COIN HANDLING APPARATUS

• Main Author: SIMONS B,US
• Format: Patent
• Language: English
• Published: 10.04.1973
• Subjects: CHECKING-DEVICES; HANDLING OF COINS OR OF PAPER CURRENCY OR SIMILAR VALUABLEPAPERS, e.g. TESTING, SORTING BY DENOMINATIONS, COUNTING,DISPENSING, CHANGING OR DEPOSITING; PHYSICS

Coin handling apparatus includes a coin acceptor/rejector for receiving a coin deposited therein and discharging an accepted coin into a coin chute. Retaining means project into the coin chute for retaining an accepted coin discharged therein. A movable plate, manually operated by a user of the apparatus, carries a notched locking bar and a coin release action bar, the locking bar being biased to normally engage a stop and prevent cycling of the apparatus in the absence of a coin being received on the coin retaining means. The locking bar includes means for engaging a coin retained in the coin chute, thereby to be urged out of its normal, resiliently biased position and avoid engaging the stop, and permitting further movement of the movable plate. The coin release action bar, during that further plate movement, effects withdrawal of the retaining means from the coin chute and permits the coin to pass through the chute and be deposited in a coin box. The movable plate may then be withdrawn, completing the cycle. A coin changer embodiment of the apparatus further includes a plurality of coin storage tubes containing coins to be dispensed, the movable plate having a plurality of corresponding coin pockets. The full cycle of movement of the plate, as permitted by the presence of a coin held within the chute by the coin retaining means, permits disposing the coin pockets beneath the corresponding coin storage tubes for receiving a coin from each tube in the corresponding pocket. As the plate is withdrawn in completing the cycle of operation, the coins in the pockets are correspondingly withdrawn from the coin storage tubes and passed over a discharge chute through which the coins are dispensed to the user. The coin handling apparatus may then be employed to actuate a further mechanism upon deposit of a coin of appropriate denomination therein, alternatively as a coin changing mechanism for dispensing coins of smaller denomination from the coin storage tubes and of an aggregate value corresponding to the denomination of the deposited coin, or as a combination thereof, supplying coins of smaller denominations and actuating a further mechanism, the service charge for which mechanism in addition to the aggregate value of the dispensed coins of smaller denominations corresponding to the value of the deposited coin. Means are provided for automatically rejecting any additional coin deposited while a previously deposited coin is present on the retaining means and, in the coin changing apparatus, when the supply of coins to be dispensed is exhausted.