US3605972A - Stepper and change dispenser for a coin changer - Google Patents

Abstract

A STEPPER FOR A COIN CHANGER COMPRISES A RATCHET WHEEL HAVING A SWITCH ACTUATING PIN MOUNTED THEREON. THE RATCHET WHEEL IS BIASED TO AN INITIAL POSITION AND IS MOVED THEREFROM BY COIN-OPERATED DOGS. IT IS HELD AGAINST PREMATURE RETURN MOVEMENT BY A SPRING-URGED PAWL. A ROLLER MOUNTED ON THE RATCHET WHEEL PUSHES THE PAWL AWAY AS THE RATCHET WHEEL IS MOVED THE LAST STEP REQUIRED TO INITATE A VEND CYCLE. A LATCH BAR HOLDS THE PAWL AWAY TO ALLOW THE WHEEL TO RETURN TO ITS INITIAL POSITION. AS THE WHEEL DOES SO, A TRIP MEMBER THEREON STRIKES A RELEASE

MEMBER WHICH LIFTS THE LATCH BAR TO ALLOW THE PAWL TO RE-ENGAGE THE WHEEL. CHANGE IS DISPENSED, WHEN REQUIRED, BY AN APERTURED SLIDE RECIPROCABLE TO RECEIVE CHANGE FROM TUBES AND DELIVER IT TO A CHANGE CHUTE. A SPRING ROD IS INCORPORATED IN THE DRIVE TO THE SLIDE SO THAT THE MOTOR FOR DRIVING THE SLIDE MAY OPERATE EVEN WHEN THE SLIDE IS STUCK AND THE SLIDE MAY BE RECIPROCATED BY HAND WITHOUT ACTUATING THE MOTOR.

Description

Sept. 20, 1971 w. M. STEWART STEPPER AND CHANGE DISPENSER FOR A COIN CHANGER Filed July 8. 1969 INVENTOR WILSON M. STEWART m A2 5 ATTORNEYS.

3 Sheets-Sheet l Se t. 20, 1971 w. M. STEWART STEPPER AND CHANGE DISPENSER FOR A COIN CHANGER Filed July 8, 1969 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR LSON M. STEWART ATTORNEYS.

sqfl. 20, 1971 w STEWART 3,605,972

STEPPER AND CHANGE DISPENSER FOR A COIN CHANGER Filed July 8, 1969 3 Sheets-Sheet :5

FIGS.

FIG.6.

INVENTOR WILSON M. STEWART ATTORNEYS.

Patented Sept. 20, 1971 3,605,972 STEPPER AND CHANGE DISPENSER FOR A COIN CHANGER Wilson M. Stewart, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada, assignor to Vendall Machines Limited, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada Filed July 8, 1969, Ser. No. 839,857 Claims priority, application Canada, May 9, 1969,

Int. or. (07: 11/00 U.S. Cl. 194-10 7 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A stepper for a coin changer comprises a ratchet wheel having a switch actuating pin mounted thereon. The ratchet wheel is biased to an initial position and is moved therefrom by coin-operated dogs. It is held against premature return movement by a spring-urged pawl. A roller mounted on the ratchet wheel pushes the pawl away as the ratchet wheel is moved the last step required to initiate a vend cycle. A latch bar holds the pawl away to allow the wheel to return to its initial position. As the wheel does so, a trip member thereon strikes a release member which lifts the latch bar to allow the pawl to re-engage the wheel.

Change is dispensed, when required, by an apertured slide reciprocable to receive change from tubes and deliver it to a change chute. A spring rod is incorporated in the drive to the slide so that the motor for driving the slide may operate even when the slide is stuck and the slide may be reciprocated by hand without actuating the motor.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to mechanism for use in a coinoperated vending machine to register the amount of money inserted, to initiate the delivery of an article to a purchaser on receipt in the machine of coinage at least equal in value to the article being sold by the machine, and to initiate the dispensing of change when necessary. Such mechanisms are commonly known in the art as steppers since they will advance one or more steps depending on the value of a coin inserted in the machine.

It has been common practice in the vending machine industry to use electrical steppers which have a ring of stationary contacts and a ring of movable contacts mounted on a rotatable wafer and cooperating with the stationary contacts as the wafer is rotated. Such electrical steppers, however, have been found unsatisfactory since for each vending cycle the wafer has to rotate completely to its home or initial position and this results in excessive wear on the contacts, as well as involving activation of the motor which is primarily intended for use in dispensing change. Moreover, such steppers are delicate and can be put out of service by dirt entering between the contacts or metal particles bridging the contacts or the wafer being out of phase. Accordingly, efforts have been made to replace such electrical steppers by mechanical steppers. Such efforts, however, have not proved to be entirely successful since delicate contacts have formed part of the stepper and the motor still has to be activated during each vending cycle to restore the stepper to its original position, whether or not change is to be paid out.

It is an object of the present invention, therefore, to provide an improved stepping mechanism which is more rugged than hitherto known steppers, which does not have to rely upon the motor to return it to its original position, does not utilize a delicate electrical contact arrangement and which is simple to manufacture, install and service.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In known machines the steppers are actuated by all coins inserted into the machine but the present invention can provide for bypassing of the stepper by larger denomination coins, thus preserving the stepper for use with smaller denomination coins only and prolonging the life of the stepper.

The invention basically resides in the fact that a movable member, which is biased to a first or initial position, is moved by coins passing through the machine away from said position in one direction to initiate the 'vending and, if necessary, change dispensing cycles and is allowed to return in the opposite direction to said first position.

In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the stepper mechanism comprises a ratchet wheel, a switch-actuating member on said wheel, means biasing the ratchet wheel in one direction about its axis, coin-actuated dog means for moving the ratchet wheel in the opposite direction, a pawl engageable with teeth on said ratchet wheel for holding the wheel against return movement in said one direction, means biasing said pawl toward the ratchet wheel, a means on said ratchet wheel adapted to engage said pawl and move it away from the ratchet wheel as the ratchet wheel is rotated in said opposite direction a predetermined angular amount, holding means for engaging said pawl and holding it away from said ratchet wheel, release means for releasing said holding means, and trip means on said ratchet wheel for actuating said release means in a predetermined position of said wheel to allow said pawl to return into engagement with the ratchet wheel.

The trip means preferably comprises a member adjustably mounted on the ratchet wheel, whereby the cost of purchasing an article from the machine may be varied.

The stepper mechanism of the preferred embodiment may be used in combination with a first switch adapted to be actuated by said switch-actuating member to initate the vending of an article by the machine after said member has been moved a predetermined amount, and a second switch adapted to be actuated after said member has been moved a futher predetermined amount to initate the dispensing of change by the machine. Such combination may include change dispensing mechanism having a slide movable to alter the amount of change to be dispensed, a motor for driving said change dispensing mechanism, a first solenoid adapted to be energized to start said motor by actuation of a third switch upon actuation of said second switch, and a second solenoid adapted to be energised to move said slide upon actuation of said second switch. The combination may also include a further switch-actuating member adapted to be moved by a larger denomination coin passing through the machine, and stop means for limiting the movement of said further switch-actuating member so that it may actuate the first switch but not the second switch, said third switch being in the path of travel of the larger denomination coin, the arrangement being such that the larger denomination coin may actuate the first and third switches without actuating the stepper mechanism.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS The presently preferred embodiment of the invention will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is an exploded view of the stepper;

FIG. 2 is a rear view of a coin changer in which the stepper is installed, some parts of the changer being omitted for the sake of clarity;

FIG. 3 is a bottom view of the changer;

FIG. 4 is a sectional plan view of the coin changer;

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENT The coin changer, which is adapted to be mounted in known manner in a vending machine and to have coins fed thereto, again in known manner, from a coin sorter, has a main frame 1 including a vertically extending lower plate portion 2, a vertically extending upper plate portion 3, spaced rearwardly of portion 2, and a horizontally extending plate portion 4 extending between the upper edge of portion 2 and the lower edge of portion 3. The plate portion 2 has mounted thereon three plates 5, 6 and 7 which, together with plate 2, define passages for the coins entering the changer. Thus, plates 2 and define between them a passage 8 for twenty-five cent pieces or quarters, plates 5 and 6 define between them a passage 9 for ten-cent pieces or dimes and plates 6 and 7 define between them a passage 10 for five-cent pieces or nickels. Although the coin changer will be described in connection with the use of such coins, it will be appreciated, of course, that it may be adapted for use with different coins. In addition to plate portions 2, 3 and 4 the frame 1 also includes a bottom plate 11.

A motor 12 is mounted in a housing 12A at the left hand side of plate 2 and is used to drive change-making mechanism which will be described hereinafter. Mounted on plate 2 are a switch 13, closure of which initiates a vend cycle of the machine, a switch 14, closure of which starts motor 12 to dispense change, and a first solenoid 15, energization of which effects closure of switch 14. A second solenoid '16, energization of which effects movement of a slide 17 to alter the amount of change dispensed, is mounted in a housing 16A and a switch 18, closure of which effects energization of both first and second solenoids and 16, is mounted behind switch 13. Switch 13 has a blade 19, depression of which closes the switch, and switch 18 has a blade 20 to which is attached a lateral stepped blade 21, the lower portion 22 of which underlies the blade 19 so that depression of blade 19 to a predetermined extent beyond the point at which it closes switch 13 will effect depression of blade 20 to close switch 18 also.

The blade 19 is depressed in response to passage of a quarter through the changer. Thus, the quarter enters passage 8 and depresses a pin 23 which overlies the blade 19 and is mounted near the end of an arm '24 pivotally mounted at 25 on plate 2. Downward movement of the arm 24 is limited by a stop 26 mounted on plate 2 in the path of the outer end of the arm, so that the pin 23 can only depress blade 19 sufficiently toclose switch 13 but not switch 18. On leaving the pin 23', the quarter next depresses the inwardly extending end 27 of arm 28 of switch 14 to start motor 12 and dispense one dime in change, the machine being set up for a fifteen-cent sale. The pin 23 extends through a curved slot 29 in plate 2 and end 27 of arm 28 extends through curved slot 30 in the same plate.

The blade 19 is also depressed by any combination of dimes and/or nickels totalling at least fifteen cents inserted into the machine. In this case the depression is effected by means of the stepper of the present invention and the preferred embodiment of which is shown in FIG. 1 in exploded view. The stepper shown includes a housing 31 fixedly mounted on plate 2 adjacent a curved slot 32 and housing a spring 33 anchored at one end in the housing and having a free end 34 extending from the housing. An axle 35 extends forwardly from the housing 31 and a ratchet wheel 36 is rotatably mounted thereon, the ratchet wheel having teeth 37 on part of its circumference as shown in the drawings, although it will be appreciated that the teeth could extend entirely around the circumference if desired. The ratchet wheel is driven in a clockwise direction by dogs 38 and 39 pivotally mounted on pivot pins 40 and 41, respectively, which are carried in forks 42 and 43. The forks extend upwardly from blocks 44 and 45 pivotally mounted on a shaft 46 which extends forwardly from plate 2. Arm 47 extends from block 44 and terminates as an inturned end 48 which extends through a curved slot 49 in plate 7 and into the nickel passage 10. Arm 50 extends from block 45 and terminates in an inturned end 51 which extends through a curved slot 52 in plate 7 and a similar slot in plate 6 and into the dime passage 9. Thus, a nickel falling through passage 10 or a dime falling through passage 9 will move the ratchet wheel by means of its associated dog, the dog 38 being smaller than the dog 39 so that it has to travel further than the dog 39 before engaging the teeth 37 and will move the ratchet wheel by the width of one tooth only, whereas dog 39 moves the wheel by the width of two teeth. Each tooth, therefore, represents, in the present case, five cents. The dogs are biased to the positions shown in FIG. 5 by having the heavier part of the blocks to the left of the shaft 46 or springs may be used for this purpose, if necessary, so that the dogs will return to the FIG. 5 positions after they have moved the ratchet wheel.

The ratchet wheel is biased in a counter-clockwise direction by the spring 33, the free end 34 thereof engaging the inner end of a shaft 53 which is mounted on the ratchet wheel and rotatably carries a small roller 54. To avoid premature return of the ratchet wheel to its starting position shown in FIG. 5, after it has been moved from said starting position, a pawl 55 is provided, pivotally mounted on a shaft 56 and urged into engagement with the teeth 37 by a spring 57, one end of which is passed through an aperture 5-8 in the pawl and the other end of which is anchored around a pin 59 secured to plate 2. The roller 54 is carried with the ratchet wheel as the latter is moved, the roller being aligned with the pawl and moving the pawl away from the ratchet wheel after the wheel has been moved a predetermined amount, in the present case between two and three tooth widths. Thus, when fifteen cents worth of nickels and/or dimes has passed, the pawl will be out of engagement with the teeth and the ratchet wheel will be free to return to its initial position provided that it has been released by the dogs and provided that the pawl is held away from. the teeth in the meantime. Means is, in fact, provided for so holding the pawl, such means being in the form of a latch bar 60 having a shoulder 61 adapted to fall in front of a flange 62, extending laterally from the pawl, when the pawl is moved away from the wheel. The latch bar is pivotally mounted on a shaft 63 secured to plate 2 and has at its free end a forwardly extending projection 64 which is raised, as described later herein, to release the pawl as the wheel returns to its initial position.

Reference is made to FIGS. 4 and 6 for a clear showing of the operation of the stepper. The ratchet wheel, as shown, has a rearwardly extending pin 65 which passes through slot 32 to overlie blade 19 and depress the latter as the wheel is turned. The wheel also has a series of slots 66 adapted selectively to receive the bend portion of a bent rod 67. The rod 67 has an eye portion 68 through which a screw 69 may be freely passed and screwed into tapped bore 70 in the wheel, whereby the rod may be secured to the wheel in a selected position. This rod cooperates with a rocker member 71 pivotally mounted on a pin 72 secured to plate 7. The member 71 also cooperates with latch arm 60 or rather the projection 64 thereon. Thus, the member 71 has an upwardly extending portion 73 which is struck by rod 67 as the wheel returns to its initial position, thereby moving the rocker member from its lower limit position (FIG. 6) to its upper limit position (FIG. 5). These limit positions are determined by the ends 74, 75 of a recess 76 engaging a pin 77 fixed on plate 7. As the rocker member is moved from its lower to its upper position it strikes projection 64 and raises arm 60 about its pivot '63, thereby releasing the pawl 55 to be returned into engagement with the teeth 37 of the ratchet wheel.

The provision of the plurality of slots 66 and the selective mounting of the rod 67 therein permit the machine to be changed readily to vend an article for a different price than fifteen cents. Thus, with the four slots shown, the machine may be set for a ten-cent sale (rod 67 in slot at extreme right), fifteen-cent sale (as shown), twenty-cent sale (rod in slot second from left) or twenty-five-cent sale (rod in slot at extreme left). The position of the rod relative to the wheel sets the initial position of the wheel since the rod cannot go in a counter-clockwise direction past the position shown in FIG. 5. The initial position of the wheel, of course, sets the initial positions of pin 65 and roller 54 so that a greater or lesser turning of the wheel will be required to depress blade 19 and move pawl 55 away from the wheel.

If, with the rod in the second slot from the right as shown, three nickels are inserted into the machine, the dog 38 will step the wheel by the width of a tooth for each nickel, the pawl preventing the wheel from returning after the first or second step. During the third step the pin 65 will depress blade 19 to close switch 13 and initiate the vending of an article by the machine. Also during the third step the roller 54 will displace pawl 55 and latch bar 60 will fall to hold the pawl. As soon as the dog 38 leaves the wheel after the third step, therefore, the wheel will be free to be returned to its initial position by spring 33. As described above, the pawl is released as the wheel returns to its initial position and the stepper is then ready for a new operation. It will be noted that the motor 12 has not been used. The same applies if a nickel and a dime are inserted into the machine, the only difference in this case being that the dog 38 only advances the wheel by one tooth, the dog 39 advancing it by the other two teeth.

We now come to the special case where two dimes are inserted into the machine. It will be appreciated that the first dime will advance the wheel by two teeth by means of dog 39 and the pawl will hold the wheel against return movement. The second dime, however, will also advance the wheel by two teeth and displace the pawl. The extra advancement of the wheel is suificient to cause depression of blade 20 and, hence closure of switch 18. This having been done, the dog 39 will leave the wheel and the latter will be returned to its initial position as described above. Closure of the switch 18, however, energizes solenoids and 16. Plunger 78 is pulled down on energization of solenoid 15, so that an arm 79 extending laterally from the plunger will depress switch arm 28 to start motor 12. Motor 12 drives a shaft 80 to the lower end of which is attached a member 81 underneath plate 11. A spring rod 82 is attached at one end to member 81 and at the other end to a pin 83 on a slide 84 above plate 11, whereby rotation of shaft 80 will effect rearward and forward reciprocation of the slide 84. The slide 84 has apertures 85 and 86 for receiving, respectively, a nickel and a dime from the storage tubes for nickels and dimes (not shown) normally provided in coin changers. The base plate 11 has a rectangular aperture 87 therein, through which change is dispensed to be delivered to the purchaser by wellknown chute means (not shown). A slide 17 is mounted for lateral reciprocation in said aperture 87 and is normally biased by spring 89 to the left-hand side of aperture 87 as the latter is shown in FIG. 3. Thus, ordinary reciprocation of slide 84 will result in a dime being dispensed from the dime tube via apertures 86 and 87. However, on energization of solenoid 16 the triangular member 90 is rotated in a counter-clockwise direction about pivot pin 91 and, via linkage members 92, 93 and 94, pulls slide 17 to the right to cover aperture 86 and exposure aperture 85, whereby a nickel is dispensed rather than a dime. The slide 17 is held in the right-hand position, in which it is shown in FIG. 3', by a catch 95, until the latter is struck by the member 81 towards the end of a complete revolution of shaft 80, whereupon the spring 89 returns the slide 17 to its normal position. The catch 95 is urged toward the position shown in FIG. 3 by a spring rod or leaf 96. the action of which is obvious from FIG. 3.

From the above it will be seen that a quarter inserted into the machine will initiate a vend cycle and actuate the change dispensing mechanism to deliver a dime as change to the user of the machine, the slide 17 remaining in its normal position to the left hand side of aperture 87 as seen in FIG. 3. Fifteen cents inserted into the machine, either in the form of three nickels or one nickel and one dime, will initiate a vend cycle but will not actuate the change dispensing mechanism. Two dimes inserted into the machine will initiate a vend cycle, actuate the change dispensing mechanism and, in addition, move slide 17 to ensure that a nickel is delivered as change, rather than a dime. With a quarter, the stepper is not used at all, with fifteen cents the ratchet wheel is advanced three teeth and then returned automatically to its initial position and with twenty cents the ratchet wheel is advanced four teeth and then returned automatically to its initial position. In no case, therefore, does the ratchet wheel have to go through a complete revolution and it never has to rely upon motor 12 to return it to its initial position. The motor 12, consequently, is used only when necessary for dispensing change and the stepper is used only when smaller denomination coins are inserted into the machine, both stepper and motor, therefore, being subject to minimum wear and tear.

It will be appreciated that the present invention may be embodied in machines which dispense tickets rather than beverages or like articles and that the term vending machines" is intended to cover all machines which deliver something to the purchaser in response to insertion into the machine of coins or tokens amounting at least to a minimum prescribed value.

What I claim as my invention is:

-1. Coin-controlled apparatus for use in a vending machine, said apparatus comprising a first switch adapted, when closed, to initiate vending of an article by the machine, a second switch adapted, when closed, to initiate the dispensing of change by the machine, a switchactuating member for actuating said first and second switches, a movable member biased toward a first position, said switch-actuating member being mounted on said movable member, coin-actuated means for moving the movable member away from said first position, a retaining member biased toward the movable member and adapted when in engagement therewith to hold the movable member against movement toward said first position, means on said movable member adapted to move said retaining member away from the movable member after a predetermined amount of movement of said movable member away from said first position, holding means adapted to engage and hold said retaining member away from the movable member to allow the latter to return to said first position, and release means adapted to be actuated by said movable member on return to said first position and to release said holding means whereby the retaining member may return into engagement with the movable member, said first switch being mounted to be actuable by said switch actuating member when said movable member has reached the point at which theretaining member is moved away from the movable member, said second switch being mounted to be actuable only upon movement of said movable member by a predetermined amount past the point at which the retaining member is moved away from the movable member.

2. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1, including an element for actuating said release means, and mounting means adjustably mounting said element on the movable member whereby said first position may be varied to vary the amount of coinage required to operate the vending mechanism of the machine.

3. Apparatus as claimed in claim 2, wherein said movable member is toothed and said retaining member is a pawl.

4. Stepper mechanism as claimed in claim 1, said movable member comprising a ratchet wheel, the ratchet wheel being biassed in one direction about its axis, said coin-actuated means being dog means for moving the ratchet wheel in the opposite direction, said retaining member being a pawl engageable with teeth on said ratchet wheel for holding the wheel against return movement in said one direction, said pawl being biassed toward the ratchet wheel, said means on said movable member being means on said ratchet wheel adapted to engage said pawl and move it away from the ratchet wheel as the ratchet wheel is rotated in said opposite direction a predetermined angular amount, said holding means being adapted for engaging said pawl and holding it away from said ratchet wheel, trip means being provided on said ratchet wheel for actuating said release means in a predetermined position of said wheel to allow said pawl to return into engagement with the ratchet wheel.

5. Apparatus as claimed in claim 4, wherein said trip means comprises a member adjustably mounted on the ratchet wheel, whereby the cost of purchasing an article from the machine may be varied.

6. The combination claimed in claim 4, including change dispensing mechanism having a slide movable to alter the amount of change to be dispensed, a motor for driving said change dispensing mechanism, a first solenoid adapted to be energised to start said motor by actuation of a third switch upon actuation of said second switch, and a second solenoid adapted to be energised to move said slide upon actuation of said second switch.

7. The combination claimed in claim 6, including a further switch-actuating member adapted to be moved by a larger denomination coin passing through the machine, and stop means for limiting the movement of said further switch-actuating member so that it may actuate the first switch but not the second switch, said third switch being in the path of travel of the larger denomination coin, the arrangement being such that the larger denomination coin may actuate the first and third switches without actuating the stepper mechanism.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,923,165 2/1960 Patzer 194.02 2,973,076 2/1961 Hatcher 19410 3,406,803 10/1968 Offutt et a1 1941OX SAMUEL F. COLEMAN, Primary Examiner

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