Patent GB-1243956-A (GB)
Title: Wide price range change making coin mechanism
IPC: G07F5/22
Filed: 1970-04-01
Abstract: 1,243,956. Vending machines. ROWE INTERNATIONAL Inc. 1 April, 1970 [20 May, 1969], No. 15382/70. Heading G4V. A coin freed vending machine for dispensing articles ever a wide range of prices has a movable totalizer brush assembly associated with a plurality of price contacts and change making means including a single coin tube and a number of coin delivery members selectively coupled to a drive member to give respective sums in change, and set to dispense an appropriate amount of change by the relative positions of the totalizer brush assembly and the particular price contact of the article vended. Totalizer.-In the embodiment described (see Fig. 1, not shown) the totalizer (18) is mechanical in operation. Coins accepted by a selector (16) operate various feelers (20), (22) and (24) according to their value i.e. 5c, 10c or 25c and a totalizer bar (26) moves downwardly through a distance analogous to the sum in coins inserted. Bar (26) positions a pin 28 extending through a slot 30 in plate 12 and operating a brush assembly driving rack 32 which drives a pinion 38 carried by shaft 40 of the brush assembly 42. Brushes b a -b e , Fig. 5, are connected to respective brushes b 0 -b 4  which may be in contact with conductive strips c 0 -c 4  depending on the position of the brush assembly, the brush assembly is shown in its initial position. Change giving and coin return.-After passing through the totalizer the coins are passed to an escrow bucket (46) from which they are returned to the customer if there is no sale and coin return link 52 is depressed. In the event of a sale the first nickel (5c) may be diverted to the coin tube 48. The change given is one to four nickels and the amount is determined by the downward movement of bar 92 when the unlatching solenoid 62 is operated to pivot bell crank lever 76 and release bar 80 which is connected to bar 92. Bar 80 has a projection 130 that extends through plate 12 and engages a pin on change determining cam (136) of the change dispensing mechanism which has steps (156) that limit the movement of a projection (158) on coupling link (144) and determines how many slides 140 at the base of coin tube 48 will be coupled to a driving slide (142) that is reciprocated by motor 160, and hence determines the number of coins given in change. The downward movement of bar 92 is dependent upon the positions of sliders 96-102 operated by solenoids 114-120 respectively, for example, when solenoid 118 is energized the downward movement of bar 92 corresponds to three nickels change; when no solenoid is energized four nickels are dispensed (see also Figs. 3, 4, not shown). Operation.-When a selection switch 208- 216 is operated a circuit is completed between terminal 242 and a respective price contact 202 through a respective selection solenoid 224-232, conductor 236, conducting pins 238 on price board 206, and a price line 204. If sufficient credit has been registered one of the brushes b a - be will be in contact with the price contact and a circuit will be completed through one of the brushes b 0 -b 4  and corresponding strip c 0 -c 4  to a change setting solenoid 114-120 or resistor 264 and then through unlatching solenoid 62, switches 250, 168 and 197 to terminal 244. Solenoid 62 also operates switch 250 to complete the circuit to motor 160 which is maintained in operation for one cycle by cam driven switch 168. The motor 160 drives the change dispenser and also resets the totalizer to zero and returns the change setting bar to its initial position.