GB2117954A

GB2117954A - Change dispensing machine

Info

Publication number: GB2117954A
Application number: GB08309430A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Charles James Appleby
Original assignee: LONDON TRANSPORT EXECUTIVE
Current assignee: LONDON TRANSPORT EXECUTIVE
Priority date: 1982-04-07
Filing date: 1983-04-07
Publication date: 1983-10-19
Also published as: GB2117954B

Abstract

A change dispensing machine operates in conjunction with a bank note/coin/ticket verifying equipment 11 and includes a storage device 3 for temporarily storing a predetermined number of coins passed thereto, means 12 for inhibiting operation of the verifying equipment, means 10 for checking that the correct number of coins has been passed to the storage device and for passing a signal to said verifying equipment 11 when the check is correct to remove the inhibit therefrom and allow a note/coin/ticket to be presented thereto in exchange for the contents of the storage device on validation of said note/coin/ticket by said verifying equipment. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Change dispensing machine This invention relates to a dispensing machine for providing change in response to the presentation to the machine of a note, coin or ticket of a larger denomination than that of any coin disensed from the machine.

The dispensing machine is intended for use with any bank note, coin or ticket verifying equipment provided that such verifying equipment is capable of being electrically inhibited; that is to say, that the verifying equipment can be prevented from issuing a verification signal and placed in a condition such that a note, coin or ticket is returned to the user even if the note, coin or ticket is valid.

A disadvantage of presently known change dispensing machines operating with verifying equipment is that where coins are counted out to a user after verificiation, an error in the count or a malfunction in the coin issue mechanism can result in an unlimited issue of coins.

An object of the present invention is to provide a change dispensing machine operating in conjunction with verifying equipment wherein verification of a note, coin or ticket is inhibited until a count of coins has been proved to be correct, following which the inhibition is removed and change will be dispensed in response to the presentation of the note, coin or ticket to the verifying equipment.

According to one aspect of the invention there is provided a change dispensing machine operating in conjunction with a bank note/coin/ticket verifying equipment, said machine including a storage device for temporarily storing a predetermined number of coins passed thereto, means for inhibiting operation of the verifying equipment, means for checking that the correct number of coins has been passed to the storage device and for passing a signal to said verifying equipment when the check is correct to remove the inhibit therefrom and allow a note/coin/ticket to be presented thereto in exchange for the contents of storage device on validation of said note/coin/ticket by said verifying equipment.

According to another aspect of the invention there is provided a change dispensing machine operating in conjunction with a bank note/coin/ticket verifying equipment, said machine including a first storage device from which during each machine cycle a predetermined number of coins is transferred to a second storage device for temporary storage therein, means for inhibiting operation of the verifying equipment, means for double checking that the correct number of coins is passed to the second storage device prior to location therein, and for producing signals indicative of the double check, and means responsive to said double check signals to produce an output signal which is applied to said verifying equipment to remove the inhibit therefrom and allow a note/coin/ticket to be presented thereto in exchange for the contents of the second storage device on validation of said note/coin/ticket by said verifying equipment.

The basic principle involved in the change dispensing machine of the present invention is that the machine counts the required number of coins into an escrow hopper as soon as the operation of the machine is started in response either to actuation of a start switch by an operator or in response to a signal indicative of the completion of the change dispensing cycle and the subsequent closure of the escrow hopper. During the count, the verifier is inhibited and once the count has been proved to be correct, the inhibition is removed from the verifier and the stored change will be dispensed in response to the presentation of a valid coin/note/ticket, to the verifier.

The invetion will now be described by way of example only with particular reference to the accompanying drawing which is a block schematic drawing of mechanism and means for dispensing change in response to the presentation of a note/coin/ticket to a validator.

A main hopper 1 of the change dispensing machine is loaded with coinage and preferably with 1 Op coins up to a total value of 200.

A rotatable disc 2 is located within a storate device 3 and is driven by electric motor 4. The rotatable disc feeds the coins from the hopper 1 to form a vertical stack of coins within storage device 3 and when a predetermined number of coins are present in the stack, the upper coin of the stack is arranged to obscure a light beam from a photo detector device as indicated by arrow A, and obscuration of the light beam causes the motor 4 to stop and the disc 2 also to cease rotation.

The coins are counted into an escrow hopper 5 and the number of coins fed to the hopper 5 is proved both mechanically and electronically.

The initiation of the coin count may be either a) when the machine is idle, by means of a start switch available only to an authorised operator or b) when the machine is in service, by the completion of the change deiivery cycle and the subsequent closure of the escrow hopper 5.

In either situation a) or b), a clutch (not shown) is actuated in response to energisation of a solenoid (not shown) in the control unit 6 and this permits one half revolution of a gearing system.

During this half rotation, a reciprocable slide 7 is arranged to move horizontally a predetermined number of times and each movement in one direction is arranged to remove one coin from the bottom of the stack in storage device 3, allowing each coin to fall down a sloping chute 8. For accumulation of ten 1 Op coins, the slide 7 moves ten times during a one half revolution of the gearing and ten coins should reside in the escrow hopper 5 for each half revolution completed. Thus, the coins in the escrow hopper have been proved mechanically. As further proof that the number of coins accumulated is correct, the coins are electronically counted as they pass down the sloping chute 8. As the coins pass over a siot in the chute 8, they are detected as shown by arrow B by means of a photo detector 9, which may be of the reflective type.

The completion of the combined count proving operation involving the mechanical count and the electronic count is used to respectively generate two signals which are applied as inputs to an AND gate 1 0. Only when both signals are present will an output signal be supplied by AND gate 10 to the input of the verifier device 11 to remove the inhibit thereon previously imposed by a signal from inhibit circuit 1 2. The removal of the inhibit from verifier 11 will generate a 'READY' signal which is displayed in display device 13 and indicates to the user of the machine that the machine is ready to accept a note/coin/ticket and that the correct change therefor is available.

On presentation of a valid note/coin/ticket to the verifier 11 as shown by arrow C, the verifier 11 generates a 'VALID' signal which is supplied to escrow hopper 5 via line D and opens the escrow hopper 5 to discharge the accumulated proved number of coins to the user. The 'VALID' signal is also fed back to the inhibit circuit 1 2 via line E to reimpose the inhibit on verifier 11 prior to the next change giving operation. Thus, no further notes/coins/tickets can be verified or validated until a new batch of coins proved both mechanically and electronically, rsides in the escrow hopper 5. A new coin counting and storage cycle cannot begin until the escrow hopper 5 has been opened and subsequently closed and the logical sequence of opening of the escrow hopper followed by closure thereof must be performed in the correct sequence.A signal indicative of the closure of escrow hopper 5 is sent to control unit 6 via line F.

If the escrow hopper fails to reclose after opening or if the coin count proves to be incorrect, an alarm indication is provided and the machine cycle is terminated. In effect, the change dispensing machine of the present invention allows a note/coin/ticket to be presented to the validator 11 only when the change counting and accumulating operation has been proved correct thereby preventing the dispensing of an incorrect value of change. Any failure of the logic sequence will inhibit the illumination of the 'READY' legend and in each change giving and validation operation, the counting of the coins, and the proving of the amount accumulated are performed before any change dispensing operation occurs.

It will be appreciated that the machine of the present invention is responsive to any denomination of bank note and any value of coin provided that the note or coin is larger in denomination than any of the coins dispensed from the machine. The term 'ticket' is applicable to any means capable of representing a monetary value for which an equivalent value of coins may be dispensed from the machine.

Claims

1. A change dispensing machine operating in conjunction with a bank note/coin/ticket verifying equipment, said machine including a storage device for temporarily storing a predetermined number of coins passed thereto, means for inhibiting operation of the verifying equipment, means for checking that the correct number of coins has been passed to the storage device and for passing a signal to said verifying equipment when the check is correct to remove the inhibit therefrom and allow a note/coin/ticket to be presented thereto in exchange for the contents of the storage device on validation of said note/coin/ticket by said verifying equipment.

2. A change dispensing machine operating in conjunction with a bank note/coin/ticket verifying equipment, said machine including a first storage device from which during each machine cycle a predetermined number of coins is transferred to a second storage device for temporary storage therein, means for inhibiting operation of the verifying equipment, means for double checking that the correct number of coins is passed to the second storage device prior to location therein, and for producing signals indicative of the double check, and means responsive to said double check signals to produce an output signal which is applied to said verifying equipment to remove the inhibit therefrom and allow a note/coin/ticket to be presented thereto in exchange for the contents of the second storage device on validation of said note/coin/ticket by said verifying equipment.

3. A change dispensing machine as claimed in claim 2 wherein said means for double checking that the correct number of coins has been passed to the second storage device, comprises mechanical means arranged to be actuated a predetermined number of times to allow a coin to pass to the second storage device each time said mechanical means is actuated, and electronic means for counting the coins as they pass to the second storage device.

4. A change dispensing machine as claimed in claim 3 wherein an AND gate is responsive to signals indicative of the double check to produce an output signal therefrom when both signals are present at the input to the gate.

5. A change dispensing machine as claimed in claim 2 wherein the verifying equipment is arranged to produce a signal in response to the presentation thereto of a valid note/coin/ticket, said signal being supplied to said second storage device to discharge the accumulated proven number of coins therefrom, said signal also being supplied to said inhibiting means to reimpose the inhibit on the verifying equipment.

6. A change dispensing machine substantially as hereinbefore described and as shown in the accompanying drawing.