JPH0248787A - Coin releasing machine - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE: To accurately decide the contents of a hopper without opening the main door of a machine by providing a reader for displaying electric output from a loading cell to which the hopper or a coin distributor is attached and indicating the value of coins in the distributor. CONSTITUTION: The loading cell 8 is connected to an electrical circuit and measured output from the loading cell 8 is converted to the total number type of the number and value of the coins in the hopper 15. A flap 12 is kept closed by a key operation latch 22 and a metallic plate tunnel 23 provided with a floor part tilted downwards in the direction of an exit hole 24 is provided on the inner surface. When the flap 12 is opened, the hole 24 matches with the upper end part of a pipe 25 directly led to the hopper 15. Thus, when the flap 12 is opened, the coins are introduced into the tunnel 23 and directly supplied into the hopper 15 without opening the main door 11. Thus, the accurate value of the contents of the hopper is established before and after re-loading without opening the main boor.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION Field of Industrial Application The present invention comprises receiving coins into a hopper or coin distributor;
It relates to a coin release machine of the kind that stores in it and dispenses from it.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Although the invention may be applied to other coin release machines, its primary use is found in connection with poker machines. In these machines, the coin distribution hopper is contained within the machine cabinet. Coins inserted into the machine by the contestant pass through a coin sorter and into a hopper. When a winning combination appears in the machine's viewing window, the hopper is activated to dispense coins to a payout tray from which they can be received by the player. Once a predetermined number of coins have been received into the hopper, excess coins are automatically threaded into the cash bin at the bottom of the machine. This coin is not transferred into the hopper.

A subsequent series of payments may exhaust the coin storage in the hopper and the contestant may find himself in a situation where not enough coins have been paid to match the prize indicated on the combination prize table appearing in the observation window. can be noticed. In this situation, the competitor will inform the attendant that the machine's hopper will be refilled. This involves opening the main door of the machine and transferring the coins to the hopper. For calculation purposes, once this is done, the contestant signs the ledger to prove that they have inserted the coins into the hopper, but there is no way to be sure that all coins have actually been inserted into the hopper. . There may be issues of collusion between the contestants and officials and it is possible that some or all of the money was not inserted into the machine. One object of the invention is to provide a device that allows the contents of a hopper at any time to be determined with high accuracy without requiring the main door of the machine to be opened.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention is a coin release machine having a coin hopper or other coin dispenser therein for receiving and dispensing coins from the machine, the cabinet having access to the interior through an openable door. In a coin release machine that includes a hopper or coin distributor within the hopper or coin distributor, the hopper or coin distributor is mounted on a load cell device and has a readout that displays the electrical output from the load cell to indicate the value of the coins in the hopper or coin distributor. A coin release machine is characterized in that it is provided with a device for providing. Preferably, the cabinet is provided with a device by which coins can be inserted into the hopper or coin dispenser without opening said door of the cabinet.

The term "load cell device" is interpreted to include devices capable of producing an electrical output proportional to an applied load.

For a better understanding of the nature of the invention, preferred forms thereof will be described below by way of example in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which: FIG.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT FIG. 1 shows in perspective a generally conventional poker machine having a cabinet 10 and a hinged door 11 which can be opened forward. However, in addition to the usual features of poker machines, there is a side flap 12 on one side of the machine which can be opened around a vertical hinge 13 and is associated with a lock, the keyhole 14 of which is This is shown in Figure 1.

In FIG. 2, the front door 11 of the machine is opened to reveal the coin hopper 15. It is entirely conventional in construction and will therefore only be briefly described. Coins inserted into the coin slot 16 on the door 11 pass into the hopper 15 by a chute.

The coins paid by the hopper arrive in the payout tray 18 of the door 11, from which the coins can be obtained by the contestant. All of these features of the structure are conventional. However, according to the invention, instead of being mounted in the cabinet of the machine, the hopper 15 is mounted on a load cell 8 located between the bottom of the hopper 15 and the cabinet.

The load cell 8 is coupled to an electrical circuit (not shown) by which the measured output from the load cell is converted into a total number of coins and values in the hopper. The techniques for doing this are well known and therefore will not be described. However, the net result is that the contents of the hopper 15 can be accurately ascertained at any time on command, either locally or at a remote location if the machine is one in a group communication system. The signal from the load cell can activate the machine's existing credit gauge special numeric display (when properly switched) or the machine's letter and numeric display if the machine has one. In the machine shown in FIG. 1, the credit meter is shown at 20 and can be used to display the value of the contents of the hopper. A keyhole 21 is provided on the side of the machine which is used to receive a key, with which the machine can be checked. When inspecting the machine, the key is inserted into this keyhole, the key is turned, and the machine's Collect button is pressed when the credit meter is read. This configuration can be easily adopted because it displays the contents of the reel in the hopper when the collect button is pressed a second time. With this configuration, machine accounting is improved such that the contents of the hopper now have no theoretical difference between "coined" and "coined" meters and are subject to direct measurement. If the poker machine is one of a group communication system, this top is available each time the machine is polled, so the complete sum is available at any time. It is also possible to poll one machine frequently and monitor the contents of the hopper from the office in case of suspected fraud. The contents of the hopper can be instantly verified for audit purposes.

Although many advantages are gained by using the configuration described above,
The full benefits of the invention are obtained if a device is provided for refilling the hopper without opening the main door of the machine. In this embodiment of the invention, this is accomplished by side flaps 12 seen on the side of the machine in FIG. Construction details are shown in FIGS. 2, 3 and 4. As seen in FIG. 3, the flap 12 is held closed by a locking catch 22. As seen in FIG. On the inner surface of the flap 12 there is a metal plate funnel 23 with a floor sloping downwards towards the outlet hole 24 . When flap 12 is opened as shown in FIG. 4, hole 24 coincides with the upper end of tube 25 leading directly to hopper 15. Thus, when the flap 12 is opened, coins can be introduced into the funnel 23 and fed directly into the hopper 15 without opening the main door 11.

The availability of direct measurements of the hopper contents ensures that no attempt is made to fill an already full hopper that does not dispense coins due to internal blockages due to damaged coins, malformed coin shapes or mechanical failures. With the described arrangement, the exact value of the hopper contents can be established both before and after refilling, and an accurate count of the coins contained can be maintained. This arrangement eliminates the need for prepacking or separate holding of coins for refilling.

If desired, the latch 22 used to lock the flap 12 may be configured such that when the flap 12 is opened, for example, a display on a machine's credit gauge is automatically switched to display the contents of the hopper. can be associated with electrical switches.

The ability of the hopper to be refilled without opening the front of the machine helps protect the safety of the machine without tampering with or inappropriately interfering with the functionality of the machine.

The embodiments of the invention described above are given by way of example only, constituting one preferred form of the invention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a poker machine incorporating the present invention;
3 is a cross-sectional view of the portion of the cabinet taken along line 3--3 of FIG. 1, and FIG. It is a figure similar to the figure. 8... Load cell, 10... Cabinet, 11... Door, 12... Side flap, 15... Coin hopper, 20... Credit instrument, 23... Funnel, 24... Exit Hole, 25...tube.

Claims (3)

[Claims] (1) A coin release machine having a coin hopper or other coin dispenser therein for receiving and dispensing coins from the machine, the coin release machine including the hopper or other coin dispenser in a cabinet with access to the interior through an openable door. A release machine, characterized in that the hopper or coin distributor is mounted on a load cell device and is provided with a device for displaying the electrical output from the load cell to provide a reading indicative of the value of the coins in the hopper or coin distributor. Coin release machine. 2. A coin release machine according to claim 1, wherein the cabinet is provided with means for inserting coins into a hopper or other dispenser without opening said door of the cabinet. (3) The device by which coins can be inserted into a hopper or other dispenser without opening said door of the cabinet consists of an openable side flap set on the side of the poker machine, said flap receiving the coins. 3. A coin release machine as claimed in claim 2, associated with a funnel device, said funnel device operative to direct coins through a tube into a hopper.