US3197006A

US3197006A - Coin slot machine

Info

Publication number: US3197006A
Application number: US363905A
Authority: US
Inventors: Rub Jakob; Baumgariner Eugen
Original assignee: Schulthess & Co Ag Maschf
Current assignee: Maschinenfabrik Ad Schulthess and Co AG
Priority date: 1963-11-25
Filing date: 1964-04-30
Publication date: 1965-07-27
Anticipated expiration: 1982-07-27
Also published as: CH406697A; AT245843B

Description

July 27, 1965 J. RUB ETAL COIN SLOT MACHINE Filed April 50, 1964 United States Patent 3,197,006 COIN SLOT MACI-IiNE Jakob Rub and Eugen Baumgartuer, both of Wolthausen- Buhilron, Zurich, Switzerland, assignors to Maschinenfabril; Ad. Schulthess & Co., AG, Zurich, Switzerland Filed Apr. 30, 1964, Ser. No. 363,905 Claims priority, application Switzerland, Nov. 25, 1963, 14,394/ 63 4 Claims. (Cl. 194-9) The invention relates to a coin slot machine with an inclined channel serving as passage for the coins, wherein the coin located lowermost in the channel operates a switch, and wherein a closing member is arnanged at the outlet of the channel and so operated by the energizing of an electromagnet that it liberates the channel outlet. A coin slot m'achineof this kind may have two channels for coins of different values, comprising several photoelectric elements along each channel so that the number of inserted coins may be taken into consideration.

The present invention has the object of providing a particularly simple coin slot machine whereby the number of coins inserted into the channel may be taken into account and which is suitable for operating, for example, an automatic laundry drier for a period corresponding to the number of inserted coins.

In the coin slot machine according to the invention the closing member mentioned above is so connected kinematically with a second closing member that, when the channel outlet is opened by the first closing member, the channel is closed by the second closing member immediately above the bottommost coin so that any further coins in the channel are retained therein until both closing members return into their rest position on de-energization of the electromagnet, causing any further coins in the channel to be advanced by one position towards the outlet.

The drawing shows an embodiment of the invention in diagrammatic form.

In the drawing:

FIG. 1 is a vertical axial section of a coin slot machine;

FIG. 2 is a cross-section through the machine of FIG. 1 along the line IIII wherein the coins have been omitted and the lower portion of the machine is shown broken away by dash-dot lines.

The coin slot machine has a housing represented in the diagrammatic drawing by a base plate 1 inclined to the horizontal plane h-h under an angle a of e.g. 20-30. A channel 2 parallel to the base plate 1, serving as guide for coins 3 and starting at an insertion slot 4 for the coins 3 has a short end section 2a, angled relative to the main section so that with correct assembly it is normal or substantially normal to the horizontal plane h-h.

An electromagnet 5 has an axially moveable magnetic core 6 which is attracted into the electromagnet in the direction of the arrow 7 when the same is energized, against the action of a compression spring 8 resting against the electromagnet 5 and against a stay pin 9. This stay pin 9 is mounted on the free end of the moving magnetic core 6 and extends on one side thereof in the radial direction beyond the vertical plane in which the channel 2 is located. When the electromagnet 5 is not energized, the stay pin 9 (or retaining pin) is in the position shown by full lines in which it prevents a coin 3 located lowermost in the end section 2a of the channel from leaving the same and from dropping through a slot 10 in the base plate 1 into a cash 'box, not shown. This process is achieved by energizing the electromagnet 5, causing the retaining pin 9 to move in the position 9' shown by dotted lines, thus liberating the outlet of the end section 2a.

In order to prevent on energizing the electromagnet 5 all coins 3 located in the channel 2 from leaving the same,

3,197,996 Patented July 27, 1965 "ice there is provided a lever 11 which is pivotable about a horizontal axis 13 mounted on a support 12. This lever 11 has on its free end a jaw 14 which embraces the retaining pin 9 so that, when the magnetic core 6 moves in the direction of the arrow 7, the lever 11 is pivoted in an anticlockwise direction (as viewed in FIG. 1). Near the centre of the lever 11 there is mounted thereon a catch pin 15 parallel to the retaining pin 9 and located in the rest position in the full-line position outside the channel end section 2a. On energizing the electromagnet 5 and with the consequent pivoting of the lever 11, the catch pin v15 enters into the channel end section 2a through corresponding recesses 16 in the channel walls. The catch pin 15 reaches thus the position 15' shown by dotted lines in which it catches thesecond coin 3 in the channel 2, that is to say, it retains it in the channel 2 whilst the first coin 3 is allowed .to leave. 7

The arrangement also comprises a microswitch 17, the operating member 1 8 of which is operated by the lowermost coin 3 against the force of a spring, not shown. Obviously, when the coin 3 leaves the channel end section, the switch 17 returns to its rest position. It is also clear that the switch 17 may be a simple make-and-break switch (with open or closed contact in the rest position) or a change-over switch.

The operation of the coin slot machine is apparent substantially from the preceding description. Assuming, for example, that three coins 3 -3 have been inserted through the slot 4 into the channel 2, the weightof the first coin 3 will press against the operating member 18 of the switch 17, causing for example a circuit to close which operates in turn a timing device, not shown in the drawing. The timer switches for a pre-set period of time AT an installation, such as, an automatic laundry drier. Shortly before this period of time lapses, a circuit is closed in which the electromagnet 5 is located. By energizing the electromagnet 5 the retaining pin 9 is moved into its liberating position 9', causing the lever 11 to be pivoted and the catch pin 15 to move into its locking position 15'. The first coin '3 drops through the slot 10 into the cash box whilst the

coins

3 and 3 are retained by the catch pin 15 in their previous positions. At the end of the time AT the circuit is again broken and the de-energized electromagnet 5 allows the core "6 to return to its rest position. The catch pin 15 trees now the coin 3 which is retained by the retaining pin in the previous position of the coin 3 at the bottom of the channel end section 2a whilst the coin 3 advances to the position of the coin 3 The switch 17 reactuates the timer and the machine is actuated for a second period of time AT. Obviously this cycle is repeated as many times as there are coins 3 in the channel so that in the present case with three coins the drier remains in operation for a period of time of 3AT. This very simple coin slot machine may therefore be used for switching a timer for a total period of time correspond ing to the amount of money paid in coins of the same kind.

The mechanical switch 17 may also be replaced by a photo-electric switch. In this case the bottommost coin 3 would screen a light-sensitive electric element such as a photo-resistor located on one side of the section which is illuminated by a light source on the other side of this section when the channel is empty. This eliminates the use of a plurality of photo-resistors along the channel as in known coin slot machines. However, generally the described embodiment comprising a microswitch will generally be preferred in View of its simplicity and economy.

We claim: 7

1. In a coin operated machine, a coin chute providing a coin passageway having a discharge end, a spring projected electromagnetically actuated plunger mounted adjacent said discharge end of said chute, a detent pin on said plunger normally projecting into the passageway to arrest movement of a coin in the discharge end thereof, a pivoted lever, 21 pin on .said lever projecting into said passageway in advance of said discharge end to arrest movement of a coin next to the coin retained by said first named pin, said lever being provided with a slotted end portion receiving said detent pin so that actuation of said plunger will retract the detent pin to permit the passage of the lowermost coin and simultaneously will actuate the lever and move said second mentioned pin into the path of said second mentioned coin to retain the same as well as further coins in said chute, and an electric switch adjacent the discharge end of said chute adapted to be engaged by the lowermost coin in said passageway during itsmov'ement through the discharge end of said chute.

2. Ina coin operated machine, an inclined coin chute providing a coin passageway having a coin discharge at its lower end, an electromagnetically actuated plunger. offset from the plane of said chute adjacent the discharge end thereof, a detent pin extending radially from said plunger, a spring member for holding said plunger in a projected position with the pin projecting into the coin passageway at the discharge end thereof to arrest movement of a coin through said discharge end, a pivoted lever, a pin on said lever adapted to project into said passageway to arrest movement of a coin immediately above a coin in the discharge end when said plunger is actuated against the tension of said spring member, said lever being provided with a forked portion embracing said detent pin so that actuation of said plunger will actuate said lever, and an electric switch adjacent said discharge end adapted to be engaged by the passage of the lowermost coin in said passageway through said discharge end and control said machine.

3. In a coin operated machine as set forth in claim 2 wherein said inclined coin chute is provided with an angu lar section extending at a greater angle to the horizontal.

4. In a coin operated machine as set forth in claim 2 in which said switch is a normally open microswitch whose operating member is adapted to .be actuated by the lowermost coin in said chute.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 8/43 Marcus 1946 1/56 Kaplanouski 194-6

Claims

1. IN A COIN OPERATED MACHINE, A COIN CHUTE PROVIDING A COIN PASSAGEWAY HAVING A DISCHARGE END, A SPRING PROJECTED ELECTROMAGNETICALLY ACTUATED PLUNGER MOUNTED ADJACENT SAID DISCHARGE END OF SAID CHUTE, A DETENT PIN ON SAID PLUNGER NORMALLY PROJECTING INTO THE PASSAGEWAY TO ARREST MOVEMENT OF A COIN IN THE DISCHARGE END THEREOF, A PIVOTED LEVER, A PIN ON SAID LEVER PROJECTING INTO SAID PASSAGEWAY IN ADVANCE OF SAID DISCHARGE END TO ARREST MOVEMENT OF A COIN NEXT TO THE COIN RETAINED BY SAID FIRST NAMED PIN, SAID LEVER BEING PROVIDED WITH A SLOTTED END PORTION RECEIVING SAID DETENT PIN SO THAT ACTUATION OF SAID PLUNGER WILL RETRACT THE DETENT PIN TO PERMIT THE PASSAGE OF THE LOWERMOST COIN AND SIMULTANEOUSLY WILL ACTUATE THE LEVER AND MOVE SAID SECOND MENTIONED PIN INTO THE PATH OF SAID SECOND MENTIONED COIN TO RETAIN THE SAME AS WELL AS FURTHER COINS IN SAID CHUTE, AND AN ELECTRIC SWITCH ADJACENT THE DISCHARGE END OF SAID CHUTE ADAPTED TO BE ENGAGED BY THE LOWERMOST COIN IN SAID PASSAGEWAY DURING ITS MOVEMENT THROUGH THE DISCHARGE END OF SAID CHUTE.