GB2135097A

GB2135097A - Coin dispenser

Info

Publication number: GB2135097A
Application number: GB08303371A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Kim Thomas
Original assignee: Mars Inc
Current assignee: Mars Inc
Priority date: 1983-02-08
Filing date: 1983-02-08
Publication date: 1984-08-22
Also published as: GB8303371D0; GB2135097B; DE3463580D1; EP0118233A1; HK49292A; EP0118233B1; ATE27069T1

Abstract

A coin storage assembly has a container (6) storing a stack (10) of coins, and a coin slide (126) located underneath the stack (10) and having an aperture (128) for receiving the lowermost coin in the stack (10). The slide (126) can be shifted transversely of the stack (10) to remove the coin in the aperture (128). The next adjacent coin is detained by a modular structure (112) which has been formed separately from and fined to the lower end of the container (6). The structure (112) has been selected from a range of structures which are identical except for the depth of their coin-engaging surfaces (132); those designed for use with thinner coins have a surface (132) extending to a lower level with respect to the position at which they are fixed to the container (6).

Description

1 GB 2 135 097 A 1

SPECIFICATION

Coin dispenser This invention relates to devices for dispensing coins 70 or coin-like objects such as tokens, all of which will be referred to herein, for convenience, as coins.

A common arrangement for dispensing coins comprises a container storing the coins in a stack, and a slide located beneath an opening under the stack. The slide has a recess or aperture of sufficient diameter to receive the bottom-most coin in the stack and of a depth such that only one coin can be received therein. Dispensing of this coin is achieved by moving the slide in a direction transverse to the depth of the stack so as to withdraw the coin in the recess or aperture from the stack. The coin which overlies the coin in the recess or aperture is pre vented from being withdrawn with the coin in the recess or aperture by the bottom edge of the storage container.

To reduce costs, variohs attempts have been made to design dispensing arrangements which are suit able, with little or no modification, for use with different-size coins. For example, it has been prop osed to adjust the height of the container with respect to a base plate on which the slide is supported in order to cater for different-thickness coins. An alternative proposal, described in U.S.

Patent No. 3,841,341, involves varying the thickness of a base plate to achieve a similar result.

The present invention is intended to provide a dispensing apparatus which can more readily be adapted to coins of different sizes, and which is less expensive to produce, and more reliable, than those of the prior art.

According to one aspect of the invention there is provided a coin dispenser comprising a structure for storing a stack of coins, a coin moving means adapted to engage the endmost coin of the stack in order to move the coin transversely of the stack, and a coin stop structure formed separately from and fitted to the storage structure for engaging the coin in the stack which is next to said endmost coin to detain it when the endmost coin is moved by said coin moving means.

According to another aspect of the invention, there is provided a method of assembling a coin dispenser which comprises a structure for storing a stack of coins, and a coin moving means arranged to engage the endmost coin in the stack in order to move said coin transversely of the stack, the method including the step of selecting a coin stop structure and fitting the selected structure to said storage structure so that it engages the coin adjacent said endmost coin to detain it when the endmost coin is moved by said coin moving means, the stop structure being selected from a range of such structures each sized to suit a respective thickness of coin.

In the preferred embodiment of the invention, a range of coins of different thicknesses can be dispensed using identical dispensing apparatus, with the exception of the coin stop structure. The coin moving means, which may be a slide provided with an aperture, is sized to suit the thinnest coin to be handled. Preferably, the depth of the aperture is smaller than the thickness of the thinnest coin, so that any coin handled by the slide will project upwardly from the aperture. The coin stop structure has a coin stop surface which extends downwardly toward the slide by an amount determined by the thickness of the coins to be handled. Thus, one can provide a plurality of stop structures which are substantially identical, and which are fitted in the same way and at the same position to the coin storage structure, the only difference being in the amount by which the coin stop surface extends toward the slide.

The stop surface terminates at a position at which the coin in the aperture in the slide can move underneath the surface, but the adjacent coin is stopped by the surface.

The stop structure engages the coin at the side thereof from which coins are withdrawn from the stack, and preferably a different structure is provided at the opposite side to prevent coins from accidentally becoming jammed in the gap through which the slide moves at that side of the stack. In this way, the gap can be arranged to be of a constant and small size irrespective of the thickness of the coins being handled.This differs from the arrangement in U.S. Patent No. 3,841,341 in which the size of the gap increases as the thickness of the base decreases, so that the risk of jamming is more serious.

By using a separate coin stop structure to engage the coins at the side from which they are withdrawn, it is possible to use a hardwearing material at this position without significantly increasing the overall cost of the container, which would be necessary if the stop structure were an integral part of the rest of the container.

Preferably, the coin stop structure is located in position on the storage structure by inter-engaging surfaces, and may be held in position by a spring, for example a spring which is also used to retractthe slide. This avoids the need for careful adjustment of the relative positions of the coin stop structure and the storage structure, and also avoids the need for securing them together using screws or by welding, etc.

The coin stop structure preferably has a curved stop surface. Preferably, the same structure is used for a range of different diameter coins, some of which require different-sized storage structures. Pre- ferably, the curvature of the coin stop surface matches the curvature of the interior of the largestdiameter storage structure.

Preferably, the depth of the coin stop structure is sufficiently small that the upper end thereof is always at a distance from the surface on which a coin received by the slide rests which is smaller than the radius of the smallest coin to be handled. This ensures that such a smallest coin which is accidentally in a vertical instead of a horizontal orientation will not be presented with a recess into which it might be also totally received, which could otherwise occur when the coin stop surface of relatively large radius of curvature is used with a coin storage tube of the smallest required diameter. Such a situation could cause a jam at the bottom of the 2 GB 2 135 097 A 2 storage structure.

An arrangement embodying the invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a schematic perspective view of a coin storage assembly according to the invention; Figure 2 is a side elevation showing part of a container of the storage assembly of Figure 1; Figure 3 is a partial view of another container of the assembly; Figure 4 is an exploded, perspective view showing part of the dispensing mechanism of the container; Figure 5 and Figure 6 are respectively exploded perspective and transverse sectional views of further parts of the dispensing mechanism; and Figure 7 and Figure 8 are plan and longitudinal sectional views of the dispensing mechanism.

Referring to Figures 1 and 2, the coin storage assembly 2 of the present embodiment is positioned beneath a coin separator (not shown). The separator receives from a validator coins which have been tested and found to be genuine, and separates the different denominations of coins in order to deliver them via respective supply passages 4 to the coin storage assembly.

The assembly of the present embodiment cornprises a plurality of, and in this particular case four, storage units 6. Each unit 6 has a storage space 8 for storing a stack 10 of coins received from a supply passage 4, a secondary passage 12 which can also receive coins from the supply passage 4, and an additional passage 14.

The stacked coins in the storage space 8 can be dispensed one at a time by a dispensing mechanism generally indicated 16 16.

Coins from a supply passage 4 are normally delivered to the storage space 8, but if the storage space is full they are instead delivered to the secondary passage 12, which leads to a cashbox. In this present embodiment, the secondary passages 12 lead to separate cashboxes. A gate 18 determines whetherthe coins from a supply passage 4 go to the storage space 8 or the secondary passage 12.

Each additional passage 14 receives coins from a respective separator passage 20. These coins may be of a denomination which the apparatus is not required to dispense, and the coins may be routed by the additional passages 14 is used to route coins which have been rejected by a validator to an exit slot for retrieval by the user of the apparatus.

Each unit 6 is formed in two longitudinal halves. Figure 2 shows the lefthand half of one of the units. Each half is formed by injection moulding. If desired, the two halves could be formed in a single mould, with the halves linked together by a flexible hinge along the edge 22 so that the halves can be readily closed to form the storage unit 6 after ejection from the mould. The halves are fastened together by screws through bosses 24.

The storage space 8 is formed between an outer wall part 26 and an inner wall part 28. The secondary passage 12 is formed between the inner wall part 28 and a further inner wall 30, and the additional passage 14 between the wall 30 and a rear wall 32.

The storage space 8 is cylindrical, and has a 130 diameter which is slightly greater than that of the coins intended to be stacked in the space.

It is intended thatthe unit 6 be usable with coins of various diameters. However, for coins of substantial- ly different diameters, other units 6, having different diameter storage spaces 8, would be used. Figure 3 shows part of another such unit 6 having a reduced diameter space 8 for smaller diameter coins. This can be achieved simply by changing an insert in the injection mould used to form the container units, so that the wall part 26 remains of the same thickness, but wall part 28 becomes thicker. This arrangement ensures that the left-most edges of the coins in the stack 10 (as seen in Figure 2) are always at substan- tially the same position irrespective of the diameter of the coins; this simplifies the design of the dispensing mechanism.

The container unit 6 is secured in position at its top end by a screw through a hole 38 in a mounting structure 40, which has an inclined face engaging a similarly inclined face of a wall 41 of the separator. At its bottom end, the container unit is located by a boss 34 and hook 35 engaging with mating portions of an enclosure case (not shown).

The coins from the supply passage 4 reach the storage space 8 via an entry 42. The entry 42 comprises a narrow space 44 between a wall 46 of the separator and a ledge 48 at the upper end of the inner wall 28. The shape and size of the space 44 are such that coins can pass through the space only if they are travelling edge-first.

When the stack 10 reaches a certain level (which will be different for coins of different diameters), as shown in Figure 2, the next coin 50 to be delivered through the entry 42 will come to rest on the top of the stack, with its upper edge supported on the ledge 48.

The coin 50 is supported in a generally upright, but inclined orientation with its centre of gravity located overthe stack 10. An inwardly-inclined, flat upper edge 54 of the outer wall 26 assists in guiding the coin 50 to this orientation. An inductive sensor 52 is mounted in the separator in such a position that it will be in proximity to the face of the coin 50. The sensor 52 is able to detect the presence of coin 50 which indicates that the storage space 8 is full, which detection is reliable because the position of the last coin to enter the storage space is predetermined by the configuration of the entry 42 in co-operation with the stack 10.

If a coin is now dispensed from the stack 10, so that the top of the stack moves down by a distance corresponding to the thickness of the dispensed coin, the upper edge of the coin 50 will no longer be supported by the ledge 48, and the coin will then fall directly face-down on the top of the stack.

The dispensing mechanism 16 is shown in more detail in Figures 4 to 8. A base plate 100 has two upstanding sidewalls 102, each of which is provided with a pair of inwardly projecting location studs 104.

The container unit 6 has at its lower end two sidewalls 106. Each of these carriers two sets of three location projections 108. The square studs 104 on the insides of each of the sidewalls 102 of the base plate 100 are each located by a respective set of 0 - f 3 GB 2 135 097 A 3 location projections 108, the three projections con tacting three sides of the square stud, so that the base plate 100 is accurately positioned beneath the container unit 6. The base plate 100 is secured in position by screws passing through holes 110.

A coin stop structure or designator 112 is then inserted between a pair of flanges 114forming extensions of the sidewalls 106 of the container unit 6.The designator 112 has upwardly facing surfaces 116 and downwardly facing surfaces 118 which engage between upper and lower ledges 120 and 122 extending inwardly from the flanges 114 so that the designator 112 is located at a precise vertical position with respect to the container unit 6. A spring 124 is then inserted between the flanges 114, and a slide 126 is then inserted between the base plate 100 and the container unit 6. The slide 126 has a projection 127 which locates within the spring 124.

The slide 126 may be provided with a projection (not shown) which engages in a slot (not shown) in the base plate 100 or the container unit 6 to limit the movement of the slide 126 toward the left, the projection being deformable to allow the initial insertion of the slide. However, other means may be provided for holding the slide 126 within the 90 assembly.

The spring 124 is under compression, and serves to hold the designator 112 firmly against the wall 26 of the container unit 6, and further acts to bias the slides 126 toward the left as seen in Figures 7 and 8.

The slide 126 has an aperture 128 which, in the position of the slide shown in Figures 7 and 8, lies over an aperture 130 in the base plate 100.

A solenoid 131 is provided for pushing the slide 126 to the right as seen in Figures 7 and 8, to bring the aperture 128 beneath the stack 10 of coins in the container unit 6. The lowermost coin in the stack 10 will then enter the aperture 128, which, atthe right-hand side thereof, has a height which is less than the thickness of the thinnest coin to be handled by the mechanism. Accordingly, when the energy to the solenoid is terminated so that the spring 124 pushes the slide 126 toward the left, only the lowermost coin in the stack will be engaged and forced to move by the edge of the aperture 128.

The designator 112 is provided to ensure that the next adjacent coin is not also transported to the left by the slide 126, which would result in more than one coin being dispensed, or in jamming of the mechanism. The designator 112 has a concave coin stop surface 132 to engage the second-lowermost coin in the stack 10.

The designator 112 has been selected from a set of designators which are all identical except for the height H of the coin engaging surface 132 (see Figure 120 5). For thinner coins, a designator having a greater value of H is chosen.

The coin engaging surface 132 has upwardly extending recesses 134 which receive upwardly projecting flanges 136 atthe left-hand side of the 125 aperture 128 in the slide 126.

When the energy to the solenoid is released, the sudden movement of the slide 126 toward the left could tend to project a coin in the aperture 128 over the top of the surface of the slide at the left-hand side of the aperture 128. The upward ly-extending flanges 136, which extend to a height substantially greater than the top surface of the coin in the aperture 128, prevent this from occurring.

The designator 112 is intended for use with a variety of different coin storage units 6, having different diameter storage spaces 8. The curvature of the coin stop surface 132 is selected to match that of the largest diameter storage space 8. Accordingly, when a unit 6 having a slightly smaller diameter storage space 8 is used, the curvatures will not quite match, as can be seen most clearly from Figure 7.

This is normally of no consequence, because the centre of the coin stop surface 132 is in alignment with the left-hand edge of the storage space 8 and therefore correctly performs the function of preventing the second-lowermost coin from being withdrawn to the left as the slide 126 shifts.

However, the relatively large radius of curvature of the surface 132 results in free space within the storage space 8 adjacent the ends of the surface 132. It is possible that coins could wedge within this free space, and to prevent that, it is ensured that the upper edge of the surface 132 is at a relatively low level, so that for any of the selectable values of H, the total height of the surface 132 is relatively small, and in particular smaller than the radius of the smallestdiameter coin to be used with the dispensing mechanism. This means that the free space is small, and jamming of coins will not occur.

The slide 126 and designator 112 are made of an acetal homopolymer. The container unit 6 may be made from an engineering resin such as ABS, and the base plate from glass reinforced styrene mod- ified PPO.

Claims

1. A coin dispenser comprising a structure for storing a stack of coins, a coin moving means adapted to engage the endmost coin of the stack in order to move the coin transversely of the stack, and a coin stop structure formed separately from and fitted to the storage structure for engaging the coin in the stack which is next to said endmost coin to detain it when the endmost coin is moved by said coin moving means.

2. A dispenser as claimed in claim 1, wherein the coin stop structure and the storage structure have inter-engaging surfaces for locating the coin stop structure at a predetermined position with respect to the surface on which the endmost coin lies.

3. A dispenser as claimed in claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the storage structure is provided with a surface, which is not part of said coin stop structure, and which is located over said coin moving means and on the opposite side of the stack from the side from which the coins are withdrawn from the stack.

4. A dispenser as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the coin stop structure is provided with a coin stop surface for preventing said shifting of the coin next to said endmost coin, the structure being provided with a recess extending upwardly from the bottom of said surface for receiving an upwardly-projecting stop member of said coin mov- 4 GB 2 135 097 A 4 ing means for preventing relative lateral movement between the coin moving means and the coin being moved thereby.

5. A dispenser as claimed in any preceding claim, including biasing means for holding the coin stop structure in position.

6. A dispenser as claimed in claim 5, wherein said biasing means acts to bias the coin moving means to a predetermined position.

7. Dispensing apparatus comprising a plurality of coin dispensers each as claimed in any preceding claim.

8. Dispensing apparatus substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying draw- ings.

9. A method of assembling a coin dispenser which comprises a structure for storing a stack of coins, and a coin moving means arranged to engage the endmost coin in the stack in orderto move said coin transversely of the stack, the method including the step of selecting a coin stop structure and fitting the selected structure to said storage structure so that it engages the coin adjacent said endmost coin to detain it when the endmost coin is moved by said coin moving means, the stop structure being selected from a range of such structures each sized to suit a respective thickness of coin.

10. A method of assembling a coin dispenser, the method being substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

Printed for Her Majesty's Stationery Office, by Croydon Printing Company Limited, Croydon, Surrey, 1984. Published by The Patent Office, 25 Southampton Buildings, London, WC2A lAY, from which copies may be obtained.

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