US2073151A - Coin chute - Google Patents

Description

March 9, 1937. H. HANSEN COIN CHUTE Filed oct. 5, 1935 2 sheets-sheet 1 H. HANSEN GOIN CHUTE Filed oct. 5, 1935 March 9, 1937.

. 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Mar. 9, 1937 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE coIN CHUTE Illinois Application October 5, 1935, Serial No. 43,644

5 Claims.

The present invention relates generally to coin chutes. More particularly the invention relates to that type of coin chute which is designed for use with a coin operated, cabinet encased, game or vending machine, and comprises (1) a vertically extending face place which is adapted to fit against, and be secured to the outer face of, one of the vertical walls of the cabinet of the machine; (2) a horizontally extending guide which is attached to, and projects forwardly and rearwardly from, the central portion of the face plate and has upwardly and inwardly extending guide flanges. at the front portion thereof; (3) an elongated, horizontally extending slide which is mounted slid-ably on the top face of the guide between the flanges, embodies at its outer end an aperture for a coin of xed denomination, and is adapted when a full inward stroke is imparted thereto to move the coin inwardly behind the plate for discharge purposes and to operate the operating mechanism of the game or vending machine; and (4) means for preventing a full inward stroke of the slide when a magnetic disk or slug is used in the coin aperture in the slide, including a. horseshoe magnet which is carried by the reai` portion or end of the guide.

One object of the invention is to provide a coin chute of this type which includes means for receiving coins from the slide during successive inward strokes of the slide and for permittingthe played coins to be observed'through a glass covered hole or opening in the cabinet of the game or vending machine with which the chute is associated and is characterized by the fact that v the magnet which forms a part of the means for preventing a full inward stroke of the slide when a magnetic token or slug is used in the coin aperture instead of a proper coin is disposed beneath the slide and hence does not interfere with a complete and clear view of the played coins on the receiving means.

Another object of the invention is to provide coin chute of the type and character under consideration in which the horseshoe magnet is pivotally supported so that the ends thereof are free to swing upwardly against the bottom of the slide and is associated with and controlsa vdog which when the ends of the magnet are attracted by a magnetic token or slug into engagement with the bottom face of the slide engages a stop on the slide and prevents a full inward movementof the slide.

A further object of the invention is to provide .a coin chutevwhich is extremely ecient in operation, may be produced at a 10W and reason- (Cl. 194-9S) able cost, and is an improvement upon that which forms the subject of an application for United States Letters Patent led by William C. Shinn, November 16, 1934, Serial No. 753,269.

Other objects oi the invention and the various advantages and characteristics of the present coin chute construction will be apparent from a consideration of the following detailed .description,

The invention consists in the several novel features which are hereinafter set forth and are more .particularly defined by claims at the conclusion hereof.

In the drawings which accompany and form a part of this specication or disclosure and in which like numerals of reference denote corresponding parts throughout the several views:

Figure 1 is a plan View of a coin chute embodying the invention;

Figure 2 is a side View showing the manner in which the chute is applied to the cabinet of a gameor vending machine;

Figure 3 is an inverted plan View' of the chute showing the arrangement and manner of holding of the horseshoe magnet and the magnet controlled dog which together constitute the means for preventing a full inward stroke of the slide when a magnetic token or slug is used in the coin aperture in the slide;

Figure 4 is a vertical longitudinal section taken on the line 4-4 of Figure l and illustrating or showing in detail the mounting of the magnet;

Figure 5 is a plan view of the slide;

Figure 6 is a detail, vertical longitudinal sec tional view showing the manner in which the dog which is associated With the magnet coacts with the stop to prevent a full inward stroke of the slide when a magnetic token is used in the coin aperture; and

Figure 7 is a detail sectionalview showing the manner in which the ends of the magnet are drawn upwards into engagement with the bottom vface of the slide as a result of their attraction to a magnetic token or slug in the coin aperture in the slide.

The coin chute which forms the subject matter of the invention is shown in the drawings in connection with the cabinet of a game machine M and comprises a substantially rectangular, vertically extending face plate 8, a guide 9, and a slide I0. The machine M is merely representative of the type of machine with which the coin chute may be employed. As shown in Figure 2 of the drawings, the cabinet lof the machine embodies a front wall m, an inclined playing board Cil m1, and a glass cover m2. The face plate fits against the outer face of the front wall 'm` of the cabinet of the machine and embodies in the central portion thereof a horizontally extending slot .I I. In addition to the slot, the face plate emsists of a hat, rectangular wall I3 and a pair of upwardly and inwardly extending guide flanges I4. The latter extend along and are coextensve with the side margins of the wall I3 and at their inner ends join the face plate. The wall I3 has a finger opening I5 directly in front of the face plate and is arranged so that the top face thereof is flush or coplanar with the bottom of the slot II. The linger opening I5 is circular and is adapted, as hereinafter described, to be used in connection with the removal of a coin from the slide I6.

The rear portion of the guide consists of a top wall I5, a bottom wall I1, and a pair of side walls I8 and extends through a rectangular opening m3 in the front wall m of the cabinet of the machine M. The top wall I6 is joined to the face plate and the bottom face thereof is flush with the top of the slot II. The bottom wall I'I is in effect a continuation of the bottom wall I3 of the front portion of the guide. It is joined or connected to the top wall I6 by the side Walls I8 and is positioned so that the top face thereof is flush with the bottom of the slot II. As shown in the drawings, the top wall I6 of the rear portion of the guide is shorter than the bottom Wall and the inner faces of the side walls I8 are aligned with the ends of the slot I I. The face plate and guide are preferably in the form of a die casting and because they are formed integrally with one another no separate instrumentality such as a bracket is necessary to secure them together.

The slide I0 is formed of sheet metal and fits slidably on the guide. The side edges of the slide t in the guide flanges I 4 so that the slide is confined to longitudinally sliding movement to and from the face plate 8. The central portion of the slide extends through the slot II and fits between the top and bottom walls of the rear portion of the guide. The extreme outer or front end of the slide is shaped and bent upwardly to form a finger-piece I9 whereby the slide may be grasped by the ngers and slid back and forth in connection with the operation or manipulation of the machine M. Directly behind the ngerpiece I9 the slide ID is provided with a circular coin aperture 26 for a coin of fixed or predetermined denomination. This aperture is located so that when the slide is pulled outwardly to its outermost position it overlies and is concentrically arranged with respect to the finger opening I5 in the wall I3 of the front portion of the guide. It is slightly larger than the finger opening so that when a coin of the proper denomination is inserted therein the coin will not drop through the opening I5. When a coin is in the coin aperture 20 and the slide is shifted inwardly the coin is carried over the guide 9 and is discharged, as hereinafter described. The inner or rear end of the slide is adapted to actuate the operating mechanism for the machine after discharge of the coin and as the slide reaches the end of its full inward stroke.

A rectangular plate 2l with a coin track 22 serves as the coin discharging medium for the chute. This plate is preferably in the form of a die casting. It overlies the rear portion of the guide 9 and has legs 23 at the corners thereof. These legs, as shown in the drawings, rest on the side margins of the rear end of the bottom wall I'I of the rear portion of the,` guide and serve to space the plate above the guide. In addition they engage slidably the side edges of the slide I 0 and thus hold the rear end of the slide against transverse or lateral displacement. Screws 24 extend through the bottom wall I'I of the rear portion of the guide and into the legs 23 and operate to secure the plate and guide in xed relation, The track 22 is formed in the top face of the plate 2|, as shown in Figure l. It is inclined upwardly and rearwardly and is adapted to receive a coin in the coin aperture 20 of the slide I0 as the slide is shifted inwardly for machine actuating purposes. The front or receiving end of the track leads down to the top face of the slide and the rear or discharge end of the track is curved to one side of the plate 2|. The track is adapted, as shown in Figure 1, to hold two coins and as shown in Figure 2, is disposed beneath an opening m4 in the playing board m1 of the machine so that the coins therein may be observed by looking downwardly over the top of the machine. fact that the track is visible from the outside of the cabinet of the machine through the opening m4 it may be readily determined whether the machine has been operated by spurious coins. The front central portion of the plate 2I embodies a triangular shaped extension 25. This extension projects through an elongated slot 25 in the slide and fits within a slot 2 in the bottom wall I1 of the rear portion of the guide.

The top face of the extension is coplanar with .i

the track 22 and serves when the slide is shifted inwardly with a coin in the coin aperture 2U to tilt the coin upwardly so that its rear end is properly positioned for entry onto the front or receiving end of the track. During a further inward stroke of the slide the coin is moved onto the track and is forced rearwardly due to the abutting effect of the portion of the slide which forms the front portion of the coin aperture 25J. When the slide reaches the end of its inward stroke the coin is fully disposed on the receiving end of the track, as shown in Figure l. When there are two coins on the track and the slide is shifted inwardly with a third coin in the coin aperture the coins on the track are advanced or shifted rearwards when the third coin passes onto the track. During advancement of the coins on the track the coin on the rear or discharge portion of the track is moved laterally as the result of the shape of the track and is discharged from the plate 2l into a coin receptacle (not shown) in the cabinet of the machine M, as described in the aforesaid patent application of William C. Shinn, Serial N o. 753,269. A leaf spring 28 overlies the front or entrance end of the track and serves to prevent a coin on the track from sliding back into the coin aperture 20 during the retractile stroke of the slide. This spring, as shown in Figure 4, extends lengthwise of the chute and is attached by a screw 29 at its front end to the top wall I6 of the rear portion of the guide. The slot 23, as shown in Figure 5, is disposed in the central portion of the slide and leads from the coin aperture 29 to a point near the rear end of the slide.

By reason of the By reason LTE ell

of the fact that it intersects the coin aperture it operates, when the aperture is moved over.` it, to effect the desired upward tiltingfof a coin in the aperture and to direct the coinontov the entrance end of the track 2.0', as hereinbefore described. The plateA 2 embodies at. its rear end a lug which extends downwards through the slot 26 and coactsvwith the portion of the -slide which defines the rear end of the slot26 `to limit outward movement of the slide.

In order to prevent a full inward strokeof the slide when a magnetic token is usedand thus to prevent operation of the machine M without a prop-er coin, a horseshoe magnet` 3|, anda dog 32 are provided. The magnet 3| is disposed be'- neath, and extends longitudinally of the rear por tion of the guide 9 and is arranged so that the ends thereof projectin thedirection Of the face plate 3 and its curved connecting part is disposed beneath the track equipped plate 2|. A bracket 33 serves to support the magnet so that the ends thereof are free to swing vertically to and from the bottom face of the slide. This bracket is U-shaped and consists of a. horizontally extending connecting piece 34 and a pair of depending legs 35 and 35. Thelatter are preferably formed as integral parts of the connecting piece and have aligned apertures therein througnwhich a rod 3'! projects. As shown in Figure 3, the rod 31 extends horizontally beneath the rear portion of the guide 9 of the chute and is supported at the ends thereof by a pair of downwardly extending apertured lugs 38 on the bottom wall I1 of the rear portion of the guide.A The curved. portion of the magnet fits against the top face ofthe connecting piece 3,4 and is secured to the latter by screws 39 so that it is held inv fixed relation with respect to the bracket. The legs 35 and 36 abut against the inner faces of the lugs 38 and the apertures therein are of suiiicient size or diameter so that the bracket is pivotally supported with respect to the rod 31 and permits of vertical swinging of the ends of the magnet to and from the bottom face-of the slide. A pair of laterally spaced, substantially rectangular cutouts 40 are formed in the centralportion of the bottom wall l1 of the rear portion of the guide and permit the front ends of the magnet to swing up into direct contact or abutting relation with the bottom face of the slide. As shown in Figures 4 and 7 of the drawings, the extreme front ends of the magnet are offset with respect to the intermediate portions of the magnetlegs so that they t flatly against the bottom face of the slide when the magnet, as hereinafter described, is swung upwardly towards. the slide and'is held in abutting relation with respect to the latter as the result of the influence of a magnetic token or slug in the coin aperture 20 in the slide. A coil spring 4| serves normally to hold' the magnet in its lowered position, that is inthe position which it assumes when the ends thereof are out of contact o-r abutting relation with. the bottom face of the slide (see Figure 4) This springv is mounted on the central portion of the rod 31 and one end thereof is extended upwardly and abuts against the bottom face of the bottom wall l1 of the rear portion of the guide. The other end of the spring extends rearwardly and underlies the connecting piece 34 of the bracket 33. The dog 32 extends alongside of one of the legs of the horseshoe'magnet 3| and is formed integrally with, and projects forwardly from, the depending leg 35k of the bracket 33. The front end of the dog is curved upwardly, as shown in Figure 6, and is adapted to: extend through a slot 42 in the bottom wall Il of the rear portion ofthe guide and to project into a slot 43 in the slide when the ends of the magnet are held in contact with the bottom of the. slide as the result of the attraction of the magnet ends for a magnetic token or slug in the coin aperture of the slide. The slot 42 extends lengthwise of the guide and is positioned directly beneathA the rear end of the top wall I6 of the guide. The slot 43 extends lengthwise of the slide and. is located at one side of the coin aperture 20. The portion of the slide which defines the front end of the slot 43 operates as a stop 44. rl.`.'his stop, when. the front end of the dog 32 is disposed in the slot 43 as the result of the at;- tractio-n of the magnet for a magnetic token in the coin aperture of the slide, coacts with the front end of thev dog' to prevent a full inward stroke of the slide (see Figure 6) When a proper coin is used or placed inthe coin aperture and the slide is shifted rearwardly, the dog 32 because the magnethas no attraction for the coin, is disposed outside of the slot 43 and thus does not interfere with, or prevent, a full inward stroke of the slide. The face plate, guide and slide are formed of any suitable non-magnetic metal such, for example, as brass, and hence the magnet only controls or operates the dog to prevent a full inward stroke of the slide when a magnetic slug is used in the4 coin aperture 20.

The depending leg 35 of the bracket 33 is extended rearwards and upwards to form a finger 45. This finger projects beyond the rear end of the bottom wall I1 of the rear end of the guide and is adapted normally to extend within a slot 46 in the slide. This slot, as shown in Figure 5, is positioned alongside of, and extends parallel to the slot 26 and is interrupted in the central portion thereof by means of a bridge 41. This bridge is preferably formed as an integral part of the slidev and coacts with the rear end of the nger to cam the magnet and dog up towards the slide slightly before the coin aperture 23 overlies the cut-outs 40 during inward shift of the slide. positionv with the coin aperture 20 in front of the faceplate 8 the rear end of the nger 45, as shown in Figure 2, is disposed in the rear end of the slot 46. During'rearward or inward movement of the slide the finger 45 is inactive until the coin aperture reaches the cut-outs 40. At this point during inward shift of the slide, the bridge 41 strikes against the rear end of the finger 45 and forces the finger downwards. This in turn causes the magnet together with the dog k to swing upwards against the force of the coil spring 4| and results in the ends of the magnet coming in Contact with the bottom face of the slide and the front end of the dog 3| passing into the-'slot 43 in the slide. When the slide is shifted inwards with a magnetic token or slug in the coin aperture the magnet after being shifted upwards toward the slide as the result of the operation of thebridge 41 and the rear endof the finger 45 remains in its upswung position with the ends v l thereofV in abutment with the bottom `face of the slide as the result of the attraction of the magnet for the slug and the front end of the dog is thus caused to remain within the slot 43 and to abut against the stop 44 and thusfprevent a full stroke of the slide. When the slide is shifted inwards or rearwards with` a coin ofv proper de* nomination in the coin aperture 20 the magnet and dog, slightly prior to the passing of the coin over the. cut-outs. 40, are-swung upwards toward When the slide is in its outermost f the slide as the result of the action of the bridge 47 and the nger 45, and then after passage of the bridge past the rear end of the nger drop or swing downwards as the result of the action of the coil spring 4|. Upon downward swinging of the magnet and the dog, the path of the stop 44 is cleared and the slide can hence be shifted rearwardly to its fullest extent for machine operating purposes. The bridge 41 and inger 45 constitute means for automatically swinging the magnet and dog towards the slide prior to passage of the coin aperture over the cut-outs 45 so as to bring the front ends of the magnet into range of the magnetic token in the event that there is one in the coin aperture and the coil spring 4I constitutes means for swinging the magnet and dog downwards into their operative position so as to permit of a full inward stroke of the slide when a coin of the proper denomination is used in the coin aperture. The spring 4i is not suilciently strong to force the magnet and dog downwards into their inoperative position when a magnetic token is in the coin aperture and disposed over the cut-outs 40. An advantage and characteristic of having the magnet 3| of the dog 32 on the under side of the rear portion of the guide is that they do not interfere with a complete and clear view of the played coins on the track 22 in the plate 2|.

In order to prevent a full inward stroke of the slide IB when there is no coin in the aperture 2?, dogs 48 and 49 are provided. These dogs are pivotally mounted above the slide on a rod 5U and are urged downwards in the direction of the slide by means of a leaf spring 5|. The dog 48 is arranged in longitudinal alignment with the coin aperture 20. When a coin is in the coin aperture and the slide is pushed inwardly in order to actuate the operating mechanism of the machine M the dog 4S rides over the coin and against the top face of the slide. When the coin chute contains no coin and the slide is pushed inwardly the dog 48 enters the aperture as the latter passes thereunder. The dog 49 is rigidly secured to the dog 48 by a cross-piece 52 so that it moves or swings conjointly therewith. The distal end of the dog 49 rides on the top face of the slide and is adapted to enter the slot 43 when the dog 48 enters the coin aperture. This dog is so shaped that when it is disposed in the slot 43 it coacts with the stop 44 and locks or holds the slide against a full inward stroke. By having the dog 49 and also the dog 32 coact with the stop 44 the construction of the coin chute as a whole is simplied. The rod 50 is carried by an upstanding ear 53 which is formed integrally with the rear portion of the guide 9. The dogs 48 and 49 are formed integrally with the cross-piece 52 and project forwardly from the ear '53. The leaf spring 5| is attached to the top wall I6 of the rear portion of the guide by means of a screw 54 and bears against the connecting piece 52.

A tension spring 55 serves to retract the slide after it has been pushed inwards for purposes of operating the machine M. This spring is anchored at one end to a cotter pin 5G which is carried by the rear end of the slide. The other end of the spring is anchored to an arm 51 on the bottom wall l1 of the rear portion of the guide.

The operation of the chute is as follows: When it is desired to play the machine M a coin of proper denomination is inserted in the coin aperture 20 in the front end of the slide l0. Thereafter a full inward stroke is imparted to the slide. During inward movement of the slide the coin rides on the guide until it encounters the extension 25 on the front portion of the plate 2|. At this point the coin is tilted upwardly by said extension into a position wherein the rear end thereof is aligned with the front or receiving end of thetrack 22. As the slide continues to move rearwardly the' coin slides upwards and rearwards onto the track until it is fully disposed on the track and is free with respect to the slide. Prior to passage onto the front end of the track, the coin travels past the cut-outs 40. When, as hereinafter described, an attempt is made to play the machine M by using a magnetic token or slug in the coin aperture 20 and pushing the slide inwardly the magnet controlled dog 32 coacts with the stop 44 to prevent a full inward movement of the slide and thus precludes operation of the operating mechanism of the machine.

The herein described coin chute is extremely efficient in operation and contemplates a full or unimpaired inspection or view of the played coins, While at the same time it includes a magnet and coacting dog for preventing a full inward stroke of the slide when an attempt is made to play the machine by way of a magnetic token.

The invention is not to be understood as restricted to the details set forth, since these may be modied within the scope of the appended claims, without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

Having thus described the invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a coin chute of the character described, the combination of an elongated horizontally eX- tending guide, an elongated horizontally extending slide provided at its front end with a coin aperture and mounted on the guide to slide rearwardly from a coin receiving position to a coin discharging position and then to slide back again, coin receiving and displaying means carried by and disposed over the rear end of the guide, means for discharging a coin in the aperture on to the coin receiving and displaying means when the slide during rearward shift thereof reaches its coin discharging position, and means for preventing the slide from being slid rearwards to its coin discharging position when a magnetic token is used in the aperture, comprising a magnet disposed under the rear end of the guide.

2. In a coin chute of the character described, the combination of an elongated, horizontally extending, guide, a plate disposed over the rear end of the guide and provided with an inclined, coin observing track, an elongated horizontally extending slide provided at its front end with a coin aperture and mounted on the guide to slide rearwardly between the guide and the plate from a coin receiving position to a position wherein the coin laperture therein passes under the plate and then to slide back again, means for directing a coin in the aperture onto the track during rearward shift of the slide with respect to the guide, and means, when a magnetic token is used in the coin aperture, to prevent a full rearward shift of the slide and discharge of the token by said directing means, comprising a magnet disposed under the rear end of the guide.

3. In a coin chute of the character described, the combination of an elongated horizontally extending guide, a plate disposed over the rear end of the guide and provided with an inclined coin observing track, an elongated horizontally extending slide with a coin aperture at its front end thereof, mounted on the guide to slide rearwardly between the guide and plate from a coin receiving position to a position wherein the coin aperture therein passes under the plate and then to slide back again, and having a longitudinal slot forming at one end thereof a stop, means adjacent to the front portion of the plate for directing a coin in the aperture onto the track during rearward shift of the slide with respect to the guide, and means, when a magnetic token is used in the coin aperture, to prevent a full rearward shift of the slide and discharge of the token by said directing means, comprising a horseshoe magnet mounted beneath the rear end of the guide in such manner that the ends thereof are positioned on opposite sides of said directing means, are free to swing to and from the slide and are adapted to be attracted against the slide as the result of the iniiuence of the token, and a dog extending alongside of the magnet and controlled by the latter so that it is moved into abutting relation with the stop upon attraction of the ends of the magnet toward the slide.

4. In a coin chute of the character described, the combination of an elongated horizontally extending guide, an elongated slide with a coin aperture at the front end thereof, mounted on the guide to slide rearwardly from a coin receiving position to a coin discharging position, and having a stop and also having a longitudinally extending slot with a bridge extending across the central portion thereof, means for preventing a full rearward stroke of the slide when a magnetic token is used in the coin aperture, comprising a magnet mounted pivotally to swing to and from the slide and adapted to be attracted towards the slide as the result of the influence of the token, and a dog movable with the magnet and adapted when the magnet is held in attracted relation with the slide as the result of the influence of said token to abut against the stop, and a magnet controlling finger extending through the slot in the slide and arranged to coact with the bridge in such manner that during the intermediate part of the rearward stroke of the slide it operates rst to swing the magnet towards the slide and then to release the magnet so that it is free either to remain in attracted relation with the slide as a result of the influence of a magnetic token in the coin aperture or to move away from the slide in the event that a proper coin is in the aperture.

5. In a coin chute of the character described, the combination of an elongated horizontally extending guide, an elongated horizontally extending slide with a coin aperture in the front end thereof mounted on the guide to slide rearwardly from a coin receiving position to a coin discharging position and back again, and provided with a bridge and a stop in front of the bridge, means for preventing a full rearward stroke of the slide when a magnetic token is used in the coin aperture, comprising a magnet mounted pivotally to swing to and from the slide and adapted to be attracted towards the slide as the result of the iniluence of the token, and a dog extending alongside of, and movable with, the magnet and adapted when the magnet is held in attracted relation with the slide as the result of the influence of said token to be in position for abutment against the stop, and a magnet controlling nger connected to and extending in the opposite direction from the dog and arranged to coact with the bridge in such manner that during the intermediate part of the rearward stroke of the slide it operates rst to swing the magnet towards the slide and then to release the magnet so that itis free either to remain in attracted relation with the slide as a result of the influence of a magnetic'token in the coin aperture or to move away from the slide in the event that a proper coin is in the aperture.

HENRY HANSEN.

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