US3797628A - Device and method for testing coins employing velocity determining means - Google Patents

Abstract

A coin selector is disclosed which determines the denomination of a coin and which includes improved means for examining characteristics dependent upon the velocity of a moving coin which has been subjected to a magnetic field, means for examining characteristics dependent upon a chordal dimension of the coin and circuit means for comparing the resultant information with predetermined information characteristic of acceptable coins.

Description

Fougere et a1.

DEVICE AND METHOD FOR TESTING COINS EMPLOYING VELOCITY DETERMINING MEANS Inventors: Guy L. Fougere, Lincoln; John L.

Rothery, Marblehead, both of Mass.

Assignee: Arthur D. Little Inc., Cambridge,

Mass.

Filed: Mar. 17, 1972 Appl. No.: 235,807

Related U.S. Application Data Continuation of Ser. No. 91,871, Nov. 23, 1970, abandoned, which is a continuation-in-part of Ser. No. 812,127, Jan. 1, 1969, abandoned.

[ Mar. 19, I974 [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,701,405 10/1972 Fougere 194/101 Primary ExaminerStanley H. Tollberg Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Davis, Hoxie, Faithfull &

Hapgood [5 7] ABSTRACT U.S. Cl. 194/99 coin and circuit means f comparing the resultant Ilrt. Cl. u,

formation predetermined information character- Field of Search 194/100, 101, 99; istic f acceptable coins 80 Claims, 15 Drawing Figures 23 22 0 /6 I C31? R oL 66 67 7 VELOCITY COIN NORMALIZER 42 ACCEPTOR 44 li CHORD COIN OPERATED COMPARATOR ACCUMULATOR DEVICE PATENTEUHAR 19 m4 SHEET 10? 9 PAIENIEBImMN 3.797328 SHEEI 2 [1F 9 F/GZU @-AN0 GATE v (D OR GATE com RESET 2a [52 com RESET FF 9 80 COUNTER 92 82 T 83 MODNULO 55 DIVIDER PROGRAM CLOCK C /m/enf0/5 Guy LFougere John L. Raf/very Dav/s, Hex/e, Faimfu/la Hapgooa A f/omeys AND GATE 2 70 ORGATE com OPERATED DEVICE DECODER 54 I36 COUNTER 52 I VEND RESET com RESET F COUNTER H34 2 DECODER ///0 LI //7l/6/7/0/5 I Guy L. Faugere F F FF FF Jo/mLfPofhery //6 //4 2 j' By Dav/s, Hox/efo/fhfu/l8 Hapgooo com 1 Afforneys RESET /0 PAIENIEU m I 9 19m SHEEI 8 [1F 9 FIG. IO

INVENTORS GUY L. FOUGERE BY JOHN L. ROTHERY 27/ FIG. l2

1 DEVICE AND METHOD FOR TESTING COINS EMPLOYING VELOCITY DETERMINING MEANS This application is a continuation-in-part of our copending application Ser. No. 91,871 filed Nov. 23, 1970, now abandoned, which was a continuation-inpart of our copending application Ser. No. 812,127 filed Apr. 1, 1969, abandoned.

This invention relates to coin selectors and more particularly, to a system for determining the authenticity and denomination of coins, tokens and the like and for rejecting undesired and counterfeit coins, slugs, etc.

Coin operated devices, such as vending machines, coin changers and toll booths have universal acceptance and are widely used. Such devices must have the capability of accurately and rapidly determining the authenticity and denomination of certain coins introduced.

It is one object of this invention to provide a coin selector having substantially improved reliability and effectiveness in sensing the authenticity and denomination of coins. Another object is to provide a coin selector having the capabilities of accepting a large number of different coins and of modification in the field to permit acceptance of additional or different coins. A further object is to provide a coin selector which is rugged, relatively insensitive to its mounting orientation and easy to repair.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a schematic electronic block diagram of a coin selector formed in accordance with a first embodiment of the invention,

FIGS. 2a and 2b are electronic block diagrams illustrating the circuitry of the coin selector of FIG. 1, FIG. 2b being a continuation of FIG. 2a,

FIG. 3 is a sectional elevational view of the coin selector of FIG. 1,

FIG. 4 is a sectional view taken along the line 44 of FIG. 3 and illustrating a magnetic coin scavenger,

FIG. 5 is an end view of FIG. 3 illustrating a coin acceptance control mechanism,

FIG. 6 is a schematic electronic block diagram of a coin selector formed in accordance with a second embodiment of this invention,

FIG. 7 is an electronic block diagram illustrating the circuitry of the coin selector of FIG. 6,

FIG. 8 is a schematic electronic block diagram of a coin selector formed in accordance with a third embodiment of this invention,

FIG. 9 is an elevational view of an alternative coin sensor array for the third embodiment of this invention,

FIG. 10 is a schematic diagram of a circuit which serves to explain the principle of operation of the fourth embodiment of this invention,

FIG. 1 l is a representation of the output signals with respect to time of various elements of the circuit of FIG. 10,

FIG. 12 is an elevational view of the coin selector of the fourth embodiment of this invention,

FIG. 13 is an elevational view of a coin sensor array for the fourth embodiment of this invention, and

FIG. 14 is a schematic electronic block diagram of a coin selector formed in accordance with a fourth embodiment of this invention.

COIN SELECTOR FIRST EMBODIMENT Throughout this specification and in the appended claims the term coin is intended to mean genuine coins, counterfeit coins, slugs, washers, and any other item which may be used by persons in an attempt to operate coin operated devices.

With reference to the drawings, and more particularly FIGS. 1 f 3, there is illustrated, in schematic form, a coin selector 10 including a housing 12 having a coin entrance slot 14. The coin entrance slot is sized slightly larger than the diameter of the largest coin intended to be accepted by the coin selector. The coin enters a coin passageway 15 and drops onto an inclined surface or track 16 where it is restrained from further movement by a removable abutment such as arrestor pin 18. Stopping the coin at this position tends to ensure that all coins of the same size commence travel through the sensor with the same initial velocity, thus providing predictable performance. A magnetic coin scavenger 20 is mounted adjacent to the abutment 18. A suitable scavenger is described in the co-pending application of one of the present inventors, Ser. No. 66,126 filed on Aug. 21, 1970 as a continuation of Ser. No. 808,943.

Also mounted adjacent to the abutment 18 is a coin sensor 21 for the purpose of determining the presence of a coin in the selector 10. After a predetermined time interval, which is commenced by the sensing of the presence of a coin by the coin sensor 21, the abutment 18 is removed from the path of the coin. Preferably, the abutment 18 is removed in a direction at least partially in the same direction as that in which the coin is to move, as this provides a more uniform initial coin velocity. The coin then rolls down the inclined track 16 passing a plurality of sensing means 22, such as photoelectric devices, and rolling through a magnetic field produced by a magnet 23. The sensing means 22, each of which has its own amplifier A, and the electronic combinatorial circuit incorporating them are described in detail below. Briefly, they sense events dependent upon the velocity of the coin and length of a chord, and information derived from their output signals is compared with predetermined characteristics of acceptable coins. After passing the sensing means the coin leaves the inclined track 16 and falls vertically downwardly toward an inclined platform 24. If the coin is acceptable, a coin direction control solenoid 25 (see FIG. 5) is actuated which retracts the platform 24 from the path of the coin allowing the coin to fall into a acceptance passageway 26. If the coin is not authentic or is not of the proper denomination which has been decided .to be acceptable, the coin direction control means 25 is not actuated and the coin will strike the platform 24 and bounce into a rejection passageway 27.

COIN ANALYZING SYSTEM (FIGS. 1, 2a AND 2b) START CONTROL SYSTEM The coin analyzing system can be divided into four parts for ease of discussion, the start control system 42, the velocity normalizer circuit 44, the coin material and diameter sensing circuit 46, and the accumulator 48.

Turning first to the start control system 42, there is located adjacent to the arresting pin 18 the coin presence sensor 21. The sensor 21, as well as the other sensors 22 in the system to be described below, may be any of the conventional sensors or detectors, such as inductive switches, photoelectric devices, etc. However,

photoelectric devices, and particularly photocells, are preferred and will be referred to specifically in this discussion. A light source (not shown) and photocell 21 are mounted on opposite sides of the track 16. The light source may be individual light bulbs or, preferably, optical fibers leading from a single light supply. An arriving coin, shown by the phantom lines 50, is brought to rest by the arresting pin 18 in such a position as to occlude the sensor 21 which, through the signal initiated by the occlusion of the sensor, triggers four multivibrators, an arrestor pin multivibrator 52, a magnetic coin scavenger multivibrator 54, a reset multivibrator 56, and a jammed coin detector multivibrator 58. The multivibrators are set to change state in sequence as follows and for the following reasons. The first multi-vibrator to change state is the arrestor pin multivibrator 52, which, on change of state, actuates a solenoid 60 removing the arrestor pin 18 from the path of the coin and permitting the coin to commence travel down the inclined track 16. The arrestor pin multivibrator 52 is set to change state immediately after the coin is brought to rest, in the order of 300 milliseconds after the sensor 21 is occluded.

As soon as it can be assumed that a non-magnetic coin has cleared the initial sensor 21, and magnetic coin scavenger 20, the scavenger multivibrator 54 is set to change state. If the initial coin sensor 21 is still occluded by the coin, two signals, one from the sensor 21 and an inverted signal from the multivibrator 54, trigger an AND gate'62 which actuates the scavenger solenoid 28 to remove the magnetic coin that had been attracted by the scavenger magnet 36 and thereby, was prevented from moving past the sensor 21.

If the coin does not have sufficient magnetic permeability to cause it to be trapped by the magnetic coin scavenger 20, it proceeds to roll through passageway as soon as the pin 18 is removed from its path. Mounted alongside the passageway, in the following order, are a pair of sensors 64, 65, the magnet 23, and a second pair of sensors 66, 67. The first pair of sensors 64, 65 provide information concerning the velocity of the coin immediately before it enters the magnetic field produced by the magnet 23. The second pair of sensors 66, 67 provideinformation concerning velocity of the coin as it emerges from the magnetic field.

The magnet 23, which can be a permanent magnet or an electromagnet, is located on one side of the passageway 15. A second magnet or a plate (not shown) of ferromagnetic material, such as mild steel, may be located directly opposite the. magnet 23 in order to provide a constant flux field across the passageway 15. As the coin passes through the magnetic field, eddy currents are induced in the coin and the associated magnetic fields interact with the permanent magnet such that a retarding force is created. The retardation of the coin caused by the interaction with the field of the magnet 23 is proportional to the square of the magnetic flux density, to the velocity of entry of the coin into the magnetic field and to the coins conductivity. A suitable strength of the magnetic field is such as to reduce the velocity of the coins intended to pass through the system by between 10 and 50 per cent. The change in coin velocity as it passes through the magnetic field is indicative of the coins acceptance ratio, which is defined as the coins electrical conductivity divided by its density, and is used as one measurement to determine the authenticity and denomination of the coin.

The use of an electromagnet to produce the magnetic field provides the coin selector 10 with substantial flexibility since the strength of the magnetic field can be modified easily. With an electromagnet only one basic magnetic unit is required for all coins of all countries and the strength of the magnetic field can be chosen to account for the varied metallic content of the myriad of coins which may be desirable to accept.

The reset multivibrator 56 is set to change state just before the fastest coin desired to be accepted reaches the first velocity sensor 64 and, on changing state, the entire coin selector combinatorial circuit is reset in order to prepare it to analyze the new coin. The resetting is delayed until the last possible moment in order to minimize the chances of the various elements of the combinatorial circuit, such as flip-flops and counters, from being set or triggered by stray electrical noises, such as from nearby industrial equipment.

The jam multivibrator 58 is designed to change state shortly after the slowest coin desired to be accepted is expected to reach the first velocity sensor 64. If the coin reaches and occludes the first velocity sensor 64 at or before its expected time the signal from the sensor 64 sets a flip-flop 68 which, through AND gate 69, prevents a signal from being transmitted to an accumulator disabler 70. If the coin does not occlude the sensor 64 within the expected time range, the jam multivibrator 58 changes state without the flip-flop 68 having been set and this concurrent condition sets flip-flop 72 through the AND gate 69, indicating that a coin either is too slow or has become jammed in the passageway 15. Setting of the flip-flop 72 also actuates the accumulator disabler so that the accumulator 48 will not record a partial sum.

VELOCITY NORMALIZER A coin that reaches and occludes the sensor 64 within the expected time range, thereby initiates a signal which sets a flip-flop 74. The coin continues past the sensor 64 and occludes the adjacent sensor 65 resetting the flip-flop 74. During the time interval when the flip-flop 74 is set, or in other words, during the time that it takes the coins forward edge to pass from sensor 64 to sensor 65, a series of pulses from a system clock 76 is fed into a counter 78 through an AND gate 80. The system clock pulse frequency is a reduced frequency from a master oscillator 81 which is accomplished by a conventional divider 82. For example, the master oscillator may have a frequency of 3.2MHz while the system clock frequency is 25kHz (the frequency of the master oscillator divided by a 128). It can be seen that the flip-flop 74 controls the feeding of the system clock pulses to the counter 78 since a concurrent or enabling condition for the AND gate will occur only during the interval when the flip-flop 74 is set. The input to the counter 78 is directly proportional to the time interval during which it takes the coins forward edge to travel from the sensor 64 to the sensor 65; therefore, the number of pulses received by the counter is inversely proportional to the velocity of the coin before it is subjected to the magnetic field. Through the use of an inverter and a conventional modulo N divider 83, which are commercially available, a pulse rate pro portional to the velocity of the coin before it is subjected to the magnetic field is provided and serves as a program clock, indicated as element 84, for the remainder of the coin analyzing operation. The circuit comprising the system clock 76, the counter 78, and the inverter and modulo N divider 83, is the velocity normalizer circuit 44.

The program clock 84, which is part of the material and chord length determination circuit, has the effect of rendering the actual velocity of the coin immaterial, within limitations. The inverter and modulo N divider 83 is set at the expected center of population of velocity for coins acceptable to the coin selector l0 and the output of the modulo N divider 83 is either up or down from this median reading. Experience shows that the velocity of coins starting from a zero velocity has a spread of up 'to about plus or minus percent for a given inclination of the support platform 16. Such a spread can have an effect on the accuracy of the coin selector; however, through the use of the modulo N divider 83 the effect of the spread is minimized to the point where no serious limitation is experienced. If a coin passes by the sensors 64 and 65 at a velocity equal to the average velocity of a given population of acceptable coins, the modulo N divider 83 divides at a rate equal to that of divider 82. As the velocity of the coin varies for each individual coin passing through the selector so also will the division rate change in the modulo N divider. In this way the signal representative of the coins velocity is normalized and the system behaves as though all coins travel through the magnetic section at the same velocity. The use of the program clock 84 also minimizes the effect of variations in the I slope of the support platform 16, and also the accelera- COIN MATERIAL AND DIMENSION SENSING SYSTEM As the coin passes the sensor 65 it enters the coin material and the dimension sensing system by entering the magnetic field produced by the magnet 23. A fourth sensor, sensor 66, is located immediately after the magnet 23 and a fifth sensor 67 is spaced slightly downstream from the sensor 66. The effect of the magnetic field on the coin is determined by observing the velocity of the coin as it leaves the field and this is effected by observing the transit time of the coin from the sensor 66 to the sensor 67. As the coin leaves the magnetic field it occludes the sensor 66 resulting in the setting of flip-flop 86. When the coin occludes the sensor 67 flipflop 86 is reset. The distance between the sensors 66 and 67 is known; therefore, the interval during which the flip-flop is set is inversely proportional to the velocity of the coin leaving the magnetic field. The output of the flip-flop 86 is fed to an AND gate 88 along with the program clock 84. During the time that the flip-flop 86 is set the program clock is fed to a counter 90 through an OR gate 92.

To facilitate understanding the remaining operation of the coin selector 10, it will be assumed that the selector is designed to accept coins of only three denominations, for example, a nickel, a dime and a quarter. By determining the velocity which authentic coins will have after leaving the magnetic field, the firststep in coin analysis is ready to be made since a comparison of the output of the counter 90 with the known corresponding values of acceptable coins can be made easily through conventional circuitry. The output of the counter is fed to an acceptance ratio decoder 94 through a series of AND gates 96, eight gates being shown since an eight bit counter is used, each of which has an additional input from the flip-flop 86. The AND gates 96 ensure that the decoder 94 will only receive the reading of the counter 90 during the period that the flip-flop 86 is set or, in other words, during the transit time of the coin between sensors 66 and 67. Three flipflops 98, 104), 102 representing a nickel, a dime, and a quarter, respectively, receive the output from the decoder 94 and are responsive to a predetermined signal pattern generated by the counter 90 which corresponds to signals characteristic of acceptable coins. The flipflops 98, 100, 102 are designed to be set by counts representative of the lower limits for its particular acceptable coin and to be reset by counts representative of the upper limits for its respective acceptable coin. If the coin which passed through the system was either a nickel, dime or quarter, or a coin having an acceptance ratio equal to that of a nickel, dime or quarter, one of the flip- flops 98, 180, 102 would have been set but not reset. Thus, the first determination, representative of coin material, is completed. Clearly if the coin passing through the system does not have an acceptance ratio equal to that of a nickel, dime or quarter then none of the flip- flops 98, 180, 102 would be set. Since actuation of the coin direction control means 25 for removing the coin acceptor platform 24 requires the setting of at least one of these flip-flops, the coin which has passed through the system and failed to set one of the flip- flops 98, 100, 102 will impact against the platform 24 and rebound into the coin rejection passageway 27.

The setting of one of the flip- flops 98, 100, 102 merely indicates that the coin which passed through the selector 10 had a velocity within the acceptance range of the coin with which the flip-flop is associated; this velocity in the case of non-magnetic coins being representative of acceptance ratio. This is not a guarantee that the coin was an authentic coin of proper denomination. Therefore, another criterion must be checked. One such criterion is a function dependent upon a dimension of the coin such as the diameter, or other chord length. As the coin passes through the selector 10 and begins to occlude sensor 67, counter 90 is cleared by a pulse generated by flip-flop 104 and feedback flip-flop 106. The output of sensor 67, in addition to being fed to flip-flop 86 for the acceptance ratio detection, is also passed to an AND gate 108. The program clock 84 is also fed tothe AND gate 108, and during the period that the sensor 67 is occluded the program clock pulses are fed to the counter 90. The state of the counter when the counting stops, which will occur when the sensor 67 is no longer occluded, is a function of the chord length of the coin at the height of the sensor 67 above the track, divided by normalized velocity. The counter output is fed to a dimension decoder 1110 and is prevented from being fed to the acceptance ratio decoder 94 by the AND gates 96. In order for the AND gates 96 to be enabled, flip-flop 86 would have to be in the set state; however, the flip-flop 86 will have been reset by the occlusion of sensor 67. A series of AND gates I ll between the counter 90 and the dimension decoder prevent the decoder 110 from receiving the counter output during the coin velocity measurement.

Three flip- flops 112, 114, and 116 are connected to the dimension decoder 1 10 and are responsive to a predetermined signal or count pattern generated by the counter 90 which corresponds to signals characteristic of acceptable coins, in this case a nickel, dime and quarter respectively. As described above with respect to the acceptance ratio decoder 94 and its flip- flops 98, 100, 102, the flip- flops 112, 114, 116 are set and reset by the counts representative of the lower and upper acceptable limits for their respective coins.

The output of the nickel acceptance ratio flip-flop 98 and dimension flip-flop 112 are anded by an AND gate 118; the output of the dime flip- flops 100, 114 are anded by an AND gate 120 and the output of the quarter flip- flops 102, 116 are anded by an AND gate 122. Obviously, in order for any of the AND gates 118, 120, 122 to be enabled both flip-flops feeding each gate must be set which means that the coin passing through the coin selector 10 had to have an acceptance ratio within the range of an authentic coin of proper denomination and a chord length within the acceptable range for the same coin. The output of the three AND gates 118, 120, 122 are fed to an OR gate 124 whose output is fed to the coin direction control solenoid 25. Therefore, if the coincident conditions required by any one of the gates 118, 120, 122 are present, the coin direction control solenoid is actuated and, through movement of the solenoid armature 126, the acceptor platform 24 is retracted from the path of the coin and the coin is permitted to drop into the acceptance passageway 26. If the coincident conditions are not present, resulting in the failure to enable any of the AND gates 118, 120, 122, the solenoid 25 is not actuated and the platform 24 remains in the path of the coin causing the coin to rebound into the rejection passageway 27.

ACCUMULATOR In addition to actuating the coin direction control solenoid 25, a proper combination of acceptance ratio and dimension flip-flop settings will also actuate the accumulator circuit 48. While many different accumulator circuits can be utilized, the following novel circuit is considered to be particularly suitable for the present system. The accumulator circuit 48 is operated by the system clock 76 and includes an accumulator counter 132 and a control counter 134. Pulses from the system clock 76 are fed through appropriate circuitry described below, to both the accumulator counter 132 and the control counter 134, the latter controlling the duration of time during which the system clock pulses are fed to the accumulator counter 132 such that the total pulses received by the accumulator counter are representative of the denomination of the particular coin which has passed through the coin selector 10.

Again assuming that a nickel, a dime and a quarter are the coins desired to be accepted, when a coin of the lowest denomination (5 cents) has passed through coin selector the AND gate 118 is enabled providing one pulse to the accumulator counter 132 through an OR gate 136 and an AND gate 138. The other signal required to enable the AND gate 138 comes from the accumulator disabler 70. It can be seen that if the disabler 70 changes state due to a jammed coin in the passageway 15, the AND gate 138 could not be triggered and, consequently, no pulses would be allowed to reach the accumulator counter 132. When the next highest denomination coin (10 cents) passes through the selector,

the AND gate is enabled and the output therefrom sets a flip-flop 140. The flip-flop is anded with the system clock pulses by the AND gate 142. When the flip-flop 140 is set the system clock pulses are fed through the AND gate 142, and through the OR gate 136 and AND gate 138 to the accumulator counter 132. Concurrently therewith, the system clock pulses are fed through an OR gate 144 to the control counter 134. The output of the control counter is fed to a pair of decoders 146, 147 representing a dime and a quarter, respectively. The dime decoder 146 is designed to reset the flip-flop 140 through an OR gate 148 after it receives a predetermined number of pulses from the control counter 134. Resetting of flip-flop 140 disables the AND gate 142 and terminates the transfer of system clock pulses to the accumulator counter 132. Since passage of a nickel through the coin selector 10 provides a single pulse to the accumulator counter 132, the dime decoder permits two pulses to be transmitted to the accumulator counter 132.

A similar setup is provided for the highest denomination coin (25 cents) wherein enabling and AND gate 122 sets a flip-flop 149 which, in turn, enables the AND gate 150. Enabling of AND gate 150 permits the system clock pulses to be fed to the accumulator counter 132 and, at the same time, to the control counter 134. The output of the control counter 134 is fed to the quarter decoder 147 which, after a proper time interval, resets flip-flop 149 through OR gate 152. The decoder 147 is designed to permit five times the number of pulses of the lowest denomination coin (the nickel) to pass to the accumulator counter 132 before it resets the flipflop 149 and disables the AND gate 150 thus terminating the feeding of pulses to the accumulator counter 132. While the control counter output is received by both the dime decoder 146 and the quarter decoder 147 is either a dime or a quarter has traveled through the selector, the inappropriate decoder will not have any effect since only the appropriate flip-flop (either 140 or 149) corresponding to the coin in the selector will be set and, therefore, capable of being reset.

The output of the accumulator-counter 132 is fed through a vend decoder 154 to the coin operated device 156 indicating the total value of the acceptable coins which have passed through the coin selector 10 and into the acceptance passageway 26. The accumulator counter 132 retains its accumulated total until the coin operated device 156 is operated to vend a product or service at which time the accumulator counter 132 is reset. The control counter 134 is reset with the insertion of each new coin by the start control system 40 described earlier.

SECOND EMBODIMENT (FIGS. 6 AND 7) The coin selector 200 comprising a second embodiment of this invention is similar to the coin selector 10 of the first embodiment described above in that the criteria used for accepting and categorizing coins of predetermined denomination are the same and a related combinatorial circuit is utilized. Furthermore, the use of a magnetic field to retard the velocity of the coin is employed as well as the start control circuit 42 described above.

As the coin enters the system it is brought to rest by an arresting pin 210 and occludes a start sensor 212 in the same manner described above. Occlusion of the start sensor 212 simultaneously fires an arresting pin multivibrator 52, a magnetic coin scavenger multivibrator 54, a coin reset multivibrator 50 and a jam multivibrator 58, all of which operate in the same manner as described above, and, therefore a description of their operation will not be repeated.

COIN MATERIAL AND DIMENSION SENSING SYSTEM When the arrestor pin 210 is removed from the path of the coin, and assuming the coin is not sufficiently magnetic to be retained by the magnetic coin scavenger 20, the coin will begin to roll down the guide track 16 where it enters a magnetic field provided by a magnet 214. The velocity of the coin will be retarded in proportion to its acceptance ratio. As the coin leaves the magnetic field, it occludes a sensor 216 which, through an inverter 217, sets a flip-flop 218 enabling an AND gate 220. The coin next occludes sensor 222 which, through an OR gate 223, resets the flip-flop 218. The interval during which the flip-flop 218 is set is inversely proportional to the velocity of the coin between the sensors 216 and 222. A timing oscillator 224, feeding a flip-flop 226 in a center trip connection is derivitated by circuit 227 into positive pulses, referred to as A-clock pulses, and negative pulses, referred to as B-clock pulses, the pulses being out of phase with one another. The A- clock pulses are fed to the enabled AND gate 220 from which they are gated into an eight state counter 228. The output of the counter, which is fed to a decoding matrix 230, is inversely proportional to the velocity of the coin. The B-clock pulses are directed to the decoder 230 in order to trigger the decoder to read the counter 228 between the transitions of the A-clock pulses.

As with the first embodiment, we will assume henceforth that the coin selector 200 is designed to accept three coins. In this case, for illustrative purposes only, the acceptable coins are a one pence, a three pence and a six pence. Accordingly, the output of decoder 230 is fed to three independent flip-flops, one-pence flip-flop 232, three-pence flip-flop 234 and six-pence flip-flop 236. Each flip-flop is set by the count representative of the lower limit of acceptable velocity for that particular coin and is reset by the count representative of the upper limit of velocity for that particular coin. If a coin having a velocity within the range of an acceptable coin passes through the system, one of the flip- flops 232, 234, 236 will be set providing the initial determination of an acceptable coin. Since the velocity of the coin after it passes through the magnetic field is representative of the acceptance ratio of the coin, the velocity comparison checks one criterion of coin acceptability. It is now necessary to provide means for examination of a second criterion, in this case a function of chord length. This is accomplished by a series of three secondary sensors 216, 222, 238 coupled with a primary sensor 240. With sensor 240 as the primary sensor for the chord measurement, the distances of the secondary sensors 238, 222 and 216 from the primary sensor 240 are set to be the minimum acceptable dimensions for each of the three coins that the selector is designed to accept.

The output of sensor 240 is fed to each of three AND gates 242, 244, and 246 through an inverter 247 while the output of the sensors 216, 222 and 238 are fed to the AND gates 242, 244, 246, respectively. In order for any of the AND gates to be triggered it is necessary that the primary sensor 240 as well as at least one of the other sensors 216, 222, 238 be simultaneously occluded by the coin. Also fed to the AND gates 242, 244, and 246 are the outputs from the flip- flops 232, 236, 234, respectively, so that each acceptance ratio flip-flop is anded with its corresponding dimension sensor. For example, the one pence AND gate 242 gates one-pence sensor 216 for diameter measurement and one-pence flip-flop 232 for acceptance ratio measurement. Similarly, the output from the three-pence sensor 238 and flip-flop 234 are anded by gate 246 and the output from the six-pence sensor 222 and flip-flop 236 are anded by gate 244.

Assuming a three pence passes through the coin selector 200, acceptance ratio flip-flip 234 is set partially enabling AND gate 246 while acceptance ratio flipflops 232 and 236 are not set thus disabling AND gates 242 and 244. In order for AND gate 246 to be triggered it is necessary that sensors 240 and 238 be occluded simultaneously, which will occur with an authentic three pence. When the sensors 240, 238, 222, and 216 are occluded, relatively high voltages are impressed on the lines leading to their respective AND gates 246, 244 and 242. Simultaneous occlusion of sensors 240 and 238 along with setting of flip-flop 234 enables AND gate 246 impressing a relatively low voltage on the output line 248 and immediately triggering a multivibrator 250. The multi-vibrator 250 changes state and impresses a relatively high voltage on its output line 251 leading to an AND gate 252. Consequently, during the period of occlusion of sensors 240 and 238 there is a relatively high voltage impressed on the line 251 leading to the AND gate 252 and a relatively low voltage is impressed on another line 254 which connects line 248 to the AND gate 252. However, the AND gate 252 is such that it will be enabled only on the receipt of two high voltage signals. As soon as the coin exposes the sensor 238, the AND gate 246 is disabled producing a relatively high voltage on the lines 248 and 254. If the multivibrator has not returned to its original state and is impressing a high voltage on the line 251, the AND gate 252 is enabled setting flip-flop 256. However, if the multivibrator returns to its original state thus impressing a low voltage on the line 251 before the coin exposes the sensor 238, which will occur if the coin is too large, the AND gate 252 will not receive two high voltages concurrently and, therefore, will not be enabled, flip-flop 256 will not be set and the coin will be rejected. The duration during which the multivibrator provides the relatively high voltage on the line 251 is set to expire immediately after a coin having a maximum dimension equal to the maximum corresponding dimension of an authentic three pence passes and, therefore, exposes the sensor 238. The remaining flipflops 257, 258, AND gates 259, 260 and multivibrators 261, 262 associated with the six pence and one pence AND gates 244, 242 respectively, operate in the same manner.

If the measured dimension of the coin is large enough to simultaneously occlude primary sensor 240 and any of the secondary sensors 238, 222, and 216, and if that simultaneous occlusion corresponds to the acceptance ratio flip-flop which has been previously set, the appropriate AND gate 246, 244 or 242 is enabled, starting the appropriate multivibrator. A coin having a diameter within the appoved range will terminate coincidence between sensor 240 and whichever of the secondary sensors 238, 222, and 216 were previously covered before the multivibrator goes low resulting in the setting of the corresponding flip- flop 256, 257 or 258. The setting of any one of these flip-flops provides a signal through OR gate 263 to the coin acceptance solenoid 25 which retracts the rejector platform 24 from the path of the coin and permits the coin to fall into the acceptance passageway 26. If none of the flip- flops 256, 257 or 258 are set, the coin acceptance solenoid is not actuated and the coin impinges upon the rejector platform 24 and rebounds into the rejection passageway 27.

ACCUMULATOR Next in sequence is the operation of an accumulator 264. Various conventional accumulators may be used as may the accumulator described above in connection with the first embodiment. One novel accumulator is illustrated in FIG. 7 which is designed for use with coins having a value ratio of 123:6 as is the case with the onepence, three-pence and six-pence coins. Actuation of the accumulator 264 is commenced by the trailing edge of the coin as it passes primary sensor 240. The signal from the sensor 240 is inverted by inverter 247 differentiated and then used to trigger two parallel multivibrators 266, 267. The active period of multivibrator 266 is set to expire at a short interval after the coin has passed sensor 240 while the active period of multivibrator 267 is set to expire slightly longer than that of multivibrator 266. The outputs of the multivibrators 266 and 267 are differentiated and fed through inverters 268, 269 to an OR gate 270. Also fed to the OR gate 270 is a pulse received from the primary sensor 240 along line 272. Consequently, the Or gate 270 transmits three successive pulses, the first one as primary sensor 240 becomes exposed, the second one when the multivibrator 266 changes state and third one when the multivibrator 267 changes state. The single pulse from te sensor 240 is also fed to an AND gate 274 along with the output from the one-pence flip-flop 258. When a one pence passes through the selector 200, flip-flop 258 is set and the signal from that flip-flop is anded by gate 274 with the one pulse on line 272 and a single pulse is transmitted through an OR gate 276 to the first stage of a four-stage counter 278 which registers one count. A three-pence coin passing through the system sets flipflop 256 providing a signal to the AND gate 280. The signal is anded with the three pulses passing through the OR gate 270 and the three pulses are transmitted by the OR gate 276 to the counter 278. A six-pence coin passing through the system sets flip-flop 257 which enables the AND gate 282 to transmit the three pulses from the OR gate 270 to the second stage of the counter 278. The three pulses being transmitted to the second stage of the counter 278 are counted as two times the three pulses or, in other words, as six counts representing the six pence. The output of the accumulator counter 278 is fed through a vend decoder 283 to a coin operated device 284 which, when operated to vend the desired product or service, resets the counter 278.

While the accumulator 264 has been described as employing two parallel multivibrators, it should be understood that a serial arrangement of the multivibrators is also contemplated.

THIRD EMBODIMENT (FIG. 8

A modification of the second embodiment is illustrated in FIG. 8 wherein three additional sensors are added. The three additional sensors, in effect, replace the multivibrators 250, 261 and 262 for determining the acceptable maximum dimension of the coin. The remainder of the system, including the means for detecting the acceptance ratio, is precisely the same as the second'embodiment and, consequently, is not discussed nor illus-trated in FIG. 8 in detail. In order to determine whether the diameter or other chosen chordal dimension is within the acceptable range, a pair of sensors corresponding to each acceptable coin is employed in combination with the primary sensor 240, the sensor closer to primary sensor 240 checking the minimum dimension and the sensor further from the primary sensor 240 checking the maximum dimension.

Again assuming the coin selector 300 illustrated in FIG. 8 is designed to accept one-pence, three-pence and six-pence coins, there is provided a pair of sensors 302, 304 corresponding to a three pence, a pair of sensors 306, 308 corresponding to a six pence and a pair of sensors 310, 312 corresponding to a one pence. The spacing between each of the sensors forming a pair, such as between sensors 302 and 304, is equal to the acceptable dimensional variation for that particular coin and the distance between the sensor of each pair closest to the primary sensor 240 is equal to the minimum acceptable dimension for that coin. The output from each pair of sensors is fed to their corresponding AND gates 314, 316, 318 representing a three pence, a six pence and a one pence, respectively. Also being fed to the appropriate AND gates are the outputs from the acceptance ratio flip- flops 234, 232, 236. A coin passing through the selector 300 and having a velocity between sensors 312 and 308 which corresponds to that of a three pence sets the flip-flop 234. If the coin is larger than the distance between secondary sensor 302 and the primary sensor 240 and smaller than the distance between the secondary sensor 304 and the primary sensor 240 the AND gate 314 is enabled and a flip-flop 320 is set. Similarly, when a six pence passes through the selector 300, AND gate 316 is enabled and flip-flop 322 is set while a one pence passing through the selector 300 enables the AND gate 318 and sets a flip-flop 324. The setting of any of flip- flops 320, 322, 324 transmits a signal to a coin acceptor solenoid 25 which removes the platform 24 from the path of the coin. Furthermore, the signal is transmitted to an accumulator 328 of the type described above which, in turn, enables operation of a coin operated device 380.

The presently preferred coin presence sensing apparatus used in velocity of chordal function tests employs a source of collimated light on one side of the coin support track 16. The light is directed across the coin passageway toward the photosensitive coin presence sensors. The sensors may be phototransistors which are each mounted just behind slits in a mask forming part of the sidewall of the coin passageway. If necessary to ensure that the light passing through each slit strikes its respective sensor, light diffusing material may be placed in the slits or directly on one of the surfaces of the mask; however, opaque separators may be required to prevent the diffusing material from also carrying light to the wrong sensors. In order to minimize the v13 transition time during the occlusion of a sensor by a coin, we prefer to elongate the slits for sensors 401 through 406 in a direction tangential to the periphery of the coin at the time of transition, as shown in FIG. 9. The elongation may be straight or curved to generally follow the coins periphery. In the case of some types of sensors, the sensor itself may be elongated in a similar fashion. Of course some sensors, such as the primary sensor 407 in FIG. 9, should not be elongated because no single elongation would be satisfactory for all coin denominations with which the sensor is employed or because the sensor is utilized with both the leading and trailing edges of coins.

FOURTH EMBODIMENT The fourth embodiment of this invention is designed to simplify the logic circuitry by providing similar signals representative of the velocity of acceptable coins of two or more denominations. This may be accomplished for coins having different velocities by utilizing sensor pairs which are spaced for each denomination so that the transit times between sensors for coins of the associated denominations will be in the same range.

In FIG. 10, a schematic diagram of a velocity examining circuit for coins of a single denomination which serves to explain the principle of operation of this embodiment, coin presence sensors 550 and 552 are spaced apart along the coin path in the direction of coin movement. The normal direction of coin movement is such that the coin reaches sensor 550 before reaching sensor 552. When the sensor 550 first indicates coin presence it provides a signal which triggers a first monostable multivibrator 554 which produces an output pulse of a relatively higher voltage for a predetermined period of time. The beginning of the pulse from multivibrator 554 is shown at t when sensor 550 produces a signal indicating the arrival of a coin. The termination of the pulse from multivibrator 554 at time 1 triggers monostable multivibrator 556 which produces an output pulse for a predetermined period of time from t to t,,.

Where references have been made in this description to the presence or absence of an output signal from a gate, flip-flop or other element, it should be understood that devices which produce an output respectively of a relatively high or relatively low voltage may be used; and, as in the case of all embodiments of this invention, other logic devices and logic circuit techniques known to the art may be used without departing from the invention, the particular embodiments described being exemplary.

The distance between the sensors 550 and 552, and the range of average velocities in the region between the sensors for acceptable coins of the denomination being tested are known. The minimum time between the first sensing of the fastest acceptable coin by sensor 550 and by sensor 552, and the time period equal to the difference between this minimum time and the maximum time between the sensings for the slowest acceptable coin can be arithmetically determined. By setting the first multivibrator 554 to produce a pulse just slightly shorter than that minimum time period and the second multivibrator 556 to produce a pulse just slightly longer than the maximum time between sensings; the velocity acceptability of coins can be tested by determining whether or not the coin arrives at the second sensor 552 during the second time period, which is shown as the period from 1 to L, in FIG. 1 l. The upward steps in the representations of pulses 552-a, 552-b and 552-c in FIG. 11 are respectively illustrative of a fast coin arriving at the second sensor 552 at time t an acceptable coin arriving at time t;,, and a slow coin arriving at time t The output of multivibrator 554 is applied to AND gate 558. Should a signal from sensor 552 be applied to this gate 558 during the period from t to I, when multivibrator 554 produces a relatively high voltage signal, the coincidence of signals would cause AND gate 558 to produce an output setting flip-flop 560 thereby disabling AND gate 562 for the remainder of the coin test cycle. The signal from sensor 552 is also applied directly to AND gate 562; however, multivibrator 556 does not produce a signal until t therefore, AND gate 562 would not produce a relatively high voltage output and the coin would not be accepted.

In the event that the signal from sensor 552 indicating arrival of the coin occurs during the period from t to t.,, for example at time t when the second multivibrator 556 is producing a pulse but the pulse from the first multivibrator 554 has terminated; AND gate 558 will not produce an output because there is no signal from the first multivibrator 554. Flip-flop 560 will therefore not be set and the flip-flop 560 will therefore provide an output signal to an input of AND gate 562. The second multivibrator 556 and the second sensor 552 will also provide signals to inputs of AND gate 562. There being a coincidence of signals on all inputs of the AND gate 562, a signal indicating an acceptable coin will be produced on output lead 564.

In the case of a coin having a velocity which is less than that of the range of acceptable coins, the signal from the second sensor 552 will not occur until a time after the second multivibrators 556 pulse terminates at time t.,, for example at 2 The output AND gate 562 cannot produce a signal at this time because it receives no signal on the input connected to the second multivibrator 556.

The velocity testing technique just described is particularly useful in a coin sensor device for coins of several denominations, when the same time periods can be utilized in tests for two or more denominations, eliminating the need for some duplication of circuitry. This can be accomplished by the use of several appropriately located sensors which can also be employed for chordal tests.

The coin selector 520 comprising a fourth embodiment of this invention, shown in FIG. 12, is similar to the coin selector 10 of the first embodiment described above; in that the criteria used for accepting and categorizing coins of predetermined denomination are the same and a related combinatorial circuit is utilized. Furthermore, the use of a magnetic field to affect the velocity of the coin in a manner dependent upon its acceptance ratio is employed, as well-as the start control circuit 42 described above.

As the coin enters the system it is brought to rest by an arresting pin and occludes a start sensor in the same manner described above. Occlusion of the start sensor simultaneously fires an arresting pin multivibrator, a magnetic coin scavenger multivibrator, a coin reset multivibrator and a jam multivibrator, all of which operate in the same manner as described above, and, therefore, a description of their operation will not be repeated.

When a coin has been released and has passed through the magnetic field region, the velocity and chordal characteristics of the coin are examined at the coin sensor array 500. FIG. 13 shows a sensor array 500 of ten coin presence sensors 501 through 510 for use with a set of four coins 511, 512, 513 and 514, the peripheries of which are indicated by dashed lines in the position of the coin at the time each coin reaches the primary sensor 510. The sensors 501-510 of the sensor array 500 may be light sensors arranged on the one side of the coin passageway with a light source (not shown) on the other, arranged so that the presence of a coin adjacent a sensor obscures the light from the sensor in the manner previously described. FIG. 13 il- Iustrates a possible array 500 for this embodi-ment of our invention for use with the British coin set of onepence 514, three-pence 512, six-pence 511 and shilling 513 coins.

The velocity of coins of this coin set may be tested by using the following sensors:

First Second Denomination Velocity Sensor Velocity Sensor one pence 502 503 shilling 502 507 three pence 502 504 six pence 502 i9].

When the arrestor pin is removed from the path of the coin, and assuming the coin is not sufficiently magnetic to be retained by the magnetic coin scavenger, the coin will begin to roll down the guide track where it enters a magnetic field provided by a magnet. The velocity of the coin will be retarded in proportion to its acceptance ratio. After the coin leaves the magnetic field, it occludes sensors 501 through 510.

The techniques described above with respect to the single denomination case of FIGS. 10 and 11 are applied to the set of four coins 511, 512, 513 and 514 in the circuit of FIG. 13. When sensor 502 is first occluded, the first monostable multivibrator 611 is triggered. During the period of the output pulse from the 0 terminal of the first multivibrator, a signal is applied to one input of each of the gates 614, 615 and 616. In the event the other input of any of these gates receives a signal indicating that the respective sensor 507, 504 or 503 has been obscured, while the first multivibrator is producing its pulse, the respective flip- flop 617, 618 or 619 is set, turning off its output signal and inactivating the respective gate 620, 621 or 622 for the duration of the coin test. It is of course possible that none, some or all of the flip- flops 617, 618 or 619 could be so set depending on the velocity of the coin tested. In the case of an acceptable one-pence coin, none of the flip-flops should be set; in the case of an acceptable three-pence coin, it is likely that flip-flop 619 will be set; and in the case of acceptable six-pence and shilling coins, it is likely that flip- flops 618 and 619 will be set.

Upon the termination of the period of the pulse from the 0 terminal of the first multivibrator 611, the second and third monostable multivibrators 612 and 613 are triggered. Each then produces a pulse for a predetermined time which is the time corresponding to the acceptance range of velocities for one or more coin denominations. For the particular coin set described here, two such ranges are required because a wide range is required to accommodate the different acceptance ratios of pennies of different vintages and the wide range of velocities resulting from the polygonal shape of the three-pence coin, while a narrower range is possible and desirable for the more valuable six-pence and shilling coins. In the case of other coin sets a single range may suffice for all denominations. Alternatively, it will be clear to one skilled in the art that a single time period may be used for coins of different denominations some having narrow and some having broad ranges of velocities by providing an acceptance time period suitable for the narrow range and by testing the coins of denominations having the broader range as if they were coins of several denominations having the narrow velocity range, by using different sensor combinations to cover the full range.

When the second multivibrator 612 is producing a pulse, and a signal is received from sensor 507, but flipflop 617 has not been set, a coincidence of signals occurs at AND gate 620 which produces a signal setting flip-flop 623, indicating that the coin tested is within the acceptable velocity range for a six-pence or shilling coin; both of which have, in the particular system described, almost exactly the same velocities after passing through the influence of the magnetic field 23.

During the period of the output pulse from the third multivibrator 613, a signal is applied to inputs of AND gates 621 and 622. If a signal is received by these gates from 504 or 503, respectively, during the period of this pulse and provided that flip- flop 618 or 619 respectively has not been set, an output signal will be produced, setting flip- flop 624 or 625 respectively and indicating that the coin tested meets the velocity test criteria for a three-pence or one-pence coin respectively.

A coin is finally accepted by this embodiment of the invention only when its velocity, which is dependent upon acceptance ratio, and chordal dimension are within the predetermined acceptable ranges for the same denomina-tion coin.

For each of the respective coins 514, 513, 512 and 511, there are sensor pairs 501-502, 503-504, 505-506 and 508-509. The first sensor 501, 503, 505 and 508 of each pair is located so that it is not obscured at the time an acceptable coin of the respective denomination reaches the primary sensor 510. The second sensor 502, 504, 506 and 509 of each pair are located so that it will be obscured by all acceptable coins of the respective denomination at that same time.

Each of the pairs of sensors 501 and 502, 503 and 504, 505 and 506, and 508 and 509 are connected to provide a signal to one of four output AND gates 602, 604, 606 and 608 which are associated with the four coin denominations: penny, shilling, three penny and six penny respectively. The outputs of flip- flops 623, 624 and 625 in the velocity test circuitry discussed above, are also connected to each of the output AND gates 602, 604, 606 and 608 for the coins with which their signals are associated. The primary sensor 510 is connected through a capacitor 630 to the input of inverting gate 631. A source of power sufficient to operate the gate 631, in this case 5 volts, is also connected to the same input through a resistor 632. The output of gate 631 is connected to an input of each of the output gates 602, 604, 606 and 608. When the primary sensor 510 is first obscured, capacitor 630, resistor 632 and the voltage applied through resistor 632 produce a short pulse at the output of gate 631. The coincidence of this pulse with signals on the other three inputs of one of the gates 602, 604, 606 or 608 produces an output from that gate indicating an acceptable coin of the denomination with which it is associated and setting the respective flip- flop 603, 605, 607 or 609, which in turn causes OR gate 610 to produce a signal which may be used to activate the coin direction solenoid 25 which removes platform 24 from the coin path and permits the coin to drop into acceptance passageway 26 in the manner described fully above with respect to the first embodiment. I

To ensure that all of the flip-flops are reset before each examination of coin characteristics is made, the output signal from the coin arrival sensor 21 is connected by lead '640 to monostable multivibrator 642 which then produces a pulse which is connected to reset the flip-flops of the circuit of FIG. 14 by lead 644 and is connected to the coin release solenoid by lead 646.

From the above descriptions it can be seen that the coin selector of this invention has the capability of selecting a large number of coins and also has the capability of being modified easily to permit acceptance of other coins. Because of the large capacity and speed of operation of the coin selector of this invention, a plurality of individual coin operated devices may be operated by a single coin selector device wherein each coin operated device is provided with the sensors and coin passageway and wherein the outputs from the sensors are fed to a central combinatorial circuit which includes the coin material and dimension sensing circuits and an accumulator.

What is claimed as new and desired to be secured by Letters Patent of the United States is: i

l. A device for determining the denomination of a coin comprising means for producing a magnetic field in a region through which the coin passes, coin velocity examining means including sensing means located after at least a portion of the magnetic field with respect to the direction in which the coin is traveling, means for examining a function dependent upon a chordal dimension of the coin including sensing means, and means for comparing the output from the coin velocity examining means and chordal function examining means with predetermined standards characteristic of acceptable coins.

2. A device as defined in claim 1 wherein said coin velocity examining means includes a pair of spaced sensors and wherein said device also includes coin direction control means actuated by the comparison means.

3. A device as defined in claim 1 including means for sensing the presence of a coin in said device, the presence sensing means being located ahead of the coin velocity and chordal function sensing means and including means for resetting the comparison circuit means before the coin reaches either the chordal function sensing means or the coin velocity sensing means to enable the comparison circuit means to make the comparisons, the resetting means being activated by the presence sensing means.

4. A device as defined in claim 1 including a coin entrance slot, an inclined guide track adjacent to the slot, a coin presence sensor adjacent to the guide track and ahead of the magnetic field to detect the presence of a coin in the device, coin arresting means adjacent to the coin presence sensor for bringing the coin to rest, magnetic coin scavenger means adjacent to the coin presence sensor for removing coins having a magnetic permeability in excess of a predetermined value from the track, start circuit means for rendering the arresting means ineffective and for actuating the coin scavenger, and resetting circuit means for resetting the comparison means before the coin reaches either the chordal dimension sensing means or the coin velocity sensing means.

5. A device for determining the denomination of a coin comprising a coin passageway, means for admitting a coin to the passageway, means for producing a magnetic field across the passageway in a region through which the coin passes, first velocity examining means for examining the velocity of the coin before the coin is exposed to the magnetic field, second velocity examining means for examining the velocity of the coin after the coin passes through at least a portion of the magnetic field, means for examining a function dependent upon a chordal dimension of the coin and first circuit means for comparing the output signals from the second velocity examining means and the chordal dimension examining means with predetermined signals characterisitc of acceptable coins.

6. A device as defined in claim 5 including second circuit means connected to the first velocity examining means and having an output signal representative of the velocity of the coin before the coin is exposed to the magnetic field, the second circuit means output signal being fed to the first circuit means to account for the initial coin velocity of the coin before the coin is ex posed to the magnetic field.

7. A device as defined in claim 5 including initial sensing means for sensing the arrival of a coin at the beginning of the passageway and including resetting means for resetting the first and second circuit means before the coin reaches the first velocity examining means to enable the first and second circuit means to perform their intended functions, the resetting means being actuated by the initial sensing means.

8. A device as defined in claim 5 wherein the first circuit means provides a signal indicative of the denomination of an authentic acceptable coin and including an accumulator actuated by the signal from the first circuit means for totalizing the value of coins accepted by the device.

9. A device as defined in claim 8 including third circuit means to determine if a coin has become jammed in the passageway and means for disabling the accumulator when a coin has become jammed in the passageway.

10. A device as defined in claim 7 including arresting means adjacent to the initial sensing means for bringing the coin to rest and magnetic coin scavenger means adjacent to the initial sensing means, for removing coins having a magnetic permeability in excess of a predetermined value from the passageway.

ill. A device as defined in claim 7 including at least I one light source on one side of the coin passageway and wherein the initial sensing means, the first velocity examining means, the second velocity examining means and the chordal dimension examining means each include a photoelectric device on the other side of the passageway from a light source.

12. A device as defined in claim 5 wherein the second velocity examining means includes a pair of spaced sensors and wherein the first circuit means includes first gated means connecting the pair of sensors and a pulsating signal source to a pulse counter, the number of pulses received by the counter being representative of the velocity of the coin as it travels between the sensors of the second velocity examining means.

13. A device as defined in claim wherein the first circuit means includes gated means connecting the chordal function examining means and a pulsating signal source to a pulse counter, the number of pulses received by the counter being representative of the sensed chordal function.

14. A device as defined in claim 12 wherein the first circuit means additionally includes second gated means connecting the chordal function examining means and the pulsating signal source to the counter, and counter clearing means, the number of pulses received by the counter from the second gated means being representative of the sensed chordal function.

15. A device as defined in claim 14 wherein the chordal function examining means includes one of the pair of closely spaced sensors and wherein the counter clearing means clears the counter on completion of recording of one of the coin velocity and chordal function measurements.

16. A device as defined in claim 15 including at least one light source on one side of the passageway and wherein each of the closely spaced sensors comprises a photoelectric device on the other side of the coin passageway from a light source.

17. A device as defined in claim 5 including third circuit means for resetting the first circuit means when a coin approaches the magnetic field to enable the first circuit means to make the signal comparisons.

18. A device as defined in claim 12 wherein the first circuit means includes sub-circuit means connected to the counter and responsive to a predetermined signal pattern generated by the counter which corresponds to signals characteristic of acceptable coins.

19. A device as defined in claim 12 wherein the first circuit means includes first and second sub-circuit means each being connected to the counter, the first sub-circuit means being responsive to a predetermined signal pattern generated by the counter which corresponds to signals characteristic of signals representing the velocity of acceptable coins as they travel between the pair of sensors, the second sub-circuit means being responsive to a predetermined signal pattern generated by the counter which corresponds to signals characteristic of signals representing the sensed chordal function of acceptable coins.

20. A device as defined in claim 19 including further gated means connecting the first and second sub-circuit means to a coin acceptance control means and being responsive to concurrent signals from the first and second sub-circuit means.

21. A device as defined in claim 19 including further gated means connecting the first and second sub-circuit means to an accumulator for totalizing the value of coins accepted by the device and being responsive to concurrent signals from the first and second sub-circuit means.

22. A device as defined in claim 5 including a second circuit means having a pulsating signal source and a first pulse counter and first gated means connecting the first velocity examining means and the pulsating signal source to the first pulse counter such that the number of pulses received by the first pulse counter is proportional to the velocity of the coin as it passes the first velocity examining means, the device also including fourth circuit means connected to and responsive to the output of the first pulse counter, the fourth circuit means modifying the output of the pulsating signal source in proportion to the output of the first pulse counter.

23. A device as defined in claim 22 including a second pulse counter and wherein the second velocity examining means includes a pair of spaced sensors and wherein the first circuit means includes second gated means connecting the pair of sensors and the output of the fourth circuit means to the second pulse counter, the number of pulses received by the second pulse counter being proportional to the velocity of the coin as it travels between the pair of sensors forming the second velocity examining means. 7

24. A device as defined in claim 22 including a second pulse counter and wherein the first circuit means includes third gated means connecting the chordal function examining means and the fourth circuit means to the second pulse counter, the number of pulses received by the second pulse counter being proportional to the sensed chordal function.

25. A device as defined in claim 23 wherein the first circuit means includes third gated means connecting the chordal function examining means and the fourth circuit means to the second pulse counter.

26. A device as defined in claim 25 including second pulse counter resetting means for resetting the second pulse counter on completion of recording of one of the coin velocity and chordal function measurements and wherein the velocity examining means includes a pair of spaced sensors and wherein the chordal function examining means comprises one of the spaced sensors.

27. A device as defined in claim 25 wherein the first circuit means includes first and second sub-circuit means each being connected to the second pulse counter, the first sub-circuit means being responsive to a predetermined signal pattern generated by the second pulse counter which corresponds to signals characteristic of signals representing the velocity of acceptable coins as they travel between the pair of sensors of the second velocity examining means, the second subcircuit means being responsive to a predetermined signal pattern generated by the second pulse counter which corresponds to signals characteristic of signals representing a chordal function of acceptable coins and wherein the device further includes fourth gated means connecting the first and second sub-circuit means to a coin acceptance control means and to an accumulator for totalizing the value of coins accepted by the device, the fourth gated means being responsive to concurrent signals from the first and second sub-circuit means.

28. A device as defined in claim 27 including initial sensing means for sensing the arrival of a coin at the beginning of the passageway and third circuit means for resetting the first and second circuit means before the coin reaches the first velocity examining means to enable the first and second circuit means to perform their intended functions for a newly admitted coin, the third circuit means also including coin jam detecting means for determining if a coin has become jammed in the passageway and means for disabling the accumulator when a coin has become jammed in the passageway.

29. A device as defined in claim 28 wherein the coin jam detecting means includes a signal source responsive to the initial sensing means and set to operate for a predetermined period of time and fifth gated means connecting the signal source and first velocity examin-

Claims (80)

1. A device for determining the denomination of a coin comprising means for producing a magnetic field in a region through which the coin passes, coin velocity examining means including sensing means located after at least a portion of the magnetic field with respect to the direction in which the coin is traveling, means for examining a function dependent upon a chordal dimension of the coin including sensing means, and means for comparing the output from the coin velocity examining means and chordal function examining means with predetermined standards characteristic of acceptable coins.

2. A device as defined in claim 1 wherein said coin velocity examining means includes a pair of spaced sensors and wherein said device also includes coin direction control means actuated by the comparison means.

3. A device as defined in claim 1 including means for sensing the presence of a coin in said device, the presence sensing means being located ahead of the coin velocity and chordal function sensing means and including means for resetting the comparison circuit means before the coin reaches either the chordal function sensing means or the coin velocity sensing means to enable the comparison circuit means to make the comparisons, the resetting means being activated by the presence sensing means.

4. A device as defined in claim 1 including a coin entrance slot, an inclined guide track adjacent to the slot, a coin presence sensor adjacent to the guide track and ahead of the magnetic field to detect the presence of a coin in the device, coin arresting means adjacent to the coin presence sensor for bringing the coin to rest, magnetic coin scavenger means adjacent to the coin presence sensor for removing coins having a magnetic permeability in excess of a predeteRmined value from the track, start circuit means for rendering the arresting means ineffective and for actuating the coin scavenger, and resetting circuit means for resetting the comparison means before the coin reaches either the chordal dimension sensing means or the coin velocity sensing means.

5. A device for determining the denomination of a coin comprising a coin passageway, means for admitting a coin to the passageway, means for producing a magnetic field across the passageway in a region through which the coin passes, first velocity examining means for examining the velocity of the coin before the coin is exposed to the magnetic field, second velocity examining means for examining the velocity of the coin after the coin passes through at least a portion of the magnetic field, means for examining a function dependent upon a chordal dimension of the coin and first circuit means for comparing the output signals from the second velocity examining means and the chordal dimension examining means with predetermined signals characterisitc of acceptable coins.

6. A device as defined in claim 5 including second circuit means connected to the first velocity examining means and having an output signal representative of the velocity of the coin before the coin is exposed to the magnetic field, the second circuit means output signal being fed to the first circuit means to account for the initial coin velocity of the coin before the coin is exposed to the magnetic field.

7. A device as defined in claim 5 including initial sensing means for sensing the arrival of a coin at the beginning of the passageway and including resetting means for resetting the first and second circuit means before the coin reaches the first velocity examining means to enable the first and second circuit means to perform their intended functions, the resetting means being actuated by the initial sensing means.

8. A device as defined in claim 5 wherein the first circuit means provides a signal indicative of the denomination of an authentic acceptable coin and including an accumulator actuated by the signal from the first circuit means for totalizing the value of coins accepted by the device.

9. A device as defined in claim 8 including third circuit means to determine if a coin has become jammed in the passageway and means for disabling the accumulator when a coin has become jammed in the passageway.

10. A device as defined in claim 7 including arresting means adjacent to the initial sensing means for bringing the coin to rest and magnetic coin scavenger means adjacent to the initial sensing means for removing coins having a magnetic permeability in excess of a predetermined value from the passageway.

11. A device as defined in claim 7 including at least one light source on one side of the coin passageway and wherein the initial sensing means, the first velocity examining means, the second velocity examining means and the chordal dimension examining means each include a photoelectric device on the other side of the passageway from a light source.

12. A device as defined in claim 5 wherein the second velocity examining means includes a pair of spaced sensors and wherein the first circuit means includes first gated means connecting the pair of sensors and a pulsating signal source to a pulse counter, the number of pulses received by the counter being representative of the velocity of the coin as it travels between the sensors of the second velocity examining means.

13. A device as defined in claim 5 wherein the first circuit means includes gated means connecting the chordal function examining means and a pulsating signal source to a pulse counter, the number of pulses received by the counter being representative of the sensed chordal function.

14. A device as defined in claim 12 wherein the first circuit means additionally includes second gated means connecting the chordal function examining means and the pulsating signal source to the counter, and counter clearing means, the Number of pulses received by the counter from the second gated means being representative of the sensed chordal function.

15. A device as defined in claim 14 wherein the chordal function examining means includes one of the pair of closely spaced sensors and wherein the counter clearing means clears the counter on completion of recording of one of the coin velocity and chordal function measurements.

16. A device as defined in claim 15 including at least one light source on one side of the passageway and wherein each of the closely spaced sensors comprises a photoelectric device on the other side of the coin passageway from a light source.

17. A device as defined in claim 5 including third circuit means for resetting the first circuit means when a coin approaches the magnetic field to enable the first circuit means to make the signal comparisons.

18. A device as defined in claim 12 wherein the first circuit means includes sub-circuit means connected to the counter and responsive to a predetermined signal pattern generated by the counter which corresponds to signals characteristic of acceptable coins.

19. A device as defined in claim 12 wherein the first circuit means includes first and second sub-circuit means each being connected to the counter, the first sub-circuit means being responsive to a predetermined signal pattern generated by the counter which corresponds to signals characteristic of signals representing the velocity of acceptable coins as they travel between the pair of sensors, the second sub-circuit means being responsive to a predetermined signal pattern generated by the counter which corresponds to signals characteristic of signals representing the sensed chordal function of acceptable coins.

20. A device as defined in claim 19 including further gated means connecting the first and second sub-circuit means to a coin acceptance control means and being responsive to concurrent signals from the first and second sub-circuit means.

21. A device as defined in claim 19 including further gated means connecting the first and second sub-circuit means to an accumulator for totalizing the value of coins accepted by the device and being responsive to concurrent signals from the first and second sub-circuit means.

22. A device as defined in claim 5 including a second circuit means having a pulsating signal source and a first pulse counter and first gated means connecting the first velocity examining means and the pulsating signal source to the first pulse counter such that the number of pulses received by the first pulse counter is proportional to the velocity of the coin as it passes the first velocity examining means, the device also including fourth circuit means connected to and responsive to the output of the first pulse counter, the fourth circuit means modifying the output of the pulsating signal source in proportion to the output of the first pulse counter.

23. A device as defined in claim 22 including a second pulse counter and wherein the second velocity examining means includes a pair of spaced sensors and wherein the first circuit means includes second gated means connecting the pair of sensors and the output of the fourth circuit means to the second pulse counter, the number of pulses received by the second pulse counter being proportional to the velocity of the coin as it travels between the pair of sensors forming the second velocity examining means.

24. A device as defined in claim 22 including a second pulse counter and wherein the first circuit means includes third gated means connecting the chordal function examining means and the fourth circuit means to the second pulse counter, the number of pulses received by the second pulse counter being proportional to the sensed chordal function.

25. A device as defined in claim 23 wherein the first circuit means includes third gated means connecting the chordal function examining means and the fourth circuit means to the second pulse counter.

26. A device as defined in claim 25 iNcluding second pulse counter resetting means for resetting the second pulse counter on completion of recording of one of the coin velocity and chordal function measurements and wherein the velocity examining means includes a pair of spaced sensors and wherein the chordal function examining means comprises one of the spaced sensors.

27. A device as defined in claim 25 wherein the first circuit means includes first and second sub-circuit means each being connected to the second pulse counter, the first sub-circuit means being responsive to a predetermined signal pattern generated by the second pulse counter which corresponds to signals characteristic of signals representing the velocity of acceptable coins as they travel between the pair of sensors of the second velocity examining means, the second sub-circuit means being responsive to a predetermined signal pattern generated by the second pulse counter which corresponds to signals characteristic of signals representing a chordal function of acceptable coins and wherein the device further includes fourth gated means connecting the first and second sub-circuit means to a coin acceptance control means and to an accumulator for totalizing the value of coins accepted by the device, the fourth gated means being responsive to concurrent signals from the first and second sub-circuit means.

28. A device as defined in claim 27 including initial sensing means for sensing the arrival of a coin at the beginning of the passageway and third circuit means for resetting the first and second circuit means before the coin reaches the first velocity examining means to enable the first and second circuit means to perform their intended functions for a newly admitted coin, the third circuit means also including coin jam detecting means for determining if a coin has become jammed in the passageway and means for disabling the accumulator when a coin has become jammed in the passageway.

29. A device as defined in claim 28 wherein the coin jam detecting means includes a signal source responsive to the initial sensing means and set to operate for a predetermined period of time and fifth gated means connecting the signal source and first velocity examining means to the means for disabling the accumulator, the fifth gated means being responsive to concurrent signals from the signal source and the first velocity examining means.

30. A device as defined in claim 28 including arresting means adjacent to the initial sensing means for bringing a coin to rest in the passageway, a magnetic coin scavenger adjacent to the initial sensing means for removing coins having a magnetic permeability in excess of a predetermined value from the passageway, the third circuit means including means for removing the arresting means from the coin''s path of travel and for actuating the coin scavenger to remove the magnetic coin from the passageway.

31. A device as defined in claim 28 including at least one light source on one side of the coin passageway and wherein the initial sensing means, the first velocity examining means, the second velocity examining means, and the chordal function examining means each includes a photoelectric device on the other side of the coin passageway from a light source.

32. A device for determining the denomination of a coin comprising a coin passageway, means for admitting a coin to the passageway, means for producing a magnetic field across the passageway in a region through which the coin passes, velocity examining means for examining the velocity of the coin after the coin emerges from the magnetic field region, means for examining a chordal dimension of the coin comprising a primary sensor and at least one secondary sensor spaced from the primary sensor, the distance between the primary and secondary sensors being comparable to a corresponding dimension of an acceptable coin, first circuit means for comparing the output signals from the velocity examining means with predetermined signals characteristic of acceptablE coins, and second circuit means for comparing the output signals from the chordal dimension examining means with predetermined signals characteristic of acceptable coins.

33. A device as defined in claim 32 including initial sensing means for sensing the arrival of a coin at the beginning of the passageway and including resetting means for resetting the first and second circuit means to enable them to perform their intended functions.

34. A device as defined in claim 32 including third circuit means connecting the first and second circuit means to an accumulator, the third circuit means providing a signal indicative of the denomination of an authentic acceptable coin, the accumulator being actuated by the third circuit signal for totalizing the value of coins accepted by the device.

35. A device as defined in claim 34 including fourth circuit means to determine if a coin has become jammed in the passageway and means for disabling the accumulator when a coin has become jammed in the passageway.

36. A device as defined in claim 33 including arresting means adjacent to the initial sensing means for bringing the coin to rest and magnetic coin scavenger means adjacent to the initial sensing means for removing coins having a magnetic permeability in excess of a predetermined value from the passageway.

37. A device as defined in claim 32 wherein the means for examining a chordal dimension comprises a primary sensor and at least two secondary sensors, the distance between the primary sensor and one of the secondary sensors being equal to the minimum acceptable dimension for an acceptable coin, the distance between the primary sensor and another of the secondary sensors being equal to the maximum acceptable corresponding dimension for an acceptable coin of the same denomination.

38. A device as defined in claim 32 wherein the means for examining a chordal dimension comprises a primary sensor and a plurality of secondary sensors, the number of secondary sensors corresponding to the number of coins the device is designed to accept, the distance between the primary sensor and each of the secondary sensors being equal to the minimum acceptable dimension of an acceptable coin.

39. A device as defined in claim 38 wherein the velocity sensing means includes two spaced secondary sensors.

40. A device as defined in claim 65 including initial sensing means for sensing the arrival of a coin at the beginning of the passageway and including resetting means for resetting the first and second circuit means to enable them to perform their intended functions.

41. A device as defined in claim 32 including a signal source and a signal receiver and wherein the first circuit means includes first gated means connecting the signal source and velocity examining means to the signal receiver such that the signal received by the signal receiver is indicative of the velocity of the coin as it passes the velocity examining means.

42. A device as defined in claim 41 wherein the first circuit means includes sub-circuit means connected to the signal receiver and responsive to a predetermined signal pattern generated by the signal receiver which corresponds to signals characteristic of acceptable coins.

43. A device as defined in claim 32 wherein the second circuit means includes a first signal source, first gated means connecting the primary and one secondary sensor to the signal source, the first gated means being responsive to concurrent signals from the primary sensor and the one secondary sensor, the first signal source being responsive to the first gated means and being set to operate for a predetermined period of time, second gated means connecting the first gated means and the first signal source to first sub-circuit means, the second gated means being responsive to concurrent signals from the first gated means and the first signal source and the first sub-circuit means being responsive to the second gated means.

44. A device as defined in claim 73 including second sub-cIrcuit means connected to the signal receiver and responsive to a predetermined signal pattern from the signal receiver which corresponds to signals characteristic of acceptable coins.

45. A device as defined in claim 44 wherein the second sub-circuit means is connected to the first gated means, the first gated means being responsive to concurrent signals from the primary sensor, the one secondary sensor and the second sub-circuit means.

46. A device as defined in claim 45 including a. an accumulator for totalizing the value of coins accepted by the device, b. a coin acceptance control means for controlling the direction of travel of acceptable and nonacceptable coins and c. third gated means connecting the first sub-circuit means to the accumulator and the coin acceptance control means.

47. A device as defined in claim 46 including third circuit means to determine if a coin has become jammed in the passageway and means for disabling the accumulator when a coin has become jammed in the passageway.

48. A device as defined in claim 47 including initial sensing means for sensing the arrival of a coin at the beginning of the passageway and including resetting means for resetting the first, second and third circuit means to enable them to perform their intended functions, the resetting means being actuated by the initial sensing means before the coin reaches the velocity examining means.

49. A device as defined in claim 48 wherein the coin jam detecting means includes a second signal source responsive to the initial sensing means and set to provide a signal for a predetermined period of time and fourth gated means connecting the second signal source and the one of the secondary sensors to the means for disabling the accumulator, the fourth gated means being responsive to concurrent signals from the second signal source and the one of the secondary sensors.

50. A device as defined in claim 45 including a magnetic coin scavenger adjacent to the beginning of the passageway for removing coins having a magnetic permeability in excess of a predetermined value for the passageway.

51. A device as defined in claim 38 wherein the second circuit means includes a plurality of first signal sources and a plurality of first gated means, a first signal source and a first gated means corresponding to each of the secondary sensors, each first gated means connecting its corresponding secondary sensor and the primary sensor to its corresponding first signal source, each of the first gated means being responsive to concurrent signals from its corresponding secondary sensor, and the primary sensor, each first signal source being responsive to its corresponding first gated means and being set to provide a signal for a predetermined period of time, a plurality of second gated means, and first sub-circuit means, each second gated means corresponding to one of the secondary sensors and connecting the corresponding first gated means and first signal source to a corresponding first sub-circuit means, each second gated means being responsive to concurrent predetermined signals from its corresponding first gated means and first signal source and each first sub-circuit means being reaponsive to the corresponding second gated means, a signal from a second gated means indicating that a coin having a dimension within a predetermined range has traveled through the device.

52. A device as defined in claim 51 including a pulsating signal source and a pulse counter and wherein the first circuit means includes third gated means connecting the pulsating signal source and velocity examining means to the pulse counter such that the number of pulses received by the pulse counter is representative of the velocity of the coin as it passes the velocity examining means, a plurality of fourth gated means, each fourth gated means corresponding to an acceptable coin, each of the fourth gated means being connected to the pulse counter and being responsive to a predetermined signal pattern frOm the pulse counter which corresponds to signals characteristic of an acceptable coin, each of the fourth gated means being connected to the first gated means corresponding to the same acceptable coin, each first gated means being responsive to concurrent signals from the primary sensor, its corresponding secondary sensor and its corresponding fourth gated means, whereby a signal from a second gated means indicates that a coin having a velocity and chord dimension within a predetermined range has traveled through the device.

53. A device as defined in claim 52 including an accumulator and fifth gated means connecting the first sub-circuit means to the accumulator, and transmitting a signal to the accumulator indicative of the denomination of the coin which has traveled through the device, the accumulator totalizing the value of coins accepted by the device.

54. A device as defined in claim 52 including a coin acceptance control means and a fifth gated means connecting the first sub-circuit means to the coin acceptance control means which controls the direction of travel of acceptable and non-acceptable coins.

55. A device as defined in claim 52 including further circuit means to determine if a coin has become jammed in the passageway.

56. A device as defined in claim 32 wherein a. the means for examining the chordal dimension comprises a primary sensor and a plurality of pairs of secondary sensors, the distance between the primary sensor and one of each pair of secondary sensors being comparable to the minimum acceptable predetermined dimension for an acceptable coin, the distance between the primary sensor and the second of each pair of secondary sensors being comparable to the maximum acceptable predetermined dimension for an acceptable coin of the same denomination, b. the second circuit means includes a plurality of first gated means and first sub-circuit means, each first gated means corresponding to one of the pairs of secondary sensors and connecting each sensor of the corresponding pair of sensors and the primary sensor to the first sub-circuit means, each first gated means being responsive to concurrent signals from each sensor of the corresponding pair of secondary sensors and the primary sensor, the first sub-circuit means being responsive to a signal from any of the first gated means, such first gated means signal indicating that a coin having a predetermined dimension within a predetermined range has traveled through the device.

57. A device as defined in claim 56 including a pulsating signal source and a pulse counter and wherein the first circuit means includes a second gated means connecting the pulsating signal source and velocity examining means to the pulse counter such that the number of pulses received by the pulse counter is proportional to the velocity of the coin as it passes the velocity examining means, a plurality of third gated means, each third gated means corresponding to an acceptable coin, each third gated means being connected to the pulse counter and to the first gated means corresponding to the same acceptable coin and being responsive to a predetermined signal pattern from the pulse counter, each first gated means being responsive to concurrent signals from the primary sensor, each sensor of its corresponding pair of secondary sensors, and its corresponding third gated means, whereby a signal from the first gated means indicates that a coin having a velocity and chord dimension within a predetermined range and corresponding to an acceptable coin has traveled through the device.

58. A device as defined in claim 57 including a coin acceptance control means and fourth gated means connecting the first sub-circuit means to the coin acceptance control means which controls the direction of travel of acceptable and non-acceptable coins and including an accumulator and fifth gated means connecting the first sub-circuit means to the accumulator, the accumulator totalizing the value of coins accepted by the device.

59. A device as defined in claim 8 wherein the accumulator is connected to a plurality of coin operated devices.

60. A device as defined in claim 34 wherein the accumulator is connected to a plurality of coin operated devices.

61. A device as defined in claim 32 wherein the means for examining a chordal dimension comprises a primary sensor and a plurality of secondary sensors, the number of secondary sensors corresponding to the number of different denominations of coins the device is designed to accept, the distance between the primary sensor and each of the secondary sensors being equal to an acceptable dimension for an acceptable coin, and wherein the velocity examining means includes two spaced sensors.

62. A device as defined in claim 32 wherein the distance between the primary and secondary sensors is equal to the minimum acceptable corresponding dimension for an acceptable coin.

63. A device as defined in claim 45 wherein the signal source provides a pulsating signal and wherein the signal receiver is a counter.

64. A method of determining the authenticity and denomination of a coin comprising the steps of providing a magnetic field across a coin passageway, examining a first velocity of a coin immediately prior to the coin''s exposure to the magnetic field, examining a second velocity of the coin after the coin emerges from the magnetic field, examining a chordal dimension of the coin and comparing signals representative of the second velocity and the chordal dimension with corresponding predetermined signals characteristic of acceptable coins.

65. A method as defined in claim 64 including the step of utilizing a signal representative of the first velocity to modify the signal representative of the second velocity.

66. A method as defined in claim 65 including providing an acceptance signal if the comparison of second velocity signal and chordal dimension signal with the predetermined signals is acceptable, and using the acceptance signal to actuate an accumulator for totalizing the value of coins accepted.

67. A method of determining the authenticity and denomination of a coin comprising the steps of providing a magnetic field across a coin passageway, examining the velocity of a coin after the coin emerges from the magnetic field, sensing the concurrent presence of a coin at at least two points spaced apart a distance equal to an acceptable corresponding chordal dimension for an acceptable coin, and comparing signals representative of the velocity and the chordal dimension with corresponding predetermined signals characteristic of acceptable coins.

68. A method as defined in claim 67 wherein the concurrent presence of a coin is sensed at two points spaced apart a distance equal to the maximum acceptable corresponding chordal dimension for an acceptable coin and at two points spaced apart a distance equal to the minimum acceptable corresponding chordal dimension for an acceptable coin.

69. A method as defined in claim 67 including the step of sensing the duration of concurrent presence of a coin at the two points.

70. A device as defined in claim 32 wherein the means for examining a chordal dimension includes at least three sensors, the distance between a first sensor and a second sensor being comparable to the minimum corresponding acceptable dimension for an acceptable coin, the distance between the first sensor and a third sensor being comparable to the maximum acceptable corresponding dimension for an acceptable coin of the same denomination.

71. A device as defined in claim 37 wherein the secondary sensors are located in a region between the primary sensor and the magnetic field region.

72. A device as defined in claim 38 wherein the secondary sensors are located in a region between the primary sensor and the magnetic field region.

73. A device as defined in claim 43 wherein the first circuit means includes a signal source, a signal receiver, first gated means connecting the signal source and velocity examining meaNs to the signal receiver such that the signal received by the signal receiver is indicative of the velocity of the coin as it passes the velocity examining means, and also includes sub-circuit means connected to the signal receiver and responsive to a predetermined signal pattern generated by the signal receiver which corresponds to signals characteristic of acceptable coins.

74. A device as defined in claim 32 wherein the velocity examining means includes a first sensor and a second sensor spaced in the direction of coin movement; and the first circuit means includes a first signal source responsive to the first sensor and being set to operate for a predetermined period of time, a second signal source responsive to the cessation of operation of the first signal source and being set to operate for a predetermined period of time, first gated means connecting the first signal source and the second sensor to first sub-circuit means, the first gated means being responsive to concurrent signals from the first signal source and the second sensor, second gated means connecting the second signal source and the second sensor to the second sub-circuit means, the second gated means being responsive to concurrent signals from the second signal source and the second sensor.

75. A device as defined in claim 43 wherein the velocity examining means includes a first sensor and a second sensor spaced in the direction of coin movement; and the first circuit means includes a first signal source responsive to the first sensor and being set to operate for a predetermined period of time, a second signal source responsive to the cessation of operation of the first signal source and being set to operate for a predetermined period of time, first gated means connecting the first signal source and the second sensor to first sub-circuit means, the first gated means being responsive to concurrent signals from the first signal source and the second sensor, second gated means connecting the second signal source and the second sensor to the second sub-circuit means, the second gated means being responsive to concurrent signals from the second signal source and the second sensor.

76. A device as defined in claim 75 wherein at least one of the first and second sensors of the velocity examining means is one of the secondary sensors of the chordal dimension examining means.

77. A device as defined in claim 32 wherein the velocity examining means includes a plurality of spaced sensors, and the first circuit means includes at least one primary signal source responsive to a first sensor and being set to operate for a predetermined period of time, at least one secondary signal source responsive to the cessation of operation of a primary signal source and being set to operate for a predetermined period of time, a plurality of primary gated means each connecting one of the sensors and the primary signal source to a primary sub-circuit means, each primary gated means being responsive to concurrent signals from its associated sensor and primary signal source, each of the plurality of primary sub-circuit means being responsive to one of the primary gated means, a plurality of secondary gated means each connecting a secondary signal source and a sensor and its associated primary gated means to a secondary sub-circuit means, each of the secondary gated means being responsive to concurrent signals from its associated secondary signal source, sensor and primary gated means.

78. A device as claimed in claim 32 wherein at least one of the examining means includes an elongated photosensitive sensor.

79. A device as claimed in claim 32 wherein a mask separates at least one of the sensors from the coin passageway, the sensor is a photosensitive device, a light source is located on the other side of the passageway from the sensor, and the light from the light source reaching the sensor is limited to that passing through an elongated opening in the mask.

80. A device as defined in claim 4 wherein the coin arrEsting means includes a barrier which is removed from the intended direction of coin movement when the arresting means is rendered ineffective with a motion at least partly in that direction.

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