GB2227868A - Coin return device for automatic vending machine - Google Patents

Description

COIN RETURN DEVICE FOR AUTOMATIC VENDING MACHINES The invention herein

described relates to a coin return device for automatic vending machines.

Known automatic vending machines have return devices equal in number to the different number of coins which the machine can accept. These return devices consist of a container for the coins bounded at one end by an inclined rotatable disc, driven by an electric motor and equipped on its inner surface with means for drawing the coins to an exit aperture or slot. The bottom of the container slopes downwards to the rotatable disc.

In all known return devices of the type indicated, among which can be mentioned those described in Spanish utility models Nos. 255,360 and 258, 464, the motor driving the rotatable disc which expels the coins is mounted in front of the disc, the motor shaft and the disc being connected by a reduction gear. This means that the drive motor drives the disc spindle direct.

With this arrangement, the return device is excessively long, as its length combines that of the container with that of the motor located beyond it, so that it is difficult to fit inside vending machines, with the result that it is necessary to over-dimension the casing of such machines and to provide channels with a complicated path for dropping the coins delivered by each return device.

The purpose of this invention is to reduce the length of the return device.

The invention provides a coin return device for automatic vending machines, comprising a coin container bounded at one end by an inclined rotatable disc driven by an electric motor and fitted on its inner surface with means for moving the coins to an exit aperture or slot; characterised in that the disc is toothed and forms a toothed wheel or crown gear which engages with a pinion secured to the shaft of the drive motor, the motor being mounted laterally on the container, and in that mounted on the outside of the container, outside the rotatable disc, there is a cover with an inclined intermediate transverse channel which opens out at both sides, with the upper opening being larger to form an entry opening, the cross-section of the channel being greater than the cross-section of the biggest coins which the vending machine can take.

With the removal of the motor driving the rotatable disc from the front of the container, the path of the coin delivery channels can be simplified, and the different return devices on a machine can be arranged in parallel positions which virtually coincide.

The rotatable disc motor drives the disc directly, thus simplifying the constitution of the disc itself and its mounting on the return device.

With the drive motor located at one side of the container, preferably below it, in a free space below the container, it need not interfere with the layout of the other elements or components of the vending machine.

1 Furthermore, as the drive motor drives the rotatable disc directly, the disc spindle will serve only to carry the disc and will not transmit movement from the motor to the disc.

With a construction according to the invention coin return devices can be mounted in parallel, close to each other and slightly offset lengthwise, in such a way that the aperture or slot through which the coins are ejected from a return device faces the channel in the cover of the adjacent return device, level with the upper wider opening of the channel, so that the coins delivered by the first return device run through the channel in the cover of the second return device. This possibility simplifies the routing and fitting of the channels needed to carry the coins delivered by the return devices to the machine outlet.

In the accompanying drawings; Figure 1 is a rear perspective view of a coin return device; Figure 2 is a side elevation of the coin return device; Figure 3 is a front elevation of the coin return device illustrated in Figure 1; and Figure 4 is a side elevation of the rotatable disc and its drive motor.

The coin return device illustrated in the drawings includes a container 1, roughly in the shape of a semi-truncated cone, mounted on a structure or I- v is frame 2. On its larger base, the container has a circular opening 3, bounded on the outside by a divergent wall shaped like a truncated cone 4, inside which is located a rotatable disc 5, which closes the outlet of container 1. On its tnner face, this disc has projections 6 which draw the coins to an exit aperture or slot to which they are directed by a stop 7.

The bottom la of the container slopes downwards to the base or wall in which the rotatable disc 5 is located.

A cover, not shown in the drawings, which is rotatable on a spindle 8, is mounted inside the container 1.

As shown in Figures 3 and 4, the rim of the rotatable disc 5 is toothed to form a crown gear or toothed wheel which engages with a pinion 9, fixed on the shaft 10 of an electric drive motor 11, the motor being located laterally of, below and near to the container 1, and occupying a space formed by the blope of the bottom of the container within the structure or frame 2 supporting container 1.

Outside the truncated-cone wall 4 and the rotatable disc 5, there is a cover 12 on which the disc is mounted. For this purpose, the rotatable disc 5 has a spindle 13 which can rotate freely on a bush or bearing 14 secured to the cover 12.

Cover 12 also provides an inclined intermediate transverse channel 15 which opens out at both sides of the cover 12, the upper opening 13 being larger to form an entry opening.

The rectangular cross-section of the channel 15 is greater than the crosssection of the biggest coins which the vending machine can take.

Cover 12 is secured to the coin return device by a flexible, floating mounting, by means of rods 17 integral with the cover and which pass through the adjacent plate of the frame 2. Behind the plate there are springs 18 which are compressed between the plate and a shoulder at the end of the rod 17.

The coin return device described is much shorter as compared with known return devices, because the motor 11 which drives the rotating disc is mounted at one side of the container instead of at the end of the spindle of the rotatable disc, as in standard coin returns.

Channel 15 receives, from the higher opening 16, the coins delivered by another coin return device located in a close parallel position, slightly offset lengthwise.

Claims (3)

1. Coin return device for automatic vending machines, comprising a coin container bounded at one end by an inclined rotatable disc driven by an electric motor and fitted on its inner surface with means for moving the coins to an exit aperture or. slot; characterised in that the disc is toothed and forms a toothed wheel or crown gear which engages with a pinion secured to the shaft of the drive motor, the motor being mounted laterally of the container, and in that mounted on the outside of the container, outside the rotatable disc, there is a cover with an inclined intermediate transverse channel which opens out at both sides, with the upper opening being larger to form an entry opening, the cross-section of the channel being greater than the cross-section of the biggest coins which the vending machine can take.

2. Coin return device as claimed in claim 1, characterised in that the cover is secured by a flexible floating mounting to the container, the cover having a centre bush or bearing into which is fitted the spindle on which the rotatable disc turns.

3. Coin return device substantially as herein described with reference to and as shown in the accompanying drawings.

PUbU 1990 at The PatantOffice.Stat HOU90M/71 High Holborn.1,ondonWC1 R 4TP.Purther copies may t c)bwncdrmm The Patancomow. Salaa Branch. SI Itary Cray. Orpington. Kent BR5 3RD Printd by Mult_.pl@x tachnIques WL 51- Mary Cray. Kent. Con V87 1