EP0461805A2

EP0461805A2 - Coin escrow

Info

Publication number: EP0461805A2
Application number: EP91305087A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Graham Cummins; Richard Norton Diaper
Original assignee: Landis and Gyr Communications UK Ltd
Current assignee: Landis and Gyr Communications UK Ltd
Priority date: 1990-06-12
Filing date: 1991-06-05
Publication date: 1991-12-18
Also published as: GB9013054D0; EP0461805A3

Abstract

A coin escrow includes a storage chamber (2) having a side wall (3) and a base (5). In use, coins are stacked edge to edge in the storage chamber (2). The escrow includes one or more projections (10) which are moveable in the chamber (2) in the sideways direction. The projections (10) are biased towards the side wall (3) and engage one face of a coin stored in the storage chamber (2). Wide and consequently heavier coins displace the projections as they run along the base (5) of the storage chamber (2) but narrow and consequently lighter coins do not displace the projections (10). The projections hence prevent narrow coins from overlapping one another in the sideways direction in the storage chamber (2).

In one example, the projections (10) are provided by balls projecting through a side wall opposing the one side wall (3). The balls are gravity-biased.

Description

As part of a coin accepting mechanism in a coin freed apparatus such as a vending machine or a coin payment telephone it is usual to include an escrow. This provides a temporary store for coins fed into the coin receiving mechanism until enough coins have been collected to pay for particular goods or a service. In the case of the telephone the stored coins are either cashed and deposited in the cash box on completion of the call or refunded and returned to the user via a reject chute if the call is not established.
In a sequential escrow coins are stored edge-to-edge in a line and coins are removed from the front of the stack and either cashed or refunded. The width of the sequential escrow has to be individually tailored to accommodate the dimensions of a specific set of coins and for most combinations of coins this arrangement is quite satisfactory. However, problems can occur if one coin in the set is less than half the width of the others as there then exists the possibility that two of the narrow coins could fit side-by-side in the escrow and probably jam the mechanism. This is a particular problem when a coin bounces as it comes to rest against a stop or the rear edge of a preceding coin. It is desirable to prevent this.
According to this invention a coin escrow comprising a storage chamber in which, in use, coins are stacked edge to edge, the chamber having a side wall and a base is characterised by one or more projections moveable in the chamber in the sideways direction, and means biasing the one or more projections towards the side wall, the projections in use engaging one face of a coin stored in the storage chamber and the arrangement being such that wide and consequently heavier coins displace the projections as the coins run along the base of the storage chamber but narrow and consequently lighter coins do not displace the projections, the projections hence preventing narrow coins from overlapping one another in the sideways direction in the storage chamber.
The use of projections biased into contact with the coins in the guide is found to make it possible to handle coins of widely divergent widths without suffering the problems with jamming encountered in the prior art.
Preferably, the side wall and the base are tilted in two directions to the vertical so that in use coins run down along the base to a retaining stop and lie against the side wall, the storage chamber comprising a further side wall opposing the one side wall and the projections being moveable through the further side wall.
These projections may have the form of levers pivoted to the other side wall and having a cam face on their free end which projects through the other side wall to be engaged by coins. Preferably, however the projections have the form of balls which project through apertures in the other side wall.
The projections may be biased towards the one side wall of the chamber by springs but preferably the biasing means is provided by gravity acting on the projection. When the projections are formed by balls they are preferably held in pockets inclined to the horizontal so that, to displace the balls, the coins have to move them upwards against the force of gravity.
Preferably the pockets are in the other side wall holding the balls and are inclined upwards in the direction of travel of a coin running along the base of the storage chamber. Preferably the base of the pocket is also inclined upwards in the direction away from the one side of the chamber. Thus a ball is free to move when displaced by a coin not only in a vertical direction up the inclined base but also with a horizontal component of movement in the direction of movement of the coin down the storage chamber. This means that the balls provide little resistance to movement of the coins down the storage chamber.
Preferably the projections extend through the other side wall towards the one side wall no further than half way across the width of the coin storage chamber.
A typical example of an escrow in accordance with this invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings; in which:

Figure 1 is a longitudinal section through the escrow; and,
Figure 2 is a section through the escrow along the axis AA'.

The escrow 1 includes a coin storage chamber 2 comprising one side wall 3, a base 4 with a coin rolling surface 5 inclined at an angle between 70° and 90° to the one side wall 3, and the other side wall 6 which lies parallel to the one side wall 3. The coin storage chamber 2 is inclined at a compound angle Θ and Σ to the horizontal where angle Σ can be seen in Figure 1 and angle Θ can be seen in Figure 2. A retaining stop 7 is located at the lower end of the storage chamber 2 and a series of pockets 9 containing balls 10 are located in the other side wall 6 leading away from the one side wall 3.
Each pocket 9 has a corresponding slot 11 in the other side wall 6 and both the pocket and the slot are inclined upwards in the direction of travel of the coins 8 by an angle φ to the base 4 of the storage chamber 2. The balls 10 are retained in the pockets 9 and are biased through the bottom and front of the slots by the inclined base 12. The higher the ball 10 is held above the base 4 the deeper it can retract into its pocket 9.
As coins 8 are fed into the escrow 1 they run down the storage chamber 2 until stopped by the retaining stop 7 where they lie against the side wall 3. Coins 8 whose width is greater than dimension X, where dimension X, seen in Figure 2, is equal to half the width of the storage chamber 2 or the clearance of the thinnest coin, whichever is the smaller, will displace the balls 10 up their inclined bases 12 to allow such coins to run past. Coins 8 narrower than dimension X pass freely through the storage chamber 2 towards the retaining stop 7.
The balls 10 provide an additional bias to bias the coins 8 against the one side wall 3 as they roll down the storage chamber 2. This additional bias acts with the coin rolling surface 5 and the inclination of the storage chamber 2 to ensure that the coins are held against the side wall 3 whilst, imposing very little additional resistance to rolling of the coins down the storage chamber 2. However, as soon as the coins 8 stop rolling, even momentarily, the balls 10 tend to lock the coins into their position against the one side wall 3. Thus as the coins engage a retaining stop or the rear edge of a preceding coin and are momentarily stopped, the balls tend to lock them into position against the one side wall and are prevented from bouncing and overlapping a narrow coin in front. This locking effect occurs only in a sideways direction by virtue of the small taper angle between the slot 11 and the side wall 3. As soon as the stop is released the balls 10 again impose substantially no resistance to the further movement of the coins down the storage chamber.

Claims

A coin escrow comprising a storage chamber (2) in which, in use, coins are stacked edge to edge, the chamber (2) having a side wall (3) and a base (5), characterised by one or more projections (10) moveable in the chamber (2) in the sideways direction, and means biasing the one or more projections (10) towards the side wall (3), the projections (10) in use engaging one face of a coin stored in the storage chamber (2) and the arrangement being such that wide and consequently heavier coins displace the projections as the coins run along the base (5) of the storage chamber (2) but narrow and consequently lighter coins do not displace the projections (10), the projections hence preventing narrow coins from overlapping one another in the sideways direction in the storage chamber (2).
A coin escrow according to claim 1, in which the side wall (3) and the base (5) are tilted in two directions to the vertical so that in use coins run down along the base (5) to a retaining stop and lie against the side wall (3), the storage chamber comprising a further side wall opposing the one side wall (3) and the projections (10) being moveable through the further side wall.
A coin escrow according to claim 2, in which the projections (10) are balls which project through the further side wall.
A coin escrow according to any one of the preceding claims, in which the biasing means is provided by gravity acting on the projections (10).
A coin escrow according to claim 4 when dependent on claim 3, in which the balls (10) are held in pockets (11) inclined to the horizontal so that, to displace the balls, the coins have to move the balls upwards against the force of gravity.
A coin escrow according to claim 5, in which the pockets (11) are formed in the further side wall and are inclined upwards in the direction of travel of a coin running along the base (5) of the storage chamber (2).
A coin escrow according to claim 6, in which the base of the pockets (11) is also inclined upwards in the direction away from the one side of the storage chamber (2).
A coin escrow according to any one of the preceding claims, in which the projections extend into the storage chamber (2) no further than half way across the width of the storage chamber (2).
A coin escrow according to any one of the preceding claims, in which the base (4) of the storage chamber includes a coin rolling surface (5) inclined at an angle to the side wall (3) less than substantially 90°.
A payphone including a coin escrow according to any one of the preceding claims.