Patent ID: 7553223
Filing Date: 2009-06-30
Classification: G07D

Abstract:
1. A coin sorter comprising: a rotatable, resilient disc having a center; a stationary, generally annular plate disposed above said disc, said plate having defined therein a central opening for receiving coins of mixed denominations to be sorted; said plate having an upper side and an underside, said underside comprising a generally spiral, recessed track and an outwardly extending spiral land, said coins becoming captured between said track and said disc, indexed inwardly against said land and aligned in a single layer and a single file; said track terminated at an exit area where said coins may move forward out from under said track, thereby being released by said track, wherein said exit area of said plate has an outer corner of a lower side of said exit area and a corner notch defined therein; a separator strip having a first end located such that said coins may be intercepted and are captured by said strip as soon as they are released by said track, except for the smallest of the coins, which may alternately be separated without being captured by said strip; said strip having a side edge including a series of segments, each said segment having a slightly concave shape facing said center and said segments differing from one another in that the segment nearest to said exit area of said track has the smallest size and the shortest distance to said center, and subsequent segments in the series have progressively larger sizes and longer distances to said center, each said segment corresponding in size with a coin denomination and said coins becoming released from capture upon being propelled past a said segment spaced farther apart from said land against which said coins are indexed than the diameter of the coin, each said coin upon release by said strip being projected outwardly along a specific predetermined path, and wherein said strip has a bent-up projection engaging said corner notch of said exit area; receptacles placed for receiving the resulting separated coins; and means for rotating said disc.