GB2054233A - A method of presenting coins in an orderly sequence and apparatus for carrying out that method - Google Patents

Abstract

Coins are dropped through a hole in the top cover 12 and fall onto non-central parts of a disc 25 rotated by a motor 29. The coins spread out and are carried round to an opening 30 in a wall 23 surrounding the disc. They are thrown centrifugally through the opening, tip up and roll down a track 15 encircling a cylindrical support 13. The coins lean against an outwardly inclined barrier 16 or against one another. Those coins leaning against the barrier travel more slowly than those leaning against other coins so that the coins become separated, and leave the track in an orderly sequence. Near the bottom of the track the coins pass an array 37 of photosensitive diodes and temporarily occlude some of them. The resultant signals is used to determine the diameter or width and thus the denomination of each coin and the total value of the coins. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION A method of presenting coins in an orderly sequence and apparatus for carrying out that method This invention relates to a method of presenting coins in an orderly sequence and apparatus for carrying out that method.

The invention has been developed primarily for use in public-service vehicles, particularly those of the kind in which a passenger on entering the vehicle tenders his or her fare to the driver of the vehicle, who checks that the correct fare has been proferred and then issues a ticket for the passenger.

A known kind of apparatus for assisting the driver of such a vehicle comprises a hopper into which the passenger drops coins to the value of the fare, and a display chamber, below the hopper, into which the coins drop.

The display chamber is relatively narrow so that it cannot accommodate coins lying face to face; consequently the coins are distributed edge to edge in the chamber. That side of wall of the chamber facing the driver is made from glass so that the driver can see the coins that are spread out in the chamber and can sum their values. When the driver is satisfied that coins to the correct value of the fare have been tendered the driver operates release mechanism which causes that side wall of the chamber spaced from the glass wall to swing temporarily away from the glass wall, thereby allowing the coins to drop gravitationally from the chamber into a tray secured in a lower part of the apparatus.

That kind of apparatus suffers from several disadvantages. First, the need for the driver to sum the values of the coins may lead to delay and inaccuracy. Second, the apparatus permits fraud, as the chamber is fairly readily accessible through the hopper, and it is possible for a thief to lower a sticky retaining pad or strip through the hopper into the chamber; coins that stick to the retainer can be withdrawn through the hopper when convenient.

The present invention makes it possible to provide apparatus for replacing apparatus of that known kind and in which the disadvantages mentioned above are overcome or are at least reduced. Nevertheless it must be understood that the present invention is of general application and can be used in a wide variety of circumstances. In this connection the term coin is used herein in a broad sense and includes within its scope not only a monetary coin, that is a coin of the realm, but also a token and a counterfeit monetary coin or token.

From one aspect the present invention consists in a method of presenting coins (as herein defined) in an orderly sequence characterised in that the coins are caused to travel gravitationally down a longitudinally inclined track of generally helical or spiral shape while leaning against or towards a bearer extending lengthwise of the track at one side of the track, the arrangement being such that any coins in side-by-side or overlapping relationship disposed at or near the top of the track and allowed to travel down the track reach the bottom of the track separately, in an orderly sequence, due to the fact that where coins are in side-by-side or overlapping relationship, that coin or each of those coins nearer the bearer tends to travel less fast than that coin or each of those coins further from the bearer.

From another aspect the present invention consists in apparatus for presenting coins (as herein defined) in an orderly sequence comprising a longitudinally inclined track of gener aliy helical or spiral shape, with a bearer extending lengthwise of the track at one side of the track, the arrangement being such that coins disposed at or near the top of the track are constrained to travel gravitationally down the track while leaning against or towards the bearer, any coins lying in side-by-side or overlapping relationship at or near the top of the track and allowed to travel down the track reaching the bottom of the track separately, in an orderly sequence, due to the fact that where coins are in side-by-side or overlapping relationship, that coin or each of those coins nearer the bearer tends to travel less fast than that coin or each of those coins further from the bearer.

If several coins, say two or three coins, are stacked together side by side and are placed at or near the top of the track and held there, an end coin of the stack leaning against the bearer, and then the coins are released, they travel down the track and it is found that by the time they have reached the bottom of the track they have (normally) become separated from one another so that the coins leave the track in an orderly sequence with none of them overlapping others. From observation it appears that initially those coins leaning against other coins travel down the track more rapidly than the coins leaning against the bearer, so that they move ahead of those coins until they themselves come to lean against the bearer whereupon they are retarded somewhat.Should further overlap inadvertently occur, the coin or coins further from the bearer will travel ahead of the coin or coins against which it or they were leaning.

While it is normal for coins to roll down the track, some sliding movement may take place as they travel.

By arranging the track in a generally spiral or helical shape it is possible to provide in a relatively small space a single uninterrupted path along which the coins can travel. If a straight track were provided its extent would normally be such as to make the siting of the apparatus an awkward matter.

As the track is curved, the bearer at one side of the track is also curved. While it would be possible for the coins to lean inwards, that is towards the central part of the helix or spiral, and to engage a convex face of the bearer, it is preferred to arrange for the coins to lean outwards, that is away from the central part of the helix or spiral.

When a coin leans outwards it normally engages a concave face of the bearer, and in doing so engages the bearer only at two spaced points on its rim, well above the point at which it touches the track. Although the positions of those two points are different with coins of different diameters it is found in practice that it is possible to provide apparatus embodying the invention that can serve to separate into an orderly sequence coins of different diameters and denominations. It is also found that apparatus embodying the invention can be used with non-circular coins such as the 50-pence coin currently in use.

Difficulty may be encountered if the radius of curvature of the helix or spiral is too small at any place along the length of the track, but for any particular application a suitable radius of curvature or minimum radius of curvature can readily be found by experiment. In a preferred arrangement the track makes at least one complete turn, so that a coin travelling from the top to the bottom of the track is constrained to rotate through at least one complete revolution about a vertical axis. Conveniently the track follows a path on the surface of a notional cylinder with its axis vertical.

As stated above the track is inclined longitudinally the arrangement is preferably such that at no point along its length does the inclination of the track decrease, and at at least one point the inclination of the track increases, so that a lower part of the track is more steeply inclined than an upper part thereof. Furthermore, the inclination of the track preferably increases progressively from the top to the bottom of the track. While a suitable longitudinal inclination or suitable inclinations for the track can readily be found by experiment, the arrangement is preferably such that the inclination of the track or each part of the track is between 15 and 40 to the horizontal.It is found that normally, where a lower part of the track is more steeply inclined than an upper part thereof, an improved separation of the coins is effected. It is believed that this is owing to the fact that during the initial stages of their travel down the track most of the coins became separated from each other whereupon the leading coins are accelerated rapidly away from the remainder owing to the increased inclination of the lower part of the track.

As to the lateral inclination of the bearer, it is normally found that if the inclination of the bearer against which the coins lean is increased, so that the coins are inclined at a greater angle to the vertical than before, the coins take longer to travel down the track than before but that they become separated higher up the track than before and their spacing at the bottom of the track is increased. The choice of the angle of inclination of the bearer therefore depends on the particular effect required in the circumstances concerned. Likewise, if the material from which the bearer is made is varied, of if a layer of another material overlies the bearer, the time taken for the coins to travel down the track may vary and the extent to which the coins become separated may also vary.Nevertheless, in general it is found satisfactory if the bearer comprises a wall inclined laterally at about 20 to the vertical.

The bearer may be made from any suitable material, such as steel, particularly stainless steel, an aluminium alloy or a plastics material. The material selected is preferably one that tends to remain unaltered throughout a relatively long period of use. If a material is used that tends to corrode, the resistance to movement of the coins in contact with the bearer tends to be excessively increased. Conversely, if a material is used that initially presents a rough surface, the effect of the coins sliding over it is to tend to make the surface more smooth. In both cases the operation of the device tends to vary in an unforeseen manner over a period of time in use.

As to the length of the track, that is the distance measured along the route followed by the coins, its length is preferably between 500 and 700 mm. While the surface of the track may be horizontal in cross-section, the track is preferably inclined laterally, the inclination being such as to tend to cause the lowermost part of a coin travelling down the track to approach or remain close to the bearer. The lateral inclination is preferably about 25 . The track and the bearer may conveniently be formed as a unitary whole.

For example they may be made from a single piece of metal sheet. Alternatively they may be formed as a unitary extrusion; the extrusion may be of a metal, such as an aluminium alloy, or of a plastics material.

As indicated above, the most suitable dimensions and materials for a particular piece of apparatus embodying the invention can readily be determined by experiment. It is, however, to be clearly understood that unless exceptional steps are taken, it is impossible to provide apparatus that will invariably bring about total separation of all coins. As a simple indication of this fact it will be appreciated that the apparatus operating reliably with clean coins may be incapable of separating or completely separating exessively sticky coins.

Any design of the apparatus therefore represents to some extent a compromise between on the one hand bulk and complexity and on the other hand efficiency in separating the coins. Nevertheless, the parameters outlined above, and the specific embodiments described in more detail with reference to the accompanying drawings, relate to picces of apparatus that are in general such as to be found satisfactory in practical applications inasfar as the extent to which they fail to operate satisfactorily is within acceptably low limits.

Although the coins reaching the bottom of the track may be separated from one another in the sense that they are no longer in overlapping relationship it may never the less occur that the peripheral edges of successive coins touch one another. This does not normally matter. A problem may arise, however, with coins having milled edges. If two such coins are both rolling down the track, one immediately ahead of the other, and they happen to touch each other, the edges tend to interengage with the result that the trailing coin may be momentarily raised from the track. On falling back onto the track the coin may tend to bounce. The provision of a layer of resilient material (such as rubber) on the track, however, or the provision of a track formed from resilient material, helps to dissipate the kinetic energy of the bouncing coin and thus to damp out quickly the bouncing movement.This effect is enhanced if the resistent material has a relatively high hysteresis.

It has been found that the length of the track required to ensure complete separation of the coins or substantially complete separation of the coins increases with the number of coins that are initially stacked together and are to be separated. In particular, if a relatively large number of coins is simultaneously placed in one or more stacks at the top of the track a relatively long track must be provided in order to ensure the proper separation of the coins. This may be unacceptable in practice.

Further, the width of the track is normally limited, so that the track cannot accommodate more than a certain number of coins at one time.

In order to overcome or at least to reduce that problem the apparatus preferably includes a coin-spreading device comprising a plate rotatable about a vertical or substantially vertical axis, drive means for rotating the plate, and guide means operative to guide coins driven outwards by centrifugal forces from the rotating plate to a part of the track at or near the top of the track. There is also preferably a coin inlet so arranged that coins introduced through the coin inlet fall onto a part of the plate spaced from the centre thereof, so that they are in use driven outwards by centrifugal forces. The guide means may comprise an upstanding fence of arcuate shape operative to prevent coins leaving the rotating plate, there being a gap in the fence through which coins can leave the rotating plate.

The surface of the plate is preferably smooth and may be polished; it is unlikely that use would be made of a plate that is roughened or provided with projections or other formations for engaging the coins. The plate may be planar, and may conveniently be in the shape of a circular disc. Alternatively it may be of slightly conical shape, its centre being slightly higher than its periphery. A boss or other obstruction may be provided at the middle to prevent or reduce the likelihood of coins lodging too near the middle of the disc to be thrown outwards centrifugally.

The plate is preferably rotated, by the drive means, at a uniform speed, and the arrangement is preferably such that all or substantially all of the coins dropped onto the disc leave the disc through the coin outlet having travelled less than one revolution with the plate. Nevertheless where an unusually large number of coins is dropped onto the plate a few coins may be carried round for more than one revolution. The speed of rotation must, of course, be sufficient to cause the coins to be driven outwards through the coin outlet by centrifugal forces. If the speed is too great, however, the coins may be ejected too rapidly with the result that the advantages are reduced, or a relatively large number of coins may be carried past the coin outlet. An optimum speed can readily be determined by experiment. Suitable speeds are usually between one and five revolutions per second.

The drive means may operate to rotate the plate continuously. Alternatively the drive means may be started in response to the presence of coins on the plate or of coins passing through the coin inlet, and cease after a predetermined time. Where the apparatus is used in a public-service vehicle the arrangement may be such that the drive means is operative while the vehicle is stationary, and possibly for a predetermined period after the vehicle starts moving, these periods being those during which fares are normally taken.

Temporary rotation of the plate can also be initiated by the driver at any other time.

The apparatus may also include sensing means operative to sense the presence of separated coins that have travelled down the track. The sensing means may be such as to enable the coins to be counted; in addition or alternatively it is preferably such as to enable the denomination of each coin to be ascertained; moreover it may also or may alternatively be such as to test the validity of the coins and to reject counterfeit coins or to generate a characteristic reject signal whenever it detects a counterfeit coin. For example the sensing means may comprise photoelectric means capable of categoris ing coins by their diameters.It may, for example, comprise a vertically extensive array of photosensitive elctric elements and a light source operative to direct light onto the elements, the arrange ment being such that on passing the sensing means a coin temporarily occludes a number of the elements dependent on its diameter.

Said elements may be connected to discrimi nating means operative to discriminate coins of different denominations in accordance with the diameters of the coins. The sensing means may be coupled to calculating means for counting the numbers of coins of different denominations and calculating the total value of the coins. Alternatively, or in addition, the sensing means may comprise apparatus of the kind that is the subject of our co-pending patent application No. 8000522 filed on the 8th January, 1 980. This may be coupled to mechanism for rejecting any counterfeit coins; it may also be used for counting the numbers of coins of different denominations and calculating the total value of the coins, particularly in cases where the photoelectric means is omitted.

An embodiment of the invention will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a section through the apparatus, largely along the line 1-1 of Fig. 2, Figure 2 is a plan view of the apparatus shown in Fig. 1, but with the top cover removed, Figure 3 is a somewhat diagrammatic section, to a larger scale, along the line 3-3 of Fig. 2, and Figure 4 is a diagram illustrating the inclination of the track along its length.

The apparatus is of a kind intended for use in public-service vehicles. The apparatus constitutes an upper part of an assembly which includes in a lower part a secure container in which are stored coins received as fares. The apparatus comprises a rectangular base plate 10, secured to the top of that lower part of the asembly, and a sheet metal casing 11 with vertical walls rising from the periphery of the base plate. A top cover 12 is provided at the upper end of the casing.

Within the casing is a cylindrical support 1 3 disposed with its axis vertical. A track element 14 extends around the outside of the support 1 3 in a generally helical or spiral shape. The track element is of unitary form and constitutes a lower part with a top surface 1 5 constituting a track, and an upper part 16, extending upwards and outwards from the outer edge of the track 1 5 and constituting a bearer.

The support 1 3 may be made of any suitable material; it may be made of metal, such as steel or an aluminium alloy, or from a plastics material. Likewise the track element may also be made from any suitable material, the criteria for suitability being outlined above. The track element may, in particular, be formed as an extrusion of a metal such as an aluminium alloy or of a plastics material.

Where both the support 1 3 and the track element are of a plastics material or of plastics materials they may be bonded together.

In a modification, not illustrated, much of the cylindrical support is omitted, only a helical or spiral strip thereof remaining. The lower edge of that strip is connected to the inner edge of the track while the vertical height of the strip is approximately the same as the height of the bearer. The strip, track and bearer may, if desired, be formed from a single sheet of metal, such as steel, which may be supported solely at its upper and lower ends.

The longitudinal inclination of the track increases progressively from the top to the bottom of the track. This can be seen from Fig. 4, which is a diagram illustrating the inclination of the track. The line 1 7 represents the track as it would appear if unwrapped from the cylindrical support 1 3 and laid out in planar form. The line 1 8 represents the horizontal base of the support, and the line 1 9 represents a vertical line on the support extending from the uppermost part of the track.

The broken line 20 in Fig. 1 corresponds to the line 1 7 in Fig. 4. Lines 1 7 and 1 8 meet at A, lines 1 7 and 1 9 meet at B, and lines 18 and 1 9 meet at C. The height BC is 280 mm, and the length AC is 494 mm, so that the length of the line 1 7 is rather more than 568 mm (the length of a straight line from A to B).

At B the inclination of the track is about 18 , and at A the inclination is about 37 . The arrangement is such that the angular extent of the track around the axis of the support is about 420 .

The bearer wall 16, which presents a concave bearing face to coins on the track, is inclined outwards at 20 to the vertical. The height of the bearer is about 35 mm and is in any case rather greater than the diameter or width of the largest coin to be used with the apparatus in this instance the 50-pence piece. The track 1 5 is also inclined, and tilts downwards and outwards from the support at an angle of 25 . The track is about 6 mm wide. It is found that if the track is much wider or is less inclined there is sometimes a tendency for small coins, such as ±pence pieces, to lodge with their upper parts leaning against the bearer 1 6 and their lower parts in the angle between the support 1 3 and the inner edge of the track 1 5. This may tend to reduce the efficiency of the apparatus. It is of course to be understood that these dimensions and angles are given only by way of example, and that other pieces of apparatus embodying the invention may have different dimensions and angles.

A coin-spreader is mounted at the top of the cylindrical support 1 3. It has a circular base 21 with a depending flange 22 which locates in the end of the support. At the outer margin of the base there is an upstanding cylindrical wall 23 which in turn receives a flange 24 depending from the top cover 1 2. Although the support 13 and base 21 are both circular they are not co-axial, as can readily be seen from Fig. 2. A spreader disc 25 made from stainless steel or an aluminium alloy is rotatably mounted above the base 21. The disc is bonded to a boss 26 secured to the upper end of a spindle 27 projecting upwards through a hole in the base 21 from a gear box 28. The gear box is mounted on the underside of the base 21 and is driven by an electric motor 29 disposed beneath it. The motor may be a low-voltage d.c. motor.In use the motor causes the disc to rotate at about 1 20 r.p.m. (i.e. two revolutions per second).

An arcuate gap or opening 30 is formed in the wall 23, its lower edge being level with the upper surface of the disc 25. The openingis disposed a short distance above the topmost part of the track 1 5 so that coins passing from the disc, through the opening, fall onto the track. A rectangular hole constituting a coin inlet is formed in the top cover 1 2. The position of the hole is shown by the chain-dotted line 31 in Fig. 2. It will be seen that the hole is spaced away from the axis of rotation of the disc 25 so that coins dropped through the hole fall onto a part of the plate spaced from the centre thereof. The edge of the hole is at no point closer than 20 mm from the axis of rotation. This is the preferred minimum dimension.The presence of the boss 26 also reduces the likelihood of any coins falling too near the middle of the rotating part to be thrown centrifugally outwards.

The disc 25 rotates clockwise, as viewed from above, so that most coins dropping through the inlet hole onto the disc are carried by the disc through at least half a revolution, before being thrown by centrifugal forces through the opening 30. Part of the wall 23 acts as guide means for the coins, constituting an upstanding arcuate fence, to prevent the escape of coins other than through the opening 30. In use most coins escape through the opening before being carried more than one revolution by the disc, but a few coins may occasionally make more than a whole revolution before escaping. In order to prevent the coins being thrown beyond the track, the bearer 1 6 is extended upwards, as shown at 39, in the neighbourhood of the opening 30.

It will be appreciated that the eccentric mounting of the disc relative to the support and track enables a disc to be provided that is of larger diameter than the support, while the opening for the coins passing from the disc to the track remains substantially in vertical alignment with the top part of the track.

Above the inlet opening there may be provided a hopper (not shown) into which the passenger can drop his or her coins.

It will be observed that the direction of rotation is such that the tangential direction of movement of the coins as they pass from the disc through the outlet is the same as the direction they follow as they start moving down the track. The coins tip up from substantially horizontal to substantially upright dispositions as they leave the coin outlet and drop onto the track. Nevertheless their overall direction of movement is little changed during that tipping movement.

It is found in use that even if a heap of super-imposed coins drops onto the disc through the coin inlet, the coins have become at least partially spread out by the time they reach the coin outlet and that in consequence any tendency that there might otherwise have been for coins to become jammed together at the top of the track or for them not to be fully separated by the time they reached the bottom of the track is entirely avoided or is at least reduced to an acceptably low level.

Sensing means is provided near the bottom of the track. It may be at about 400 degrees from the top of the track, that is at the position indicated by the chain-dotted line 32 in Fig. 4. A diagrammatic section through the sensing means is shown in Fig. 3. There is a light source 33 in the support, shining onto a lens 34 which produces a collimated beam directed through a vertical slot 35 in the support. The beam is normal to the adjacent part of the bearer 1 6. There is also a slot 36 in the bearer, aligned with the slot 35. Behind the slot 36 is a vertical array 37 of 64 photosensitive diodes each 0.5 mm high. The whole array is about 3.5 cm tall.The diodes are connected to a circuit adapted to produce an output signal, on the passage of each coin past the array, proportional to the maximum number of diodes occluded by a coin passing the array. It will be appreciated that with this arrangement a correct signal is produced even if the coin is not touching the track as it passes the sensing means, something that may occasionally occur if a coin bounces as it is passing the sensing means. In addition the sensing means may comprise a coil or coils (not shown) through which each coin in turn passes. The coil or each coil constitutes part of apparatus of the kind described in our aforementioned patent application No.

8000522. The apparatus may be arranged to reject means operative to reject any counterfeit coins. The sensing means is connected to calculating means operative to calculate the value of the coins passing the sensing means.

It is intended that the apparatus should be mounted alongside the driver-of a vehicle and that a passenger entering the vehicle should drop into the hopper coins to the value of his or her fare. The coins are separated from one another by the device in the manner outlined above and their total value is calculated by the calculating means. That value is then displayed on numeric display means of the kind incorporating l.e.d.'s or liquid-crystal ele ments, the display means being so located as to be visible both by the driver and by the passenger so that both can check that coins to the correct value were placed in the hopper.

The display means may be mounted on the lower side of a recess indicated by the broken line 38 in Fig. 1, the display means facing upwards and outwards so that it can readily be seen. If necessary there are two display means, one for the driver and the other for the passenger.

Claims (23)

1. A method of presenting coins (as herein defined) in an orderly sequence characterised in that the coins are caused to travel gravitationally down a longitudinally inclined track of generally helical or spiral shape while leaning against or towards a bearer extending lengthwise of the track at one side of the track, the arrangement being such that any coins in side-by-side or overlapping relationship disposed at or near the top of the track and allowed to travel down the track reach the bottom of the track separately, in an orderly sequence, due to the fact that where coins are in side-by-side or overlapping relationship, that coin or each of those coins nearer the bearer tends to travel less fast than that coin or each of those coins further from the bearer.

2. A method according to claim 1 in which the coins lean outwards, that is away from the central part of helix or spiral.

3. Apparatus for presenting coins (as herein defined) in an orderly sequence comprising a longitudinally inclined track of generally helical or spiral shape, with a bearer extending lengthwise of the track at one side of the track, the arrangement being such that coins disposed at or near the top of the track are constrained to travel gravitationally down the track while leaning against or towards the bearer, any coins lying in side-by-side or overlapping relationship at or near the top of the track and allowed to travel down the track reaching the bottom of the track separately, in an orderly sequence, due to the fact that where coins and in side-by-side or overlapping relationship, that coin or each of those coins nearer the bearer tends to travel less fast than that coin or each of those coins further from the bearer.

4. Apparatus according to claim 3 in which the track is on the outside of the bearer so that in use coins lean outwards, that is away from the central part of the helix or spiral.

5. Apparatus according to either of claims 3 and 4 in which the track makes at least one complete turn, so that a coin travelling from the top to the bottom of the track is constrained to rotate through at least one complete revolution about a vertical axis.

6. Apparatus according to any of claims 3 to 5 in which the track follows a path on the surface of a notional cylinder with its axis vertical.

7. Apparatus according to any of claims 3 to 6 in which at no point along its length does the inclination of the track decrease, and at at least one point the inclination of the track increases, so that a lower part of the track is more steeply inclined than an upper part thereof.

8. Apparatus according to claim 7 in which the inclination of the track progressively increases from the top to the bottom of the track.

9. Apparatus according to any of claims 3 to 8 in which the inclination of the track or any part of the track is between 15 and 40 to the horizontal.

10. Apparatus according to any of claims 3 to 9 in which the bearer comprises a wall inclined laterally at about 20 to the vertical.

11. Apparatus according to any of claims 3 to 10 in which the track is between 500 mm and 700 mm long.

1 2. Apparatus according to any of claims 3 to 11 in which the track is also inclined laterally, the inclination being such as to tend to cause the lowermost part of a coin travelling down the track to approach or remain close to the bearer.

1 3. Apparatus according to claim 1 2 in which the lateral inclination of the track is about 25 to the horizontal.

14. Apparatus according to any of claims 3 to 1 3 in which the track and bearer are formed as a unitary extrusion.

1 5. Apparatus according to any of claims 3 to 14 in which the track is provided with a layer of rubber or other resilient material, dr is formed from rubber or other resilient material, to reduce any tendency for coins to bounce.

1 6. Apparatus according to any of claims 3 to 1 5 in which there is also a coin-spreading device comprising a plate rotatable about a vertical or substantially vertical axis, drive means for rotating the plate, and guide means operative to guide coins driven outwards by centrifugal forces from the rotating plate to a part of the track at or near the top of the track.

1 7. Apparatus according to claim 1 6 in which there is also a coin inlet so arranged that coins introduced through the coin inlet fall onto a part of the plate spaced from the centre thereof, so that they are in use driven outwards by centrifugal forces.

18. Apparatus according to either of claims 1 6 and 1 7 in which the guide means comprises an upstanding fence of arcuate shape operative to prevent coins leaving the rotating plate, there being a gap in the fence through which coins can leave the rotating plate.

1 9. Apparatus according to any of claims 3 to 18 in which there is also sensing means operative to sense the presence of separated coins that have travelled down the track.

20. Apparatus according to claim 1 9 in which the sensing means comprises a vertically extensive array of photosensitive electric elements and a light source operative to direct light onto the elements, the arrangement being such that on passing the sensing means a coin temporarily occludes a number of the elements dependent on its diameter.

21. Apparatus according to claim 20 in which said elements are connected to discriminating means operative to discriminate coins of different denominations in accordance with the diameters of the coins.

22. A method of presenting coins (as herein defined) in an orderly sequence substantially as herein before described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

23. Apparatus for presenting coins (as herein defined) in an orderly sequence substantially as herein defined with reference to the accompanying drawings.