A DEVICE FOR SORTING COINS AND THE LIKE

Abstract: The invention relates to a device for sorting coins or the like, which device comprises a body (1), a feeder (2), a coin track (4) having a first support (20), along which the coins (3) can roll supported on their peripheral part, and a second support (21) comprising a drive belt (19), one side surface of the coin facing the second support when rolling and being supported on the first support and the drive belt being arranged to support the coin when the coin rolls along the coin track, and coin ejecting means (6 to 18). In order that the coins and the like can be conveyed at a high speed in such a way that the distance between adjacent coins remains practically the same and no coin jams are caused, the drive belt (19) is arranged to support the coin (3) along only a part of its one peripheral edge in a substantially spotlike manner and the second support (21) comprises a planar support (23) arranged close to the first support (20) for supporting the coin simultaneously at a diametrally opposite point of the peripheral edge, whereby the plane of the drive belt (19) facing the coin forms an acute angle alpha with respect to the planar support.

Description: A device for sorting coins and the like The invention relates to a device for sorting coins or the like, which device comprises a body, a feeder, a coin track having a first support, along which the coins can roll supported on their peripher¬ al part, and a second support comprising a drive belt, one side surface of the coin facing the second support when rolling and being supported on the first support and the drive belt being arranged to support the coin when the coin rolls along the coin track, and coin ejecting means, whereby the feeder is in¬ tended for feeding the coins on the coin track and the ejecting means are intended for guiding the coins off the coin track to a collecting place desired. The invention also relates to a track according to the preamble of claim 12. In machines for sorting coins, it is known to use quite different types of tracks for displacing coins from the feeder to the place where the coins are removed from the track. One known device comprises an inclined track, along which the coins can roll by gravity. The coins are removed from the track by means of deflecting knives, which guide coins of different values into separate outlets. The track is not very quick-operat¬ ed (about 600 coins per minute at the most), because it does not include means for accelerating the speed of the coin movement on the track. A drawback of said inclined track is also that it needs relatively much space in height direction, due to which the device will have a considerable total height. A second known device comprises a track provid¬ ed with a chain arranged to pull coins in the hori- zontal plane to places from where they are removed by means of solenoid-controlled pins into outlets, each coin value having a separate outlet. The chain com¬ prises transverse # pins at equal distances, which pins push the coins forward. The coins are being position- ed between the pins in such a way that the order fol¬ lows the pattern: pin, coin, pin, coin, etc. Only one coin can be positioned between two pins. Thanks to the fact that the track is horizontal, the need for space in height direction is less than in the previ- ous device; however, a problem is that a lifting ap¬ paratus capable of feeding coins in a synchronized manner to the areas between the chain pins must be used as a coin feeder. Such a lifting apparatus is relatively complicated and feeding coins into the recesses of the lifting apparatus does not succeed each time, due to which the areas between the chain pins are not always filled with coins. On account of the above, the maximum speed of the device is not in practice very high (about 400 to 500 coins per minute). A third known device comprises a horizontal feeder drum and a horizontal track, on which coins propagate by sliding and in the horizontal plane. The sliding movement is produced by a belt positioned above the coins, which belt is pressed against the coins. The track comprises elongated apertures of different widths in the plane of the track, so that coins of different diameters can fall through the different apertures. The smallest coin falls through the aperture closest to the feeder drum, which aper¬ ture is the smallest one of the apertures of the coin track, and the biggest coin is removed through the aperture situated farthest away from the feeder drum. However, a drawback of this device is that it is not capable of separating coins with a small dif- ference in diameter due to the structure of said apertures: for efficient separation, a difference in diameter of at least about 0,4 mm is required in practice. Additionally, if there is a foreign "non- standard" coin among the coins to be sorted, which is discovered by means of an optical or inductive sen¬ sor, the device must be stopped in order to take away the foreign coin from the standard or "correct" coins and to prevent it from being mixed with the "correct" coins of approximately indentical diameter. (A for¬ eign coin falls through the first aperture of the coin track that has a sufficient diameter.) Due to the above, this known device is not so quick in prac¬ tice as its theoretical speed gives to understand. Moreover, it takes time for the coins to fall of themselves through said apertures, because of which the theoretical speed of the device cannot be very high either. From German Offenlegungsschrift 2 513 240 is known a device for coins, comprising two drive belts for displacing the coins on the coin track. This known device is not capable of conveying coins of different sizes at the same speed, due to which jams are caused on the coin track. The object of the present invention is to eli¬ minate the most substantial drawbacks associated with the devices according to the prior art. To achieve this object, the device according to the invention is mainly characterized in that the drive belt is ar- ranged to support the coin along only a part of its one peripheral edge in a substantially spotlike man¬ ner and that the second support comprises a planar support arranged close to the first support for sup¬ porting the coin simultaneously at one diametrally opposite place of the peripheral edge or at several such places, whereby the plane of the drive belt fac¬ ing the coin forms an acute angle α with respect to the planar support. The angle α is preferably 2 to 5 o and the drive belt forms an angle of 0 to 70°, prefer- ably 10 to 45°, with respect to the vertical axis, be¬ cause these values allow a very high speed for the coins without the coins overlapping each other on the coin track. These values also allow that coins of different sizes move on the coin track in a control- led manner without any significant sway and without the distance between two sequential coins being changed. The preferred embodiments of the device ac¬ cording to the invention are set forth in the enclos¬ ed claims 2 to 11. The characterizing features of the path according to the invention are set forth in the characterizing portion of enclosed claim 12. The invention is based on the idea of conveying coins by rolling on a track by means of a drive belt in such a way that the drive belt grips the edge of a coin irrespective of the size of the coin, by means of which edge the rolling movement is transmitted to the coin, whereby the supporting action of the coin and the geometry of the drive belt are arranged such that one and the same drive belt can pull coins of different sizes simultaneously. The greatest advantages of the solution of the invention are that the coins and the like can be con¬ veyed at a high speed in such a way that the distance between adjacent coins remains practically the same and no coin jams can be caused. The coin track ac¬ cording to the invention can preferably be provided with means, such as solenoid-controlled ejecting pins, which shoot out the coins very quickly at right places of the path. The coin track is suitable for being connected to different types of known feeding devices. In the following, the invention will be ex¬ plained in greater detail by means of one preferred embodiment with reference to the enclosed drawing, in which Figure 1 shows a device from the side and Figure 2 shows a path of coins from the end. The device of Figure 1 comprises a body 1, a feeder drum 2 supported on the body, into which drum coins 3 to be sorted and counted are poured, and a coin track, which is generally indicated by the ref¬ erence numeral 4. When the feeder drum 2 is rotated, the coins move to the track 4. The reference numeral 5 indicates a sensing unit, by means of which a coin is sensed. The sensing unit 5 comprises an optical and/or inductive sensor sending signals to solenoids 6 to 10, with which are ' connected ejecting pins 11, 12 and 13 striking the coins into correct outlets 14 to 18 in such a way that coins of a certain value always come into the same outlet. If the sensing units discover a foreign coin, this is allowed to pass forward to the end of the coin track, from where it is allowed to fall into a common collecting recep¬ tacle (not shown) for foreign coins. Alternatively, it is conceivable that one solenoidal ejecting pin is arranged to push all foreign coins into separate out¬ lets. The operation of the solenoids 6 to 10 of the device can be controlled as follows. When it is not possible any longer to feed coins through an outlet for a certain type of coins, for instance number 14, because the collecting receptacle under the outlet 14 is full and must be emptied, the coin type in ques¬ tion is guided into another receptacle by activating another solenoid, to which is connected an empty re- ceptacle. In Figure 1, the numeral 19 indicates a belt, by means of which the coins are conveyed on the track 4. Figure 2 shows the coin track from the end. Un¬ substantial parts have been deleted from the figure to make it more understandable. From the figure is seen that the track 4 comprises a first support, a lower support 20, along which coins 3a, 3b can roll supported on their peripheral part, and a second sup¬ port, a side support 21, which faces inner surfaces 22a, 22b of the coins when the coins roll. The side support 21 comprises a drive belt 19 and a low-fric¬ tion support strip 23 below the belt. The support strip 23 can preferably be made of polytetrafluor- ethylene plastic (PTFE), the friction coefficient of which against other materials is very low, or of some other plastic or material, the friction coefficient of which is low against the surface of the coins. Thanks to the low friction, coins of different sizes are subjected to a substantially identical resistance • by the support strip 23. From the figure is seen that the coins 3a, 3b are supported on the belt 19 with only a part 24a, 24b of their one peripheral edge in such a way that the contact is substantially spot¬ like. Diametrally opposite parts or places 25a, 25b of said peripheral edge of the coins 3a, 3b are also supported in a substantially spotlike manner against the support strip 23. Thanks to the fact that the supporting action of the coin against the support strip 23 is spotlike, the sliding friction of the coin against the support plate is very low and prac¬ tically constant irrespective of the diameter of the coin. Said supporting action has been provided by positioning the surface of the drive belt 19 facing the coin 3a, 3b at an angle a of about 3° with respect to the support strip 23. Consequently, the coins 3a, 3b are supported on the side support 21 only by means of two points of the peripheral edge. The position of the drive belt 19 with respect to the support strip 23 is such that the lowest edge 26 of the drive belt is at a distance of the plane 22a, 22b of the coin 3a, 3b facing the drive belt irrespective of the dia¬ meter of the coin. The angle α may preferably vary between 2 to 5°. It is conceivable that said angle can be as small as about 1°, but a drawback of a too small angle is that the spotlike contact points of the coins are changed into range-like contacts, which are associated with different friction forces for coins of different diameters, and then the coins are not conveyed on the track in a controlled manner any longer, but jams are caused when the coins roll. The angle a cannot be very big either, because a too big angle causes an overlapping of coins of different sizes fed on the coin track (small coins go into the space between big coins and the side support), which disturbs the propagation of the coins to the extent that a successful separation of coins at ejecting points is not possible. The biggest value of the angle a is in practice about 20°. In order that the drive belt 19 can handle the ordinary coin sizes used, the distance between the lower edge 26 of the drive belt and the lower support 20 is about 15 mm and the width of the drive belt about 10 to 20 mm. The width of the support strip 23 is preferably 5 to 10 mm. A very small width can cause an unstable sway of the coin at that stage when the coin comes to the beginning of the coin track 4; if the width is too big, the upper edge of the support strip 23 touches the lower edge 26 of the drive belt 19. Figure 2 shows that the surface of the drive belt 19 is entirely vertical. Differing from the fig¬ ure, it is fully possible to incline the arrangement shown in Figure 2 in such a way that the drive belt forms an angle with respect to the vertical axis. The inclination can be 0 to 70°. The bigger the inclina¬ tion is, the bigger is the force component to which the support plate is subjected by the coin, which is not advantageous, because the force resisting the movement of the coin increases and, additionally, this force increases in different ways for coins of different diameters, which does not make an even con¬ veyance possible. A big angle makes it also difficult to shoot off the coin, because the coin must then be shot in a strange direction in such a way that a force component is directed also upwards. It has been noticed that the coins will be very evenly conveyed and are very easily removable from the track when the inclination of the drive belt is 10 to 45°. The invention has been described above by way of an example only, and therefore, it is pointed out that the details of the invention can be realized in many ways within the scope of the enclosed claims. It is thus conceivable that the arrangement of Figure 2 is inclined so much that the support 20 cannot really be called lower support, but rather side support, due to which the support 21 should be called lower sup¬ port and not side support. On account of the above, the claim speaks of a first support and a second sup¬ port. It is also thinkable that the support strip is replaced by a drive belt, the speed of which is of the same size but opposite to that of the belt 19. The planar support (support strip) 23 can be thought to support the coin from below by means of several points situated at the peripheral edge and close to the places 25a and 25b; then the supporting action takes place by means of a small sector of the annular periphery and the friction between the support strip and the coin shall be very small. The support 23 can naturally be made in one piece with the support 20. It is conceivable that the track according to the in¬ vention is used for conveying round planar bodies other than coins.

Claims: Claims : 1. A device for sorting coins or the like, which device comprises a body (1), a feeder (2), a coin track (4) having a first support (20), along which the coins (3) can roll supported on their peripheral part, and a second support (21) comprising a drive belt (19), one side surface of the coin fac¬ ing the second support when rolling and being sup- ported on the 'first support and the drive belt being arranged to support the coin when the coin .rolls along the coin track, - and coin ejecting means (6 to 18), whereby the feeder is intended for feeding the coins on the coin track and the ejecting means are intended for guiding the coins off the coin track to a collecting place desired, c h a r a c t e r¬ i z e d in that the drive belt (19) is arranged to support the coin (3a, 3b) along only a part (24a, 24b) of its one peripheral edge in a substantially spotlike manner and that the second support (21) com¬ prises a planar support (23) arranged close to the first support (20) for supporting the coin simultane¬ ously at one diametrally opposite place (25a, 25b) of the peripheral edge or at several such places, where- by the plane of the drive belt (19) facing the coin forms an acute angle a with respect to the planar support. 2. A device according to claim 1, c h a r a c¬ t e r i z e d in that the angle a is 1 to 20°. 3. A device according to claim 2, c h a r a c¬ t e r i z e d in that the angle α is 2 to 5°. 4. A device according to claim 1, c h a r a c¬ t e r i z e d in that the planar support (23) is arranged to support said diametrally opposite part (25a, 25b) of the coin in a substantially spotlike manner. 5. A device according to claim 1, c h a r a c¬ t e r i z e d in that the planar support (23) com¬ prises a low-friction surface. 6. A device according to claim 5, c h a r a c¬ t e r i z e d in that the planar support (23) con¬ sists of a strip made of PTFE plastic. 7. A device according to claim 4, c h a r a c¬ t e r i z e d in that the planar support consists of a drive belt arranged to move in a direction opposite to that of the first-mentioned drive belt. 8. A device according to claim 5 or 7, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that the width of the planar support (23) is about 5 to 10 mm. 9. A device according to claim 1, c h a r a c¬ t e r i z e d in that the edge (26) of the drive belt (19) facing the first support (20) is at a dis¬ tance of about 15 mm from the first support. 10. A device according to claim 8, c h a r- a c t e r i z e d in that the width of the drive belt (19) is 10 to 20 mm. 11. A device according to any of the foregoing claims, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that the drive belt (19) forms an angle, the size of which is 10 to 45° with respect to the vertical axis. 12. A track for displacing coins and the like by means of a rolling movement, which track comprises a first support (20), along which coins (3) can roll supported on their peripheral part, and a second sup- port (21) comprising a drive belt (19), one side sur¬ face of the coin facing the second support when rol¬ ling and being supported on the first support, where¬ by the drive belt is arranged to support the coin when the coin rolls along the coin track, c h a r- a c t e r i z e d in that the drive belt (19) is arranged to support the coin (3a, 3b) along only a part (24a, 24b) of its one peripheral edge in a sub¬ stantially spotlike manner and that the second sup¬ port (21) comprises a planar support (23) arranged close to the first support (20) for supporting the coin simultaneously at one diametrally opposite place (25a, 25b) of the peripheral edge or at several such places, whereby the plane of the drive belt facing the coin forms an acute angle α with respect to the planar support.

Inventors: VIHAVAINEN TERHO, VIHAVAINEN, TERHO
Applicants: DATALAB OY, VIHAVAINEN TERHO
Application year: 1993
Main classification: G07D3
IPC codes: G07D3