Device for obtaining the mechanical characteristics of coins

Abstract: Device for obtaining the physical characteristics of coins, composed of a flexible elastic beam on which coins, introduced into the selector, will roll and deform this beam in accordance with the weight of the coin and its position along the length of the beam. The beam (1) consists of an elongated plain strip of natural steel with a lateral widening (4) at one of its end portions, which is held in a loose-fitting manner in a cavity encasement (6) formed in the selector. The said widening (4) remains exteriorly retained by an anvil (8), the anvil being fixed to the selector and pressing the widening (4) towards the encasement. The beam (1) further presents an inclined slope, along which a coin can roll. The beam's movement being restrained at its other end by a small widening (5) loosely held in a cavity of the selector.

Description: This invention refers to a device for obtaining the mechanical characteristics of coins, whose mechanism is intended for applying to the coin selectors or verifiers utilized in machines which function by way of the introduction of one or more coins. By the Spanish patent nº. 9002145 (cf. WO-A-92/02905 and US-A-5,316,118) is known a device that is composed of an element that is elastically deformable by the weight of the coin, an element that consists of a beam which determines a rolling path on which the coins are moved, provoking the deformation of said beam in a magnitude which depends on the weight of the coins and the respective position of the point or fixed points of the beam, defined by embedments or end supports. The beam that composes the flexible elastic element also has a gauge for the suffered deformations, which could consist of an extensometer gauge or a displacement collector. In accordance with the certificate of addition nº. 9101787 (cf. WO-A-92/02905 and US-A-5,316,118), presented in the mentioned patent, the beam which is composed of the flexible element includes an upper track which defines the course of the rolling of the coins and a lower track that serves as a means of anchoring or holding the combination of the beam to the body or selector device housing. These tracks form among themselves a certain angle, whose formation compels the folding of the piece which forms the beam. Due to the highly steely nature of the piece, the folding or doubling of the same provokes a breakage. For this motive it is necessary to resort to the forming of the beam by means of two pieces of different qualities that are united together by means of soldering, one of these parts being of ductile nature, so that it could be bent easily. Still, the introduction of soldering and folding of the piece that will form the beam produces alterations in the geometry and behavior that are transformed into errors later in the measuring. The object of this invention is to develop a piece of simple geometry and a system of assembling the same so that it could act as a flexible elastic beam with correct functioning and permitting to obtain measurements of great exactness. In accordance with this invention, the piece that forms the flexible elastic beam is composed of an elongated flat strip of a steel nature, of small width in respect to its length. This piece presents in one of its extreme portions a lateral widening towards one side, while starting from the opposite outer edge it has a notch or undercut. The mentioned widening is introduced laterally in an adjusted manner into an encasement formed in the selector device, while the notch extends and remains directed towards the outside. An anvil or an exterior resistant part is fixed on said selector and pressures the widening of the flat strip towards its encasement in a way that said strip extends projecting, with a certain longitudinal and transverse downwards inclination. The mentioned strip could be of rectangular form with great length in respect to the width and the widening and mentioned notch formed starting from the longitudinal opposite edges from one of the transversal edges being the notch less in length than the widening. The configuration of the part that defines the elastic beam and its method of assembly is later shown in greater detail, with the aid of the attached drawings, in which an example of non restricted realization is shown. In the drawings: In figure 1 is an interior perspective of a selector in which the part that gives form to the elastic beam of the invention is mounted. Figure 2 is a frontal elevation of the internal surface of the selector shown in figure 1, without the part that the flexible beam is composed of. Figures 3, 4 and 5 are sections, on a larger scale, taken respectively, according to the cut away lines III-III, IV-IV and V-V of figure 2. Figure 6 is a view of the plan of the part that forms the elastic beam, in accordance with the invention. Figure 7 is a transversal section, according to line VII-VII of figure 6. Figure 1 is in perspective, viewed by its internal surface, the gate of a coin selector. In this gate is mounted part 1 which defines a flexible elastic beam, on which will roll the coins introduced into the selector, deforming this beam in accordance with the weight of the coin and its position on the beam at each moment. Piece 1, as can better be seen in figures 6 and 7, is comprised of a rectangular strip of a steel-like nature of great length in respect to its width, which has in one of its longitudinal edges, starting from the transversal border 2, an end notch 3, while starting from the opposite edge there is a widening 4 co-planar with the strip 1. At the opposite end the strip presents a minor lateral widening 5. The selector gate, as may be appreciated in figures 1 and 2, has a cavity 6 which is conformed to define an adjusted encasement of the widening 4 of the strip 1. This cavity 6 is of greater height than the thickness of strip 1 but is limited by end tracks 7 of height coinciding with the thickness of the strip 1, in such a way that the widening 4 of the strip remains inserted and fixed exactly between the narrowing ends 7. As can be appreciated in figure 5, the strip 1 stays laying against the bottom of the cavity 6. The undercut 3 at the end remains directed towards the exterior and on it rests an anvil 8, consisting of a metallic piece which is fixed to the gate, for example with a screw 9. The anvil 8 rests on the outer edge of the undercut or notch 3, pushing the widening 4 towards the encasement 6. With this assembly, the strip or beam 1 extends projecting and is able to elastically deform by the weight of the coin and in function of the position occupied in each moment by said coin on the beam. The end widening 5 lodges in a cavity 10 formed in the selector, which may also have a longitudinal groove 11 coincident with the strip 1. The maximum magnitude of deformation or displacement of the strip 1 remains limited by the edges of the undercut or slot 10 and by the lower stop 12. Figure 3 shows how the end widening 5 slightly penetrates into the slot 10. Figure 4 shows how the strip 1 extends parallel to the groove 11, without penetrating it. Strip 1, as can be appreciated in the drawings, is disposed with a certain descending inclination in a longitudinal and transversal direction, to facilitate the rolling of the coins and the positioning of the same. With the described assembly system, the strip or flexible elastic beam 1 adopts at all times its correct position, due to the action of the anvil 8 on the undercut 3 of said strip. There is no possibility of any deviation being introduced during any possible maintenance manipulations, for example to remove jammed coins. With the characteristics of the invention, in conclusion a piece or flexible elastic beam of simple geometry is obtained, whose assembly in the selector is also effected in a simple manner, it being sufficient to introduce the lateral widening 4 into the corresponding encasement 6 and later position the anvil 8, that is fixed by means of a screw 9.

Claims: Device for obtaining the mechanical characteristics of coins, composed of an element elastically deformable (1) by the weight of the coins, consisting of a beam (1) embedded by at least one of its ends (2), along the length of which the coins are displaced, the said beam having a measuring device for measuring the deformations caused as a function of the weight of the coin and its position along the length of said beam (1) characterized in that the said beam (1) is constituted by an elongated planar strip of steel-like nature, with a narrow width in respect to its length, which presents at one of its end portions a lateral widening (4) towards one side and a notch or undercut (3) starting from the opposite side; the said widening (4) is laterally introduced in an adjusted manner into a cavity encasement (6) formed in the selector, while on the notch (3) is fitted an exterior anvil (8) that is fixed on said selector and pressures the said widening (4) towards the cavity encasement (6), the strip (1) projecting and extending with a certain longitudinal and transversal descending inclination. Device according to the claim 2, characterized in that the strip (1) is of rectangular configuration, the said widening (4) and notch (3) being formed beginning from the opposite longitudinal edges from one of the transversal edges (2), and the notch (3) being of less length that the widening (4).

Inventors: ECHAPARE IBARROLA JESUS, PINA INSAUSTI JOSE LUIS, ECHAPARE IBARROLA, JESUS, PINA INSAUSTI, JOSE LUIS, Echapare Ibarrola, Jesùs
Applicants: AZKOYEN IND SA, AZKOYEN INDUSTRIAL, S.A.
Application year: 1993
Main classification: G07F3
IPC codes: G01G3, G07D5