US1341749A - Coin-dispensing device - Google Patents

Description

,0. JAEGER.

O'OIN DISPENSING DEVICE.

APPLICATION FILED DEC-20. 1917.

Patented June 1, 1920.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

0. IAEGER.

COIN DISPENSING DEVICE. AIPPLIICATION FILED DEC.20, 1917.

Patented June 1, 1920.

2 SHEETSSHEET 2.

aifiorney;

Int/enfor- OTTO JAEGER, OF ELKINS PARK, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR TO HARRY BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS. i

Specification of Letters Patent.

s. KELSEY, or

Patented June 1, 19 20.

Application filed December ZO, 1917. 7 Serial No. 208,034.

To all whom it may concern.

Be it known that I, Orro JAEGER, a c1t1- Zen of the United States, and a resident of Elkins Park, county of Montgomery, and

State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Goin- Dispensing Devices, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact disclosure, reference being had to. the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification.

My invention relates to improvements in devices for receiving and dispensing coins and the like.

My invention has for its objects to improve the construction and enlarge the functions of a'coin-controlled'dispensing device, wherein is comprised the usual gravity chute, by the provision of certain elements in a novel combinationand relation wherein the coin in its gravity passage will first operatively contact with a pivoted arm, spring-actuated in one direction and normally interposed in the chute passage and which is adapted to be moved out of such normal position by gravity pressure of the coin, and by such coin-contact and its return to normal position opens and closes, respectively, an electric circuit actuating a signal light, the said pivoted member, by the same movement out of normal position, operating also to release the coin and deliver it to a second pivoted member also normally interposed in the chute passage and operating to receive the coin and arrest the further and final discharge thereof" through the chute, such second member being operable manually for the performance of that function; and my invention consists of the combination of said elements in the recited relation and having the mode of operation stated and performing the functions stated; also in the combination therewith of a second coin-receiver, the onlynovel feature 1n which aside from the SPGClfiC' means to discharge the coins therefrom, resides in the combination with the first mentioned coin-controlled device, by means of the connecting manually operable discharging member thereof, which is so combined with both receivers as to be structurally common to both whereby it performs the" function of discharging coins from both devices simultaneously; also in the combination with the firststated mechanisms, of an electric circuit, a' signal light operated porarily held by the arresting-device stated,

until dischargedby the manually actuated mechanism common to both receivers which operates to:simultaneously.discharge a con-a responding check or token'from the second receiverv to the customer for use in obtainingthe article desired, at the valuation of the coin or coins deposited-by him.

lVith the above and related objects in view, my inventeddeviceconsists of the elements and the combinations of them herein after described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings, illustrate ing my invention: 7 V p Figure 1 is a side view, partly in section, of a coin dispensing device embodying my. invention.

Fig. 2'is aihorizontal section thereof, on line 2-2 of Fig. 1. I V

Fig. 3 is a vertical section, on line 3-3 of Fig. 4 is a rear view of the device.

Fig. 5 is a sectional detail of one of the coin receivers and adjuncts, including the electric circuit and si nal shown diagram Inatically. l

Referring to the drawings, ldesignates a supporting frame or casing which may be of any shape and size for its intended purpose.

The frame 4 includes a front wall 5 and a rear Wall 6, and, extending "between these walls, is the upper inclined portion 7 of a coin receiver 8 which penetrates the rear wall'6 andterminates in a vertical portion Qwhich extends downwardly from the lower end of the inclined portion 7, as clearly shown in Fig. 1. The lower end of the vertical portion 9 discharges into a boX or receptacle 10 for the coins dispensed from the receiver 8. The upper end of the inclined portion .7 communicates with a slot 11 formed in the front wall 5 and through which coins may be inserted into the top of the receiver 8. One side wall of the receiver 8 has a longitudinal slot or opening 12 therein through which the coins within the receiver may be seen; and the construction 7 of the receiver 8, in cross section, is such that the coins passing therethrough cannot be removed therefrom, to insure their passage through the receiver and into the box 10.

Pivoted, at 13, on a projection on the receiver 8 is a vertically extending lever mem ber 14 having a projection 15 on its lower end which enters the lower portion of the vertical part 9 of the receiver 8 through an opening in the side wall thereof. Vhen the member 14 is in the normal position shown in Fig. 1, the projection 15 is adapted to support a coin or coins within the receiver 8 and prevent their descent therethrough and discharge into the box 10. lVhen the upper end of the member 14 is moved toward the frame 4, the projection 15 is withdrawn from its coin supporting position in the reciver 8 to permit the coin or coins supported thereby to descend. The member 14 is provided with a spring 16 which bears against the receiver 8 and holds the member 14 normally in the position shown in Fig. 1 and against the action of which the member 14 may be moved by hand, to the position shown by dot-and-dash lines in Fig. 5, to discharge the coins supported thereby. After the member 14 has been thus moved to discharge the coins, and the hand pressure is removed from-the member, the spring 16 will automatically return the member 14 to the normal or coin supporting position. The upper arm of the member 14 is provided with a suitable handle or button 17 for engagement by the handwhen operated.

Pivoted on a pin 18 on a bracket 19 on the frame wall 6 is a spring part 20 which is formed of wire and coiled around the pin 18,

as clearly shown in Fig. 3. One end of the coiled portion of the part 20 terminates in an upwardly extending arm 21, and the other end of the coiled portion terminates in a downwardly extending arm 22. The arm 22 is shaped as shown in Figs. 1 and 5, and it extends normally through openings in the frame wall 6 and the adjacent wall of the receiver 8 and into the coin path in the receiver just above the projection 15 on the member 14, as shown by full lines in Fig. 5, for a purpose presently explained. The arm 21 of the member 20 carries a block of insulating material 23 having a contact plate or member 24 secured to one side thereof. The edge of the plate 24 is adapted to make electrical contact with a part or member 25 which is connected to one terminal of an electrical signaling device 26 supported on the wall 6. When the part 20 is in the normal position, shown by full lines in Fig. 5,

the arm 22 extends into the coin path in the receiver 8, and the plate 24 is out of contact with the member 25. Vhen, however, a coin is inserted into the slot 11 and passes down through the receiver 8 to the projection 15 on the member 14, the coin 27, just before reaching the projection 15, engages the arm 22 and moves it outwardly from the coin path, and thereby moves the plate or member 24 into contact with the member 25. The relation between the contact members 24 and 25 is such that the member 24 will engage the member 25 before the coin acting against the arm 22 reaches the projection 15, and the relation of the arm 22 to the coin path is such that, as the coin completes its descent to the projection 15, the spring part 20 will yield and thereby firmly press the contact plate or member 24 against the contact member 25 and hold it there while the coin 27 rests upon the projection 15.

Soldered or otherwise electrically connected to the contact plate 24 is one end of a helical spring 28, the other end of which is 90 soldered or otherwise electrically connected to a pin 29 which is supported between two insulating plates 30 secured to a bracket 31 on the frame wall 6. The spring 28 holds the part 20 normally in the full line position, shown in Fig. 5; and, when a coin descends to the projection 15, the coin moves the part 20 to the dot-and-dash line position against the action of the spring 28. Vhen, thereafter, the member 14 is operated to re- 10 lease the coin, the coin will descend from the arm 22 and permit the spring 28 to auto matically return the part 20 to the full line or normal position and tlius move the contact member 24 from the member 25.

The signaling device 26, preferably an electric lamp, is included in a normally open electric circuit as shown in Fig. 5, as follows: One terminal'of the lamp 26 is connected to the contact member 25, and the other terminal of the lamp 26 is connected to a wire 32 which leads to an electric battery 33. Leading from the battery 33 is a wire 34 which is connected to the pin 29, thus completing the circuit through the spring 28 and contact plate or member 24, the circuit being normally open between the contact members 24 and 25. It will thus be seen that when a coin descends through the receiver 8 and rests upon the projection 15, the part 20 will be moved to the dot-anddash line position to complete the circuit and energize the signal 26: and that when the member 14 is operated to release the coin, the spring 28 will return the part 20 to the full line position. and thus open the circuit and deenergize the signal 26. Thus the lighted lamp or signal 26 will indicate the presence of the coin upon the projection 15 1 within the receiver 8.

The upper arm of the member 14 is connected to the rearward end of an ejector 35, the forward portion of which extends through an opening in the frame wall 6 and rests upon the floor 36 of a vertically-arranged coin or check receiver 37 which is secured on the wall 6. Extending from the forward end of the floor 36 to the forward frame wall 5 is a downwardly inclined chute 38. The receiver 37 is adapted to receive and contain a stack of checks or coins 39; and the forward wall of the receiver 37 has a discharge opening 40 therein directly in advance of the ejector plate 35 and through which the lowermost coin 39 may be discharged into the upper portionof the chute 38 when the plate 35 is moved forwardly. The coin, upon being discharged from the receiver 37, passes by gravity down through the chute 38 and out through-a slot 41 in the wall 5 and on to a suitable table 42 supported by the wall 5 and from which the discharged coin may be removed by hand. It will thus be readily understood that each time the member 14 is operated by hand to discharge a coin from the receiver 8, as previously explained, the plate 35 will be operated thereby to discharge a coin from the receiver 37 Mounted on the frame wall 6 is a register ing and counting device 43 having a slotted operating arm 44 through which a screw 45 extends from the end of the upper arm of the member 14, whereby, each time the member 14 is operated to eject coins from the receivers 8 and37, the device 43 will be operated to register the same. Registering devices of the character herein illustrated are common and well known.

My improved dispensing device is particularly adapted for use in connection with what are known as special order machines used in restaurants known as automats; and, when used in this connection, the frame or casing 4 forms part of a partition wall which separates the customer from the machine attendant. The purchaser of the special order inserts one or more nickels or coins of other denominations, the same being the purchase price of the special order, into the slot 11 and into the upper end of the receiver 8. The first inserted coin descends through the receiver and rests upon the projection 15, and the following coins, when more than one is called for, descend through the receiver and rest upon one an other and upon the first coin. As the first coin reaches the projection 15, the coin engages the arm 22 and operates the part 20 against the action of the spring 28 to move the contact member 24 against the contact member 25 and thereby close the normally open electriccircuit and light the signal lamp 26. The lighted lamp indicates to the attendant that the customer has sent in an order by inserting the purchase price thereof into the receiver 8; and the attendant, upon seeing the signal, looks into the receiver 8 to ascertain if the inserted coins are correct; and, upon finding them to be correct, operates the member 14 by hand to discharge the purchase price coins from the projection 15 and to discharge a checkor coin 39 from the receiver 37. The purchase price coins descend into the lock box 10 to be subsequently removed by the proper person in charge, and the check or coin 39 from the receiver 37 descends through the chute 38 to the table 42 and is removed therefrom by the customer. The attendants hand pressure against the member 14 is removed and the springs 16 and 28 return the member 14 and part 20, respectively, tonormal position, thereby opening the electric circuit between the contact members 24 and 25 and leaving the parts in the normal posirestaurants of the automat type, by the attendant placing the special order into a suitable coin or check controlled dispensing device which is afterward opened by the customer with the aid of the coin or check 39 which he received from the table 42.

The lamp 26 not only serves as a signal, as hereinbefore explained, but it also serves to light up the open side of the receiver 8 above the coin supporting projection 15 to enable the attendant to readily see whether or not the proper coin or coins have been placed therein; and to further aid the attendant in readily seeing the coins in the receiver 8, I provide the frame wall 6 with a projecting mirror 50 arranged at the proper angle with relation to the open side of the receiver to enable the attendant to look down into the mirror and see the reflected coins in the receiver 8.

I claim 1. The combination in a coin-controlled dispensing device, comprising a slotted gravity chute, of a manually movable pivoted member and a coin actuated spring member, each having apart entering the slotted chute, one above the other, an electric circuit including a signal operated thereby, means to open and close said circuit, actuated by said spring member when moved from normal position to release and deliver a coin to said manually movable pivoted member, a supplemental coin receiver, means controlling the discharge of coins therefrom, said means being operatively connected to and actuated by said first mentioned manually movable pivoted member whereby corresponding coins or tokens may be discharged from both of said receivers simultaneously.

2. The combination of a supporting frame, a coin receiver comprising a slotted gravity chute, a manually operable pivoted member having a part entering the slotted chute and operating to normally arrest the descent of the coin, and movable on its pivotal bearing to release and discharge the coin, resilient means operating to restore said member to normal position after being moved therefrom and released, a spring member having a movable free end extending into the slotted chute in the path of the coin above said coin-arresting pivoted member and movable from normal position by coin contact, to deliver the coin to said coinarresting pivoted member and to automatically return to normal position'upon the passing of the coin therefrom, a supplemental coin receiver, means controlling the discharge of coins therefrom, and connecting mechanism between said means and said manually operable pivoted member whereby coins or tokens may be discharged from both of said receivers simultaneously.

3. The combination of a supporting frame, a coin receiver comprising a slotted gravity chute, a pivoted member having a part entering the slotted chute and operating to normally arrest the descent of the coin, said member being manually movable on its pivotal bearing to release and discharge the coin, a spring member having a movable free end interposed in the path of the coin above said coin-arresting pivoted member and movable from normal position by coin contact, to deliver the coin to said coin-arresting pivoted member and to automatically return to normal position upon the passing of the coin therefrom, means actuated by said spring member operating to signalize the said movements thereof from and to normal position, and the passing of the coin therefrom to said pivoted member, a supplemental coin re- -ceiver, means controlling the discharge of coins therefrom, and connecting mechanism between said means and said manually operable pivoted member whereby coins or OTTO J AEGER.

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