US2596123A - Parking meter and coin slot therefor - Google Patents

Description

May 13, 1952 R. BRussARD 2,596,123

PARKING METER AND COIN SLOT THEREFOR Original Filed March 27, 1945 4 Sheets-Sheet l ENE@ |9 3' '9 INVENTOR.

ROBERT BROU y Ruf HIS ATTORNEY May 13, 1952 R. BRoussARD PARKING METER AND COIN SLOT THEREFOR original-Filed March 27, 1945 4 Sheets-Sheet 21 [N V EN TOR. ROBERT BROUSSARD HIS ATTORNEY May 13, 1952 R. BRoUssARD 2,596,123

PARKING METER AND COIN SLOT THEREFOR Original Filed March 27, 1945 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 49 :El E; E 56 |02 54 |02 59 5o c)o 5| 51A O s3 o o O v 42 4|\ G 43 44 20c O H4 2o S 77 Q 75 20a.

INVENTOR. RO ERT BRO ARD BY f" HIS ORNEY May 13, 1952 R. BRoussARD 2,596,123

PARKING METER AND COIN SLOT THEREFOR Original Filed March 27, 1945 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 ROBERT BROUSSARD INV TOR.

HIS ATTORNF'Y Patented May 13, 1952 PARKING METER AND COIN SLUT THEREFOR Robert Broussard, Washington, D. C., assignor, by mesne assignments, to Duncan Parking Meter Corporation, Chicago, Ill., a corporation f Illinois Original application March 27, 1945, Serial No. 585,152. Divided and this application July 18, 1946, Serial No. 684,580

My application is a division of my copending application Serial No. 585,152 filed March 27, 1945, now Patent 2,580,400, issued January l, 1952, and entitled Parking Meter and Coin Slot Therefor and the invention relates to parking meters, for use along streets, roadways and in conjunction with vehicle stalls and parking areas for example.

An object of my invention is the provision of a simple, practical and inexpensive parking meter of rugged construction having cam feed means, forming an integral and essential part of the same,.which is adapted for setting timing mechanism of the apparatus to initiated position while feeding a coin.

Another object is to provide a device of the character indicated wherein driving energy for included set-initiated timing means is stored as an incident to the time-setting operation and in which energy imparted to coin feeding means of the meter is stored for driving the meter timing means.

Another object of my invention is the provision, in a device of the character indicated, of timing apparatus for selective setting to measure any one of several differing periods of time corresponding to different coin values payable to the meter.

A further object is to provide coin feed means in a parking meter, by which an inserted coin is automatically fed to effect the setting of asso` ciated timing mechanism only after external control over the feed means is relinquished; also the provision of a simple arrangement for encasing or housing the timing and coin feed mechanism;

and coin receiver means for passing coins through the meter casing, which while either active or inactive, precludes tampering with the inner workings of the meter through the coin passage. Another object of my invention is the provision in coin feed means of the character indicated of a coin receiver for passing genuine coins through the meter housing and for arresting spurious coins for return to the receiver outlet all while affording protection against external tampering.

A further object of the invention is to provide a device of the character indicated wherein the receipts that have accumulated incident to use are collected within the meter casing in a coin box characterized by certain advantageous features for emptying the same.

Other objects in part will be obvious and in part referred to hereinafter.

The invention accordingly consists in the com bination of elements, features of construction and arrangement of parts as described herein and particularly set forth in the claims at the end of this specification.

In the accompanying drawings, in which like reference characters denote like parts throughout the several views, there is illustrated a parking Claims. (Cl. 194-1) meter embodying certain features of my invention.

Figure l is a front elevation view of a preferred form of my parking meter;

Figure 2 is a partial sectional view in elevation along the line 2 2 of the meter housing with the meter operating mechanism removed;

Figure 3 is a fragmentary sectional side elevation view of the meter coin deposit box along a line 3 3 of Figure 1, showing the coin box door closed;

Figure 4 is a view similar to Figure 3 showing the coin box door open;

Figure 5 is a schematic isometric exploded View of meter operating mechanism in which theinteraction of certain movable parts are illustrated;

Figure 6 is a front elevation view of the meter mechanism; Y

Figure '7 is a plan View corresponding to Figure 6.

Figure 8 is an exploded isometric view of a preferred coin receiver and its mechanism.

Referring now, more particularly, to the practice of my invention, attention is directed to the drawings, notably Figures l and 2. The meter will be seen to comprise an external housing I0 (Fig. l) into which is seated a housing door II. The door is held in place by a screw type lock I2 which engages with post I3 fixed into the housing as best illustrated in Figure 2. The upper part of the door is cut away to provide a glass Window I4 for revealing a time indicator and signal plate which is to be discussed in detail later. A similar window for`revealing a like time indicator and signal plate is provided in the back of the housing. In the housing door I I there is a coin windowv I6 which displays, from inside, the last coin which has served to set the meter. A coin receiver 33 for manipulation in setting the meter extends through the right hand side of the housing (Fig. l). The lower portion of the housing comprises a coin deposit chamber I3 for receiving coins after display of the same at window |51. The housing is sturdily reinforced with reinforcing ribs I9 and on inside walls is shaped to conform with the curvular edges of face plates 20, 20a` and 20h (shown in Fig. 6) so that the meter mechanism is firmly held in place in the housing without necessity for bolting and yet is easily removed.

After the coins have enabled setting of the meter for a paid-for parking period, which operation will be discussed later, they are released into coin chamber 2l enclosed by coin retaining 1 wall 22 and coin chamber door 23. Door 23 is firmly locked by key 24 and latch 25. Attached to door 23 are lever arms 26 and 21 which restrict outward movement of the door within limits of rotation about hinges 28 and29. The ,lever arms 26 are held in position shown in Figure 3 by means of spring 29. When key 24 is turned hereinafter.

open the coin chamber door with one hand andY with the other hand collect coins which are now i free to slide (see Fig. 4) from coin retaining wall or bottom 22 and down between seating elements Y 3| located one on each side of the bottom of the door for the purpose of seating the door in position when closed and for supporting the door (when the door is in open position) on ledge 31a of the meter housing. In wide open position, the door extends lever arms 21 and 23 on each side to their full run which prohibits complete removal of the door. By this hinged action, the door can be pulled free bodily with one hand without danger of dropping and when released slides back under action of spring 29 and guided by seatingelements 3|, to closed position.

In Figure 5, substantially all frame work, face plates, housing, and the like, of the meter have been omitted to facilitate a clearer understanding of certain features of my invention. The mechanism illustrated is adapted for receiving a coin, for example a nickel or a penny, which is inserted in outside end of slot 32 of coin receiver 33. The receiver then is pushed in (counterclockwise) for delivering and depositing the coin to a cooperating carrier or slide for feeding the coin in a manner more particularly discussed This Lmotion of the receiver is transmitted along shaft $4 to sector gear 35 which in turn causes gear 36 and pinion 31 to rotate clockwise driving rack 38 to the right as indicated by arrow in Figure 5. The rack 38 is guided during movement by guide rod 33 whose position is iiXed.

The coin carrier or slide-d, composedof two parallel plates lil connected by lugs 42 and i3 moving in slot 44 (Fig. 6) provided in parallel face plates 20a and 2Gb (Fig. 5), is rigidly attached to rack 38 by connecting plate |45. The platesv 20a, land 20h form the walls of a compartment for the actuating coin asappears more fully hereinafter. A bottom plate 23e' between the plates 20a and 2Gb adjacent slot te (see Fig. 6). forms a iioor or track for supporting the coin during the carrying action. As the rack is driven to theright, so is the slide such that when coin receiver 33 has moved down through the entire path of its arc, the coin slide has moved in synchronism to its extreme right hand position. At this point the coin is discharged from the receiver (this will be described in detail later) and drops between plates 25a, and 23h and onto vbottom plate or track 20c to seat just in front of lugs 43.

The coin receiver 33 referred to hereinbefore, in a preferred form (as illustrated in exploded View in Fig. 8), is movable between Xed side housing members ||3 and H4 and through xed front housing member I i which in the drawing have been exploded out for better revealing certain parts of the receiver. It will be understood that the housing members `iust mentioned form a part of the meter housing l5. The receiver proper includes a casing made up of .chambered portion 33a having an open side and casing plate 33h f or covering the open side. The casing is Vmounted on connecting arms IIB and ||1 which are attached to shaft 34 for rocking motionwith the shaft as an axis. By this arrangement the receiver casing is free to reciprocate through the meter housing, that is, through iront housing member H5. q

Coin entrance slot ||3 and coin exit slot Ile located in opposite faces of the coin receiver casing are obliquely situated with respect to each other, such as illustrated in Figure 8. A coin passage assembly |20 fits into interior chamber |2| of the receiver casing against coil spring |22.

-1 The coin passage assembly |2i) consists of front face plate |33, back face plate |24, two separated coin passage plates |25 one of which has a slotted opening |26, upper and lower follower posts |21, a slot |28 in the front face plate and a slot |29 in the back ace plate. Between the plates |25 and preferably in the same plane with the bottoms of slots |28 and |29, is a coin passage bottom enabling free feed of a coin in either direction through the passage assembly. Slots |28 and |29, although on the oblique with respect to each other, are positioned on the vertical to enable sequential alignment thereof with the space between the coin passage plates |25.

The casing plate 33h encloses the coin passage assembly in chamber |2|, and has upper and lower holes |3| therein in such position as to permit entry of the follower posts |21. The plate is shown cut away to reveal a permanent magnet |32 attached thereto on the inside face in such position that when the coin receiver is assembled the magnet protrudes through slotted opening |26; the Vplate being securely mounted, as by means of screws, to close off the open side of chambered portion 33a of the casing.

Considering now that these parts are assembled as explained above, the operation is as follows: When a coin (either a penny or a nickel) is inserted in coin entrance slot ||8 of coin receiver 33, it passes through slot |23 in the front face plate of coin passage assembly |20 and then into the slot between coin passage plates |25. These are maintained directly in line in the following manner: The follower posts |21 whichv are attached to the coin passage assembly |23 and protrude through holes |3|in casing plate33b are riding against the inside wall of the housing member Hdl. This wall is machined to provide a cam surface |33 (the housing member is cut away in Fig. 3 to illustrate this). When the coin is rst inserted, the follower posts |21 are riding against an upper section ofthe cam surface |33 which projects inwards so that the coin passage assembly is forced well back into interior chamber |2| of coin receiver 33, inwhich position coin entrance slot H8 and the slot between coin passage plates |25V are lined up (note however that at this point the coin exit slot ||9 is not lined up with the slot between the coin passage plates |25 so that the coin cannot pass out of the exit end of the coin receiver 33). With the coin lodged in the slots between the coin passage plates |25, the person depositing the coin pushes receiver 33 forward rotating it about shaft 34. As it moves forward the follower posts |21 vbeing guided down cam surface |33 begin to' move outwards forced by spring |22 as the follower posts |21 enter the bevelled portion of thecam surface |33a. When the follower posts have reached the end of the bevelled portion of the cam surface which occurs at least before completion of the in stroke of thel receiver reciprocating movement, the coin passage assembly has shifted so that the slot |29 in the back face plate lof lthe coin passage assembly is now lined up with the coin exit slot I3. The coin is now free to drop out of the coin receiver by gravity onto the coin slide el?. The movement of the coin passage assembly, therefore, is so designed that when the coin is first deposited it will not pass through -the receiver and is held in the coin passage assembly until the coin receiver has been pushed all the way in. Once the receiver is pushed in no tampering can be brought to bear upon the coin for alignment no longer exists with the inlet opening.

In the event that a slug is deposited, the slug is rejected preferably in the following manner: As the slug enters the coin entrance slot l'and then into the slot between the coin passage plates |25 the permanent magnet |32 on the rear face of the coin receiver plate |30 is held away from the slug because the coin passage assembly |20 is held back away from it by follower posts |21 being depressed by cam surface |33. As the coin receiver 33 rotates forward, however, coin passage assembly |20 moves forward in chamber 3301l so that now the slug is directly adjacent to magnet |32. Since slugs, as distinguished from genuine coins, are generally of a ferrous base alloy and are therefore magnetic, the magnet |32 grasps the slug and now that the slot |29 in the back face plate of the coin passage assembly is in line with the coin exit slot ||9, instead of passing through into the mechanism the slug is held firmly against the magnet to initiate return of the same to the inlet opening. As the coin receiver retracts in a clockwise direction when pressure against it is released, the coin passage mechanism is again depressed by action against cam surface |33 so that the slug carried in the slot 'between the coin passage plates is moved back and away from the magnet. After the coin receiver 33 returns with shaft 34 to normal position, at which slot |28 in front face plate |23 once more is aligned with coin entrance slot I8, the slug is discharged from the coin receiver 33 through the latter slot. The gravity discharge of slugs through slot 8 and of genuine coins through slot IIS conveniently is achieved by construction of the meter to ensure that the coin passage oor between plates |25 is carried to neutral gravity feeding position somewhere intermediate normal and fully depressed positions of the tiltable receiver, yet is tilted toward slot ||8 in normal position of the receiver and toward slot ||9 when the receiver is in fully depressed position. When nickels or pennies are deposited, being non-ferrous, they are not held by magnet |32 on the feed stroke and thus are allowed to pass through coin exit slot H9 into the coin slide to set the meter timing mechanism.

As many possible embodiments may be made of my invention and' as many changes may be made in the embodiment hereinbefore set forth, it is to be understood that all matter described herein, or shown in the accompanying drawings, is to be interpreted as illustrated and not as -a limitation.

I claim:

1. A coin feed device comprising, in combination receiver1 means horizontally mounted for forward and back movement in a vertical plane and having vertical inlet and outlet openings therein positioned obliquely to each other, and means forming a part of said receiver means and operated by the forward and back movement thereof for laterally shifting an inserted coin from alignment with said vertical inlet in the back position to alignment with the vertical outlet upon forwardly moving said receiver means.

2. In combination, a coin receiver mounted for forward and return movement and having inlet and outlet openings therein positioned obliquely to each other and to such movement, coin passage means forming a part of said receiver and movable in a direction laterally of such forward and return movement of said receiver for transporting a coin to either of said openings, and means for laterally shifting said laterally movable coin passage means from alignment with said inlet in the initial position of said receiver to alignment with said outlet in the forward position of said receiver.

3. In a parking meter, a coin receiver mounted for oscillating movement in one plane and having inlet and outlet openings positioned therein in spaced parallel planes, a coin feed channel housed within said receiver and mounted for lateral movement between planes, and cam means associated with said receiver and in contact with said coin feed channel for moving said feed channel from alignment with said inlet in the initial position of the receiver to alignment with the outlet in the forward position of the receiver and then back into alignment with said inlet upon return of the receiver to initial position, all with a cycle of oscillation of the receiver.

4. In a parking meter, a coin receiver mounted for rocking forwardly and back in a vertical plane and above a horizontal axis and having therein an inlet opening and a laterally spaced outlet opening for gravity discharge from the outlet opening upon the forward position being reached and for gravity discharge from the inlet upon the return position being reached, laterally movable coin passage means forming a part of said receiver for transporting a coin, and means laterally shifting said coin passage means into alignment with said outlet opening upon forwardly rocking said receiver to permit discharge of a coin therethrough and back into alignment with said inlet opening upon backwardly rocking Said receiver to permit return discharge of any coin not discharged upon forward movement.

5. In a parking meter, a coin receiver mounted for forward and return movement in a vertical plane and having vertical inlet and outlet openings out of alignment with each other, spring means tending to hold said receiver in the return position resisting a forward effort, l-aterally movable coin passage means forming a part of said receiver for transporting a coin to either of said openings, and cam means mounted adjacent said coin receiver and cooperating with said coin passage means to laterally shift the Coin passage means into alignment with said vertical outlet opening upon said coin receiver being moved to its forward position against the action of said spring means and reversely shifting said passage means into alignment with said inlet opening upon return of said receiver under the action of said spring means.

ROBERT BROUSSARD.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the nle of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 517,012 Peirce Mar. 20, 1894 1,982,274 Bogel Nov. Z'l', 1934 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 291,151 Germany July 6, 1915

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