GB2269259A - Coin sorter - Google Patents

Abstract

A coin sorter for coin-operated machines comprises a body 1 tranversed by a series of parallel, vertical passages 2, 3 which allow the passage of a coin of the maximum acceptable size, the passages running from the body top and delivering at the bottom and/or side. The passages are separated by intermediate tilting partitions 4 each of which is hinged to the body 1 by a pin 5 parallel and close to the bottom edge of the partition whilst the partition top is connected to a drive mechanism which causes the partition to pivot round the pin 5 in at least one direction and subsequently to return to its starting position with sufficient amplitude to close the top of the passage towards which the partition is turning and to direct coins to the other passage. <IMAGE>

Description

2269259 -1-.

COIN SORTER FOR COIN-OPERATED MACHINES This invention relates to a coin sorter for coin-operated machines which is capable of sorting by 5 value the coins fed into the machine.

Coin-operated machines have a selector at the input to recognise the validity and value of coins fed in, which rejects invalid coins and accepts valid coins and simultaneously gives the machine the appropriate working instructions. There may be a sorter at the selector output to sort the accepted coins by value.

Invention patent no. 8700623 and related certificate of addition no. 8703430 from the same applicants has already made known a coin sorter comprising a body or case, preferably of approximately right-angled prismatic configuration traversed by a series of consecutive, parallel vertical passages so sized that each allows the passage of a coin of the maximum size acceptable to the selector, the said passages running from the body or case top and delivering at the bottom and/or a side wall. The body or case is mounted such that it can pivot round a pin parallel to the passages and which is centrally positioned close to the case bottom.

By this structure, depending on whether the case is at rest or tilted to one or other side it faces the input to one or other of the selector's output passages and causes the coins to traverse different passages depending on their value and be directed through the passage apertures to different stores. Some of the passages may also have two output openings, one at the bottom, the second at the side, one or the other opening and closing in accordance with instructions from the selector, thereby augmenting the sorting capacity without increasing the 2 number of passages.

The sorter described requires the body or case to pivot and this demands a degree of space on either I't 1 ' side of the body or case for it to operate. In addition, movement of the entire sorter body or case can create functional problems.

This invention is concerned with a sorter also constituted by a case or body of identical or similar design to that described above traversed by passages of identical form but with the difference that the said case or body is fixed and its installation thus does not require over-sized spaces.

In accordance with this invention the passages which traverse the body or case are separated by intermediate tilting partitions, each partition being hinged to the body or case by a pin parallel and close to the body or case bottom. Each partition is connec ted at the top to a drive mechanism activation of which causes the partition to pivot around the low hinge pin. Partition rotation will be produced in at least one direction as will subsequent return to the starting position. The amplitude of the rotation or pivoting of the partitions will be sufficient to close off the top of the passage towards which that partition is rotating while it acts simultaneously as a baffle to divert coins to the other passage bounded by the partition.

The body or case will preferably have three consecutive vertical passages separated by two intermediate tilting partitions.

The drive mechanism for each partition may comprise an electromagnet and a lever bank which transmits the axial movement of the electromagnet core into a rotary movement of the partition on the low hinge pin.

With the structure described it is possible to 3 maintain the sorter case or body in a fixed position and direct the coins through the passages simply by activating the relevant electromagnet responsible for driving one or other of the intermediate partitions separating the passages, tilting one partition each time.

The attributes of the sorter of the invention will be made clearer by the following description which refers to the appended drawings showing one possible form of design offered by way of non-limitative example.

In the drawings:

Figures 1, 2 and 3 are three schematic views of a sorter constituted in accordance with the invention showing three different possible positions of the partitions bounding the passages traversed by the coins.

Figure 4 shows in perspective a possible form of sorter design in accordance with the principles of the invention.

Figure 5 is a section of the sorter cut along line V-V in figure 4.

Figure 6 is a longitudinal section of the sorter cut along line VI-VI in figure 4.

Figure 7 is a cross-section of the sorter cut along line VII-VII in figure 4.

Figure 4 shows in perspective a sorter constituted in accordance with the invention comprising case or body 1 of approximately right-angled prismatic configuration. The body or case is traversed from top to bottom by three vertical passages, one central passage referred to as number 2 and two end passages referred to as number 3. The three vertical passages are separated by two intermediate tilting partitions referred to as number 4. As shown more clearly in figures 5 and 6, each of 4 these partitions is jointed to body or frame 1 by two low pivots 5 which project in alignment with the vertical edges of partitions 4 and are parallel to the bottom edge of the said partition. Each pair of the foregoing pivots defines an axis of rotation of the relevant partition whose pin is parallel and close to the bottom edge of the partition.

Each partition 4 will be top-connected to a drive mechanism which causes the partition to pivot.

To this end, as shown in figures 5 and 6, each partition 4 may have at its front vertical edge a projecting pivot 6 to which the drive mechanism will be connected.

As will be seen in figure 7, central passage 2 delivers at the bottom whereas end passages 3 are intercepted by ramp 6 which may be integral with partitions 4 and which conveys the coins to front output opening 7 or low opening 8 sited in front of the central passage 2 aperture.

The sorter operation is explained below with reference to figures 1 and 3 which show schematically sorter case or body 1 inside which tilting partitions 4 are mounted by their hinge pins 5; said partitions bound central vertical passage 2 and end passages 3.

The mechanism driving partitions 4 comprises two electromagnets 9 each of whose spindles 10 can be axially displaced and is connected by rod 11 to crank lever 12. Both crank levers 12 are mounted at the elbow on shared transversal hinge pin 13. Each crank lever 12 is connected at its free end to the top edge of one partition 4, for example to the pivot 6 which projects forward, described with reference to figures 5 and 6.

In figure 1 the two electromagnets 10 are deactivated and the position of tilting partitions 4 is parallel to the longitudinal walls of body or case 1. The sorter will be so mounted that central vertical passage 2 faces the sorter output such that in the figure 1 position the coins will drop through central passage 2.

With the left-hand electromagnet activated, figure 2, the related partition tilts until it reaches the position referred to as number 4a in which it closes the top of central passage 2. In this position partition 4a acts as a baffle to direct coins coming from the sorter through the left-hand vertical passage referred to as number 3a.

When right-hand electromagnet 9 is activated, the related tilting partition tilts until it reaches position 4b in figure 3. In this position the partition closes central passage 2 and directs the coins to the righthand end vertical passage referred to as number 3b.

Thus, while sorter case or body 1 remains immobile, coins coming from the sorter can traverse one or other of the vertical passages depending on whether one or other electromagnet is activated or both are deactivated.

coins traversing different passages will reach different compartments and the sorting capacity can be augmented by providing given passages, for example end passages 3, with two distinct output openings 7 and 8, figure 5, the opening and closing of which is selected via a valve.

As will be understood, using the operating system and principle described with reference to figures 1 and 3, the sorter can have a configuration different from that shown in figures 4 to 7.

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Claims (5)

1. Coin sorter for coin-operated machines which comprises a body or case traversed by a seiies of consecutive, parallel, vertical passages so sized that each allows the passage of a coin ofthe maximum acceptable size, the said passages running from the body or case top and delivering at the bottom and/or side, characterised in that the said passages are separated by intermediate tilting partitions each of which is hinged to the body or case by a pin parallel and close to the bottom edge of the partition whilst the partition top is connected to a drive mechanism which causes the partition to pivot round the low hinge pin in at least one direction and subsequently to return to its starting position with sufficient amplitude to close the top of the passage towards which the partition is turning and to direct coins to the other passage.

2. Sorter according to claim 1, characterised in that the drive mechanism for each partition includes an electromagnet and a lever bank which converts the axial movement of the electromagnet core into a pivoting movement of the partition on its low hinge pin.

3. Sorter according to claim 2, characterised in that the drive mechanism for each partition comprises a lever with intermediate fulcrum which is connected at one end by a rod to the electromagnet core and at the other end to the top of partition, the lever hinge and axes of rotation being parallel to the axis of rotation of the partition.

4. Sorter according to claims 1 and 3, characterised in that it comprises three consecutive vertical passa7es separated by two intermediate tilting partitions; and in that the levers of the related drive mechanisms are identical, of crank configuration and mounted symmetrically on one shared pin at the elbow.

5. Coin sorter substantially as herein described with reference to and as shown in the' accompanying 10 drawings.