GB2038064A

GB2038064A - Cash register coin counting and distribution apparatus

Info

Publication number: GB2038064A
Application number: GB7940740A
Authority: GB
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1978-11-29
Filing date: 1979-11-26
Publication date: 1980-07-16
Also published as: GB2038064B

Abstract

A cash register coin counting and distributing apparatus has a plurality of circumferentially arranged tubes 1-7 each for holding a particular coin denomination and each of the tubes having graduation marks therealong corresponding to the thickness of the coin denomination to be counted. At the top of the tubes is a rotatable funnel 12 arranged so that coins are able to enter each of the tubes in turn and the end of the tubes remote from the funnel is closed. In an alternative embodiment the base member is rotatable and has an aperture therein to align with edge of the tubes in turn. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Cash register coin counting and distribution apparatus This invention relates to cash register coin counting and distributing apparatus.

Present day cash registers contain a tray having a number of compartments in which are disposed notes and coins of different denominations and when, in particular, the coins in the register are required to be counted it is currently normal for each coin denomination to be removed from the register and manually counted one or two coins at a time. A tabulation is made for coins thus counted and the coins replaced into the compartments of the cash register tray. Such manual counting of the coins and replacement into the cash register is time consuming and it is an object of the present invention to provide an apparatus whereby the time taken to count the coin and to redistribute the coin into the appropriate compartments of the cash register tray is reduced.

According to one broad aspect of this invention a cash register coin counting and distributing apparatus includes a plurality of hollow supporting members, each for containing a particular coin denomination, each said supporting member having graduation marks therealong corresponding to the particular coin denomination to be counted, a funnel movable with respect to and adjacent one end of said supporting members, said funnel being arranged to accept coin and to divert the coin into an end opening of an appropriate supporting member, and a base member at the opposite end of the support members from the funnel to close one end of said supporting members.

In an embodiment of this invention a cash register coin counting and distributing apparatus includes a plurality of hollow supporting members, each for containing a particular coin denomination, each said supporting member having graduation marks therealong corresponding to the particular coin denomination to be counted, a funnel movable with respect to and adjacent one end of said supporting members, said funnel being arranged to accept coin and to divert the coin into an end opening of an appropriate supporting member, and a base member at the opposite end of the support members from the funnel also movable with respect to said supporting members and adjacent the other end opening thereof, said base member having an aperture therein which is alignable with said other end qpenings of each of the supporting members in turn to facilitate outlet of coins from said supporting members.

In such an embodiment, advantageously, a plate is fixedly secured to the supporting members intermediate said supporting members and the funnel, said plate having apertures therein adjacent each end opening of the supporting members, at least some of which apertures decrease in diameter towards the supporting members whereby smooth access from the funnel to the supporting members is facilitated.

Preferably, each of the supporting members is a transparent plastics tube of circular crosssection having a diameter slightly greater than that of a coin denomination which it is to contain, whereby coin, in operation, travels through the tube.

Conveniently, graduation marks are provided longitudinally of each tube with a spacing corresponding to a thickness of an individual, appropriate, coin.

In a preferred embodiment the supporting members are circumferentially arranged and the funnel and the base member are each rotatable with respect to the supporting members.

Advantageously, the base member is arranged to prevent outlet of coins whilst the supporting members are being fed with coins.

According to a further broad aspect of this invention a method of counting and distributing coins for a cash register includes the steps of feeding coin of each denomination to be counted into a movable funnel, positioning said funnel over an appropriate one of a plurality of supporting members, each supporting member having graduation marks therealong corresponding to the appropriate size of the associated coin denomination, determining from the graduation marks the coins in each supporting member, positioning each supporting member in turn over an appropriate compartment of a cash register tray into which each differing coin denomination is to be ejected, inverting the supporting members and re-adjusting the movable funnel to thereby permit the coins to fall under gravity into predetermined compartments of the cash register tray.

In a feature of this invention a method of counting and distributing coins for a cash register includes the steps of feeding coin of each denomination to be counted into a movable funnel, positioning said funnel over an appropriate one of a plurality of supporting members, each supporting member having graduation marks therealong corresponding to the appropriate size of the associated coin denomination, determining from the graduation marks the coins in each supporting member, positioning each supporting member in turn over an appropriate compartment of a cash register tray into which each differing coin denomination is to be ejected, and adjusting the position of a movable base member to thereby permit the coins to fall under gravity into predetermined compartments of the cash register tray.

In such a featured method preferably, the supporting members are transparent plastics tubes and advantageously the said tubes are circumferentially arranged and the funnel and the base member are each rotatable with respect to the supporting members.

Preferably, the graduation marks are arranged in the steps representative of the value of coin contained in an appropriate supporting member.

The invention will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 shows a side view of the apparatus in accordance with this invention, Figure 2 shows a section along double arrow-headed line X-X of Fig. 1, Figure 3 shows a plan top view of the apparatus shown in Fig. 1, Figure 4 shows a plan top view of a further embodiment of the apparatus, and Figure 5 shows a section along double arrow headed line A-A of Fig. 4.

In the Figures like reference numerals denote like parts.

The apparatus shown in Figs. 1-3 has seven transparent plastics tubes 1-7 for coin denominations of -21p, 5p, 1 Op, 1 Op, 50p, 2p and 1 p respectively, the diameters of the tubes being slightly greater than that of a coin denomination which each is to contain. Typically, the diameter of the tubes 1-7 are as follows: Coin Denomination (pence) Inside Diameter of Tubes (cm) 50 3.2 10 3.0 5 2.5 2 2.8 1 2.2 1 1.9 The tubes 1-7 are circumferentially arranged on a common pitch circle diameter and the base portions of the tubes (as viewed in Fig. 1) are spaced from one another by a web spacer 8.

At the top (as viewed in Fig. 1) of the tubes 1-7 there is provided an apertured circular plate 9 having apertures 10, 11 (only two of which are shown for clarity) in alignment with the top openings of the tubes 1-7. The apertures 10, 11 are of approximately the same diameter as the internal of the corresponding adjacent, tubes 1-7 at the side of the plate 9 adjacent the tubes and tapered so that at the face of the plate 9 remote from the tubes 1-7 the diameter of the apertures is that of the largest coin denomination, namely 50p. Such a configuration ensures that there is not a lip presented to coins entering the tubes from a funnel 1 2 which is rotatably mounted on the plate 9 about axis 1 3.

The funnel 12, which is also circular has a tapered base 1 5 in which an aperture 14 the size of the largest coin denomination and the aperture 14 is radially arranged so that upon rotation of the funnel 1 2 the aperture 14 is able to overlie the apertures of the plate 9.

At the opposite end of the tubes 1-7 from the funnel 1 2 is a circularly cross-sectioned base member 20 which is rotatably secured to the web spacer 8 about an axis 22. The base member 20 has an aperture 21 therethrough which, when the base member 20 is rotated, is arranged to overlie the tubes 1-7 in turn. It will be seen from Fig. 2 that the tubes 1-7 are so arranged that there is a relatively large space between the tubes 1 and 2 into which the aperture 21 may be rotated to prevent outlet of coins from the tubes when the tubes are being inserted with coin.

Starting from the base member 20 and progressing toward the funnel 1 2 is a series of graduation marks (not shown) corresponding to the thickness of a coin denomination to be counted in the relevant tube, and, at appropriate distances along each tube, are inscribed numerals (not shown) to facilitate easy reading of the graduation marks and these numerals may be representative of the value of coin in a tube.

In use, the aperture 21 is rotated so that coins may not exit via the base member 20 from any of the tubes, i.e. the position shown in Fig. 2, and the funnel 1 2 is rotated so that it overlies a tube into which coin is to be inserted. Appropriate coin is then fed into the funnel 1 2 and passes via plate 9 into the appropriate tube. Where the funnel overlies a tube for containing a small diameter coin denomination the tapered aperture 10, say, in plate 9, presents a smooth access from the funnel to the tube. When the coin to be counted has been inserted into the appropriate tubes the height of the coins in each tube is read from the graduation marks and the value noted.

Having noted the amount of coin in the tubes 1-7 the apparatus is positioned over a compartment of a cash register tray such that the tube carrying the appropriate denomination to be ejected into a particular tray compartment overlies that tray compartment. The base member 20 is then rotated so that the base member no longer presents a stop and coins exit from the tube via the aperture 21 into the appropriate tray compartment under gravity. Thus, the tubes would be emptied either in the order 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 1 or 1, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2.

In a practical embodiment of the invention, tube 1 is capable of holding 70p in Tp, tube 2 is capable of holding 5.50 in 5p, tube 3 is capable of holding 7.50 in lOp, tube 4 is capable of holding 7.50 in 10p, tube 5 is capable of holding 34.00 in 50p, tube 6 is capable of holding 1.90 in 2p and tube 7 is capable of holding 1.25 in lp.

The embodiment shown in Figs. 4 and 5 is a simplified version of the apparatus described above. In this respect the apparatus has only 6 tubes and the base number 20 is non-rotatable being an injection moulding secured to close the bottom end of the tubes by an adhesive 30.

The funnel 1 2 is also a vacuum moulding which is secured with an adhesive 30 to a reinforcing member 31. The funnel is secured by a nut and bolt 32, 33 respectively to a top rim moulding 34, the moulding 34 being attached to the tubes by adhesive 30.

In operation the embodiment of Figs. 4 and 5 is filled with coin in the same manner as the embodiment of Figs. 1-3 but once the amount of coin in the tubes has been noted the apparatus is inverted and the funnel rotated to permit the coins to fall under gravity into the required tray department of a cash register.

Claims

1. A cash register coin counting and distributing apparatus including a plurality of hollow supporting members, each for containing a particular coin denomination, each said supporting member having graduation marks therealong corresponding to the particular coin denomination to be counted, a funnel movable with respect to and adjacent one end of said supporting members, said funnel being arranged to accept coin and to divert the coin into an end opening of an appropriate supporting member, and a base member at the opposite end of the support members from the funnel to close one end of said supporting members.

2. A cash register coin counting and distributing apparatus including a plurality of hollow supporting members, each for containing a particular coin denomination, each said supporting member having graduation marks therealong corresponding to the particular coin denominatiop to be counted, a funnel movable with respect to and adjacent one end of said supporting members, said funnel being arranged to accept coin and to divert the coin into an end opening of an appropriate supporting member, and a base member at the opposite end of the support members from the funnel also movable with respect to said supporting members and adjacent the other end opening thereof, said base member having an aperture therein which is alignable with said other end openings of each of the supporting members in turn to facilitate outlet of coins from said supporting members.

3. A cash register coin counting and distributing apparatus as claimed in claim 1 or 2 wherein a plate is fixedly secured to the supporting members intermediate said supporting members and the funnel, said plate having apertures therein adjacent each end opening of the supporting members, at least some of which apertures decrease in diameter towards the supporting members whereby smooth access from the funnel to the supporting members is facilitated.

4. A cash register coin counting and distributing apparatus as claimed in any preceding claim wherein each of the supporting members is a transparent plastics tube of circular crosssection having a diameter slightly greater than that of a coin denomination which it is to contain, whereby coin, in operation, travels through the tube.

5. A cash register coin counting and distributing apparatus as claimed in claim 4 wherein graduation marks are provided longitudinally of each tube with a spacing corresponding to a thickness of an individual, appropriate, coin.

6. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1 or 2 wherein the supporting members are circumferentially arranged and the funnel is rotatable with respect to the supporting members.

7. An apparatus as claimed in claim 6 when appended to claim 2 wherein the base member is rotatable with respect to the supporting members.

8. An apparatus as claimed in claim 7 wherein the base member is arranged to prevent outlet of coins whilst the supporting members are being fed with coins.

9. A cash register coin counting and distributing apparatus including the steps of feeding coin of each denomination to be counted into a movable funnel, positioning said funnel over an appropriate one of a plurality of supporting members, each supporting member having graduation marks therealong corresponding to the appropriate size of the associated coin denomination, determining from the graduation marks the coins in each supporting member, positioning each supporting member in turn over an appropriate compartment of a cash register tray into which each differing coin denomination is to be ejected, inverting the supporting members and re-adjusting the movable funnel to thereby permit the coins to fall under gravity into predetermined compartments of the cash register tray.

10. A cash register coin counting and distributing apparatus including the steps of feeding coin of each denomination to be counted into a movable funnel, positioning said funnel over an appropriate one of a plurality of supporting members, each supporting member having graduation marks therealong corresponding to the appropriate size of the associated coin denomination, determining from the graduation marks the coins in each supporting member, positioning each supporting member in turn over an appropriate compartment of a cash register tray into which each differing coin denomination is to be ejected, and adjusting the position of a movable base member to thereby permit the coins to fall under gravity into predetermined compartments of the cash register tray.

11. A method as claimed in claim 9 or 10 wherein the supporting members are transparent plastics tubes.

1 2. A method as claimed in any of claims 9 to 11 wherein the said tubes are circumferentially arranged.

13. A method as claimed in any of claims 9 to 1 2 wherein the funnel is rotatable with respect to the supporting members.

14. A method as claimed in claim 1 3 when appended to claim 10 wherein the base is rotatable with respect to the supporting members.

1 5. A method as claimed in any of claims 9 to 1 4 wherein the graduation marks are arranged in steps representative of the value of coin contained in an appropriate supporting member.

1 6. A coin counting and distributing apparatus substantially as herein described with reference to the embodiment of Figs. 1 to 3 or Figs 4 and 5.

1 7. A method of counting and distributing coins for a cash register substantially as herein described with reference to the embodiment of Figs. 1 to 3 or Figs. 4 and 5.