US3496948A - Coin dispensing device - Google Patents

Description

4 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR HELMEK Y9. NfliLEN PATENT ACEN T Feb. 24, 1970 B. NIELSEN COIN DISPENSING DEVICE Filed on. 7. 1968 BY 70 am 094., "M

H. B. NIELSEN COIN DISPENSING DEVICE Feb. 24, 1970 Filed Oct. 7, 1968 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 56 56 INVENTOR HELMEK EJ- NlELfaEN Feb. 24, 1970 H. B. NIELSEN 3,496,948

COIN DISPENSING DEVICE Filed Oct. 7, 1968 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTOR HELMEK P3. Nmww BY Zea, km

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PATENT AGENT Feb. 24, 1970 H. B. NIELSEN 3,496,948

COIN DISPENSING DEVICE Filed Oct. 7, 1968 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 INVENTOR LIELMEK E1 NIELeEN BY 20%; PATENT AGENT United States Patent Int. Cl. 07d 1/00 U.S. Cl. 1335 10 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A device for removing a coin from the bottom of an accumulated stack. Upper and lower plates are provided with a space therebetween for edgewise travel from the stack which rests on the lower plate and extends upwardly through an opening in the upper plate and into a coin tube mounted on the upper plate. A roller and a slider member are located in the space between the plates, the roller being located adjacent the opening and the slider being movable across the opening towards the roller so that the bottom coin is forced to roll about the roller when the slider member is actuated. The coin tube has a sleeve in the lower end thereof, and the sleeve extends down into the opening in the upper plate and is adjustable towards and away from the lower plate.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION It is common practice to provide in machines, which operate to vend goods or services in response to the insertion of money, a changing apparatus in order that a customer may insert into the machine money, such as coins, of greater value than the goods or services being sold. Such a changing apparatus is desirable, of course, so that it is not essential for the customer wishing to use the machine to have change in the exact amount of the goods or services being purchased.

Most known changers hold coins which are dispensed as change, in one or more stacks, and means are provided to part off one coin at a time from the stack. A common problem encountered by the known changer is that of a jamming effect taking place during the parting off, this usually being caused because the bottom coin in the stack or the one immediately thereabove is worn or in some way slightly deformed. As the coin becomes jammed, parts of the changer may be damaged, and, of course, until the jammed coin is cleared, the vending machine is inoperative. Accordingly, if the changer is prone to jamming, the vending machine must be constantly attended, which defeats the purpose of an automatic vending machine.

Another disadvantage of some types of known changers is that the dispensing mechanism is of a complex nature including several moving parts. Not only are such changers expensive to produce and difiicult to maintain, but they are bulky. In vending machines, the space allotted for the coin handling components is small, and therefore, bulkiness is not only undesirable but frequently necessitates sacrificing some other desirable features. In the changers having the complex dispensing mechanism, for example, room is left for only one coin storage tube, while it is frequently desirable to provide at least two tubes so as to reduce the chances of the changer running out of change and to make it possible to dispense coins of more than one denomination.

SUMMARY According to the present invention, there is provided a device for dispensing coins from an accumulated stack,

the device having an upper plate member provided with a coin inlet of a diameter for flatwise passage of coins from the stack located thereabove. A lower plate member is fixed below the upper plate member and is arranged to support the stack with the bottom coin of the stack resting on the lower plate member and with the stack extending up through the coin inlet. The lower plate member is spaced below the upper plate member a distance to permit edgewise travel of at least one coin therebetween and the lower plate member has a coin outlet eccentrically disposed relative to the inlet, a slider member is sandwiched between the two plate members, and located adjacent the inlet, and in the same plane as the slider member is a rotatable coin engaging roller. The slider member has a coin engaging portion across the inlet from the roller and yet on a common side of a diametrical line through the inlet, the diametrical line being between the' roller and slider member on the one hand and the outlet on the other. An actuating means is provided for sliding the coin engaging portion of the slider member across the inlet opening towards the roller for rolling at least the bottom coin of the stack edgewise about the roller and to the outlet.

As the bottom coin is not simply pushed edgewise from the bottom stack, but is caused to rotate slightly as it is parted off, it appears to readily twist free of the coin above it which is in engagement with it. Thus, any irregularities or high points in engagement between the two coins are more easily separated so that the tendency for the coin above the bottom coin to move off with the bottom coin is reduced. Accordingly, as the coins separate with decreased drag therebetween, the jamming effect is noticeably reduced In a specific embodiment of the present invention, a coin reservoir tube for containing the stack is fixed above the upper plate member over the coin inlet, and the tube has a sleeve member within it and extending down into the coin inlet, the sleeve being adjustable toward and away from the lower plate member so that the clearance between the lower end of the sleeve and the upper surface of the lower plate member may be varied. With this arrangment, the space, through which the bottom coin is pushed from the stack can be actually adjusted after the dispensing device is assembled or while the changer is in service so as to again reduce the chances of the coin above the bottom coin from also being displaced into a position where jamming may be caused.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS In the accompanying drawings, which show examples of the embodiments of the present invention by way of example:

FIGURE 1 is a front view of the coin changer showing other components of the coin handling apparatus of a vending machine in chain dotted lines;

FIGURE 2 is a cross-sectional view of the coin dispensing device of the present invention taken along line 11-11 of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 3 is a bottom view of a coin dispensing device;

FIGURE 4 is an exploded perspective view of parts of the coin dispensing device;

FIGURE 5 is a top view of the bottom coin in the dispensing device illustrating the movement of a coin during the parting off operation;

FIGURE 6 is a perspective view of another embodiment of the present invention;

FIGURE 7 is a top view of the embodiment of the dispensing device shown in FIGURE 6;

FIGURE 8 is a bottom view of the embodiment of the 3 dispensing device shown in FIGURE 6, but with the lower plate member removed; and

FIGURE 9 is a cross-sectional view of the dispensing device shown in FIGURE 6 as viewed from the line IX-IX of FIGURE 8.

DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS In FIGURE 1, the coin handling apparatus 10, which would normally be mounted in a channel-shaped frame member 11, includes a coin sorting component 12, a coin directing and switching means 13, and a dispensing device or change giving means 14. The dispensing device 14, when activated, pays out a coin or coins as change, which coins fall into a coin return chute (not shown), the coin return chute being located below the coin handling apparatus 10 to catch coins dropped by the dispensing device 14 and also by a coin bypass chute 15 which receives rejected coins from the coin sorting component 12. Although the dispensing device 14 shown in the embodiment illustrated in FIGURE 1 is used in combination with the switching means 13, the two of which may be considered to make up a coin changer, the dispensing device 14 may be utilized in a coin handling apparatus utilizing other components, such as a coin totalizing mechanism or a coin escrow device.

The coin dispensing device 14 has two coin reservoir tubes 16 and 17 each for holding a stack of coins 20, 21, respectively. The coins in stacks 20 and 21 are of different denominations, and the tubes 16 and 17 are therefore of different diameters so as to closely encircle each stack. The switching means 13 includes a plurality of plate members defining a number of coin passageways (not shown) for edgewise travel of coins accepted by the coin sorting components 12. The passageways have inlet openings located below outlet openings in the sorting component 12 and have outlet openings at the bottom of the switching means. Two of the passageways have outlet openings over each of the tubes 16 and 17 so that the coins passing in these passageways are deposited in either of the tubes. Another of the passageways has an opening above a ramp 22 so that the coin falling from it hits the ramp and passes through an opening 23 and into a coin collecting box (not shown). At least some of the passageways have an activating arm of an electrical switch (not shown) extending thereinto so that as a coin passes, the arm is engaged by the coin to cause the switch to be closed and thereby initiate a vending cycle. An electrical switch 24 is provided in the switching means 13 and has an arm 25 extending through a slot 26 and into the passageway which deposits the coin in the ramp 22. The switch 24, which is closed when a coin engages arm 25, is provided to energize the coin dispensing device 14 so that change is given when a coin passes through the passageway with which the switch 24 is associated.

To illustrate the general operation of the coin handling apparatus, the vending machine may be set up, for example, to vend a ten cent item and to accept either two nickels, a dime or a quarter from the customer. If the customer inserts two nickels, the nickels are separated at one stage of their travel so that, the second initiates the vending cycle by the appropriate switch in switching means 13. The nickels are, however, eventually directed to tube 16 and fall into stack 20. If the customer inserts one dime, it travels through switching means and also closes the vending switch, but as it is in a different passageway than the nickels, it is deposited in tube 17. If a quarter is inserted, it also initiates a vending cycle but during the travel of the quarter in its respective passageway, it closes switch 24 so as to activate the coin dispensing device 14 to dispense one nickel and one dime from the stacks 20 and 21 in a manner which will be described in more detail below. The quarter then continues through the switching means 13 and drops into the coin collecting box.

Each of coin tubes 16 and 17 are provided with a coin deflecting means 27 at the top thereof so that in the event the tubes become filled, additional coins will be caused to spill over into a coin collecting ramp 30, which extends across the front of the tubes and joins the ramp 22. Thus, any surplus of the coins which would normally be kept in the stacks for the purpose of making change are directed through opening 23 and into the coin collecting box.

Referring now to FIGURES 2 to 3, as well as FIGURE 1, it may be seen that the coin dispensin device 14 includes an upper plate member 31 and a lower plate member 32. Upper plate member 31 has a pair of circular inlet openings 33, 34, of a diameter sufficient to permit fiatwise passage of the coins in each of stacks 20 and 21, and tubes 16 and 17 are mounted on upper plate member 13 coaxially with the opening 33, 34. Lower plate member 32 is secured to the upper plate member by screws 35 (FIG- URE 3), but is held in spaced parallel relation therebelow by ribs 36 on the under surface of the upper plate member 31. Space 37 (FIGURE 2) is of sufficient depth to permit edgewise travel of the coins of stack 21, and in the event the larger coins of stack 20 are thicker than those of stack 21, the space 37 in the area below tube 16 may be made somewhat deeper by providing a depressed surface 38. The lower plate member 32 is provided with a pair of outlet openings 40, 41 which are offset or eccentrically disposed in relation to the inlet openings 33, 34, respectively. Thus, at least a major portion of the area of each inlet openings 33, 34 overlies the upper surface of the lower plate member 32, so that the lower plate member in fact supports each of the stacks 20, 21 which normally extend upwardly through openings 33 and 34 and into the tubes 16 and 17. The bottom coin in each stack rests, therefore, directly on the upper surface of the lower plate member.

Associated with each inlet opening 33 and 34 and mounted for rotation on studs 42, 43 fixed to the lower surface of upper plate member 31 is a pair of rollers 44, 45 (FIGURES 3 and 4). The rollers, which are relatively thin so as to lie in the space 37, are adjacent the inlet openings, and in fact, the periphery of each roller is preferable on a common tangent with the edge of the associated inlet opening.

Sandwiched between the upper plate member 31 and lower plate member 32 is a slider member 47 which is mounted for reciprocation in the space 37. The slider member 47 is a rectangular plate having side edges 48, 48, adjacent ribs 36 so that engagement of the edges with the ribs serves to guide the slider member during reciprocating movement. Two large openings 50, 51, which normally encompass the areas of each associated inlet and outlet openings in the upper and lower plate members, as is best illustrated in FIGURE 3, are provided in the rectangular plate. Accordingly, the slider member is provided with a central portion 52 between the openings and a transverse portion 53 presenting coin engaging portions 54, 55, of the slider member. The coin engaging portions which are in the form of small corners projecting into the openings 50, 51, are disposed across the inlet openings 33, 34, from the rollers 44, 45. For reasons which will become apparent below, each coin engaging portion of the slider member, which is normally located immediately adjacent the periphery of its associated inlet opening, although located across the opening from the roller, is situated on the same side of a diametrical line of the opening as the axis of the roller, and the centre of the outlet opening is located on the opposite side of that diametrical line as the coin engaging portion and roller.

Secured to the central portion 52 of the slider member 47 and extending upwardly therefrom is a post 56 which projects through a slot 57 in the upper plate member 31. A tension spring 60, which is located above upper plate member 31, is fastened at one end to the post 56 and at its other end to an anchor pin 61. Thus, the slider memher is normally biased to its forward position shown in FIGURE 2 and illustrated by dotted lines in FIGURE 3 by the spring.

A slider member actuating means in the form of a simple solenoid 62 is fixed above the upper plate member and has a forwardly extending armature member 62 fastened to the post by a link 64. When the solenoid is energized by the closing of switch 24 the armature is retracted towards the rear of the dispensing device to thereby pull the slider member towards the rear and move coin engaging portions 54 and 55 towards rollers 44 and 45.

As slider member 47 is drawn towards the rear, as indicated by arrow 65 in FIGURE 3, the coin engaging portions 54 and 55 push against the bottom coin in each stack of coins. Thus, since the coin engaging portion and roller axis are on a common side of a diametrical line through the coin inlet opening, the coin although pushed against the roller, is in effect squeezed from between the coin engaging portion and the roller. Due to this action the bottom coin rolls on the roller as illustrated by arrow 66 in FIGURE 5 and the centre of the coin follows along a path which is on an arc struck about the axis of the roller. Thus, the direction of travel of the coin is not only the same as that of the slider member, but there is a significant component of movement of the coin, particularly at the beginning of the slider member stack, in a direction transverse to the slider member movement. The progress of the coin is illustrated for successive positions of the slider member in chain dotted lines in FIG- URE 5. As the slider member completes its stroke towards the rear, the coin is pushed over the outlet open ing, the centre of which is also preferably located on the arc struck about the axis of the roller, and the coin falls through the outlet opening.

As described previously, the motion given to the coin as it is being pushed from beneath the stack, and apparently its rotation or twisting movement relative to the coin immediately thereabove, has been found to contribute significantly to reducing the tendency for more than the bottom coin to move and thereby reduce the tendency of the coins to jam. Moreover, due to the fact that the centre of the coin moves along the arcuate path 67 which has a significant sideways component relative to the direction of the slider member, the actual movement of the slider member required, which movement is shown as x in FIGURE 5, is small in relation to the total distance travelled by the coin. Because the movement required for the slider member 47 is small, it is possible to use a simple solenoid having a short stroke, and it is possible to connect the armature directly to the slider member. Thus, the use of a complex linkage is avoided, and because of the size and type of solenoid, it can be conveniently located immediately behind the coin tubes within the space normally available within frame member 11.

The advantage of being able to use a compact actuating means in the form of a solenoid having a short stroke is also apparent from the arrangement utilized in the embodiment of coin dispensing device 14' shown in FIG- URES 6 to 9, in which separate actuating means in the form of solenoid 62a, 62b are used, one each being associated with each coin stack. Dispensing device 14' is particularly adapted for use in a coin handling apparatus including a coin totalizing device (not shown) and to dispense different amounts of money as change. At the rear of the dispensing device 14', there is provided a connector 70 having a long narrow channel 71 adapted to receive a printed circuit board (not shown), which may be mounted in the frame member Ill. The printed circuit board would also be adapted to plug into a coin totalizer so that the totalizer and coin dispensing device 14' would be electrically connected. Solenoids 62a and 62b are connected to the connector 70 by separate sets of leads 72, 73.

As stated above, the two solenoids 62a, 62b are adapted to be independently actuated so that coins may be selectively dispensed from either stack 20 or stack 21. An example of a situation in which it would be desirable to utilize a coin dispensing device such as 14 is one in which the product or service being vended has a price of fifteen cents. As in the previous example, the vending machine may be adapted to accept nickels, dimes or quarters. Thus, when three nickels are directed through the totalizer, the vending machine is given a signal to vend and the nickels pass through a passageway 75 to tube 16. Similarly, if a nickel and a dime are directed through the totalizer, the machine vends and the nickel and dime are then directed to tubes 16 and 17, respectively. However, if the two dimes go through the totalizer, solenoid 62a is energized to dispense one nickel from stack 20 and the two dimes are directed to tube 17. If a quarter is inserted in the machine, it is eventually directed to the coin collecting box, but during its passage through the totalizer, it acts to initiate a vending cycle and further acts to energize solenoid 62!) so that a dime is dispensed from stack 21 as change.

The overall structure of coin dispensing device l t is generally similar to that of coin dispensing device 14. The lower portion of the coin dispensing device 14 includes an upper plate member 31 and a lower plate member 32. Lower plate member 32 has a pair of outlet openings 46', 41. Adjacent inlet openings 33, 34' in upper plate member 31 is a pair of rollers 44, 4S arranged in the same manner as previously described. In place of previously described slider member 47, there is provided a pair of slider members 47a and 47b arranged in side-by-side relationship and having central openings 50 and 51, respectively. The edge of openings 50' and 51, across the inlet Openings from the rollers, provide coin engaging portions 54, 55'. It may be readily seen, therefore, that the action of each slider member 47a and 47b on the bottom coin in stacks 20 and 21, respectively, in parting off the coin is the same as that previously described.

Beside each inlet opening 33' and 34', the upper plate member 31' has slots 57a and 57b, and upwardly extending posts 56a and 5612, which are fixed to slider members 47a and 47b, respectively, project upwardly through the slots. Springs 60a and 60b engage the posts 56a and 56b so as to urge the slider members to their normal positions shown in FIGURE 8, and the armatures of each of solenoids 62a and 62b are connected directly to the posts for pulling the slider members to their coin dispensing positions.

Referring now to FIGURE 9, coins are directed to tube 16' by way of a passageway 75. Mounted at the top of tube 16 is a coin diverting element which consists of a section of wire which is held to pivot about a substantially horizontal section 81 of the element. A lower portion 82 of the wire normally projects into the upper section of tube 16, and upper finger 83 is usually located outside of passageway 75. One wall of the passageway 75 is cut away, as shown at 84, immediately before finger 83 so as to provide an opening between passageway 75 and a ramp 30, which communicates with the coin collecting box. Thus, if tube 16' becomes filled the portion 82 is pushed back out of tube 116 so as to cause finger 83 to project into the passageway 75. Accordingly, any coins travelling down passageway 75 when the tube is filled strikes the finger 83, deflects through the opening at 84, and then travels down ramp 30 to the coin collecting box. It is to be appreciated that tube 17 is preferably provided with a similar coin diverting means.

At the lower end of each of tubes 16 and 17, slots are provided through which fingers are biased (FIG- URE 9). Fingers 90 are formed on the lower ends of arms 91 of a switch 92 so that the switches are either opened or closed when the supply of coins become low in the stacks 2t) and 21. Leads 93 connect the switches to the connector 70 so that a signal may be transferred to other parts of the coin handling apparatus when the supply of coins for giving change becomes small, whereby other means, which may be associated with the coin sorting component may be affected to reject coins for which change would be necessary.

The lower portion of each of the tubes has a counterbore 95 and slidably received'in the counterbore is a sleeve 96, the thickness of the sleeve being substantially equal to the depth of the counterbore so that the interior surfaces of the tube and sleeve have substantially the same diameter. The exterior of the sleeve frictionally engages the interior of the tube in the counterbore and extends down into the inlet opening 33 in the upper plate member 31'. The sleeve 90 has a radially projecting stud 97 fixed thereto, which stud projects outwardly through a short helical or oblique slot 98 in the lower portion of the tube. Thus, after the coin dispensing device has been :assembled, the clearance between the lower end of the sleeve 96 and the upper surface of the lower plate member 32 can be finely adjusted by simply shifting the stud 97 in the slot since due to the engagement of the stud with the edge of the slot, axial displacement of the sleeve takes place.

Due to the fact the clearance between the sleeve and lower plate member, which clearance defines the space through which the bottom coin must move edgewise, tolerances need not be so critical during production of the device and yet it can be set up or adjusted during use to avoid much of the jamming hitherto encountered. This clearance is in fact a rather critical factor since if it is slightly larger than necessary to accommodate a normal coin, more than one coin may have a tendency to be initially pushed from the stack if the bottom and/or coin resting on the bottom coin are especially thin due to wear.

It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various modifications can be made to the above-described embodiments without departing from the scope of invention as defined by the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A device for dispensing coins from an accumulated stack, said device comprising an upper plate member having a coin inlet of a diameter for fiatwise passage of coins from the stack thereabove, a lower plate member fixed below said upper plate member, and arranged to support the stack with the bottom coin of the stack resting on said lower plate member and the stack extending up through said coin inlet said lower plate member being spaced below said upper plate a distance to permit edgewise travel of at least one coin therebetween and having a coin outlet eccentrically disposed relative to said inlet a slide member sandwiched between said plate members, a rotatable coin engaging roller mounted for rotation about a fixed axis, said roller being adjacent said inlet in the same plane as said slide member, said slide member having a coin engaging portion across said inlet from said roller and yet on a common side of a diametrical line through said inlet, said outlet being on the other side of said diametrical line, and actuating means for sliding the coin engaging portion of said slide member across said inlet towards said roller for rolling at least one bottom coin of the stack edgewise about said roller to said outlet.

2. A coin dispensing device as defined in claim 1, and further comprising a coin reservoir tube fixed above said upper plate member over said coin inlet for containing said stack, and a sleeve member within said reservoir tube and extending down into said coin inlet, said sleeve being adjustable toward and away from said lower plate member to permit variation of clearance between said sleeve and said lower plate member.

3. A device for dispensing coins from an accumulated stack, said device comprising upper and lower, horizontal aflixed plate members providing therebetween a space of sufficient thickness for edgewise travel of a coin therebetween, said upper plate having a coin inlet opening of a diameter for flatwise passage therethrough of coins from the stack thereabove, said lower plate member having an upper surface under said inlet opening for supporting the stack extending up through said inlet opening with the bottom coin of the stack resting on said upper surface, a roller rotatable about a fixed vertical axis and having a coin engaging periphery in a plane between said plate members and juxtaposed said inlet opening, a slide member having a coin engaging portion across said inlet opening from said roller periphery and yet on a common side of a diametrical line across said inlet opening as the axis of the roller, and actuating means for moving said coin engaging portion of said slide member towards said roller, said lower plate member having an outlet opening eccentrically disposed relative to said inlet opening and substantially on an arc struck about the roller axis from the centre of the inlet opening on the opposite side of said diametrical line from said roller axis and coin engaging portion whereby movement of said coin engaging portion of said slide member towards said roller parts off said bottom coin from the stack and forces the par-ted off coin to travel edgewise along said are to said outlet opening.

4. A coin dispensing device as defined in claim 3, and further comprising a coin reservoir tube having a lower end fixed to said upper plate member, said tube having an internal diameter for closely encircling said stack and being axially aligned with said inlet opening in said upper plate member, the lower end of said tube having a counterbore, and a sleeve member having an internal diameter substantially the same as that of the tube located in said counterbore, said sleeve extending down through said inlet opening and being movable towards and away from said lower plate member whereby clearance between said sleeve member and the upper surface of said lower plate member may be adjusted.

5. A coin changing device comprising a coin reservoir tube, coin passageways, one of said passageways having an outlet over said tube for depositing coins therein, a switch means associated with another of said passageways responsive to coin passage for actuating a payout of change from a stack of coins accumulated in said tube, a horizontal upper plate member below said tube, said plate member having a coin inlet opening for fiatwise passage of coins in said stack, a horizontal lower plate member spaced beneath said upper plate member and sufiiciently spaced therefrom to permit edgewise travel of a coin therebetween, said lower plate member having an upper surface under said inlet opening for supporting the stack of coins thereon with the bottom coin of the stack resting on said upper surface, said lower plate member having a coin outlet opening offset relative to said inlet opening, said tube having a counterbore in the lower end thereof, a sleeve received in said counterbore and having an internal diameter for closely encircling the coins in said stack, said sleeve extending downwardly through the opening in the upper plate member and being adjustable in an axial direction for varying the clearance between said sleeve and the upper surface of said bottom plate member, a slide member sandwiched between said upper and lower plate members, and actuating means controlled by said switch means for passing said slide member into said clearance and thereby pushing the bottom coin to said outlet opening.

6. A device as defined in claim 4 or 5, wherein said tube has an oblique slot therein adjacent the lower end thereof, and wherein said sleeve has a radially projecting stud secured thereto and projecting outwardly through said slot whereby said sleeve may be slightly rotated from without said tube and engagement of said stud within said slot causes axial displacement of said sleeve to thereby effect the clearance adjustment.

7. In a coin changing apparatus having a switch means in a coin passageway of one denomination for actuating a payout of change from at least one stack of coins of another denomination accumulated in a coin tube, a dispensing device comprising horizontal, aflixed, upper and lower plate members providing therebetween a space of suflicient thickness for edgewise travel of a coin of said other denomination, said upper plate having under said tube a coin inlet opening of a diameter for flatwise passage of coins from said tube, said lower plate member having an upper surface under said inlet opening for supporting the stack extending up through said inlet opening and into said tube with the bottom coin in the stack resting on said upper surface, a roller in the space between said plate members mounted for rotation about a fixed vertical axis and having a coin engaging peripheral surface immediately adjacent said inlet opening, a slide member in said space having a coin engaging portion across said inlet opening from said roller and yet on a common side of a diametrical line across said inlet opening, and an actuating solenoid connected to said slide member and arranged to be energized by said switch means for horizontally shifting said slide member in a direction to move said coin engaging portion thereof across said inlet opening towards said roller, said lower plate member having an outlet opening eccentric-ally disposed relative to and yet partially overlapped by said inlet opening, said outlet opening being substantially on an arc struck about the roller axis from the centre of the inlet opening on the opposite side of said diametrical line from the roller axis and said coin engaging portion of said slide member whereby upon energization of said solenoid to move said coin engaging portion towards said roller, the bottom coin is parted otf from under said stack and is forced edgewise about said roller to said outlet opening.

8. In a coin changing apparatus having a coin passageway for passage of acceptable coins of one denomination, an electrical switch associated with said passageway and responsive to coin passage for actuating a payout of change in another denomination from stacks of coins accumulated in a pair of spaced side-by-side vertical, reservoir tubes; a dispensing device comprising horizontal, afiixed, upper and lower plate members providing therebetween a space for edgewise travel of coins of the other denomination, said upper plate having a pair of inlet openings under said tubes, each opening having a di ameter for flatwise passage of coins from the tube thereabove, said lower plate member presenting an upper surface under said inlet openings for supporting the stacks each extending up through one each of the inlet openings and into one of the tubes with the bottom coin of each stack resting on said upper surface, a pair of rollers in said space and each mounted for rotation about a fixed vertical axis, each one of said rollers being associated with one of said inlet openings and having a coin engaging peripheral surface adjacent the associated inlet opening, a slide member in said space for mounted horizontal reciprocating movement transverse to said pair of tubes side-by-side and including a central portion between said inlet openings and a transverse portion formed integrally with said central portion, and said central portion presenting a pair of coin engaging portions, each being across the said inlet opening from the associated roller of the inlet opening and yet on a common side of a diametrical line across the inlet opening as said associated roller, said upper plate member having a slot above said central portion, said slide member having a post fixed thereto and extending up through said slot, a solenoid fixed relative to said upper plate member and having an 6 actuating stern thereof connected to said post for shifting said slide member on energization of said solenoid by said switch and thereby move said coin engaging portions of said slide member across said inlet openings toward the rollers, said lower plate member having .a pair of outet openings each eccentrically disposed relative to and yet being partially overlapped by one each of said inlet openings, each outlet opening being substantially on an arc struck about the roller axis from the center of one of the inlet openings on the opposite side of the diametrical line from the associated roller and coin engaging portion of the slide member about the axis of the associated roller, whereby upon energization of said solenoid to shift said slide member, the bottom coin in each stack is parted off from under the stack and is forced edgewise along said are to said outlet opening.

9. A coin dispensing device as defined in claim 8, wherein said coin engaging portions are each defined by a corner of said transverse portion to provide point contact with said bottom coin.

10. In a coin changing apparatus having coin passageways and electrical switch means associated therewith for actuation by coin passage in said passageways, a coin dispensing device including a horizontal upper plate memher having at least two coin inlet openings therethrough, coin reservoir tubes on said plate member and aligned one each with said inlet openings, each tube being positioned to receive coins from a different coin passageway and having an internal diameter for holding a stack of coins of a particular denomination, a horizontal lower plate member fixed to said upper plate member and defining therewith a flat space of suflicient depth for edgewise travel of coins between said plate members, said lower plate member having an upper surface under said inlet openings in said upper plate for supporting the stack of coins in said tubes, rollers mounted in said space for rotation about fixed vertical axes, each roller defining a coin engaging periphery having a common tangent with one of said inlet openings, slide members each presenting a coin engaging surface normally across said inlet opening from the roller and yet on a common side of a diametrical line of the inlet opening as the axis of the roller, said lower plate member having openings associated with each inlet opening but offset relative thereto on an arc struck about the roller axis from the centre of the inlet opening and on the opposite side of said diametrical line from the roller axis, and solenoids connected one each to said slide members for moving said coin engaging portion toward said roller to thereby part off a coin at the bottom of the stack and push it along said are to said outlet opening, each solenoid being independently energized by said electrical switch means.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,183,671 5/1916 Ripsch 133-5 X 1,437,733 12/1922 Gross. 1,470,841 10/1923 Hunter 133--5 1,801,796 4/1931 Chalmers. 1,823,227 9/1931 Alland. 1,827,312 10/1931 Franks. 1,968,500 7/1934 Mills. 2,629,477 2/1953 May 133-4 X 2,802,474 8/1957 Du Grenier et al. 1335 X 3,130,736 4/1964 Vaccaro 133-5 SAMUEL F. COLEMAN, Primary Examiner

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