US2766763A

US2766763A - Token dispenser

Info

Publication number: US2766763A
Application number: US385538A
Authority: US
Inventors: Philip J Shough
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1953-10-12
Filing date: 1953-10-12
Publication date: 1956-10-16
Anticipated expiration: 1973-10-16

Description

Get. 16, 1956 P. J. SHOUGH TOKEN DISPENSER Filed Oct. 12, 1953 INVENTOR. PHILIP J. SHOUGH TOKEN DISPENSER Philip J. Shough, New York, N. Y. Application October 12, 1953, Serial No. 385,538

1 Claim. (Cl. 133-5) This invention relates to token dispensers, and more particularly to a small pocket-size dispenser having a magazine capable of holding and storing a plurality of tokens and an easily manipulated release actuator which permits the tokens to be discharged from the magazines one at a time.

The magazine or holder of the present invention is preferably made of a transparent or semi-transparent material so that the number of tokens contained therein can be quickly ascertained. The magazine is provided with an opening or slot therein through which the tokens are introduced into the magazine for storage and a dis charge opening through which they are released as they are needed. The tokens are adapted to be locked within the magazine and their accidental release prevented by an escapement device which normally partially blocks the discharge opening, however, upon operation of the release actuator the escapement not only urges the token in position for release toward the discharge opening but also serves to prevent the succeeding token from being released.

If preferred, the tokens may be released directly into a token receiving slot, such as, for example, the slot of a turnstile. For this purpose, the outer edge or surface of the discharge opening is designed so that it can be placed in close abutting contact with the token slot, and when the magazine is held in this position, the magazine channel leading to the discharge opening is disposed in a downward direction, so that the token will drop into the slot, released by gravity. The token next in line, however, will be retained within the magazine unless the release actuator is operated a second time, to prevent more than one token from being released at a time.

For a complete understanding of the present invention, reference may be had to the detailed description which follows, and to the accompanying drawing in which:

Figure l is a side view of the present invention with the release actuator in operated position to effect the release of a token into a token receiving slot, illustrating also the manner in which the succeeding token is retained within the magazine and prevented from release;

Figure 2 is a view similar to Figure 1 with the cover removed, showing the release actuator in the normal inoperative position;

Figure 3 is a bottom edge view of the present invention, looking up at it when it is in the position shown in Figures 1 and 2;

Figure 4 is a cross-section view taken substantially along the line 4 4 of Figure 2, looking in the direction of the arrows; and

Figure 5 is a cross-section view taken along the line 55, looking in the direction of the arrows.

Referring to the drawing, the token dispenser of the present invention comprises essentially a flat holder or container having a pair of parallel, spacially separated, oval-shaped walls or covers 10, and an escapement actuator 11 pivotally mounted between the walls. The interior of the holder is provided with a U-shaped chan- States Patent 0 2,766,763 Fatented Oct. 16, 1956 nel or magazine which is formed between a U-curved outer guide 13 and a straight center dividing guide 14. The guide 13 is provided with a projecting lip 13a at the discharge end of the magazine. The other end of the magazine is closed by a curved or rounded connection 15 which is adjacent to an opening 27 through which the tokens may be introduced.

The open or discharge end of the magazine is formed between the above-described lip portion 13a and a cam surface 16 formed integrally with the actuator 11. The cam surface 16 is curved in concave fashion to produce forward and rearward projections 16a, 16b, respectively, the specific functions of which will be described more fully below.

The actuator 11 is pivotally mounted between the side walls lit, 10' by a connecting rivet 17. The actuator 11 has a long actuating arm having a raised hump portion 18 at the end thereof, which hump projects beyond the edges of the walls Hi, 10', so that it can be easily depressed by a finger.

The actuator 11 is under the constant pressure of a small bent spring 19 which is accommodated within a cavity between the side walls it), 10', and acts against the back of the operating arm of the actuator. The spring is retained within the cavity by 8. lug 20 at the extreme end of the arm. The spring 19 normally urges the actuator in a counter-clockwise position, as viewed in Figs. 1 and 2, to a position determined by the engagement of the arm 21 of the actuator with the banking surface 22, the position of the actuator represented in Fig. 2. In this normal position of the actuator, the forward projection 16a of the cam 16 blocks the discharge end of the magazine to retain the tokens therein. When the raised handle or hump portion 18 is depressed against the action of the spring, the entire actuator 11 is pivoted so that the forward channel blocking projection 16a is retracted out of the way. This pivotal movement of the actuator 11 also moves the rearward projection 1612 into channel blocking position to prevent the accidental discharge of one or more succeeding tokens, and, at the same time, the projection 1611 may be instrumental in dislodging the token in position for release in the event it becomes stuck in the discharge opening. Incidentally, a reinforcing strip 23 interposed between the Walls 10, It) above the pivotal actuator serves as a banking surface for the actuator in the depressed or operated position.

The tokens, designated in the drawing by the reference character a, may be introduced one at a time into the magazine by forcing them through the opening 27. The tokens also may be introduced into the magazine by forcing them through the discharge opening one at a time. if the token dispenser is held in the hand in such a way that the actuator or discharge opening is at the top, the tokens introduced through the discharge opening will be guided between the walls of the

channel forming guides

13, 14, and will fall to the bottom by gravity. As the tokens are introduced, they will force the other tokens within the magazine around the U-shaped portion of the magazine until the first-introduced token engages the closed end of the magazine. The spring 19 is provided with a lip which is resiliently flexible to permit the token to be introduced into the opening 27, but extends across part of the opening to prevent a token from accidentally falling out.

The manner of releasing the tokens from the present token dispenser is illustrated in Fig. 1. With the token dispenser held in the manner shown, the tokens in the lower leg of the channel will fall by gravity to the dis charge end thereof. With the actuator 11 in the normal position, the leading token will be retained within the channel by the forward projection 16a of the cam surface 16. When the release of the token is desired, the operating arm 18 of the actuator may be depressed, and the pivotal movement of the actuator will move the blocking projection 16a to inoperative position to permit the release of the leading token in the magazine. At the same time, however, the rearward projection 1617 will be pivoted to operative position to block the channel and to prevent the accidental release of succeeding tokens. This position of the actuator 11 and the projection 16b is represented in Figure 1.

It is immaterial to the present invention Whether the forward projection 16:: of the cam surface 16 be designed in such a manner as to permit the complete release of the token from the dispenser or to retain the token within the channel, although permitting a substantial portion of the leading edge to project beyond the opening so that it may be removed with the fingers. In the case of the former, however, the tokens may be released directly into a token receiving slot 24, such as, for example, the token receiving slot of a turnstile. The fiat, straight edges 25 of the

walls

10, 10 at the discharge opening may be placed in close abutting contact with the slot 24.

Although the present invention makes a convenient pocket piece for storing and dispensing special tokens, apart from other coins which the user may have in his pocket, the term as used herein is intended to include coins and tokens in general. The size of the magazine channel and discharge opening can, of course, be made to accommodate coins and tokens of any desired size.

The present invention has been shown in a single preferred form and by Way of example only, and obviously many modifications and variations may be made therein without departing from the spirit of the invention. It is to be understood, therefore, that the present invention is not to be limited to any specified form or embodiment unless such limitations are specified in the appended claim.

I claim:

A pocket-size token dispenser comprising a magazine for storing the tokens, said magazine having a discharge opening formed by substantially straight edges to permit the discharge opening to be placed in abutting contact with a coin slot, and a pivotal spring biased actuator, said actuator including a pair of projections and an operating arm, one of the projections normally blocking the discharge opening of the magazine to prevent the release of a token therefrom, the other of the projections being normally disposed in an inoperative position, and the contour of the actuator intermediate the projections engaging the periphery of the token in position for release to permit a portion of the token to project beyond the straight edges defining the discharge opening to facilitate the insertion of the token in a coin slot, the movement of the operating arm of the actuator pivoting the first-mentioned projection out of the Way of the token in position for release and causing the second-mentioned projection to follow behind the token to be released, blocking the discharge opening to prevent the release of a succeeding token.

References Cited in the file-of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 575,715 Hertzberg Jan. 26, 1897 870,108 Kowastch Nov. 5, 1907 1,414,845 Wallenstein May 2, 1922 1,464,586 Reid Aug. 14, 1923 2,111,832 Bauer Mar. 22, 1938 2,210,875 Bauer Aug. 13, 1940 2,380,194 Sharp July 10, 1945 FOREIGN PATENTS 110,640 Germany May 15, 1900