US2147954A - Coin delivery apparatus - Google Patents

Description

Feb. 21, 1939. H. KOZEL ET AL COIN DELIVERY APPARATUS Filed July 12, 1935 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 95 192 lll l 6 a 6 w m 1 0 j a 2 M a w w @1 1 Feb. 21, 1939. H. KOZEL ET AL 2,147,954

COIN DELIVERY APPARATUS Filed July 12, 1935 I Sheets-Sheet 2 1J8 fivezazargv J26 flair; i ozel Patented Feb. 21, 1939 PATENT OFFICE COIN DELIVERY APPARATUS Harry Kozel, Claude Hutchinson,

and George Baca, Chicago, Ill., assignors, by mesne assignments, to James E. Johnson,

Chicago, 111.

Application July 12, 1935, Serial No. 30,982

13 Claims.

Our invention relates generally to coin delivery apparatus, and more particularly to an improved coin ejecting mechanism whereby a selected number of coins may be delivered upon operation of the apparatus.

A further object is to provide an improved electrically controlled coin delivery apparatus wherein by closing a selected one of a plurality of circuits, a predetermined number of coins may be ejected.

A further object is to provide an improved coin delivery apparatus which may be remotely controlled.

A further object is to provide an improved coin delivery apparatus which is electrically controlled and which may be utilized as a unit in any kind of a machine which is to be used for the delivery of coins, tokens, or similar articles.

Other objects will appear from the following description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings in which:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a machine incorporating our invention;

Fig. 2 is a plan view thereof, portions of the casing being broken away to reveal the working parts of the apparatus;

Fig. 3 is a vertical sectional view taken on the line 3-3 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a horizontal sectional view taken on the line 4-4 of Fig. 5;

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view taken on the line 5-5 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary sectional view taken on the line 6-6 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 7 is an elevational view of the solenoid control switch taken on the line of Fig. 2;

Fig. 8 is a plan view of a modified form of contactor;

Fig. 9is a vertical sectional view taken on the line 9-9 of Fig. 8;

Fig. 10 is a fragmentary sectional view of a modified form of contact restoring mechanism;

Fig. 11 is a fragmentary sectional view taken on the line lI-ll of Fig. 2; and

Fig. 12 is a wiring diagram of the machine.

Fig. 1 shows generally the construction and arrangement of one embodiment of our invention, in this instance comprising a casing l4 having a coin stacking tube l6 projecting upwardly therefrom, a coin delivery tray l8 projecting from the rear wall thereof, and a plurality of depressible keys 2!] for controlling the operation of the machine. Briefiy, by depressing any one of the keys a number of coins, depending upon the particular key depressed, will be ejected from the machine and collect in the tray i 8.

As best shown in Figs. 2 and 3, the coin tube I6 is held in a casting 22 which is secured to the base plate 24 of the machine by screws 26. A 5 coin slide 28 is mounted for rectilinear sliding movement on the base plate 24, the slide being guided by bosses 36 formed on the base plate 24 and by washers 32 which are secured to the bosses nearest the front of the machine by 10 screws 34. The coin slide 28 has an opening 36 formed therein which is of slightly larger diameter than that of the coins to be delivered. The coin slide is normally in the position in which it is shown in Fig. 5, with its opening 36 15 beneath an opening 38 formed in the casting 22, in which position one of the coins 40 will lie in the opening 36 in position to be withdrawn from the stack and dropped into a delivery chute 42 from which it slides into the delivery receptacle 20 I8. The edge of the coin slide adjacent the rearward edge of the opening 36 is preferably chamfered as indicated at 44 so that if the coins are worn slightly, the chamfered surface 44 of the coin slide will cam the second coin of the 26 stack upwardly and thus but a single coin will be ejected.

The coin slide 28 is operated by means of a solenoid comprising a coil 46 and a plunger 48. The plunger has an eye 50 secured to the outer 80 end thereof, the eye fitting over a stud 52 which is threaded in the coin slide 26 and locked thereto by a jamb nut 54. The coin slide is normally held in the position in which it is shown in Fig. 5 by a relatively strong tension coil spring 56, one 35 end of which is secured to the pin 52 and the other end of which is anchored in a boss 56 which forms part of the casting 22.

Rigidly secured'to the slide 28 is a U-shaped bracket 60 having upwardly extending arms 62 40 and 64 for actuation of a solenoid control switch 65. This switch comprises an arm 66 pivoted to a switch supporting plate 68 by means of a shouldered bolt 10, the arm 66 having a sidewardly extending pin 12 secured thereto. The arm also 46 has a depending finger 14 projecting from the lower end thereof, this finger being adapted to fit freely in a slot 16 formed in an actuating member 18 which is pivoted on a stud carried by an insulating housing 82. Also freely pivoted upon 40 the stud 80 is a switch contact member 64 which, in the position in which it is shown in Fig. 7, is in closed position, the end of the contact member being in engagement with the head of a stationary contact pin or rivet 66. A grasshopper spring 86 I! has one end secured to the contact member 84 and its other end secured in the actuating member I8.

The spring 88 constitutes a snap-over mechanism so that when the actuator '76 is swung clockwise to its extreme position, the contact member 64 will be snapped counterclockwise, and similarly when the contact member I8 is swung counterclockwise to the extreme position in which it is shown in Fig. 'I, the contact member 84 will be snapped clockwise just prior to the completion of the movement of the actuating member I8.

Thus, upon movement of the coin slide 28 to the right, (Figs. 4 and 5) the arm 62 will strike the pin I2 and through the finger I4 swing the actuator I8 clockwise, whereupon the contact member will swing counterclockwise, opening the circuit, whereas upon the return movement of the coin slide (to the left Figs. 4 and 5) the arm 64 will strike the pin 72 and, as previously described,

swing the contact member 84 clockwise to close the circuit. The switch mechanism is connected shaft I06 by means of a cotter pin I20,

spring H8 normally tends to rotate the ratchet in circuit with the solenoid coil 46, as will be more fully described hereinafter with reference to the circuit diagram of Fig. 12.

The coin slide carries a pawl 90 pivoted on a shouldered screw 92 and held in the position shown in Fig. 4 by a tension coil spring 94, one end of which is secured to a pin 96 on the pawl, and the other end of which is secured to a pin 98 riveted in the slide .28. The spring 94 normally holds the pawl in contact with the pin 98. When the slide 28 is moved to its rightmost position, upon energization of the solenoid 46, the tooth I 08 of the pawl 90 will engage one of of a ratchet wheel I04. 7

The ratchet wheel I06 is secured to a shaft I06 by means of a collar I08 pressed over the reduced end portion IIO of the shaft, the end portion I I0 being journaled in the base plate 24 at its lower end and being supported by a contact carrying plate I I2 at its upper end.

The shaft I06 is secured in place by a screw H4 threaded in the reduced diameter end portion H6 of the shaft I06. A torsion spring H8 is wound about the shaft I06; having one end suitably anchored in the insulating contact carrying plate H2 and its other end secured to the The wheel I04 clockwise, such movement being arrested by the engagement of a pin I22 projecting upwardly from the ratchet wheel I04 with a lug I24 formed on the casting 22. The contact carrying plate H2 is carried by a pair of posts I26 formed integrally with the base plate 24, the plate being secured to said posts by screws I28.

A dog I30 is mounted for free pivotal movement upon a shouldered screw I32 which is threaded in the base plate 24, the dog having a tooth I 34 normally held in engagement with the ratchet wheel I04 by a tension spring I36 anchored at I38 to the base plate 24. A releasing link I40 is guided for sliding movement on a shouldered screw I42 threaded into a lug I44 formed integrally with the base 24. It will be seen that leftward movement of the link I40 (Fig. 4) will cause itsend to engage the rearwardly projecting portion of the dog I30 and swing the latter clockwise to remove the tooth I 34 of the dog from engagement with the teeth I02, of the ratchet wheel. One of the teeth of the ratchet wheel is missing as indicated at I45, so that the electromagnet will be inefiective to advance the ratchet wheel further when blank the teeth I02 I number of coins.

portion I45 arrives at the tooth I84 of the dog The contact carrying member II2 has a plurality of contact points I 46 riveted thereto in a circumferential row. A contact member I48 is non-rotatably secured to the shaft I06 by the screw I I4 and normally lies in the position shown in Fig. 2. The contact member I48 has a plurality of spring-fingers. I50 which are adapted to make contact with the contact points I46. The contact member is suitably grounded to the frame of the machine by a flexible wire I52 the ends of which are soldered to washers I54 and I56 which are secured to the contact member and frame by screws I I4 and I28 respectively.

Suitably mounted in the front part of the casing I4 are a plurality of key stems I58 each having a key button 20 secured at the upper end thereof. Each of the keys is normally held in its uppermost position by a compression coil spring I60 positioned between the key button and the top of the casing I4. Each of the key stems has a camming lug I62 projecting from the edge thereof, the lug I62 being adapted to engage the edge of a slot I64 formed in a locking plate I66. The locking plate is guided for longitudinal sliding movement bya pair of shouldered screws I66 and H0 (Figs. 2 and 11) which project through elongated slots III and I72 respectively formed in the locking plate I66. The locking plate is normally held in its leftmost position by a tension coil spring II I, one end of which is secured to the pin I68 and the other end of which is secured to a pin I16 riveted to the locking plate I66. Beneath each of the key stems I58 is located a pair of contacts I78 which are suitably insulated from one another and adapted to be closed by the depression of the associated key.

A bell crank I80 is pivoted to the base plate 24 by a shouldered screw I 82, the shorter arm I84 of the bell crank being pivotally secured to the locking plate I66 at I86. The longer arm I88 of the bell crank is pivotally connected to the link I40, which, as previously described, is adapted to move the dog I 30 to release the ratchet wheel I04. A key button I90 is provided for restoring the mechanism to normal position when it is desired to do so without delivering any coins or when it is desired to repeatedly deliver the same The ,key stem for this key is identica' with'the key stem for the key buttons 20 except that it is slightly longer so as to bring the key I90 above the plane of the remaining keys. In the embodiment shown the key stem I90 will not be provided with contacts I18. Depression of the key I90 will merely move the locking slide and through the bell crank lever I80 and link I40 releasethe dog I30 from its engagement with the ratchet wheel I 04.

The operation of the apparatus will nowbe described in connection with a description of the wiring diagram of Fig. 12. Upon depression of any one of the keys 20 the contacts I16 associated with that key will close a circuit commencing at one terminal of a battery I92 through a bus wire I94, contacts I'I8 through a conductor I96 associated with the closed contacts I18, to one of the contact points I 46 carried by the plate I I2. Since in normal position the conductor I48 will be in the position shown in Fig. 2, the latter will initially be in contact with all of the contact points I46 and current will flow through the wire I52 through solenoid controlling switch contacts 84, B6 to the coil 46 of the solenoid.

When the latter is energized it will pull the coin slide 28 (to the left, Figs. 2, 8, and 12, or to the right Figs. 4 and 5) and eject a coin. As the plunger 48 reaches its innermost position the arm 62 will engage the pin -I2 causing the switch contacts 84, 86 to separate, and opening the circuit to the solenoid. As soon, however, as this contact is open, the spring 66 will be efl'ective to return the coin slide to normal position and during this return stroke the pawltooth I of the pawl90 will engage one of the ratchet teeth I02 and rotate the ratchet wheel and hence the contact member I48 through an angle represented by the pitch of the teeth on the ratchet wheel.

The dog I30 will maintain the ratchet wheel in the position to which it is rotated by the pawl 80. If the key button 1 is the key which has been depressed, the machine will thereupon stop iunctioning, since the ratchet wheel and contact member I48 will have rotated sumciently to move the contactor from the contact point I46 connected to the 1 key. If, however, the "2 key is the key which has been depressed, the wire I52 will still be alive after the first cycle of operation just described, and upon the end of the return movement of the coin slide 28 the arm 64 will engage the pin I2 and close the switch contacts 84, 86, thereby re-energizing the electromagnet 46 and causing a repetition of the reciprocating cycle of the coin slot 28 with resultant ejection of an .additional coin.

Similarly, when the keys numbered 3, "4, 5, '6, 7, and 15 are energized, the coin slide will be reciprocated until the contactor I48 has been rotated beyond the last contact member I46 which is connected to the battery I92. In other words, as soon as the contactor I48 is no longer in contact with a live contact point I46, the machine will cease operation.

Upon the initial portion of the downward movement of each of the key stems I58, the camshaped lug I62 thereof will move the locking plate I66 to the right (Fig. 11) and thereby swing the bell crank lever I80 counterclockwise and thus release the dog I30 from engagement with the ratchet wheel. When thus released the ratchet wheel together with the contact member will rapidly snap back to their normal positions under the influence of the torsion spring II8 so that by the time the contacts I18 have been closed and the solenoid plunger pulled to its innermost position, the ratchet wheel will have been restored to its normal position in condition for operation upon the return stroke of the plunger and coin slide.

In some instances it may be desirable to locate e keyboard at a distance from the coin delivery mechanism and when the apparatus is desired to be used in this manner we provide an electromagnet for operating the dog I30 as illustrated diagrammatically in Fig. 10, wherein the key looking plate I66 is provided with an insulated pin I98. As the locking plate I66 is moved to the right (Fig. 11) upon the depression of one of the keys, the pin I98 will close a pair of contacts 200 and thus complete a circuit through wires 202 from a battery to an electromagnet 204. The armature of the electromagnet is adapted, when the latter is energized, to engage the dog I30 and move it to disengaging position. The armature of the electromagnet 204 is preferably connected with a dash pot 206 which will delay the return of the dog I30 to ratchet wheel engaging position when the electromagnet is de-energized. This delay will be in the order of a fraction of a second, and is provided merely to give assurlimited to ance that the ratchet wheel I04 will have time to return to normal position without danger of interference by the dog I30.

In Figs. 8 and 9 we have illustrated a modified form of contactor in which a disc 208 of insu-' lating material is rigidly secured to ratchet wheel shaft I06 and is recessed to receive a segmental contact member 2I0 which has a depending flange 2I2. An annular contactcarrying member 2I4 is secured to upright posts I26 and has a plurality of radially drilled holes to receive conducting iivets 2I6, the latter each carrying a brush 2I8. vThe brushes 2I8 are adapted to contact with the downwardly projecting flange 2| 2 of the segmental contact member 2I0. The contact member 2I0 is grounded by a bearing bracket 220 which is secured to the posts I26 by screws I 28. A disc-shaped spring washer 222 is interposed between the bearing bracket 220 and the contact member 2I0 to assure a good electrical contact between these two parts.

The contact mechanism shown in Figs. 8 and 9 will be effective to make and break the circuits in a manner similar to that in which the contact member I48 operates, and detailed description of this operation is therefore believed to be unnecessary.

While we have shown and described preferred embodiments of our invention, many modifications may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention and we do not wish to be the precise details set forth, but desire to avail ourselves of all changes within the scope of the appended claims.

What we claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is:

1. A coin delivery mechanism comprising a coin magazine, a slide reciprocable beneath said magazine and engageable with one only of the coins therein to remove it from the magazine, a solenoid for moving said slide in one direction, a spring for moving said slide in the opposite direction, a source of electrical energy for energizing said solenoid, a slide for controlling the connection of said solenoid with said source, a contact-making member connected in series with said switch, a plurality of contact points engageable by said contact member, means for moving said contacting member step by step so as successively to break contact with said contact points, and means for connecting a selected one of said contact points with said source.

2. A coin delivery mechanism comprising a coin magazine, a slide reciprocable beneath said magazine and engageable with one only of the coins therein to remove it from the magazine, a solenoid for moving said slide in one direction, a spring for moving said slide in the opposite direction, a source of electrical energy for energizing said solenoid; a switch actuated by said slide for controlling the connection of said solenoid with said source, a contactor connected in series with said switch, a plurality of contact points engageable by said contact member, means including said solenoid and a pawl and ratchet mechanism for moving said contacting member step by step so as successively to break contact with said contact points, and parallel circuits for connecting a selected one of said contact points with said source.

3. In a coin delivery apparatus, the combination with coin ejecting mechanism, a solenoid for actuating said mechanism, and means for energizing said solenoid for a predetermined number switch actuated by said of cycles of operation, said means comprising a plurality of normally open, parallel circuits connected to said solenoid, switch means in each said circuit for closing the same at a normal open portion thereof, and means operated by said solenoid to successively open normally closed portions of said circuits when said circuit is closed.

4. In a coin delivery apparatus, the combination with coin ejecting mechanism, a solenoid for actuating said mechanism, and means for energizing said solenoid for a predetermined number of cycles of operation, said means comprising a plurality of alternately effective parallel circuits for supplying electrical energy to said solenoid, a commutator normally connecting said circuits in parallel, and means operated by said solenoid to move said commutator successively to disconnect said solenoid from said circuits.

5. In a coin delivery mechanism, the combination of a coin magazine, a slide having a coin receiving aperture therein and reciprocable beneath said magazine, a coin receiving chute beneath said slide and laterally spaced from said magazine, an electromagnetic motor for reciprocating said slide to bring the aperture therein alternately beneath said magazine and above said chute, a plurality of electrical circuits, a contactor normally connecting said circuits in parallel to supply current to said motor, a pawl and ratchet mechanism, means actuated by said motor for operating said pawl and ratchet mechanism to move said contactor successively to open said parallel circuits, a normally open switch in each of said parallel circuits, a plurality of depressible keys for operating said switches, means for latching said keys in depressed position, and means operable upon depression of any one of said keys to move said latching means to key releasing position.

6. In a coin delivery mechanism, the combination of a coin magazine, and means for successively ejecting coins from said magazine, said means comprising a coin slide, a solenoid having a plunger connected to said coin slide,.a source of electrical energy, in electrical circuit for supplying electrical energy to said. solenoid, a normally closed multi-contact switch in said circuit, said switch having a plurality of efiectively open positions toward which it is actuatable with a step by step movement, a quick snap-over switch in said circuit, means connected to the plunger of said solenoid for actuating said snap-over switch to open said circuit when the solenoid is energized and thereafter to close said switch, means actuated by said solenoid for actuating said multi-contact switch towards its open position each time said snap-over switch is opened, and selectively operable switch means in said circuit operable independently of said solenoid for selecting the open position at which said multi-contact switch will be effective whereby to predetermine the number of operating cycles of said solenoid.

7. In a coin delivery mechanism, the combination of a coin magazine, and means for successively ejecting coins from said magazine, said means comprisinga coin ejecting slide, a solenoid having a plunger connected to said coil slide, a source of electrical energy, an electrical circuit for supplying electrical energy to said solenoid, a quick snap-over switch in said circuit, means connected to the plunger of said solenoid for actuating said switch, a second switch in said circuit operable independently of said solenoid, a third switch in said circuit, and means for automatically opening said third switch after a. predetermined number of ejecting operations of said coin ejecting slide.

8. In a coin delivery mechanism, the combination of a coin magazine, a slide having a coin receiving aperture therein and reciprocable beneath said magazine, a coin receiving chute beneath said slide and laterally spaced from said magazine, an electromagnetic motor for reciprocating said slide to bring the aperture therein alternately beneath said magazine and above said chute, a-plurality of electrical circuits, a contactor normally connecting said circuits in parallel to supply current to said motor, a pawl and ratchet mechanism, and means actuated by said motor for operating said mechanism to move said contactor successively to open said parallel circuits.

9. In a coin delivery mechanism, the combination of a coin magazine, a slide having a coin re- .ceiving aperture therein and reciprocable beneath said magazine, a coin receiving chute beneath said slide and laterally spaced from said magazine, an electromagnetic motor means for reciprocating said slide to bring the aperture therein alternately beneath said magazine and above said chute, a plurality of electrical circuits, a contactor normally connecting said circuits in parallel to supply current to said motor, a pawl and ratchet.mechanism, means actuated by said motor for operating said mechanism to move said contactor successively to open said parallel circuits, a normally open switch in each of said parallel circuits, and means to closea selected one of said switches. g

10. Control mechanism for-a check dispenser having a movable check ejector slideand a plurality of switches, said switches having a difierent signification, said mechanism including a solenoid for operating said slide; and means for energizing said solenoid a determined number of times by operation of one of said switches said means including a switching device having a movable and a fixed contacting member normally in engagement to close a control circuit through said selected switch and said solenoid when said switch is closed,- said movable contact member being arranged to traverse said fixed member from normal position to energize and de-energize said solenoid in accordance with the significance of said operated switch.

11. Control mechanism for a check dispenser having a movable coin or check ejector and a plurality of operable switches, said mechanism comprising: a solenoid having a movable mechanism driven thereby and driving connections with a said ejector; and means for energizing said solenoid a determined number of timesby operation of one oi said switches and including a switching device having a movable contacting member and a fixed contact member normally in circuit closing contact therewith to close a circuit through a said switch and said solenoid when said switch is operated, said movable contacting member being movable in steps by said movable mechanism to disengage said fixed contact member and open the said circuit through the solenoid, and means including alswitching device in circuit with said solenoid and the aforesaid movable and fixed contact members, and operable by said movable mechanism for intermittently interrupting the -aforesaid circuit through said solenoid so long assaid fixed and movable contact members are in circuit closing relation.

12. Control apparatus for a coin dispensing mechanism, comprising a plurality of electrical contact pairs, reciprocable members respectively associated with said contact pairs for operating the same, a coin magazine having associated therewith a member for ejecting coins therefrom, and means including a solenoid and a commutator in'circuit with the said contact pairs for causing the ejecting member to operate a number of times depending upon the contact pair operated by the associated reciprocable member.

13. A coin dispenser comprising a coin magazine, a reciprocable slide associated with an end of the magazine to eject coins therefrom, a solenoid having a connection with the slide to actuate the same, a commutator including arcuately ar ranged stationary contact members and a rotatable contacting member engageable'therewith, a spring, and a ratchet, a pawl on the slide to engage the ratchet for rotating said contacting member one step for a stroke of the slide thereby placing said spring under tension, a manually operable means for disengaging the pawl from the ratchet whereby the spring will return said contacting member to an initial starting position, said contact members and contacting member being associated in circuits to cause and to stop the operation of said solenoid after a predetermined number of operations of said slide.

HARRY KOZEL. CLAUDE HUTCHINSON. GEORGE BACA.

Images