Abstract:
A coin sorter machine including an encoder and a sensor assembly more accurately determines the position of coins in a coin sorting path to facilitate coin sorting. The coin sorter uses a coin size attribute to more accurately calculate the timing of interactions between coins on the coin sorting path and one or more components of the coin sorter. One such component is a diverter configured to perform an offsorting operation.

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
       [0001]    This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application 61/590,539, filed Jan. 25, 2012, hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety. 
     
    
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    The present application relates to coin processing equipment and, more particularly, to coin sorters. 
       BACKGROUND 
       [0003]    Zweig et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,992,602, assigned to the assignee herein, discloses a coin sorter having a circular sorting track with an outside reference edge. The coins are moved by a coin moving disk with fingers that press down on and push the coin along its path. An upstanding half shah of semicircular cross section is disposed along the reference edge to allow coins to pass, and is rotated to urge a selected coin away from the rim to an offsort location inward of the reference edge. The offsorting is actuated by an induction coil located beneath the track in advance of the diverter mechanism, when the signals generated from that coin do not fall within a range of acceptable values. 
         [0004]    In Brandle et al., U.S. Pat. No. 6,729,461, assigned to the assignee herein, an optical sensor is used to detect coins by denomination by measuring a size of each coin. Inductive sensors measure alloy characteristics. These measurements are used to detect invalid coins, which are then offsorted. The offsorting arrangement in Brandle contained a transition area for diverting the coin out of the coin track to an opening, which was similar to the arrangement in U.S. Pat. No. 5,992,602. 
         [0005]    It is now desired to improve the speed and accuracy of the offsorting operation by actuating the diverter mechanism based on a more precise determination of the coin position in the coin path. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0006]    This invention concerns an improvement in coin sorter machines using an encoder to facilitate coin sorting. In particular, a coin sorter having an encoder is provided that uses a coin size attribute to more accurately calculate the timing of interactions between coins on a coin sorting path and one or more components of the coin sorter. One such component is a diverter configured to perform an offsorting operation. 
         [0007]    More particularly, a coin handling machine having a queuing mechanism for feeding coins to a sorting mechanism includes a reference edge disposed along a sorting disk for coins moving along a coin sorting path, the sorting disk having at least one opening for receiving valid coins as the coins travel along the coin sorting path, a drive member adjacent to the sorting disk for control of coins as the coins are moved in a single layer and a single file along the reference edge, a diverter disposed along the reference edge, the diverter member being operable to project into the coin sorting path in advance of the sorting openings to move a coin selected for offsorting away from the reference edge and an offsort opening near the sorting path, the offsort opening being located between the diverter member and the at least one opening for receiving valid coins, spaced from the reference edge, and positioned in the coin sorting path to receive coins that have been moved laterally toward the offsort opening. The coin handling machine further includes a coin sensor station configured to sense at least a coin size attribute of each coin and an encoder providing an encoder count based on the rotation of the drive member, wherein the operation of the diverter is controlled based on at least the encoder count and the coin size attribute. 
         [0008]    In another embodiment, the invention concerns a method of counting coins in a coin sorter before reaching an opening to at least one collection receptacle. The method includes driving a plurality coins along their outer edges against a coin track that is adjacent a reference edge with the coins extending outwardly over an inside edge of the coin track, calculating a coin travel speed along the coin track based on an encoder counter using a controller module receiving data from an encoder, sensing at least a coin size attribute of the coin at a sensor assembly on the coin track and counting the coin based on an interaction between the coin and one of a coin offsorting opening and a coin sorting opening based on the coin travel speed and the coin size attribute. 
         [0009]    In another embodiment, the coin travel speed and the coin size attribute are used to determine a position of every coin on the coin sorting path after the sensor assembly. In another embodiment, the position determination includes a position determination of both leading and trailing edges of the coin and is used to calculate an interaction time for the coin and a diverter prior to counting the coin at the offsort opening. In yet another embodiment, the operation of a diverter is controlled based on at least a lag time associated with the diverter, the encoder count and the coin size attribute 
         [0010]    Other objects and advantages of the invention, besides those discussed above, will be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art from the description of the preferred embodiments which follows. In the description, reference is made to the accompanying drawings, which form a part hereof, and which illustrate examples of the invention. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       [0011]    Referring to  FIG. 1 , the coin handling machine  10  is a sorter of the type shown and described in Zwieg et al., U.S. Pat. No 5,992,602, and previously offered under the trade designation, “Mach 12” and “Mach 6” by the assignee of the present invention. This type of sorter  10 , sometimes referred to as a  FIG. 8  type sorter, has two interrelated rotating disks, a first disk operating as a queuing disk  11  to separate the coins from an initial mass of coins and arrange them in a single file of coins  14  to be fed to a sorting disk assembly. The queuing disk  11  can be operated to feed coins up to a rate of 6000 coins per minute. 
         [0012]    A sorting disk assembly has a lower sorter plate  12  with coin sensor station  40 , an offsort opening  31  and a plurality of sorting openings  15 ,  16 ,  17 ,  18 ,  19  and  20 . There may be as many as ten sorting openings, but only six are illustrated for this embodiment. The first five sorting openings are provided for handling U.S. denominations of penny, nickel, dime, quarter and dollar. From there, the coins are conveyed by shoots to collection receptacles as is well known in the art. The sixth sorting opening can be arranged to handle half dollar coins or used to offsort all coins not sorted through the first five apertures. In some embodiments as many as nine sizes can be accommodated. It should be noted that although only six sizes are shown, the sorter may be required to handle coins with twice the number of specifications. The machine can also be adapted to handle the Euro coin sets of the EU countries, as well as coin sets of other countries around the world. 
         [0013]    As used herein, the term “apertures” shall refer to the specific sorting openings shown in the drawings. The term “sorting opening” shall be understood to not only include the apertures, but also sorting grooves, channels and exits seen in prior art. 
         [0014]    The sorting disk assembly also includes an upper, rotatable, coin moving member  21  with a plurality of fins  22  or fingers which push the coins along a coin sorting path  23  over the sorting openings  15 ,  16 ,  17 ,  18 ,  19  and  20 . The coin moving member is a disk, which along with the fins  22 , is made of a light transmissive material, such as acrylic. The coin driving disk may be clear or transparent, or it may be milky in color and translucent. In one embodiment, the coin driving disk may be an elastic disk drive, described in more detail in Adams et al., U.S. Pat. No. 8,267,755, issued Sep. 18, 2012. 
         [0015]    The fins  22  of the prior art device shown in  FIG. 1 , also referred to as “webs,” are described in more detail in Adams et al., U.S. Pat. No 5,525,104, issued Jun. 11, 1996. Briefly, they are aligned along radii of the coin moving member  21 , and have a length equal to about the last 10% of the radius from the center of the circular coin moving member  21 . 
         [0016]    An arcuate rail formed by a thin, flexible strip of metal (not shown) is installed in slots  27  to act as a reference edge against which the coins are aligned in a single file for movement along the coin sorting path  23 . Although an arcuate reference edge is shown and described, it should be understood that the reference edge need not be arcuate. As the coins are moved clockwise along the coin sorting path  23  by the webs or fingers  22 , the coins drop through the sorting openings  15 ,  16 ,  17 ,  18 ,  19  and  20  according to size, with the smallest size coin dropping through the first aperture  15 . In the prior art system shown, as coins drop through the sorting openings, the coins may be sensed by optical sensors in the form of light emitting diodes (LEDs)  15   a,    16   a,    17   a,    18   a,    19   a  and  20   a  (not shown) and optical detectors  15   b,    16   b,    17   b ,  18   b,    19   b  and  20   b  (not shown) in the form of phototransistors, one emitter and detector per aperture. The photo emitters  15   a,    16   a,    17   a,    18   a,    19   a  and  20   a  are mounted outside the barriers  25  seen in  FIG. 1  and are aimed to transmit a beam through spaces  26  between the barriers  25  and an angle from a radius of the sorting plate  21 , so as to direct a beam from one corner of each aperture  15 ,  16 ,  17 ,  18 ,  19  and  20  to an opposite corner where the optical detectors  15   b,    16   b ,  17   b,    18   b,    19   b  and  20   b  are positioned. 
         [0017]    As coins come into the sorting disk assembly  11 , they first pass a coin sensor station  40  with both optical and inductive sensors for detecting invalid coins. Invalid coins are off-sorted through an offsort opening  31  with the assistance of a solenoid-driven coin ejector mechanism  32  which directs according to an offsort transition area  48  and eventually to an offsort opening  31  is located inward of the coin track  23 , the offsort operation being described in further detail below with reference to  FIGS. 2-4 . 
         [0018]    The coin sensor station  40  used in the prior art includes a coin track insert  41  which is part of a coin sensor assembly housed in housing  52 . this housing contains a circuit module (not shown) for processing signals from the sensors as more particularly described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,729,461. 
         [0019]    Under the coin track are two inductive sensors. One sensor is for sensing the alloy content of the core of the coin, and another sensor is for sensing the alloy content of the surface of the coin. This is especially useful for coins of bimetal clad construction. The two inductive sensors are located on opposite sides of a light transmissive, sapphire window element  49 . 
         [0020]    The coin track insert  41  is disposed next to a curved rail (not shown) which along with edge sensor housing  45  forms a reference edge for guiding the coins along the coin track. An edge thickness/alloy inductive sensor is positioned in the edge sensor housing  45  so as not to physically project into the coin track. The coin track insert  41  has an edge  47  on one end facing toward the queuing disk, and a sloping surface  48  at an opposite end leading to the offsort opening  31 . 
         [0021]    A housing shroud  50  is positioned over the window element  49 , and this shroud  50  contains an optical source provided by a staggered array of light emitting diodes (LED&#39;s) for beaming down on the coin track insert  41  and illuminating the edges of the coins  14  as they pass by (the coins themselves block the optical waves from passing through). A krypton lamp can be inserted among the LED&#39;s to provide suitable light, waves in the infrared range of frequencies. The optical waves generated by the light source may be in the visible spectrum or outside the visible spectrum, such as in the infrared spectrum. In any event, the terms “light” and “optical waves” shall be understood to cover both visible and invisible optical waves. 
         [0022]    The housing shroud  50  is supported by an upright post member  51  of rectangular cross section. The post member  51  is positioned just outside the coin track  23 , so as to allow the optical source to extend across the coin sorting path  23  and to be positioned directly above the window  49 . 
         [0023]    Referring now to  FIG. 2 , an alternative coin handling machine  60  has a dual disk architecture similar to that described above, but may be configured to include a second coin sensing configuration. The machine  60  may be provided in two embodiments, one with sorting openings like the openings  15 - 20 , described above with reference to  FIG. 1  and another with only a single coin collection opening similar to the largest sorting opening  20 , also shown in  FIG. 1 . Coins of all denominations are collected through this opening after passing a coin sensor assembly  67  and an offsorting slot  76 . In the embodiment in which the coin sensor assembly  67  senses the identity of the coin, the sensors, optical sensors and optical detectors at each opening are not required, with a resulting savings in cost. In single-opening embodiment, the coins are directed to coin bins of a type in which one bin is filled with mixed denominations and then a second bin is filled with mixed denominations that have been counted and valued using the coin sensor assembly  67  of the present invention to identify each coin. 
         [0024]    The second coin sensing configuration is also applicable to an embodiment having coin sorting openings  15 - 20 , either with or without coin detectors at the openings  15 - 20 . In either embodiment, the plane of the sorting plate  62 , and thus, the coin track  63 , can either be horizontal or angled from horizontal by an amount no greater than thirty degrees, and this shall encompassed by the term “substantially horizontal” in relation to the coin track  63 . 
         [0025]    The coin sensor assembly  67  can detect a size of an individual coil  14  in a plurality of coins being moved within a coin handling machine  60  and can also detect and offsort invalid coins moving through the coin handling machine  60 . Coin sensor assembly may be configured to detect at least five coin attributes including coin diameter using an optical sensor, coin alloy-core, coin alloy-surface, and coin thickness using an inductive sensor, and coin magnetism using a hall sensor. The coin handling machine  60  has a base member  61  for supporting a sorting plate  62  having a coin track  63  passing along an outside reference edge  64 ,  65 ,  66  for the coins that is formed by base member arcuate portion  64 , an edge sensor assembly  65  and an upstanding rail  66 . Although coin track  63  is shown and described as having an arcuate outside reference edge  64 , it should be understood that variations, such as a linear reference edge and a straight drive may be used in the alternative. Some additional offsorting slots  68 ,  69  and  70  have been provided for coins not in position along the reference edge. A coin sensor assembly  67  now includes a reflective-type optical sensor and is positioned to the inside of a coin track  63 , ahead of the coin sorting slots (not seen in  FIG. 2 ). The light source is now positioned lower than the coin track  63  rather than above it for illuminating at least portions of the coins as the coins move along the coin track  63 . As seen in  FIG. 5 , the shroud portion  81  of the coin sensor assembly  67  has a reflector  86 ,  87  on its underside positioned above the coin track  63 . An optical detector is located on a circuit board  95  ( FIGS. 6 and 7 ) that is positioned below the cover  83  for the sensor  90  for detecting a size of at least a portion of each coin  14  passing the coin sensor  67  along the coin track  63 . A telecentric lens  94  ( FIG. 6 ) is positioned between the optical detector circuit board  95  and the coin track  63 , such that the portion of each coin passing the optical detector circuit board  95  is seen to have an apparent size and configuration independent of a variation in distance of the coin from the telecentric lens as each coin moves along the coin track. 
         [0026]    In an alternative embodiment, the reflector  86 ,  87  can be provided by a reflective strip of material in cavity  72 , seen in  FIG. 4 . A brush can be installed along the path of rotation of the disk  71  to brush dust off the reflective portion of the disk  71 . 
         [0027]    Machine  60  may be configured to monitor an angular position of each coin being moved by the coin moving member  21  using an encoder  130  (see  FIG. 13 ). Machine  60  may monitor the angular position by directly monitoring the member  21  and/or by monitoring a drive sheave (also not shown) applying a rotational output to the coin moving member  21 . The encoder  130  may be configured to utilize a drive wheel driven by the drive sheave to determine the angular position. 
         [0028]    The feeding disk  11 , in conjunction with features of the sorting assembly, feed the coins onto the coin track  63  in a single layer and in a single file in a manner known in the prior art.  FIG. 3  shows that the coin moving disk  71  has been modified to provide a recess  72  (see also  FIG. 4 ) for allowing the coin moving disk  71  to pass over the top of the coin sensor assembly  67  and to pass by the coin sensor assembly  67  on opposite sides. The coin moving disk  71  is shown as transparent for illustration purposes only, and in practice can be transparent, semi-opaque or opaque as there is no longer a requirement to shine a light source through the coin moving member  71 . The fins or fingers  73  (see also  FIG. 4 ) of the coin moving disk  71  have been made much narrower than in the prior art and now press down on the outside portions of the coins  14  near the reference edge. 
         [0029]    This has the effect of tipping up the inside edges of the coins  14  off the coin track  63 , as seen in  FIGS. 2 and 3 , so that the coins are cantilevered over the inside edge of the coin track  63 . The coin moving disk  71  is operable to move the coins along in single file at a rate up to 6000 coins per minute. 
         [0030]    The machine  60  has an offsorting arrangement including an offsorting slot  76 , a deflector  77  and a solenoid-driven coin diverter  74 , all of which are more fully described in a U.S. Pat. No. 7,704,133, the disclosure of which is hereby incorporated by reference. This is for offsorting coins that are detected as invalid by the coin sensor assembly  67 . 
         [0031]    The details of the optical sensor and detector assembly  90  are illustrated in  FIGS. 5 ,  6  and  7 . The telecentric lens  94  is mounted in a framework  91 . A source  92  of LED illumination is mounted in the framework  91  to direct illumination to a reflective and refractive element  93  that will reflect light upwardly along axis  89  and through slot  88  and transparent member  83  seen in  FIG. 5 . From there, it will travel to the reflector  86 ,  87  unless blocked by a portion of a coin  14 . After reflection, the light will travel back along the axis  89  to reflective and refractive element  93 , but this time the light will pass through the element  93  rather than being reflected, and it will travel to the detector on the circuit board  95 . 
         [0032]    As seen in FIGS,  5  and  6 , the telecentric lens  94  can be disposed on an axis  89  that is at an angle in a range from two degrees to thirty degrees from vertical, so as to block reflections from the cantilevered portions of the coins  14 . The telecentric lens  94  in  FIGS. 5 and 6  is more actually disposed on an axis that is at an angle of five degrees from vertical. 
         [0033]    Referring now to  FIG. 8 , a top plan detail view  200  of the coin offsorting mechanism of the coin sorter  10  is shown. Reject solenoid  74  is shown to be positioned a distance from the coin sensor station  41 . Based on the distance, and depending on the speed of the coin sorter  10 , the reject solenoid  74  may be utilized to influence the trajectory of coin that has been analyzed by sensor station  41 . Coin sorter  10  may be configured to utilize the encoder to calculate the speed of the coin moving member  21  and utilize the calculated speed and the size of the coin, selectively operate solenoid  74  to alter the trajectory of the coin. For example, where coin sorter  10  determines that a coin should be offsorted, coin sorter  10  may be configured to operate the solenoid  74  to divert the coin to offsorting slot  76 . Using the information from the encoder, control of the solenoid  74  may be performed based on a known position and size of the coin. 
         [0034]    View  200  illustrates a coin  14  in a first position  202  exiting the sensor station  41 . As the coin is exiting, a coin discriminator/offsort controller module  110 , described in further detail below with reference to  FIG. 6 , makes a determination whether to accept or rejection the coin. As the coin  14  moves along the coin sorting path  23  to a second position  204 , coin discriminator/offsort controller module  110  determines that the coin has reached position  204  based on encoder data and transmits a signal to actuate the solenoid  74 . According to an exemplary embodiment, position  204  is a variable position that is determined based on the size of the coin  14  and the coin travel speed as determined based on the data from the encoder. 
         [0035]    The distance between the second position  204  and a third position  206  may be configured based on the time required for solenoid  74  to complete actuation based on a received signal from the coin discriminator/offsort controller module  110 . Accordingly, the distance between second position  204  and third position  206  may be configured based on a number of factors including the size of the coin  14 , the travel speed, of the coin  14  as calculated based on encoder data, the operating characteristics of the solenoid  74 , the signal delay between the coin discriminator/offsort controller module  110  and the solenoid  74 , etc. For example, encoder  130  may be configured to provide encoder count. The encoder count, in combination with sensed attributes of the coin  14 , may be used to control operation of the solenoid  74 . The encoder count may be used to represent the distance that a coin  14  has to travel before being operated on by the sorter  10 . 
         [0036]    According to an exemplary embodiment, the encoder count is used by controller module  110  to calculate the speed of the coin moving member to determine an exact position of each coin being conveyed by the coin moving member past the sensor assembly  67 . This exact positioning is used to actuate the solenoid  74  such that the solenoid  74  is actuated at any time between when an accepted coin  14  has passed the solenoid  74  and the time that the position of a coin  14  to be rejected matches the positioning of the solenoid. The reject solenoid remains in the actuated position for a number of encoder pulses based on the speed of the coin moving member. After the coin has been rejected, the solenoid  74  de-actuates. The position of the coin  14  may be determined based on the equation: 
         [0000]      Position=(ENCODER MAX −(ENCODER MULT (coin diameter)))/10000
 
         [0000]    where ENCODER MAX  is the maximum number of encoder pulses based on the size of the coin moving member, ENCODER MULT  is a multiplier determined based on signal lag (˜8 msec in one embodiment) and the coin diameter is sensed by the sensor assembly  67 . 
         [0037]    Advantageously, the coin position determination based on the size of the sensed coin gives a more exact determination of the coins position and its interaction with the components of the coin sorter  10  such as the solenoid  74 , the offsort opening(s) and the coin counting openings, such as openings  15 - 20 . This more exact determination reduces the likelihood to improper coin offsorting. For example, when the solenoid  74  is fired only after the diameter of an accepted coin has passed but before a rejected coin has reached the offsort position, it cannot improperly offsort the accepted coin. The coin position determination may further be used to count the coin into a receptacle to improve accuracy over the aperture sensors described above with reference to  FIG. 1 . 
         [0038]    Further, the coin position determination may be used for multiple reject locations without requiring exact positioning of the solenoid  74  based on speed of the coin moving member. Specifically, the distance between the solenoid  74  and the sensing assembly  67  can vary using modification to the equation listed above. Further, coin positioning specific offsorting allows counts of a second type of offsorted coins, such as counterfeit coins to be stored in a locked escrow box affixed to the coin sorter  10 , by offsorting these coin at a specific location of the coin sorting path  23 . 
         [0039]    Yet further, coin offsorting based on exact positioning and coin size increases the accuracy of the coin sorting, preventing improperly offsorted coins. Improperly offsorted coins can interfere with proper coin counts. When coins are improperly offsorted, the offsorted coins require resorting which typically includes operator intervention and additional processing time. 
         [0040]    Referring now to  FIG. 9 , a flow diagram  300  illustrating the flow of data in the coin discriminator/offsort controller module  110  at the time of acceptance or rejection of a coin  14  starting with a step  302  is shown. In a sensing step  304 , coin  14  data is received from coin sensor station  41 . Upon receipt of the data, coin discriminator/offsort controller module  110  is configured to accept or reject the coin, as represented by decision block  306 . The decision to accept or reject a coin may be based on a plurality of sensed coin attributes as described above with reference to coin sensor assembly  67 . If the coin is to be rejected, a trip point is calculated based on at least coin diameter and speed and the coin position calculation calculated by controller module  110  and the result is loaded into a buffer in a step  308 . If the coin in to be accepted, the coin position calculated by controller module  110  is loaded into a buffer in a step  310 . 
         [0041]    According to an alternative embodiment, coin discriminator/offsort controller module  110  may be configured to utilize set trip values based on coin size. For example, controller module  110  may be configured to utilize the coin size data received in block  304  to determine whether the coin is a small coin, having a diameter less than 50 mm, is a medium coin, having a diameter between 50 mm and 95 mm, or a large coin, having a diameter greater than 95 mm. Where the coin is determined to be a small coin, coin discriminator/offsort controller module  110  is configured to load a set a trip point value equal to 95. Where the coin is determined to be a medium coin, coin discriminator/offsort controller module  110  is configured to load a set a trip point value equal to 50. Where the coin is determined to be a large coin, coin discriminator/offsort controller module  110  is configured to load a seta trip point value equal to 20. Coin discriminator/offsort controller module  110  may then be configured to load an accept or reject state into a coin position buffer associated with the specific coin, similar to blocks  308  and  310  as described above. 
         [0042]    Referring to  FIG. 10 , a flow diagram  400  illustrating the function of coin discriminator/offsort controller module  110  is controlling the operation of the solenoid  74  based on an interrupt received from the encoder. In a start block  402 , an interrupt is received by coin discriminator/offsort controller module  110 . The interrupt may be received based on detection of a change in angular position of the coin moving member  21 . In response, coin discriminator/offsort controller module  110  is configured to increase the encoder count, as depicted by block  404 . Following the increase in the encoder count, controller module  110  determines whether a timer has expired indicating a need to calculate the speed of the coin moving member  21  in a step  406 . If yes, the speed is determined based on an output from encoder  130  in a step  408 . 
         [0043]    If the coin discriminator/offsort controller module  110  determines that the encoder count is not greater than the buffer count, as depicted by decision block  410 , the controller exits and awaits the next encoder interrupt, as depicted by exit block  412 . If the coin discriminator/offsort controller module  110  determines that the encoder count is greater than the buffer count, as depicted by block  414 , the controller transmits a signal to solenoid  74  to be in a reject state based on the buffer state, as depicted by block  416 , and enables an encoder  100  count delay between coins, as indicated by block  418 . Else, the controller transmits a signal to solenoid  74  to be in an accept state based on the buffer state, as depicted by block  420 . Following the delay enablement, coin discriminator/offsort controller module  110  exits and awaits the next encoder interrupt, as depicted by exit block  422 . 
         [0044]    Referring again to  FIG. 8 , where coin discriminator/offsort controller module  110  accepts a coin  14 , coin discriminator/offsort controller module  110  may further be configured to determine, based on the data from the coin sorting station  41 , the number of encoder pulses that will be required for the coin  14  to complete travel along the coin sorting path  23  to the appropriate sorting opening  15 - 20 , such that the coin  14  should be in the correct bag. Coin discriminator/offsort controller module  110  may be configured to include coin position buffers for each sorting opening  15 - 20  to allow position monitoring for multiple coins on coin sorting path  23  at the same time. 
         [0045]      FIG. 11  shows a DC electric motor  560  for driving the two moving disks in the coin sorter  10 . The motor  560  is connected through a belt  561  to a rotatable transfer shaft  559  with one pulley  562  being driven by belt  561  and a second pulley  563  for transferring power to a second belt  564  directly driving coin moving member  21  and the driving member  11  in the queuing portion of the machine  10 . An electromechanical brake  565  is mounted to the shaft of the drive disk. The brake  565  is used for stops when a predetermined coin count has been reached and for emergency stops. The data from the optical imaging sensor is used for purposes of counting coins to reach the predetermined coin counts, known as bag stop limits. 
         [0046]    Referring to  FIG. 12 , the machine controller CPU  120  has nine I/O ports (STA 1-STA 9) for sending output signals to the light emitting diodes and receiving signals from the optical detectors for the six sorting openings  15 - 20 . The main controller CPU  120  thereby detects when coins fall through each sorting opening  15 - 20  and can maintain a count of these coins for totalizing purposes. By “totalizing” is meant the counting of coin quantities and monetary value for purposes of informing a user through a display, such as a graphic, liquid crystal display (LCD)  122 , which is interfaced with a keyboard through interface  123  to the main controller CPU  120 . 
         [0047]    The main controller CPU  120  is interfaced through electronic circuits to control the DC drive motor  60 . In particular, the main controller CPU  120  is connected to operate a relay  125  which provides an input to an electronic motor drive circuit  124 . This circuit  124  is of a type known it the art for providing power electronics for controlling the DC motor  60 . This circuit  124  receives AC line power from a power supply circuit  121 . The motor drive circuit  124  is also connected to a dynamic braking resistor R 1  to, provide dynamic electrical braking for the DC motor  60 . 
         [0048]    The coin discriminator/offsort controller module  110  includes a processor, as well as the typical read only memory, RAM memory, address decoding circuitry and communication interface circuitry to communicate with the sensor control module  53  and the main controller CPU  120  as shown in  FIG. 7 . The coin discriminator/offsort controller module  110  is connected to operate the coin ejector mechanism  32 , when a coin is determined to be outside all of the coin specifications based on data received from the coin sensing station  41 . 
         [0049]    Referring now to  FIG. 13 , a bottom plan detail view  600  of the coin offsorting mechanism of the coin sorter  10 , illustrating, an exemplary positioning of an encoder  130  is shown. Encoder  130  may be mounted to an encoder mounting bracket  132  and configured to receive a terminal end of the rotatable transfer shaft  559  ( FIG. 11 ). Encoder  130  may be an electro-mechanical device that converts the angular position or motion of shaft  559  to an analog or digital signal. The output of encoder  130  provides information about the motion of shaft  559  to processor  120  that may be converted into information such as speed, distance, RPM, position, etc. This information may in turn be used, for example, by coin discriminator/offsort controller module  110  to operate the solenoid  74 . 
         [0050]    This has been a description of preferred embodiments of the invention. Those of ordinary skill in the art will recognize that modifications might be made while still coming within the scope and spirit of the present invention as will become apparent from the appended claims. For example, although the embodiment above are provide with reference to a  FIG. 8  coin sorter, the method and apparatus described herein may be used with any friction drive coin sorter. Various other embodiments of the invention are contemplated as being within the scope of the following claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter regarded as the invention.