, opened there and then closed again in order to be ready for use again.

If the coin collecting containers are designed with both the lock and the lock, both the interventions mentioned in connection with this and with that and the incorrect operation are prevented. The possibilities of such interventions also depend on the type of machine and the coin collecting container. The likelihood of interventions and incorrect operation vary depending on the personnel situation. Accordingly, you will run the coin collecting container with the lock and / or the ratchet.

The advantages achieved by the invention are essentially to be seen in the fact that unauthorized removal of coins from the coin collecting containers and all possible interventions in the coin collecting containers are prevented, unless. Destructive force is used, which can only be prevented to a limited extent by technical measures.

Particular embodiments of the invention are specified in the dependent claims 2 to 11. Such types of implementation include not only an unauthorized removal of coins from the coin collection containers and interventions in the coin collection containers that are conceivable for this purpose, but also unauthorized access to coins collected by the machine is prevented at all, since the machine is only operational when a coin collection container is in its position in which it was intended to accept the coins used the machine and the coin inlet opening is open, or is only operational when each coin received gets into the coin collecting container (claim 7 and 8). It is not possible to operate the machine without a coin collection container in order to obtain the coins that have fallen into the space provided for this purpose, or to block the exit of the coin channel of the machine, which leads to its coin inlet opening when the coin collection container is properly inserted, by a foreign body and remove it later to remove the coins that have now accumulated in this channel. Another embodiment of the invention makes it possible to check whether a coin collecting container inserted in the machine is intended for operation with this machine (claim 9). Further embodiments of the invention, solutions to individual problems and advantages emerge from the following description in conjunction with the drawings.

Fig. 1

eine Unteransicht des Deckels eines austauschbaren Münzsammelbehälters eines selbstkassierenden Automaten , wobei bewegbare Teile in die Stellung nach dem Oeffnen und nachfolgendem Schliessen eines den Münzsammelbehälter gegen unbefugtes Oeffnen sichernden Schlosses dargestellt sind,

Fig. 2

eine Teilansicht von Fig. 1, in welcher bewegbare Teile in der Stellung nach einem Oeffnen und nachfolgendem Schliessen des Verschlusses der Münzeinlassöffnung des Münzsammelbehälters dargestellt sind,

Fig. 3

einen Teilschnitt III-III von Fig. 1, in etwas grösserem Massstab, dargestellt in Schliesslage des Deckels bei geschlossenem Verschluss.

The invention is explained in more detail below with the aid of drawings which illustrate only one embodiment. Show it:

Fig. 1

3 shows a bottom view of the cover of an exchangeable coin collecting container of a self-cashing machine, movable parts being shown in the position after opening and subsequent closing of a lock securing the coin collecting container against unauthorized opening,

Fig. 2

1, in which movable parts are shown in the position after opening and subsequent closing of the closure of the coin inlet opening of the coin collecting container,

Fig. 3

a partial section III-III of Fig. 1, on a somewhat larger scale, shown in the closed position of the lid with the closure closed.

The lid 1 shown in Fig. 1 of the coin collection container (not shown in the rest) (hereinafter referred to as coin container) is a hinged lid, which can be pivoted about a hinge axis 2, and consists of a cover plate 3 and an edge 4, which in the closed position of the Cover 1 protrudes downward on the cover plate 3 and connects to the upper edge of the circumferential walls, not shown, of the coin container. The lid 1 can be closed by a lock 6 designed as a cylinder lock, the cylinder (not shown) of which is connected to a lock bolt 7 which, in the closed position, engages under a locking plate 8 of the coin container, which is attached to the inside of one of the side walls of the coin container. At on the inside of the cover plate 3 there is a recessed grip 10 for a carrying handle 13 formed in the cover plate 3 between two cutouts 11 and 12.

The cover plate 3 is provided with a coin inlet opening 16 which can be closed by a slide slide 17. The slide valve 17 has two guide lugs 18 and 19 with elongated holes 20 and 21, engage in the guide pins 23 and 24, each of which is equipped with a snap ring 25 to slide the slide 17 close to the cover plate 3 slidably. In addition to the lock 6, a locking mechanism designed as a spring mechanism 29-32 is arranged in the opening direction 28 of the locking slide 17 in front of its guide shoulder 18.

The spring mechanism 29-32 has an angle lever 30, 31 which is rotatably mounted about an axis 29 and which is under the action of a tension spring 32 which, in a first state of the spring mechanism 29-32 shown in FIG. 1, on one side of the axis line of the axis 29, exerting a torque in direction 34 on the angle lever 30, 31, and in the other, second state, shown in FIG. 2, the spring mechanism 29-32 is on the other side of the axis line of the axis 29, being a torque exerts in the direction 35 on the angle lever 30, 31. In the first state, the lever arm 30 is pushed onto the end of the guide projection 18, so that it is taken along when the closing slide 17 is opened (arrow 28). The tension of the spring 32 increases. When the slide valve 17 reaches its open position shown in dash-dotted lines in FIG. 1 (or shortly before), the spring 32 changes from one side to the opposite side of the axis line of the axis 29, and the spring mechanism 29-32 changes abruptly from the first state (FIG. 1 ) in the second state (Fig. 2). The other lever arm is formed by a pawl 31 which, in the second state of the spring mechanism 29-32, is pushed to one side of the guide projection 18 of the locking slide 17. On this side of the slide extension 18, a stop 37 is provided, on which the pawl 31 engages and locks the closing slide 17 in the opening direction 28 when it is pushed back from its open position 17 'shown in dash-dotted lines into its closed position 17 shown in solid lines, as shown in FIG. 2 . This blocking of the slide 17 against an opening movement 28 is released when the lock 6 is opened. A cam 38, which is firmly connected to the lock cylinder or lock bolt 7, takes along a pin 39 attached to the free end of the lever arm 30 until the spring mechanism 29-32 changes from its second state (FIG. 2) to its first state (FIG. 1) changes by leaps and bounds. So that the cam 38 cannot be turned too far beyond the position in which it triggers the change of state of the spring mechanism 29-32, the opening movement of the lock 5 is limited by a stop 40 (FIG. 1) interacting with the lid edge 4.

To move the locking slide 17 - if it is not blocked by the pawl 31 or by the locking device 57, 59 described below - is a first rack and pinion gear 45, 46, the rack 45 formed on the slide extension 19 meshes with a gear segment 46 which on a Shaft 47 sits, which can be rotated on the outside of the lid edge 4, in the embodiment shown by means of a second cylinder lock 49, the key of which can be inserted on the outside of the lid edge 4.

On the shaft 47 sits a second gear segment 50 which meshes with a second rack 52 of a second rack and pinion gear 50, 52 formed on a slide 51. In this way, the slide 51 can only be moved together with the closure slide 17. The slide 51 belongs to a locking and locking device 57, 59 and 53, 58, 60. The locking device 57, 59 locks the locking slide 17 in the opening direction 28, as long as the coin container is not in its position in the machine which serves to receive the coin. The locking device 53, 58, 60 locks the coin container in this position in the machine, as long as the slide valve 17 is in the open position 17 '.

For this purpose, a bolt 53 is arranged in the space of the machine which receives the coin container and, when the coin container is properly inserted in the machine, reaches through a sleeve 55 arranged behind a hole in the edge of the cover 4. The slide 51 is fixedly connected to a bolt 58, to which a groove 60 of the bolt 53 is assigned. In the closed position of the closing slide 17 there is a stop 59 of the bolt 58 in front of the free end of a leaf spring 57 and prevents an opening movement of the closing slide 17 when the leaf spring 57 abuts the sleeve. When the coin container is in its predetermined position in the machine, the bolt 53 deflects the leaf spring 57 into the position 57 'shown in dash-dotted lines in FIG. 1 and holds it next to the stop 59. With the opening movement of the slide slide 17 now possible, the bolt 58 by rotating the second gear segment 50 into a position in which it projects into the sleeve 55 and engages in the groove 60 of the bolt 53, whereby it is locked in the sleeve 55, and only then can the coin container be removed from the machine after the slide slide 17 moves back into its closed position and thereby the locking device 53, 58, 60 has been released.

The outlet of the coin channel (not shown) of the machine is arranged in its space accommodating the coin container in such a way that it connects directly to the coin inlet opening 16 of the coin container when it is inserted in the machine in the predetermined position. For example, a coin outlet opening can be arranged on a wall of this space, on which the cover plate 3 of the cover 1 slides when the coin container is pushed into its predetermined position in this space.

When the coin container has been opened at the collecting point authorized to remove the coins and closed again (after the coins have been removed) and secured against unauthorized opening by the lock 6, the movable parts are in their position shown in solid lines in FIG. 1. The locking slide 17 is in the closed position, the spring mechanism 29-32 is in its first state, and the cam 38 is outside the movement path of the locking slide attachment 18. The locking device 57, 59 is in the locked state in which it prevents the locking slide 17 from opening. The latch 58 is retracted into its ineffective position.

Only when the coin container is inserted into the machine in its predetermined position does the bolt 53 deflect the leaf spring 57, whereupon the closure opens, i.e. the slide valve 17 can be moved to open the coin inlet opening. The spring mechanism 29-32 changes into its second state and the latch 58 engages in the groove 60 of the bolt 53. As a result, the coin container is held in the machine in an undetachable manner as long as the closure is open. Before the coin container, which has received coins collected by the machine, can be removed from the machine, the lock must be closed again, i.e. the slide slide 17 must be moved in the opposite direction of the arrow 28, the bolt 58 being withdrawn from its locking position, and the pawl 31 of the spring mechanism 29-32 engages on the stop 37 and locks the closing slide 17 in the opening direction 28 (FIG. 2). It is now no longer possible to open the lock in order to get coins from the cassette, because the spring mechanism 29-32 is in the second state (FIG. 2), even if e.g. a pin-like tool simulating the pin 53 would be inserted through the sleeve 55 to release the locking device 57, 59. Only when the coin container opens at the collection point does the cam 38 engage the pin 39 and bring the spring mechanism 29-32 back into its first state (FIG. 1), in which the closure can only be opened when the (empty) coin container is again is inserted in a machine. Instead of rotating the cylinder of the lock 6, the spring mechanism could also be brought into the first state by the pivoting movement of the cover 1, and it is also irrelevant whether this is achieved by opening or closing the lock 6 or the cover 1 .

Not only attempting to enable the closure to open the coin container containing the coins from the machine by improperly releasing the lock mechanism 57, 59, but also attempting to tamper with the closure mechanism before inserting the empty coin container into the machine Success has failed to enable the closure to be opened later. If the locking device 57, 59 of the empty coin container is released by an intervention before it is inserted into the machine, the closure can be opened, but the coin container cannot be inserted into the machine in the position provided for receiving the coin with the closure open, because doing so the latch 58 protrudes into the cavity of the sleeve 55, whereby it prevents the bolt 53 from being inserted into the sleeve 55. It would therefore be futile to block the slide valve 17 in the open position. If it were possible to reach the spring mechanism 29-32 through the coin inlet opening 16 in the open position of the closure slide 17, the same could not be brought into its first state, in order to enable repeated opening, since this would only be in the closed position of the closure slide 17 possible, it is not possible to reach through the coin inlet opening 16. Of course, in order to prevent such interventions and in particular the possible damage, protective walls could be provided or a coin inlet channel aligned with the coin inlet opening 16 on the side of the closing slide 17 opposite this.

The mechanisms described are protected from misuse by a cover 63, which is only partially shown and which is not connected to the lid edge 4 in a non-releasable manner without authorization. If the coin inlet channel just mentioned is provided, it ends at an opening of the cover 63 which is adapted to it or projects through it. It can be intervened in the space between the cover plate 3 and the cover 63 neither through the coin inlet opening 16 nor through this opening of the cover 63.

A switch 65 is arranged next to the second gear segment 50 and by a cam, not shown, connected to it can be actuated so that it is open in the open position of the closure slide 17 and closed in its closed position, or vice versa. The switch 65 is connected to the control circuit of the machine when the coin container is in its predetermined position in the machine, it serves to enable the machine to operate only when the slide slide 17 is open. In addition, a light barrier or a sensor can be arranged on the side of the slide slide 16 facing away from the coin inlet opening 16 or on the mentioned coin inlet channel (not shown) which responds to each coin entering the coin container and is connected to the control circuit of the machine when the coin container is in its predetermined position in the machine. The control circuit prevents the machine from operating if the light barrier or the sensor does not respond every time the machine has received a coin. Furthermore, an electrically readable memory for a code symbol assigned to the coin container or to a plurality of interchangeable coin containers, which is also connected to the control circuit of the machine when the coin container is inserted in the predetermined position in the machine, can be arranged in the coin box. The control circuit reads the code sign, for example to enable the machine to be operated only with coin containers intended for it. To connect the switch 65, the light barrier or the sensor and the memory to the control circuit, the one part of plug or pressure connectors on the side of the coin container, on which the link 53 can be inserted, and the other parts on the wall of the Automat arranged for the coin container provided space that abuts this side of the coin container when it is in its predetermined position in the machine. this is the wall on which link 53 projects.

Claims (11)

1. Automatic vending machine with at least one exchangeable coin collection box which is provided with a coin inlet opening (16), a closure device (17) for the coin inlet opening (16), a blocking device (57, 59) which blocks the closure device (17) in the opening direction (28) and is released when the coin collection box is inserted into the automatic machine in its predetermined position, and a cover (63) for the movable parts of the closure device (17) and the blocking device (57, 59) which cannot be released in an unauthorized manner, characterized in that the closure device (17) can only be actuated (49) together with a locking device (53, 58, 60) on the exterior of the coin collection box, when the coin collection is inserted in the automatic machine in its Predetermined position, wherein the locking device (53, 58, 60) locks the coin collection box inserted in the automatic machine in its position intended for collecting coins when the closure device (17′) is open in the automatic machine.
2. Automatic machine according to Claim 1, characterized in that a safety catch (29-32) is provided which, after the opening (28) and subsequent closing of the closure device (17), only permits further opening when the coin collection box or a lock (6), securing the latter against unauthorised opening, has been opened or closed.
3. Automatic machine according to Claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the locking device (53, 58, 60) has a member (53), which is undetachably secured in the space of the automatic machine accommodating the coin collection box, and a bolt (58) which is disposed in the coin collection box and is in its locking position when the closure device (17) is in the open position (17′), in which locking position it engages in a recess (60) of the member (53) and thereby locks the coin collection box in the automatic machine and prevents the member (53) being inserted into a coin collection box and thus such a coin collection box being inserted in the predetermined position in the automatic machine, and is in its inactive rest position (58) when the closure device (17) is closed.
4. Automatic machine according to Claim 1, 2 or 3, characterized in that the blocking device (57, 59) has a resilient member (57) which in its rest position is in front of a stop (59) which can only be moved together with the closure member (17) of the closure device and blocks the closure device in the opening direction (28) and, when the coin collection box is inserted in the predetermined position into the automatic machine, is deflected (57′) transversely to the path of movement of the stop (59) by means of a member (53) which is undetachably secured in the space of the automatic machine accommodating the coin collection box and is advantageously also used to lock (58, 60) the coin collection box in the automatic machine.
5. Automatic machine according to any one of Claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the safety catch (29-32) is an overcentre device (29-32) which can be moved in an irregular manner from a first state (Figure 1) into a second state (Figure 2) and vice versa, having an overcentre component (30, 31), which is entrained in the first state (Figure 1) when the closure member (17) performs an opening movement (28) and assumes the second state (Figure 2) in an irregular manner at the end of this movement (28); in that in the second state of the overcentre device (30, 31) a ratchet (31) is in the operating position in order to block the closure member (17) at the end of a closure movement in the opening direction (28); and in that the overcentre device (30, 31) changes in an irregular manner from its second state (Figure 2) into its first state (Figure 1) when the lock, which secures against unauthorized opening, is opened or closed.
6. Automatic machine according to any one of Claims 1 to 5, characterized in that when the coin collection box is inserted in the predetermined position in the automatic machine, the coin inlet opening (16) adjoins directly the outlet of the coin channel of the automatic machine associated therewith.
7. Automatic machine according to any one of Claims 1 to 6, characterized in that the coin collection box contains a switch (65) which is dependent on the state of the closure device (17) and, when the coin collection box is inserted in the automatic machine in its predetermined position, is connected to the control device of the automatic machine in order to prevent its operation when the closure device (17) is closed.
8. Automatic machine according to any one of Claims 1 to 7, characterized by a sensor which, when the coin collection box is inserted in the automatic machine in its predetermined position, is connected to the control device of the automatic machine and responds to any coin entering into the coin collection box via the coin inlet opening (16) in order to prevent operation thereof when the sensor does not respond whenever the automatic machine has accepted a coin.
9. Automatic machine according to any one of Claims 1 to 8, characterized in that the coin collection box contains a memory for a code character which is associated with one coin collection box or a plurality of interchangeable coin collection boxes and can be read by the control device of the coin collection box when the coin collection box is inserted in the automatic machine in its predetermined position.
10. Automatic machine according to any one of Claims 1 to 9, characterized in that the coin collection box comprises a lid (1) which is provided with the coin inlet opening (16), can be opened for the removal of the coins, and has a carrier handle (13) disposed in a handle recess (10); in that the closure member (17) of the closure device, the locking device (59) with the exception of the member (53, 60) secured in the automatic machine, the blocking device (57, 59) and/or the safety catch (29-32) and the parts (eg. 45-47, 50-52) cooperating therewith are disposed on the interior of the lid (1); in that the cover (63) is rigidly connected to the lid (1); and in that the lid (1) has a downwardly projecting edge (4); and in that, when the coin collection box is inserted in its predetermined position in the automatic machine, the member (53) of the automatic machine engages through an opening of this lid edge (4) and cooperates with the closure member (17) or at least one part (57, 58) which can be moved therewith.
11. Automatic machine according to any one of Claims 1 to 10, characterized in that a coin inlet duct aligned with the coin inlet opening (16) is disposed on the side, lying opposite this opening (16), of the closure slide (17) of the closure device and terminates at an opening of the cover (63) or projects therethrough.

Images