AUTOMATIC COIN-OPERATED DEPOSIT LOCKING DEVICE FOR USE IN A SYSTEM OF CUSTOMER TROLLEYS

Abstract: Automatic coin-operated deposit locking device to be fitted on a trolley which may form part of a coupled row of such trolleys, more specifically customer trolleys, shopping trolleys and baggage trolleys to be rented to customers against a deposit. The automatic device is designed to release a retained trolley from the row by insertion of a deposit of a certain value, for example a coin, into the automatic device, and to release the deposit inserted when the trolley is returned for re-coupling of the trolley to the row of trolleys, and with a locking opening accepting, retaining and releasing a key belonging to a preceding trolley in a row of trolleys. The automatic coin-operated deposit locking device consists of a combination of a deposit insertion gate (38) for insertion of a deposit of a form predetermined for example in terms of size, a scanning component (34) for the deposit displaceable in the insertion direction mentioned and extending into the gate, a scanning component (36) displaceable parallel to the deposit scanning component for insertion of the key of a preceding trolley, a blocking mechanism operatively movable transversally to both the insertion and exit directions of the deposit insertion gate (38) and the insertion direction of both the deposit scanning component (34) and the key scanning components (36), consisting of a catch (40) turnable around a shaft (44) running transversally to the insertion directions, and having a locking catch arm (56) with outwards open locking recesses (58) facing another deposit scanner (42) formed like a tong (60) with jaws (62) movable in relation to one another which combined constitute an opening facing the deposit insertion gate and constituting part of a side limitation of the latter, and the two arms of the handle of which both face the locking catch arm and are designed to either engage with or disengage from the outwardly open locking recesses (58) of the locking catch (56), in connection with which the movability of the movable parts of the automatic device in relation to each other is spring loaded (68, 74, 78).

Description: AUTOMATIC COIN-OPERATED DEPOSIT LOCKING DEVICE FOR USE IN A SYSTEM OF CUSTOMER TROLLEYS TECHNICAL FIELD The invention relates to an automatic coin-operated deposit locking device to be used in a system of customer trolleys, i.e. transport trolleys to be rented to customers against a deposit and more specifically an automatic coin-operated deposit locking device of the type described in the introduction to patent claim 1. To perform their tasks such coin-operated devices must be reliable and robust. Complicated manipulations must not be required to release a trolley nor to re-couple it, and the automatic devices must function irrespective of whether they are subjected to more or less dextrous handling. Irrespective of the weather conditions the automatic devices must be functionally dependable both indoors and outdoors. It must be possible to use valued items such as a coin or token or a master key, as deposit. In this connection it may be necessary to allow for the same value to circulate as e.g. two coins of different dimensions. DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION The object of the invention is to provide an automatic coin-operated deposit locking device the technical design of which, both in respect of functionality and long life and in respect of flexibility in dimensions of deposits, may be made from quality materials in a economical and thus competitive manner. This object is fulfilled according to the invention in that the automatic coin-operated deposit locking device is designed as described in the characterizing part of patent claim 1. This combination entails that two scanning operations may be carried out in one common operation. One is aiming at establishing whether a deposit or a key is present in the device, and the other is aiming at making an individual fine scanning between the jaws of the tong of the accurate diameter of an inserted deposit and thus the correct value of the deposit. Only when both scannings harmonize is the key released after insertion of the deposit, and the deposit is released again after the return of the key. The particular technical design of the automatic coin-operated deposit locking device is furthermore characterized by simple flat items that may be die-cut from plate material. The items are placed close to each other and engaging with each other, and they stretch along a continuous, straight passage path for insertion and removal of deposits at one end of the automatic device and key removal and re-insertion at the opposite end of the automatic device. The technical design of the scanner for deposits in the shape of a tong entails the immediate possibility of accurate scanning of the dimensions of the deposit and thus accurate detection of the value of the deposit and a reliable retention of the deposit while the trolley is in use. Furthermore, the tong can assure that on returning the deposit does not drop out of or is ejected from the locking device, but is retained ready for removal. In the way described in patent claim 2, possibly in connection with patent claim 4, it is possible to assure correct functioning of the blocking devices in a simple and space- saving manner. In the way described in patent claim 3 it is possible, within the framework of the invention, to provide a coded blocking against insertion of a non-system key. The flexibility defined in patent claim 4 allows an easily implemented detection of various designs and values of deposits. The interaction between wall and jaws described in patent claim 4 allows a very accurate scanning of the outer shape or diameter of the deposit to the effect that any deposits deviating even minutely from an accepted tolerance are rejected. If the deposit scanner must be able to scan deposits of identical value, but with different outer dimensions, the jaws may be equipped as described in patent claim 5, possibly also combined with patent claim 6. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS In the following the invention is described in more detail referring to the drawing of which Figure 1 shows in perspective an embodiment of a housing for an automatic coin- operated deposit locking device according to the invention, Figure 2 shows a cross section of the housing along the line ll-ll in Figure 1, Figures 3-5 show an embodiment of the mechanism of the automatic device as seen from above after removal of the cover of the automatic device housing, in that Figure 3 shows the automatic device as a deposit in the form of a coin is being placed and the key has been inserted, with which the locking device is engaged, still retaining the key, Figure 4 shows the lock activated by insertion of the coin placed and the key released and in its ejecting position, and Figure 5 shows the lock having returned to its exit position with the key inserted and retained in the lock and the coin released on returning, and Figure 6 shows in greater scale the key scanning component and the deposit scanning component of the automatic coin-operated deposit locking device in interaction with a deposit inserted in the automatic device. DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT The housing of an automatic coin-operated deposit locking device shown in Figure 1 consists of a flat bottom assembly 10 and a slightly domed cover 12 placed on top of the assembly 10 and subsequently secured. As shown in Figure 2 the housing 10, 12 is designed for fixed mounting on to a handlebar 14 of for example a shopping trolley. Retaining band 16, typically two off, are used as fixture. At one end 18 the retaining band 16 is anchored to the bottom of assembly 10. The assembly 10 rests on the handlebar 14 and is retained there, the end mentioned of the band 16 being passed underneath the handlebar 14 and the free 4 end 20 being passed upwards into a locking aperture 22, accessible from beneath, in the assembly 10. Both the band end 20 and the locking aperture 22 are designed to interlock and thus to fix the housing 10, 12 to the handlebar 14. In the embodiment shown the band end 20 is retained for example by a tightening screw in the locking aperture 22 which is enveloped by the closed housing 10. The mechanism of the automatic coin-operated deposit locking device is shown in one embodiment in more detail in Figures 3-6. Figure 3 shows the automatic coin-operated deposit locking device in an exit position. In an insertion gate 24 for a key, a schematically sketched key shank 26 of a key belonging for example to a shopping trolley in front of a row of trolleys is retained. The shank 26 has a transversal opening 28. The key shank 26 has been inserted into a shank channel 30 which from a side wall of the housing 10, 12 continues into the housing, preferably being of such a length that it can take up the complete shank 26. The key shank 26 and the channel 30 may display coding elements which by means of a common design can act as a code preventing unwanted mixing of shopping trolleys from different markets. For this purpose the channel 30 may be provided with a protrusion, not shown, extending somewhat transversally into the channel and being designed to interact with a matching milling-out or channel, not shown, in the key 26 running in its insertion direction to the effect that protrusion plus milling-out can act as a blocking code. To interact with the shank channel 30 there is a scanning channel 32 further inside the housing running in the longitudinal direction of the shank channel 30 for both a deposit scanning component 34 and a key scanning component 36 which are slidable in the channel direction both together and in relation to each other. At the end located opposite the shank channel 30 the scanning components 34 and 36 face and constitute parts of a deposit insertion gate which is generally indicated by 38. 5 Offset to the right of the shank channel 30 and the scanning channel 32 there is a blocking mechanism consisting of a catch 40 and an additional deposit scanner 42. Both components 40 and 42 are operatively movable in the direction transversally to the insertion and exit directions of the deposit insertion gate 38 and to the deposit scanner component 34 and the key scanner components 36. For this purpose the catch 40 is tumable around a shaft 44 transversally to the insertion direction. Distributed around its shaft 44 the catch 40 has a blocking component 46 with a hooked tip 48 facing the shank channel 30, a blocking component 50 with a hooked tip 52 to interact with openings 54 in the deposit scanning component 34 and the key scanning component 36, respectively, transversally to their travel directions with a view to alternating locking and releasing of these components, and a locking catch arm 56 which has locking recesses 58 open downwards along its lower side edge. These recesses 58 face the additional deposit scanner 42. The deposit scanner 42 is designed as a tong 60 with jaws 62 movable in relation to each other. The two arms 64 and 66 of the tong face the locking catch arm 56 and are designed in such a way that with their ends they either engage with or disengage from the downwards open locking recesses 58 of the locking catch arm 56. The movable jaws 62 of the tong 60 and thus the opening provided face the deposit insertion gate 38 and thus constitute one side of the gate. As it appears from the drawing, the movability of all movable parts of the automatic coin-operated locking device is spring loaded. A hairpin spring 68 acts by each of its protruding arms 70 and 72 on the deposit scanning component 34 and the key scanning component 36, respectively, in the direction of their travel. A hairpin spring 74 acts by each of its protruding arms 76 and 78 on the blocking component 50 and the arm 64 of the tong, respectively. 6 A hairpin spring 80 acts by a protruding arm 82 on the arm 66 of the tong 60. Below the functions of the automatic coin-operated deposit locking device are described in sequence in the situations shown in Figures 3 to 5. Figure 3 shows the mechanism in a starting-out position in which the hired transport trolley, on which the deposit locking device has been fitted, is coupled to for example another trolley in front of it, the key 26 of the latter having been inserted in the insertion gate 24. With its key shank 26a the key 26 has been inserted into the shank channel 30. In the starting-out position of the components as shown in Figure 3 the key shank 26a presses by its free end on the upper end of key scanning component 36 and keeps the key scanning component 36 depressed thereby overcoming the power exerted by the hairpin spring 68. Furthermore, the key shank 26a presses on the shoulder 46a of the blocking component 46. Hereby the hooked tip 48 of the blocking component 46 has swung anticlockwise and into blocking engagement with the opening 28 in the key shank 26a. A deposit P in the form of a coin has been placed in front of the deposit insertion gate 38. By inserting the deposit P into the deposit insertion gate 38 through its deposit passageway 39, see Figure 4, the deposit is passed into the gap between the movable jaws 62 of the tong 60. The arms 64 and 66 of the tong 60 are swung clockwise overcoming the power of the hairpin spring 80 and are brought into position with their fingers 84 and 86 protruding from upward ends of the arms 64 and 66 opposite the locking recesses 58 of the locking catch arm 56. Simultaneously, the deposit P has moved the deposit scanning component 34 so much upwards in the scanning channel 32 that the hooked tip 52 of the blocking component 50 is able to pass clockwise by the openings 54 formed in the deposit scanning component 34 and the key scanning component 36. The deposit scanning component 34 is retained in position, cf. Figure 4. This entails that the hooked tip 48 is swung free off the key 26, that the shoulder 46a swings upwards thus pressing the key 26 upwards in the removal direction, that the key scanning component 36 reaches the top position in the scanning channel 32, and that the locking recesses 58 of the locking catch arm 56 engage with the fingers 84 and 86 of the tong arms 64 and 66 and are retained. The jaws 62 clamp around the deposit P and force it to rest against a counter wall 38a in the insertion gate 38. The arms 76 and 78 of the hairpin spring 74 are spread somewhat. This means, cf. fig 4, that the deposit is now retained by the deposit tong 60, that the locking catch arm 56 is now retained by the deposit tong 60, and that key scanning component 36, relieved of any key, retains the blocking component 50 which with its hooked tip 52 has been passed clockwise through the opening 54 of the key scanning component 36 and has gripped by a hook-shaped lower part 88 around the rim of the opening 54. On return of the rented trolley and re-coupling for example to the nearest trolley in a row of trolleys already formed, the key 26 of the latter trolley is inserted in the shank channel 30 of the automatic coin-operated deposit locking device of the trolley returned. Hereby the advanced key scanning component 36 is pressed backwards with the effect that the edge of the opening 54 of the key scanning component 36 is released from its engagement with the hook-shaped lower part 88 of the blocking component 50. The key shank 26a also hits the shoulder 46a of the blocking component 46, and by means of the displacement force thus released the blocking component 46 is turned anticlockwise, see Figure 5. The hooked tip 52 is pulled out of the housing 52 of the deposit scanning component 34 after which the hairpin spring 68 can push down the deposit scanning component 34 towards the deposit P, and the scanning components 34 and 36 are released and the blocking components 50, 52 are pulled out of the deposit scanning component 34 which, consequently, can exert a displacement force for delivery of the deposit P present in the insertion gate 38. Furthermore, the anticlockwise turning of the blocking component 46 entails that the locking recesses 58 of the locking catch arm 56 swing free of the engagement fingers 84 and 86 of the tong arms 64 and 66, respectively on the tong 60. Thus the envelopment of the deposit P by the jaws 62 is relieved. The tong 60 is turned anticlockwise by the hairpin spring 80. The deposit is ready for returning from the insertion gate 38. However, as the arms of the hairpin spring 74 are again tightened somewhat against each other, a slight clamping force is still exerted on the jaw 62 preventing the deposit from dropping out unintentionally, and this has to be overcome by the customer pulling the deposit out of the deposit insertion gate 38. The turning anticlockwise of the catch 40 and thus the blocking component 46 has had the result that the hooked tip 48 of the blocking component 46 has engaged with the transversal opening 28 of the key 26. The returned trolley is thus again coupled to the trolley in front in the row of trolleys. The deposit insertion gate 38 may be adapted to suit the size of the deposit by designing the insertion slot 39 of the deposit insertion gate 38 to fit the deposit exactly, for example the relevant shape and size of the coin. In the event for example two coin sizes are in circulation for one and the same coin value, two matching insertion slots 39 may be fitted. In the latter case the jaws 62 may be provided with stepped detection surfaces 62a to grip the coin in question. In order to attain adaptation to for example several sizes of coins the jaws 62 may also be provided with blocks 63 forming a protrusion of the jaws 62 and having stepped tightening surfaces 62a facing the counter wall 38a. This wall may be adapted to the deposit dimensions in question, and therefore for example be stepped. The deposit slot 39 may be contained in one of the two parts of the housing 10, 12 or as shown as one opening in each part to enable the locking device to function with two different sizes of deposits as explained in connection with Figure 6. In the latter case the openings 39 may be designed so as to indicate clearly the respective deposit sizes. 9 LIST OF PARTS P deposit 10 bottom assembly 12 cover 14 handle 16 retaining band 18 retaining band end 20 retaining band end 22 locking aperture 24 insertion gate 26 key 28 opening 30 shank channel 32 scanning channel 34 deposit scanning component 36 key scanning component 38 deposit insertion gate 38a counter wall 39 deposit passageway 40 catch 42 deposit scanner 44 shaft 46 blocking component 46a shoulder 48 hooked tip 50 blocking component 52 hooked tip 54 opening 56 locking catch arm 58 locking reces 60 tong 62 jaw 62a detection surface 10 63 block 64 tong arm 66 tong arm 68 hairpin spring 70 hairpin spring arm 72 hairpin spring arm 74 hairpin spring 76 hairpin spring arm 78 hairpin spring arm 10 80 hairpin spring 82 hairpin spring arm 84 finger 86 finger 88 hook-shaped lower part 15

Claims: P A T E N T C L A I M S 1. Automatic coin-operated deposit locking device to be fitted on a trolley which may form part of a coupled row of such trolleys, more specifically customer trolleys, shopping trolleys and baggage trolleys to be rented to customers against a deposit in that the automatic device is designed to release a secured trolley from the row by inserting a deposit of a certain value, for example a coin, in the locking device and to release the inserted deposit when returning the trolley for re-coupling of the trolley to the row of trolleys, and with a locking opening for inserting, retaining and releasing a key of belonging to a preceding trolley in a row of trolleys, c h a r a c t e r i z e d by the combination of (a) a deposit insertion gate (38) for the insertion of a deposit of a form predetermined for example in terms of size, (b) a scanning component (34) for the deposit movable in the insertion direction mentioned and extending into the gate, (c) a scanning component (36) movable parallel to the deposit scanning component for insertion of the key of the preceding trolley, (d) a blocking mechanism operatively movable transversally to the insertion and exit directions, respectively, of the deposit insertion gate (38) and the insertion direction of both the deposit scanning component (34) and the key scanning component (36), consisting of (e) a catch (40) which is tumable around a shaft (44) running across the insertion directions and which has (f) a locking catch arm (56) with outwardly open locking recesses (58), (g) facing another deposit scanner (42) designed as a tong (60), (h) which has jaws (62) movable in relation to one another and combined 12 constituting an opening facing the deposit insertion gate and constituting part of a side limitation of the latter, and (i) the handles of the two arms of which are both facing the locking catch arm and are designed to engage with or disengage from the outwardly open locking recesses (58) of the locking catch (56) in which connection (k) the movability of the movable parts of the automatic device in relation to each other is spring loaded (68, 74, 78). 2. Automatic coin-operated deposit locking device according to claim 1 , character ized in that distributed around its pivot shaft the catch (40) has, in addition to the locking catch arm (56), a blocking component (46) for engagement with and release of a displacement channel (30) for a key and a blocking component (50) for engagement with the openings (54) of both scanning components (34 and 36) transversally to these directions of travel with a view to alternating locking and releasing of these blocking components (46, 50). 3. Automatic coin-operated deposit locking device according to claim 2, char- acterized in that the displacement channel (30) is designed as one part of a blocking coding, the other part of which is the complementary part of a key intended for insertion into this channel. 4. Automatic coin-operated deposit locking device according to claim 2, char- acter ized in that the blocking component (46) for a key of the catch (40) has a protrusion (46a) formed as an end stop for a key which from a position as end stop for a key inserted is pivotally free of the endstop position when the blocking component (46) for the key has released the displacement channel (30). 5. Automatic coin-operated deposit locking device according to each of the claims 1-4, characterized in that the deposit insertion gate has a counter wall (38a) running in the insertion direction of the deposit, which together with the jaws of the tong-shaped deposit scanner (42) forms side limitations opposite to each other for a deposit channel (38) which at its outer end is open to the passage of a deposit and 13 which at its inner end is open to the scanning end of the scanning component (24) for the deposit. 6. Automatic coin-operated deposit locking device according to each of the claims 1-5, characterized in that the jaws (62) of the deposit scanner (42) are provided with detection surfaces (62a) facing away from each other which have been stepped according to predetermined sizes of deposits. 7. Automatic coin-operated deposit locking device according to claim 6, char- acter ized in that at its deposit insertion and exit ends the deposit channel (38) is partly covered by a transversal wall in which there are two deposit passage openings (39) located above each other, each of different sizes matching the detection surfaces of the jaws.

Inventors: LENANDER AAGE, LENANDER, AAGE
Applicants: CATENA SYSTEMS APS, LENANDER AAGE, CATENA-SYSTEMS APS, LENANDER, AAGE
Application year: 1999
Main classification: G07F7
IPC codes: G07F7