US3734261A

US3734261A - Note acceptor controlled ticket dispenser

Info

Publication number: US3734261A
Application number: US00108431A
Authority: US
Inventors: D Richer
Original assignee: Granite State Machine Co Inc
Current assignee: Granite State Machine Co Inc
Priority date: 1971-01-21
Filing date: 1971-01-21
Publication date: 1973-05-22
Anticipated expiration: 1990-05-22

Abstract

An automatic ticket dispenser, especially for the sale of lottery tickets, includes a continuous web of tickets, drive track perforated on one side edge only, and advanced one ticket length beyond a cutting station within a locked cabinet, with each insertion of an acceptable paper note by an automatic note acceptor. The control circuit causes a pivoted knife to cut off each individual and successive ticket at the cutting station for gravity fall down a chute and out of a dispensing slot. A spring biased tension bar assures a clean shear and endless chain friction pads prevent ticket drag. Hold down clamps oppose liftoff effect of the upward moving knife.

Description

[ 51 May 22,1973

[54] NOTE ACCEPTOR CONTROLLED TICKET DISPENSER [75] Inventor: Donald R. Richer, Manchester, NH.

[73] Assignee: Granite State Machine Company,

Inc., Manchester, NH.

[22] Filed: Jan. 21, 1971 [21] Appl. No.: 108,431

[52] US. Cl. ..194/4 F, 83/242, 83/584,

194/10, 226/74, 226/171 [51] Int. Cl. ..G07b 5/02 [58] Field of Search ..194/4 R, 4 C, 4 F,

3,456,537 7/1969 Quinn ..83/602 X 2,266,171 12/1941 Davis ....226/74 UX 2,996,001 8/1961 Schlegel et al.... ..83/602 X 2,951,164 8/1960 Timms ..194/4 R Primary Examiner-Robert B. Reeves Assistant ExaminerDavid A. Scherbel Attorney-Pearson & Pearson [57] ABSTRACT An automatic ticket dispenser, especially for the sale of lottery tickets, includes a continuous web of tickets, drive track perforated on one side edge only, and advanced one ticket length beyond a cutting station within a locked cabinet, with each insertion of an acceptable paper note by an automatic note acceptor. The control circuit causes a pivoted knife to cut off each individual and successive ticket at the cutting station for gravity fall down a chute and out of a dispensing slot. A spring biased tension bar assures a clean shear and endless chain friction pads prevent ticket drag. Hold down clamps oppose lift-off effect of the upward moving knife.

10 Claims, 8 Drawing Figures Patented May 22, 1973 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Fig. 6'.

Fig.

INVENTOR. DONALD R RICHEF ATTORNEYS NOTE ACCEPTOR CONTROLLED TICKET DISPENSER CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS In my co-pending application, Ser. No. 25,891, of Apr. 6, 1970, an automatic ticket dispenser is disclosed which is remote controlled electrically by the ticket seller, who collects the payment and oversees the sale. The ticket is inscribed while still in the cabinet, through a sliding door aperture, the closing of the door actuating the endless chain delivery of the ticket to outside the cabinet for severance by tear strip.

The dispenser of this invention makes use of a similar continuous web, but the web has registration holes along one side edge only for a single pin carrying feed chain, the opposite edge being advanced by an endless friction pad carrier cooperating with hold down clamps.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Apparatus of the type of this invention has come into considerable use of late, in legalized lottery states and differs from theater ticket, or insurance policy dispensers, in requiring more fool-proof and theft-proof construction and operation because of the value of the tickets.

A typical, remote-control, sliding gate dispenser is disclosed in US. Pat. No. 3,464,302 to Hirsch of Sept. 2, 1969, the device requiring an operator to actuate the selector dial. The chute is aligned with the downwardly inclined web path, for possible unauthorized pull out, the knife is pivoted above the inclined ticket path with no tension means for clean cutting, and the dispensing slot is at the bottom of the unit.

A drum type ticket feed, cut off knife and gravity chute is also disclosed in US. Pat. No. 2,973,707 to Crivelli of Mar. 7, 1961, this being a self-operating money actuated unit, but the ticket feed path at the cutting station is vertical, the knife reciprocates horizontally and the dispense slot is at the bottom of the machine.

The note acceptor of this invention is commercially available and may be of the type shown in U.S. Pat. No. 3,211,268 to Dills et al. of Oct. 12, 1965, or of any equivalent make.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In this invention, the cabinet is securely locked, free of the need for human hands to press any actuating elements, and the apparatus is actuated whenever a note, such as a dollar bill, is inserted in, and accepted by the note acceptor, securely protected within the cabinet. The note acceptor, and its slot, are located at the bottom of the machine, while the feed path of the web, on its pin chain, is horizontal up under the top wall to the cutting station. The delivery chute is angled downwardly out of the horizontal plane of feed to a dispensing slot located proximate the top of the machine, and the chute contains baffles so that unauthorized insertion of pull out tools is unlikely to be successful.

The pivoted knife is located below the path of feed and is provided with a tension bar to assure a clean shear with the bed knife as well as being'positively advanced and retracted by an eccentric cam and yoke.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWING FIG. 1 is a front perspective view of the ticket dispensing apparatus of the invention;

FIG. 2 is a circuit diagram of the electric controls of the invention;

FIG. 3 is a side elevation, in section, and enlarged, of the apparatus;

FIG. 4 is an end elevation, in section, on line 4-4 of FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is an enlarged plan view of the feeding and cutting means with parts broken away;

FIG. 7 is a front elevation of the device shown in FIG. 5, and

FIGS. 6 and 8 are side elevations, from opposite ends, of the device shown in FIGS. 5 and 7.

DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENT In the drawings, 30 represents an automatic, note actuated ticket dispenser of the invention, having a cabinet 31, with a counter aperture 32, for a counter 33, in the top wall 34, and a ticket dispensing slot 35 located in the middle part 36 of a front wall 37 proximate the level of the top wall 34. A pair of

drop leaves

38 and 39 serve as writing platforms and are pivoted to cabinet 31 by hinges 41 and 42, and supported at the level of top wall 34 by hinged

braces

43 and 44. Cabinet 31 is mounted on a suitable base 45 and may include writing instruments 46 and an advertising sign 47 as shown. Suitable locks, such as at 48, are provided to prevent pilferage, and an instruction sign 49 may also be provided.

A commercially available note acceptor 50, is securely mounted within the cabinet 31, the lower front wall 51 having a note acceptance sliding tray 52 into which a dollar bill is inserted by the customer. The bill is then inspected by the note acceptor, and, if approved, the note acceptor closes the electric circuit 53 to cause one individual ticket 54, in duplicate, to be severed from ticket web 55, and gravity dispensed from downwardly inclined ticket chute 56 and out of slot 35.

It should be noted that no remote control selector units, actuating switches or buttons, sliding gates or operating levers are required on cabinet 31, dispensing being controlled only by the acceptance of a note.

Upon delivery of a ticket 54 from slot 35, onto the dispensing platform 57, the customer inscribes his name on the ticket, retains one copy and deposits the other copy in one of a pair of

ticket depositing slots

58 or 59 in the side walls of the cabinet, to fall into the removable ticket bin 60.

A continuous web 55 of tickets 54 is fan-folded in the hopper 63, the web containing a row 64 of aligned registration holes, or drive track perforations 65 along one side edge 66, the other side edge 67 being free of such holes.

The feeding means 69 of the invention includes a driven endless chain 70, carrying pins 71 which engage in the holes 65 and driven by electric motor 72 intermittently to advance the pins 71 one ticket length, or increment, upwardly from hopper 63 along a horizontal path 73 parallel to, and proximate the level of the underface 74 of top wall 34, to halt in the horizontal cutting station, or zone, 75, ready for severance. The endless toothed belt 79 is trained around a sheave 76 on the shaft 77 of motor 72 to rotate at a predetermined speed,-shaft 77 carrying three

earns

78, 78a, and 78b engaged by three snap-action switches, 80, 82, and 83. The tickets 54 are relatively wide and in order to avoid drag on the unapertured side edge 67, an endless chain 84 is mounted parallel to chain 70 with a drive sprocket 85 mounted on the shaft 94 which carries the drive sheave 88 for chain 70 to travel at the same predetermined speed as the web 55, but instead of pins a plurality of friction pads 86 of rubber, or the like, are spaced around chain 84 to frictionally engage the underface 87 of the web 55 and urge the web forward.

A pair of

pivoted spring clamps

89 and 90 are provided on each opposite side of station 75, each having a horizontal flat planar face engaging web 55, clamp 89 having a slot 91 for the pins 71, and clamp 90 having a similar slot 92 for the pads 86, when no tickets are present. Both clamps serve as hold down means in opposition to the lift off effect of the pivoted cutter knife 93 which moves upwardly and transversely under the web 55 at station 75 to cut off each successive ticket halted at that station.

The cutting means 95 includes the movable knife 93 which is pivoted at 96 and includes the exterior bevel 97 to cooperate with a fixed bed knife 98 having an exterior bevel 99 so that knife 93 wipes over knife 98 to accomplish an inherent, self-sharpening capability. Knife 93 includes a cam yoke 100 embracing an eccentric cam 101 rotated by knife motor 81, the shaft 102 of motor 81 carrying two timing cams 103 and 103a, which

close switches

104 and 105.

Shearing pressure means 107 is provided including a tension bar 108, slidably engaging the free terminal end 109 of cutting knife 93 and spring biased by coil spring 110 to continuously apply shearing pressure to assure a clean cut of each ticket.

The circuit 53 includes a source of current 111, a sold out limit switch 112 to prevent actuation when the cabinet is empty of tickets, suitable power on and

empty indicator lights

113 and 114, bill acceptor 50, the

motors

72 and 81 and the timing switches, 80, 82, 83 and 104, 104 actuated by the

timing cams

78, 78a, 78b, and 103 and 103a.

It should be noted that the downwardly inclined chute 56 is located at the highest level possible in cabinet 31 with its upper end 115 proximate top wall 34 and at a sharp angle to the plane of the horizontal cutting station, there being a baffle or guide 116, all for preventing unauthorized insertion of instruments in slot 35 for pulling out of the tickets without payment.

An automatic, electrically actuated lock 120 is provided to assure against theft, lock 120 comprising a locking wheel 121 having a plurality of radially extending locking pins 122 spaced therearound, and fast on shaft 94 of the feed means 69, and a locking arm 123 pivoted at 124, the lower end 125 of arm 123 being actuated by locking solenoid 126 and return spring 127 to move the upper end 128 into and out of the pin path for locking and unlocking the apparatus. Solenoid 126 is in parallel with drive motor 72 so that it is energized only during one increment of feed, i.e., one ticket for each note accepted and the feed chain cannot advance a ticket, or move, at any other time. The counter 33 is in parallel with the cutter motor 81 so that it counts each time a ticket is cut off by knife 93.

The clamp assembly, by which the parts may be disassembled, includes enlarged, finger-knob, set-screw elements such as 130, which when turned loosen the split clamps 131 and permit the feed chain units to be slid off the shaft.

In operation, control circuit 53 as shown in FIG. 2, is energized by the insertion and acceptance of a dollar bill in note acceptor 50, which sends a l-second pulse by

conductors

132, 133 and 134 to the 24 VAC relay 136 causing its

contacts

137 and 138 to close. This energizes the track-lock solenoid 120 and the drive motor 72 by way of

conductors

140 and 141 and motor shaft 77 rotates

cams

78, 78a, and 78b to close drive motor holding switch and to open switch 82.

Switches

82 and 104 are in series with the note acceptor 50 and are used to open the circuit thereto for preventing acceptance of another dollar bill while the machine is in cycle.

As the drive motor cycle nears completion, switch 83 closes momentarily, which completes a circuit to the ticket counter 33 and to the cutter knife motor 81 through

conductors

142 and 143, the end of the drive motor cycle closing switch 82 and opening switch 80 to de-energize the relay 136 and drive motor 72.

As the cutter drive motor 81 begins to rotate, the cams 103 and 103a rotate to open switch 104 and close switch 105, the latter closing a holding circuit to the cutter bar motor 81 through

conductors

144 and 142 and 143. After 1 revolution of the cutter bar motor 81 switch 104 closes and switch opens to de-energize motor 81 and complete the dispense cycle.

Unless motor 72 is energized the lock solenoid is de-energized and the web 55, chain 70 and pins 71 cannot advance. The cams and switches are not shown in detail because they are well known and commercially available, for example the ENERCON Model 45 Programmer Drive made by Enercon of Grafton, Wisconsin, or the equivalent thereof.

What is claimed is:

1. Ticket dispensing apparatus for dispensing one ticket, in duplicate, cut from a continuous web of such tickets, for each paper note inserted therein, said apparatus comprising:

a lockable cabinet containing a ticket hopper for a continuous web of said tickets, each with registration holes along one side edge only, and containing a downwardly inclined delivery chute terminating in a dispensing slot proximate the top of said cabinet;

feeding means including an electric motor driven chain, proximate the top of said cabinet, having pins engaged in said holes, for intermittently advancing said web from said hopper, along a horizontal path proximate said cabinet top to halt said web with each endmost ticket at a horizontal cutting station in position to be cut and to fall down said chute when cut;

cutting means at said cutting station including a fixed bed knife, a cutting knife pivoted below said web path and electric motor driven cam means operably connected to said pivoted knife to move upwardly and sever each successive ticket halted at said station from said web to fall by gravity down said chute and out of said slot;

hold down means, at said cutting station, for holding said tickets down against the lift-off effect of said upward moving knife;

a note acceptor within said cabinet, and

a control circuit including said note acceptor, the motors of said feeding means and said cutting means, and a source of current,

whereby acceptance of a note by said note acceptor energizes said circuit to advance said web horizontally the length of one said ticket, sever said ticket and permit said ticket to fall down said chute out of said slot.

2. Ticket dispensing apparatus as specified in claim 1, wherein:

said feeding means includes a second driven endless chain, parallel to said pin carrying chain and having friction pads spaced therearound for engaging the underface of the unapertured side of said web while advancing therewith,

and said hold down means includes a flat planar clamp pivoted to said apparatus and having an elongated slot for accommodating said pads in the absence of a web, said clamp applying pressure to the upper face of said web to frictionally urge the unapertured edge of said web down on said pads to advance at the same speed as the speed of said pin chain.

3. Ticket dispensing apparatus as specified in claim 1, wherein:

said cutting means includes a spring biased tension bar in sliding engagement with the free end of said pivoted knife, said bar continuously and resiliently urging said knife into close shearing engagement with said bed knife.

4. Ticket dispensing apparatus as specified in claim I, wherein:

said control circuit includes a limit switch, for opening said circuit and disabling said note acceptor in the absence of any tickets at said cutting station, thereby preventing the acceptance of a dollar bill without dispensing a ticket. 5. Ticket dispensing apparatus as specified in claim 1, wherein:

said cabinet includes a ticket counter visible from the outside thereof and means, operably connected to said control circuit, for actuating said counter.

6. Ticket dispensing apparatus as specified in claim 1, wherein:

said cabinet includes a pair of ticket depository slots,

each in an opposite side wall thereof, and

a removable bin, within said cabinet, for receiving tickets inserted in either said depository slot from outside said cabinet.

7. Ticket dispensing apparatus as specified in claim 1, wherein:

said hold down means includes a pair of springpressed, flat, horizontal, clamp elements, each on an oppositev side of said web advancing on said pin chain up to said cutter station, said clamp elements being arranged to hold down said web on said pins in opposition to the upward direction of cutting movement of said pivotable knife toward said bed knife, thereby preventing lift off during each cut and one said clamp element having an elongated slot for accommodating said advancing pins.

8. Ticket dispensing apparatus as specified in claim 1, wherein:

said bed knife and said pivoted knife are each beveled on the outside of the meeting edges thereof and the meeting edge of said pivoted knife is arranged to wipe over said bed knife to achieve an inherent, selfsharpening capability.

9. In a ticket dispenser of the type having a continuous web of drive-track, perforated tickets advanced by a motordriven, pin-carrying, endless chain from a hopper along a path toward a dispensing slot, the combination of:

a horizontal cutting station along said path, proximate the top of said dispenser, said station having a fixed bed knife extending transversely above said web; a motor-driven, cam-yoke actuated, cutting knife having one end pivotally mounted below said web and movable upwardly to cooperate with said bed knife, and a spring-biased tension bar slidably and resiliently engaging the other end of said cutting knife for maintaining shearing pressure in severing said tickets,

hold down means at said cutting station for holding down said tickets against the lift off effect of said upward moving knife, during severance of a ticket and control circuit means including a source of current,

the motor of said knife, the motor of said endless chain, and a note acceptor,

said acceptor closing said circuit, in response to an inserted, and accepted, paper note, to first feed a ticket horizontally beyond said bed knife and then to cut off said ticket for gravity-dispensing from said slot.

10. The method of automatically dispensing individual and successive lottery tickets from a locked cabinet, in response to each paper note inserted in, and accepted by, a note acceptor, said method comprising the steps of:

automatically advancing a web of such tickets, within said cabinet along a horizontal plane, by pin registration along one side edge only, one ticket length into a horizontal cutting station near the top of said cabinet and halting said web in said station,

then holding down both side edges of said web while severing said ticket from said web, within said cabinet in said horizontal cutting station to separate the same from said web, and

then guiding and supporting said separated ticket to fall downwardly by gravity in a plane sharply angled to said horizontal plane for a substantial distance before slidably emerging from the upper portion of said cabinet,

said cutting step taking place sufficiently far back within the confines of said cabinet to prevent unauthorized access to, pulling, or gripping of, said web,

from the outside of said cabinet.

1: w a: a:

Claims

1. Ticket dispensing apparatus for dispensing one ticket, in duplicate, cut from a continuous web of such tickets, for each paper note inserted therein, said apparatus comprising: a lockable cabinet containing a ticket hopper for a continuous web of said tickets, each with registration holes along one side edge only, and containing a downwardly inclined delivery chute terminating in a dispensing slot proximate the top of said cabinet; feeding means including an electric motor driven chain, proximate the top of said cabinet, having pins engaged in said holes, for intermittently advancing said web from said hopper, along a horizontal path proximate said cabinet top to halt said web with each endmost ticket at a horizontal cutting station in position to be cut and to fall down said chute when cut; cutting means at said cutting station including a fixed bed knife, a cutting knife pivoted below said web path and electric motor driven cam means operably connected to said pivoted knife to move upwardly and sever each successive ticket halted at said station from said web to fall by gravity down said chute and out of said slot; hold down means, at said cutting station, for holding said tickets down against the lift-off effect of said upward moving knife; a note acceptor within said cabinet, and a control circuit including said note acceptor, the motors of said feeding means and said cutting means, and a source of current, whereby acceptance of a note by said note acceptor energizes said circuit to advance said web horizontally the length of one said ticket, sever said ticket and permit said ticket to fall down said chute out of said slot.

2. Ticket dispensing apparatus as specified in claim 1, wherein: said feeding means includes a second driven endless chain, parallel to said pin carrying chain and having friction pads spaced therearound for engaging the underface of the unapertured side of said web while advancing therewith, and said hold down means includes a flat planar clamp pivoted to said apparatus and having an elongated slot for accommodating said pads in the absence of a web, said clamp applying pressure to the upper face of said web to frictionally urge the unapertured edge of said web down on said pads to advance at the same speed as the speed of said pin chain.

3. Ticket dispensing apparatus as specified in claim 1, wherein: said cutting means includes a spring biased tension bar in sliding engagement with the free end of said pivoted knife, said bar continuously and resiliently urging said knife into close shearing engagement with said bed knife.

4. Ticket dispensing apparatus as specified in claim 1, wherein: said control circuit includes a limit switch, for opening said circuit and disabling said note acceptor in the absence of any tickets at said cutting statioN, thereby preventing the acceptance of a dollar bill without dispensing a ticket.

5. Ticket dispensing apparatus as specified in claim 1, wherein: said cabinet includes a ticket counter visible from the outside thereof and means, operably connected to said control circuit, for actuating said counter.

6. Ticket dispensing apparatus as specified in claim 1, wherein: said cabinet includes a pair of ticket depository slots, each in an opposite side wall thereof, and a removable bin, within said cabinet, for receiving tickets inserted in either said depository slot from outside said cabinet.

7. Ticket dispensing apparatus as specified in claim 1, wherein: said hold down means includes a pair of spring-pressed, flat, horizontal, clamp elements, each on an opposite side of said web advancing on said pin chain up to said cutter station, said clamp elements being arranged to hold down said web on said pins in opposition to the upward direction of cutting movement of said pivotable knife toward said bed knife, thereby preventing ''''lift off'''' during each cut and one said clamp element having an elongated slot for accommodating said advancing pins.

8. Ticket dispensing apparatus as specified in claim 1, wherein: said bed knife and said pivoted knife are each beveled on the outside of the meeting edges thereof and the meeting edge of said pivoted knife is arranged to wipe over said bed knife to achieve an inherent, self-sharpening capability.

9. In a ticket dispenser of the type having a continuous web of drive-track, perforated tickets advanced by a motor-driven, pin-carrying, endless chain from a hopper along a path toward a dispensing slot, the combination of: a horizontal cutting station along said path, proximate the top of said dispenser, said station having a fixed bed knife extending transversely above said web; a motor-driven, cam-yoke actuated, cutting knife having one end pivotally mounted below said web and movable upwardly to cooperate with said bed knife, and a spring-biased tension bar slidably and resiliently engaging the other end of said cutting knife for maintaining shearing pressure in severing said tickets, hold down means at said cutting station for holding down said tickets against the lift off effect of said upward moving knife, during severance of a ticket and control circuit means including a source of current, the motor of said knife, the motor of said endless chain, and a note acceptor, said acceptor closing said circuit, in response to an inserted, and accepted, paper note, to first feed a ticket horizontally beyond said bed knife and then to cut off said ticket for gravity-dispensing from said slot.

10. The method of automatically dispensing individual and successive lottery tickets from a locked cabinet, in response to each paper note inserted in, and accepted by, a note acceptor, said method comprising the steps of: automatically advancing a web of such tickets, within said cabinet along a horizontal plane, by pin registration along one side edge only, one ticket length into a horizontal cutting station near the top of said cabinet and halting said web in said station, then holding down both side edges of said web while severing said ticket from said web, within said cabinet in said horizontal cutting station to separate the same from said web, and then guiding and supporting said separated ticket to fall downwardly by gravity in a plane sharply angled to said horizontal plane for a substantial distance before slidably emerging from the upper portion of said cabinet, said cutting step taking place sufficiently far back within the confines of said cabinet to prevent unauthorized access to, pulling, or gripping of, said web, from the outside of said cabinet.