Abstract:
The invention concerns a service and/or product dispensing apparatus comprising a coin-receiving device, a coin-storage box ( 5 ) and said chute ( 7 ) transferring coins from the receiving device to the box ( 5 ). The invention is characterised in that said chute ( 7 ) co-operates with a closing device ( 8 ) comprising a trap ( 82 ) mobile between a position closing and a position opening said chute ( 7 ), said device ( 8 ) co-operating with control means ( 40 ) adapted to trigger the displacement of the trap ( 82 ) into its closing position when at least part of the coin-receiving device ( 4 ) is being dismantled.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
   This invention concerns coin-operated machines used to dispense products or services such as Pay &amp; Display parking machines or pay telephones. This invention is particularly aimed at protecting the coins stored in such machines from theft. 
   BACKGROUD OF THE INVENTION 
   In general, coin-operated machines comprise a receiving mechanism that enables the issuing of a service or product in return for the payment of the corresponding amount in coins. Such mechanisms contain the entire path of the coins, which are chiefly moved by gravity from the inlet formed by the coin insertion slot and the two outlets placed below the said inlet, namely a bowl for returning unused or unsuitable coins and a box for the received coins. Between the inlet and outlet are placed means to authenticate the coins inserted and escrow means designed for storing valid coins temporarily. 
   In general, such machines include two distinct compartments closed by distinct doors, where the first one includes the various mechanisms required for machine operation and particularly the means to authenticate the coins and store them temporarily and the second one contains the coin box and is more secure than the first one. 
   It is well known that coin-operated machines attract fraudulent users, who try their best to get to the cash. 
   One of the fairly frequent forms of fraud consists in getting to the coins in the box by opening the first compartment and using the downward coin path that connects the escrow means and the box, after removing the said escrow means. 
   This invention is aimed at limiting such fraud. 
   SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   The coin-operated machine that dispenses services and/or products in accordance with the invention includes a coin receiving mechanism, a box for storing the coins and a chute for transferring the coins from the receiving mechanism to the box. 
   According to the invention, the coin-operated machine is characterised in that the coin chute cooperates with a closing device comprising a mobile trap between a position opening and a position closing the chute, which device cooperates with control means that can trigger the sudden displacement of the trap to the closing position if any part of the coin receiving mechanism is dismantled. 
   Another characteristic of the coin-operated machine according to the invention is that the closing mechanism contains a ratchet locking system, where the locking system is designed to lock the trap in the position that closes the coin chute. 
   Another characteristic of the coin-operated machine according to the invention is that the receiving mechanism is placed in the first compartment and the coin box is located in the second compartment, the compartments being separated by a wall crossed by a channel that forms the coin chute. 
   Another characteristic of the coin-operated machine according to the invention is that the closing mechanism is located in the second compartment. 
   Another characteristic of the coin-operated machine according to the invention is that the ratchet locking mechanism cooperates with a manual unlocking mechanism placed in the second compartment. 
   Another characteristic of the coin-operated machine according to the invention is that the unlocking mechanism comprises a handle that extends to the rear of the box. 
   Another characteristic of the coin-operated machine according to the invention is that the trap is carried by an arm fitted to rotate at one axial end, whereas the other axial end carries stop surfaces designed to cooperate with the ratchet locking mechanism. The arm cooperates with elastic return means that force the trap into the closing position. 
   Another characteristic of the coin-operated machine according to the invention is that the trap is held in the opening position against the opposite action of the elastic return means by the presence of control means. The removal of the control means suddenly displaces the trap to the closed position. 
   Another characteristic of the coin-operated machine according to the invention is that the control means that trigger the displacement of the trap to the closing position are formed by a finger carried by the lower part of the coin receiving system opposite the chute channel, which finger is adapted to penetrate into the channel when the said lower part of the receiving system is in place in its compartment, so as to prevent the movement of the trap to the closing position. 
   Another characteristic of the coin-operated machine according to the invention is that the closing device is fitted on a bearing structure above the box. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     The aims, aspects and benefits of this invention will be easier to understand from the description below of a mode of embodiment of the invention, presented as a non-limitative example by reference to the drawings attached, where: 
       FIG. 1  is a partial schematic perspective view of a coin-operated machine according to the invention. 
       FIG. 2  is a top view of the closing system shown in  FIG. 1 , with the closing device in the closing position. 
       FIG. 3  is similar to  FIG. 2 , with the closing device in the opening position. 
       FIG. 4  is a perspective view of the structure that carries the closing device represented in  FIGS. 2 and 3 . 
   

   In accordance with the drawings, only the elements essential to the invention have been shown. 
   DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     FIG. 1  shows a coin-operated machine that is generally designed to supply a product or service in exchange for the payment of a corresponding amount of money, which payment is made with coins. Such a device can for instance be a public telephone, a beverage dispenser or a ticket vending machine. 
   In the description below, the machine (reference  1 ) is a Pay &amp; Display machine designed for the payment of parking spaces. 
   Pay &amp; Display machine  1  contains two distinct compartments,  2  and  3  respectively, arranged one above the other. According to the example of the embodiment represented in  FIG. 1 , each compartment is accessible by means of a corresponding access door closed by an appropriate lock. 
   Upper compartment  2  includes all the mechanisms required for the Pay &amp; Display machine to operate. The different means themselves are known and do not call for a more detailed description. compartment  2  also includes the coin receiving device  4 . 
   The coin receiving device  4  is essentially made up of a coin selector  41  and an escrow  42 . The coin selector, which is also called CVM (Coin Validating Mechanism) has a slot  43  for inserting coins in its upper part. The task of the CVM is to determine the authenticity of coins. 
   That CVM  41  is capable for instance of recognising the electromagnetic signatures of coins in circulation such as that described in document EP203702 and has two outlet holes for the coins. One of the outlets is intended for nonconforming or foreign coins, whilst the second one is intended for authentic coins. The first outlet is positioned vertically to a removal channel that transfers the coins by gravity to a return compartment that is not shown, made in the lower part of the receiving device, accessible by means of a tilting flap. 
   The coins found to be authentic by CVM  41  drop into a pipe that takes them to the escrow device under the CVM. 
   The CVM determines the value of each coin going through it and sends the information in the form of a digital or analogue signal to a control device made up of a microcontroller, not shown, which is known to comprise a Central Processing Unit, a Random Access Memory, a Read-Only Memory and an Electrical Erasable Programmable Read Only Memory, analogue to digital converters and different input and output interfaces. 
   Depending on the coins inserted by the user and the hourly parking tariff, Pay &amp; Display Machine  1  issues a parking ticket for the time corresponding to the amount paid and receives the amount due. The coins are transferred from the escrow system  42  to compartment  3  for storage. 
   Lower compartment  3 , which is secure particularly in that it has reinforced walls, encloses a box  5  designed to store the coins received before they are collected. 
   Box  5  has an upper wall with an opening  6  for coin entry. Opening  6  is designed to be placed under coin chute  7  from receiving device  4 . Channel  7  goes through wall  9  separating the two compartments  2  and  3  and opens into upper compartment  2  at the outlet of receiving device  4 . In order to enable the passing of channel  7 , wall  9  has a corresponding opening. 
   The outlet area of channel  7  opens into secure compartment  3 , above box  5 , cooperating with a closing device  8  fitted on a carrying structure  10  that is placed in secure compartment  3 . 
   The assembly of closing device  8  on a special carrying structure  10  does not limit this invention, and the closing device  8  could for instance be fitted directly on wall  9 . 
   Carrying structure  10  detailed in  FIG. 4  is designed to follow the internal walls of secure compartment  3  and create a false ceiling inside which the closing device is placed. 
   In the described example of embodiment, it includes two vertical side walls  11  and  12 , which are supported by the lower wall of compartment  3  and a horizontal upper wall  13  that is designed to be located at a set distance from wall  9 . The carrying structure, which is made up of the three walls welded to each other, encloses an internal hollow parallelepiped containing box  5 . 
   If closing system  8  is fixed to wall  9 , there is only one wall  13  that is fixed by pins at a set distance from wall  9 . 
   On the upper side of wall  13 , opposite wall  9 , are fixed the closing device  8  and coin chute  7  which projects out above the said wall  13 , to which it is fixed, e.g. by soldering. Of course, wall  13  has a hole for letting through the coins in the extension of channel  7 , which hole is opposite the coin inlet hole of the box  5  when the box is placed in the said hollow parallelepiped. 
   Near the upper side of wall  13 , the side walls that define channel  7  have a slot  14  for letting through a closing trap as detailed below by reference to  FIGS. 2 and 3 . 
   Closing device  8  represented on  FIGS. 2 and 3  mainly comprises a flattened arm  80  fixed so that it rotates at one end around an axis extending perpendicularly to wall  13 . The arm is made by cutting a metal plate of appropriate thickness and includes two extensions. The first one  82  forms a trap and is particularly formed to penetrate into slot  14  and block the interior passage of said channel  7  and a second one  83  forms a notched stop that cooperates with ratchet mechanism  85 . 
   Arm  80  is therefore designed to rotate against the upper side of wall  13 . However, a return spring  81  pulls arm  80  against channel  7 , so that trap  82  penetrates into slot  14  to block the interior passage of the said channel. 
   The escrow system  42  includes a locking finger  40  represented in a sectional view in  FIG. 3 , extending from the lower end of system  42  to penetrate into channel  7  along the interior wall up to slot  14 , which is blocked at least partially. 
   When the escrow device is in place, finger  40  is located in channel  7  behind slot  14 , preventing trap  82  from penetrating into channel  7 . 
   The closing device is then in the opening position. When the escrow system is removed from its normal operating position, finger  40  is removed from channel  7 , leading to the full clearing of slot  14 . Because there is no obstacle in the path of trap  82 , return spring  81  pulls it so that it blocks the interior passage of channel  7  and prevents access to hole  6  of box  5  from compartment  2 . 
   Arm  80  is kept locked in this closing position of channel  7  by a ratchet mechanism  85  which is applied against the end forming a notched stop  83  of said arm  80 . Ratchet mechanism  85  is not accessible from compartment  2  and so arm  80  cannot be moved regardless of the force applied on it from upper compartment  2 . End  83  has several stop surfaces that block arm  80  at different points of closing and not only when trap  82  fully blocks the interior passage of channel  7 , so as to heighten security from fraud. 
   The ratchet mechanism acts as a non-return device which enables arm  80  to move in one direction only, that of closing channel  7 . 
   Ratchet mechanism  85  is made up of a metal part made up of two flattened arms  87  and  88  joined in a V. The part is located close to the free end  83  of arm  80  when arm  80  is in the closing position and is fitted to rotate in its mid section around an axis extending perpendicular to wall  13 . Return spring  89  tends to make the part turn so that arm  88  is behind arm  80 , in contact with the notched stop surface carried by end  83  of arm  80 . 
   In order to open closing device  8 , a reset rod  15  is used, which is assembled to rotate along one of the side walls of bearing structure  10 , namely wall  12 . 
   Of course, when the said carrying structure is limited to wall  13  fixed to separating wall  9 , rod  15  is then only fixed to wall  13 . 
   That rod  15  includes a rod with two extreme parts folded more or less at right angles. The lower end forms a maneuvering rod (i.e., a hand 1 e)  16  and extends inside the said parallelepiped hollow and the other end  17  is located above wall  13 , more or less above ratchet mechanism  85  and free end  83  of arm  80 . 
   In the idle position when the closing system is in the open position of  FIG. 2 , the handle extends to the rear of box  5 . 
   To reset the mechanism, box  5  is removed and handle  16  is pulled towards the operator so as to turn rod  15  anticlockwise, i.e. in the direction opposite the closing direction of arm  80 . 
   Control end  17  of the rod turns in parallel and then presses against a slug  86  that projects out of arm  87  of ratchet mechanism  85 . The action of the end of rod  17  on slug  86  makes arm  87  rotate and therefore arm  88  which is joined to it, against the opposite action of spring  89 . That rotation of arm  88  takes place in the clockwise direction and tends to push arm  88  away from the notched stop surface of extension  83  at the end of arm  80 , which is unlocked and can therefore move. 
   The control end  17  of the rod continues its rotation and comes in contact with a second slug  84  projecting out of arm  80  and therefore makes it rotate against the opposite action of return spring  81 . That movement of arm  80  leads to the movement of trap  82 , which moves out of slot  14 , clearing the interior passage of channel  7 . 
   Channel  7  being free, it is possible to reposition the receiving mechanism and push finger  40  into channel  7  up to slot  14 . The locking finger being in the position where it partly blocks slot  14 , the rod can be brought back in the opposite direction up to the initial idle position. Arm  80  lies in the open position and trap  82  is blocked against finger  40  due to the action of spring  81 . 
   The rod is put back in the idle position and box  5  can be put back in place. When box  5  is in place, you can no longer move rod  15  to act on closing mechanism  8 . That blocking of rod  15  by box  5  keeps the system more secure from fraud. 
   Of course, the invention is not limited to the embodiment described and illustrated, which is only provided as an example. 
   On the contrary, the invention covers all the technical equivalents of the means described and their combinations, if they are made in accordance with its spirit. 
   As a variant, finger  40  is elastically retractable, making it possible to put back escrow system  42  even when trap  82  blocks channel  7  opposite opening  4 . 
   In that way, channel  7  may not be joined to wall  13 , but fixed directly to separating wall  9 .