US3773158A - Coin locker - Google Patents

Coin locker Download PDF

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Publication number
US3773158A
US3773158A US00168124A US3773158DA US3773158A US 3773158 A US3773158 A US 3773158A US 00168124 A US00168124 A US 00168124A US 3773158D A US3773158D A US 3773158DA US 3773158 A US3773158 A US 3773158A
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United States
Prior art keywords
coin
lock
frame
check means
unit
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Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Expired - Lifetime
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US00168124A
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English (en)
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T Wada
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Alpha Corp
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Alpha Corp
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    • G—PHYSICS
    • G07—CHECKING-DEVICES
    • G07F—COIN-FREED OR LIKE APPARATUS
    • G07F17/00—Coin-freed apparatus for hiring articles; Coin-freed facilities or services
    • G07F17/10—Coin-freed apparatus for hiring articles; Coin-freed facilities or services for means for safe-keeping of property, left temporarily, e.g. by fastening the property
    • G07F17/12—Coin-freed apparatus for hiring articles; Coin-freed facilities or services for means for safe-keeping of property, left temporarily, e.g. by fastening the property comprising lockable containers, e.g. for accepting clothes to be cleaned

Definitions

  • ABSTRACT An improved lock mechanism adapted for locking each of a number of locker compartments of a coin locker.
  • the improvement resides in the provision of such means that by the introduction of a first coin, a lock-check means is positioned for bringing a latch for locking position, and by introducing a second coin an unlock-check means is brought into its ready-forunlocking position.
  • This invention relates to improvements coin lockers. More specifically, it relates an improved lock mechanism adapted for locking each of a number of locker compartments of a coin locker.
  • a coin locker assembly consists of a number of locker compartments or cells arranged in parallel lines in horizontal as well as vertical lines and rows. These locker compartments are utilized by users for various different periods, the beginning and terminating times being naturally considerably different case by case, resulting in a highly troublesome, difficult and time-consuming control service to be executed by the supervising personnel.
  • the difficulty resides among others in the determination of accurate time of initiation and termination of the service period for each of the locker compartments.
  • a still further object is to provide an improved lock mechanism of the above kind, yet operable with different amounts of a rental fee corresponding to different service time units, for instance, one, two or three rental days.
  • a further object is to provide a mechanism of the above kind wherein a lock-check mechanism and an unlocked-check mechanism are provided, said both check mechanisms being functionally independent from each other, yet capable of being functionally linked with a cylinder lock of the coin locker and in a specific coin-operated manner.
  • FIG. 1 is a front view of the lock mechanism inthe form of the sole embodiment of the invention.
  • FIG. 2 is a rear view thereof.
  • FIG. 3 is a side elevational view of the lock mechanism shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, with a side plate part of the casing thereof removed for showing the inner working parts of the mechanism more clearly.
  • FIG. 4 is a partially exploded: perspective view of a part of said mechanism including a lock-check mechanism and a latch plate.
  • FIG. 5 is an enlarged side view of several working parts of the mechanism.
  • FIG. 6 is an enlarged rear view of a date alteration mechanism contained in the lock mechanism according to this invention.
  • FIG. 7 is an enlarged rear view of several inner working parts.
  • FIG. 8 is an enlarged perspective view of several working parts of the mechanism according to the invention.
  • a substantially box-shaped frame or casing of the locker mechanism is generally shown at 1, and comprises a front plate 11 which is formed with a coin inlet opening or slot 1a at the upper left corner thereof; a first display window 1b positioned at an intermediate level of the frame 1; a key-reception opening 1c positioned at a slightly lower level, which is, however, provided practically in a cylinder lockunit 2, as will be more fully described hereinafter, a second display window 1d positioned at a substantially lower level; and a coin return opening 1e positioned at the lower right corner of the frame or casing 1.
  • Part of the opening la is defined by a correspondingly formed slot 1e in a return coin stop member If which is fixedly attached to the front plate 11 by conventional fixing means such as rivets, although not shown only for simplicity.
  • numeral 2 represents generally a con ventional cylinder lock unit which comprises a cylinder casing 2 and a concentrically arranged and rotatable cylinder member 2" formed axially with the keyreception opening 10.
  • This casing 2' is fixedly attached to the front plate 11 so as to protrude somewhat therefrom, as most clearly seen from FIG. 3, although the conventional fixing means for the casing 2' have been omitted from the drawing only for simplicity.
  • the inner mechanism of the unit 2 is similar to that commonly employed in the art.
  • a rotatable cam 22 is fixed at the innermost end of said cylinder member 2", with the cam being fixedly attached with a pin 22a which is kept in engagement with a recess 31 formed on an elongated latch plate 3 laterally and horizontally movably mounted in the frame 1.
  • the plate 3 is slidably guided in a guide opening 200a formed through a side plate 200 of the frame 1; as shown only schematically in dotted lines in FIG. 1.
  • the latch plate 3 is formed wth an axial slot 33 which slidably receives a guide pin 3a (FIG. 4) fixedly attached to the side plate 200, although the fixing means have been omitted from the drawing only for simplicity.
  • a collar 21a is fixedly attached through a forked spring strip 28 (FIG. 3) to cam 22 and formed with an axial bore 201 extending axially thereof through both said cam and said collar and coaxial with the keyreception opening 1c, with the spring strip 28 being attached at its root end 28a to said cam.
  • the collar 21a is formed with a pair of recesses 2llb for engagement with the forked arms, not specifically shown, of said spring strip 28. In FIG. 4, only one of said recesses 21b is shown as representative thereof.
  • cam 22 and collar 210 are separate members which are kept, however, in axial pressure engagement with each other under the resiliently urging force exerted upon the collar 210 by the forked spring 28.
  • An elongated slide bar 21 has its main part of square cross-section and a tip end part 21 kept in telescopic engagement with said axial bore 201.
  • the squaresectioned main part 21 of slide bar 21 is slidably passes through guide openings 202 and 203 formed respectively through bent wings 23a and 23b of a support member 23 having substantially a channel-shaped configuration as seen from FIG. 4 and detachably fixed to the side plate 200 by means of set screw 24a of which only one is shown in FIG. 3 as a representative.
  • the support member 23 is formed with at least a pair of screw-receiving holes 204.
  • a small collar 24 is provided integrally therewith, and a coil spring 25 is kept in position under compression between the collar 24 and the wing 23b for resiliently urging the slide bar axially towards the front plate or panel 11.
  • a cam 26 having an inclined cam edge 27 (FIG. is fixedly mounted on the slide bar 21 and at a position selected in advance of the wing 230 with a cam follower 41 being provided for cooperation with said cam edge 27.
  • a plurality of pins 44a, 44b and 440 are studded on the side wall 200 and received slidably in respective guide slots 40a, 40b and 40c, respectively, formed through a lockrelease slide 40 capable of sliding in vertical directions when seen in FIG. 1-3 and 5.
  • this slide 40 mounts said cam follower 4i and is fitted with a finger 42 at a relatively high level relative to the overall height of the slide.
  • a bent lateral projection 43 is formed integral with the slide 40 at the top part thereof.
  • an intermediate stationary plate 45 is provided within the interior space of frame l and fixedly mounted thereon, although the fixing means have been omitted from the drawing for avoiding excess complexity thereof.
  • a pivot pin 46p is studded on the stationary plate 45 for pivotably mounting a coin feeler 46 which comprises a feeler finger 46a as one arm and a balancing arm 46b attached fixedly at its tip end with a weight mass 46w.
  • the tip end of the finger 46a protrudes into a coin passage to be described more fully hereinafter.
  • the coin feeler 46 occu pies normally the position shown in FIG. 2.
  • said arm 46b is provided rigidly with a pin 47.
  • the purpose and function of this pin 47 will become more apparent, as the de scription proceeds.
  • a further pivot pin 4lp is studded on the stationary plate 45 and at a higher level than the coin feeler 46, and a stop finger 48 of substantially L-shape is pivotably mounted on the pivot pin 4th).
  • the stop finger 48 comprises a first arm 48a normally extending substantially horizontally and kept in engagement with said finger 42; and a second arm 48b which carries fixedly a pin 49 (FIG. 4).
  • Pins 51a, 51b and 510 are mounted fixedly on the side plate 200, as seen most clearly from FIG. 2, said pins being slidably received in respective slots'50a, 50b and 50c formed through a further slide 50 which will be referred to as lock checker slide hereinafter.
  • Lock checker slide 50 is formed integrally with a bent projection 53 engageable with a recess 32 formed on the upper edge of latch plate 3. In FIG. 4, this engaging relationship is shown schematically by a chain line at 54.
  • lock checker slide 50 is formed integrally with several projections 5242-], 520-2, S2b-l, 5212-2 which are designed and arranged to engage with said pins 47 and 49.
  • lock checker slide 50 is positioned at its lowermost position under the influence of gravity.
  • the coin feeler 46 is swivelled in each case in way as mentioned above, and the slide 50 will be elevated step by step and finally held in its elevated position.
  • the manual key not shown; the cylinder key member 2"collar 21a and cam 22 are so designed and dimensioned that when the key has been fully inserted through reception opening 1c, the tip end of the key is brought into pressure contact with the tip end of slide bar 21 which is thereby receded forcibly a small distance to the right-hand direction when seen in FIG. 3 and against the action exerted by the spring 25.
  • the once receded slide bar 21 is advanced again a small distance under the influence of spring force 25, and indeed, together with cam 26.
  • cam follower pin 41 cooperating with the inclined cam surface 27 will be elevated in its position, together with the slide 40.
  • a pin 63 rests which is fixedly attached to arm 62 of a L- shaped shutter member 60 pivotably mounted on a pivot pin 60p mounted in turn fixedly on front plate 1 ll.
  • the lock-release control mechanism comprises a date alteration operator 70 having an elongated L-shape, as most clearly be seen from FIG. 6.
  • the mechanism further comprises a lock unit, generally shown at 100 in FIG.
  • ratchet wheel 76 for control of movement of the ratchet and a lock release checker plate 90.
  • Date alteration operator plate 70 is arranged vertically and formed with a plurality of slots 70a, 70b and 70c, receiving pins 51a, 51b and 510, respectively, which are studded on the front plate 11.
  • operator plate is formed at its top end with a horizontally extending flat part 71 seving as a motion-receiver.
  • operator plate 70 is formed with a laterally and horizontally extending recess or notch 72 which is most clearly seen from FIG. 6, yet being also shown in a semi-phantom way in FIG. 8 for more clearly demonstrating several related inner working parts.
  • a pin 77 is arranged to be engageable with teeth on ratchet wheel 76, said pin 77 being studded on said plate 75.
  • One end of said plate 75 passes slidably through an opening 73h which is formed through a bent portion 73 of said operator plate 70 (FIG. 8).
  • the plate 75 formed at its other end with an edge flange 79, a spring 78 being tensioned between-said edge flange 79 and a pin 79' studded on the operator plate 70.
  • the plate 75 is normally biased toward the ratchet wheel 76 under the action of said spring 78'.
  • Ratchet wheel 76 is rotatably mounted on a pin 76p which is studded on the front plate 1 1.
  • the teeth of the ratchet are shown at 76a, 76b, 76c as most clearly seen from FIG. 6.
  • Ratchet wheel 76 is provided with an eccentric pin 79w which is kept in contact with horizontal arm 92 of the lock-release checker 90.
  • This checker is arranged substantially parallel to operator plate '70 and formed with elongated slots 90a and 30b receiving slidably respective pins 91a and 91b studded on front plate 11.
  • a laterally turned part is directed towards the latch plate 3. with the latch plate 3 kept in its protruded position as shown in FIG. 1 in full lines and in FIG. 6 in chain-dotted lines and when the checker plate 961 is elevated in its position as will be described more fully hereinafter, said part 95 is brought to a position in horizontal alignment with the inner or lefthand end (FIG. 6) for checking any receding or inward motion of the latch plate, whereby a lockrelease operation is positively prevented.
  • Control coin feeler 80 is pivotably mounted on a pivot pin 80p studded on the front plate 11 and formed with a finger arm 81 which extends from a horizontally extending main part 82 downwards and leftwards in FIGS. 2 and 6.
  • a finger arm 81 which extends from a horizontally extending main part 82 downwards and leftwards in FIGS. 2 and 6.
  • an eccentrically arranged weight mass 83 is fixedly attached thereto and a pair of pins 84a and 84b are fixedly mounted on the same main part 82.
  • the outer tip end of finger arm 81 protrudes normally into the coin passage and said pin 84a is normally kept in engagement with one of the peripheral teeth on ratchet wheel 76, as seen from FIG. 7.
  • the opposite pin 84b will be brought into engagement with one of the ratchet teeth when the coin feeler 80 has been pivotally moved from the position shown in FIG. 7, acting as a rotation limiter for the ratchet wheel, as may be easily understood from the drawing.
  • the superviser Upon lapse of the prescribed basic rental time unit or units, such as one or more complete days, the superviser inserts a manual key, not shown, into engagement with the lock unit 100 and turns it in its operating position, preferably clockwise in FIG. I, so as to rotate the rotatable cylinder member 100b together with a cam 101 which is fixedly attached to the inner end thereof, as may be well understood from FIG. 2, in unison with the manual key operation. With the thus invited counter clockwise rotation of the cam 101 when seen in FIG.
  • the viewer When the basic rental period is only one complete day, for instance, the viewer will see through the lower display window Id the second display numeral 1" instead of0.” This represents that one complete day has been elapsed as the basic rental time unit. If the basic rental period extends for two or three complete days, as an example, the supervising personnel should oper ate manually the key unit 100 once after a lapse of each succeeding complete day.
  • cam 10] is returned to its original position shown in FIG. 2 and then, the operator plate or slide 70 is returned automatically to its original position by virtue of the upwardly directing force ex erted thereupon by spring ll].
  • pin 84a mounted on coin feeler With feeding rotation of ratchet wheel 76, pin 84a mounted on coin feeler is brought into disengagement and reengaging positions from and with the ratchet wheel tooth, so as to hold in effect the wheel 76 in an advanced fed position as determined by the rotational feed movement of the ratchet in correspondance to the occasionally elapsed excess rental time unit or units.
  • the introduced coin will pass through the coin passage A-F and strike against feeler finger 81 at the lower part of the final passage part F, so as to swivel the feeler 80 in clockwise direction in FIGS. 2, 6 and 7, thus the pin 84a mounted thereon is brought into its disengaged position from the ratchet tooth and the ratchet wheel brought into its freely rotatable position.
  • the thus pivotally biased position of feeler 80 and its linger 81 is shown in FIG. 7 by chain-dotted line. Since checker plate rests on pin 79w mounted on ratchet wheel 76, the latter is rotated by gravity action in clockwise direction in FIG. 7, until said pin 79w is transferred from its full line position to its chain-dotted line position shown at 79w therein.
  • the ratchet wheel 76 Upon performing this clockwise rota tional movement, the ratchet wheel 76 will be held in this rotated position for bringing the coin feeler 80 into its ready-for-service position shown by full line in FIG. 7. In this position, the ratchet wheel is held by engagement of pin 84b with a related ratchet tooth on the wheel 76.
  • the ratchet wheel 76 has been brought finally to the position shown in FIG. 6 after successively introducing a predetermined number, such as four, of coins through inlet opening la corresponding to a maximum allowable excess rental time units which are four calendar days in the present embodiment shown, the numerical display visible through the lower display window will return back to 0."
  • the checker plate 90 By performing the said successive rotational movement of the ratchet wheel 76, the checker plate 90 will be lowered successively and brought finally into its offservice position shown in FIG. 6, so as to bring the stop projection into its receded and non-checking posi tion shown therein.
  • latch plate 3 is brought into its ready-for-Iock-release position shown in full lines in FIG. 6.
  • the superviser can insert a manual key into opening 1c and operate it to recede the latch plate 3 from its protruded position shown in FIG. I to the receded position shown in full 9 lines in FIG. 6 for bringing the locker mechanism into its lock-released position for willful opening of the locker 1 Along the part D-E ofthe coin passage, an unacceptable coin discharge opening 13] is provided.
  • a truncated cone member 132 is conventionally located, so as to contactingly select out occasionally introduced unacceptable coins of out-of-smaller-dimensions.
  • the thus selected out coin or coins will be discharged from the opening 13! and through a discharge way only schematically shown by parallel lines I and I30 only in its outline position in FIG 3.
  • Finger 46a of coin feelcr 46 is seen normally projecting into the coin passage which is constituted substantially everywhere by and between a pair of parallel wall or the like members as at 120 shown in FIG. 4. This constructional feature will naturally be applied to the discharge passage [SO-I30 for unacceptable coins, although not specifically shown.
  • the wall members I20 are slotted to form a common and vertically elongated opening 120a through which the tip end of finger arm 46;: of coin fceler 46 projects into the coin passage, for allowing the feeler to perform a kind ofcoincontrollcd operation as set forth hereinabovc
  • a laterally and inwardly extending support member 205 is fixedly attached by its root portion to the side frame wall 200.
  • Latch plate 3 carries two separate and distinct legends such as ()(TUPIFD or "N()N-O((UPIED” either of which is visible through the first or upper display window lb, depending upon the protruded or the draw.) in odium of the latch plate 3. although not specifically shown.
  • cam lfll maybe sub ected to an automatic control by an electric timer instead of second lock uniL
  • the embodiment of the invcntlon in which an exclusive property or proilcge is claimed are as follows.
  • a lock mechanism for use in a coin operated com- 10 partmented locker of the type including a box-like stationary frame, a coin inlet means provided on the frame, means defining a coin passageway within the frame communicating with the coin inlet means, a first key operated lock unit mounted on the frame, a latch member mounted in the frame for horizontal movement to locking and lock releasing positions, a lock check means mounted within the frame, a lock release check means mounted within the frame, said lock check means and lock release check means being independent of each other yet being operably linked with the lock unit, a slide means mounted in the frame for gtablishing a predetermined basic rental unit, said first key operated lock unit including a latch plate means operative upon a first introduction of a coin into the coin passageway via the coin inlet means to move the latch plate into its rcady-for-locking position, the lock release check means being released from its lockrclcase checking position upon a lapse of the basic rental time unit and an introduction of at least a second coin into the coin inlet
  • the lock check means being provided with a first coin feeicr effecting the release of the lock check means by engagement of a coin during the passage thereof along the coin passage way.
  • said lock release check means being provided with a second coin feelcr effecting release of the lock release check mean only aftera lapse oftbe basic rental time unit and b engagement of a coin during the passage thcrcof along the coin passagwway.
  • the lock release check means tnclud ing a ratchet wheel.
  • a lock mechanism as claimed n claim t H of. said return means for the second coin lcclcr is a spri 1

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  • Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • General Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • Coin-Freed Apparatuses For Hiring Articles (AREA)
US00168124A 1970-07-31 1971-08-02 Coin locker Expired - Lifetime US3773158A (en)

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JP45066678A JPS4917560B1 (da) 1970-07-31 1970-07-31

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Cited By (5)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3976178A (en) * 1973-11-19 1976-08-24 Evaristo Koch Coin release operated locking device
US4122935A (en) * 1972-12-11 1978-10-31 Glory Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha System for controlling coin-operated lockers
US4513851A (en) * 1983-08-19 1985-04-30 American Locker Security Systems, Inc. Coin counting and release mechanism
US4557365A (en) * 1983-12-14 1985-12-10 American Locker Security Systems, Inc. Coin operated lock unit
US20200325709A1 (en) * 2019-04-11 2020-10-15 United States Postal Service Key capture lock

Citations (4)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US904318A (en) * 1907-09-24 1908-11-17 Herbert Grove Dorsey Automatic deposit-box.
US2991866A (en) * 1958-05-16 1961-07-11 Billy C James Coin operated locker
US3050169A (en) * 1960-02-18 1962-08-21 American Locker Co Checking locker
US3460662A (en) * 1966-07-06 1969-08-12 Kokuei Kikai Seisakusho Kk Coin-operated locking mechanism

Patent Citations (4)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US904318A (en) * 1907-09-24 1908-11-17 Herbert Grove Dorsey Automatic deposit-box.
US2991866A (en) * 1958-05-16 1961-07-11 Billy C James Coin operated locker
US3050169A (en) * 1960-02-18 1962-08-21 American Locker Co Checking locker
US3460662A (en) * 1966-07-06 1969-08-12 Kokuei Kikai Seisakusho Kk Coin-operated locking mechanism

Cited By (5)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US4122935A (en) * 1972-12-11 1978-10-31 Glory Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha System for controlling coin-operated lockers
US3976178A (en) * 1973-11-19 1976-08-24 Evaristo Koch Coin release operated locking device
US4513851A (en) * 1983-08-19 1985-04-30 American Locker Security Systems, Inc. Coin counting and release mechanism
US4557365A (en) * 1983-12-14 1985-12-10 American Locker Security Systems, Inc. Coin operated lock unit
US20200325709A1 (en) * 2019-04-11 2020-10-15 United States Postal Service Key capture lock

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