JPH02128781A - Medal-replenishing apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To prevent medals from being plugged by supplying the medals to a medal-lifting apparatus and a medal-replenishing route by providing each of medal-feeding devices by which the medals are fed by vibrating a bowl forming a guide surface in form of spiral between the medal-lifting apparatus and the medal-replenishing route. CONSTITUTION:A medal-replenish system is composed of two medal feeders 10, 12, a lift 14 and a transfer rail 16. The medal feeders 10, 12 are composed of bowls 22, 54 holding medals 20 fed from preparatory buckets 18, 52 and vibrator main bodies 24, 56. The vibrator main bodies 24, 56 vibrate the bowls 22, 54 by magnetic-operated devices 32, 65 contained. A guide surface 25 in form of spiral is formed on the inner surface of the bowl 22 and its bottom surface 26 undulates so that the medals 20 approach around the periphery of the bottom surface. The bowl 54 is much the same as the bowl 22, and inclines at the top 60 of the guide surface in form of spiral, and forms a receiving flange 62 corresponding to one medal in thickness. The medals 20 are gradually stood from a horizontal state and discharged after being stood in a row one by one.

Description

[Detailed Description of the Invention] [Field of Industrial Application] The present invention relates to a system for replenishing medals and coins to a predetermined device, and more specifically, the present invention relates to a system for replenishing medals and coins to a predetermined device. This relates to the system that transports the equipment to the equipment.

[Prior Art] In game machines such as slot machines and devices that supply medals such as money changers, it is necessary to replenish medals each time so as not to run out of ejected medals. In this case, replenishing medals for each device requires a lot of effort (
If you are using other types of equipment, this is not a hassle, so a large number of medals are stored in a designated container and transported from there to each equipment.

A replenishment system is in place.

In such a medal supply system, a medal supply route is provided along the ceiling of the amusement arcade, and medals replenished in a supply bucket are lifted to the medal supply route using a medal lift device.

A branch path is formed from the medal supply route to the slot machine or medal exchange machine via a gate device, and when a supply signal is generated from the slot machine or medal exchange machine, the corresponding gate device opens and the medal exchange machine is opened. Replenishment will take place.

Furthermore, conventionally, a hopper device is used to feed the medals from the supply bucket to the medal lift device, and further to send the medals lifted by the medal lift device to the medal supply route. This hopper device has a structure in which, for example, a retaining pin with the thickness of one medal or less is protruded from the surface of a disk, and this disk is rotated at the bottom of a medal storage bucket, and has the function of sending out medals one by one. conduct.

[Problem to be solved by the invention]

However, in a conventional medal supply system in which a hopper device supplies medals to a medal lift device and medals to a medal supply route, there is a problem because the hopper device has a high malfunction rate. In other words, since the hopper device rotates a disk inside a bucket in which a large number of medals are stored, sometimes the medals and the disks mesh with each other, causing a medal jam and stopping the delivery of the medals.

Such a hopper device is generally built into slot machines and medal exchange machines for medal payout, but if the hopper device built into such individual equipment malfunctions, it may not work. While a malfunction is limited to that piece of equipment, if the hopper device used in the medal replenishment system malfunctions, the entire system becomes abnormal and the effect affects many pieces of equipment. It will be extended.

[Purpose of the invention]

The present invention has been made in order to solve the problems of the prior art as described above, and an object of the present invention is to provide a medal supply system that improves the reliability of medal supply.

[Means to solve the problem]

In order to achieve the above object, the present invention mechanically vibrates a bowl having a spiral guide surface between a supply bucket and a medal lift device, and between a medal lift device and a medal supply path. A medal feeding means is provided for sending out the medals, and these medal feeding means feed the medals to the medal lift device and the supply route.

[Effect]

Since the present invention is configured as described above, the medals will not become clogged when the medals in the bowl are sent out along the guide surface and the medals are supplied to the medal lift device and the supply path.

〔Example〕

Hereinafter, one embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

FIG. 1 shows the overall configuration of a medal supply system according to this embodiment. Broadly speaking, this system consists of two medal feeders 10 and 12, a lift 14, and a conveyance rail 16.

Of the two medal feeders, the feeder 10 placed near the ground is comprised of a bowl 22 that accommodates medals 20 fed from a spare bucket 18, and a vibrating body 24 that applies vibration to the bowl 22. At this time, the spare bucket 18 is arranged so that the medals 20 do not accumulate above the bowl 22 even if a large amount of medals 20 are supplied.
It has entered near the bottom of 2. In addition, such a structure is also the same in the medal feeder 12 mentioned later.

As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the ball 22 has a spiral, substantially horizontal guide surface 25 formed on its inner surface, and a bottom surface 26 on which the medals 20 are stacked vibrates.
It is undulating as if it is close to the surrounding area. On the other hand, the vibration main body 24
is installed on the base 28 with rubber feet 30 for vibration isolation, and is configured to vibrate in the lateral direction by a built-in magnetic drive device 32. With this configuration, when the magnetic drive device 32 of the vibration main body 24 is driven to vibrate the bowl 22, the medals 20 on the bottom of the bowl 22 move closer to the periphery and gradually move further along the spiral guide surface 25. It begins to move upwards.

The medals 20 that have been conveyed to the uppermost guide surface 25 are ejected from the bowl 22, slide on the inclined plate 34, and move onto the lift 1.
The receiver No. 4 is put into a transport bucket 44, which will be described later, through the port 36. Thereafter, when the bucket 44 is filled with medals 20, the drive of the feeder 10 is stopped.

The lift 14 drives a chain 40 by a drive motor 38, and transports a transport bucket 44, which is swingably supported by a shaft 42 provided on the chain 40, upward. The transport bucket 44 is transported vertically with the above-mentioned configuration, but when descending, the rotation of the drive motor 38 is stopped by the limit switch 46, and when ascending, the rotation of the drive motor 38 is stopped by a limit switch (not shown), thereby preventing excessive rise. and to prevent it from falling.

Further, the drive motor 38 operates when the bucket 44 becomes full with the medals 20 discharged from the medal feeder 10.
Control is such that the drive of the feeder 10 starts at the same time as the drive of the feeder 10 stops. And transport bucket 4
4 reaches the top and the rotation of the drive motor 38 stops, the end of the bucket 44 is pushed down by the rotation pin 48 provided at the upper end position of the transport bucket 44 so as to be able to slide up and down, and the bucket 44 is I was able to get kicked around 1. As a result, the medals 20 in the transport bucket 44 are thrown out to the medal feeder 12 via the inclined plate 50 and the spare bucket 52.

The medal feeder 12 is the medal feeder 10 described above.
Similarly, the medals 20 supplied from the spare bucket 52
It consists of a bowl 54 that houses the bowl 22, and a vibrating body 56 that vibrates the bowl 22.

As shown in FIG. 4, the configuration of the bowl 54 is approximately the same as the bowl 22 of the medal feeder IO, but the top step 60 of the spiral guide surface 58 is sloped, and A jaw 62 is formed in the receiver corresponding to the thickness of one medal. As a result, the medals 20 that have been conveyed in piles are gradually raised from a horizontal state, arranged one by one, and discharged. With the above configuration, it is possible to accurately send out the medals 20 one by one.

As for the vibrating body 56, like the vibrating body 24 of the medal feeder 10, rubber feet 61 are placed on the base 58.
It is configured to apply vibration to the bowl 54 by a built-in magnetic drive device 65.

Medals 2 arranged and discharged from the medal feeder 12
0 is supplied as it is to the conveyance rail 16, and conveyed and supplied to the medal lending machine 64 and the slot machine 66 via the dispenser 63. This dispenser 63 is for adjusting the sending direction of the medals 20 being conveyed, and is configured to switch the internal supply route in response to a supply signal from the slot machine 66 or the medal lending machine 64.

The width of the transport rail 16 is made slightly larger than the thickness of one medal, thereby preventing medal jams. Moreover, the medals 20 on the conveyor rail 16
The feeding is performed by a feeder 68 installed on the rail 16 at appropriate intervals. This transmitter 68 is
It is composed of a feed roller 70 that presses the medal 20 from both sides, and a motor 72 that rotationally drives this roller 70, and the rotation of the feed roller 70 feeds the medal 20 at a constant speed. Note that this feeding speed corresponds to the speed at which the medals 20 are discharged by the medal feeder 12.

Next, the overall operation and effect of the embodiment configured as above will be explained.

The medals 20 are supplied from the spare bucket 18 to the bowl 22 in advance. Thereafter, when the main switch is turned on, the amount of medals in the spare bucket 52 is electrically monitored, and when the amount falls below a specified amount, the medal feeder IO and the lift 14 are activated.

When the magnetic drive device 32 of the medal feeder 10 is driven, the bowl 22 begins to vibrate, causing the medals 20 housed in the bottom 26 of the bowl 22 to move closer to each other and further move on the spiral guide surface 25. It is discharged from the top.

Next, the medals 20 discharged from the medal feeder 10 (bowl 22) are transferred to the inclined plate 34 and the receiving port 3 of the lift 14.
The transport bucket 4 in the lowered position of the lift 14 via 6
Throw it within 4. Then, when the transport bucket 44 is filled with medals 20, the drive of the magnetic drive device 32 of the medal feeder 10 is stopped by time control corresponding to this. When the magnetic drive device 32 stops, the drive motor 38 simultaneously starts driving and raises the bucket 44 filled with medals 20. When the limit switch (not shown) detects the rising limit, the driving of the drive motor 38 is stopped, and the rotation pin 48 is stopped.
is pushed down to tilt the bucket 44 and eject the medals 20 from the inclined plate 50. The empty bucket 44 is lowered to the lowering limit detected by the limit switch 46 by reversing the drive motor 38.

Next, the discharged medals 20 are received by the bowl 54 of the medal feeder 12 via the spare bucket 52, and the magnetic drive device 62 of the feeder 12 is driven. Then, due to the operation of the magnetic drive device 62 of the medal feeder 12,
The medals 20 stored at the bottom of the bowl 54 gradually move while vibrating on a spiral guide surface, and at the top step 60 of the guide surface, the medals 20 are erected one by one at a predetermined angle and fed into the transport rail 16. It will be done. At this time, the spare bucket 52
As shown in FIG. 5, the lower end of the bowl 54 penetrates to just above the bottom of the bowl 54, so that an appropriate amount of medals 20 are always stored in the bowl 54, which allows the medals 20 to be fed out smoothly. Can be done. Note that since the other medal feeder 10 has a similar configuration, it goes without saying that it exhibits similar functions.

Next, the medals 20 sent to the transport rail 16 are supplied to each device that requires replenishment by the action of the desvenser 63. That is, when the slot machine 66 and the medal lending machine 64 have a certain amount of medals or less, each outputs a replenishment signal, and the dispenser 63 switches the supply route accordingly and supplies the medals 20 to the equipment that requires replenishment. .

Thereafter, when the amount of medals 20 in the spare bucket 52 exceeds the specified amount, the medal feeder 10 and the lift 14 are not operated, and when the amount falls below the specified amount, the medal feeder 10 and the lift 14 are driven again to transport the medals 20. Start.

By such an operation, the medal lending machine 64 and the slot machine 66 can always operate in a good condition without running out of medals 20.

〔Effect of the invention〕

As explained above, the present invention provides medal feeding means between the supply bucket and the medal lift device, and between the medal lift device and the medal supply path, and these medal feed means provide the medal lift device and the medal supply path. Since medals are supplied to roads, the reliability of the medal supply system is improved, which is a special effect.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a schematic structure of an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a plan view showing the configuration of the main parts of the embodiment. FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view showing the configuration of the main parts of the embodiment. FIG. 4 is a sectional view showing the configuration of the main parts of the embodiment. FIG. 5 is a sectional view showing the configuration of the main parts of the embodiment. 12... Medal feeder... Lift... Conveyance rail... Medal 54... Bowl 56... Vibrating body... Inclined surface... Holder is jaw... Medal lending machine... Slot machine...・Sending device. 10゜14 ・ 16 ・ 20 ・ 22゜24゜

Claims (1)

[Scope of Claims] The medals in the supply bucket are supplied to a medal lift device, and the medals lifted by the medal lift device are sent one by one to a medal supply path and supplied to a game machine or a money exchange machine. In this medal replenishment system, medals are supplied by mechanically vibrating a bowl having a spiral guide surface between the replenishment bucket and the medal lift device and between the medal lift device and the medal supply path. 1. A medal replenishment system characterized by providing medal feed means for sending out medals, and supplying medals to a medal lift device and a supply route by these medal feed means.