Patent ID: 6732848
Filing Date: 2004-05-11
Classification: G07F

Abstract:
A tamper-resistant device for converting a non-tamper-resistant coin accepting machine into a tamper-resistant coin accepting machine, the non-tamper-resistant coin accepting machine having a first housing with a vertically-disposed front panel, a vertically-oriented non-tamper-resistant coin slot for accepting coins, a container for holding the coins, and a coin track for guiding the coins from the coin slot to the container, the tamper-resistant device comprising:a second housing having a vertically-oriented deposit slot and a vertically-oriented exit slot, the exit slot being horizontally and vertically offset from the deposit slot, the second housing being mounted onto the external surface of the front panel of the first housing so that the exit slot is in alignment with the non-tamper-resistant coin slot, the exit slot being configured with a drop angle so that a coin can roll along the drop angle through the exit slot and into the non-tamper-resistant coin slot, the second housing having a bore therein; securing means for securing the second housing to the front panel of the first housing in a tamper-resistant manner; and a coin receiving structure, located within the bore of the second housing, that has a coin cradle that is movable between the deposit slot and the exit slot, wherein the coin receiving structure is configured to be non-removable by the user; whereby when the second housing is mounted on the first housing, the non-tamper-resistant coin slot is converted to a tamper-resistant coin slot, such that when a coin is inserted into the deposit slot and received in the coin cradle, a user then moves the coin receiving structure to align the coin cradle with the exit slot and thus depositing the coin in the non-tamper-resistant coin slot in the coin accepting machine.