GB1316255A - Coin testing mechanism - Google Patents

Abstract

1316255 Coin-testing ASSOCIATED AUTOMATION Ltd 23 Dec 1970 [23 Dec 1969] 62589/69 Heading G4V A coin-testing mechanism for discriminating between an equilateral curved polygonal coin of constant breadth, e.g. a 50p piece and a circular coin 11 of diameter equal to said constant breadth comprises aperture means having opposite portions at least one of which has a particular peripheral contour so that the polygonal coin is retained by virtue of an overlap by the coin of a said portion while the circular coin is able to pass through the aperture means. In the embodiment described a coin to be tested passes down longitudinally and laterally inclined entry shoot 1, formed of spaced rails 2, 3 which allow coins of insufficient diameter to fall between them, and is received by the arcuate surface 7 of a backwardly inclined pivoted cradle 6, the surface 7 being preferably part-circular of diameter equal to the constant breadth of a genuine coin (see Fig. 1, not shown). The weight of the coin pivots cradle 6 against the action of counterweight 18 and the coin is carried around the edge of an arcuate rail 4. A circular coin shown in broken outline is engaged closely by the cradle surface and is therefore not supported by the rail 4 at recess 14 and falls through the aperture. Since a polygonal coin only makes contact with the cradle surface at two points 21 and 22 it is supported throughout the movement of the cradle until it reaches the left-hand end of the rail where the coin falls into a receptacle. The cradle is returned to the normal position by the action of counterweight 18.