US2670830A - Coin collector - Google Patents

Description

March 2, 1954 F A, HOYT 2,670,830

COIN COLLECTOR Filed March l2, 1948 3 Sheets-Sheet l Y f/aa @Y A T TOR/VEV F. A. HOYT COIN COLLECTOR March 2, 1954 3 Sheets-sheet 2 Filed March l2, 1948 IIIWVVVM...

ATTORNEY March 2, 1954 F A- HOYT 2,670,830

COIN COLLECTOR Filed March 12, 1948 3 Sheets-Sheet 26 7,

' BU? @w m/ A T TORNEV Patented Mar. 2, 1954 'UNI TED STAT-ES LOGIN COLLECTOR ApplicationMarch 12, 1948, Serial No. 14,589

1 Claim.

This invention relates =to .coin collector -apparatus and more particularly vto a. type of coin collector apparatus in which a coin chute .is provided.

The object of the invention is :to provide 'improved control means 'to controlthe operationof the coin collector apparatus by -coins passing through the apparatus.

A .feature .of the :invention resides in Aa coin controlling unit with ngers to control the passageof coins 'throu'gha coin chute.

vAnother'feature resides in a movable gate controlling a'coin reject `opening in the coin chute.

Another feature resides in an .electromagnet device operable to hold one ofthe fingers `outof therpathzof'coins.

*In :telephone coin :collector apparatus now in general 'use :and v:of :a type following inrgeneral the structure of the coin collector shown and described iin the O. F. Forsberg United States Patent 1,043,219, the apparatus :is designed to operate to give 'telephone :service when a fivecent piece or some `coin `of greater value than a rive-cent piece is deposited Ain the coin collector. The 'telephone coin collector apparatus will, therefore, operate to give telephone service upon payment into the coin collector of at leasta, fivecent piece (nickel). -If it'were found necessary, however, to make the initial charge for telephone service more kthan a nickel the telephone coin collector Ywould not operate to'require the higher payment before a 'telephone =ca1l could be made.

h1 the present invention means .are provided to Ahold Va rstfdeposited nickel from causing the telephone coin collector to operate to give telephone service until a second nickel -or a coin of greater value 'is deposited in the 'telephone `coin collector.

In the drawings:

Fig. `1 is a front elevational view of a telephone coin collector including the invention;

Fig. '2 is lan enlarged viewof a coin chute used in the telephone coin collector shown in Fig. 1 with a movable gate forming a. portion of the wall thereof and coin controlling naps pivotally supported on the coin chute;

Fig. 3 shows a portion ofthe coin chute and is taken from an opposite side of the showing in Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is an enlarged vside view, partly in 'section, `'of'an upper portion yof the telephone Vcoin collector shown inFig. ll;

'Fig.'5 4is a'view, partlyin section, of'p'art ofthe portion 'shown in Fig. 4 and taken on the line 5 5in`1ig. 4;

Fig. 6 shows the pivotedraps, the 'electromagnet device and a gateoperating arm `and switch hook and a portion of the coin c'huteleading 'to a hopper into which a coin operable trigger extends;

Fig. 7 isa partial view of Fig. 6 and showing a coin traveling through the coin chute.;

Fig. 8 shows two nickels in the coin Vchuteiand the directions of travel of the coins;

Fig. 9 shows a trigger -that has .been operated by a coin to close a switch and the .flap vmecha.- nism held in unlatched condition by the Aelectromagnet;

Fig. 10 shows the trigger restored vto nonoper ated position and the flap .mechanism still iheld in releasedcondition; .and

Fig. 11 shows the .flaps conditionedsothatthey will not .function to control the passage .of -a coin or coins going .through the coin chute.

The telephonevcoin collector 4I2 shown rin-Fig. 1 comprises --a casing v.I 3 having a coin -refundopening I4 and -a door -I5. `A movable switchhook iIB extends outwardly from the casing I3 -to -support a telephone instrument -l-ii. Supported von top-of the casing I3 is a coin :gauge I8 in which-coins may be .inserted to pay for telephone service vrequired.V The'coin gauge I8 has apertures 1:9, 22.0 and .2.1i .formed therein to 'receive respectively a live-cent piece, a ten-cent piece and a :twentylive-cent piece which will hereinafter 'be fcalled respectively a nickel, a dime-anda quarter. The coin. gauge `I8 is in register with acoin chute 12 shownenlarged in Fig. 2 and `which issupported in the casing I3 in an inclined position 'as shown in Fig. 4. The coin chute 22 comprises fassembled plates 23, 24 and 25 -formed and arranged to providea nickel runway 26, a dime1runway-21 and a quarter runway 28 shown in Fig. c2. As shown in Figs. f6, 7,'8, 9, lOiand l1 the loweri'end 29 :of the coin chute 22 4is constructed zandaarranged Ito delivercoins to 'a `'hopper 3U ofiiaf'coin distributer 3l. The coin :distributor 31| iis equipped 'with .a :trigger -32 'controlling fa :switch The structure of the coin `distributor -I-H forms no part of the present invention. lIts function, however, vis to direct Aa coin `5to either the coin refund opening t4 or into aicoinboxpnot shown, but located tothe rear'of the 'door .f1 5. A telephone coin collector following in general fthe structure .of the .telephone .coin '.collectorfti is shown and described in the O. F. :Forsberg United States Patent .1,043,219 andreference may'behad to that patentforan understanding of thestructure and .operation .of a .telephone -coin collector of thisgeneral type.

In the present invention and as shown in Figs. 2, 3, 4 and 5 two pivotally support- ed aps 34 and 35 and a pivotally supported gate 36 are provided to control the passage of a nickel through the nickel runway 26. When the gate 36 is open a nickel placed in the telephone coin collector will fall through an opening in one of the walls of the coin chute and pass to the coin refund opening I4 from which the nickel may be recovered by the person who deposited the nickel in the telephone coin collector. When the gate is closed a nickel will not fall through the aperture in the wall of the coin chute. The pivotally supported flaps 34 and 35 are constructed and arranged so that the lower portions thereof extend into the nickel runway 26 and their function is to prevent full operation of the telephone coin collector` until an initial payment of two nickels or a coin of equal or greater value than two nickels is deposited in the telephone coin collector.

As shown in 4 the nickel runway 26 is cooperatively dened by the walls 23 and 24 of the coin chute 22 which is supported in an inclined position in the casing I3 and so that the wall 24 is on the lower side of the inclined structure and forms in effect the front wall of the nickel runway 26. Due to the inclined position of the coin chute 22 a nickel in passing through the nickel runway 26 will bear against the wall 24. An aperture 31 of larger dimensions than the diameter of a nickel is formed in the wall 24 and the gate 36 of slightly smaller dimensions than the aperture 31 is operable in this aperture to prevent or allow a nickel to fall through the aperture 31. The gate 36 is pivctally supported on a shaft 38 supported in apertured spaced supports 39 and 46 extending from the wall 24. A spring 4l supported on the shaft 38 and having one end portion in engagement with the wall 24 and another end portion in engagement with the gate 35 serves to urge the gate 36 to a closed position. The gate 36, as shown in Figs. 4 and 5, is equipped with an arm 42 which extends across the nickel runway 26 and through an elongated aperture 43 formed in the wall 23 and into engagement with a lever 44 secured to a rotatable shaft 45 supported in the casing i3. The rotatable shaft 45 is in mechanical connection with the switchhook I6 and is rotated in one direction when the telephone instrument l1 is placed on the switchhook I6. When the telephone instrument I1 is on the switchhook I6 the gate 36 is open since the weight of the telephone instrument l1 is sufficient to hold the gate 36 open against the action of the spring 4i. When the telephone instrument I1 is removed from the switchhook I6 the spring 4 causes the gate 36 to close.

The pivotally supported flaps 34 and 35 have their lower portions located in register with the aperture 31 and are mounted on the outer face of the wall 23. As viewed in Figs. 3, 6, '7, 8 and 9 the flap 34 is located to the right of and slightly above the iiap 35. The ap 34 has a plate-like body portion 46 with angularly extending side flanges 41 and 43 which are apertured to accommodate a shaft 46 mounted in spaced and apertured lugs 5D and 5I extending from the wall 23. The nger 34 is pivotally supported by means of the shaft 49 and the body portion 46 terminates at its lower end in a bent portion 52 constructed and arranged to extend through an aperture 53 in the wall 23 and into the nickel runway 26. The flange 48 has an arm portion 54 extending in the same plane as the flange 4 6 and outwardly with respect to the flange 48 and the plate-like body portion 46. The flap 35 has a plate-like body portion 55 with angularly extending side fianges 56 and 51 which are apertured to accommodate a longitudinally movable pin 58 extending through spaced and apertured lugs 56 and 66 extending from the wall 23. The plate-like body portion 55 is channel-shaped in cross-section and terminates at its upper end in a tongue portion 6I and at its lower end in a bent portion 62 constructed and arranged to extend through an aperture 63 in the wall 23 and into the nickel runway 26. Extending outwardly and then laterally from the side flange 56 of the flap 35 and overlying the outer end of the arm portion 54 of the iiap 34 is an arm portion 64 to hold the flap 34 against outward pivotal movement except when the fdap 35 is moved as required. The flap 35 is pivotally supported on the pin 58 and a restoring spring 65 mounted on the pin 58 and engaging the flap 35 and the wall 23 serves to urge the flap 35 to such position that the end portion 62 is in the nickel runway 26 and the arm portion 64 bears against the outer end of the arm portion 54 of the flap 34. The arm portion 64 on the ap 35 and the arm portion 54 on the flap 34 cooperatively form a releasable latch means for the lap 34. Since the nap 34 is pivotally supported by the shaft 43 and the flap 35 is pivotally supported on the pin 53 the flaps 34 and 35 may be operated to swing outwardly with respect to the wall 23 to bring the end portions 52 and 62 of the respective flaps 34 and 35 out of the nickel runway 26. This outward movement of the flaps 34 and 35 is against the action of the spring65 which normally urges the ap 35 inwardly with respect to the nickel runway 26 and by reason of the arm portion 64 overlying the outer end of the arm portion 54 urges the flap 34 inwardly with respect to the nickel runway 26. When the ilap 35 is swung outwardly with respect to the wall 23 the arm portion 64 on the ap 35 moves out of the way of the arm portion 54 on the iap 34 and the ap 34 can then swing outwardly to clear the end portion 52 from the nickel runway 26.

The longitudinally movable pin 58 in addition to serving as a pivotal supporting means for the flap 35 can be adjusted to hold the flap 34 outwardly swung from the wall 23 to such position that the end 52 of the flap 34 will be clear of the nickel runway 26. The pin 58 has a bent outer end 66 as shown in Fig. 5 to be selectively made to extend into spaced apertures 61 and 68 formed in the wall 23 to hold the pin 56 in required set position. When the bent outer end of the pin 58 is in the aperture 61 the pin 58 functions only as a pivotal support for the flap 35. If it is desired however to hold the flap 34 withdrawn from the nickel runway 26 the pin 58 may be longitudinally moved to extend between the flap 34 and the wall 23. To do this it is only necessary to withdraw the bent end 66 of the pin 53 from the aperture 61, manually swing the ap 34 outwardly from the wall 23, move the pin 58 longitudinally to extend between the flap 34 and the wall 23 and set the bent end 66 of the pin 53 in the aperture 68.

An electromagnet device 69 is provided to move the flap 35 to such position that the arm portion 64 will not interfere with free swinging of the flap 34. The electromagnet device 66 is mounted on the coin chute 22 and may be controlled from a telephone central oice so that the electromagnet device 69 will be energized to attract its ar- F. mature .fluwhen talking current is. supnledover the telephone line tothe telephone coin 'collector l2. The armature 18 'is equipped withabar Til having a bent end portion 12 extending directly over the tongue portion 6I von the flap 35. When the armature 'It is attracted toward the core t3 and Iagainst `the action of -anarmature .restoring spring It the bent end portion 12 of the bar 1I presses against the tongue portion 6i and tilts the ap 35 so that the end portion 62 is out of the nickel runway 25 and the arm portion 64 is clear of the arm portion 54 on the ilap 34.

Assuming that a person proceeds to use the telephone coin collector in attempting to obtain a telephone call and that the telephone instrument I1 is resting on the switchhook I5; in this case if a nickel is deposited in the coin gauge I8, the nickel will fall through the coin gauge I8 and into the coin chute 22 and will proceed down the coin chute 22 until the nickel reaches the relatively large aperture 31, the nickel will then fall through the aperture 31 and exterior of the coin chute 22 and into the coin refund opening Ill for return to the person who deposited the nickel. No telephone call can therefore be obtained with a nickel while the telephone instrument I1 is on the switchhook It and the gate 35 is open. In order to condition the coin chute 22 to prevent a nickel from falling out through the aperture 31 the telephone instrument I1 must be lifted to relieve the swtichhook It from the weight of the telephone instrument I 1.

Assuming that the telephone instrument l? is off the switchhook l5 the gate 35 will be closed under the action of the spring fll since the pressure of the spring 4l is sufficient to move the gate 36 and the arm 42. The lever llf on the shaft 45 is moved out of the way of the arm ft2 by means of a spring 15 pretensioned and operating against a leg 15 on the shaft 45 to lift the switchhook I5 when the telephone instrument I1 is removed from the switchhook I6. When the gate 36 is closed and a nickel is deposited in the coin gauge I8 the nickel will fall through the coin gauge i8 into the coin chute 22. The nickel f1 will then proceed down the coin chute 22 to the flap 34 and will rest on the end portion 52 of the nap 34 as shown in Fig. 7. The flap 34 is held against outward movement from the nickel runway 25 by the arm portion 54 of the flap 35 extending over and in engagement with the arm portion 54 on the flap 34, the flap 35 being under the pressure of the spring 55. The rst nickel deposited after the gate 36 is closed will be held by the nap 32 against full passage through the coin chute 22 until the ilap 35 is moved to release the arm portion 54 from engagement with the arm portion 52. Under this condition if a second nickel is deposited in the coin gauge i8 the second nickel will go down through the coin gauge I 3 and the coin chute 22 and strike the rst nickel. The second nickel as shown in Fig. 8 will roll on the edge of the iirst nickel and engage the iiap 35 and will tilt the flap 35 outwardly from the nickel runway 26 against the action of the spring 55. The ap 35 will allow the second proceed down the coin chute 22 since the tilting of the flap 35 under the action of the second nickel causes the arm portion 54 to move out of engagement with the arm portion 5!! on the flap 34. Both the rst and the second deposited nickels will proceed on down through the coin chute 22. "One, ofthe nickels;will/subsequently' strike the trigger' 32 :and operate the Itrigger 32 to close the switch 33 'in the-usual manner to cause a signal'to be nsent-to atelephone central olce to intelephone instrument-t1 from the switchhook 'I5 andthen ldepositing `two-nickels in the telephone coin OOlIector l2,

When talking current 'is applied `to the telephone linev between thecentral station and the coin .collector I2 the electromagnet device 6,9 is energized .to-press the arm 1I.. against the ,tongue portion 6| of the flap 35 to a sufficient extent to tilt the ap 35 to such extent that the end 62 of the iiap 35 is brought out of the nickel runway 26 and the arm portion 54 of the iiap 35 is out of the way of the arm portion 54 of the ap 34. The electromagnet device 69 is maintained ening completely through the coin chute 22 by the flaps 34 and 35. When the telephone call has been completed and the telephone instrument I 1 is replaced on the switchhook IS the gate 35 will be opened under the weight of the telephone instrument I1, the electromagnet device 53 will be deenergized and the flaps 34 and 35 will again extend into the nickel runway 26.

When this invention is provided in a telephone coin collector a quick change can be made in '.I the condition of the telephone coin collector so that in one case the telephone coin collector will operate to give telephone service upon deposit of a single nickel in the telephone coin collector and in another case will operate to give telephone service only upon deposit in the telephone coin collector of two nickels or a payment of an amount equal or greater in value than the value of two nickels. To condition the telephone coin collector to give telephone service for a minimum payment of one nickel it is only necessary to set the longitudinally movable pin 58 in such position that the pin 58 extends between the pivotally supported flap 34 and the wall 23 of the coin chute 22 and prevents the end portion 52 of the flap 34 from extending in the nickel runway 25. Should it be desired to condition the telephone coin collector to give telephone service only upon payment of two nickels or an amount equal to or greater than the value of two nickels it is only necessary to longitudinally move the pin 5B to such position that the pin 58 does not through the coin chute 22 until a second nickel is deposited and operates the ap 35. The gate 36 must be closed in both cases before telephone service can be obtained with a nickel payment.

What is claimed is:

A coin collector apparatus comprising a coin chute, a coin runway formed in said coin chute, a pivotally supported ap extending into said coin runway and operable to move into and out of coin obstructing position in said coin runway,

a second pivotally supported ap extending into said coin runway and operable to move into and out of said coin runway and a longitudinally movable pin serving as a pivotal support for said second pivotally supported flap, said pin operable to be moved into the path of movement of the first-mentioned pivotally supported ap to hold the first-mentioned pivotally supported flap from extending into said coin runway.

FREDERICK A. HOYT.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Number Number Name Date Collins Apr. 14, 1936 Hoyt Nov. '1, 1939 Yeomans June 10, 1937 FOREIGN PATENTS Country Date Germany June 10, 1937

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