US2768726A - Coin separators and switches therefor - Google Patents

Description

J. ANDERSON 2,768,726 co'm SEPARATORS AND SWITCHES THEREFOR Oct. 30, 1956 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed July 9, 1951 5a INVENTOR' HTTORNE Y Job 1 L. flndcrs n Oct. 30, 1956 J. L. ANDERSON com SEPARATORS AND SWITCHES THEREFOR Filed July 9, 1951 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 United States Patent COIN SEPARATORS AND SWITCHES THEREFOR John L. Anderson, Jennings, Mo., assignor to National Re e ctors, Inc., St. Louis, Mo., a corporation of Missonrr Application July 9, 1951, Serial No. 235,820

4 Claims. (Cl. 194'9)' This invention relates to improvements in coin separators. More particularly, this invention relates to improvements in coin separators that can receive different types of coins or tokens and can respond to prescribed combinations of those coins.

It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide an improved coin separator that can receive coins or tokens of diflerent combinations of those coins or tokens. It is frequently possible to construct and install vending machines that can respond to the insertion of a single coin or token of a given type to vend a particular article. However, in many instances, the accepted price of the particular article to be vended is such that more than one coin or token of the same or different types must be inserted in the vending machine to effect the vending of that article. In still other instances the accepted price of the article to be vended is such that at least one coin or token of one type and at least two coins or tokens of another type must be inserted in the vending machine to effect the vending of the article. In these latter instances it is desirable to interrelate the actions of the different types of coins or tokens in the vending machines so the supplier of the vended article receives full payment for each article vended, and so the recipient of each vended article need insert only the types and numbers of tokens to efiect the vending of the article. The present invention attains this interrelation of the action of the coins or tokens of different types by providing a coin separator which has an electro-responsive device that normally blocks the passageway for the coins or tokens of one type and which has an electric switch that will not energize that electroresponsive device and thus unblock the passageway for the one type of coin or token until a prescribed number of authentic coins of another type has passed that switch. With such a coin separator, coins or tokens of the one type will be directed to a rejected coin chute until the prescribed number of authentic coins of the other type have been inserted, and thereafter the coins or tokens of the one type will be accepted and the desired article will be vended. It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a coin separator which has an electroresponsive device that normally blocks the passageway for coins or tokens of one type and which has an electric switch which responds to the insertion of a prescribed number of coins or tokens of another type to energize the electro-responsive device and unblock the passageway for the one type of coin or token.

In the coin separator provided by the present invention, a stop is lodged in the coin passageway and will halt the movement of coins through that passageway. A switch is disposed ahead of the stop and it has an actuator which extends into the coin passageway and will be moved by such coins. The actuator can be disposed at different distances from the stop and will be moved to switch-actuating position by one or more coins as desired. Where it is desired that a single'coin move the actuator to switchactuating position, the switch will be setrclose to the stop l and the coin will move the actuator to a point closely ad- 2,768,726 Patented Oct. 30, 1956 jacent the stop; and thereafter the stop will hold the coin against the actuator and thus keep the actuator in switchactuating position. Where it is desired that the actuator count two coins, a switch and its actuator will be spaced from the stop a distance greater than the width of one coin but smaller than the width oftwo coins. The first coin will move the actuator of the switch toward the stop but will pass out of engagement with the actuator and permit that actuator to return to normal position. That first coin will be held by the stop and will act to hold the second coin adjacent the actuator; that second coin holding the switch-actuator in switch-actuating position. With this construction it is possible to count any given number of coins accurately. It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide .a coin separator which has a stop that is disposed in a coin passageway and that has a switch disposed ahead of the stop; said switch having an actuator that can be held in switch-actuating position by coins which are held immobile by the said stop.

The stop can then be removed from the passageway to permit the coin held by it to pass by it to the coin box of the coin separator. Thereupon, the actuator of the switch will return to normal position. In this way, the. coin separator can reset itself for the next coin-receiving cycle. It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a coin separatorwith a stop which extends into a passageway to halt the movement of coins through that passageway and which is movable out of that passageway to permit the coins to pass through the passageway and thereby free the actuator of a switch to return to re-set position.

Other and further objects and advantages of the present invention should become apparent from an examination of the drawing and accompanying description.

In the drawing and accompanying description several preferred embodiments of the present invention are shown and described but it is to be understood that the drawing and accompanying description are for the purpose of illustration only and do not limit the invention and that the invention will be defined by the appended claims.

In the drawing, Fig. 1 is a front elevational view of a portion of a coin separator which is made in accordance with the principles and teachings of the present invention,

Fig. 2 is a front elevational view of a smaller portion of said coin separator, and it shows that coin separator holding one coin,

Fig. 3 is a front elevational view of the portion of the coin separator shown in Fig. 2, and it shows that coin separator holding two coins,

Fig. 4 is a schematic diagram of a circuit in which the coin separator of Figs. 1-3 can be incorporated,

Fig. 5 is a front elevational view of another formof coin separator which embodies the principles and teachings of the present invention,-

Fig. 6 is a view of a smaller portion of the coin separator shown in Fig. 5, and it shows that coin separator holding a coin,

Fig. 7 is a front elevational view of the portion of the coin separator shown in Fig. 6, and it shows by dotted lines themovement of a stop which can block the passageway of that coin separator,

Fig. 8 is a front elevational view of a portion of another form of coin separator which is made in accordance with the principles and teachings of the present invention,

Fig. 9 is a front elevational view of a portion of 'the coin separator shown in Fig. 8, and it shows that coin separator holding two coins, and i Fig. 10 is a front elevational view of the portion of the coin separator shown in Fig. 9 and itshows that coin separator holding three coins.

Referring to the drawing in detail, the numeral 20 denotes the frame of one form of coin separator which is made in accordance with the principles and teachings of the present invention. The frame 20 holds a front wall 22 and a rear wall 24 in spaced relation. The space between the walls 22 and 24 is large enough to accommo date a coin, as for example a penny. An anvil 26 is disposed between the front and rear walls 22 and 24, and that anvil will direct coins to the right through the passageway defined by the front and rear walls 22 and 24. A separator 28 is disposed between the front and rear walls 22 and 24. A coin guide 30 is disposed adjacent the right-hand side of frame 20, as viewed in Figs. 1-3, and that coin guide coacts with the separator 28 to define an accepted coin chute. A coin guide 32, in the form of a pin, is disposed between the front and rear walls 24 and 26 and that coin guide coacts with the coin guide 30 to reduce the width of the passageway for the accepted coin. 'That passageway should be just slightly greater than the diameter of the coin accepted.

An opening 34 is provided in the front wall 22; that opening being above and somewhat to the right of the separator 28. An electro-responsive device 36 is disposed adjacent the opening 34, and that electro-responsive device has a plunger 38 which is biased for movement through opening 34 into the passageway defined by the front and rear walls 22 and 24. The plunger can be withdrawn from the passageway through the opening 34 by the electro-responsive device 36.

The coin separator of Figs. 1-3 will have a coin gauge and a magnet and a runway which is similar to the coin gauge, runway and magnet shown in United States Letters Patent No. 2,292,628 for Coin Selector which issued August 11, 1942. That coin gauge will test coins introduced into the coin separator and will direct coins of the proper size toward the runway. That runway will direct the coins past the magnet and if those coins are authentic, they will rebound from the anvil and move toward the accepted coin passageway between coin separator 28 and coin guide 30. If the plunger 38 is lodged in the coin passageway defined by the front and rear walls 22 and 24, the coin will be unable to pass into the accepted coin chute; instead it will strike the plunger 38 and be deflected to the rejected coin chute between anvil 26 and separator 28. However, if the plunger 38 is withdrawn from the coin passageway defined by the front and rear walls 22 and 24, authentic coins can pass by the opening 34 and move into the passageway or chute. Any such coin would be directed closer to the coin guide 30 by contact ing the coin guide 32. In addition, that coin would strike the end of the actuator 46 of a switch 44 mounted on the front wall 22 of the coin separator. The actuator 46 has a bent end which extends into the passageway defined by the front walls 22 and 24. i

The engagement of the coin with the bent end of the actuator 46 will cause that actuator to rotate in a clockwise direction, and an arcuate slot 40 is provided in the front wall 22 to permit the actuator to move in its arcuate path. The coin will continue to move the actuator 46 downwardly until the bent end of the actuator has rotated sufficiently far from the coin guide 30 to permit the coin to slip between that bent end and that coin guide. Thereupon, the actuator .46 will rotate upwardly in a counterclockwise direction to its initial position as shown in Fig. 1; that actuator being biased to that position by the active components of the switch, not shown. The coin will continue to move downwardly until it strikes the bent end of an armature 50 that is held across the bottom of the passageway by an electro-responsive device 48. The left-hand edge of the coin will bear against a coin guide 42, and it will be held securely in position by the conjoint action of coin guide 42 and armature 50.

In the position of actuator 46 shown in Fig. 1, the contacts of switch 44 are open. As the actuator rotates downwardly in a clockwise direction under the weight of the coin, that actuator will close those contacts, but those contacts will open again as the coin moves out of engagement with actuator 46 and permits that actuator to return to its initial position. Thus, the passage of the first coin past the actuator 46 will cause a momentary closing of the contacts of switch 44 but will permit those contacts to open.

When a second coin is introduced into the passageway between the front and rear walls 22 and 24, that coin will rebound from the anvil 26 into the accepted coin chute defined by the separator 28 and the coin guide 30. This coin will be additionally guided by the coin guide 32. As it moves down into the accepted coin chute, that coin will strike the bent end of actuator 46 and move that actuator in a clockwise direction. As the coin moves the actuator downwardly, it will cause the contacts of switch 44 to close and thereafter the second coin will strike and be held by the first coin. The switch 44 is disposed above the stop 50 a distance which is great enough to insure that the first coin can slip past the actuator 46 and free it for return to its initial position but is small enough to permit the second coin to hold that actuator in switch-actuating position. Stated another way, the switch-actuating position of the actuator 46 is spaced from the stop 50 a distance greater than the width of the accepted coin passageway but less than twice the width of that passageway.

The coin will remain immobile in the coin chute until the armature 50 is freed for movement in a counterclockwise direction. When this occurs, as by the deenergizing of the electro-responsive device 48, the spring 49 will rotate the armature 50 in a counter-clockwise direction away from the bottom of the accepted coin passageway. The position which that armature will assume when the electro-responsive device 50 is de-energized is indicated by dotted line in Fig. 1.

The coin separator of Figs. l-3 can be incorporated in the circuit of a vending machine, as shown in Fig. 4. A lead 52 and a lead 72 are provided for in that circuit, and those leads can be connected to a source of voltage, as for example, the usual outlets in building. Current will normally flow from lead 52 through the upper contact of a switch 54, through the lower contact of a switch 56, through contact 58 of a relay 66, through the electroresponsive devices 36 and 48, and through the contact 68 of a relay 70 to the lead 72. The flow of current through the electro- responsive devices 36 and 48 will energize those devices and withdraw the plunger 38 from the passageway defined by the walls 22 and 24 and will hold the armature 50 in the accepted coin passageway. When the first coin passes by the actuator 46, it will momentarily cause the contacts of switch 44 to close, but those contacts will quickly open as the actuator 46 returns to the position shown in Fig. 1. The momentary closing of switch 44 will provide momentary energization of the electro-responsive device 64 by reason of the circuit which extends from lead 52 through the movable element and upper contact of switch 54, through the lower contact and movable element of the switch 56, through the contact 58 of relay 66, through switch 44, through the electro-responsive device 64 and through the contact 68 of relay 70 to the lead 72. This electro-responsive device 64 will have a plunger, not shown, normally disposed in a second passageway, not shown. That passageway will accept coins of a different denomination, for example, a nickel. The momentary energization of the electroresponsive device 64 will withdraw that plunger from that second passageway, and that opening of the contacts of switch 44- will permit that plunger to move back into that second passageway once again. It is only after the second coin engages the actuator 46 and holds it in closed switch position that he elecro-responsive device 64 is able to hold its plunger out of the second passageway.

The switch 54 may be described as an empty switch because its movable element normally remains in engagement with the upper contact of switch 54, and only shifts into engagement with the lower contact of switch 54 after the vending machine is empty of articles to be vended Where the articles are solid, the switch 54 can have a finger that is biased toward extended position but is held in retracted position by the article to be vended, and that will in turn hold the movable element of switch 54 in engagement with the upper contact of switch 54. Where the material to be vended is liquid, switch 54 can have a float secured to its movable element. In either case that switch will have its movable element in engagement with its upper contact as long as there are articles or material within the vending machine, but will have that movable element in engagement with its lower contact when the machine is empty. In moving to the lower contact of switch 54, the movable element of that switch will disconnect the contact 58 from lead 52 thus preventing energization of the electro- responsive devices 36, 48 and 64. This assures blocking of the two coin passageways by the plungers associated with electro- responsive devices 36 and 64. Simultaneously the movable element of switch 54 will complete a circuit from lead 52 to lead 72 through contact 68 of relay 70 and the lamp 76. This lamp will then indicate that the vending machine is empty.

The switch 56 may be described as a delivery switch because it is actuated whenever the vending machine delivers an article or material. The movable element of that switch normally engages the lower contact of that switch but will, during the vending of an article or material, move into engagement with the upper contact of that switch. In doing so that movable element will disconnect contact 58 from lead 52, thus preventing energization of the electro- responsive devices 36, 48 and 64. This assures blocking of the two passageways by the plungers associated with the electro- responsive devices 36 and 64.

In by-passing the first coin and being held by the second coin, the actuator 46 counted the two coins. Until that actuator counted the two coins, the plunger associated with the electro-responsive device 64 was not held continuously out of the second passageway. Consequently, any coins inserted in that second passageway would strike that plunger and be directed toward the rejected coin chute where they could be regained. However, after the actuator 46 has counted the two coins, the switch 44 will cause energization of the electro-responsive device 64 and unblock the second passageway. Thereafter, the coins inserted in that passageway can reach the actuator of switch 74; that actuator and switch being adjacent the second passageway. When the contacts of switch 74 are'closed by a coin passing through the second passageway, a circuit is completed from lead 52 through the contact of switch 74, through the coil of relay 66 and through the contact 68 of relay 70 to lead 72. This causes the coil of relay 66 to pull the armature of that relay to its left-hand position; thus interrupting the circuit of the electro- responsive devices 36, 48 and 64. These electro-responsive devices will then block both passageways by the plungers associated with the electroresponsive devices 36 and 64, and will also free the two coins in the accepted coin chute for movement to the coin box. In addition, the shifting of the armature of relay 66 will establish a holding circuit which extends from lead 52 through empty switch 54, through delivery switch 56, through contact 62 of relay 66, through the coil of relay 66 and through the contact 68 of relay 70 to the lead 72. In addition, the shifting of the armature of relay 66 will establish a circuit for the vending machine motor 78; that circuit extending from the lead 52 through the contact 66 of relay 66, through the vending motor 78 and through the contact 68 of relay 70 to the lead 72. The holding circuit will maintain the armature in position with the contact 60 of relay 66 and thus complete the circuit for the vending machine motor 78 even though the actuation of the switch 74 is only momentary. The vending machine motor 78 will cause an article or material tobe vended; and that article or material will cause the movable element of switch 56 to momentarily shift from its lower to its uppercontact. This shifting of that movable ele- 6 ment will interrupt the holding circuit for relay 66. Thereupon the armature of that relay will shift to its normal right-hand position and interrupt the motor circuit While restoring the circuit to the electro- responsive devices 36 and 48.

From this it is apparent that the plunger associated with the electro-responsive device 64 normally blocks the sec ond passageway while the plunger 38 is normally out of the passageway defined by the walls 22 and 24, that the insertion of two authentic coins in the passageway defined by the walls 22 and 24 will cause unblocking of the second passageway, that the insertion of an authentic coin in the second passageway will cause immediate initiation of the vending operation and blocking of both said passageways and will lead to the re-setting of the coin separator with the second passageway being blocked and' the passageway being defined by the walls 22 and 24 being unblocked. It is also apparent that if, at any time, the vending machine becomes empty, the lamp 76 will be lighted and both passageways will be blocked.

If, at any time, the switch 74 were to stick in closed position, the interruption of the holding circuit by the delivery switch 56 would not de-energize the relay 66; and the vending motor 78 would tend to continue to vend articles or material. However, the relay 70 will become energized during the vending operation, and will interrupt the circuit of the vending motor by current which flows from lead 52 through switch 74, through contact 62 of relay 66, through the movable element and upper contact of switch 56, through the coil of relay 70 and through contacts 68 of relay 78 to the lead 72. The energizations of the coil of relay 7%) will disconnect all parts of the cincuit from lead 72, by separating contacts 68; and relay 70 will have a mechanical latch that will hold the contacts 68 apart until they are manually forced together. Thus, the relay prevents further vending of articles or material until the switch 74 can be inspected and restored to fully operative condition.

If the leads 52 and 72 were disconnected from the source of voltage, or if that voltage source failed, the plungers associated with the electro- responsive devices 36 and 64 would lodge in and block both passageways. This protects persons who insert coins in the passageways of the vending machine from losing those coins; those coins being directed to the rejected coin chutes where they can be regained by those persons. Thus, the coin separators of Figs. 1-4 gauges and counts the coins inserted in it, making sure that the persons who insert the coins do not lose them even if they fail to insert those coins in the prescribed sequence; and it makes sure that no article or material is vended until the proper number and types of coins are inserted.

In Figs. 57, another form of coin separator provided by the present invention is shown. That coin separator has the frame 80 which maintains a front wall 82 and a rear wall 84- in spaced relation. The walls 82 and 84 are spaced apart a distance sufiicient to permit the passage of a coin, such as a penny, therebetween. An anvil 26 and a separator 28 are disposed between the front and rear walls 82 and 84; the anvil 26 being disposed adjacent the lefthand edge of the walls 82 and 84, and the separator28 being spaced to the right of the anvil 26. A coin guide 30 is disposed between the walls 82 and 84 and it is spaced to the right of the separator 28. The anvil 26 and separator 28 define a rejected coin chute and the separator 28 and the coin guide 30 define an accepted coin chute. A coin guide 32, in the form of a pin, is disposed between the walls 82 and 84 and it reduces the width of the accepted coin chute or passageway.

An opening 86 is formed in the front wall 82 above and somewhat to the right of the separator 28. An electroresponsive device 36 is disposed adjacent that opening and it has a plunger 38 which is biased for movement through 0pening 86 into the passageway defined by.the walls 82 and 84. That plunger can be withdrawn from that passageway by the electro-responsive device 36. A coin gauge, a runway and a magnet, not shown, will be provided for the coin separator of Figs. -7. That coin gauge, runway, and magnet will be similar to the coin gauge, runway, and magnet of said Letters Patent, and will deliver authentic coins to the anvil 26 with sufiicient force that those coins will rebound past the separator 28 and enter the accepted coin chute between separator 28 and coin guide 30. The coin will be able to enter the accepted coin chute only if the plunger 38 is withdrawn from the passageway.

Coins entering the accepted coin chute will engage the bent end of actuator 46 which extends into the passageway defined by the front and rear walls 82 and 84. This actuator is connected to a switch 44 which is secured to the front wall 82 and is spaced adjacent the left-hand edge of that wall. A slot 89 is provided in the front wall 82 to accommodate the bent end of actuator 46. A coin guide88 is disposed adjacent the bottom of the passageway defined by the walls 82 and 84 and it is spaced from coin guide 30 a distance just slightly greater than the coins to be accepted by the coin separator of Figs. 5-7. An armature 50 of an electro-responsive device, not shown, will underlie the accepted coin chute. The actuator 46 will have a switch-actuating position below the position shown in Fig. 5, and a coin striking that actuator will move it through that coin actuating position. The actuator 46 has a coin-disengaging position adjacent the coin guide 88; that actuator being so spaced from the coin guide 30 at such time that the distance between the coin guide 30 and the end of the actuator is greater than the diameter of the coin. Normally, however, the armature 50 will prevent the coin from passing by the end of actuator 46, as indicated in Fig. 6. That coin will rest upon the upper surface of coin guide 88 and the bent portion of armature 50 and will be held immobile; holding the actuator 46 immobile in switch-actuating position as it does so. That coin can be released for passage to the accepted coin box by movement of the armature 50 from the dotted position of Fig. 7 to the position indicated by solid lines. The downward movement of the coin out of the accepted coin chute will free the actuator 46 for counter-clockwise movement to its initial position; that actuator being biased for movement to that position.

The insertion of a coin in the passageway defined by the front and rear walls 82 and 84 will cause the actuator 46 to move downwardly and be held in switchactuating position; the coin being kept from moving beyond that actuator by the conjoint action of coin guide 88 and the armature 50. As indicated in Fig. 4, the closing of the switch 44 will energize the electro-responive devices 64 and will withdraw the plunger associated with that electro-responsive device from the second passageway, not shown. The insertion in the second passageway will close the contacts of switch 74 and will cause the vending of an article or material and the de-energizing of the electro-responsive device 48 which normally holds the armature 50 in the accepted coin passageway. Thereupon the spring 49, not shown, will move the armature from the position indicated by dotted lines in Fig. 7 to the position indicated by solid lines in Fig. 7 and release the coin. This permits the switch 44 to shift to the position indicated in Fig. 4 and thus enables the plunger associated with the electro-responsive device 64 to lodge in the second passageway and keep the coins from reaching the actuator of the switch 74. Thus, the coin separator of Figs. 5-7 counts one coin and then causes unblocking of the second passageway.

In Figs. 8-l0, another form of coin separator provided by the present invention is shown. That coin separator has a frame 92 that maintains a front wall 94 and a rear wall 96 in spaced relation. The front and rear walls 94 and 96 are spaced apart to define a passageway which can receive a coin, as for example a penny. An

anvil 26, a separator 28, a coin guide 30, and a coin guide 32 are disposed between the front and rear walls 94 and 96; anvil 26 and separator 28 defining a rejected coin chute, and separator 28 and coin guides 30 and 32 defining an accepted coin chute or passageway. An opening 93 is formed in the front wall 94, and that opening is above and somewhat to the right of the separator 28. An electro-responsive device 36 is disposed adjacent the opening 93 and it controls a plunger 38 which normally lodges in a passageway defined by the front and rear walls 94 and 96. The plunger 38 can be withdrawn from that passageway by the electro-responsive device 36. The coin separator of Figs. 8-10 has a coin gauge, a runway, and a magnet, not shown, which are similar to the coin gauge, runway and magnet of said Letters Patent; and those elements will direct authentic coins to the anvil 26 with sufiicient force to enable those coins to rebound past separator 28 into the authentic coin chute defined by separator 28 and coin guides 30 and 32. Any such coins will be able to pass to that accepted coin chute if the plunger 38 is withdrawn from the passageway between the walls 94 and 96; and the electro-responsive device 36 normally does hold that plunger out of that passageway. Any such coin will strike the bent end of the actuator 46 of switch 44 and will rotate that actuator in a clockwise direction. The actuator 46 has a switch-actuating position below the position shown in Fig. 8 and it has a coin-disengaging position adjacent the coin guide 98. That coin guide has a continuation extending below to the bottom edge of the walls 94 and 96. The bent end of the armature 50 lies in the coin passageway defined by the coin guides 30, 32 and 98 and its extension 100, and it normally prevents movement of those coins past it.

When a coin strikes actuator 46 and moves past it, the actuator will first move into switch-actuating position and then move to coin-disengaging position, whereupon it can return to its initial position under the bias of the contact within switch 44. In passing from its initial position to switch-actuating and coin-disengaging position, the actuator 46 will cause switch 44 to momentarily energize the electro-responsive device 64 of Fig. 4. This will momentarily withdraw the plunger associated with that electro-responsive device from the second passageway, but that plunger will immediately return to its position within that passageway when actuator 46 rotates upwardly to its initial position. A second coin will strike actuator 46 and move it down to switchactuating position to coin-disengaging position and pass out of engagement with that actuator. Thereupon, the switch-actuator 46 will return to its initial position; once again causing switch 44 to shift the plunger associated with the electro-responsive device 64 momentarily out of the second passageway. However, a third coin entering the accepted coin passageway will move the actuator 46 down into switch-actuating position but will be kept from reaching coin-disengaging position by its engagement with the second coin; the first and second coin being held immobile in the accepted coin passageway by the armature 50. The third coin will rest against the second coin and against the bent portion of actuator 46 and be held in the accepted coin chute and will also hold the switch actuator 46 in switch-actuating position.

The actuation of the switch 44 will energize the electroresponsive device 64 and will thus cause withdrawal of the plunger associated with that electro-responsive device from the second passageway. The withdrawal of that plunger from the second passageway will enable coins to reach the actuator of switch 74 and initiate the vending operation in the manner described above in connection with the coin separator of Figs. l-3. In permitting the first two coins to pass by the actuator 46 without holding that actuator in switch-actuating position, the coin separator of Figs. 8-10 counts those two coins but does not initiate the vending operation. It is only after the coin separator of Figs. 8-10 counts the third coin that it initiates the vending operation.

In this way, the coin separator of Figs. 8-10 makes certain that the prescribed number of coins are introduced into the passageway between the walls 94 and 96 before coins can reach the switch 74 adjacent the second passageway. Once coins reach the switch 74 in the second passageway, the vending operation will be initiated, and the armature 50 will be moved away from the passageway defined by the coin guides 30, 32 and 98, thus permitting those coins to pass to the coin box.

The coin separator provided by the present invention could be dimensioned to count any given number of coins. All that would need to be done would be to lengthen the lower portion of the coin separator to provide an accepted coin chute which has a length that is n times the width of the passageway but is less than n plus 1 times the width of that passageway, wherein is a number one less than the number of coins to be counted by the coin separator. With such a construction, It coins would successively engage the actuator and move it through switch-actuating position and coin-disengaging position and then permit it to return to its initial position, and the n plus 1 coin will move the actuator to switch-actuating position and hold it there until the armature freed all of the coins for movement to the coin box. In this way, an inexpensive and effective coin separator can be built which can be adapted to various combinations of coins merely by lengthening the skirt of the coin separator.

Whereas several preferred embodiments of the present invention have been shown and described in the drawing and accompanying description, it should be apparent to those skilled in the art that various changes may be made in the form of the invention without aifecting the scope thereof.

What I claim is:

1. In a coin-responsive device which has a frame, a passageway for coins which has a predetermined width and can receive coins of smaller width, a stop which is movable into said passageway to prevent movement of coins through said passageway but is movable out of said passageway to permit movement of coins through said passageway, an electro-responsive device which can move said stop, a second stop which is movable into said passageway to prevent movement of coins through said passageway but is movable out of said passageway to permit movement of coins through said passageway, a second electro-responsive device which can move said second stop, said stops being spaced apart, and a switch adjacent said passageway, the first said stop being disposed beyond said switch and said second stop being disposed ahead of said switch, the first said electro-responsive device normally holding the first said stop in said passageway and said second electro-responsive device normally holding said second stop out of said passageway, the improvement which comprises an actuator for said switch which is at least partially within said passageway, said actuator being disposed between said stops, said actuator having a portion that is normally in position to intercept coins moving through said passageway and that is successively movable longitudinally of said passageway through switchactuating position to coin-disengaging position, said switch being so disposed relative to the first said stop that the coin-disengaging position of said actuator is closer to the first said stop than is the switch-actuating position of said actuator but is spaced from the first said stop a distance which is greater than the width of the first said passageway but is less than twice the width of the first said passageway whereby one coin will successively move said actuator through switch-actuating position to coin-disengaging position and a second coin will move said actuator to switch-actuating position but will be kept from moving that actuator to coin-disengaging position by the first coin until the first said stop is moved out of the first said passageway and frees the first coin, the first said stop being movable downwardly and away from said passageway to free said coins.

2. In a coin-responsive device which has a frame, a passageway for coins which has a predetermined width and can receive coins of smaller width, a stop which is movable into said passageway to prevent movement of coins through said passageway but is movable out of said passageway to permit movement of coins through said passageway, an electro-responsive device which can move said stop, a second stop which is movable into said passageway to prevent movement of coins through said passageway but is movable out of said passageway to permit movement of coins through said passageway, a second electro-responsive device which can move said second stop, said stops being spaced apart, and a switch adjacent said passageway, the first said stop being disposed beyond said switch and said second stop being disposed ahead of said switch, the first said eleotro-responsive device normally holding the first said stop in said passageway and said second electro-responsive device normally holding said second stop out of said passageway, the improvement which comprises an actuator for said switch which is at least partially within said passageway, said actuator being disposed between said stops, said actuator having a portion that is normally in position to intercept coins moving through said passageway and that is successively movable longitudinally of said passageway through switch-actuating position to coindisengaging position, said switch being so disposed relative to the first said stop that the coin-disengaging position of said actuator is closer to the first said stop than is the switch-actuating position of said actuator but is spaced from the first said stop a distance which is greater than twice the width of the first said passageway but is less than three times the width of the first said passageway, whereby two coins can successively move said actuator through switch-actuating position to coin-disengaging position and a third coin can move said actuator to switch-actuating position but will be kept from moving said actuator to coin-disengaging position by the second of said two coins until the first said stop is moved out of the first said passageway and frees the said two coins, said stop being an elongated rod that inclines downwardly of said passageway and has a portion thereof extending transversely of said passageway.

3. In a coin-responsive device which has a frame, a passageway for coins which has a predetermined width and can receive coins of smaller width, a stop which is movable into said passageway to prevent movement of coins through said passageway but is movable out of said passageway to permit movement of coins through said passageway, an electro-responsive device which can move said stop, a second stop which is movable into said passageway to prevent movement of coins through said passageway but is movable out of said passageway to permit movement of coins through said passageway, a second electro-responsive device which can move said second stop, said stops being spaced apart, and a switch adjacent said passageway, the first said stop being disposed beyond said switch and said second stop being disposed ahead of said switch, the first said electro-responsive device normally holding the first said stop in said passageway and said second electro-responsive device normally holding said second stop out of said passageway, the improvement which comprises an actuator for said switch which is at least partially within said passageway, said actuator being disposed between said stops, said actuator having a portion that is normally in position to intercept coins moving through said passageway and that is successively movable longitudinally of said passageway through switch-actuating position to coin-disengaging position, said switch being so disposed relative to the first stop that the coin-disengaging position of said actuator is closer to the first said stop than is the switch-actuating position of said actuator but is spaced from the first said stop a distance which is n times the width of the first said passageway but is less than n+1 times the width of the first said passageway, whereby n coins can successively move said actuator through said switch-actuating to coindisengaging position and an n+1 coin can move said actuator to switch-actuating position but will be kept from moving said actuator to coin-disengaging position by the n coin until the first said stop is moved out of the first said passageway and frees the said n coin, said stop being adjacent one side of said passageway and being movable downwardly and away fromsaid passageway.

4. In a coin-responsive device which has a frame, a passageway for coins which has a predetermined width and can receive coins of smaller width, a stop which is movable into said passageway to prevent movement of coins through said pasageway but is movable out of said passageway to permit movement of coins through said passageway, an electro-responsive device which can move said stop, and a switch adjacent said passageway, the improvement which comprises an actuator for said switch which is at least partially within said passageway, said actuator having a portion that is normally in position to intercept coins moving through said passageway and that is successively movable longitudinally of said passageway by such coins through a switch-actuating to a coindisengaging position, said switch being so disposed relative to said stop that the coin-disengaging position of said actuator is closer to said stop than is the switch actuating position of said actuator but is spaced from said stop a distance which is n times the width of said passageway but is less than n+1 times the width of said passageway, whereby it coins can successively move said actuator through switch-actuating to coin-disengaging position and an n+1 coin can move said actuator to switch-actuating position but will be kept from moving said actuator to coin-disengaging position by the n coin until said stop is moved out of said passageway and frees the said n coin, said stop being adjacent one side of said passageway and being movable downwardly and away from said passageway.

References Cited in the file of this patent

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