US2243929A - Coin controlled mechanism - Google Patents

Description

June 3, 1941. s. WATLING COIN CONTROLLED MECHANISM 4 Sheets-Sheet l Filed June 50, 1938 June 3, 1941. 3 s w -r 2,243,929

COIN CONTROLLED MECHANISM Filed June 30, 1938 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 June 3, 1941. B. s. WATLiNG COIN CONTROLLED MECHANISM Filed June 30, 1938 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 June 3, 1941. B. s. WATLlNG 2,243,929

COIN CQNTROLLED MECHANISM Filed June 50, 1958 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Patented June 3, 1941 2,243,929 com CONTROLLED MECHANISM Burns S. Watling, Chicago, 11L, assignor to Watling Scale Company, Chicago, 111., a corporation of Illinois Application June 30, 1938 Serial No. 216,652

7 Claims.

This invention relates to coin controlled mechanism, such as is extensively used in connection With vending machines that vend articles such as candy, chewing gum etc., upon the deposit of a proper coin and the actuation of a handle or lever. Such machines commonly employ a mechanism that locks the article delivery mechanism inoperative until or unless a proper coin has been deposited to unlock or release the looking mechanism, the delivery mechanism being automatically re-locked after each actuation.

So far as I am aware, such machines have hitherto been built to operate only with coins or tokens of uniform size, such as a penny or a nickel, although some machines selling merchandise or service of different values, such as a nickel, a dime and a quarter are known, but these machines have hitherto required separate and distinct coin chutes and coin-controlled mechanisms for controlling the vending mechanism. This makes the production of such multiple coin machines quite expensive, as compared with a single coin machine. In the case of a single coin machine, if a customer has not the particular coin required, he must first get change, and this is not always readily available or convenient. I

An important object of this invention has been to provide, for association with a vending machine or the like, a coin-controlled mechanism employing a single coin chute and lock controlling mechanism that may be operated with a plurality of coins of different sizes and value, provided the larger size coin is an even multiple in value of a smaller sized coin. For example,

the price of the merchandise or service may be five cents, but a customer may have no smaller coin than a quarter. Or, the price of the merchandise or service may be a penny, but the customer may have no pennies, but a nickel. In such cases the customer, instead of getting his quarter or his nickel changed into nickels or pennies, may deposit a larger coin, and this will release the locking mechanism for five successive operations, so that the customer can obtain goods or service to the full value of the de posited larger coin,

I have herein disclosed the invention as embodied in a type of check exhibitor coin-controlled apparatus disclosed in Letters Patent to T. W. B. Watling, No. 2,015,640, September 24, 1935, and No. 2,038,069, April 21, 1936; but the broad principle of the invention is adaptable to other types of coin-controlled mechanism.

Inthe accompanying drawings I have disclosed an apparatus embodying the invention and adapted to function in the manner above described with nickels and quarters; and referring thereto Fig. 1 is a front elevation of the improved coin chute; the casing of the machine being omitted.

Fig. 2 is a perspective of a pair of cooperating levers that are mounted on the front of the coin display member and cooperate with the larger diameter coin to determine the number of successive operations of the vending machine that can be obtained by the use of the larger diameter com.

Fig. 3 is a rear elevation of the parts shown in Fig. 1.

Figs. e and 5 are sectional details taken on the line 4-5 of Fig. 1, illustrating difierent positions of a deflector member designed to prevent the jamming of the machine by a second coin deposited before the preceding coin has left the operating position. I

Fig. 6 is a perspective of the deflector shown in Figs. 4 and 5 isolated from its support.

Figs. 7 and 8 are front elevations, with some of the covering parts appearing in Fig. 1 removed to disclose underlying structure; these figures illustrating diiferentoperating positions of the levers shown in Fig, 2,..wlliich are operated only by the larger coin. v

Fig. 9 is a view in front elevation, similarto Figs. 7 and 8, but with the levers and still further covering parts removed to clearly disclose the routes by which each coin'enters" and leaves the circular pathway of the check exhibitor or display member.

Fig. 10 is a fragmentary View of the lower right-hand portion of Fig. 9, showing'- ;a check or coin in; the operating positionor first station of the annular display'guideway.

Fig. 11 is a fragmentary cross-sectional view taken on the line ll-I l .of Figs. 1 and 10.

Figs. 12 and 13 are views similar to Fig. 11,

but showing the pm which" controls the operation of the latch lever in different positions.

Fig. 14 is a side elevation of the check control apparatus and of the lock and release mechanism that controls the article delivery mechanism, a fragment of the casing appearing in vertical cross-section,

Fig. 15 is a vertical transverse section, taken on the line l5l5 of Fig. 3.

A fragment of the machine casing is shown atl5 in Fig. 14. Within this casing is a main supportin frame Hi, to the upper portion of which is secured a frame plate casting l'l best shown in outline in Figs. 3, 7 and 8. This frame plate I! is formed with a circular opening I8 constituting the outer boundary of the check exhibitor opening. Attached to the upper right-hand corner portion of the plate ll, as by screws I9 and (Fig. 3) is an arcuate chute structure comprising an inner relatively thick plate 21 in which is formed a coin channel 22 indicated by dotted lines in Fig. 1, and upper and lower covering plates 2-3 and 24 secured as by screws 25 and 26 to the plate 2 I. In the upper end of the casing i5 is a coin inlet hole 21 (Fig. 14) alined with anannular cup 22 that registers with the upper end of the coin chute. As indicated in Fig. 1, the lower end of the coin chute is divided or forked to provide a coin passageway 29 leading to the circular exhibitor and a discharge passageway 39 leading to the upper end of avertical discharge 3| for iron slugs diverted and thrown out by the usual magnet 32.

The coin display assembly, which is shown in cross-section. in Fig. 15 includes a spider 33 secured to the back of the frame plate I! by screws 33'. In the hub of the spider is a bearing 34 having front and rear circular flanges 36 and 31 apertured at top and bottom for the passage of fastening screws 38 (Figs. '7, 8 and 15) which engage tapped holes 39 (Figs. 3 and 15) in the hub of the spider 33. On the rear of the flange 31 is a bearing for a coin conveyor wheel 4| which is formed with radial arms 42 terminating in forwardly bent portions or fingers 42 which extend across the coin pathway and are spaced to receive the coins between them. By reference to Figs. 1, '7, 8 and 9, it will be seen that the fingers 42' both effect and limit the simultaneous. stepby-step movements of the coins through the pathway. On the forward end of the bearing. 34, is mounted a disc d3 that bears against the front face of the flange 36, the peripheral portion of said disc forming the inner portion of the rear wall of the coin pathway. Next to the disc 43, is a spacer member 4 1 having the shape shown in Fig. 9, the periphery of which defines the inner transverse wall of the coin pathway. Covering the spacer M, is a front plate 45 having the outline shown in Figs. 7 and 8. The screws 38 pass through registering holes in the parts 44, 43, 36 and 5? into the tapped holes 39 of the spider 33.

The front plate "45 is secured to the underlying spacer 44 by screws; 46 (Fig. 1) passing through holes il (Fig. 7) in plate 45 and into tapped holes 48 (Fig. 9) in the spacer 44, the screws 46 also serving for the mountin of a front plate 49 (Fig. 1), bearing'indicia of the coins usable in the machine. By reference to Fig. 15 it will be seen that the front portion of the frame plate I? surrounding the hole 18 forms the outer portion of'the rear wall of the coin passageway. The outer transverse-wall of the coin passageway is formed by a spacer ring 11. The outer portion of the front wall of the passageway is formed by a ring 5%? having its inner peripheral portion overhanging the outer transverse wall of the passageway. The rings I1 and 59 are secured to the frame plate H by screws 5|.

Referring to Fig. 9 it will be seen that the ring 5? surrounding the coin pathway and forming the outer transverse wall thereof'is interrupted or cut away at 52 to provide an outlet for the coins into a vertical depending coin delivery chute 53. Also, the coin'guiding periphery of the spacer 14 is formed with an outwardly and downwardly directed extension 54 which directs the discharging coins into the chute 53.

Referring to the means for directing the coins from the branch 29 of the main coin chute into the circular pathway of the coin exhibitor, by reference to Figs. 9 and 10 it will be seen that the spacer 44 is formed with a peripheral cut-out 55 just behind the extension 54 which, with the underlying disc 43 forms in part a pocket, the front wall of said pocket being formed by a raised hood 55 (Figs. '7 and 8) on the front plate 45. The open end of this hood registers with the lower end of the coin chute branch 29, and

. receives the coins from branch passage 29 and delivers them to said pocket, said lower end overlapping the coin ejector extension 54. A coin temporarily arrested in said pocket drops onto the coin receiving portion 51 of the outer transverse wall of the circular pathway, as shown in Fig. 10. This first position inthe circular coin pathway is the so-called operating position becaus'ei'n this position the coin cooperates with a plunger, later described, which controls the operating mechanism of the machine.

Several ejectors are employed, in addition to magnet 32, for ridding the machine of spurious tokens, such as bent coins, undersized coins, buttons and the like, with which dishonest users attempt to cheat the machine. On the rear of the upper portion of the plate 2!,is pivotally mounted a gate 58 (Fig. 3) urged to closed position by a torsion spring 59 opposite the channel 22 and properly spaced from the opposite wall of the channel by a regulating screw 60 to allow the passage of a proper coin. This gate 58 can be swung open to remove a spurious token by means of an elbow lever 5| (Figs. 1 and 14) pivoted at 62 on a lug G3 on the cover plate 23, the upper end of said lever being formed with a nose 64 movable through a slot 65 in the plates 2| and 23 and bearing against an upstanding lug 66 (Fig. 3) on the gate. The other arm of the lever, as shown in Fig. 14, extends rearwardly across an edge of the plates 2i and '23 and terminates in a downwardly and rearwardly inclined portion 61 adapted to-engage a plunger 68 for rocking the lever 6i to open the gate 58. I

The machine shown is designed to be operated by a nickel or a quarter, and coins of smaller size such as a penny or a dime are thrown out by a gravity switch 69 (Fig. 1) pivoted at 10 on the outer end of the lug 63, the depending portion of the switch extending into the coin chute through a slot H in the plate 23 acrossthe path of the coin and formed with an inclined edge to deflect the small coin out of the main coin chute. A for wardly projecting arm .l2 serves as .a counter- Weightto-hold the switch in operative position. This switch will permit the passage of a'legitimate coin without ejecting the latter, since the slotted portion of the rear wall of the chute opposite the switch 65 is under-cut to confine the edge portions of a legitimate coin.

If a legitimate coin is inserted into themachine before the previously insertedcoin hasleft the operating position, the subsequently inserted coin is diverted and ejected by means of an automatic throw-out switch located at .the lower portion of the branch 29 of the main chute, This switch is shown in assembled'position' in 'Fig. 1 and instructural detail in Figsil, 5 and 6. 'By' reference to Fig. 1, it will be seen that the cover plate 24 is formed with a rectangular cut-out "I3 large enough to pass a quarter therethrough and of course large enough to pass a nickel. A lug l4 upstanding from the forwardpo-rtion ofthe lower edge of the cut-out, narrows the width of the latter sufiiciently to prevent accidental discharge of coins at this point. In the back wall of the chute 29 is a smaller rectangular opening 75 that affords play for an inclined deflector plate 16 on the free end of an arm 17 which is mounted on a pivot pin 18, the latter extending. through ears 19 on the arms Ti and through similar ears 88 formed on a mounting member Bl. This mounting member is formed with a pair of cars 82 that lie between cooperating ears 83 on the inner lower corner of the plate 24, the pairs of ears 82 and 83 being connected by a pivot pin 84. Encircling the pivot pin 18 is a torsion sprin 85, having one end secured to a lug 85.1 on the arm 11. Integral with one of the cars 86, is a laterally extending arm 86 which is normally maintained by gravity obliquely across the path of travel of the coins entering the channel of the circular exhibitor just below the coin pocket, so

that a coin dropping from the latter into the first position wipes behind the arm 85 and swings the deflector switch from the position shown in Fig. 4 to that shown in Fig. 5, wherein the switch is then efifective to deflect a coin following too soon and so prevent jamming. To better insure the deflection of the coin, the outer edge of the deflector plate 76 and its arm H is equipped with an upstanding cam 87 which, in cooperation with an upstanding lug 88 (Fig. 1) on the forward edge of the opening 73 opposite cam 87, insures the ejection of a coin displaced by the deflector 16. A slot 45 formed in the front plate 65 permits play of the arm 85 therethrough, and a depression 13 (Fig. 9) in the front face of the disc 43 behind the slot l insures an ample outward swing of the arm 88 through engagement ofthe coin with its rounded outer side to force the coin deflector into operative position. The deflected coin drops onto and slides down a delivery apron 89 (Fig. 1) formed as a bent up portion of the cover plate of the slug discharge 3!.

The two-part, spring-biased structure of the deflector last described adapts it to function equally well with coins of different thickness. Also, the last described deflector is cooperatively associated with the mechanism later described by which, when a coin of greater value than the price of a single article delivered by the machine is inserted, the latch or look of the operating mechanism is held released so that the latter can be actuated a sufficient number of times to elfect delivery of articles to the full value of the deposited coin.

Referring to 3 and 14, the rotary coin conveyor 4! is intermittently actuated in one direction by an operating link so. The upper end of the link so is pivotaily connected to a vertically reciprocable bar 9i having slots 92 for receiving guide pins 93 secured to the rear face of the frame plate l'i. Pivoted at 9Q on an arm 95 on the inner edge of the bar 9!, is a driving pawl Q6 which is adapted to be carried downwardly into engagement with an arm 42 of the conveyor wheel for rotating the conveyor one step. The pawl 97% is normally held against a stop 97 on the arm 95 by means of a spring 98 which permits the pawl to pivot on the upstroke of the bar 9|. In order to prevent reverse movement of the conveyor wheel and also for the purpose of properly positioning the conveyor after each operation, the conveyor has circumferential pockets $9 between adjacent arms 42 co -acting with a detent pawl hit which is pivotally mounted on the frame plate ll by a'pin Hit. A spring I02 holds the Said other automatic devices are also shown and pawl H38 in yielding engagement with the conveyor.

Briefly describing the coin-controlled mechanism by which the article delivery mechanism is normally locked against operation and is released upon the deposit of a proper coin, and referring to Figs. 9 to 14 inclusive, I03 designates a pusher pin or plunger which is slidable through a bearing H34 in the frame plate I! and through a registering hole H35 in the ring Ell. As shown in Fig. 9, the plunger H33 lies opposite the coin receiving end portion 51 of the coin pathway at the first station, the plunger m3 being outside the path of the fingers 32' of the conveyor wheel. When a coin is located at the first station, as shown in Figs. 10 and 11, the inner end of the plunger bears against the coin eccentrically of the latter, see Fig. 11. If no coin is present, the plunger passes through and substantially beyond the hole Hi5, as shown in Fig. 12, and in this position of the plunger the machine is locked against opera tion. The plunger 193 is mounted on the upper end of a latch lever I66 (Fig. 14) which is pivoted at It! on, the frame Hi. This latch lever is normally urged in a direction to move the plunger Hi3 inwardly by a pull spring IE3. Pivoted at 59 on the frame it, is a bell crank lever H0 which is normall urged upwardly by a pull spring ill. When the bell crank llllis rocked downwardly to its full extent, the article delivery mechanism is actuated. Formed in the inner edge of the latch bar IE6, is a notch H2 for receivlng a lug I IE on the bell crank i it] to prevent a complete stroke of the bell crank when the latch has not been disabled by a proper coin. Formed on the inner edge of the latch bar H36 just above the notch I I2, is a. cam I Hi adapted to co-act with the lug H3 to hold the latch retracted as shown in Fig. 14 when the lever Hil is in its upper position. Mounted on the lever lid, is a pin H5 extending through a slot H6 in the link 9i). A pull spring Hi is connected to the pin H5 and to the link 9&3 for normally holding the link in the position shown in Fig, 14. The construction is such that the latch permits a limited downward movement of the lever Ill! without the use of a coin, that is, the lever Ht may move until the lug H3 rides down the cam I it into the notch l 12. But to permit a complete stroke of the lever lit the latch bar 5% must be retained in its full retracted position shown in Fig. 1 1 against the action of the spring IE This is accomplished by the engagement of the plunger 83 with a coin in the first station of the display chute, as shown in Figs. 10 and 11. Mounted on the forward end of the lever Ht, is'a pin Ha adapted to cooperate with lever actuating means which may be similar to that shown in my former Patent No. 1,990,719, issued February 12, 1935.

The last described lock and release mechanism preferably includes other automatic devices by which, if a check of the annular type is used, the machine will remain locked against operation.

described in the aforesaid Watling Patents 2,015,640 and 2,088,069, but since they form no part of the present invention, description thereof is unnecessary.

Describing next that feature of the invention which permits the use of coins or other tokens of different diameters and values in a single coin chute and display head and whereby, when the smaller coin or token isdeposited the operating means of the article delivery mechanism is locked after each operation until another coin or token is deposited, but when the larger coin or token is deposited the operating means of the article delivery mechanism may be successively operated as many times as the Value of the larger coin or token is a multiple of the smaller coin or token before the operating means is locked, and. referring mainly to Figs. 1, 2, '7 and 8, H9 designates as an entirety a primary elbow lever which is pivoted at I on the frame plate I'I just outside the ring 50. One arm I2I of this lever extends across the front of the coin pathway of the exhibitor and on its upper end earries a pin I22 which plays through a slot I23 in the front plate 45 and normally lies in such a position that the smaller coin, such as a nickel, will pass it without tilting the lever H9, but the larger coin, such as a quarter, will engage it and rock the lever to the position shown in Fig. '7, allowing the coin to then pass. Continuous with the outer edge of arm I2I is a shutter member I23 which, in relation to the plunger I03 and hole I55, plays an important part in maintaining the article delivery mechanism unlocked for several successive strokes, and continuous with the shutter member is a cam I24 that throws the coin throw-out switch I6, II into operative position whenever the lever arm I2] is rocked upwardly, as shown in Figs. 4 and 5. A pull spring I25 anchored to the frame plate I! and to a lug I26 on the shank of cam I2 i urges the lever II9 to its normal position shown in Figs. 1 and 8. The other straight arm I27 of lever H9 has on its free end a lateral hook I23.

A similar secondary elbow lever, designated as an entirety by I29, is pivoted at I30 on the frame plate I'I just outside the ring 50, and, in this instance, about 90 degrees beyond the pivot I20 of lever I'IIl. One arm I3! of this lever extends obliquely across the ring 50, and on its free end carries a pin I32 that plays through a notch I33 in the ring 50, and normally lies outside the path of travel of both the smaller and larger coins (Fig. l). The depending arm I34 of this lever has formed on its outer edge, slightly above its lower end, a cam I35 that is normally engaged by the hook I28, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, and at the bottom of the cam I35 is a stop shoulder I36 that prevents clockwise'swing of lever H9 while the larger coin is traveling from pin I22 to pin I32. A pull spring I31 anchored to the frame plate I! and to the lower end of leverarm I34 urges lever I29 in a clockwise direction.

Describing the operation, with the levers and their pins positioned as shown in Fig. 1, so long as the smaller coins only are fed to the machine the levers III) and I29 remain idle, since the smaller coins will pass the pins I22 and I32 without contacting the latter, or without displacing the pins sufficiently to disturb the relative position of the levers shown in Fig. 1. If, however, a larger coin is fed to the machine, as it is advanced by a finger 42' one step beyond the first station it will thrustingly engage the pin I22 and rock lever H9 counterclockwise to the position shown in Fig. '7. The hook I28 rides down off the cam I35 and comes to rest against the shoulder I35 under the pull of spring I25, and at the same time spring I3! rocks lever I29 slightly clockwise carrying pin I32 into the path of the larger coin. Simultaneously with this shift of the two levers, thecam I24 rises from the position shown in Fig. 4 to that shown in Fig. 5, swinging the coin throw-out switch is pivoted to the chute by a pin I56.

I5, TI into operative position so that, if a coin, either large or small, is deposited in the chute before the large coin has passed the pin I32, it will be diverted and returned to the depositor. Also, this counter-clockwise swing of lever II9 carries the shutter I23 from its open or idle position shown in Figs. 8 and 11 to its closed or operative position shown in Figs. '7 and 13, wherein it covers the hole I05 and blocks the passage of plunger I03, thus preventing the operation of latch lever I06 and maintaining the operating mechanism unlocked until lever H9 has been restored to its normal position (Fig. 1). If, as in the instance shown, the customer has deposited a twenty-five cent piece, and the machine is loaded with articles valued at five cents each, he can manipulate the delivery mechanism five times in succession before the machine becomes locked. As the larger coin is forced past the pin I32 on the fifth operation, it swings lever I29 to the dotted line position shown in Fig. 8. This carries the stop shoulder I35 clear of the hook I28 and permits spring I25 to return lever H9 to normal position and spring I31 to return lever I29 to normal position, restoring both levers to the positions shown in Fig. l, and also restoring the normal functions of plunger I03 and throw-out switch I6, "H.

A keeper I33 (Figs. 11, 12 and 13) attached to the frame plate I! overlaps the lever arm I2I .to guard against lateral displacement of the latter if pivot pin I20 should work loose.

When the coins reach the end of their passage through the circular guideway, they are deflected by the finger 54 into the discharge chute 53 and, at the lower end of this discharge chute, means may be provided for separating the coins of larger diameter from those of smaller diameter.

The upper portion of the chute 53 is of suificient width to receive all coins, as shown in Fig. 9, but the lower portion thereof permits the passage only of the smaller coins. The larger coins come to rest on shoulders I39 (Fig. 1) between which the smaller coins drop. The larger coin is secured against accidental displacement from the shoulders I39 by means of a gate I40 hinged to the frame by a pivot pin I4I, andnormally urged into effective position by a spring I42 which embraces the pin MI. The larger coin is ejected through an opening I42 in the discharge chute into a suitable receptacle, not shown, by an ejecting pin I43 which is actuated upon each operation of the delivery mechanism.

The smaller coins are intercepted by 2. lug I44 formed on the lower end of a lever I45 which The lug I44 is normally held in elfective position by means of a spring I41 connected to the chute and to a lug I 18 on the lever. The lever I45 carries an arm I40 which is pivotally secured to the lever by a pin I50.

Formed on the upper end of the arm I39, is a lug I5I (Fig, '7) adapted to enter the chute to serve as a stop for preventing more than one coin at a time from occupying the ejecting position. Mounted on the lever I55, is a stop I52 against wl'gich the arm I09 normally is urged by a spring I5 The lever I45 is actuated upon each operation of the delivery mechanism by means of a cam I54 which is carried by the reciprocal bar GI in position to strike the stop I52 for rocking the lever I45 against the action of the spring I41.

The smaller coinis held against accidental displacement from the lug M4 by means of a spring pressed gate I55 pivotally secured to the chute by a pin [56. Solid coins are ejected by means of a plunger t5! which is actuated upon each operation of the delivery mechanism. If the small coin is apertured, the plunger l5! will pass through it and, upon the retraction of the plunger and the lug M4, the coin will drop through the lower end of the chute. In this manner, solid coins may be separated from apertured ones.

The term coin as used in the following claims is intended to include not only true coins of the realm but also checks or tokens such as, under the laws of some states and municipalities, may be purchased from the owner or operator of the machine and used in the latter in lieu of coins.

Although but one specific embodiment of this invention has been herein shown and described, it will be understood that certain details of the construction shown may be altered without departing from the spirit of the invention as defined by the following claims.

I claim:

1. In a mechanism of the class described, the combination of a coin pathway, means for both efiecting and limiting simultaneous step-by-step movements of relatively larger and smaller diameter coins through said pathway, coin-controlled means for locking said last named means against operation when no coin has been deposited, said locking means being disabled by each successive deposited coin of smaller diameter, and means associated with said pathway and actuated only by a coin of larger diameter as it is advanced through said pathway operative to maintain said locking means disabled for a predetermined number of actuations of said movement effecting means, said means associated with said pathway including means for restoring said locking means to operative condition at the conclusion of said predetermined number of actuations of said movement effecting means.

2. In a mechanism of the class described, the combination of a coin pathway, means for both effecting and limiting simultaneous step-by-step movements of relatively larger and smaller diameter coins through said pathway, coin-controlled means for locking said last named means against operation when no coin has been deposited, said locking means being disabled by each successive deposited coin of smaller diameter, and means associated with said pathway and actuated only by a coin of larger diameter as it is advanced through said pathway operative to maintain said locking means disabled for as many actuations of said movement eifecting means as the larger diameter coin is a value multiple of the smaller diameter coin, said means associated with said pathway including means for restoring said locking means to operative condition at the conclusion of the stated number of actuations of said movement effecting means.

3. In a mechanism of the class described, the combination of a coin pathway, means for both effecting and limiting simultaneous step-by-step movements of relatively larger and smaller diameter coins through said pathway, coin-controlled means for locking said last named means against operation when no coin has been deposited, said locking means being disabled by each successive deposited coin of smaller diameter, a movable member associated with said pathway and a spring urging said'movable member sufiiciently into said pathway to be struck and displaced only by a coin of larger diameter, means actuated by said movable memberjwhen the latter has been displaced by a coin to main-' tain said locking means disabled for a predeter mined number of actuations of said movement efiecting means, a second movable member associated with said pathway beyond said first named movable member and a spring urging said second movable member suificiently into said pathway to be struck and displaced by said coin of larger diameter, and connections between said movable members through which the displacement of said second movable member by the coin restores said locking means to operative condition.

4. An embodiment of claim 3, wherein the means actuated by the first named movable member when the latter has been displaced by a coin maintains the locking means disabled for as many actuations of the movement efiecting means as the larger diameter coin is a value multiple of the smaller diameter coin.

5. In a mechanism of the class described, the combination of a frame having a coin-exhibit pathway, means for both effecting and limiting simultaneous step-by-step movements of relatively larger and smaller diameter coins through said pathway, coin-controlled means for locking said last named means against operation when no coin has been deposited, said locking means being disabled by each successive deposited coin of smaller diameter, primary and secondary levers pivoted intermediate their ends on said frame adjacent to, and at spaced points along, said pathway, one arm of each lever carrying a pin movable into and out of said pathway, springs respectively urging said levers in directions to shift said pins into the path of a larger diameter coin moving through said pathway, inter-controlling connections between said levers through which the tilting of each by a larger diameter coin acting on its pin permits the tilting of the other lever, under the urge of its spring, in the reverse direction, and means associated with one of said levers and said pathway operative, when the pin of said primary lever has been displaced by said larger diameter coin, to maintain said locking means disabled until said larger diameter coin has encountered and displaced the pin of said secondary lever.

B. In a mechanism of the class described, the combination of a frame having a coin-exhibit pathway, means for both effecting and limiting simultaneous step-by-step movements of relatively larger and smaller diameter coins through said pathway, coin-controlled means for locking said last named means against operation when no coin has been deposited, said locking means being disabled by each successive deposited coin of smaller diameter, primary and secondary levers pivoted intermediate their ends on said frame adjacent to, and at spaced points along, said pathway, one arm of each lever carrying a pin movable into and out of said pathway, springs respectively urging said levers in directions to shift said pins into the path of a larger diameter coin moving through said pathway, relatively movable interengaging means on the other arms of said levers through which each lever limits the spring-urged tilting movement of the other, and means associated with said primary lever and said pathway operative, when the pin of said primary lever has been displaced by said larger diameter coin, to maintain said locking means disarms of the levers consist of a cam on one lever abled until said larger diameter coin has enarm and a stop shoulder beneath said cam, and countered and displaced the pin of said secondary a hook on the other lever arm engaged with said lever. cam in one position of said levers and with said 7. An embodiment of claim 6, wherein the rela- 5 stop in the other position of said levers. tively movable interengaging means on the other BURNS S. WATLING.

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