US2236571A - Coin collector - Google Patents

Description

April 1, 1941. EA. HOYT ETAL 2,236,571

coIN COLLECTOR Filed March 10, 1958 s Sheet-sSheet 1 FIG? RESTOR/NG AME/ ET 44 .l-TAHOVT INVORSOASHANN A T TORNE Y April 1, 1941. F. A. HOYT ETAL COIN COLLECTOR Filed March 10, 1938 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 ATTORNEY April 1, 1941. F. A. HoYT ETAL COIN COLLECTOR Filed March 10, 1938 3 Sheets-Sheet EAHOYT INVQVTORS'QASHANN ATTORNEY Patented Apr. 1, 194 1 com conmcron Frederick A. Hoyt, East Orange, N. .L, and Oscar A. Shaun. Baysid N. Ya, assignors to Bell Telephone" Laboratories, Inco porated, New York,- N. Y., a corporation of NewYol-k Application 1c, 1938, Serial No. 195,024

a Claims. (01. 194-9) This invention relates to coin collectors and particularly to those collectors where the deposit of more than one coin is required for obtaining certain services from the instrument.

As applied to telephone coin collectors, one object of the invention is to provide a collector arranged to require the deposit of twoor more coins of the same or different denomination before the collector may be utilized.

In the usual type of telephone coin collector a deposited nickel passes down a coin chute into a coin hopper where it strikes a coin trigger and temporarily comes to rest upon a coin trap as shown, for example, in the O. F. Forsberg United States Patent 1,043,219. The. actuation of the coin trigger serves to close certaincontacts which for a manual system signal the operator, and which for a machineswitching system prepare apparatus at the central ofllce to permit the dialing of a local call.

In the preferred form of this invention the arrangement is such that a nickel and a penny must be deposited before the operator will be signaled or before a local call may be dialed. Mounted on the coin chute are interlocking latches projecting into the nickel runway and penny runway which will hold either coin in the chute until the other coin has been deposited, whereupon both coins will be released to enter the coin hopper and actuate the'coin trigger to cause the collector to be available for service in the usual manner.- After the initial operation of the interlocking latches means are provided for maintaining the latches in coin freeing position until the application of collect current or refund current to the usual coin relay energizes means for restoring the latches to their normal interlocking condition.

Referring to the drawings-- Fig. 1 is a front view of a telephone coin collector;

Fig. 2 is a circuit schematic of a coin collector substation;

Fig. 3 is a rear view of the upper housing of the coin collector of Fig. 1 showing the various coin runways;

Fig. 4 is a side view of the upper housing of F18. 3;

Fig. 5 shows the interlocking latches of this invention mounted on the coin chute and illustrates their relation to the five-cent runway;

Fig. 6 shows the relation of the interlocking latches to the penny runway;

Fig. 7 is similar to Fig. 5 except that the laterlocking latches are position;

Fig.18 illustrates how the interlocking latches of Fig. 5 may be released by the deposit of two nickels;

Fig. 9 illustrates how the interlocking latches of Fig. 5 may be releasedby the deposit of a dime;

, g. 10 shows howthe interlocking latches of Fig. 5 may be released by the deposit of a quarter; and l Figs. 11, 12 and 13 are sectional views of the coin runways adjacent the coin operated latches.

Referring to Fig. 1 the front view of a telephone coin collector I5 is disclosedha'ving the usual transmitter l6 and calling dial il mounted on the front wall of the upper housing I6 and extending from one side of the upper housing is the usual switchhook I! for receiver 26. Mounted on top of the upper housing is a coin gauge 2| for receiving quarters, dimes and nickels while on the right-hand side of the upper'housing is a separate coin gauge 22 for receiving pennies. Below housing I! is the usual lower housing 26 containing a cash compartment and a refund chute opening.

Referring more particularly to Figs. 3 and 4 it will be seen that the multiple coin chute 23 is, in general, similar to the coin chute disclosed in Forsberg Patent 1,043,219. The coin chute as shown more clearly in Fig. 11 comprises five spaced plates 26, 26, 34, 21 and 66 between which lie the suitably formed coin runways. A coin channel for pennies is provided between rear plate 24 and intermediate plate 26 whereby a penny deposited in gauge 22 follows the path indicated by the dotted arrow designated onecent path, strikes the upper edge of hell 26 (Fig. 3), and after being temporarily restrained by pivoted finger 29 falls into coin hopper 26. A nickel deposited in the nickel opening of gauge 2| follows a coin channel between intermediate plates 26 and 36 indicated by the dotted arrow five-cent path, strikes the upper edge of hell 35 and after being temporarily restrained by a pivoted finger 36 drops into coin hopper 36. A dime deposited in the dime opening of coin gauge 21 follows a coin channel between inter mediate plates 26 and 61 indicated by the dotted arrow designated ten-cent path, strikes both the upper and the lower edges of bell 35 and after actuating a pivoted finger 38 drops into the coin shown in coin releasing a hopper 36. A quarter deposited in the quarter Any coin reaching coin hopper 33' strikes a coin trigger 42, and, in the manner disclosed in the Forsberg patent, establishes a circuit to ground through the, windings of coin relay 43, whereby apparatus at the central office will be suitably conditioned and the deposited money subsequently collected or refunded by the operation of relay 43.

as shown in Fig. 7 to permit the passage of both coins down the chute into the hopper 33.

Before passing out of the coin chute into the hopper 36 one or both of the coins 6|, 63, strike projection 63 and operate the pivoted finger 33 which is pivoted at the point 63. Slot 44 is aligned wtih a slot 34 (Fig. ,3) in the upper walls of the coin hopper to permit the coins to move finger 33 to a coin freeing position. Pivoted finger 33 by means of counterweight 61 is biased to have projection 63 normally lie adjacent the upper end of slot 44 in chute wall 24 as shown in Fig. 5. A wire or rod 63 which is freely slidable through slots in brackets I3 is biased due to The pivoted coin operatedflngers 23, 36 and 33 are shown in various stages of their operation in Figs. 5 to 10, inclusive. It will be noted from Fig. 11 that the penny finger 23 has a projection 46 which extends through slot 41 in chute wall 24 through a slot in chute wall 26 and into a slot in chute wall 34 so that projection 46 normally obstructs the passage of coins in both the penny runway and the nickel runway. It will be noted from Fig. 12 that pivoted finger 36 has a projection 43 passing through slot 46 in chute wall 24 and through a slot in chute wall 26 into a slot in chute wall 34 whereby projection 43 obstructs the nickel channel but passses between walls 24 and 26 at a point not traversed by deposited pennies. As shown in Fig. 13 pivoted finger 36 has a projection 63 which passes through slot 44 in chute wall 24 and through corresponding slots in the remaining chute walls whereby, projection 63 normally occupies a coin obstructing position in all four coin channels.

Referring to Fig. 5 a portion of the coin chute is shown with a portion of the end walls of the nickel runway indicated by dotted lines. The path of a first deposited nickel is shown by dotted line five-cent path, where the nickel 6| drops between partition 62 and end wall 63 and strikes projection 43 of finger 36. Finger 36 is pivoted at the point 64 and is normally biased by counterweight 66 to have projection 43 he adjacent the upper end of slot 43. The force of nickel 5| in striking projection 43 causes finger 36 to move downwardly a short distance until its shoulder 66 strikes extension 61 finger 23 whereupon the nickel coin 6| is held in the runway above projection 43 until the finger 23 has been moved about its pivot 66 to an extent sufficient to free shoulder 66 of extension 61.

If it is assumed that a penny only has been deposited without a nickel, the one-cent path adjacent the pivoted finger 23 is shown in Fig. 6. Finger 23 due to counterweight 63 is biased to have its projection 46 lie adjacent the upper end of slot 41 but when the penny 63 is deposited and strikesprojection 46 of finger 23, finger 23 is moved slightly in a counter-clockwise direction until shoulder 6| on finger 23 strikes shoulder 62 on finger 36, whereby the penny is held in the runway above projection 46 until the nickel finger 36 has been moved counter-clockwise to an extent suflicient to free shoulder 6| of shoulder 62. It will be seen from Fig. that the deposit of a nickel causes finger 36 to move suificiently to free shoulder 6| of shoulder 62 and it will be seen from Fig. 6 that the deposit of a penny is sufilcient to move extension 61 out of the path of shoulder 66. Hence, when both a nickel'anda penny are deposited in their respective runways the interlocking latches 36 and 23 are freed from each other and operate fully gravity to cause its lower end to contact with the side of a cam II on finger 33 when finger 33 is in its normal position as shown in Fig. 5. When finger 33 is moved clockwise by coins 6| and 63 the consequent movement of ,para 1| causes rod 63 to be thrust upwardly until it rests on top of cam 1| as shown inFlg. 7. Finger 33 is temporarily maintained in its operated position of Fig. 7 by means of the armature 33 of an elecrtromagnet 4| the functioning of which will be described later. I

The nickel finger 36 after nickel 6| has passed would tend to return to the coin obstructing position of Fig. 6 due to counterweight 66, but an angular extension 12 of rod 63 in contacting with shoulder 13 on nickel finger 36 moves the nickel fingercounter-clockwise from its normal position and maintains finger 36 in the advanced position of Fig. 7 where shoulder 62 is out of the path of shoulder 6 Also'rod 63 on its side adjacent the coin chute has a lug I4 projecting into a slot I6 in the pivoted finger 23, lug 14 in the normal position of rod 33 as in Fig. 5 being adjacent the upper end' of slot I6 so that lug 14 will not interfere with the coin operated counterclockwise movement of finger 23 to penny freeing position. However, when rod 63 is thrust upwardly by cam II as in Fig. 7 the upward movement of rod 63 causes lug 14 to contact with the upper end of slot 16 and move pivoted finger 23 counter-clockwise a distance sufiicient to free shoulder 66 of extension 61. Hence, when finger 36 is operated by the released coins 6| and 63 the pennyfinger 23 and the nickel finger 36 are helddisengaged from each other, thereby permitting j a subsequently deposited penny or nickel to move finger 23 or 36 out of the coin channel and proceed down the chute into the coin hopper 33 without being restrained as was the case with the coins originally deposited.

The released coins 6| and 63 after reaching hopper 33 actuate the usual coin trigger 42 and come to rest upon a coin trap I6. The actuation of coin trigger 42 closes electrical contacts 11 (Fig. 2) to establish a connection to ground from one side of telephone line 13 through the winding of electromagnet 4| and the windings of the usual coin relay 43. This ground connection as is well understood in the for a manual telephone system signals the operator that a telephone connection is desired, and for a machine switching system prepares apparatus at the central ofilce to extend the connection to the party represented by the pulses subsequently dialed by dial l1.

When collect current or refund current is applied to line 13 to energize coin relay 43 the operation of relay 43 causes the coins on trap 16 to be directed into a refund chute or a collect chute as in the above-mentioned Forsberg patfinger 39 removed from all coin channels and with com HI holding rod 99 in its upper position to free the penny finger 29 and the nickel finger 39 of their interlocking engagement.

However, as soon ,as coin collect current or refund current is applied to line 19, electromagnet 4| is energized to attract its armature 99 and remove projection 9| from beneath shoulder 92 allowing finger 39 due to its counterweight 91 :to be restored to its normal position of Fig. 5. and allowing rod 99 to be lowered to its position of Fig: 6, thereby permitting counterweighited fingers 29 and 39 to become interlocked again'in coin obstructing positions.

Figs. 5, 6 and 7 show how the pivoted fingers 29 and 39 are released by the deposit of a nickel and a penny. Fig. 8 shows how the same result can be obtained by .the deposit of two nickels. In Fig. 8 a first nickel 99 is held in the chute between partition 52 and end wall 53 against projection 49 of nickel finger 39, sinc the finger 39 is not free to rotate to .coin freeing position due to extension 51 on the penny finger being in the path of shoulder 59. When a second nickel 99 is deposited the second nickel afiter striking the top of the first nickel. rolls oil. the first nickel over the top of partition 52, into a portion of the nickel runway between partition 92 and end wall 99 thereby by-passing the nickel finger 39 but striking the penny finger 29 which, as shown in Fig. 11, projects into both the nickel and the penny runways. The second nickel 99 in operating finger 29 performs the same function as described above for a deposited penny whereby fingers 29 and '36 are released from each other allowing both nickels to operate finger 39 and drop into hopper 30. Finger 39 with the electromagnet 4! serves to maintain fingers 29 and 39 free of their interlocking engagement until electr-omagnet 4| has been energized, whereupon pivoted fingers 29 and 39 and 3-9 are returned to their normal positions.

As described above with respect to Figs. 11, 12 and 13, pivoted fingers 29 and 39 do not project into the dime runway or the quarter runway although finger 38 does project into both the quarter runway and the dime runway. Hence, as shown in Fig. 9, a. deposited dime is not restrained in the coin chute but after striking projection '59 of finger 39 the dime drops into the coin hopper 30, actuating the coin trigger 92 and coming to rest on the coin trap 19. Therefore, the depwit of a dime by operating finger 39 to the position shown in Fig. 7 frees the penny finger 29 and the nickel finger 39 or their interlocking engagement and prevents fingers 29 and 3-9 from holding in the coin chute either a penny or a nickel deposited before or after the dime.

The deposit of a quarter, as shown in Fig. 10, functions in the same manner as the deposit of a dime since the quarter is not restrained by the pivoted fingers 29 and 39 but actuates finger 39 to free fingers 29 and 39 oi! their interlocking engagement until electromagnet 4| has been energlued to restore fingers 29, 39 and 39 to their normal positions.

In the above arrangements it has been convenient to describe them as appllcableto United States coins oi. certain denominations 'but it will be readily understood that the invention may be applied to the control of coins or tokens of any desired denomination or size.

What is claimed is:

' 1. A telephone coin-collector substation housing comprising a coin channel for receiving coins of one denomination, a second coin channel for receiving coins of a second denomination, a pivoted member projecting into said first channel and adapted with respect to said first channel to occupy a coin obstruct-ing position and a coin releasing position, said first member being biased to said col-n obstructing position, a second pivoted member projecting into said second channel biased to a normal coin obstructing position and adapted to be moved to an advanced position when struck by a deposited coin, means on said second member eflective when said second member is in its normal position for preventing the movement of said first member to .coin releasing position, said means being ineffective when said sewnd member is in said advanced position, a third pivoted member biased to a normal position and projecting into said first channel at a point below said first member for actuation to an advanced position by a coin released by said first member, means efieotive upon movement of said third member to said advanced position for holding said third member in said advanced position, means actuated by the movement of said third member .to said advanced position for moving said first member to coin releasing position and an electromagnet for rendering said holding means ineffective.

2. In a telephone coin collector housing, a coin channel for receiving coins of one denomination, a second coin channel for receiving coins of a second denomination, a pivoted finger proje'cting into said first channel and normally occupyins a coin obstructing position in said first channel, a second pivoted finger projecting into said second channel and normally occupying a coin obstructing position in said second channel, interlocking projections on said fingers to prevent either finger from releasing a coin until the other finger has been struck by a deposited coin, whereby each finger releases its coin when a coin is deposited in both channels, electrical contacts controlled by the released coins, a coin trap for receiving the released coins, means operated by the released coins to free said projections of their interlocking engagement, means for holding said freeing means in its coin operated position and an electromagnet for rendering said holding means inefiective.

3. In a telephone coin collector housing, a coin channel for receiving coins of one denomination, a second coin channel for receiving coins of a second denomination, a pivoted member projecting into said first channel and adapted with respect to said first channel to occupy a coin obstructing. position and a coin releasing position, said first member being biased to said coin obstructing position but tending to move to coin releasing position when struck by a deposited coin, a second pivoted member projecting into both of said channels and biased to a coin obstructing position in both of said channels, and means on said second member engaging said first member forpreventing said first member from moving to coin releasing-position until said second member has been struck by a deposited com.

4. In a telephone coin collector housing, a coin channel for receiving coins of one denomination, a second coin channel for receiving coins of a second denomination, a pivoted member normally occupying a coin obstructing position in said first channel, a-second pivoted member normally occupying a coin obstructing position in saidsecond channel, interlocking projections on said members preventing the release of a coin held by one of said members until after the other member has been struck by a deposited coin, a third pivoted member projecting into both oi said channels and operated by a coin released by one of said first two members, means for holding said third member in operated position, means controlled by the operation of said third member for maintaining said first two members in noninterlocking engagement and an electromagnet for controlling said holding means.

5. In a telephone coin collector housing, a multiple coin chute for guiding deposited coins into a coin hopper, said chute having a first channel for receiving coins of one denomination and having a second channel for receiving coins 01' a second denomination, a pivoted finger projecting into said first channel and normally occupying a coin obstructing position in said first channel, a second pivoted finger projecting into said second channel and normally occupying a coin obstructing position in said second channel, and interlocking projections on said fingers to prevent either finger from releasing a coin until the other finger has been struck by a deposited coin.

6. In a coin collector housing, a multiple coin chute for guiding deposited coins into a coin hopper, said chute having a first coin channel for receiving coins of one denomination and having a second coin channel for receiving coins oi a second denomination, a pivoted member projecting into'said first channel and adapted with respect to said first channel to occupy a coin holding position and a coin releasing position, and

is removed Iran interfering with to 'L'ni a coin collector housing, a multiple coin chute for guiding deposited coins into a coin hopper, said chute having a first channel for receiving coins oi one denomination and having a secondchanneliorreceivingcoinsoiasecond denomination, a pivoted member projecting into saidfirstchannel andnormallyoccupying afinst position blocking the passage 0! a first deposited cointothatportionoisaidfirstchanneibelow saidfirstmanberbuttendinguponcoinimpact to occupy a coin releasing position, means for normallylatchingsaidmemberinsaidfirstposition, and coin actuated means projecting into both of said channels iorunlatching said first member.

8.Inacoincollectorhousing, acoinchannel tor receiving coins oi one denomination, a second coin channel for receiving coins of a second denomination, a pivoted finger projecting into said first channel and normally occupying-a coin obstructing position in-said first channel, a second pivoted finger projecting into said second channel and normally occupying a coin obstructing position in said second channel, interlockins projections on said fingers to prevent either finger from releasing a coin until the other finger has been struck by a deposited coin, whereby each finger releases its coin when a coin is deposited in both channels, a pivoted member biased to a normal position and projecting into both oisaidchannelsatpointsbelowsaidfingers ior actuation to an advanced position by a coin released by one of said fingers, latching means for holding said member in said advanced position, means controlled by the movement of said member to said advanced position to free said projections of their interlocking engagement and an electromagnet for releasing said member from said latching means.

FREDERICK A. HOYT. osom a. snamv.

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