Abstract:
A coin dispensing apparatus dispenses coins by squeezing them substantially chordally between first and second elements. The second element is carried on the underside of a disc-like portion of a rotor which rotates about or with a central shaft. The disc-like portion has an opening, allowing coins to move axially therethrough from a supply side to a position aligned with the second element. The opening has a diameter substantially equal to or greater than the radius of the rotor.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0001]     The present invention relates to a coin, or the like, dispensing apparatus.  
         [0002]     In the following, the term “coin” will be used to mean coins, tokens or the like.  
         [0003]     The Compact Hopper™ made by Money Controls Limited of New Coin Street, Royton, Oldham, UK is well-known to those skilled in the art. The Compact Hopper™ dispenses coins using a rotor and a pair of sprung fingers. The rotor has a plurality of apertures in which coins collect and as the rotor rotates, coins are dispensed from the bottoms of the apertures by the action of the sprung fingers. Rotors with different sized apertures are used for dispensing different sized coins.  
         [0004]     In the Compact Hopper™, the rotor rotates on a central shaft. Consequently, coins having diameters greater than the radius of the rotor could not be dispensed.  
         [0005]     United Kingdom patent application no. 2,369,229 discloses a coin dispensing apparatus which can dispense coin having diameters greater than the radius of the rotor. This is achieve by connecting the rotor to a foot by a offset connecting element like a crank and connecting the foot to a drive shaft. A problem with this apparatus is that it requires major modification of the rotor bed, making it unsuitable for retrofitting.  
       BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0006]     According to a first aspect of the the present invention, there is provided a coin dispensing apparatus which dispenses coins by squeezing them substantially chordally between first and second elements, comprising a rotor which rotates with or about central shaft means and comprises: 
        a disc-like portion carrying said second element on its underside and an opening, allowing coins to move axially therethrough from a supply side to a position aligned with said second element, the opening having a diameter substantially equal to or greater than the radius of the rotor, and     a locating portion received in a recess, 
 
 wherein the recess is provided by the hole in the middle of a discrete annular member. 
       
 
         [0009]     The first element may be a projection from the top of the annular member. The annular member may also be resiliently mounted for restricted circumferential movement.  
         [0010]     The opening may break the circumference of the disc-like portion.  
         [0011]     The locating portion may extend partially across said opening such that locating portion is spaced axially from the underside of the disc-like portion.  
         [0012]     According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided a coin dispensing apparatus including: 
        a surface;     an annular member on said surface and having a hole;     a coin exit;     a first ejector element;     a shaft means;     a rotor which rotates with or about the shaft means and comprises: 
            a disc-like portion carrying a second ejector element on its underside and an opening, allowing coins to move axially therethrough from a supply side to a position aligned with said second ejector element, the opening having a diameter substantially equal to or greater than the radius of the rotor, and     a locating portion received in said hole in the annular member;    
            wherein the first and second ejector elements being arranged to squeeze a coin along a chord thereof so as to eject it through the coin exit during rotation of the rotor.        
 
         [0022]     The first ejector element may be a projection from the top of the annular member.  
         [0023]     The annular member may also be resiliently mounted for restricted circumferential movement.  
         [0024]     The opening may break the circumference of the disc-like portion.  
         [0025]     The locating portion may extend partially across said opening such that locating portion is spaced axially from the underside of the disc-like portion.  
         [0026]     According to a third aspect of the present invention, there is provided a large coin adaptation kit for adapting a coin dispensing apparatus which dispenses relatively small coins by squeezing them substantially chordally between first and second elements, the second element being carried on the underside of a disc-like portion of a rotor which rotates with or about central shaft means, wherein the rotor is mounted in a hollow and the disc-like portion has an opening, allowing said relatively small coins to move axially therethrough from a supply side to a position aligned with the second element, the kit including: 
        a spacer for placement in said hollow to create a recess through which the rotor&#39;s axis of rotation extends; and     a replacement rotor having a locating portion configured to be received in said recess and an opening, allowing relatively large coins to move axially therethrough, having a diameter substantially equal to or greater than the radius of the replacement rotor.        
 
         [0029]     The opening may break the circumference of the disc-like portion.  
         [0030]     The spacer may have a projection to provide a replacement first element for large coins. The spacer may also include means for coupling it to the small coin first element of the apparatus being adapted. Adaption in this way is desirable because the optimum position for the small coin first element is often not suitable for larger coins. The use of the spacer means that the first element position can be optimised for both small and large coins.  
         [0031]     The locating portion may extend partially across said opening such that locating portion is spaced axially from the underside of the disc-like portion.  
         [0032]     The kit may include means for providing a wider coin exit path, in which a coin being dispensed moves edgeways, to said apparatus.  
         [0033]     The kit may include means for providing a wider coin exit path, in which a coin being dispensed moves edgeways, to said apparatus. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0034]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a coin dispensing apparatus not according to the present invention;  
         [0035]      FIG. 2  is a front view of the rotor seat of an apparatus according to the present invention;  
         [0036]      FIG. 3  is a perspective view of a small coin exit-defining block;  
         [0037]      FIG. 4  is a top view of a conventional small coin rotor;  
         [0038]      FIG. 5  is a perspective view of a large coin exit-defining block;  
         [0039]      FIG. 6  is a front view of the rotor seat of  FIG. 2  with an annular spacer in place;  
         [0040]      FIG. 7  is a front view of the rotor seat of  FIG. 2  with the annular spacer and a large coin rotor in place; and  
         [0041]     FIGS.  8  to  11  show the large coin rotor, shown in  FIG. 7 , at first to fourth positions during ejection of a large coin; 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION  
       [0042]     Embodiments of the present invention will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings.  
         [0043]     Referring to  FIG. 1 , a coin dispensing apparatus, according to the present invention, comprises a body  1  and a transparent hopper  2  releasably clipped to the body  1 .  
         [0044]     The body  1  has a generally triangular cross-section with two generally triangular side faces  1   a ,  1   b  and rectangular bottom and back faces  1   c ,  1   d . The side, bottom and back faces  1   a ,  1   b ,  1   c ,  1   d  need not be solid.  
         [0045]     The front face  1   e  of the body slopes save for a short vertical portion  1   f  at the very front. A rotor  203  is rotatably located in a rotor seat  4  in the sloping front face  1   e  of the body  1 . A motor and transmission (not shown) are mounted behind the rotor seat  4 . The rotor seat  4  may be removable as a unit with the motor and transmission. The rotor seat  4  in this example is approximately 85 mm square. However, the generally preferred range is 50-120 mm square.  
         [0046]     The hopper  2  is conventional and is open at the top with sides that extend upwards from the tops of the sides of the body  1 . The underside of the hopper  1  conforms generally to the front face  1   e  of the body  1  and has hole opening onto the rotor  3 . A hopper having a wider upper part may be used to increase the capacity of the apparatus.  
         [0047]     Referring to  FIG. 2 , the rotor seat  4  is square, when viewed along the rotor axis. A generally circular hollow  5  is formed in the rotor seat  4 . The hollow  5  has an opening  6  along one side through which coins are ejected. A coin output guide  116  is mounted across the opening  6 .  
         [0048]     Referring additionally to  FIG. 3 , a coin output guide  116  for small coins comprises a generally rectangular block  116   a  which is screwed to the rotor seat  4 . A rectangular-section coin passage  116   b  extends through the block  116   b . When the block  116   a  is mounted to the rotor seat  4 , one side of the passage  116   b  is aligned with the top edge of the opening  6 . The block  116   a  has an L-section projection  116   c  when projected into the rotor seat  4  to block the opening  6  except for a short extension of the passage  116   b . The extension of the passage  116   b  is defined in part by the floor of the hollow  5 .  
         [0049]     A pair of sprung fingers  107   a ,  107   b , project through the floor of the hollow  5  radially in from the lower edge of the passage  116   b.    
         [0050]     A boss  109 , on the end of a rotor-driving shaft (not show) projects through the floor of the hollow  5 . A male coupling part  110  is formed on the boss  109  for connecting to rotors.  
         [0051]     Referring to  FIG. 4 , a rotor  103  for small coins comprises a disc  103   a  with a central recess  103   b  and four through holes  103   c  array equidistantly around the central recess  103   b . A female coupling part  125  is formed in the bottom of the recess  103   b  and is configured to receive the male coupling part  110  releasably so that the rotor  103  can be driven by the rotor driving shaft.  
         [0052]     The underside of the rotor  103  is cut away except for a central portion  103   e  and four projections  103   f  between respective pairs of through holes  103   c.    
         [0053]     The projections  103   f  and the sprung fingers  107   a ,  107   b  co-operated to eject coins fed through the through holes  103   c  in the conventional manner when the rotor  103  is being rotated.  
         [0054]     The coins are ejected through the passage  116   b  in the block  116 .  
         [0055]     The coin dispensing apparatus can be converted to dispense large coins by replacing the rotor and the coin output guide and adding an annular spacer.  
         [0056]     Referring to  FIG. 5 , a coin output guide  216  for large coins comprises a block  216   a  with a slot  216   b  corresponding to the width of the opening  6 . A ridge  216   c  projects from above the slot  216   b  and defines the roof of an extension of the slot  216   b  into the rotor seat  4 . The slot  216   b  is somewhat higher in the block  216  than the passage  116   b  in the small coin block  116 .  
         [0057]     Since the sprung fingers  107   a ,  107   b  are not in the correct position for large coins, a device is provides to produce a corresponding effect at the appropriate position.  
         [0058]     Referring to  FIG. 6 , an annular spacer  250  is positioned in the hollow  5  around the boss  110 . A pair of tabs  252   a ,  252   b  project from the underside of the spacer  250  and engage respective ones of the sprung fingers  107   a ,  107   b . A curved ridge  253  projects from the top of the spacer  250 . The ridge  253  starts at a point radially inwards from the lower edge of the opening  6 . The nose of the ridge  253  which comes into contact with coins is rounded.  
         [0059]     A chamfered tab  251  projects from the circumference of the spacer  250  towards the opening  6  to guide coins being ejected. The floor of the slot  216   b  is aligned with the top of the radially outer side of the chamfered tab  251 .  
         [0060]     Referring to  FIG. 7 , a large coin rotor  203  comprises a cylindrical locating portion  203   a , a crescent portion  203   b  and a connecting portion (not shown) connecting the locating portion  103   a  to the crescent portion  203   b . The locating portion  203   a  has the same thickness as the spacer  250 , around the spacer&#39;s central hole, and a female coupling part  203   b  for connecting to the male coupling part  110  on the boss  109 .  
         [0061]     The crescent portion  203   b  has the form of a dished disc with an eccentric circular cut-out. The dished upper face of the crescent portion  203   b  is sculpted and provided with projections  203   c  to agitate coins in the hopper  2  and guide coin correctly into the cut-out as the rotor  203  rotates. The connecting portion is located at the edge of the cut-out.  
         [0062]     Since the operation of the coin dispensing apparatus requires coins to pass partially under the rotor  203 , the connecting portion raises the crescent portion  203   b  above the spacer  250 .  
         [0063]     The dispensing of a large coin by the apparatus shown in FIGS.  7  to  11  will now be described.  
         [0064]     Referring to  FIG. 8 , the rotor  203  is positioned so that the gap in the rotor  203  is at about 12 o&#39;clock. The rotor  203  is being rotated anti-clockwise and a coin  220  is received in the cut-out  12 .  
         [0065]     Referring to  FIG. 9 , as the rotor  203  rotates, the coin  220  is propelled by a projection  203   f  on the underside of the crescent portion  203   b  and begins to engage the nose of the ridge  253 .  
         [0066]     Referring to  FIG. 10 , as the rotor  203  rotates further, the coin  220  presses against the nose of the ridge  253 , causing the spacer  250  to rotate and displace the sprung fingers  107   a ,  107   b . This causes the coin  220  to be pressed against the wall of the hollow  5 .  
         [0067]     Referring to  FIG. 11 , a small further movement of the rotor  203  aligns the coin  220  fully with the opening with the result that the ridge  253 , urged by the sprung fingers  107   a ,  107   b , and the projection on the underside of the rotor  203 , acting chordally across the coin  20 , eject the coin through the opening  6 .  
         [0068]     Optical and/or electromagnetic sensor may be included in the coin output guides to detect coins being ejected.  
         [0069]     A coin dispensing apparatus may be supplied as a common body and hopper and an appropriate adaptation kit. In this embodiment, an adaptation kit comprises a rotor and a coin output guide and optionally a spacer where the kit is a large coin kit.  
         [0070]     It will be appreciated that many modifications may be made to the embodiments described above. For example, different arrangements for centrally driving the rotors may be used.