Patent ID: 6679770
Filing Date: 2004-01-20
Classification: G07D

Abstract:
An apparatus for counting and sorting different kind of tokens comprising:a rotary disc having an upper surface for supporting the token, the disc being rotatable manually or by a driver; a generally arcuate token transfer track extending along an outer circumference of the rotary disc for supporting a discal surface of each token, the transfer track including a token transfer inlet for receiving the tokens across the outer circumference for the rotary disc; a plurality of sorting holes formed in the token transfer track or successively sorting and dropping the tokens in an order of increasing diameters as the tokens are transferred from an upstream side toward a downstream side in a transfer direction; an annular transfer belt disposed above the outer circumference of the rotary disc for rotation together with the rotary disc to transfer the tokens with the discal surface of each token held pressed against a surface of the token transfer track; a token discerner provided in the token transfer track between the token transfer inlet and the sorting hole located at the most upstream position in the transfer direction for counting the tokens while determining diameters of the tokens; a controller for calculating results obtained by the token discerner; a display for displaying the calculated results, which include the count of tokens for each kind and a total number of the tokens; and a reference guide plate having an outer circumferential edge that provides an inner circumferential wall of the token transfer track for contact with a circumferential edge of each transferred token, the reference guide plate being disposed outwardly from the outer circumference of the rotary disc; wherein the reference guide plate is arranged so that the inner circumferential wall is close to the outer circumference of the rotary disc at a position adjacent the token transfer inlet and gradually deviates away from the outer circumference of the rotary disc while approaching an inner circumference of the transfer belt between the token transfer inlet and the token discerner as the inner circumferential wall extends downstream in the transfer direction; wherein the transfer belt has a lower surface formed with a multiplicity of projecting fins that are arranged at a predetermined pitch and are elastically deformable for pressing the tokens toward an upper surface of the token transfer track, the fins forcing the circumferential edge of each transferred token into contact with the outer circumferential edge of the reference guide plate at a portion downstream from the token discerner.