Abstract:
A device for sorting coins in at least four coin tubes of a coin changer that leave a coin testing device, the coin tubes being located in a common plane, the device comprising a housing having a substantially vertical wall, a first gate element including a first runway inclined relative to a horizontal level and a barrier portion at the lower end of a first runway, the first gate element being supported for movement approximately perpendicular to wall and actuable by a first electro magnet between two positions, in the first position the first runway projecting from wall and the first barrier portion together with wall forming a passage whereby a coin may roll along the first runway through the passage while in the second position the runway extends into wall and the first barrier portion is adjacent to wall.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
       [0001]    Not applicable 
       STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH 
       [0002]    Not applicable 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0003]    It is generally known to provide money changers for coin-operated machines with so-called coin tubes which receive coins of certain denominational values in an upright position. The coin tubes stack the coins in columns, and a pay-out device associated with the lower ends of the coin tubes delivers coins from the tubes in correspondence to the small change which is to be given out. Prior to this, a coin testing device tests the coins for genuineness. Coins which are found to be genuine either get into a cash-box or sorting device which sorts the coins into the individual tubes according to their denominational values. More recent money changers have a maximum of six coin tubes for coin storage. 
         [0004]    From EP 0 957 457 B1, the entire contents of which is incorporated herein by reference, a sorting device for coin-operated machines has become known in which coin tubes arranged in a row are allotted the coins via four sorting flaps. From EP 0 622 763 B2, the entire contents of which is incorporated herein by reference, a sorting device has become known in which sorting gates are provided in three superposed planes to route coins to four coin tubes. 
         [0005]    From EP 0 576 436 B1, the entire contents of which is incorporated herein by reference, a sorting device has become known which also feeds four coin tubes. A first V-shaped gate element leads incoming coins to one side or the opposite one. For this purpose, the two legs of the V-shaped gate element are either in the plane of the arriving coins or outside the same. The first gate element is operated by a first solenoid. Either side of the first gate element has disposed thereon gate portions which can be pivoted about a vertical axis. When in one position, they pass arriving coins on to another runway and, when in the other position, they direct the coins to a coin tube which is disposed underneath. Here, the disadvantage is that the coins require to be deflected in a vertical direction from the plane in which they drop into the sorting device. 
         [0006]    It is the object of the invention to provide a device for sorting coins in which the coins are moved and deflected in one plane only. 
       BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0007]    In the inventive device, the axes of the coin tubes are located in a common plane. A first gate element and a second gate element have runways each associated therewith above one of the middle coin tubes. Two runways are oriented towards the outer coin tubes each, the two runways also allow a downward passage to the middle coin tubes when the second gate element is inoperative and the runways are retracted. The coins are routed towards the outer coin tubes when the second gate element is operated. 
         [0008]    In the inventive sorting device, the coins will always remain in one plane and will not be deflected, which has a very favourable effect on the wear and the rapidity of forward motion of the coins. 
         [0009]    In an aspect of the invention, the second gate element has coupled thereto barrier portions which extend into the common plane when the second gate element is inoperative, and are retracted from the plane when the second gate element is operated. The barrier portions take care that the coins are able to enter the coin tube, which is located underneath, in a substantially vertical position when the second gate element is inoperative. 
         [0010]    Another aspect of the invention provides that the first gate element has a first runway which is oriented towards a fourth runway located in the dropping path of the coins with the first runway extending into the common plane when the first gate element is inoperative and being retracted from the plane when the first gate element is operated. Coins which arrive from the coin tester, after passing the reception gate, drop onto the fourth runway of a so-called cash-box gate. If the cash-box gate is not being operated all coins will drop into the cash-box disposed underneath. On the other hand, if the cash-box gate is being operated the coins arriving from the coin tester drop onto the fourth runway and are deflected to the first runway. 
         [0011]    In another aspect of the invention, the first gate element, at the end of the third runway, has a first barrier portion which has a passage for the coins when the first gate element is not being operated, and directs arriving coins towards the second or third runway of the second gate element when the first gate element is being operated. The passage which is defined by the second and first runways or the first barrier portion is limited by the wall of the sorting device in which the first and second gate elements are slidably mounted. 
         [0012]    According to a further aspect of the invention, it is advantageous for the sorting procedure if the outer coin tubes have their upper ends disposed lower than the middle coin tubes. 
         [0013]    To achieve a larger storage capacity or allow the coin tubes to accommodate coins of more denominational values an aspect of the invention provides that a fifth and a sixth coin tube be provided the axes of which are located approximately in a joint second and third plane with the axes of the matching outer coin tubes, the first and second planes being nearly perpendicular to the first plane. Above the outer coin tubes, further gate elements each can be operated by a solenoid provided and allow the coins to pass to the outer coin tubes when the third or fourth gate element is not being operated, and directs the coins to the fifth or sixth coin tube when the third or fourth gate element is being operated. 
         [0014]    The second gate element preferably constitutes a unit with the second and third barrier portions. According to an aspect of the invention, arms for the barrier portions and the barrier portions can define a first component and the runways of the second gate element can define a second component, which are combined into a unit. Since those components preferably are formed from a plastic it is advantageous to provide one component with a latch pin and the other one with a detent aperture which are of a non-releasable snap-in configuration. 
         [0015]    An embodiment of the invention will be described in more detail below with reference to the drawings. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0016]      FIG. 1  shows a plan view of a tube cassette for a sorting device of the invention. 
           [0017]      FIG. 2  shows the upper portion of the tube cassette of  FIG. 1  with the sorting device of the invention in a perspective view. 
           [0018]      FIG. 3  shows the sorting device of  FIG. 2  with a coin tester disposed there above in a perspective view. 
           [0019]      FIG. 4  shows the back of the sorting device of  FIG. 3  in a perspective view. 
           [0020]      FIG. 5  shows another portion of the sorting device for the outer coin tubes of  FIGS. 1 and 2  in a perspective view. 
           [0021]      FIG. 6  shows a first gate element of the sorting device of the invention in a perspective view. 
           [0022]      FIG. 7  shows a second gate element of the sorting device of the invention in a perspective view. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       [0023]    While this invention may be embodied in many different forms, there are described in detail herein a specific preferred embodiment of the invention. This description is an exemplification of the principles of the invention and is not intended to limit the invention to the particular embodiment illustrated. 
         [0024]      FIG. 1  illustrates a plan view of a coin tube cassette  10  where the individual coin tubes  12  are designated A, B, C, D, E, and F. The axes of coin tubes B to E are located approximately in a common first plane. The axes of coin tubes A and B and F and E are also located approximately in a common second and third plane each. The two planes mentioned last are approximately perpendicular to the first plane. 
         [0025]    From  FIG. 2 , it can be seen that the upper ends of inner coin tubes C and D are located higher than the upper ends of the outer coin tubes B and E and coin tubes A and F each. The tube cassette  10  is placed in an apparatus casing which is not shown and, as illustrated in  FIG. 2 , also houses the assembly units of the sorting device and coin tester that are described below. 
         [0026]    The sorting device comprises two superposed sorting modules here in a casing ( 14 ). 
         [0027]    The upper sorting module shown in  FIG. 4  is joined together with the coin testing module as is shown in  FIG. 3  and can be inserted as a unit into the apparatus casing. 
         [0028]    The second sorting module shown in  FIG. 5  is inserted directly below in the apparatus casing in the portion as is depicted in  FIG. 2 . When so inserted, it is guided by a slot in the casing and is snapped into place in the end position. 
         [0029]      FIG. 3  shows the way a casing portion  16  of a coin tester is placed on top of the casing  14 . The casing  16  has an insertion hopper  18  and a return lever  20 . The construction of the coin tester in the casing  16  is conventional and will not be described in more detail. A coin gate  22  is pivotally supported about an approximately horizontal axis in the casing portion  14  of the sorting device. The coin gate  22  has mounted thereon an actuation shaft  24  which is pivotally supported at  26  and is pivoted by a portion  28  which is operated by a solenoid not recognizable in  FIG. 3 . Below the acceptance gate  22 , there is a cash-box gate  30  which is also actuated by a solenoid which is not shown. The cash-box gate has a runway portion  32 . 
         [0030]    A first gate element  34  is slidably supported perpendicularly to the plane of the drawing in a wall  36  of the casing  14 . A second gate element  38  also is slidably supported perpendicularly to the plane of the drawing in the wall  36 . The gate elements  36 ,  38  are illustrated in  FIGS. 6 and 7 . 
         [0031]    The gate element  34  has a runway portion  40  and a first upwardly extending arm  42  with a recess  44 . Another arm  44  parallel thereto on the opposite side of the runway portion  40  defines a barrier portion. A pin-type anchor (not shown), which forms part of a solenoid for operating the first gate element  34 , is snapped into the recess  44 . 
         [0032]    The second gate element  38  has a first component  48  and a second component  50  which are combined together into a unit. The first component has two runway portions  52 ,  54  each, which are slantingly oriented downwards, on opposed sides. In the middle, they are joined to a pin-like trunnion  56  which extends obliquely to the plane in which the runway portions  52 ,  54  are arranged. 
         [0033]    The second component  50  has a bushing-shaped middle portion  58  into which the trunnion  56  may non-releasably be snapped. However, the connection described is not rigid, but allows of a certain pivoting motion of the two components  48 ,  50  relative to each other. Arms  60 ,  62  at the ends of which a barrier portion  64  and  66  each is mounted extend on opposite sides of the bushing  58 . The bushing  58  further has joined thereto a metallic pin  68  which leads to a solenoid for actuating the second gate element  37 . 
         [0034]      FIG. 4  shows the other side of the casing  14 . Two upper solenoids  70 ,  22  can be recognized. The solenoid  70  operates the cash-box gate  30  and the solenoid  72  operates the acceptance gate  22 . The operating portion  28  of  FIG. 3  thus belongs to the solenoid  72 . However, the operation mechanism will not be described in detail since it is conventional. 
         [0035]      FIG. 4  allows recognizing a further solenoid  74  which serves for operating the first gate element  34 . A further solenoid  74  serves for operating the second gate element  38 . 
         [0036]    In  FIG. 3 , the first and second gate elements  34 ,  38  are in an inoperative position of the solenoids  74 ,  76 . When the cash-box gate  30  is operated this causes genuine coins which are passed by the acceptance gate  22  to get onto the runway  32  of the cash-box gate  30  and, subsequently, onto the runway  40  of the first gate element  34 . The coin rolls down the runway  40  and passes the barrier portion because this portion leaves a distance from the wall  36  of the casing  14 . As a result, the coin gets into the area of the runway  54 . This runway, however, also is at a distance from the wall  36  when the solenoid  76  for the second gate element  38  is inoperative. This implies that the coin drops down in front of the barrier portion  66 . The barrier portion  66 , which extends from the plane in which the arriving coin is rolling, takes care that the coin is deflected downwards. With regard to  FIG. 2 , this means that the coin drops into tube C. 
         [0037]    An activation of the solenoid  74  causes the first gate element  34  to be operated and the runway  40  to get outside the plane in which coins roll from runway  32  to runway  54 , causing the coin to drop down. The barrier portion  34 , which now does not present a passage any longer for the coin, takes care that the coin be deflected downwards. Since the runway  52  forms a gap with the wall  36  the coin will drop down vertically, which means in  FIG. 2  that the coin drops into the tube D. 
         [0038]    If only the second gate element  38  is operated a coin will run along the runway  40  through the barrier portion onto the runway  54  because this one no longer forms a gap with the wall  36 . Hence, the coin runs along the runway  54  and, thence, into the tube disposed underneath, which is tube B in  FIG. 2 . 
         [0039]    If the two gate elements  34 ,  38  are operated by an activation of the two solenoids  74 ,  76  the coin, when behind the runway  32 , gets directly onto the runway  52  because the runway  40  is retracted from the coin plane. Since the runway  52  has ceased to form a gap with the wall  36  the coin will run rightwards into the tube which is disposed underneath and is tube E in  FIG. 2 . 
         [0040]    It can be seen that if the deflections described exist the coin will always remain in the same plane and need not be deflected to any place. 
         [0041]      FIG. 2  allows recognizing that further gate elements  78 ,  80  are laterally disposed below the gate elements  34 ,  38 . When activated, they serve to direct arriving coins into coin tubes A or F, respectively. The gate elements  78 ,  80  are supported in casing portions  84 ,  86  of the casing part  82  of the second sorting module and can be pivoted about an axis which approximately is horizontal. Their operation is performed by means of solenoids  88  or  90 . The pivoting mechanism is not shown in detail. 
         [0042]    It can be seen from  FIG. 2  in conjunction with  FIG. 5  that if the third or fourth gate element  78 ,  80  is inoperative the coins arriving from the runway of the second gate element  38  are directed each into tube B or E. On the other hand, if a solenoid  88  or  90  is operated a coin arriving from one of the two runways will be routed to the coin tube A or F. 
         [0043]    In  FIG. 3 , a sorting sensor is arranged at  92  and a further sensor is disposed at  96  or  98 . They detect that a coin is passing on the runways  52 ,  54  or runway  40  and enable the coins to be counted. 
         [0044]    As is outlined at  100  the casing  14  has hinged thereto a flap (not shown) which closes the open side of the sorting device. The flap contains prisms, not shown, for the sensors  92 ,  96 , and  98 . One of the two small circles pertaining to the sensors shown denotes a pass of a light beam which is reflected in a prism in the flap, not shown, into the other aperture behind which a light-sensitive element is disposed. Sensors of this type are known as such in coin testers and sorting devices. 
         [0045]    The flap further includes a return channel towards which the coins are led by the acceptance gate  22  if the coin tester identifies a counterfeit coin. Coins will also get out through the return channel if the return lever  20  of the coin tester is actuated. 
         [0046]    A printed-circuit board for operating the solenoids and activating the sensors  92 ,  96 ,  98  is located at the back of the casing  14  that is shown in  FIG. 4 . This printed-circuit board is also connected, via a flat cable, to a printed-circuit board which performs the control of the coin tester which was not described in detail.