WO1992020047A1

WO1992020047A1 - A slot machine

Info

Publication number: WO1992020047A1
Application number: PCT/FI1992/000140
Authority: WO
Inventors: Veli-Pekka Lähde
Original assignee: Protonor Engineering Oy
Priority date: 1991-05-08
Filing date: 1992-05-04
Publication date: 1992-11-12
Also published as: PT100469A; FI88970B; AU1654492A; FI912225A; FI912225A0; FI88970C

Abstract

The invention relates to a slot machine for detachably interlocking two devices, such as shopping trolleys. The machine comprises a casing (1) to which a locking latch (3) is mounted turnably, and an abutment (2). The casing and the abutment are attached to different devices. A passage (8) provided for a coin (7) in the casing is so dimensioned that when the coin is inserted into it, it turns the latch (3) from a locking position to a releasing position. The abutment (2) turns the latch (3) to a closing position.

Description

A slot machine

This invention relates to a slot machine for interlocking and unlocking two objects, such as shopping trolleys, comprising a casing attached to one object and an abutment attached to the other object, said casing comprising a space for a coin and a latch attached turnably to the casing and being placeable in a locking and a releasing position in which the latch is locked to the abutment and apart from the abutment, respectively, and means for turn¬ ing the latch to the locking and releasing position.

It is known to provide devices intended to be lent with a slot machine to collect a rent or pledge. To get the device to be lent into use, a coin or a similar pledge is inserted into the locking mechanism, and then a latch releasing means is activated by turning, pressing or in some other similar way. These prior art devices always comprise a separate locking mechanism in addition to the pledge identifier. As there are two separate mechanisms the device comprises plenty of movable parts liable to damage. In addition, many people feel unsure if they do not immediately realize how the device operates.

A shopping trolley returning system is previously known in which a trolley identifying device positioned in the shop gives a receipt when the customer returns the trolley through the device. After the customer has collected a predetermined number of receipts, he or she gets a payment agreed upon from the shopkeeper. This system is inconvenient for the customer, as he or she has to keep the receipts. The arrangement is also expensive to the shopkeeper, who has to purchase the identifier and pay for the returning of the trolleys.

US Patent 4,589,538 discloses a coin-operated device for interlocking two shopping trolleys. The device comprises a casing attached to one trolley and having jaws capable of gripping a rod provided in the other trolley. The casing also comprises a slide by means of which the jaws can be locked in the locking position and released from it. By inserting a coin into the coin space of the slide, the slide can be displaced by drawing the trolleys apart so that it releases the jaws, and so the trolleys can be detach¬ ed from each other. The device re'turns the coin when the trolleys are again pushed together.

This known device is complicated in structure and it comprises a great number of moving parts, which makes its operation liable to disturbances. Operational disturbances may be caused e.g. by the mechanism releasing the slide, which mechanism is formed by a pin mounted pivotally at its one end so that it slides along the edge of the coin during the releasing movement, that is, when the customer draws the trolleys apart, which may take place with a very great force especially when the trolleys have been wedged together. The object of the present invention is to provide a slot machine for devices of different types, such as shopping trolleys, which promotes the returning of empty trolleys by the customers in a simple way. The slot machine according to the inven- tion is characterized in that the means for turning the latch comprise a coin space which adjoins the latch and which is so dimensioned that the coin inserted into it turns the latch from the locking position to the releasing position, and the abutment which is arranged to turn the latch to the locking position when the abutment is pushed into the casing.

The slot machine according to the invention is very simple in structure, as the latch is the only moving part in the machine. Therefore the device is highly reliable in operation, failures are less frequent and the cost of manufacture is low. The device is also easy to use, as the latch is turned from the locking position to the releasing position by inserting a coin or the like into the coin space of the casing. The device does not comprise any separate latch turning means, such as a key or a knob, so that it is very user-friendly.

In order to obtain smooth operation of the slot machine when the abutment turns the latch to the locking position, spring means are preferably provided between the abutment and the latch.

The machine is preferably provided with a means for maintaining the latch in the releasing position when the objects are apart from each other. Such a means would facilitate the insertion of the abutment when the objects are to be interlocked anew. Such a means could be a spring member between the casing and the latch, but a still simpler solution is to pivot the latch asymmetrically with respect to its mass so that the latch portion adjoining the coin space is heavier than the opposite part of the latch.

Preferably the coin space forms part of a coin passage extending through the casing, the width of the coin space in the plane of the coin being smaller than the diameter of the coin to be used in the machine in the locking position of the machine. Because of the dimensions of the coin space, the latch is turned to its releasing position when a coin is pressed into the coin space of the machine. The moving of the coin through the coin passage can be controlled as desired by suitably shaping the support surface of the latch and the surface of the casing so that the coin falls to a desired point in the coin passage in each different position of the latch. This can be realized e.g. so that the coin space is positioned in the upper end of the coin passage, and that a support surface of the latch adjoining the coin passage and a casing surface on the opposite side of the coin passage are so shaped that the coin is able to move to the lower end of the coin passage when the latch is turned to the releas¬ ing position and out of the coin passage when the latch is turned to the locking position.

A simpler way of keeping the coin in a desired position when the latch has turned to the releasing position is to make the coin passage substantially L- shaped, so that the coin rests on the bottom of a horizontal branch of the coin passage in the releas¬ ing position of the latch. In this case the horizontal branch comprises a means which prevents the coin from leaving the casing until the latch is turned to the locking position so that the support surface of the latch adjoining the coin passage pushes the coin out of the casing. In the following the slot machine according to the invention will be described in more detail with reference to the attached drawing, in which

Figure 1 shows a vertical section of a first embodiment of the slot machine according to the invention with the latch in its locking position;

Figure 2 shows the machine during its turning to the releasing position;

Figure 3 shows the machine in its releasing position; Figure 4 shows a vertical section of a second embodiment of the slot machine according to the in¬ vention in the releasing position of the latch; and

Figures 5 to 8 show vertical sections of a third embodiment at different operational stages. The slot machine shown in Figures 1 to 3 com¬ prises a casing 1 and an abutment 2. The casing and the abutment are positioned in different devices, such as in shopping trolleys. A locking latch 3 turnable about an axis 4, which is preferably horizontal, is attached to the casing. The latch is substantially triangular, and its hook-like tongue 5 is positioned in the corner of the triangle which is closest to the abutment. The abutment 2 is provided with a corresponding hook-like tongue 6. The upper surface of the casing is provided with a slot for coins 7 or the like. The slot com¬ municates with a coin passage 8 which opens to the lower surface of the casing. The coin passage is de¬ fined between two parallel surfaces of the casing, which are parallel with the side faces of the coin, a support surface 9 of the latch and a casing surface

10 opposite to the support surface of the latch. The support surface 9 of the latch forms the side of the triangle opposite to the tongue 5. The upper portion of the support surface 9 comprises a protruding nose

11 and the opposite casing surface 10 comprises mutually spaced coin positioning noses 12.

The tongue 5 of the latch 3 is positioned in an opening 13 of the casing, which opens to the side surface of the casing and through which the tongue 6 of the abutment can be pushed into the casing.

The casing comprises a latch opening spring 14 which in this specific embodiment is a spiral spring and the press effect of which is exerted on the latch so that it tends to turn the latch clockwise in Figures 1 to 3, that is, from a locking position to a releasing position. The abutment 2 comprises a projection below the tongue 6, and a disc spring 15 is attached to the projection. The disc spring 15 tends to turn the latch counterclockwise, that is, from the releasing position to the locking position. The spring force of the closing spring 15 is greater than that of the opening spring 14.

The slot machine according to the invention operates as follows. Initially the casing 1 and the abutment 2 are interlocked as shown in Figure 1, so that the tongues 5, 6 are in engagement with each other. When the devices are to be separated from each other, a coin 7 is inserted into a slot in the upper surface of the casing and pressed down to the posi¬ tion shown in Figure 2, in which the coin is in a coin space 8a between the positioning noses 12 and the support surface 9. As the width of the coin space in the plane of the drawing is smaller than the dia- meter of the coin, the coin pressed into the coin space forces the latch to turn clockwise to the posi¬ tion shown in Figure 2, that is, to a releasing position, in which the tongues 5, 6 can pass each other. The closing spring thereby yields downward. It is to be noted that the protruding nose 11 is so shaped that the tongues 5 and 6 are not able to pass each other before the coin is fully in position in the coin space 8a between the positioning noses 12. This prevents the escape of the coin from the casing when the casing is being separated from the abutment.

When the casing and the abutment are then drawn apart and the abutment is displaced to the position in Figure 3, the latch 3 is released from the spring

15, so that the weaker spring 14 turns the latch 3 to its position shown in Figure 3. The coin 7 is thereby able to fall from the upper position in Figure 3 to the lower position so that it remains as a pledge or rent within the casing. A shoulder in the lower end of the surface 10 prevents the coin 7 from falling out of the casing at this stage.

When the casing 1 and the abutment 2 are then again returned within each other, the closing spring 15, being stronger than the opening spring 14, returns the latch 3 to the locking position, so that the coin is able to fall out of the casing - in case of a pledge back to the customer, and in case of a rent to the owner's container. It is again to be noted that the surfaces 9 and 10 are such in shape that the coin remains in the casing until the tongues 5 and 6 are reliably in the locking position with respect to each other, which ensures that the coin is returned only when the casing and the abutment are reliably interlocked.

Figure 4 shows an embodiment which differs from the above-described embodiment to some extent. The figure shows a coin inlet 20 and a coin outlet 21 in the casing preferably made of plastic. The casing further comprises a lug 22 for attachment to another object. In this specific case the abutment is key- shaped.

The embodiment shown in Figure 4 differs from the embodiment described above in that the closing spring 15 is not attached to the abutment, but it is positioned between the latch 3 and the abutment 2 and is attached to the casing so that it can move linear¬ ly in the direction of movement of the abutment. In this specific case the closing spring is a spiral spring. The latch further comprises two support sur¬ faces 9 separated by a partition wall 23 for coins of different sizes. Only one support surface is visible in the figure.

In Figure 4 the abutment 2 presses the latch 3 to the locking position by means of the spring 15 against the force of the opening spring 14. A coin 7 inserted into the coin passage 8 through the inlet 20 forces the latch to turn about its axis against the force of the closing spring 15 until the latch is positioned in the releasing position shown in the figure so that the abutment 2 can be removed from the casing. The opening spring 14 maintains the latch in the position shown in the figure, as a result of which the coin 7 remains between the support surface 9 of the latch and a shoulder 24 provided in the casing. When the abutment 2 is again pushed into the casing, the latch is returned to the closing position and the coin is able to fall into the outlet 21.

A third embodiment of the slot machine accord¬ ing to the invention is shown in Figures 5 to 8. This embodiment differs from the embodiments described above mainly with respect to the latch 3 and the coin passage 8. In addition, it does not comprise any opening spring.

In this embodiment the hook-like tongue 5 attached to the upper corner of a triangular body part 25 of the latch faces downward and the tongue 6 of the abutment is thereby positioned below the tongue 5. The axis 4 of the latch is positioned sub¬ stantially at the junction of the body part 25 of the latch and the tongue 5. The body part is considerably heavier than the tongue, so that the latch is mounted asymmetrically in this respect.

The coin passage 8 is substantially L-shaped, and its outlet 21 is positioned substantially at the same height as the body part 25 of the latch, so that the lower portion of the coin passage is substantial- ly horizontal. The bottom of the lower portion is provided with a shoulder 26 which prevents the coin positioned at the bottom of the coin passage from leaving the coin passage into the outlet when the latch 3 is in the releasing position.

On entering the coin space 8a, a coin 7 in¬ serted into the casing presses the body part 25 of the latch downward and to the right, see Figure 6, so that the latch is turned counterclockwise about its axis 4 against the force of the closing spring 15 until the abutment 2 can be removed from the casing 1. The latch remains in this position until the abut¬ ment is again pressed into the casing, see Figure 8, so that it again turns the latch' to the closing posi- tion, by means of the closing spring 15, which is preferably attached to the casing. In connection with this turning movement, the support surface 9 of the latch pushes the coin over the shoulder 26 into the outlet 21. This third embodiment is especially simple and can also be made very small in size. In this case the abutment 2 is a key.

The invention is not restricted to the embodi¬ ment described above, but it can be modified within the scope of the attached claims. Accordingly, the shape of the casing 1 and that of the latch 3 may differ from those described above, especially if an object of some other shape is used in place of the coin. The slot machine according to the present in- vention can also be used as a locking means in e.g. doors and shutters. This applies especially to the embodiments shown in Figures 4 to 8.

Claims

Claims :

1. A slot machine for interlocking and unlock¬ ing two objects, such as shopping trolleys, com- prising a casing (1) attached to one object and an abutment (2) attached to the other object, said casing comprising a space (8a) for a coin (7) and a latch (3) attached turnably to the casing (1) and being placeable in a locking and a releasing position in which the latch (3) is locked to the abutment (2) and apart from the abutment, respectively, and means (2, 8a) for turning the latch (3) to the locking and releasing position, c h a r a ct e r i z e d in that the means for turning the latch comprise a coin space (8a) which adjoins the latch and which is so dimensioned that the coin (7) inserted into it turns the latch (3) from the locking position to the re¬ leasing position, and the abutment (2) which is arranged to turn the latch to the locking position when the abutment is pushed into the casing.

2. A slot machine according to claim 1, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that a spring member (15) is provided between the abutment (2) and the latch (3).

3. A slot machine according to claim 1 or 2, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that the means for turning the latch further comprise a means (14, 25) for maintaining the latch (3) in the releasing posi¬ tion when the objects are apart from each other.

4. A slot machine according to claim 3, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that the means for retaining the latch in the releasing position com¬ prises a spring member (14) between the casing (1) and the latch (3), the spring member tending to turn the latch to its releasing position.

5. A slot machine according to claim 3, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that the means for retaining the latch (3) in the releasing position is formed by dividing the mass of the latch asymmet- rically with respect to the rotation axis so that the latch portion (25) adjoining the coin space (8a) is heavier than the locking portion (5) of the latch on the opposite side of the rotation axis (4).

6. A slot machine according to claim 1, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that the coin space

(8a) forms part of a coin passage (8) extending through the casing, and that its width in the plane of the coin (7) is in the locking position of the machine smaller than the diameter of the coin used in the machine.

7. A slot machine according to claim 6, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that the coin space (8a) is positioned in the upper end of the coin passage (8), and that a support surface (9) of the latch ad joining the coin passage and a casing sur¬ face (10) on the opposite side of the coin passage are so shaped that the coin is able to move to the lower end of the coin passage (8) when the latch is turned to the releasing position and out of the coin passage when the latch is turned to the locking posi¬ tion.

8. A slot machine according to claim 6, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that the coin passage (8) is substantially L-shaped, a substantially horizontal branch comprising a means (26) which pre¬ vents the coin (7) from leaving the casing until the latch (3) is turned to the locking position so that the support surface (9) of the latch adjoining the coin passage pushes the coin out of the casing. AMENDED CLAIMS

[received by the International Bureau on 8 October 1992 (08.10.92); original claims 1 and 2 replaced by amended claim 1; claims 3-8 unchanged but renumbered as claims 2-7 (2 pages)]

1. A slot machine for interlocking and unlocking two objects, such as shopping trolleys, comprising a casing (1) 5 attached to one object and an abutment (2) attached to the other object, said casing comprising a space (8a) for a coin (7) and a latch (3) attached turnably to the casing (1) and being placeable in a locking and a releasing posi¬ tion in which the latch (3) is locked to the abutment (2) and apart from the abutment, respectively, and means (2,8a) for turning the latch (3) to the locking and releasing position, the means for turning the latch comprising a coin space (8a) which adjoins the latch and which is so dimen¬ sioned that a coin (7) inserted into it turns the latch (3) from the locking position to the releasing position, and the abutment (2) which is arranged to turn the latch to the locking position when the abutment is pushed into the casing, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that a spring member (15) is provided between the abutment (2) and the latch (3) , through which spring member the abutment (2) turns the latch when the abutment is pushed into the casing (1) .

2. A slot machine according to claim 1, c h r a c¬ t e r i z e d in that the means for turning the latch further comprise a means (14,25) for maintaining the latch (3) in the releasing position when the objects are apart from each other.

3. A slot machine according to claim 2, c h a r c¬ t e r i z e d in that the means for retaining the latch in the releasing position comprises a spring member (14) between the casing (1) and the latch (3) , the spring member tending to turn the latch to its releasing position.

4. A slot machine according to claim 2 , c h r ¬ a c t e r i z e d in that the means for retaining the latch (3) in the releasing position is formed by dividing the mass of the latch asymmetrically with respect to the rotation axis so that the latch portion (25) adjoining the coin space (8a) is heavier than the locking portion (5) of the latch on the opposite side of the rotation axis^" (4) . 5. A slot machine according to claim 1, c h a r - a c t e r i z e d in that the coin space (8a) forms part of a coin passage (8) extending through the casing, and that its width in the plane of the coin (7) is in the lock¬ ing position of the machine smaller than the diameter of the coin used in the machine. 6. A slot machine according to claim 5, c h a r a c¬ t e r i z e d in that the coin space (8a) is positioned in the upper end of the coin passage (8) , and that a support surface (9) of the latch ad joining the coin pas¬ sage and a casing surface (10) on the opposite side of the coin passage are so shaped that the coin is able to move to the lower end of the coin passage (8) when the latch is turned to the releasing position and out of the coin pas¬ sage when the latch is turned to the locking position.

7. A slot machine according to claim 5, c h a r - a c t e r i z e d in that the coin passage (8) is substan¬ tially L-shaped, a substantially horizontal branch com¬ prising a means (26) which prevents the coin (7) from leaving the casing until the latch (3) is turned to the locking position so that the support surface (9) of the latch adjoining the coin passage pushes the coin out of the casing.