Abstract:
A miniaturizes lifting style coin hopper is provided with a coin escalator device. The lifting style hopper equipment uses a small hopper with improved escalator equipment. The escalator equipment for coins includes a back plate with a curved surface for carrying a plurality of coins which are arranged in a single plane row from bottom to top. A pair of spacers are placed at each side on the upper surface of this back plate, respectively. The escalator equipment for coins has at least a plurality of idlers which are freely rotatably arranged, covering the back plate between the paired spacers. A spring device presses these idlers to the back plate.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION  
         [0001]    This invention relates to coin escalator equipment, which pushes up coins one by one and pays out the coins one by one from the upper part thereof. Especially, this invention concerns an escalator device for pushing up and paying out coins, stored in a bulk condition, one by one, from the upper part thereof This invention is used for a lifting style hopper device, for coins and medals, tokens which are used for game machines, including a slot machine etc.. The terminology “coin” used in this specification generally refers to small disk bodies which are distributed as currency. The terminology “coin” in this specification also is intended to encompass medals, tokens and other small disk body, which are used in games and the like.  
         BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
         [0002]    Equipment for raising the position of coins and paying one by one at the elevated position has been provided as various developed products. Japanese Patent Application 2-417960 by the present applicant, discloses a coin-lifting type hopper device. Japanese Patent Application 2-417960 is published and granted with Japanese Patent Publication 7-92847. In the U.S.A., this Japanese Patent Application 2-417960 is granted as U.S. Pat. No. 5,170,874. Lifting style coin hopper equipment which is disclosed on these public information is summarily shown on perspective view of FIG. 9.  
           [0003]    The hopper equipment shown in FIG. 9 has a tank  1  like a pot shape for storing a plurality of coins A in a bulk condition. This hopper equipment has an outlet  5  for releasing coins A in tank  1  to the outside of this tank  1 . This equipment has a rotating disk  2  for driving away coins A in the tank  1  to outlet  5  one by one. This rotating disk  2  has a circular mount division  3  on the center thereof and is provided with a plurality of pins  4  on the circumference thereof When the rotating disk  2  is rotated in counterclockwise, coin A is driven away to outlet  5  by pins  4  and mount division  3 . In other words, when rotating disk  2  is rotated, coin A is driven away to outlet  5  one by one, intervening a knife. In addition, a long escalator equipment  6  is stood up on this hopper equipment, for raising coins A from outlet  5 . Reference numeral  8  in FIG. 9 is a long back plate, and numeral  12  designates taper rollers.  
           [0004]    On the long center line division of back plate  8 , alley way  10  for coins A is formed by a plurality of rollers  12 .  
           [0005]    A problem was detected that the installation space for the lifting style coin hopper was undesirably large. That is to say, the above-mentioned lifting style coin hopper equipment used a large tank  1  with rotating disk  2  which was in an oblique standing condition. In addition, the bending at bend  6   c  of escalator equipment  6  had to be loosened for smoothly pushing up of the coins. As this result, conventional lifting style coin hopper equipment had to be enlarged.  
         SUMMARY AND OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION  
         [0006]    This invention was developed in order to miniaturize the lifting style coin hopper equipment. In other words, the purpose of this invention is to offer a lifting style coin hopper device using a small hopper.  
           [0007]    An object of this invention is to offer a lifting style coin hopper using a small hopper, which has a level rotating disk, for example.  
           [0008]    Further, the purpose of this invention is to offer a small lifting style coin hopper which has improved escalator equipment.  
           [0009]    According to this invention an escalator device for coins comprises a back plate with a curved surface for carrying from bottom to top a plurality of coins which are arranged in a single plane row. A pair of spacers are placed at each side on upper surface of this back plate, respectively. The escalator device for coins comprises at least a plurality of idlers which are freely rotatably arranged, covering the back plate between the paired spacers. A spring device presses these idlers to the back plate.  
           [0010]    Also, this invention includes an escalator device for coins, wherein an endless belt is stretched on the plurality of idlers.  
           [0011]    Also, this invention provides an escalator device for coins, wherein the spring device has arms.  
           [0012]    The various features of novelty which characterize the invention are pointed out with particularity in the claims annexed to and forming a part of this disclosure. For a better understanding of the invention, its operating advantages and specific objects attained by its uses, reference is made to the accompanying drawings and descriptive matter in which preferred embodiments of the invention are illustrated.  
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS In the drawings:  
       [0013]    [0013]FIG. 1 is a perspective view in which an embodiment according to this invention is summarily showed;  
         [0014]    [0014]FIG. 2 is a summary side-view in which the practical example of FIG. 1 is observed from the right side;  
         [0015]    [0015]FIG. 3 is a perspective view in which the main section in FIG. 2 is summarily shown;  
         [0016]    [0016]FIG. 4 is an enlarged section view in which the main portion of FIG. 3 is summarily shown;  
         [0017]    [0017]FIG. 5 is a summary partially exploded perspective view for explaining the mounting division in FIG. 1;  
         [0018]    [0018]FIG. 6 is a front elevation view in which the use condition of the practical example according to this invention is summarily shown;  
         [0019]    [0019]FIG. 7 is a summary side-view which is observed from the left side in FIG. 6;  
         [0020]    [0020]FIG. 8 is a summary plan view which is observed from the top of FIG. 6;  
         [0021]    [0021]FIG. 9 is a summary perspective view which shows a prior art device.  
     
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS  
       [0022]    Referring to the drawings in particular, the hopper device includes a large upright box  11  which is shown at right side in FIG. 1. This is a coin tank for the hopper device. In this tank  11 , a lot of coins are stored in a bulk condition. The tank  11  is a molded resin article, and it is formed in a generally angle barrel shape. A perspective view in which angle barrel tank  11  is removed is shown in FIG. 3. A flat box type hopper device  10  which is shown at the left lower in FIG. 3 is fixed on a rectangle tabular base mount  12 . The hopper device  10  has a separable bottom plate  13 , a resin molded article, and a base board  15 , a resin-molded article, which covers thereon. On the indent at the upper portion on base board  15 , a metallic plate  16  for coin sliding is fixed. This metal plate  16  has a sandglass shape. The tip portion is formed as an outlet  16 E of hopper device  10  (see FIG. 5).  
         [0023]    At the tip division on the flat box type hopper device  10 , an electric motor  17  is provided in a standing up state (see FIG. 3). The rotating shaft of the electric motor  17  is directed downward. The rotating shaft, which is located at the position under electric motor  17 , is fixed to a primary gear (not shown). At the upper surface central of metal plate board  16 , a little large disk  19  is freely rotatably arranged.  
         [0024]    This disk  19  has a plurality of open holes  22  which are used in order to dispense coins one by one. Then, on the lower part of rotating shaft of disk  19 , a second gear (not shown) for rotating this disk  19  is fixed. In addition, in hopper device  10 , there is a gear train (not shown) for coupling the primary gear with the second gear. The primary gear and second gear and gear train are installed in hopper device  10  at the position under disk  19 . The electric motor  17  is placed on the width side of disk  19  (see FIG. 3).  
         [0025]    In the above-mentioned hopper device  10 , when electric motor  17  is driven, the disk  19  is rotated in the counterclockwise direction via the intervening gear group. When the disk  19  is rotated, the coins will push one coin piece out at the outlet  16 E of metal plate  16 . That is to say, when the electric motor  17  is driven, the coins in tank  11  fit into open holes  22  of rotated disk  19 . The most bottom coins which fit into open holes  22  slide on metal plate  16  by nails  23  under disk  19 . The most bottom coins in the open holes  22  slide on metal plate  16  by the rotation of disk  19 .  
         [0026]    The sliding coins on the metal plate  16  are guided in the outlet  16 E direction. The coins are guided to the outlet  16 E direction by base board  15  which surrounds the margin of disk  19  and a guide piece  25 . The coins which are guided to the outlet  16 E direction are dispensed outside from open holes  22  by means of nails  23  and paired pins (not shown).  
         [0027]    The coins which are pushed out outside are more extruded outside by nails  23 , resisting the springs of paired rollers  27  (a part shown). The coin which is pushed out outside is located at outlet  16 E, and it is further pushed out by next pushed coin.  
         [0028]    In this way, the coins which are pushed out from outlet  16 E one by one are dispensed into an escalator device  30 , becoming an even single row.  
         [0029]    The escalator device  30  has an upstanding J-type body which is shown at the right side in FIG. 3. As shown on the drawing, escalator device  30  has a flat back plate  32  on the upper part of curved back plate  31 . On each side of bent back plate  31  and standing back plate  32 , slender spacers  33  and  35  are fixed, respectively. Between paired spacers  33  and  35  on bent back plate  31 , belt device  50  is arranged.  
         [0030]    Belt device  50  has a mounting board  51  which is formed in a summary L shape (see FIG. 5). On the standing piece of mounting board  51 , a pivot shaft  52  is installed sideways. On this pivot shaft  52 , a large coiled spring  53  is covered (see FIG. 1). In addition, base end of long arm  55  is freely rotatably covered on pivot shaft  52 . An end of coiled spring  53  is hooked on mounting board  51 , and the other end thereof is caught on long arm  55 . Therefore, long arm  55  is pressed to back plate  31  direction, around pivot shaft  52 . In addition, base end of short arm  56  is freely rotatably covered on pivot shaft  52 . An idler  57  also is freely rotatably covered on this pivot shaft  52  (see FIG. 3). On the tip and central parts of short arm  56 , pivot shafts  54  also are installed sideways, respectively.  
         [0031]    Then, each idler  57  is freely rotatably covered on each pivot shaft  54 , respectively. On the central of long arm  55 , a little small coiled spring  59  is arranged. An end of this coiled spring  59  is caught on long arm  55 , and the other end thereof is hooked on short arm  56 . Therefore, a little short arm  55  is pressed on back plate  31 , around pivot shaft  52 .  
         [0032]    Similarly, on the tip of long arm  55 , a pivot shaft  62  is installed sideways. On pivot shaft  62 , a little short arm  66  is also freely rotatably covered. Similarly, idler  57  is freely also rotatably covered on this pivot shaft  62 . On the tip and central parts of short arm  66 , pivot shafts  54  are installed sideways also, respectively. Each idler  57  is also freely rotatably covered on each pivot shaft  54 . In addition, on the central of long arm  55 , a little small coiled spring  69  is arranged. An end of this coiled spring  69  is hooked on long arm  55 , and the other end thereof is caught on short arm  66 . Therefore, the little short arm  66  also is pressed on back plate  31 , around pivot shaft  62 .  
         [0033]    A large ring type belt  60  is stretched on idlers  57 , of which there is a total of six. Thus, the six idlers  57  group will press belt  60  on back plate  31 . The coiled spring  53  and paired coiled springs  59  and  69  operate, respectively, and belt  60  is pressed on back plate  31 . On the other hand, on flat back plate  32 , forming part of the escalator device  30 , a rectangle cover board  36  is arranged. The rectangle cover board  36  is bridged on paired spacers  33  and  35  of back plate  32 . The coiled springs  53  and  59  and  69  and arms  55  and  56  and  66 , etc. constitute a spring device.  
         [0034]    The case in which escalator device  30  is installed on hopper device  10  which consists of above-mentioned composition is generally explained here.  
         [0035]    To begin with, the lower end division of bent back plate  31  on escalator device  30  is inserted in, under the outlet  16 E of hopper device of  10  (see FIG. 5). Next, intervening short paired spacers  33 S and  35 S, mounting piece  51  on belt device  50 , are positioned at outlet  16 E. A plurality of small bolts-nuts, back plate  31  and mounting piece  51  are fixed at the metallic outlet  16 E (see FIG. 3). As this result, the coin which is pushed out from hopper device  10  slides into on upper surface of back plate  31 , passing to the outlet  16 E (see FIG. 4). In this way, the coin C which is pushed out on the upper surface of curved back plate  31  is pushed and lifted by next pushed-out coin C. Then, the flat single row of coins C which are pushed and lifted up on back plate  31  are pressed on back plate  31  by endless belt  60 . The intervening belt  60 , presses the coins C on the back plate  31  by means of coiled springs  53  and  59  and  69 . In this way, coins C which are pushed up in the condition of plane single row are finally released from the upper part of escalator device  30  to the outside. The coin C which has reached to the upper part of escalator device  30  is released by means of the spring (not shown) of kicker K. Since belt  60  becomes transfer-free by the group of idlers  57 , rise-transfer of coins C is smoothly carried out. When unidirectional clutches and so on are provided within the group of idlers  57 , the downward transfer of lifted coins C group is prevented.  
         [0036]    If the belt  60  is omitted, when the diameter of coin C and the diameter of idlers  57  are considered. Though the illustration is omitted, it is of course possible for idlers  57  to be driven and compulsorily rotated by an electric motor. Although the main body of hopper device  10  is explained as a level condition (see FIG. 3), it is of course possible that the main body thereof may be inclined. That is to say, it is of course possible that the whole hopper device  10  is tilted in order to loosen the curvature of back plate  31 . In other words, it is of course possible to use small hopper of which disk  19  may be tilted.  
         [0037]    Further, the use of a further example of a lifting-type small coin hopper device which has the above-mentioned constituents is generally explained here. FIG. 6 is a front elevation view in which the use condition of the further practical example according to this invention is generally shown. A board which is shown at the lower part in FIG. 6 is a large rectangle bed plate  71 . On this bed plate  71 , a large type hopper device  70  is fixed, as explained in FIG. 9.  
         [0038]    The hopper device  70  has a little small square substrate  72  in an almost standing condition, intervening paired triangular legs (see FIG. 7). Then, on this upper surface of substrate  72 , a little large rotating drum  73  with a hollow thick disk shape is freely rotatably arranged. In addition, tank  75  with a summary pot shape surrounds this rotating drum  73  and is fixed on substrate  72 . The coin hopper device  70  has an exit  76  for releasing the coins in tank  75  to the outside (see FIG. 7). The rotating drum  73  is for driving away the coins in tank  75  to exit  76  one by one.  
         [0039]    On the upper large opening of pot type tank  75 , a large auxiliary tank  77  with an angle trumpet shape is arranged to be in communication. A shoot  79  for discharging coins is obliquely installed on one corner division of auxiliary tank  77 . That is to say, when the coins in auxiliary tank  77  is approximately full, the coins are discharged to the outside from tube-like shoot  79 . Near the lower or outside end of shoot  79 , a tank  11  for storing coins of hopper device  10  which is mentioned earlier is arranged. Then, upper end division of above-mentioned escalator device  30  is placed near slot S which is formed at the opening of large tank  77 .  
         [0040]    At the upper end division of escalator device  30 , a horizontal arm H for mounting is fixed and U-type coin guide G. The escalator device  30  is arranged so that coin guide G may be located in slot S. The width of arm H which is a thin board is fixed on the opening in-wall of the large tank  77  (see FIG. 8). As described above, a coin circulation type hopper device is provided when the lifting style small hopper device is combined with the large hopper device  70 . When the coins in large hopper device  70  overflow, the overflowed coins are stored in tank  11 , intervening shoot  79 .  
         [0041]    The small hopper device  10  is driven, when the number of coins in large hopper device  70  decreases. As this result, intervening escalator device  30 , the coins in tank  11  are supplemented into large hopper device  70 . In other words, the coins which are sent from large hopper device  70  to the lifting style small hopper device are sent again or circulated to large hopper device  70 .  
         [0042]    As pointed out in the above description, this invention can miniaturize the escalator device by the adaption of simple features. This invention can convert the coin condition from a level posture to perpendicular posture by means of a small escalator device. In addition, the lifting style hopper device can be miniaturized, when the small hopper device is used. Furthermore, a circulation type hopper device can be completed, with a lifting style small hopper device of this invention combined with a large hopper device.  
         [0043]    While specific embodiments of the invention have been shown and described in detail to illustrate the application of the principles of the invention, it will be understood that the invention may be embodied otherwise without departing from such principles.