US2121946A - Coin controlled apparatus - Google Patents

Description

June 28, 1938. .w. A. BOCKISCH COIN CONTROLLED APPARATUS Filed July 11, 1956 lNVf/VTOR WA. Bock/5c B) ){Q with v ATTORA/[X Patented June 28, 1938 ool N CONTROLLED: APPARATUS Walter A. Bo ckisch, Chicago, Ill., assignor to Western Electric Company, Incorporated, New York, N. Y., a corporation of'New york Application July 11, 1936, Serial No, 90,087

. 4 I Glaims.

This invention relates to coincontrolled .apparatus, and more particularly to telephone "coin collectors for use at public pay stations. I

In certain types of telephone coin collectors the usertentatively deposits a coin which is sube sequently collected or refunded by the central officeoperator, depending upon whether or not the desired telephone connection is-obtained. Thus, in the apparatus disclosed in O. F. Fors- 1o berg U. s. Patent 1,043,219, issued November 5,

1912, the depositedcoin is temporarily held upon acoin trap which is supported by a pivoted vane under the control of an electromagnet. If the pivoted vane is moved by theelectromagnet in one direction the deposited coin is collected, while if'it is moved in the opposite direction the coin isrefunded .and'the direction this vane is moved depends upon which direction the currentis made to flowthrough the electromagnet. In apa paratusof this type, deposit-of a coin ortoken is necessary'before the substation cansignalthe central ofiice operator. Usually the connection is made by means of a;trigger mounted in the path of the deposited coin and caused to operate-za line circuit switch when actuated by the passing coin.

An objectgof this invention is to provide improved and simplified apparatus for indicating the deposit of a coin in a coin controlled apparatus. I v

In accordance with: one embodiment of this invention the. coinchute of a telephone coin col- 7 '45 Other objects andadvantages of this invention .willbe apparent from the following detailed description takenin conjunction with the appended drawing, in which- Fig, 1 is a pe rspective view of .a portion of a 50 telephone coin collectorshowing a mechanism for controlling a line circuit responsive to the position of a coin arresting trap in the apparatus, embodying the invention;

Fig. 2 shows a coin trap, coin directing vane 55 and contact springs in their normal positions;

Fig. 3 shows the relative positions of the coin trap, vane, and contact springs after a; coin has been deposited and before it has been released by the electromagnet; j

Fig. 4 shows the position of the apparatusof Fig. 3 after the electromagnet has been operated: to release the deposited coins; l f

, Fig. 5 shows the relative positions of theapparatus during the return stroke of the coin directing vane after the electromagnethas been deenergized to restore the mechanism to normal,

and V Fig. 6 is-a sectional view of the apparatus in Fig. 5 taken along the line 66. f p v In the operation of the telephone coin col- 15 lector described herein a coin deposited by any person wishing to use the equipment traverses a coin chute anddrops into a coin hopper I5, coming to rest ona coin trap lfi extending across the coin passageway. The coin trap, which is 20 provided with a counterweight i1, is pivotally. mounted and while supporting a coin rests against a -roller 18 on a vertical vane mounted on pivots 20' at its lower end.

A coin passage below the trap is divided into 25 two channels; a refund chute leading to an, open- I ing where'coins are accessible from outside the collector housing and a collect chute leading to a cash'compartment within the housing. As explained ,in the 'Forsberg patent, if the vertical 30 vane is moved to close the collect passageway, dropping of the trap will allow the deposited coin to fall inthe refund chute, while if the vane ismoved to close the refund chute dropping of the trap will allow the deposited coin to be 3.5 diverted into the chute leading to the cash compartment. The apparatus so far described is similar to that disclosed in the Forsberg patent; I

. In accordancewith .a feature of this invention a pair of tensioned elongated contact springs 40 2| and 22 are mounted vertically on the rear outside wall of the coin hopper IS. The springs are secured to a bracket arm 23 extending from the hopper housing by means of screws 24 threaded into the bracket arm. The springs are insulated from one another and from the mounting bracket withv suitable insulating material 25., Each spring" member is provided with a terminal 26 and 21 at the mounting endwhich isconnectedtolead wires (not shown) running ,50 to' the central oflice as described in the For'sberg patent. v i

The contact springs extend verticallyv downward and parallel to the hopper wall with their unsupported ends approximately opposite the horizontal position of the coin trap. A cam or lug 28 made of insulating material and having an oval cross-section projects from the edge of the trap opposite the counterweight. A suitable opening is provided in the hopper housing to permit the projecting lug to engage the free ends of the contact springs which are formed to receive the lug between them and hold it frictionally.

The free end portions of the two contact springs are tapered with reference to one another so that the entering lug will spread the springs apart. Immediately above the tapered end portions the springs are shaped to form a pair of parallel adjacent faces 29 and 30. On the inside of each of these faces is a coating or disk 31 of gold, silver, or other metal suitable for electrical contacts, welded or otherwise secured thereto. These contact disks are joined and separated in accordance with the position of the insulated lug projecting from the trap to complete and interrupt the electrical circuit through the contact springs.

In a complete cycle of operation the coin trap assumes four significant positions as shown in Figs. 2, 3, 4, and 5. Normally, it is elevated to its highest position, shown in Fig. 2, and retained there by friction contact between the projecting lug and the line switch contact springs. In this position the lug holds the contact disks apart and the line circuit is consequently open. When a coin 32 is deposited in the instrument the weight of the coin on the trap overcomes this frictional ,resistance and deflects the trap to its second position against the roller on the coin directing vane as shown in Fig. 3. This movement shifts the lug downward suificiently in the tapered spring arms to permit the springs to converge under their contained tension and join the contact disks, thus completing the circuit through the springs and the line running to the central oifice to signal the coin deposit.

t an appropriate time the coin collecting or refunding mechanism is actuated by the central ofiice operator. This is done by rotating the vane on its pivots, as previously described, which causes the trap to drop under the weight of the coin into its third position, shown in Fig. l. A suitable mechanism for actuating the coin directing vane is disclosed in the Forsberg patent and can be connected to the vane by a suitable link 33.

After the coin is released from the trap the vane is returned to a vertical position by the actuating mechanism. During this motion the roller on the Vane and the counterweight on the trap cooperate to raise the trap to a horizontal position. In order to break the signalling circuit through the contact springs it is necessary to elevate the trap to its normal position above the roller. This is accomplished by means of cams 34 hinged to the bottom of the trap and constructed to engage the vane on its return stroke. A detailed description of these cams and their operation is shown in the copending application of L. Landreth, Serial No. 90,085, filed July 11, 19

As shown in Fig. 6 the cam has .a short arm 35 and a relatively long arm 36 joined at approximately When the coin directing vane is retated to release the trap, it engages the long cam arm which is free to swing on its pivot to avoid interference with the vane movement. On the" return stroke of the vane, the long arm is held in its path by the short cam arm which engages the bottom of the trap. This causes the vane to lift the trap to its normal or elevated position and forces the insulated lug between the tapered ends of the contact springs which separates the contact disks on the springs and opens the coin signalling circuit.

The construction described herein provides a simple and effective mechanism for signalling the deposit of a coin and conditioning the apparatus crcuits when a coin is deposited. Operation of the line circuit is directly responsive to the deposit of a coin in the apparatus, thus insuring positive and consistent performance, and the component apparatus required to control the circuit is reduced to a minimum.

Other adaptations of this construction will be apparent and it is to be understood that the invention is limited only by the scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

l. In a coin controlled apparatus, a coin chute, a trap therein adapted to be deflected from its normal position by the weight of a coin deposited thereon, and a common means for holding the trap in its normal position and initiating a signal when a coin is deposited, comprising a pair of tensioned contact springs, and a lug of insulating material projecting from the trap for normally separating the tensioned springs and permitting the springs to engage when the trap is deflected by deposit of the coin,

2. In a coin controlled apparatus, a coin chute, a trap therein adapted to be deflected from its normal position by the weight of a coin deposited thereon, means for holding the trap in its normal position comprising a pair of tensioned springs, and a lug on the trap for projecting between the tensioned springs and seeming the trap in its normal position.

3. In a coin controlled apparatus, a coin chute, a trap in the chute adapted to be deflected by the deposit of a coin thereon, a pivoted vane for normally arresting the deflection of said trap, a coin deposit signal switch having a pair of cooperating contact springs, a projecting lug of insulating material on the trap to normally separate the springs and release the springs when the trap is deflected by deposit of a coin, means for pivoting the vane todrop the trap and collect the deposited coin, and means secured to the trap for engagement with the vane for restoring the trap to its normal position. i

4. In a coin controlled apparatus, a coin chute, a trap in the chute adapted to be deflected a predetermined distance from its normal position by the deposit of a coin thereon, a pivoted vane for normally arresting the deflection of the trap caused by the deposited coin, a coin deposit signal switch, a lug of insulating material projecting from the trap for contacting the switch, means for pivoting the vane to drop the trap and collect the deposited coin, and a hinged cam on the bottom of the trap to engage the vane on its return stroke after the coin is collected for returning the trap to its normal position.

WALTER A. BOCKISCI-I.

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