US2739603A - Coin handling mechanism - Google Patents

Description

March 27, 1956 B. w. FRY 2,739,603

COIN HANDLING MECHANISM Filed Feb. 28, 1951 2 Sheets-Sheet l l O a March 27, B, w FRY COIN HANDLING MECHANISM 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Feb. 28. 1951 COIN HANDLING MECHANISM Benjamin W. Fry, Ladue, 11/10., assignor, by mesne assignments, to Standby Vendors, Inc., St. Louis, Mo., a corporation of Missouri Application February 28, 1951, Serial No. 213,208 3 Claims. (Cl. 133-5) This invention relates to coin handling mechanisms, and more particularly to automatic change makers for use in coin-controlled change-making vending or merchandising machines, amusement machines and the like.

This application is a division of my copending application entitled Coin Mechanism, Serial No. 65,058, filed December 13, 1948, now abandoned.

The principal object of the invention is the provision of an improved change-making apparatus particularly for use in a floor model cigarette vending machine, the apparatus including a gravity feed change container of large capacity, and being adapted to deliver coins in change at a convenient level for the customer. In general, the invention comprises a gravity feed coin magazine which is adapted for discharge of coins at its lower end. Located above the lower end of the magazine is a receiver. Means is provided for impelling a coin discharged from the magazine into the receiver. Other features will be in part apparent and in part pointed out hereinafter.

Theinvention accordingly comprises the elements and combinations of elements, features of construction, and arrangements of parts which will be exemplified in the structures hereinafter described, and the scope of the application of which will be indicated in the following claims.

In the accompanying drawings, in which one of various possible embodiments of the invention is illustrated.

Fig. 1 is a front elevation of change-making apparatus embodying the invention;

Fig. 2 is a right side elevation of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is an enlargedvertical section taken substantially on line 33 of Fig. 2; r

Fig. 4 is an enlarged section taken substantially on line 4- 4-of Fig. 2; and,

Fig. 5 is a vertical section taken substantially on line 55 of Fig. 1.

The reference characters generally correspond 'to those used in the aforesaid parent application Serial No. 65,058,

and similar reference characters indicate corresponding parts throughout the several views of the drawings.

The change maker of this invention is particularly adapted for use in a cigarette vending machine such as is disclosed in the above-mentioned parent application Serial No. 65,058, and in my copending application entitled Article Dispensing Apparatus, Serial No. 65,057, filed December 13, 1948, now Patent No. 2,594,147, issued April 22, 1952. Only those parts of the vending machine such as are essential to an understanding of the invention herein claimed are hereinafter described, reference being made to said copending applications for a detailed disclosure of other parts of the vending machine. It will be understood that the change maker of this invention is useful in vending machines other than the machine disclosed in said copending applications, whether for vending cigarette packages or other items.

As hereinafter described, consistent with the disclosure in the aforesaid copending applications, the change maker of this invention is adapted to issue a U. S. 5 cent coin (a nickel) in change in response to insertion of a U. S. 25 cent coin (a quarter) to purchase an item selling for 20 cents. It will of course be understood, however, that the principles of the invention are applicable to issuing coins other than nickels in change.

Referring to the drawings, there is shown at 41 a vertical side panel of a vending machine, this panel serving as a support for parts of the change-making apparatus of this invention. This panel, for example, is part of a cigarette vending machine which is adapted to vend packages of cigarettes selling for 20 cents, and which is adapted to receive a total of 20 cents in U. S. 5 cent and 10 cent coins (nickels and dimes), in which case no change is issued, or to receive a quarter, in which case' a nickel is issued in change upon operation of the machine to vend a package of cigarettes. Mounted on the panel 41 is a housing, generally designated 301, for a coin box or drawer 303. This drawer is slidable into and out of the housing from the front of the apparatus on a shelf 305. It is adapted to receive coins inserted by a customer into the coin slot of the vending machine. A nickel, dime or quarter inserted in the coin slot of the vending machine first travels through a coin selector (not shown herein) which functions in known manner to feed nickels into a nickel chute 85, dimes into a dime chute 87 and quarters into a quarter chute 89 in a coin 1 chute assembly which is fragmentarily illustrated at- 83 in Figs. 2 and 4. Coins travelling through the coin chute assembly actuate a coin totalizing mechanism (not shown herein) which controls the vending and change-making operations. The insertion of at least 20 cents conditions the vending mechanism so that the customer may effect a a selected package of operation of the machine to obtain cigarettes. If the customer has inserted a quarter, a

nickel is issued in change concomitantly with the dispensing of the package of cigarettes. The package of cigarettes and the nickel in change is delivered to a receiver 29 (Fig. 3) which is at a level convenient for access by customers. This receiver, for example, may be located in the front of the vending machine.

The housing 301 is formed by a vertical side plate 307 spaced from the panel 41 to provide a space for the drawer. The plate 307 is fastened of the shelf at 309, and has an upper horizontal flange 311 panel 41. The plate 307 serves as a side wall of a gravity-feed nickel change magazine 313 (Figs. 2, 4 and 5). The latter is provided by attaching a channel-section member or members 315 to the outside of the plate with the channel opening toward the plate. The depth of the channel is slightly greater than the thickness of a nickel and the width of the channel is slightly greater than the diameter ofa nickel so that the magazine may hold a series of nickels edge-to-edge in a vertical plane. As shown, the magazine is preferably tortuous to provide greater storage capacity for nickels. All sections of the magazine slope downward so that a nickel may roll by gravity from the upper inlet end 317 of the magazine to its lower outlet end 319.

The inlet 317 of the change magazine is under the outlet 279 of the nickel chute 85 (Figs. 2 and 4). A nickel dropping out of the nickel chute 85 through outlet 279 may fall through a coin passage 320 in the chute assembly 33 directly into the magazine inlet (Fig. 2). If the magazine is full of nickels, however, a nickel dropping out of the nickel chute through outlet 279 will be and quarters dropping out ofthe dime and quarter chutes 87 and 89 through their outlets 279 fall through a third Patented Mar. 27, 1956 to the outer edge extending over the coin drawer to the right side ina vertical guide slot 405 in thelower end of the maga.-.

zine. The outlet 319 of the nickel magazine opens into the upper end of this slot. The plunger is biasedupward by a spring 407. It may be pulled downward against the bias of this spring and latched in av cocked position by a relay controlled latch 469. The latter comprises an armature pivoted, on a bracket 4,11 carried, by an inturned lower flange 413' of the plate 307, and having a detent 415. adapted to extend through an aperture 4,1 in the plate 307 into an opening 419v in the plunger for latching purposes. The armature is biased. to latching position by a spring 42-31. It is adapted to be pivoted. to released position against the bias. of this. spring by an electromagnetic; coil 423 carried by the bracket 411. When the plunger is latched in cocked position, its upper end is substantially level with the bottom of the outlet 319 of the magazine (Fig. Thus, a nickel may roll from the magazine into the slot 405 and on to the upper end of the plunger.

When the latch is released, the plunger 403 is snapped upward by the plunger spring 437. T his causes the nickel delivered from the magazine on, to the upper end of the plunger to be shot upward. As it shoots upward, it travels through a guide structure providing vertical guide passage 425 in line with the slot 405. The passage 425 is defined by the plate 307 and a shallow channel 427 fastened to the outside of the plate, andhas a width only slightly greater than the thickness of a nickel for guiding a nickel for upward travel in a generally. vertical plane. The channel extends above the upper flange 311 of the plate where its open side is closed by a bracket 429- supporting-a section 431 of a coin delivery chute 97. Above the chute section 431, the channel has an extension 433.

which is curved over the chute section and downward to provide a direction-reversing guide loop for coins shot up the passage 425.

On the-lower end of theplunger 403' is a finger 435. This is engageable by a horizontal flange 437 on a cocking a r m,439 which extends forward from a rocker plate 59 (Fig. 2) The rocker plate is rotary on a stud 61 fixed; to the panel 41. Upon each vending operation it.- is rocked through a cycle of oscillation starting and ending; in the position of; rest illustrated in Fig. 2 by mechanism including a link 57. Reference is-made to the parent application for this mechanism. When the rocker plate rocks counterclockwise from its position of rest, the cocking arm is moved downward by the rocker plate, and the flange 437 on the cooking arm engages the finger 435 and drives the plunger downward to the point wheredetent 415 snaps into the opening 419 in the plunger to latch it in cocked position.- The rocker plate then rocks clockwise back to its position of rest and the cocking arm moves upward away from the finger. The coil, 423 is energized as disclosed in the parent application to withdraw the detent 4.15 while thecocking arm is. raised to permit the plunger. to. snap upward. A resilient bumper 438 of rubber or the. like is fixed to the plunger just above the finger 435 to receive the impact against the lower flange 413 of plate 307 when the plunger snaps upward.

Pivoted at 440on the plate 307 is a. lever 441 (Figs. 2 and 5). This extends forward from the pivot on the inside of the plate 307 and has a finger 443 at its forward end which reaches through an arcuate slot 445 in the plate and inthe nickel magazine member 315. This slotextends downward clear of the passage in the mags zine so that nickcls' may travel past the finger 443-when it is at the lower end of the-slot.- The lever 441 also has an extension 447 rearward from the pivot on the a h s chan s .4 outside of the plate 307 engaging under the spring arm 449 of a switch 451' mounted on the plate. The spring arm is inherently biased to switch-opening position and biases the extension 447 downward to tend to rock the lever 441 clockwise as viewed in Figs. 2 and 5, thus tending to raise the finger 443 in the slot. Nickels in the magazine 313 hold the finger down to maintain the switch 451 closed. When. the supply of nickels is'substantially exhausted, the switch opens. Whenever switch 451 is open, vending operation oi the vending machine in response to insertion of a quarter. is precluded. as; disclosed in the aforesaid parent application, so that the customer may obtain return of the inserted quarter.

As more particularly illustrated in Fig. 5, the'l'ower end of the nickelv change magazine, has. a plunger slot to the right of slot 405 to accommodate an additional nickel-delivery plunger like plunger 403 to allow for delivery of two nickels in change if desired, If such an additional plunger is provided, the parts shown in Fig.1 5

blocking the slot are removed.

In operation, the plunger in the cooked position shown in Figs. 3 and 5, wherein its upper end is substantially level with the bottom of the outlet 319 of the magazine. Thus a nickel will be positioned on the upper end of the plunger. If a nickel is to be issued in change, the coil 423 is energized as disclosed in the parent application to retract the detent 415 fromfthe opening 419 in the plunger, whereupon the plunger is snapped upward by the spring 407. This impels the nickel delivered from the magazine onto the upper en of theplunger vertically upward through the passage 425;

The direction, of the nickel is reversed by the curved extension 433 and thereby guided into the coin delivery chute 9-7 downwhich it passes to the receiver 29.

After each vending operatiomthe cocking arm is moved downward, Inv the course of this movement, the flange 437 on the cocking arm engages the finger 435 at the lower endot the plunger 403 to pull the plunger down to the point where detent 415 snaps into. the opening 419. in the plunger to latch. it in, cocked position. The cocking arm is intended that all matter contained in-the above descrip tion, orshown; in the accompanying drawings shall beinterpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

I claim:

1. In a vending machine having a receiver located; at

a level convenient for access by customers, an automatic. change maker located at one side of the machine and comprising a guide providing a generally vertical guide passage having a width only slightlygreater thanthe. thickness: of a coin for guiding a coinfor upward travel in agenerally vertical plane, its'lower end belowsaid receiver and its upperend above said receiver, a plunger slidable up and down in-thelower; end. of the guide passage, a spring connected to,the-,plunger for biasing it upward, means for latching the plunger in av downwardly retracted position with thespring. biased, a, gravity-feed coin magazine adapted to;hold a series of coins edge-wedge: in :said plane and; opening at its: lowerend; into said guidepassage abovethe. upper. endoi the;

plunger: when the latter is retracted, whereby a coin; may

rollon edge from the magazine into thepassage when; the plunger is retracted and position itself on the uppeiiaend of the plunger, andwhereby upon release :of: the. latching means the' plunger snaps upward under the biasofii'the 403 will normally be latched" said guide being located with:

spring and impels the coin upward as a projectile through the guide passage, the guide having at its upper end a curved portion for guiding the impelled coin back downward into the receiver.

2. In a vending machine as set forth in claim 1, said plane being generally parallel to the sides of the machine and the curved portion of the guide being arranged to defiect the upwardly impelled coin laterally out of said plane in the direction away from said one side of the machine and downward into the receiver,

3. In a vending machine as set forth in claim 1, said plane being generally parallel to the sides of the machine, and said change maker further comprising a chute leading downward away from the upper end of the guide on that side of the guide toward the receiver for delivering a coin to the receiver, the curved portion of the guide consisting of an extension of the other side of the guide curved over the upper end of the guide for deflecting the upwardly impelled coin laterally out of the said plane, over the upper end of the guide, and downward into the chute.

UNITED STATES PATENTS Davis Nov. 21, 1893 Mattson Dec. 19, 1893 Archer Apr. 2, 1895 Zenz Aug. 3, 1910 Robin Mar. 15, 1932 Collison Apr. 2, 1935 Kade May 11, 1937 Fry June 5, 1945 FOREIGN PATENTS Great Britain of 1897 Great Britain of 1900 Great Britain of 1900 Great Britain of 1914

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