GB2509089A - Coin dispenser - Google Patents

Abstract

A coin dispenser comprises a base plate 2 having a chute 3 extending therefrom for dispensing a coin; a top plate 8 substantially parallel to the base plate and spaced apart from the base plate, the top plate having at least one top aperture 9 extending through the top plate for receiving at least one coin; a dispensing plate 4 arranged between the top plate and base plate and having at least one dispensing aperture 5; the dispensing plate being adapted to be displaced with respect to the top plate between a dispensing position and a non-dispensing position. The dispensing aperture is aligned with a top aperture when the dispensing plate is in the dispensing position so that a coin can pass from the top aperture to the dispensing plate, and the dispensing aperture is not aligned with a top aperture when the dispensing plate is in the non-dispensing position. The top plate may have a plurality of top apertures each holding a number of coins. A hopper 10 may be provided above the top plate. The dispensing plate may be displaced laterally or the dispensing plate can be rotated.

Description

A coin dispenser The present invention relates to a coin dispenser. More particularly, but not exclusively, the present invention relates to a coin dispenser comprising a top plate having a plurality of top apertures extending therethough for receiving coins and a dispensing plate having at least one dispensing aperture extending therethrough, the dispensing plate being adapted to be displaced to a dispensing position with respect to the top plate where the dispensing aperture aligns with a top aperture allowing a coin to pass from the top aperture into the dispensing aperture.

Fruit machines need to be filled with coins on a regular basis. Often, if there are insufficient coins in the fruit machine hopper to pay the maximum payout then the fruit machine cannot operate until the hopper is re-filled. This entails a member of staff standing in front of the machine with a large bag of coins and feeding them one at a time into the hopper. This is a long and laborious job and one which is often left undone for long periods of trading time.

This results in a large loss of machine income due to the machine being out of order.

The dispenser according to the current invention seeks to overcome the problems of the

prior art.

Accordingly, the present invention provides a coin dispenser comprising a base plate having a chute extending therefrom for dispensing a coin; a top plate substantially parallel to the base plate and spaced apart therefrom, the top plate having at least one top aperture extending therethrough for receiving at least one coin; a dispensing plate arranged between the top plate and base plate and having at least one dispensing aperture extending therethrough; the dispensing plate being adapted to be displaced with respect to the top plate between dispensing and non-dispensing position; at least one dispensing aperture being aligned with at least one top aperture when the dispensing plate is in the dispensing position so that a coin can pass from the top aperture to the dispensing plate, and the at least one dispensing aperture not being aligned with a top aperture when the dispensing plate is in the non-dispensing position.

Preferably, the top plate comprises a plurality of top apertures extending therethrough.

Preferably, the coin dispenser further complises a hopper adjacent to the top plate for providing coins to the top plate.

The dispensing plate can be adapted to be displaced laterally with respect to the top plate between dispensing and non-dispensing positions Alternatively, the dispensing plate can be adapted to be rotated about a rotation axis with respect to the top plate between dispensing and non-dispensing positions.

Preferably, the top plate and dispensing plate are circular.

Preferably, the rotation axis passes through the centre of both top plate and dispensing plate.

Preferably, the aperture extends to an edge of the dispensing plate The dispensing plate can be spaced apart from the base plate such that a coin can pass through the dispensing plate to the base plate when the dispensing plate is in the dispensing position.

Alternatively, the dispensing plate abuts or is proximate to the base plate such that when the dispensing plate is in the dispensing position a coin can pass from the top aperture into the dispensing aperture where it is supported by the base plate.

The present invention will now be described by way of example only and not in any limitative sense with reference to the accompanying drawings in which Figure 1 shows in schematic form a coin dispenser according to the invention; and, Figures 2(a) to 2(c) show a further embodiment of the invention in plan view.

Shown in figure 1, in schematic exploded view, is a coin dispenser 1 according to the invention. The coin dispenser 1 comprises a circular base plate 2 having a chute 3 extending therefrom. Arranged on the base plate 2 is a circular dispensing plate 4. The circular dispensing plate 4 has a dispensing aperture 5 extending therethrough. The dispensing aperture 5 extends from the rim 6 of the dispensing plate 4 towards the centre 7 of the plate 4 as shown.

Arranged on the dispensing plate 4 is a top plate 8. The top plate 8 has a plurality of top apertures 9 extending therethrough. The top apertures 9 are equally spaced around the circumference of the top plate 8. Arranged above the top plate 8 is a hopper 10 for receiving coins.

In use coins are tipped into the hopper 10. From here the coins fall into the apertures 9 in the top plate 8. This can be facilitated by shaking the dispenser 1. Typically each aperture 9 in the top plate 8 holds around ten pound coins. The top plate 8 and the base plate 2 are held in fixed relation to each other by a surrounding housing 11. The dispensing plate 4 however is free to rotate with respect to the top plate 8 about a rotation axis 12. The rotation axis 12 passes through the centre of the top plate 8 and dispensing plate 4 as shown.

Once the hopper 10 of the dispenser 1 is loaded with coins the chute 3 is connected to the existing coin feed mechanism on the front of the fruit machine. The housing 11 is held in one hand by the operator. The dispensing plate 4 is then rotated about the rotation axis 12. In the initial configuration the dispensing aperture 5 of the dispensing plate 4 is not aligned with any of the top apertures 9 of the top plate 8. The coins in the top apertures 9 therefore rest on the top face of the dispensing plate 4. This is the non-dispensing configuration of the coin dispenser 1.

As the dispensing plate 4 is rotated the dispensing aperture 5 comes in to alignment with one of the top apertures 9 of the top plate 8. This is the dispensing configuration of the coin dispenser 1. A coin from the aligned top aperture 9 drops from the top aperture 9 and into the dispensing aperture 5, resting on the base plate 2. As the dispensing plate 4 is rotated further the coin in the dispensing aperture 5 rotates with it, urged to move by the side walls of the dispensing aperture 5. Eventually the dispensing plate 4 reaches the point where the dispensing aperture 5 is adjacent to the chute 3. At this point the coin falls down the chute 3 and into the coin feed mechanism of the fruit machine.

Each time the dispensing plate 4 makes one tull rotation about the rotation axis 12 one coin is dispensed down the chute 3 into the coin feed mechanism.

Shown in figure 2(a) is an embodiment of a coin dispenser 1 from above. The coin dispenser 1 comprises a circular top plate 8 fixedly held in a housing 11. The housing 11 comprises a handle 13 by means of which user holds the dispenser 1 in use. In this embodiment the top apertures 9 are equally spaced around the top plate 8 as shown. The wall of the housing 11 above the top plate 8 comprises the hopper 10.

Beneath the top plate 8 is the circular dispensing plate 4. This is shown in plan view in figure 2(b). The dispensing plate 4 comprises a dispensing aperture 5 which extends through the dispensing plate 4. The dispensing aperture 5 extends from the rim towards the rotation axis 12. The dispensing plate 4 further comprises a handle 14 by means of which the dispensing plate 4 is rotated in the housing 11 with respect to the top plate 8.

Below the dispensing plate 4 is the base plate 2 shown in figure 2(c). The base plate 2 is fixedly held in place by the housing 11. The base plate 2 comprises a chute 3 through which the coins are dispensed to the coin mechanism of the fruit machine.

The operation of the coin dispenser 1 shown in figures 2(a) to 2(c) is identical to the operation of the coin dispenser 1 of figure 1 and will not be described in detail.

In the above embodiments the three plates 2,4,8 are close together with the dispensing plate 4 proximate to or abutting the plates 2,8 on either side. When a coin falls from the top aperture 9 it is held in the dispensing aperture 5 supported by the base plate 2. In an alternative embodiment of the invention the base plate 2 is separated from the dispensing plate 4 and top plate 8. A coin which passes through the top aperture 9 passes through the dispensing aperture 5 to the base plate 2 and then passes into the chute 3.

In the above embodiment the dispensing plate 4 comprises only one dispensing aperture 5.

In an alternative embodiment of the invention the dispensing plate 4 comprises a plurality of apertures 5. For each full rotation of the dispensing plate 4 about the rotation axis 12 the number of coins dispensed equals the number of apertures 5 in the dispensing plate 4.

In all the above embodiments the dispensing plate 4 is moved between dispensing and non-dispensing positions by rotation of the dispensing plate 4 about the rotation axis 12. In an alternative embodiment the dispensing plate 4 is displaced between dispensing and non-dispensing positions by laterally sliding the dispensing plate 4.

In further aspects of the invention at least one of the top plate 8 and dispensing plate 4 is not circular.

Claims (11)

1. CLAIMS1. A coin dispenser comprising a base plate having a chute extending therefrom for dispensing a coin; a top plate substantially parallel to the base plate and spaced apart therefrom, the top plate having at least one top aperture extending therethrough for receiving at least one coin; a dispensing plate arranged between the top plate and base plate and having at least one dispensing aperture extending therethrough; the dispensing plate being adapted to be displaced with respect to the top plate between dispensing and non-dispensing position; at least one dispensing aperture being aligned with at least one top aperture when the dispensing plate is in the dispensing position so that a coin can pass from the top aperture to the dispensing plate, and the at least one dispensing aperture not being aligned with a top aperture when the dispensing plate is in the non-dispensing position.
2. 2. A coin dispenser as claimed in claim 1, wherein the top plate comprises a plurality of top apertures extending therethrough.
3. 3. A coin dispenser as claimed in either of claims 1 or 2, further comprising a hopper adjacent to the top plate for providing coins to the top plate. a
4. 4. A coin dispenser as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 3 wherein the dispensing plate is adapted to be displaced laterally with respect to the top plate between dispensing and non-dispensing positions
5. 5. A coin dispenser as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the dispensing plate is adapted to be rotated about a rotation axis with respect to the top plate between dispensing and non-dispensing positions.
6. 6. A coin dispenser as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the top plate and dispensing plate are circular.
7. 7. A coin dispenser as claimed in claim 6, when dependent on claim 5, where the rotation axis passes through the centre of both top plate and dispensing plate.
8. 8. A coin dispenser as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein the aperture extends to an edge of the dispensing plate
9. 9. A coin dispenser as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein the dispensing plate is spaced apart from the base plate such that a coin can pass through the dispensing plate to the base plate when the dispensing plate is in the dispensing position.
10. 10. A coin dispenser as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein the dispensing plate abuts or is proximate to the base plate such that when the dispensing plate is in the dispensing position a coin can pass from the top aperture into the dispensing aperture where it is supported by the base plate.
11. 11. A coin dispenser substantially as hereinbefore described.