GB2077968A - Calculating apparatus for a coin counting machine - Google Patents

Abstract

Calculating apparatus for coin counting machine calculates and displays the sum of money of the counted coins. The apparatus has a coin kind discriminating unit (15) operatively associated with a coin kind (size) setting dial (5) of a conventional coin counting machine and delivering an output signal to an arithmetic unit (18) which multiplies the counted number of coins by a factor of the unit value of the coin kind being counted, the factor being determined in response to the output signal fed from the coin kind discriminating unit (15), to put out a product signal. The product signal is fed to a display unit (19) on which the sum of money of the counted coins is displayed. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Calculating apparatus for a coin counting machine The present invention relates to calculating apparatus for coin counting-machines, for calculating the sum of money constituted by the counted coins.

In conventional apparatus for sorting, counting or wrapping coins, the width of a coin passage is firstly adjusted for coins of a particular kind in response to a coin kind setting operation so that coins of larger diameter are not accepted by the coin passage and coins of smaller diameter are removed through a rejection hole or slit provided upstream or intermediately of the coin passage. Coins of the selected particular kind move past a counting element to be counted thereby. The number of the coins counted is displayed on a display panel.

It would be convenient if a classified total of money for each coin kind and the grand total of money were shown rather than merely an indication of the counted number of coins.

The invention provides calculating apparatus adapted for assembly with a coin counting machine having a counting device and a coin kind setting dial, the calculating apparatus comprising a coin kind discriminating unit for operative association with the coin kind setting dial for generating a signal defining the kind of coins being counted, an arithmetic unit for receiving an input signal indicating the number of coins counted by the counting device and the signal defining the coin kind to compute the sum of money of the counted coins and to generate an output signal showing the result of the computation, and a display unit for receiving the output signal from the arithmetic unit to display the sum of money of the counted coins.

The coin kind discriminating unit preferably includes at least one cam secured on a shaft on which the coin kind setting dial is mounted. The or each cam is thus rotated as the coin kind setting dial is rotated so as to open or close associated electrical switch means which are connected to an electric circuit for generating the signal defining the coin kind.

A preferred embodiment of the invention will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawing which represents a coin counting machine diagramatically.

Coins are supplied onto a rotary disc 1 and move to the periphery of the disc under centrifugal force forming a row of coins, and then passed into a coin passage 2. In order to simplify the drawing, the peripheral wali of the disc 1 and a device for preventing coins from overlapping are not shown.

The width of the coin passage 2 defined by a fixed guide rail 3 and a movable guide rail 4 is adjusted to be approximately equal to the diameter of coins C to be handled. When it is desired to handle coins of a different kind, a coin kind setting dial 5 is rotated and reset to another angular position, together with a shaft 6 carrying the dial 5 and a set cam 7 fixedly mounted on the shaft 6. As seen from the Figure, the set cam 7 has several cam faces to be engaged with the outer edge of the movable guide rail 4 and which can slide to make the coin passage 2 wide or-narrow.

Below the coin passage 2, a coin rejection aperture or slit 8 is provided, being formed between a brim 9 of the fixed guide rail 3 and a similar brim (not shown) of the movable guide rail 4. Coins of the selected kind pass over the rejection aperture 8 while being supported by the brims, whereas coins of smaller diameter fall through the rejection aperture 8 to be rejected. On the other hand, coins of larger diameter are rejected at the entrance of the coin passage 2, since they are not introduced into the passage.

A selected coin C passes over a counting element 10 sequentially to cover and uncover the same.

Although a single sensor element 10 may suffice to count the number of passing coins by addition operation, two spaced sensor elements 10 and 10' are arranged in the illustrated embodiment. These two sensors 10 and 10' are provided for avoiding an erroneous counting operation which might occur if only a single sensor element 10 is provided. That is, by the provisions of two sensors, the direction in which the coins move within the coin passage 2 can be detected. When the coins move in the forward direction from rotary disc 1 to a stop 11, which will be described hereinafter, addition operations are made and when the coins are caused to move in the reverse direction, for example, for repair of the machine, subtraction operations are made. Anyway, the counting elements 10 and 10' generate signals as each coin passes thereacross.The stop 11 is provided to stop the flow of coins when a pre-set number of coins has been counted by a counter section, which will be described hereinafter, associated with the counting elements 10 and 10'. As shown, the stopper 11 is made of a cylindrical shaft having a cut-out portion 11'. The cut-out portion 11' is formed by cutting a stop in the shaft substantially diametrically, and the stop 11 is arranged by the coin passage 2 such that the edge of the cut-out portion 11' is aligned with the edge of the fixed guide rail 3 with the vertical face of the cut-out portion 11' flush with the surface of the coin passage 2 when the stop 11 is held in the normal coin-passing position.When it is desired to stop the flow of coins, for instance when the pre-set number of coins has been counted by the counting elements 10 and 10', a rotary solenoid 12 is actuated to rotate the shaft of the stop 11 by about 90 to block the coin passage.

In the conventional apparatus, the result of the arithmetic operations carried out in response to the addition and subtraction signals generated from the sensor elements 10 and 10' is displayed on a display panel.

In the illustrated apparatus embodying the present invention, the shaft 6 of the coin kind setting dial 5 is operatively associated with a coin kind setting cam assembly. The cam assembly may have the same or lesser number of cam plates 13 as the number of coin kinds to be handled by the apparatus, provided that each kind of coin is specifically defined by one cam plate or by the combination of cam plates. A group of switches 14 is combined with the cam assembly 13.

Signals from the switches 14 are fed to a coin kind discriminating unit 15, where the specific kind of coin selected and set by the coin kind setting dial 5 is determined. The unit 15 may have means for presetting a desired number of coins for each kind of coin.

Another discriminating unit 16 for generating addition signals or subtraction signals in response to the signals from the sensor elements 10 and 10' is incorporated in the illustrated embodiment. However, this section 16 may be dispensed with, if the counting operation is carried out only by addition operation. The output signal from the section 16 is fed to a counting unit 17, where the addition and subtraction operations are carried out to compute the result of the calculation operation showing the number of passing coins. The output signals from the coin kind discriminating unit 15 and the counting section 16 are fed to an operation section 18 from which a product of multiplication showing the sum of money of the counted coins is fed out. The operation section 18 is connected to a display panel 19 on which the sum of money is displayed.

If a certain number for any kind of coin is reset in the coin kind discriminating unit 15, the preset signal is supplied to the counting section 17. In response to the reset signal, when the counted number reaches the preset number, the counting section 17 generates a signal to energize the rotary solenoid 12. Upon energization of the solenoid 12, the stop 11 is rotated by about 90" to displace angularly the cut-out portion 11' to a position for stopping the flow of coins. As a result, the counting operation is terminated when the preset number of coins has been counted, and the sum of money of the counted coins is displayed on the display panel 19.

When it is desired to find the total of coins gained by each sales shop, the coin kind setting dial 5 is firstly set to the coin kind of largest diameter so that the width of the coin passage 2 is adjusted by the set cam 7, and simultaneously the discriminating section 15 monitors the coin kind based on the signals from the switches 14 combined with the cam assembly 13. The output signal from the discriminating unit 15 is put into the operation section 18. When moving along the coin passage 2, coins smaller than the coins of largest diameter are rejected and fall downwards through the rejection aperture 8, and the number of the largest coins passing over the sensor elements 10 and 10' is counted by the counting section 17 based on the signal fed from the section 16 for generating the addition and subtraction signals.The output from the counting section 17 is multiplied by the unit value of the largest coin, for instance multiplied by 50 if the largest coin is a 50 pence piece, and the multiplied product is displayed on the display panel 19.

After all of the largest coins have been counted to find the subtotal of money of the largest coins, the coin kind setting dial is set to the coin kind of next smaller diameter and the mixed coins having fallen through the rejection aperture 8 and stocked in a proper reservoir are conveyed to a hopper to be fed to the coin passage 2. The operation procedure as described in the preceding paragraph is repeated to find the subtotal of the second largest coins. Similar procedures are then repeated to determine the subtotals of the respective coin kinds. The totalization operation is completed by counting the number of smallest coins to find the sum of money constituted by the smallest coins. During the successive counting and calculating operation cycles, the sub- totals of respective coin kinds are stored or directly.

added together so that the grand total of money of' the counted coins can be displayed on the display panel 19 at the end of the counting and calculation operation.

Although details of the data processing system and program are not given herein, it is easy for those skilled in the art to design the system and to develop the program suited to the apparatus. Also, many modifications and changes of the embodiment disclosed herein will be apparent to those skilled in the art without departing from the scope of the invention.

Claims (4)

1. Calculating apparatus adapted for assembly with a coin counting machine having a counting device and a coin kind setting dial, the calculating apparatus comprising a coin kind discriminating uni.

for operative association with the coin kind setting dial for generating a signal defining the kind of coins being counted, an arithmetic unit for receiving an input signal indicating the number of coins counted by the counting device and the signal defining the coin kind to compute the sum of money of the counted coins and to generate an output signal showing the result of the computation, and a display unit for receiving the output signal from the arithmetic unit to display the sum of money of the counted coins.

2. Calculating apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein the coin kind discriminating unit comprises at least one cam secured on a shaft on which the coin kind setting dial is mounted, switch means associated with the cam or cams, and an electrical circuit connected to the switch means and actuable thereby to generate the signal defining the coin kind.

3. Calculating apparatus for a coin counting machine and substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as shown in the accompanying drawing.

4. A coin counting machine substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as shown in the accompanying drawing.