Device for Paying Off Coins From at Least a Pair of Coin Collecting Tubes

The present invention relates to a device for paying off coins from at least a pair of coin collecting tubes.

In coin-operated devices equipped with coin changers the coins to be returned as exchange money are collected in individual coin collecting tubes each accommodating coins of a certain denomination. A paying-off device removes the coins located at the lowermost end of the tubes in accordance with a pay-out command. Prior art devices use electromagnets or electric motors for performing this function to remove a lowermost coin each by means of an appropriate ejecting element to transfer the coin to a return track, for example.

German patent application P 38 10 074 discloses a pair of coin tubes which is associated to a pay-off unit comprising an electric motor operating a pair of ejecting elements each being associated to a coin using a free-wheel device. In response to the particular direction of rotation of the electric motor one of the ejecting elements associated to the coin tubes will be operated. The expenditure required for the gear means between the electric motor and ejecting elements is relatively high and needs space which is not always available in coin-operated devices.

German patent application P 42 14 366 discloses a coin vendor comprising a pair of coin collecting tubes to which a drive motor is associated which can be reversed in its direction of rotation and which motor drives through a gear means an individual cam displacing a lower coin each through an outlet slot of coin collecting tube, wherein the rotational motion of the cam is controlled depending on the direction of rotation such that the cam in performing a 360.degree. turn displaces a coin from a first tube, while passing below the second tube. The single ejecting element or, respectively, the cam is defined by a spring biased pin which is biased into a release position and which is lifted by a control track to be moved into an ejecting position.

The known device requires for performing an ejecting operation that the electric motor rotates the cam about an angle of 360.degree. each time, although a substantially smaller angular turn is required for performing a pay-off operation. When returning exchange money, it is generally desired that the individual coins will be returned as fast as possible.

Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a device for paying-off coins from a pair of coin collecting tubes which ensures a fast rate of returning the coins.

The object referred to is solved by the features of the invention.

According to the present invention the rotor is provided with a pair of diametrically opposed ejecting elements which are adjustable in height to occupy a release position and an ejecting position. The electric motor is operated by the control means such that the rotor performs a 180.degree. turn each when the electric motor is actuated. Accordingly, a pair of neutral positions is defined for the ejecting elements, which positions are about substantially centrally located, i.e. each having approximately the same distance from both coin tubes. Conventional means are provided to stop the ejecting elements in the neutral position each, for example using a positioning control, or a photoelectric barrier switching off the motor when reaching the neutral position or any other means.

While performing the 180.degree. turn just referred to an ejecting element passes below a collecting tube each, wherein the one ejecting element only operates to displace a coin, whereas the other ejecting element is in its release position. The stationary control means operating the ejecting elements are thus defined such that a first ejecting element when being rotated in either direction from one of its neutral positions will be in the ejecting position or will be moved into the ejecting position, whereas the second ejecting element occupying the other neutral position will be moved in either direction of rotation into the release position.

The device according to the invention does not need a higher expenditure in structure, space and controlling operation as compared with the conventional coin changing device, but provides for a returning rate which is twice as high.

According to a further aspect of the invention the rotor comprises a single ejecting element, which is supported by the rotor to be movable between a release position and an ejecting position and which is operated by a control means to occupy the position required. The electric motor driving the rotor is operated in an oscillating fashion such that it first performs a substantial 180.degree. turn followed by a further 180.degree. turn which is directed reverse. When the neutral position of the ejecting element is located on the side of the tubes where the outlet aperture for removing the coins is located, the ejecting element must first pass below the respective tube in its release position, in order to subsequently displace the coin when performing the reverse turn. The same applies for the second tube of a pair of tubes.

According to an embodiment of the present invention the rotor is defined by a disk and the ejecting elements include a pin supported in a bore of the disk, the follower means being fixed to an end of said pin through a pivot arm. The follower arm cooperates with stationary concentrically located annular grooves each having a bottom located at a different level, wherein deflecting means are provided at either side of the neutral positions for guiding the follower means into one of said both annular grooves when the ejecting elements are moved from the neutral position. The pivot arm makes it possible to pivot the follower means to enter the respective other control groove each. According to a further embodiment of the invention, the outer boundary of the inner control groove or, respectively, the inner boundary of the outer control groove include resilient portions located close to the control sections for defining a passage for the follower means such that the follower means each is automatically deflected towards the control groove which is associated to the direction of rotation. Accordingly, the follower means is prevented from entering the wrong control groove when performing the reverse direction of rotation.

The ejecting element pushes a lowermost coin each out of the coin tube onto a coin track from where it is transferred, for example, to a return channel. The walls of the coin tubes must include a recess which is oriented towards the coin track to allow the exits of the coins. According to an aspect of the invention, a locking pin is movably supported parallel to the rotational axis of the rotor below the ejecting recess of the tubes to be moved between a locking position preventing the ejection of a coin and a release position. The locking element may include a follower means alike cooperating with control grooves located on the side of the rotor facing it.

According to an alternative embodiment of the invention, the ejecting elements are defined by ejecting pins which are supported in the rotor to be adjustable in height and which are biased by a spring into the release or ejecting position, and wherein the ejecting pins include a flange cooperating with the stationary control means. Again, when making the ejecting elements this way, one must provide appropriate control means to move the pins into the release or ejecting position while the rotor performs the 180.degree. turn. According to an embodiment of the invention, the control means include resilient, ramp-like portions located on either side of a first neutral position, which resilient portions deflect the pins through the flanges thereof into the release position when being moved from the neutral position and which resilient portions are temporarily displaced by the flange when a pin is moved into a neutral position.

Furthermore, the ejecting element can be pivotally supported about an axis perpendicular with respect to the rotor axis to be received in a recess of the rotor (release position). The tiltable ejecting element is appropriately biased by a spring either towards the neutral position or towards the ejecting position, whereas the tilting towards either position is provided by an appropriate control track or the like. Furthermore, it might be possible to provide a locking in the biased position such that the ejecting element is automatically tilted towards the other position when releasing the locking. Then the control means must be provided only at the ends of the 180.degree. turn. Finally, any control means can be eliminated when in passing below a coin tube in a reverse direction of the ejecting direction, the rejecting element is deflected and moves from the reverse direction into the ejecting position to remove a coin.

The ejecting element pushes a lowermost coin each out of the coin tube towards a coin track to be transferred therefrom to a return channel for example. The wall of the coin tubes must include a recess oriented towards the coin track for providing the exit of the coins.

In the following, the invention will be explained in detail with a reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 shows a top view, partly a sectional view of a device according to the invention.

FIG. 2 is a section through the device shown in FIG. 1 along line 2--2.

FIG. 3 shows one of the ejecting pins of FIG. 2 in the ejecting position.

FIG. 4 shows the ejecting pin of FIG. 3 in the release position.

FIG. 5 is a top view, partly a sectional view of a pair of coin tubes according to the invention.

FIG. 6 is a top view, partly a sectional view of a further embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 7 is a section through the device shown in FIG. 6 along the lines 7--7.

FIG. 8 is a view similar to FIG. 1 providing additional locking pins.

FIG. 9 is a top view of the rotor disk shown in FIG. 8.

FIG. 10 is a top view of a further embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 11 shows an alternative embodiment of an ejecting element.

FIG. 12 is a similar illustration as FIG. 10 including a pair of locking pins and

FIG. 13 is a top view of the rotor disk of FIG. 10.

FIG. 1 shows a base plate 10 including means for supporting the lower ends of coin storing and pay-off tubes 12, 14. FIG. 2 shows a section through the coin tube 12. A rotor 16 which is rotatably driven by an electromotor (not shown) about an axis 18 extending parallel with respect to the axes of the coin tubes 12, 14 includes a pair of release pins 20, 22. When the pins 20, 22 are rotated together with the rotor 16, they obviously move along a circular path approximately passing through the center of both tubes 12, 14. In the region of the tubes 12, 14 the base plate 10 is provided with arcuate slots 24, 26 such that the pins 20, 22 may displace a lowermost coin each from one of the tubes 12, 14 when the pins 20, 22 project far enough.

As shown, the removing pins 20, 22 each are positioned in a neutral or starting position, wherein the pin 20 is located in a first neutral position and the pin 22 is located in a second neutral position. The control unit (not shown) controls the electromotor (not shown) such that after a turn of 180.degree. the pins each will be stopped at the next following neutral position.

In accordance with FIG. 2, the discharging pins 20, 22 include a discharging section 28, 30, respectively, a rotating flange 32, 34 as well as a guiding portion 36, 38 which are guided in bores 40, 42 of an axially annular flange 44 of the rotor disk 16. Springs 46, 48 are disposed in appropriate recesses of the flange 44 between the bores and the flanges 32, 34 such that the ejecting pins 20, 22 are biased towards the ejecting position which is shown in FIG. 2. When the disk 16 is moved in FIG. 2 to the right, for example, the ejecting portion 28 enters the tube 12 through a slot 50 and engages the lowermost coin each of a column 52 of coins collected in the tube 12 to displace the lowermost coin through an ejecting slot 54 outwardly towards a return chamber 56 (FIG. 1) from which the coin is fed to a return channel.

FIG. 2 further shows a guide element 60 located between the ejecting pins 20, 22 including a ramp-like resilient portion 62 adjacent the pin 20. While performing the circular path referred to above, the flange 32 engaging the rotor 16 and moving above the guide element 60 enters the ramp-like portion 62 which portion is displaced downwardly as indicated in dashed lines until reaching the position as defined by the ejecting pin 20 in FIG. 2. A nearly identical guide element, stationarily arranged alike the guide element 60 is disposed on the track along which the ejecting pins 20, 22 move during the next 180.degree. turn. In other words, independent of the direction of the rotor 16, an ejecting pin which is located in the position of the ejecting pin 20 according to FIG. 1 will be brought into an idle position by deflecting the collar 32, 34 below the ramp-like portion 62 to be maintained below the guide element 60 until the pin reaches the opposite neutral position which is occupied by the ejecting pin 22 in FIG. 1. It should be understood that the guide element 60 only cooperates with the flange 32, 34 thus extending below the flange at one side or being bipartite including an intermediate slot for passing the guide portion 36 or 38.

FIGS. 3 and 4 show the ejecting position or, respectively, the idle position of the ejecting pin 22. One notes that in FIG. 3 the flange 32 is located above the guide element 60, but in FIG. 4 is located below the guide element 60. The guide element 60 is defined by bar-like projections extending from upstanding portions of the base plate 10.

For guiding a coin from the right-hand tube 14 in FIG. 1 towards the return chamber 56, a sidewardly extending arcuate guide means 62a for the coins is provided.

FIG. 5 shows a pair of coin tubes 12a, 14a and 12b, 14b mounted on a base plate 10a. Cooperating with the outer coin tubes 12a and 14b, a pair of arcuate sidewardly extending guide portions 62a and 62b are provided to feed the coins back to the returning space 56a. For the rest, the coin changing device is identical with the device shown and described in FIGS. 1 through 4 for a pair of tubes. FIG. 5 shows how a coin 64 is ejected by means of an ejecting pin from the righthand outer coin tube 14b for being fed into the return space 56a. The arrangement shown offers the advantage that the coins from both outer tubes 12a, 14b may be transferred from a coin track at the center towards the return space 56a so that an inclined track is not required.

FIGS. 6 and 7 schematically show an alternative embodiment of the ejecting device above referred to. Again, coin tubes 70, 72 are appropriately mounted on a base plate 74. A pair of ejecting pins 78, 80 is supported on a disk-shaped rotor 76. The bearing support is shown in detail in FIG. 7. The ejecting pin 78 is supported in a bore 82 of the rotor 76 to be longitudinally displaced. Below the bore 82 there is a space accommodating a flange 84 of the pin 78, a spring 86 being provided between the flange 84 and the shoulder of the recess to bias the pin 78 downwardly into the idle position. The lower end of the pin 78 is provided with an arm 88 eccentrically carrying a cam follower 90. The cam follower 90 selectively cooperates with concentrically arranged control grooves 92, 94 which are separated from each other by arcuate portions 96, 98 including resilient, outwardly or, respectively, inwardly extending portions 100, 102 and 104, 106 at the ends thereof. In the position which is occupied by the ejecting pin 80, the portions 102, 106 extend inwardly so that the cam follower 90 is displaced towards the outer groove 92 each disregarding the direction of rotation of the rotor 76. Vice versa, the cam follower of the ejecting pin 78 will be deflected from the position shown in FIG. 6 into the radially inward control groove 94 each disregarding the direction of rotation. The resilient portions 100 through 106 make it possible that the cam followers each may reach the neutral position.

The control grooves 92, 94 are arranged in different levels. In the region of the neutral position shown, the levels for the ejecting pins 78, 80 are selected such that the pins 78, 80 are positioned in the ejecting position as shown in FIG. 7. When the ejecting pin 78 moves in either one of the directions of rotation, it will be lowered along ramp-like portions 108 or 110 before reaching the tubes 70, 72 and then raised again along respective ramp-like portions 112, 114 when reaching the position of the ejecting pin 80 in FIG. 6. The outer groove 92, however, is provided with a continuous level which means that the ejecting pin 78 is always positioned in the ejecting position so that disregarding the direction of rotation of the rotor 76 a coin is removed from the respective coin tube 70 or 72. The coin moves from the tube 72 towards a coin track 116 including a stepped boundary as indicated at 118 and 120 to feed coins of different diameters. A spring element 122 shown in FIG. 7 is provided to maintain the coin in a position engaging the bottom of the coin track 116 when feeding the coin along the track 116 towards the return space not shown in FIG. 6.

The particular shape and bearing of the rotor 76 shown in FIG. 7 is not specified in detail. This can be observed from the illustration or may be implemented in a different manner.

The illustration of FIG. 8 is substantially the same as what has been shown in FIG. 1 so that identical reference numerals are used. Additionally, the base plate of the device includes a pair of locking pins 130, 132 which are supported to be displaced in height. The pins are biased by spring means (not shown) into a lower position. When occupying an upper position, the pins block the coin outlet 54 of the coin tubes 12, 14 (see also FIG. 2, but with the locking pin not shown). The locking pins thus prevent that a lowermost coin each inadvertently will be displaced from its associated coin tube.

The locking pins 130, 132 are actuated by means of an outer control track 134 and an inner control track 136 of the rotor disk 26. As shown the circular control tracks 134, 136 each include a pair of diametrically opposed control sections 138, 140 and 142, 144. When these control sections are located within the region of the locking pins 130, 132 the latter are lifted upwardly into the locking position. The remaining sections of the control tracks 134, 138, however, extend along a lowered level so that the locking pins will be lowered and thus cannot perform a locking function. The levels are indicated by .+-.0 and -2.

It results from the above that during a coin changing process the locking pins 130, 132 of both coin tubes 12, 14 are in a release position. Substantially, the pins are in a locking position only when the ejecting pins 20, 22 occupy its neutral position. As far as FIG. 10 shows, for components identical with FIG. 6, the same reference numerals are provided but adding a suffix c. A base plate 10c again supports the lower ends of coin storing and ejecting tubes 12c, 14c. A rotor 16c is supported in the base plate 10c to be rotated by an electromotor (not shown) about an axis 18c which extends in parallel to the axes of the coin tubes 12c, 14c. The rotor which is illustrated transparent for purpose of illustration, carries a single ejecting element 78c. The arrangement of the ejecting element 78c is similar to that shown in FIG. 7 or FIG. 3 or 4. It is thus not described in detail. The cam follower 90c (FIGS. 7, and 10) selectively cooperates with concentrically arranged control groove portions 92c, 94c which are formed in the base plate 10c. The control groove sections 92c, 94c extend about substantially 180.degree. on either side of the neutral position of the ejecting element 78 shown in FIG. 10 up to a stop 19 which is displaced about substantially 180.degree. with respect to the neutral position. The control groove sections 94c define the inner sections and the control groove sections 92c the outer sections. The control groove sections 92c, 94c are separated from each other by arcuate portions 96c, 98c including resilient, outwardly or inwardly extending portions 100c, 102c, 104c, 106c at the ends thereof. At either side of the neutral position of the ejecting element 78c, the sections 100c, 104c extend inwardly so that the cam follower 90 is deflected outwardly and is lowered via a ramp 101c onto a lower level (-2). In this direction the ejecting element 78c is such lowered to pass below a tube 12c or 14c. Towards the end of the rotational motion the ejecting element returns again to the starting level (.+-.0), wherein the cam follower 90c is deflected along the portions 102c or 106c towards the inner groove sections 94c when being rotated reverse towards the neutral position. Accordingly, the ejecting element 78c occupies the ejecting position to thus eject a lowermost coin each from the respective tube 12c, 14c to be fed to a coin track 116c including a stepped boundary as shown in FIG. 7 at 118 and 120 to guide coins of different diameters. A spring element 122 shown in FIG. 7 provides for keeping the coin engaging the bottom of the track 116c when being fed along the track towards the returning space (not shown).

The rotor 16c of this embodiment can be formed as the rotor shown in FIGS. 3 and 4.

FIG. 11 shows part of a rotor 16d in which the ejecting element 78c shown in FIG. 10 is replaced by an ejecting element 150 which is pivotally supported about an axis 152 perpendicular with respect to the axis of rotation of the rotor 16d. The ejecting element may be thus pivoted into a recess 154 of the rotor 16d to be placed below the surface of the rotor 16d. In this position the rotor can pass below a coin tube. Preferably, the element 150 is biased to the ejecting position by a spring (not shown) engaging a shoulder of the recess.

When the rotor is moved in the direction of the arrow 156, the ejecting element 150 strikes a lowermost coin in the tube, but effects no ejecting process as the coin must be ejected from the tube in a reverse direction. After the ejecting element has passed the tube, the ejecting element 150 automatically returns to the ejecting position so that a coin may be ejected when the rotor disk 16c rotates in opposite direction.

FIG. 12 shows a top view of a device similar to FIG. 1, but comprises an ejecting pin 20e which is shaped like the pin 20 shown in FIGS. 4 and 5. Thus identical reference numerals are used throughout. Additionally, the base plate 10e is provided with a pair of locking pins 130e, 132e which are supported to be displaced in height. They are biased to occupy a lower position by a spring (not shown). With the pins in an upper position they block the coin outlet 54e (as shown in FIG. 2) of the tubes (FIG. 2 does not show the locking pin). The locking pins thus prevent that the lowermost coin each will be inadvertently moved out from the respective coin tube.

The locking pins 130e, 132e will be actuated by means of an outer control path 134e and an inner control path 136e of the rotor disk 16e. The illustration shows that the circular control path 134e 136e each include a pair of diametrically opposed control sections 138e, 140e and 142e, 144e. When the control sections are located in the region of the locking pins 130e, 132e, the latter are lifted in the locking position. Contrarily, the remaining sections of the control path 134e, 138e are on a lower level resulting in a lower position of the locking pins 130e, 132e which thus do not perform a blocking function. The levels are indicated by .+-.0 and -2.

In accordance with the disclosure above referred to, the locking pins 130e, 132e of both coin tubes 12e, 14e are in a release position during a pay-off operation. The locking pins are substantially in a locking position only when the pay-off pin 20e occupies its neutral position.