US1908380A - Coin slide - Google Patents

Description

Nia;I 9, 1933. l I w A TRATSCH 1,908,380

G01N SLIDE Filed NOV. 5, 1951 5 4 mum gmwnlCO/c Wlier A. T ra isch position andy the Patented May 9, 1 933 UNITED STATES APATENT iol-'Fica WALTER A. TBATSCH, 0F CHICAGO, ASSIGNOB OF ONE-HALF TO THE HONABCH TOOL & HANUFACTUBING COMPANY OF CINCINNATI, OHIO, A. Comm- TION OF OHIO COIN SLIDE Application med November 5, 1931. Serial Ko. 573,173.

This invention relates to coin slides for vending machines andv has for its ob]ect to provide a construction which is s imple in parts and more eilicient in operation than those heretofore proposed.

With these and other objects in view the invention resides in the novel details of construction and combinations of arts as will be disclosed more fully hereina er and particularly pointed out in the claims.

Referring to the accompanying drawing forming a part of this specification 'in which like numerals designate like parts in all the views,- p

Fig. 1 is a central longitudinal sectional view of the slide assembly with the slide in outermost position ready to receive a coin;

Fig. 2 is a view similar to Fig. 1 differing therefrom in that the slide now shows an'inserted coin and has been pushed inwardly a part of its ultimate travel;

Fig. 3 is a view similar to Figs. 1 and 2 showing the slide at a still further inward contained coin dropping therefrom;

Fig. 4 is a transverse sectional view of the parts shown in Fig. 2, taken-as on the line 4 4 thereof and looking in the direction of the arrows;

Fig. 5 is an enlarged central longitudinal view of a portion of the coin slide illustrating the locking of the slide when a magnetic disk is fraudulently disposed therein; and

Fig. 6 is a partial bottom elevational view illustrating the relative positions of the locking dogs with respect to said slide.

This invention relates to a mechanism wherein the insertion of a coin is necessary in order to unlock or release the vending mechanism. Specifically it contemplates a coin slide mounted substantially in a horizontal plane and provided with a circular opening within which the requisite coin is inserted, said coin being retained in the plane of said slide by virtue of an underlying surface carried by the slide guide member. If the coin be of proper'predetermined characteristics such as value, thickness, and diameter, as well asl composition of metal, then the slide may be moved inwardly of the machine the .full and predetermined distance necessary to cause the slide to unlockor release the vending mechanism. If the disk inserted in the coin slide is not of the proper predetermined characteristics, then the slide can not move to the limit of its intended travel whereupon the vending mechanism will not be released or unlocked.

most position relative to the vending cabinet,

and therefore the drawing does not show any elements of the vending mechanism nor does it show any cooperatin interconnection between the slide and the lock or release for the vending mechanism, since this forms no part of the present invention. Also the cabinet to which the coin slide mechanism is attached is not shown in the drawingffor the sake o clearneSS.

Referring to the drawing," 1 indicates a cover plate to be applied over and in registry with a suitable opening in the wall of the v vending machine cabinet indicated by the dot and dash lines 2, said plate being secured to said wall as by the screws 3. Said plate has an opening therethrough of a size and shape to snugly fit the slide guide generally indicatedA by the numeral i and which in turn receives the slide generally indicated by the numeral 5. The guide is secured as by the screws 6 to an angle plate 7 fastenedto the cover plate 1 as by the rivets 8. The member has 'a portion extending a short distance outwardly beyond the cover plate, which portion is provided centrally thereof with a finger holev 9 of a' diameter suliicient to permit passing therethrough a coin of less diameter than 'that' required to operate this particular sli e.

guide The guidel lhas centrally di osed thereof a i ear the innermost end o the A guide member there is provided a circular coin I release opening 13 of a diameter slightly greater than that of the required coin and the bottom wall of the guide member forwardly adjacent said opening is pressed downwardly as indicated at 14 out of the plane of the main body portion of the bottom of said guide.

Intermediate the circular holes 9 and 13, the bottom wall of the guide is provided with a rectangular opening 15 the transverse dimension of which is substantially equal to the diameter of the finger hole 9. The rear edge of this rectangular opening has formed therein the channel 12 hereinbefore mentioned which channel connects said rectan lar opening with the area established by the depressed portion 14 just described. That 1s to say, from Fig. 4 it should be apparent that the rear edge of said rectangular opening has formed therein the channel 12 which is onl wide enough to permit passage therethroug of the coin slide rojections 46 and 47 to be described hereinater, but the depressed portion 14 is of a width greater than that of said rectangular openin to accommodate or ocket the coin carried y the slide, all as will be 4 pointed out more fully in the following description. At the two rear or innermost corners of this rectangular opening there are provided rearwardly extending'kerfs to receive locking dogs presently to be described. Mounted on the bottom of the guide is an inverted U-shaped bracket 20 carrying the horizontal pin 21 havin reduced ends, and upon these ends and positloned thereby as well as by the arms of the bracket, are mounted two slide holding or lookin dogs 22 and 23 each under the control of a ouble wound coil spring 24 carried by the pin 21. Each dog is of a length to extend upwardly and have its end pass throu h a kerf just above described and lie in t e plane of the coin slide, the upper end of each dog being sllghtly tapered as clearly indicated.

The extreme rear or innermost end of the guide carries a member 25 secured thereto as byfthe screw 26, said member having its rear end bent upwardly to pass through an opening provided therefor in the guide and to extend thereabove into the plane of the coin slide to serve `as s a stop, limiting movement of the latter in one direction. The other or forward end of the member 25 is also bent upwardly and then horizontally to provide the coin deflector portion 27 lying in the plane of the coin slide, and having the under edge of its extremity slightly bevelled as indicated. One side of the coin deflector 27 is cut away as clearly seen in Fig. 6. This coin deilector is slightly to one side ofthe longitudinal center of the guide.

The slide 5 is a rectangularly formed piece 'of metal of a width to closely fit the turned over` edges of the slide guide, of a thickness ual to that of the prerequisite coin, and of a ength to permit its movement from the coin receiving position to a position for releasing or unlocking the vending mechanism. This slide is planar with its forward'or outer end 30 upturned to provide a hand-hold by means of which the slide is moved. A coin opening 31 is centrally provided in the slide and so disposed that, when the slide is in its extreme outer position with reference to the cabinet, the coin opening 31 will have its forward edge overlying the forward edge of the finger hole 9 in the guide but, as hereinbefore stated, the finger hole is of a diameter less than that of the required coin and therefore the rear edge of the coin opening 31 will ovelie a portion of the bottom wall of the gui e.

Hence, it will be seen thata coin of requisite diameter 38, when placed in the opening 31, will remain supported in the plane of the slide by the underlying portion of the bottom wall of the guide. On the other hand, a coin of less diameter will drop normally through both openings 31 and 9 unless pains be taken to manually maintain the fraudulent coin in the plane of the slide While initiating its rearward movement. However, such pains will be of no avail for releasing the vending mechanism because the fradulent 4coin will ultimately fall through the rectangular opening 15 in the guide member and thereby free the slide of any means by which the slide can be made to pass the holding or locking dogs such as 22 and 23 to reach a position to unlock or release the vending mechanism.

-Extending rearwardly from the coin opening 31 is a slot 32 to receive therein the ends of the member 25, the extreme rearward end of the slot 32 being so positioned that it will strike the end 33 of said member to limit the voutward movement of the slide in its guide, see Fig. 1. At the forward end of the slotl there is provided a shoulder 34 (see Fig 6) which is so positioned as also to strike the stop 33 thereby limiting the innermost movement of said slide. In Fig. 3 the slide has been moved inwardly almost to the limit of its movement. A' spring 35 may be disposed in the edge of the slide to increase the frictional engagement with itsguide.

The under surface of the slide adjacent the forward edge of the openin 31, is provided with a short groove for eac ofthe dogs 22 and 23. In other words, there is a, groove 36 for the dog 22 and a slmilar groove. 37

for the do 23,'said grooves having their bottom sur aces lnclined to the plane of the sllde and sald grooves functioning primarily when Worn coins of requisite value are used.

In other words, these grooves or inclined surfaces do not extend clear through the slide, and therefore, when no coin is carried by the slide in its opening 31, the dogs 22 and 23 will beforced by the tension of their common spring 24 into said opening and their ends will extend therethrough suliciently to engage the front edge of the opening, prosurface of the coin and then pass again on to the under surface of-the slide. Should the required value coin be worn to reduce .its thickness, then the dogs inight stop the slide when attempting to pass from the coin again to the surface of the slide and therefore the grooves 36 and 37 are provided to receive the ends of the dogs and direct them again on to the slide surface. y The angle bracket 7 has a central longitudinally extending slot 40 adapted to rece1ve therethrough an upper holding or locking dog 41 under the tension of a leaf spring 42, said dog loosely mounted on a pm 43 bridged across said slot and having its ends journalled in upstanding ears 44 mounted adjacent said slot. The leaf spring 42, secured as by the screw 45 to the rearmost Iend of said angle bracket, is curved upwardly and forwardly over the dog to exert a downward pressure thereon. u

The mounting of this forwardly projecting dog is such that, when the slide is 1n its forward or outermost position, the tapered free end of the dog will rest on the top surl face of the slide adjacent the edge of the slot adjacent the 32. If the slide is pushed inwardly with no coin in its opening 31, the dog 41, under the ur e of its spring, will move downwardly into tg and, dropping theree coin opening through aswell as t c opening 15 of the slide guide, come'to vertically hanging rest between the forward edge of the coin opening 31 and the 4rear edge of said rectangular slot, thus preventing further inward movement of the slide. On the other hand, when a coin of prerequisite characteristics is employed, the Adog 41 will ride readilyfrom the top surface of the slide on to and over the top surface of the coin, and pass therefrom to rest again on the upper surface of `thehandle end of the slide because the prerequisite coin completely fills said opening.

To assist in free movement of the dog 41, the central portion of the slide immediately periphery of the coin opening 31, is depressed angularly out of the plane of the slide as indicated at 46 and 47 to rovide inclined surfaces functioning similJa-rly to the surfaces 36 and 37previously described. The depressed portions of' the slide will travel freely in the channels 10, 11 and 12 ofthe uide. B depressing the metal out of the pine of t e slide there is-provided a teat or projection 47 to assist in .moving the coin inwardly until the coin ultimately-drops through thefintended release rough the rectangular any opening 13, and the other teat or projection 46 serves to insure a full inward stroke-of the slide to release the coin from said opening 13. In this connection it will be understood that the projections 46 and 47 extend downwardly so far that they could not pass over a coin in the pocket 14. In other words, should the slide be moved inwardly almost to the full end of its stroke and then stopped, the contained coin will drop into the pocket 14, 'but an outward movement of the slide sufficient to'permit the insertion of another coin would be impossible because the projecv tion 46 would strike the innermost edge of the pocketed coin and jam said coin against the closed end of the pocket. Therefore it will be appreciated that if the projection 46 were omitted. from this construction, it

would be possible for the slide to be moved' inwardly so as to cause its contained coin to'drop into and be retained in saidpocket when said slide was not moved to the fullest .innermost end of its stroke; then said slide couldbe moved outwardly and another coin be inserted therein with a subsequent inward movement of the slide in an attempt to operate the vending mechanism. However, in such a condition as just describedf, the second inserted coin would slide over the upper surface of the previously inserted and now pocketed coin but theprojection 47 would ultimately come in contact with the edge of the previously inserted coin with the result that the further inward movement of the slide wouldhave a tendency to cause both coins, now in superposed position, to be moved toward the release opening 13. When the superposed coins would reach said opening, then there would be a jamming actionsincethis opening is made only slightly greater than necessary to permit asingle coin to fall therethrough. Not only this, but the two superso far that it will contact the edge of the pocketed coin.

. Mounted on the upper side of the slide guide is a magnet 50 securedas by the bridge 51 and screws 52, the pur se of the magnet being to prevent release o the vending mechanism through fraudulent substitution of an iron orsteel disk Aor washerfor the coin of prerequisite characteristics. j The ma et overlies the slide so that, when thesli e is moved4 inwardly, the iron diskA 53 will be attracted upwardly by the poles 54 of the magnet as clearly shown in` Fig. 5. When this occurs the edge of the iron disk will abut the end 27 of the coin deflector and thus stop the slide from further inward movement to that position where it will unlock or release the vending mechanism. The prerequisite coin will not be attracted by said magnet and therefore its advancing edge will fall in the depression 14 of the guide member as clearly shown in Fig. 3 and pass under the bevelled end of the delector 27 to ultimately dro through the coin release opening 13, there y freeing the slide which then moves to vending releasing position.

From thel foregoing, it will thus be evident that a coin having the predetermined characteristics may be used in this slide, and also coins of lesser diameters as well as iron or steel disks, with or without central apertures, may be used. The use 4of a coin of predetermined characteristics will, of course, result in the intended operation of the slide to release or unlock the vending mechanism, but a disk of the same size as the predetermined coin may also be used to permit operation of the slide at least as far as the poles of the magnet' 50. If such a substitute disk be used and it be of material other than that which is attracted by a magnet, then the slide will be correctly operated as fully intended when a predetermined coin is used. Therefore, it is possible with this slide to use, for instance, a brass trade check or token as is often the case where machines of this character might be displayed, said check or token having the full monetary Avalue of the predetermined coin.

On the other hand, if such a substitute disk be of material which is attracted by the magnet, then the poles of the magnet will draw it upwardly and`therefore retain it in the plane of the slide so that, instead of falling into the depressed portion 14 of the guide and ultimately passing out through the discharge opening 13 thereof, it will strike the end 27 of the coin delector and thereby prevent further inward movement of the slide into vending operating position.

If there be used a hollow centered coin or vdisk f the general shape of a washer and of the same diameter as the predetermined coin, then such substitute disk may be moved with ,the slide only as far as the upper` centrally disposed holding or locking dog 41. In other wordsthis dog is so positioned that the point thereof'will be moved under the urge of the spring 42 into the disk aperture and pass so far therethrough as to cause the point of said .dog to extend below the plane ofthe slide) and thereby cause a jamming or stopping of the inward movement of the slide, whereby it is impossible to release the vendingmechanism. In such a case, the retraction or outward movement of the slide is possible since the upper dog is forwardly directed and the end thereof is tapered so that there will be no art 0f said dog to catch upon the edge o the opening of the substitute disk and prevent its being drawn out with the slide to a position where it can be removed.

If a coin or disk of a diameter less than the diameter of the predetermined coin be inserted in the coin opening 31 of the slide, it may drop therethrough and also through the linger hole 9. If, however, the fraudulent operator of the machine so intends, he may cause the slide to move inwardly while he manually holds the fraudulent disk inthe plane thereof until it has about half way passed the cover plate 1, at which 4time the disk can be further moved by the slide alone. Naturally, inward movement of the slide causes such a disk to be tangent to the forward edge of the coin opening 31, thereby leaving a space\between the opposite edge of said opening and the advancing edge of the disk. It is therefore evident that in such a case, the point of the upper dog 41 may readily enter such space and abut` the advancing edge of the disk thereby prevent` ing further inward movement of the slide.

Upon retracting the slide, the small diameter' disk will be moved therewith and may be dropped throughy the finger hole 9. i

However, the fraudulent operator of thei machine may be ingenious enough to use his finger nail or other suitable device to keep the small diameter disk pushedup against the edge ofthe coin opening 31 until such time as the upper dog has ridden from the upper surface of the slide on to the upper surface of said disk. This will not result in successful operation of the machine since a very slight further movementof the slide in an inward direction, coupled with the pressure created through the spring 42, will ause the upperv dog to push said disk down through the rectangular opening 15 'which has a transverse dimension just slightly less than the diameter of the predetermined coin. The slide, then being freed of said disk, may be moved a little further inward, but the upper dog will have fallen through the coin opening 31 and will be hanging vertically therethrough as well as through the rectangularlopening 15 as a result of which the slide will come to a stop when the forward edge vof the coin opening 31 jams the depending dog 41 against the rear edge of the opening 15.

In heretofore known constructions where there has been provided a single holding or locking dog on one side of the slide, it has been possible for a fraudulent operator to insert a thin sheet of material, such as steel or strong pa er, to cover the coin opening 31 and whic is moved simultaneously inwardly with the slide. In such a case the upper dog .such as 41 will drop on to the surface of said sheet but will ride .thereover and be kept above the plane of the slide so that the slide could reach its innermost position functioning as intended, if said dogs were4 on one side of the slide only. The depressed portions 46 and 47 of the slide, by extending below the under surface of said slide and closely iitting the channels such as 10 and 11, would make it extremely diiiicult, if not impossible, to insert such a sheet between said under surface and the top surface of the o enclosing guide therefor, because the sheet would not iex itself to t said channels and the advancing edge of the sheet, even though it passed 47, would Hatten out to such an extent as to be obstructed by the depending point of 46.

' on one side of the slide, but it would be insuiiicient for the use of such material on both sides at the same time. It would therefore result that one of the dogs would function as intended to hold theslide from inward movement to a position to release the vending mechanism, in the absence of a coin of predetermined characteristics.

It is also to be noted that both the upper and lower dogs are so mounted that each has a general forward inclination or, in other words, both the upper and lower dogs extend from their lpivots in a direction toward the handle of the slide, whereby an inward movement of the slide naturally tends to create a bindin action by the dogs with respectv to the sli' e. Thus, the dogs are what may be termed naturally opposed to the releasing movement of the slide, and said dogs are opposed to each other since they are disposed on opposite sides of the slide and are forced by their respective springs toward said slide.-

Lastly, the upper dog is disposed in an operating planewhich is intermediate the operating planes of the lower dogs whereby a coin or disk, as well as the coin receiving opening 31, is affected at three different points.

A reversal of the singleupper dog 41 and thevpair of lower dogs 22 and 23 would not result in an eiicient operation of the slide for the following reason. It is to be particularly noted that the single dog is disposed in a diametric plane of the coin aperture, and therefore, in its illustrated position, the point thereof will operate upon the foremost advancing portion of the coin, thus tending to force the advancing edge portion downwardly into the rectangular opening 15 of the slide guide. It follows that, in the continued movement of the slide, the coin will be still further deflected downwardly by pressure of the single dog until it is completely released from the coin aperture 31, and in this downward deiiection there will be no under dog disposed in the diametric plane of the coin for the advancing edge of the coin to strike and be jammed thereby, since the under dogs 22 and 23 are' disposed an appreciable distance to either side of said plane and in positions not to affect or even touch the advanc.-

the same, then the pair of dogs would not bev of a length nor in such pivotal position as to cause them to forcibly move ldownward the advancing edge of the coin. The points of the pair of dogs would not operate upon the coin until the advancing edge of the latter had passed the transverse plane of said points, and when this occurred, then the single dog on the under side would be in aposition to obstruct the downwardly deflected forwardly moving edge of the coin. and cause a jamming action.

It is obvious thor thoso Skiuod in th oro o may vary the details of construction as well as arrangements ofV parts without departing ,from the spirit'of the invention, and therefore it is not desired to be limited to the foregoing except as may be required by the claims. o

What is claimed is V 1. vIn a device of the character described the combination of a slide provided with an aperture to receive a coin; a guide for said slide adapted to permit a stroke of predetermined length when said slide contains a coin; and means on said guide for Apreventing a full stroke of said slide when containing no coin, said means comprising a pair of pivoted members engageable with said aperture on one side of said slide, and a single pivoted member 'engageable with said aperture on the other side of said slide, the single member disposed intermediate said pair. 2. In a device of the character described the combination of a slideprovided with' an aperture 4to receive acoin; a guidel for said slide adapted topermit a stroke of predetermined length when said slide contains a coin;l and means on lsaid guide for preventing a full stroke of said slide when containing no coin, said means 'comprising a'pair of pivoted members below said slide .-and` engageable with said aperture of the latter, and a single pivoted member 'disposed' above said' slide and Voperable in a plane4 intermediate Y engageable with said aperture.

3. In a device ofthe character described the combination of a slide provided with an aperture toreceive a coin; .a guide for said slide adapted to permit a stroke of predetermined length when said slide contains a coin; and means on said ide for preventing a full stroke of said sllde when containing no coin, said means comprising a single pivoted member disposed on one side of said slide in a diametric plane of said aperture, and a pair of pivoted members disposed on the other side of said slide in chordal planes of said aperture, all of said members engageable with said aperture.

4. In a device of the character described the combination of a slide provided with an aperture to receive a coin; a .guide for said slide adapted to permit a stroke of predetermined length when said slide contains a coin; and means on said guide for preventing a full stroke of said slide 'when containing no coin, said means comprising a-single pivoted memberdisposed on one side of said slide in. aA

diametric plane of said aperture parallel to a slide edge, and a pair of pivoted members disposed on the other side of Said slide in chordal planes of said aperture parallel to said diametric plane, all of said members engageable with said aperture.

5. In a device of the character described v the combination of a slide provided with an aperture to receivea coin; a guide for said slide adapted to permit a stroke of predetermined length when said slide contains a coin; and means on said guide for 4preventing a full stroke of said slide when containing no coin, said means comprising a single piva guide for said slide; a magnet disposed above said slide and over said slot; means extending into said slot to permit the full operative travel of said slide when carrying a coin, said means having an extension cooperating with said magnet to prohibit said full operative travel when the slide carries a magnetic substitute for the coin, said extension abutting the substitute attracted by said magnet; and means on said guide to prevent a full stroke of said slide when containing no coin, said means comprising a pair of pivoted members engageable with said aperture on one side of said slide, and a single pivoted member engageable with said aperture on the other side of said slide, the single member disposed intermediate said pair.

A In testimony whereof I affix my signature.

WALTER A. TRATSCI-I.

oted member disposedon one side of said n slide in a ldiametric plane of said aperture, and a pair of pivoted members disposed on the other side of said slide in chordal planes Y of said a erture and to either side of the single mem r, all of said members engageable with said aperture.

6. In a device of the character described the combination of a slide provided with an aperture to receive a coin; a slot in said slide; a guide for said slide; a magnet disposed above said slide and over said slot; means extending into said slot to permit thefull operativetravel of said slide when carrying a coin, said mea-ns cooperating with said magnet to prohibit said full operative travel when the slide carries a magnetic substitute for the coin; and means on said guide to prevent a full stroke of said slide when containing no com, said means comprising a pair of pivoted membersengageable with said aperture on one side of sald slide, and a single pivoted member engageable with said aperture on the other side of said slide2 the single member disposed intermediate sald pair.

7. In a device of the character described the combination of a slide provided with an aperture to receive a coin; a slot in said slide;

'itin vDISCDLAIMER 1,908,380.-Walter A. Tratsch, Chicago, 111. G01N SLIDE. Patent dated May 9, l

1933. Disclaimer filed June 25, 1936, by the patentee and the' assignee of one-half interest, Monarch Tool cf: Manufacturing 0o.

Hereb enter this disclaimer to claims 1 to 5, inclusive, of the specification.

[ al Gazette July 21, 1.936.]

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