GB2328302A

GB2328302A - Coin counter

Info

Publication number: GB2328302A
Application number: GB9716922A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Thomas Nicolaas Antonius Tol
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1997-08-12
Filing date: 1997-08-12
Publication date: 1999-02-17
Anticipated expiration: 2017-08-12
Also published as: GB2328302B; GB9716922D0

Abstract

A coin counter has a base 30 having an outlet 35 and a helical and tapered surface 33 communicating with the outlet 35. A housing 1 is secured on the base 30 for receiving the coins to be counted. A gear wheel 20 is secured on the base 30 above the helical and tapered surface 33 and has one or more apertures 21 for receiving the coins. A motor 13 rotates the gear wheel 20 and moves the coins to the outlet 35. A counter 36 is disposed in the outlet 35 for counting the coins moving out through the outlet 35.

Description

COIN COUNTER DEVICE The invention relates to a coin counter device.

Typical coin counter devices comprise a disc having a number of projections for engaging with and for moving coins upward to an outlet. However, the coins may not be effectively moved and supplied to the outlet and may drop into the housing inadvertently.

It is accordingly an object of the present invention to provide an improved coin counter device.

According to the present invention there is provided a coin counter device comprising: a) a base including an outlet and a helical and tapered surface communicating with the outlet, b) a housing secured on top of the base for receiving coins to be counted and including an opening, c) a gear wheel rotatably secured on the base and aligned with the opening of the housing and engaged above the helical and tapered surface of the base, the gear wheel including at least one aperture for receiving the coin and for allowing the coin to be rotated by the gear wheel, d) a driving means for rotating the gear wheel and for moving the coins to the outlet of the base, and e) a counter disposed in the outlet for counting the coins moving out through the outlet.

The base includes a circular recess formed in top for rotatably receiving the gear wheel. The housing includes an annular shoulder formed in a bottom for engaging with the gear wheel and for stably retaining the gear wheel in place. The driving means includes a worm gear engaged with the gear wheel and includes a motor secured to the worm gear for rotating the worm gear and the gear wheel. The base includes a hole, the gear wheel includes a shaft rotatably engaged in the hole of the base for allowing the gear wheel to be rotatably retained in place. The base includes a stop disposed in the outlet for preventing the coins from moving out of the outlet quickly.

In the drawings: FIG. 1 is an exploded view of a coin counter device; FIG. 2 is a cross sectional view taken along lines 2-2 of FIG. 3; and FIG. 3 is a cross sectional view taken along lines 3-3 of FIG. 2.

Referring to the drawings, a coin counter device comprises a base 30 including a circular recess 31 for rotatably receiving a gear wheel 20 and including a hole 32 formed in the center of the circular recess 31 for rotatably receiving a shaft 22 of the gear wheel 20 and for allowing the gear wheel 20 to be rotatably received in the circular recess 31. The gear wheel 20 includes one or more apertures 21 for receiving the coins 90 to be counted and for allowing the coins 90 to be moved by the gear wheel 20 one by one. The base 30 includes an outlet 35 communicating with the circular recess 31 for receiving the coins 90. The circular recess 31 includes a helical and tapered bottom surface 33 (FIG. 2) for allowing the coins 90 to be disengaged from the gear wheel 20 and for allowing the coins 90 to be moved into the outlet 35.

The base 30 includes two depressions 34, 341 for receiving a motor 13 and a worm gear 131 respectively.

The worm gear 131 is secured to the motor 13 so as to be driven by the motor 13 and is engaged with the gear wheel 20 for rotating the gear wheel 20. The worm gear 131 and the motor 13 thus form a driving means for rotating the gear wheel 20. A stop 37, such as a resilient arm, is secured in the outlet 35 for stopping the coins 90 and for preventing the coins 90 from moving out of the outlet 35 quickly. A counter 36, such as a sensor, infrared sensor, or a mechanical counter, is disposed in the outlet 35 for counting the coins 90.

A housing 1 is provided for receiving the coins to be counted and includes an opening 11 formed in the bottom and aligned with the gear wheel 20. The housing 1 includes an annular shoulder 12 formed in the bottom for engaging with the gear wheel 20 and for stably retaining the gear wheel 20 in place. The housing 1 includes a cavity 14 for engaging with the driving means 13, 131 and for retaining the driving means 13, 131 in place. The housing 1 includes a barrier 15 slightly extended inward of the outlet 35 for limiting the outlet size and for allowing only the coins of predetermined size to move outward of the outlet 35.

The base 30 includes a number of punctures 38 for engaging with fasteners 39 which may be used for securing the housing 1 and the base 30 together.

It is to be noted that the helical and tapered bottom surface 33 may be directly formed in top of the base 30 without the circular recess 31. Without the circular recess 31 and without the annular shoulder 12, the gear wheel 20 may also be rotatably retained in place by other mechanisms. For example, a fastener may directly and rotatably secure the gear wheel 20 to the base 30. The gear wheel 20 may be formed with .the apertures 21 having the predetermined size corresponding to the coins to be counted. The manufacturer may provide one or more gear wheels 20 having various kinds of sizes for counting various kinds of coins.

Accordingly, the coin counter device includes a gear wheel 20 having at least one aperture 21 for moving and for supplying the coins to the outlet and for allowing the coins to be effectively and accurately supplied to the outlet 35. The coins may thus be accurately counted by the counter 36.

Claims

CLAIMS:

1. A coin counter device comprising: a base including an outlet and including a helical and tapered surface communicating with the outlet, a housing secured on top of the base for receiving coins to be counted, the housing including a bottom having an opening, a gear wheel rotatably secured on the base and aligned with the opening of the housing and engaged above the helical and tapered surface of the base, the gear wheel including at least one aperture for receiving the coin and for allowing the coin to be rotated by the gear wheel, a driving means for rotating the gear wheel and for moving the coins to the outlet of the base, and a counter disposed in the outlet for counting the coins moving out through the outlet.

2. A coin counter device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the base includes a circular recess formed in top for rotatably receiving the gear wheel.

3. A coin counter device as claimed in claims 1 and 2, wherein the housing includes an annular shoulder formed in a bottom for engaging with the gear wheel and for stably retaining the gear wheel in place.

4. A coin counter device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the driving means includes a worm gear engaged with the gear wheel and includes a motor secured to the worm gear for rotating the worm gear and the gear wheel.

5. A coin counter device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the base includes a hole, the gear wheel includes a shaft rotatably engaged in the hole of the base for allowing the gear wheel to be rotatably retained in place.

6. A coin counter device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the base includes a stop disposed in the outlet for preventing the coins from moving out of the outlet quickly.

7. A coin counter device substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawings.