FR2815156A1 - CONTROL PART FOR THE EXHAUST OF COINS, AND DEVICE FOR GRADUALLY COLLECTING COINS COMPRISING SUCH A CONTROL PART - Google Patents

Abstract

This control part, intended to be integrated into a device for progressive collection of coins (5a, 5b) by being associated with a slide (1) for storing them, is formed by rigid assembly of a first metallic element (18) comprising at least one finger (13, 14), and a second element (8, 9, 10, 11, 12) obtained by molding a synthetic material.

Description

The invention relates to a control part of the exhaust

  coin, intended to be integrated into a device for progressive collection of coins by being associated with a slide for storing them, as well as a device for progressive collection of coins

  coin comprising such a control coin.

  Certain devices, such as telephone sets for public use, provide continuous service, the duration of which is variable. Those of these devices for which payment can be made by means of coins are generally equipped with a device capable of storing the coins introduced in number and of collecting them one by one,

  as the service is rendered.

  Such a device is known from the patent application EP-A-

  0 174 258, which comprises, disposed in the lower part of a slide, a control part mounted to tilt and driven by an actuator so as to release only one by

  one of the parts stored in the slide.

  This control part, generally made of synthetic material, is complex and has tapered parts, which makes it difficult, during molding, to fill certain portions of the mold, and therefore tends to increase

the scrap rate.

  In addition, due to the particular geometry of this control part, a complex technical mold in several

  parts is used for its realization.

  Furthermore, this control part comprises two lateral fingers intended to retain the coins by applying to one of their faces, which fingers tend to deform under their own weight at the outlet from the mold. Also, so that the required geometrical tolerances are respected, particular precautions must be taken and each part is placed as soon as it leaves the mold on an appropriate support until it has cooled sufficiently. This operation involves an additional cost due to the

  material it requires and the manipulations that accompany it

  gnent. The object of the invention is therefore to facilitate the molding of the control part in question, to allow the use of a less complex mold and to simplify the demolding and the

operations that follow it.

  To this end, the subject of the invention is a control piece for the escape of coins, intended to be integrated into a device for progressive collection of coins by being associated with a slide for temporarily storing them. ci, comprising: - means for its tilting mounting along an axis substantially parallel to the slide; - a substantially radial flap, forming a retractable stop for retaining the coins; - At least one lateral finger axially offset from the flap, one end of which is intended to be applied to a face of at least certain coins to retain them by friction; - Means for coupling to an actuator, characterized in that it is formed by rigid assembly of a first metallic element comprising the finger, and of a

  second element obtained by molding a synthetic material.

  According to other characteristics of this part: - the first element is formed in a spring metal plate, the finger having the shape of a flexible strip; - The plate defines two fingers offset axially from each other; - the metal of the plate is stainless steel; - opposite the fingers, the first element has a fold formed in the plate, beyond which said first element ends in a fixing lug rigidly associated with the second element; - the second element is molded onto the first element; - The fixing lug comprises at least one perforation occupied by a bridge of overmolded synthetic material; - The free end of the finger is provided with an elastomeric friction element intended to be applied to the coins to retain them; - the friction element is molded onto the finger; the friction element is fixed by being engaged in a hole present on the finger; and - the means for tilting the workpiece, the flap, and the means for coupling to an actuator

  came from matter in the second element.

  The invention also relates to a device for progressive collection of coins according to consumption, characterized in that it comprises a coin

  as defined above.

  The invention will be better understood on reading the

  description which follows, given only as an example

  and made with reference to the drawings in which: FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a coin, in accordance with the invention, for controlling the escape of coins, associated with a slide, shown with cutaway, storing coins; - Figure 2 shows in perspective the control part of Figure 1, seen from another angle; - Figure 3 is a perspective view of an element intended to enter into the constitution of the control part of Figures 1 and 2; - Figure 4 is a view similar to that of Figure 1, in which the control part has been tilted

to another position.

  In Figure 1, a slide 1, formed of two substantially vertical walls 2 and 3, mutually parallel and connected by a floor 4, is inclined so that the coins stored therein, two in number in the example illustrated and identified by the references 5a and b, circulate while rolling under the action of their own weight. A part 6 for controlling the exhaust of these coins is associated with the slide 1 by being tiltably mounted on a part of the wall 2 not shown in the

figure 1.

  To this end, the control part 6 receives a metal rod 7 forming a tilting axis, substantially parallel to the slide 1, and fixed relative to the slide 1. The terms downstream and upstream which will be used later refer to the direction circulation of coins inside the slide 1. The control part 6 comprises downstream 8 and upstream 9 hubs which are respectively pierced by two coaxial holes receiving the rod 7. The hubs 8 and 9 are connected by a trigger guard 10 which fixes them together. A flap 11, movable in a slot 2a present in the wall 2 and forming a retractable stop for retaining the coins, and a fork 12 for coupling to an actuator extend radially from the hub 8, being angularly spaced apart. each other by about a quarter turn. Two lateral fingers 13 and 14, of unequal lengths and offset axially from each other, are rigidly associated with the hub 9 and have the form of two flexible metal lamellae extending in a common plane, which is parallel to the stem

  7 and laterally offset therefrom.

  The free end of each finger 13 or 14 is provided with an elastomeric friction element 15, composed of a cylindrical block 16 extended by four conical pins 17, better visible in FIG. 2, intended to be applied against the parts and keep them. The strip of the finger 13 or 14, which extends between the block 16 and the pins 17, has a hole for the passage of a bridge of material joining these pins

17 to block 16.

  The two fingers 13 and 14 belong to the same metal plate 18, illustrated in FIG. 3. This plate 18 is cut from a sheet of stainless steel, chosen for its elastic properties, and comprises, in the extension of the fingers 13 and 14, a fixing lug 19 which has three perforations 20. A fold 21 is formed in the plate 18 so that the fingers 13 and 14 are perpendicular to the fixing lug 19. These fingers 13 and 14 are each provided with a slot longitudinal 22 which gives them increased flexibility. The free end of each finger 13 or 14 is perforated with a hole 23 for the passage of the bridge of

  material joining the block 16 to the pins 17.

  The part of the control part 6 composed of the hubs 8 and 9, the trigger guard 10, the flap 11 and the fork 12, is made in one piece from a synthetic material overmolded on the ear 19 of the plate 18. The hubs 8 and 9, the trigger guard 10, the flap 11 and the fork 12 have thus come in one piece during molding. The fingers 13 and 14 made of stainless steel do not deform at the mold outlet, as was the case with the fingers of the prior art. Each perforation 20 is occupied by a bridge of synthetic material which reinforces

  the rigid association of the ear 19 with the hub 9.

  The elastomer elements 15 are also overmolded

each on a finger 13 or 14.

  The operation of the control part 6 comes from

comparing Figures 1 and 4.

  In FIG. 1, the control part 6 is stressed

  in the rest position by a return spring not shown.

  The flap 11 then projects inside the slide 1 and blocks the parts 5a and 5b which are stored there. As the fingers 13 and 14 are raised, the rearmost part 5b

  abuts against the part 5a stopped by the flap 11.

  When an actuator not shown, coupled to the fork 12 by a finger also not shown, is made active, the control part 6 is driven in a tilting movement around the rod 7, represented by the arrows

  F1 in Figure 4; the pins 17 of the rear finger 13 apply

  quent on the coin 5b and hold it. The control part 6 continues its tilting movement for some time, which causes the finger 13 to flex, until it has reached the position illustrated in FIG. 4. The flap 11, then completely retracted, releases the escaping coin 5a driven by its own weight. Then the actuator, for example an electromagnet, is deactivated and the control part 6 returns to its initial rest position, releasing the part 5b which rolls until it comes into abutment

against flap 11.

  In the operating example which has just been described, only the rear finger 13 has had an effective role. However, the front finger 14 also intervenes, either alone or in combination with the finger 13, depending on the size of the pieces of

  successive coins in the slide 1.

  Although it is particularly simple and effective to mold directly onto the plate 18 on the one hand the elastomer elements 15, and on the other hand the part of the control part 6 composed of the hubs 8 and 9, of the trigger guard 10, of the flap 11 and of the fork 12, these elements can also be assembled by gluing or by interlocking using their

natural elasticity.

  Among the advantages of the invention, it will be noted that the mechanical characteristics of the fingers 13 and 14, intended in particular to be stressed in bending and to exert a retaining pressure on the coins, are better

  controlled when these are made of spring steel.

  Indeed, in the case where they are made of synthetic material, these mechanical characteristics depend, among other things, on the

injection parameters.

Claims (12)

  1. Coin exhaust control part, intended to be integrated into a progressive coin casing device (Sa, 5b) being   associated with a slide (1) for temporary storage of these   ci, comprising: - means (8, 9) for its tilting mounting along an axis substantially parallel to the slide; - A substantially radial flap (11), forming a retractable stop for retaining the coins; - At least one lateral finger (13, 14) offset axially from the flap (11), one end of which is intended to be applied to one face of at least certain coins (5a, 5b) to retain them by friction; - Means (12) for coupling to an actuator, characterized in that it is formed by rigid assembly of a first metallic element (18) comprising the finger (13, 14), and of a second element (8 , 9, 10, 11, 12) obtained by   molding of a synthetic material.   2. Control part according to claim 1, character-   sée in that the first element is formed in a plate (18) of spring metal, the finger (13, 14) having the shape a flexible coverslip.   3. Control part according to claim 2, character-   in that the plate (18) defines two fingers (13 and 14)   axially offset from each other.   4. Control part according to claim 2 or 3, characterized in that the metal of the plate (18) is stainless steel. 5. Control part according to claim 3 or 4, characterized in that opposite the fingers (13, 14), the first element comprises a fold (21) formed in the plate (18), beyond which said first element (18) ends in a fixing lug (19) rigidly associated with the second element (8, 9, 10, 11, 12).   6. Control part according to any one of the claims.   previous cations, characterized in that the second element (8, 9, 10, 11, 12) is molded onto the first element (18).   7. Control part according to claims 5 and 6,   characterized in that the fixing lug (19) has at least one perforation (20) occupied by a bridge of material overmolded synthetic.   8. Control part according to any one of the claims   cations 3 to 7, characterized in that the free end of each finger (13, 14) is provided with a friction element (15) made of elastomer intended to be applied to the parts of money (5a, 5b) to retain them.   9. Control part according to claim 8, character-   in that the friction element (15) is molded onto the finger (13, 14).   10. Control part according to claim 8, character-   in that the friction element (15) is fixed by being   engaged in a hole (23) present on the finger (13, 14).   11. Part according to any one of the claims   previous, characterized in that the means (8, 9) for the tilting mounting of the part, the flap (11) and the means (12) for coupling to an actuator have come integrally into the second element.   12. Device for progressive collection of coins according to consumption, characterized in that   that it comprises a control part (6) according to any one   than previous claims.