GB2183881A

GB2183881A - Security device

Info

Publication number: GB2183881A
Application number: GB08529451A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Anthony Dryden; Gordon James Crompton
Original assignee: Crompton Machine Co Ltd
Current assignee: Crompton Machine Co Ltd
Priority date: 1985-11-29
Filing date: 1985-11-29
Publication date: 1987-06-10
Also published as: GB8529451D0

Abstract

The invention provides a coin or coin-token operated apparatus including a protective arrangement for preventing fraudulent actuation of the apparatus by tilting, the arrangement comprising a device which responds to tilting in any direction by making an electrical contact, a movable diverted across which coins or tokens directed to a user of the apparatus must pass, and an electromagnetic actuator which is energised by the making of the contact to move the diverter so that coins or tokens passing across the diverter as the result of the tilting of the apparatus are diverted and retained in the apparatus, characterised in that the apparatus comprises means for actuating the coin diverter in response to the switching on of the apparatus and for a predetermined time thereafter, the diverter then being returned to its normal position. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Security device This invention relates to a security device, in particular for use with coin or coin-token operated apparatus to prevent fraudulent operation of such apparatus by tilting.

GB-A-1 152 755 describes an anti-tilt device for use with coin operated machines.

This apparatus comprises a device which responds to tilting in any direction by making an electrical contact, a moveable diverter across which coins or tokens directed to a user of the apparatus must pass, and an electromagnetic actuator which is de-energised by the opening of the contact to move the diverter so that coins or tokens passing across the diverter as the result of the tilting of the apparatus are diverted and retained in the apparatus.

A problem which has been found by experience with the above apparatus is that, when the machine is first switched on, the coin diverter is in the open position and it is then possible to recover coins which may have been knocked off the play area, by staff or other persons while the machine is switched off, without actuating the alarm. The present invention has been devised to overcome this problem by causing a false tilt situation as soon as the machine is switched on, this situation persisting for a predetermined time, after which the machine can be operated in the usual manner.

Thus, the invention provides an improvement in apparatus of the kind described in GB-A-1 152 755, the improvement comprising means for actuating the coin diverter in response to the switching on of the machine and for a predetermined time thereafter, the diverter then being returned to its normal position.

The device which responds to tilting is preferably a pendulum which is suspended from an electrical contact, and the bob of which is enclosed within a metal cup which forms a second electrical contact. When the machine is tilted, the bob of the pendulum will swing to one side and make contact with the inside of the cup, thereby completing an electrical circuit.

The coin diverter is preferably a flap, mounted on a shaft, and situated between upper and lower parts of a coin chute. In the normal playing position, coins pass from the play surface of the machine, down the upper part of the chute, across the flap, and down the lower part of the chute into a pay cup. In the diverted position, which comes into operation when the machine is tilted, the flap rotates through 90" on its shaft, so that coins passing down the upper part of the chute are diverted by the flap and pass into a coin box inside the machine, from which they can only be recovered by authorised personnel.

The deflector flap is actuated by a solenoid.

The electrical circuit which is completed when the machine is tilted incorporates a first relay (relay A) which is thereby energised. This causes two contacts to change over. The first contact supplies 12V AC to an alarm bell. The second contacts open the 240V supply to the solenoid which actuates the deflector flap.

The false tilt situation, which is characteristic of the present invention, is induced when the apparatus if first switch on preferably by incorporating a second relay (relay B) into the circuit. When the apparatus is switched on, this second relay is energised and opens a contact across the tilt unit (a capacitor C2 in the circuit is charged by this time), so that the situation is the same as if the machine has been tilted. The capacitor C2 in the circuit incorporating the first relay thereby becomes charged, and discharges through a transistor acting as a switch. The capacitor is selected to have a suitable discharge time, such as about five seconds. When the capacitor has been discharged, the transistor will switch off the circuit incorporating the first relay, and the false tilt situation then ceases.

Reference is now made to the accompanying drawing, which is a circuit diagram showing the components used in a preferred embodiment of the invention.

As shown in the drawing, the circuit comprises two relays, a first relay A and a second relay B. When relay A is energised it actuates the contacts designated "A relay". When relay B is energised it actuates the contact designated "B relay". The tilt unit is connected across edge connector contacts 1 and 4. When the machine is tilted, the contacts 1 and 4 are accordingly closed. When the machine is switched on, the incoming 12 volt alternating current supply via edge connector pins 2 and 3 is rectified by bridge diodes D1 and D4 and applied to the relay A. At this time, the capacitor C2 is fully charged via the closed contacts of the relay B. At the moment of switch on, the contact B relay which is closed by relay B is connected across the contacts 1 and 4 (open when B relay is energised) and thus closes the circuit incorporating relay A in the same way as happens when the tilt unit is actuated. The relay B is connected to supply via diodes D5 and D6 and is energised, causing opening of the contacts 1 and 7 and closing of the contacts 9 and 6 which are on relay A. After the capacitor C2 has been discharged, the transistor T1 will switch off, causing the relay A to be de-energised, and hence ending the false tilt situation.

The contacts 1 and 7 on the relay A convey 240 volts mains supply to the deflector flap solenoids. The contacts 9 and 6 on relay A supply 12 volt alternating current to the alarm bell.

Claims

1. A coin or coin-token operated apparatus including a protective arrangement for preventing fraudulent actuation of the apparatus by tilting, the arrangement comprising a device which responds to tilting in any direction by making an electrical contact, a movable diverter across which coins or tokens directed to a user of the apparatus must pass, and an electromagnetic actuator which is energised by the making of the contact to move the diverter so that coins or tokens passing across the diverter as the result of the tilting of the apparatus are diverted and retained in the apparatus, characterised in that the apparatus comprises means for actuating the coin diverter in response to the switching on of the apparatus and for a predetermined time thereafter, the diverter then being returned to its normal position.

2. Apparatus according to claim 1, comprising a circuit including a first relay, said circuit being completed when the apparatus is tilted, thereby energising the first relay which in turn actuates the coin diverter.

3. Apparatus according to claim 2, include ing a second relay which is energised when the apparatus is switched on to thereby complete said circuit, and a capacitor which is thereby charged and adapted to discharge through a transistor switch such that after discharge the transistor will switch off said circuit.

4. Apparatus according to claim 1, substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as shown in the accompanying drawing.