Patent ID: 6393799
Filing Date: 2002-05-28
Classification: B65B

Abstract:
A coin box cassette loading system adapted to open a pre-packaged box containing coin rolls and empty the coin rolls into a coin roll cassette, said coin roll boxes having generally rectangular shapes, said coin rolls being packaged within the box so that each roll's longitudinal axis is transverse to the longitudinal axis of a box, comprising:a box opening apparatus having a front, rear, two opposite sides, top and bottom, said top and bottom being generally horizontal, planar platforms interconnected by a vertical support structure; a circular slitting blade attached to a shaft element driven by a motor, said shaft element being attached to the box opening apparatus top platform rear portion and positioned vertically so that the motor is positioned below the top platform and the slitting blade positioned above the top platform, said shaft element being further positioned in the top platform rear portion so that a front portion of the slitting blade protrudes out of the top platform rear portion toward the apparatus front; and a cassette loader comprised of: a generally rectangular, hollow container having a top, bottom, first side, second side, open front, closed rear and an interior defined by said top, bottom, sides, front and rear, said top having an opening to the interior adjacent the first side, said sides defining a longitudinal loader axis; a wedge-shaped platform positioned within the loader container interior, said platform having a width equal to the width of the sides and beginning at the first side near to the top and extending downward to a junction formed by the loader container bottom and the second side; a coin roll holding area comprised of a loading hopper, mounted on the loader container top, said hopper being defined by a first side flange and a second side flange, said flanges having a separation slightly larger than a longitudinal length of a box of coin rolls; a horizontal roller attached to the loader container rear, said roller extending to the front and being parallel to the bottom and sides and being perpendicular to the rear, said roller being positioned near to the top adjacent to and on one side of the loader container opening, said loader container opening, first side and roller forming a loader throat; wherein a coin roll cassette is positioned on the wedge platform with the cassette having an open end adjacent the loader throat.