US1515549A - Coin-delivery or change-giving machine - Google Patents

Description

Nov. 11,1 24. 1,515,549

T. W. CHICK COIN DELIVERY 0R CHANGE GIVING MACHINE Filed Sept. 14, 1923 5 Sheets-Shej COIN DELIVERY OR CHANGE GIVING MACHINE Filed Sept. 14. 1923 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 s6 gg 41 2 T. W. CHICK com DELIVERY OR CHANG E GIVING MACHINE 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Inventor: W. Chick.

Actovggy- Filed Sept. 14.

1,515,549 T. w. CHICK COIN DELIVERY OR CHANGE GIVING MACHINE Filed Sept 14 2993 s Sheets-Shet 4 m 1, [1 r 1 fll w P 0 o 0 Q Q 0 g G M O 0 &

[naghfar Patented Nov. 11, 1924-.

UNEEEQ STATES THOMAS WILLIAM CHICK, OF LONDON, ENGLAND.

COIN-DELIVERY OR CHANGE-GIVING MACHINE.

Application filed September 14, 1923. Serial No. 662,675.

To all whom it may concern.

Be it known that I, THOMAS WILLIAM CHICK, a subject of the King of Great Britain, residing at London England, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Coin-Delivery or Change-Giving Machines, .of which the following is a specitication,

This invention relates to coin-delivery or change giving machines.

Hitherto it has been usual to stack coins of different values in receptacles, the actuation of a key operating a coin ejector at the base of the corresponding receptacle to eet one or more coins therefrom, or in some instances the key operates a number of ejectors simultaneously to eject coins of a sum equal in value to that indicated on the particular key actuated.

In order to ensure a reasonable capacity for the machine it is usual to fill the coin receptacles with comparatively high stacks of coins and consequently the load on the coin being ejected necessitates such force to be applied to the keys as to render the working of the machine a fatiguing operation. The presence of damaged or irregular coins in the receptacles likely to result in jamming of the ejector mechanism necessitates a tedious clearingof the particular receptacle and a more difiicult removal of the jammed coin, so that considerable delay is involved in putting the machine in working order again.

In a machine according to the invention the above difficulties are avoided; that is to say (1.) the force required to manipulate the keys is comparatively light, as it is independent of the weight of the coin stored in the machine; and (2) the removal of jammed coins can be efl'ec-ted by removing only a very few of'the coins from the machine, the main storage being unaffected.

Inorder to avoid the excessive resistance to the operation of the ejecting mechanism due to the weight of the stored coins, the

coins are stored in a main storage mecha- By thus separating the storage mechanism from the receivers the resistance to ejection is reduced to that dependent on the weight of the very few coins in the receivers. The feeding of the coins from main storage to receivers is preferably controlled by automatic controllers or feelers which only allow the main storage mechanism or mechanism associated therewith to become operative as and when the receivers require replenishing. The feelers are adapted to lock the ejector mechanism in the event of a receiver being empty or not containing sufficient coins.

The coins released from the storage mechanism are preferably delivered to the receivers by means of inclined chutes.

Should an irregular coin happen to fall into the receiver and jam in the exit there from, its abstraction is facilitated by each receiver being carried by a (pivoted frame and the storage mechanism being also pivoted, so that the latter can be swung about its pivot and by suitable means retract the feelers from the receivers and leave each receiver frame free to be moved about its pivot, to remove the coins from the receivers and allow of the jammed coin being abstracted.

In the accompanying drawings:

Figure 1 is a side sectional elevation of a coin delivery machine, showing one form of coin storage and feeding mechanism other parts of the machine being omitted for sake of clearness, V

Figure 2 is an underside sectional plan of one storage unit, part of an adj acent unit being indicated,

Figure 3 is a side elevation of a cam plate and delivery lever for operating the storage mechanism.

Figure 4 is a cross section of the upper part of two coin conveyors.

Figure 5 is a detail plan of part of a conveyor.

Figure 6 is a diagrammatic plan of the complete machine, only a few of the coin pockets of the conveyors and a few of the setting keys being indicated.

Figure 7 is a diagrammatic sectional elevation indicating the coin storage mech machine provided with finger keys 2 which are manipulated for the purpose of determining the total value of the coins to be deliver-ed, and with a lever 3 which is operated after each selective operation of the keys 2, to effect the actual delivery of the coins by means of ejectors 4. The selective mechanism and ejector mechanism are not illustrated as they do not form part of the present invention and may be of any suitable or well known type.

A main storage for coins is arranged in the upper part of the machine and is enclosed in a casing 5 pivotable about a shaft 6 carried by the main casing 1. The casing 5 is conveniently provided with a front lip T which in the normal position of the casing 5 rests on a ledge 8 on the casing 11. The casing 5 however is free to be raised, for example by a hand grip 9, and may be retained in the raised position by a catch 10 engaging with the ledge 8, as indicated in Figure 7 and for the purpose hereinafter revealed.

The casing 5 contains a number of chain conveyors each comprising, for instance,

two endless chains 11 passing around a sprocket wheel 12 and wheels 13 and 13 freely mounted on the shafts 6, 14 and 14 respectively, the chains having numerous transverse partitions 15 which, as they pass over a stationary table 16, form with the (-hains compartments to receive the coins 17 and to retain them in an upright position on edge. The table 16 is preferably inrlinedso that the coins tend to tilt rearwardl'y and not forwardly. It will be understood that there is a separate conveyor for the coins of each denomination to be stored in the machine, although several 'onveyors may contain coins of the same dcnomination.

Each conveyor is independent of the others in its operation and each has a coin receiver 18 allotted to it, and which it feeds with coins as hereinafter described, the coins being ejected from the receiver 18 by the ejector 4. The sprocket wheel 12 of each conveyor is provided with a ratchet toothed wheel 20, and opposite to each ratchet wheel 20 is a pawl 21, all the pawls being carried by a bar 22 which extends across the machine and, as hereinafter described, is moved at least once each time that the delivery lever 3 is operated to eject coins from the machine.

The stroke of each pawl 21 is constanthut the position of a mask 23 relative to each ratchet wheel 20 determines the effect of each pawl on its ratchet wheel, the mask exposing more or less teeth to the pawl according to the space vacant for coins in the respective receiver 18, the pawl being entirely ineffective when the receiver is full of coins. The mask is carried by a lever 24 pi'votable about the shaft 6 and pivotally i'onnected at 25 to a toothed segment 26 which is carried by a lever 27 freely pivoted on a sleeve 28 on a square shaft 29 (see Figures 1 and 2). A detent 30, pivoted at 31 and provided with a spring 32, engages with the teeth of the segment 26. The detent has an arm 53 which, at each delivery operation of the machine, is raised synchronously with the pawl 21 by a bar 54 which extends across the machine and engages with all the detents. The bar 54 is carried by levers 55 pivoted at 56 to the sides of the casing 5, (Figure The bar 54 is raised at an appropriate time by the end 57 of a lever 58 freely pivoted on the cross shaft 6, the lever 58 having a roller 59 engaged by cams 60 hereinafter referred to. The levers 58 also carry the bar 22 which carries the pawls 21 which are raised for operative movement prior to the striking of the bar 54.

A feeler 33 which at its lower end enters the receiver 18 is pivotally connected at its upper end 34 to a lever 35 also freely mounted on the sleeve 28. The two levers 27 and 35 have bosses 36 and 37 respectively. The bosses are provided with interengaging jaws 36, 37 which are so spaced as to limit the relative movement between the two levers. A lever 38 on the square shaft 29 has a lug 39 for engagement with the lever 35 so as to raise it and therefore the feeler 83 away from the receiver 18 each time that the shaft 29 is rotated, during the delivery operation of the machine. A coiled spring 86 is interposed between the two bosses 36', 3? so that when the lever 35 is raised the spring 86 is energized. The motion of the lever 35 however is not imparted to the mask 23 through the medium of the spring 86, and the levers 2'7, 24 so long as the detent 30 is engaging with the toothed segment 26, that is, while the pawl 21 is driving the ratchet wheel 20. An extension 40 of the lever 35 engages with a stop 41 when the feeler 33 falls to its lowermost position, namely when the receiver 18 is empty. The feeler has a pin 42 sliding in a slot 43 in a lever 44 pivoted at 45, a spring 46 being attached to the pin 42 and to the pivot 45. A coiled spring 47 tends to hold the lever 44 in its lower position as indicated in Figure 1 to hold the feeler constantly in contact with the uppermost coin. A chute 48 guides the coins as they fall over the edge of the table 16 to a lower chute 49 which guides them into the receiver 18. The part 50 of the edge of the receiver 18 is I'B-lHtlXBly higher than the remainder so as to arrest the falling coins momentarily, and to ensure that they will fall into the receiver. Any coin which overshoots the receiver slides down the plate 51 into a receptacle 52 from which it may be removed and if desired reinserted into the main storage conveyor. The chute 48 of each storage conveyor is fitted at the top with a sliding shutter 69. provided with teeth 70, and an opening 72. The teeth erect any coins sloping in one direction, and a stop 88 erects any coins sloping in the other direction, as they press against the teeth and stop. The shutter is opened by a lever 7 3 fulcrumed at 74 and pivotally connected at to a connecting rod 76 which is moved back by the pin 77 of a crank 7 8 mounted on the shaft 29, the pin 77 engaging within a slot 79 in the connecting rod. Springs 71 and return these parts. The connecting rod 7 6 is formed integrally with a plate 81 which it moves across the lower end r of the chute to deflect any coins which may fall on and tend to remain on the lower part of the conveyor. The width of the chute 18 is greater than the maximum movement of the conveyor at each delivery operation so that the chute cannot be choked with coins. The deflector 81 is moved back clear of the chute just as the delivery of coins begins and is advanced across the chute before a second delivery occurs so to ensure that no coins shall remain lodged on the lower part of the conveyor when a subsequent delivery is effected.

It is preferred to provide for two intermittent feeding movements for each storage conveyor on each delivery operation of the machine. for the purpose of avoiding jamming which might occur if a large number of coins were fed at one operation. For example. as seen in Figure 3, the delivery lever 3 has a roller 61 engaging with the slotted end 62 of the cam plate 63 slida-bly mounted on rollers 64:. The cam plate has two rises or cams 65 for engagement with a roller 66 on a bell-crank lever 67 secured to the square shaft 29 and provided with a return spring 68, so that when the delivery lever 3 is pulled forward by the operator to deliver coins, the shaft 29 receives two complete intermittent oscillations. The cam plate 63 also has two rises or cams 60 which operate the pawls 21 and release the detent 3O twice for each delivery movement of the lever 3.

These cams are so arranged that at the beginning of the movement of the lever 3 all the feelers 33 are first raised, (thereby energizing the springs 86 and 47), then held raised until the pawls 21 (due to the first cam 60) rotate the ratchet wheels 20 to the extent allowed by the masks 23 determined by the previous setting thereof by the feelers 33, the masks being held in the determined positions, by the detents 30 engaging with the toothed segments 26 as hereinbefore described. If coins are required in any receiver 18 the conveyor appertaining to it will move forward so that coins are thrust over the edge of the chute t8 and fall into the receiver 18. Towards the end of each driving movement or stroke of the pawl 21 on engagement with the lowed to fall together under the influence of the coiled spring 47 until the feelers 33 strike the coins in the receivers 18, the detents 30 in the meantime slipping on the segments 26 having been duly released by the bar 54E.

The masks are thereby set accordingly ready for the next operation.- As the lever 3 completes its operative movement the above operations are repeated.

Should a coin jam in the receiver 18, the operator raises the casing 5 into the position indicated in Figure 7. He can then pull the wire loop 82 and thereby tilt the receiver 18 forward about the pivot 83 so emptying the loose coins into the receptacle and then remove the jammed coin 17, Figure 7.

Should a receiver be allowed to become empty a projection 84: on the ejector engages with :1 lug 85 on the lever lei and the delivery lever 3 is locked. The main storage conveyors are exposed on top to the operator so that he can'readily see whether any compartments require replenishing and refill them as required. I

Should a gap or empty compartment be left in front of filled compartments the particular conveyor can be "pushed forward by hand to bring the filled compartment into position adjacent to the edge of the table.

An additional mask 90, Figures 2 and 8, is added to compensate for the difference in thickness of small coins, such as sixpences or threepenny pieces, or other thin coins of other coinage, so as to limit constantly the effective stroke of the pawl, for those conveyors handling these coins only.

I claim:

1. A coin delivery machine, comprising means for storing coins in assorted groups, means for separating some of the coins from each group and stacking them face to face in a pile, means for ejecting coins from said pile. and means adapted to be regulated by the coins in the pile for governing the aforesaid separating means, so that, prior to each ejection from the pile, only sufiicient coins are separated from the assorted group appertaining thereto and are fed to the pile to maintain therein a number slightly in excess of that required to be ejected therefrom during one delivery operation of the iii machine, for the purpose of minimizing the resistance to ejection due to the friction between the face of a coin being ejected and the adjacent face of the stationary coin next above it, which friction is dependent on the weight of the stationary coins in the pile.

2. In a coin delivery machine a conveyor adapted to hold coins in bulk and on edge, a receiver for holding coins fed to it by said conveyor, driving mechanism for said conveyor comprising an oscillatory driving clutch, and means regulated by coins in the receiver for varying the effective stroke of said clutch.

3. In a coin delivery machine, a conveyor adapted to hold coins in bulk and on edge, a receiver for holding coins fed to it by said conveyor, driving mechanism for said conveyor comprising a ratchet wheel and a I oscillatory pawl for driving said ratchet Wheel, and means regulated by coins in the receiver for varying the effective stroke of said pawl relatively to the teeth of said ratchet wheel.

4. In a coin delivery machine a conveyor adapted to hold coins in built and on edge, a receiver for holding coins fed to it by said conveyor, driving mechanism for said conveyor comprising a ratchet wheel and an oscillatory pawl for driving said ratchet wheel, a mask adapted to he oscillated over the teeth of said ratchet wheel so as to expose more or less teeth thereof to the effect of said pawl, and means regulated by coins in the receiver for setting said mask.

5. In a coin delivery machine a conveyor adapted to hold coins in bulk and on edge, a receiver for holding coins fed to it by said conveyor, driving mechanism for said conveyor comprising a ratchet Wheel and an oscillatory pawl for driving said ratchet wheel, a mask adapted to be oscillated over the teeth of said ratchet wheel so as to as pose more or less teeth thereof to the effect of said pawl, and means regulated by coins in the receiver for setting said mask, comprising a lever carrying said mask and pivotally connected to a segment lever having a toothed segment, a detent pivoted on a stationary part of the machine for engagement with said segment, a feeler lever adapted to be raised and lowered on each operation of the machine and to enter tile aforesaid receiver and to engage with any coins therein. a spring between said segment lever and said feeler lever, means for limiting relative angular mot-ion between them, and means for disengaging said detent from said segment on each operation of the machine for the purpose of allowing said seg ment lever under the action of said spring to adjust itself and set the mask, substantially as hereinbefore set forth.

6. In a coin delivery machine a table, a conveyor having a number of bottomless compartments for the reception of coins on edge, driving means for moving said conveyor over said table intermittently, so as to feed said coins over the edge of the table, a receiver for the reception of the coins so fed, and means regulated by coins in the receiver for governing said driving means substantially as hereinbefore set forth.

7. In a coin delivery machine a table, an endless conveyor having compartments for the reception of coins on edge, driving means for moving said. conveyor over and below said table for the purpose of feeding coins along said table and allowing them to fall a few at a time over one edge thereof, means for erecting any sloping coins approaching said edge, a chute extending from said edge, to the part of the conveyor passing beneath said table and means for ejecting any coins which may rest on said conveyor at the lower end of said chute.

S. In a coin delivery machine means for storing coins in bulk and for feeding coins intermittently a few at a time, receivers for the reception of the coins so fed and ejectors for ejecting coins from said receivers, said coin storage and feeding means being carried by a framework pivoted to the main frame of the machine, and said receivers being pivoted to the frame of the machine, substantially and for the purpose hereinbefore set forth.

8. In a coin delivery machine, means for storing coins in bulk and for feeding coins intermittently, receivers for the coins so fed, ejectors for ejecting coins from said receivers, driving mechanism for said coin feeding means, means regulated by the coins in the receivers for governing said driving mechanism and adapted to lock said ejectors when any receiver is empty, substantially as hcreinbefore set forth.

10. In a coin delivery machine an inclined table, independent conveyors for storing coins in bulk on edge on said table and separate means for moving each conveyor up said table for the purpose of gradually delivering coins over the upper ecge thereof, substantially as hereinbefore set forth.

11. In a coin delivery machine an inclined table, a plurality of independent conveyors for storing coins in bulk on edge on said table, separate means for moving each conveyor up said table for the purpose of gradually delivering coins over the upper edge thereof, a plurality of receivers below the table, there being one receiver for each conveyor to receive the coins delivered thereby, and means controlled by coins in each receiver for regulating the means for moving its respective conveyor. substantially as and for the purpose hereinbefore set forth.

In, testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification.

THOMAS WILLIAM CHICK.

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