JPH05229637A - Feed device for disc body - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To keep a disc body in state hardly generating clogging and deformation, and reduce a drive force for the feed thereof by carrying the disc body while being supported against free fall with an endless turning body and a guide rail. CONSTITUTION:A transfer passage is formed with an endless turning body 4 for applying a carrying force to a disc body M, and a guide rail 5. Furthermore, the disc body M is supported against free fall in collaboration between the turning body 4 and the guide rail 5, and the body 4 is driven to turn, thereby carrying the disc body M along the guide rail 5. Also, the intermediate section of the disc body transfer passage is provided with a releasing mechanism 30 capable of releasing the support of the disc body M with the guide rail 5. This releasing mechanism 30 is actuated to cause the free fall of the disc body M outside the transfer passage for feed to the specified position.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention conveys a disc-shaped body such as a coin or a game medal, and the disc-shaped body being conveyed may be moved from an intermediate position of the disc-shaped body conveying path, if necessary. The present invention relates to a disk-shaped body supply device configured so as to be dropped and supplied to a predetermined position.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art As a conventional disc-shaped member supplying device, a conveyor belt for mounting and conveying medals is provided to form a medal conveying path, and the conveyor belt is projected at a midway position of the medal conveying path onto the conveyor belt. A mechanism is provided that prevents the medals from being conveyed and moves by a flapper that forcibly guides the medals to the lateral side of the conveyor belt and supplies the medals by dropping from the lateral sides of the conveyor belt to a predetermined position (for example, Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 3-97479), a plurality of medals can be run in a single row in a single line, and a pushing mechanism that pushes out the medals arranged in a line on the feeding rail to the upper hand side of the feeding is provided. A medal transport path that allows the medals to travel along the transport rail by pushing out the medals is formed. It provided a shutter for opening and closing the cut-out portions, that constitutes a falling supply mechanism in position medals under its own weight in the opening of the shutter (e.g., JP-A-3-15
5885).

[0003]

Among the above-mentioned conventional techniques, according to the technique of dropping and supplying a medal to a predetermined position by the projection of the flapper onto the conveyor belt while placing and conveying the medal by the conveyor belt, Compared to the case where the medals are pushed out along the conveyance rails and conveyed, the medal clogging and the deformation of the medals due to this clogging are less likely to occur because they are placed and conveyed by the conveyance belt. Since the medals are forcibly guided to the side of the conveyor belt while preventing the medals from moving,
There is a drawback that the driving force for operating the flapper to supply medals becomes large. Also, according to the technology that allows the medal to run along the transport rail by pushing out by the pushing mechanism and drops the medal to a predetermined position with its own weight when the shutter provided on the transport rail is opened, the medal falls with its own weight when the shutter is opened. Therefore, there is an advantage that the driving force for operating the shutter for supplying medals can be reduced, but
Since the medals are conveyed while being pushed out along the conveyance rails, there is a drawback that the medals are likely to be clogged or the medals are deformed due to the clogs. The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and is capable of reducing the driving force for supplying the disc-shaped body while taking advantage of placing and conveying the disc-shaped body with a conveyor belt. An object is to provide a supply device.

[0004]

To achieve the above object, the disk-shaped body supply device according to the present invention is characterized by an endless rotating body for imparting a conveying force to the disk-shaped body and a disk-shaped body. A disc-shaped body conveying path is configured by providing a guide rail that guides the conveying direction, and the disc-shaped body supported by the cooperation of the endless rotating body and the guide rail does not drop by its own weight. A releasing mechanism is provided which is conveyed along the guide rail by the driving rotation of the moving body and is capable of releasing the support of the disc-shaped body by the guide rail at an intermediate position of the disc-shaped body conveying path. The disc-shaped body is dropped to the outside of the disc-shaped body conveying path by its own weight by the release operation of the mechanism, and the following operational effects are obtained from such a configuration.

[0005]

With the cooperation of the endless rotating body and the guide rail, the disk-shaped body is supported by the endless rotating body and the guide rail while being supported by the endless rotating body and the guide rail. When the disc-shaped body is transported along the rail, the release mechanism is released, and the support of the disc-shaped body by the guide rail is released in the middle of the disc-shaped body transport path, the disc-shaped body falls by its own weight from the endless rotating body. It becomes possible, and the disc-shaped member conveyed along the guide rail can be dropped to its predetermined position by its own weight from the supporting release position of the disc-shaped member conveying path.

[0006]

The disc-shaped body is supported by the endless rotating body and the guide rail in a state where it does not drop by its own weight, and is conveyed by the drive rotation of the endless rotating body, so the disc-shaped body is pushed out along the conveying rail. As compared with the case where it is conveyed, the disc-shaped body is less likely to be clogged or the disc-shaped body is deformed due to the clogging,
Moreover, by releasing the support of the disc-shaped body by the guide rail, the disc-shaped body can be dropped by its own weight and supplied to a predetermined position, so that the driving force for supplying the disc-shaped body can be reduced. The disk-shaped body supply device according to claim 2, wherein one side surface side of the disk-shaped body is supported by the endless rotating body, and a lower end edge of the disk-shaped body is supported by the guide rail. Since the plate-shaped body is conveyed in a posture inclining in a direction intersecting the conveyance direction, and the release mechanism is provided with an opening / closing member for opening and closing the disc-shaped body supporting surface of the guide rail. However, since it easily falls by its own weight in the radial direction and there is little change in posture when falling, it is easy to receive the falling disc-shaped body.

[0007]

【Example】

[First Embodiment] FIG. 9 and FIG. 10 show an example of a disk-shaped body supply device in which a game island C is constructed by providing a game medal lending machine B between a plurality of slot machines A. Of the disc-shaped game medals M from the upper side of the game island C to the slot machine A and the medal lending machine B, and to the slot machine A and the medal supply device D, respectively. The game equipment provided with the medal collection device E for collecting the medals M dropped and ejected from the transport end side is shown.

The medal supply device D is a medal transport device F, and the medal M is sent from a medal washing machine (not shown) or the like.
And a medal hoisting device G for hoisting the medals M collected by the medal collecting device E to the upper side of the game island C, and a medal hoisting device G.
The horizontal transport device H that transports the medals M sent in the horizontal direction along the upper side of the game island C, and the medals M that are transported by the horizontal transport device H from the middle position of the medal transport path as needed. A plurality of medal supply gates J that are dropped by their own weight to be supplied to the medal storage tanks (not shown) provided in each of the slot machine A and the medal lending machine B, and the movement of the conveyance medal M on the conveyance end side of the horizontal conveyance device H A medal stop unit K for forcibly blocking is provided.

As shown in FIG. 1, the medal lifting device G has a medal hopper 1 for temporarily storing the medals M sent by the medal conveying device F and the medal collecting device E, and a medal M in the medal hopper 1. And the medal pay-out machine 3 for pushing the medal M into the vertical carrying rail 2a. The medal M is pushed by the medal pay-out machine 3 vertically in the vertical carrying rails 2a in a vertically adjacent posture. Every time it is pushed into the transport rail 2a, it is pushed upward and runs,
The medal M sent by the vertical transport rail 2a is configured to travel horizontally on the horizontal transport rail 2b and drop on the horizontal transport device H.

The horizontal transfer device H is arranged so that the medals M dropped one by one from the end of the horizontal transfer rail 2b with respect to the horizontal direction.
A flat belt 4 as an example of an endless rotating body that receives one side surface of the medal M by its own weight so as to be slidable and fallable by the conveying surface 4a inclined at an angle of 45 °, and one side surface is a flat belt 4
A gutter-shaped guide rail 5 that supports the lower end edge of the medal M that is slidably dropped by its own weight on the transport surface 4a of the same and that prevents the medal M from sliding down from the flat belt 4, and a guide rail 5. A fixed frame 6 for fixing to a wooden frame (not shown) of the gaming island C is provided to form a medal transportation path, and a belt drive unit 7 is detachably attached to the transportation end side of the guide rail 5 for guiding. A tension pulley unit 8 is detachably attached to the rail 5 at the start side of conveyance. The flat belt 4 is wound around a drive pulley 9a provided in the belt drive unit 7 and a driven pulley 9b also used as a tension pulley provided in the tension pulley unit 8 and is stretched along a medal transport path. When the flat belt 4 is driven and rotated by the belt drive unit 7, the flat belt 4 and the guide rail 5 cooperate with each other to impart a conveying force to the medal M supported in a state where the flat belt 4 and the guide rail 5 do not drop by its own weight. Be transported.

The flat belt 4 is provided at the end of the lateral transport rail 2b of the medal lifting device G on the transport start end side of the guide rail 5.
The medal M, which is fixed in a detachable manner so as to overlap the conveyance surface 4a, is sent by the lateral conveyance rail 2b and falls by its own weight so that one side of the medal M is along the conveyance surface 4a. It is configured to be supported by the transport surface 4a and the guide rail 5. Note that the horizontal transport device H is set to have a transport speed higher than the medal transport speed of the medal lifting device G so that the medals M dropped from the horizontal transport rail 2b of the medal lifting device G do not overlap each other. The medals M dropped on the medal transportation path of the device H are transported at intervals.

The guide rail 5 is provided with a medal support surface 5a for supporting the lower end edge of the medal M and a belt support surface 5b for supporting the back surface of the flat belt 4, and is fixed to the fixed frame 6 with screws. On the medal support surface 5a, a plurality of medal drop holes 10 through which the medals M supported by the flat belt 4 can slide and fall under their own weight are formed at predetermined intervals, and the upper half of the flat belt 4 over substantially the entire length of the medal transport path. A cover plate 11 for covering the portion is fixed with a screw via a spacer 11a.

The fixed frame 6 has a substantially Z-shaped cross section, and a plurality of guide roller units 12 for guiding the running posture of the flat belt 4 running in the returning direction are provided on the back side of the fixed frame 6 at predetermined intervals. It is detachably fitted. As shown in FIG. 3, the guide roller unit 12 includes a pair of left and right U-shaped frames 13 that pivotally support a support shaft 14a of a guide roller 14, and a rear side groove 6a of the fixed frame 6. The gripping pieces 13a each having a shape to be fitted into the
A coil spring S ₁ for urging the a pieces in the proximity direction is provided, and the grip pieces 13a are fitted into the rear side groove 6a while spreading the grip pieces 13a in the separating direction against the urging force, and the urging force of the coil spring S ₁ is used. Set the U-shaped frame 13 to the rear side groove 6a.
It is fixed when it is pulled inward, and conversely, it can be removed from the rear side groove 6a by pushing the U-shaped frame 13 that is protruding in the rear side groove 6a in the separating direction against the biasing force. is there.

The belt drive unit 7 includes a geared motor 15 and a worm gear mechanism 1 as shown in FIG.
The drive pulley 9a is fixed to the driven shaft 16b of the worm gear mechanism 16a, and the drive pulley 9a is driven by the gear motor 15 via the worm gear mechanism 16a. 9a is driven and rotated. As shown in FIGS. 5, 6 and 7, the tension pulley unit 8 is a movable member on which a base plate 17 which is detachably fixed to the fixed frame 6 and a driven pulley 9b are rotatably supported. 1
8 is provided, and the driven pulley 9b is attached to the handle 1
An operating mechanism 20 is provided for moving the driven pulley 9b in a direction in which tension is applied to the flat belt 4 when the rotary operation of 9 is performed. The operation mechanism 20 includes an operation shaft 22 rotatably supported by the movable member 18, a pinion gear 23 rotatably supported by the operation shaft 22, a rack gear 21 formed on the substrate 17, and an operation shaft 22. A latch lever shaft 24 fixed to the latch lever shaft 24, a latch lever 25 that prevents the operation shaft 22 from rotating by engagement with the latch lever shaft 24, a spring S ₂ that biases the latch lever 25 toward the engagement side, and a pinion gear. 23 and the coil spring S ₃ torsion inserted through the operating shaft 22 portion between the latch lever shaft 24, a collar 26 which is positioned at a position meshing with the pinion gear 23, rack gear in the circumferential groove 27a 21 the direction of movement of the movable member 18 is constructed by providing the guide roller 27 for guiding along the rack gear 21 is fitted, the torsion coil spring S ₃ One end side is fixed to the pinion gear 23, the other end is fixed to the operation shaft 22 side via the latch lever shaft 24.

The pinion gear 23 is replaced by the rack gear 2
From the initial position where the gears are engaged at approximately the center of 1, the handle 19
When the operation shaft 22 is rotated in the clockwise direction by the rotating operation, the pinion gear 23 rotates in the clockwise direction while the torsion coil spring S ₃ is twisted, and the movable member 18 tensions the driven pulley 9b to the flat belt 4. And the twisting coil spring S ₃ is twisted and deformed by the reaction force of the tension applied to the flat belt 4.
In this state, set the latch lever 25 to the latch lever shaft 2
4, the movable member 18 is fixed by the torsion of the torsion coil spring S ₃ so as to be elastically displaceable in the withdrawal direction, and resists against the biasing force of the spring S ₂ and the latch lever 25.
When the engagement is released, the operating shaft 22 rotates counterclockwise to remove the torsional deformation of the torsion coil spring S ₃ , the tension applied to the flat belt 4 is removed, and the movable member 18 is removed. Return to the initial position.

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the medal supply gate J is provided with a coil spring S ₄ through the medal drop hole 10.
The opening / closing gate 28 and the opening / closing gate 28, which are closed in a state of being flush with the medal support surface 5a of the guide rail 5 by the urging force of the guide rail 5, resists the urging force of the coil spring S ₄ and the medal drop hole 1
A release mechanism 30 provided with a solenoid 29 for swinging in the direction to open 0, and a hopper 32 to which a transparent side wall plate 31 is detachably locked are provided, and the fixed frame 6 and the guide rail are provided. 5, the bellows tube 33 desired at the lower end outlet of the hopper 32 is locked and fixed to the receiving metal fitting 34 which is detachably locked to the fixed frame 6, and is opened and closed by the excitation of the solenoid 29. When the gate 28 is swung to open the medal drop hole 10, the medal M that has been conveyed along the guide rail 5 is released from being supported by the medal support surface 5a, and the medal M is transferred from the conveyance surface 4a of the flat belt 4. It passes through the medal drop hole 10 and slides and falls under its own weight to the hopper 32 outside the medal transport path,
It is configured to be supplied to a predetermined slot machine A or medal lending machine B via the bellows tube 33.

[0018] The medal stop unit K, as shown in FIG. 8, the medal stopper 35 which projects into the conveying surface 4a side of the flat belt 4 by the urging force of the coil spring S _5, the medal stopper 35 of the coil spring S ₅ A solenoid 36 that swings so as to retract from the transport surface 4a side against an urging force is attached to a sheet metal case 37,
By inserting the medal stopper 35 toward the conveying surface 4a, the medal conveying path is closed, and the medal M is switched to be immovable to the conveying lower side than the medal stopper 35 regardless of the drive rotation of the flat belt 4. , The solenoid 36 is excited to retract the medal stopper 35 from the conveying surface 4a side, so that the medal conveying path is opened and the medal M is movably switched to the collecting duct 38 provided at the conveying end. I am doing it. The medal stop unit K
Is provided with an attachment mechanism for detachably fitting the medal stop unit K to the guide rail 5 by an inner peripheral surface 37a of the case 37 and an operation lever 39 pivotally supported by the case 37. After fitting the inner peripheral surface 37a of the guide rail 5 to the outer surface of the guide rail 5, the pawl 40 connected to the operation lever 39 is locked to the cover plate 11 by swinging the operation lever 39, and the guide rail 5 is fitted and fixed. When the stopper 41 made of a leaf spring that prevents the operation lever 39 from swinging toward the disengagement side is pushed out of the swing path and the operation lever 39 is swung back, the pawl 40 is covered. It is constructed so that it can be detached from the plate 11 and detached from the guide rail 5.

The medal collecting device E comprises a belt conveyor 42 provided along the lower surface side of the slot machine A,
A hopper 43 for receiving the medals M falling from the collecting duct 38 provided at the end of the horizontal transfer device H and a bellows tube for guiding the medals M discharged from each of the slot machines A to the transfer surface of the belt conveyor 42. The medals M received by the hopper 43 and the medals M discharged from each of the slot machines A are conveyed to the medal hopper 1 of the medal lifting device G for collection.

Next, the medal supply control by the medal supply device D will be described. When the driving power source is turned on to the medal supply device D, both the medal lifting device G and the lateral transport device H are driven to carry, and the medals M sent from the medal lifting device G are medals of the lateral transport device H. When the medals M are conveyed along the conveyance path, and the passage detection sensor 45 provided immediately in front of the medal stop unit K detects the medals M, the conveyance drive of the medal lifting device G and the lateral conveyance device H is stopped, and the slot machine A or It waits in that state until a medal request signal is output from any of the medal lending machines B. Therefore, in the standby state, the medals M are retained over substantially the entire length of the medal transport path so that the medals M can be immediately supplied from any of the medal supply gates J. When a medal request signal is output from either the slot machine A or the medal lending machine B, the medals provided corresponding to the slot machine A or the medal lending machine B from which the medal request signal is output. After the solenoid 29 of the supply gate J is excited and the medal drop hole 10 is opened, the conveyance drive of the medal lifting device G and the lateral conveyance device H is started, and the medal supply gate J causes a predetermined slot machine A or medal lending. The medal M is supplied to the machine B. The medal drop hole 10
The medals M staying in the medal conveying path on the transport lower side of the medal supply gate J whose opening is open, the medal stopper 35 of the medal stop unit K, the medal stopper 35 of the medal stopping unit K, conveys the medal surface 4a. Since it rushes into the side and closes the medal transportation path, it remains maintained along the medal transportation path. When the medal request signal is no longer output, the medal lifting device G and the lateral conveyance device H are stopped from being driven, and then the medal supply gate J
The solenoid 29 is de-energized and the medal drop hole 10
Is blocked and returns to the standby state. Further, when two or more medal request signals are simultaneously output from the slot machine A or the medal lending machine B, the medal supply corresponding to the slot machine A or the medal lending machine B which has output the medal request signal first is supplied. The above medal supply control is sequentially performed from the gate J. Solenoid 36 of the medal stopping unit K
Is excited when it is desired to collect the medals M staying in the medal transport path, the staying medals M fall from the collecting duct 38, and are collected in the medal hopper 1 by the medal collecting device E.

[Second Embodiment] FIG. 11 shows another embodiment of the horizontal transfer device H, in which the medals M dropped one by one from the end of the transfer rail of the medal lifting device G are sorted to either the right or the left. An endless rotating belt 4 having a mushroom-shaped cross section that supports one side surface of M so that it can slide and fall under its own weight, and a lower edge of the medal M that is supported by the endless rotating belt 4 so that it can slide and fall under its own weight.
A gutter-shaped guide rail 5 which is supported by one of the medal support surfaces 5a formed on both left and right sides of the belt support surface 5b so as to prevent the medal M from sliding and falling from the endless rotating belt 4, and a guide rail. A fixed frame 6 for fixing 5 to the wooden frame (not shown) of the game island C is provided to form a medal transportation path, which is supported by the endless rotating belt 4 and the guide rail 5 in a state where it does not drop by its own weight. The medal M is conveyed along the guide rail 5 by the drive rotation of the endless rotation belt 4.
Further, a plurality of medal supply gates J for opening and closing the medal drop holes 10 by swinging the opening / closing gate 28 by excitation of the solenoid 29 in correspondence with the medal support surfaces 5a on both the left and right sides,
A medal stop unit (not shown) that forcibly blocks the movement of the conveyed medal M on the conveyance end side of the lateral conveyance device H is provided along both left and right sides of the guide rail 5. Other configurations are similar to those of the first embodiment.

Other Embodiments An endless rotating body that supports the lower end side of the disc-shaped body to give a conveying force to the disc-shaped body, and a disc-shaped body whose lower end side is supported by the endless rotating body. And a guide rail for supporting the upper side of the disc-shaped body for guiding the conveying direction of the disc-shaped body, and supporting the disc-shaped body by its own weight so as not to fall down by its own weight in cooperation with the endless rotating body and the guide rail. By forming a disc-shaped member conveying path that conveys the disc-shaped member in an inclined posture and releasing the support of the upper end side of the disc-shaped member by the guide rail, the disc-shaped member is moved to one side of the guide rail. It may be configured so as to fall toward the outside of the disc-shaped member conveying path by its own weight so as to fall inward. The endless rotating body, which has a protrusion that locks to the rear end surface of the disc-shaped body, and the guide rail cooperate to support the disc-shaped body in a horizontal position or in an upright position so that it does not drop by its own weight and endless rotation. The disc-shaped body may be configured to form a disc-shaped body conveying path in which the disc-shaped body is locked by the protrusions by the drive rotation of the moving body and is conveyed along the guide rail. The release mechanism capable of releasing the support of the disk-shaped body by the guide rail is not limited to the one that opens the disk-shaped body supporting surface of the guide rail, and for example, the retractable member that moves in and out of the disk-shaped body transport path. May be provided so that the disc-shaped body collides with the retractable member to disengage from the disc-shaped body supporting surface of the guide rail, and the support of the disc-shaped body by the guide rail is released. The endless rotating body that supports the disc-shaped body so that it can drop by its own weight is
The flat belt shown in the first embodiment and the endless rotating belt having a mushroom-shaped cross section shown in the second embodiment are not limited, and the disc-shaped body is supported by its own weight so that it can be conveyed by cooperation with the guide rail. A round belt, a chain, or the like may be used as long as it can be configured. The disc-shaped body is not limited to a game medal, and may be a coin or the like. The disc-shaped body supply device according to the present invention may supply coins for change or game medals to each game island as needed in a game facility provided with a plurality of game islands. In the first embodiment, the cover plate 11 screwed to the guide rail 5 over substantially the entire length of the medal transport path is omitted,
Claw 4 connected to the operation lever 39 of the medal stop unit K
0 is directly locked to the guide rail 5 and the guide rail 5
It is also possible to configure and implement an attachment mechanism that is detachably fitted to. In this case, even if medals are blocked in the medal transport path,
The clogging of medals can be cleared easily.

It should be noted that reference numerals are given in the claims for convenience of comparison with the drawings, but the present invention is not limited to the configurations of the accompanying drawings by the entry.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a partial cross-sectional side view of a main part.

FIG. 2 is a partially cutaway front view of a main part.

FIG. 3 is a sectional view of a main part

FIG. 4 is a partial cross-sectional side view of a main part.

FIG. 5 is a partial cross-sectional side view of a main part.

FIG. 6 is a plan view of the main part

FIG. 7 is a partial cross-sectional rear view of the main part.

FIG. 8 is a partial cross-sectional side view of the main part.

FIG. 9 is a front view of the main part with some parts omitted.

FIG. 10 is a front view of the entire apparatus.

FIG. 11 is a partial cross-sectional side view of the main part showing another embodiment.

[Explanation of symbols]

 4 Endless Rotating Body 5 Guide Rail 5a Discoid Body Supporting Surface 28 Opening / Closing Member 30 Release Mechanism M Discoid Body

─────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continuation of the front page (51) Int.Cl. ⁵ Identification number Office reference number FI technical display location B65G 47/28 M 8819-3F 47/38 8010-3F

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. A disc provided with an endless rotating body (4) for imparting a conveying force to the disc-shaped body (M) and a guide rail (5) for guiding the conveying direction of the disc-shaped body (M). A disc-shaped body (M) supported by the endless rotating body (4) and the guide rail (5) in a state where the disc-shaped body conveying path is configured and which does not fall by its own weight is the endless rotating body (4). Can be conveyed along the guide rail (5) by driving and rotating, and the support of the disc-shaped body (M) by the guide rail (5) can be released at an intermediate position of the disc-shaped body conveyance path. A disc-shaped body supplying device provided with a release mechanism (30), and the disc-shaped body (M) is dropped by its own weight to the outside of the disc-shaped body conveying path by the release operation of the release mechanism (30). 2. A disk-shaped body (M) is supported on one side by the endless rotating body (4), and a lower end edge of the disk-shaped body (M) is supported by the guide rail (5). And the disc-shaped body (M) is conveyed in a posture inclining in a direction intersecting the conveying direction, and the release mechanism (30) is moved by the guide rail (5).
Opening / closing member (28) for opening / closing the disc-shaped body supporting surface (5a)
The disc-shaped body supply device according to claim 1, wherein the disc-shaped body supply device is provided with.