Patent GB-1227523-A (GB)
IPC: G06F7/06
Filed: 1967-02-28
Abstract: 1,227,523. Change dispensing; fruit machines. ELECTRIC SHOP DEVELOPMENTS Ltd. 23 Feb., 1968 [28 Feb., 1967], No. 8839/68. Divided out of 1,227,521. Heading G4V. An apparatus capable of being used both as a prize delivery mechanism of a fruit machine and as a change dispenser comprises means 31, Fig. 1, to sense the dispensing of each coin or token, registers 32, 51, Figs. 1 and 2, to count the number of coins or tokens being dispensed when operating as a prize delivery mechanism or change dispenser respectively-and to stop operations when the appropriate number have been dispensed and means 43 operable to connect or disconnect the sensing means 31 with the register 32. Coins e.g. florins and halfcrowns are received by the change dispenser, and sixpences or 3d tokens are fed to the fruit machine to be separated on a diameter basis with the coins passing to a store and the tokens passing to a hopper from which they are dispensed. Each prize dispensing operation of 3d tokens is sensed by lever 31 which rotates register 32, in the form of a rachet, one step clockwise until contacts 34 break contact with annular printed circuits 35 causing the hopper motor to stop. The position of the printed circuits 35 and consequently the rotation of rachet 32 required to move contacts 34 off the circuits, is controlled by the fruit machine. When a 2/6d piece is placed in the machine for change, switch 50 closes momentarily activating relay C/3 and associated contacts. Solenoid 43 moves pawl 37 out of contact with register 32 and sensing means 31 closes switch 46 each time a token is dispensed causing coil 52 to step register 51 until ten tokens have been dispensed whereupon relay B/3 and associated switches are operated through switch A3. This action breaks the circuit to relay C/3 and activates coil 55 through switch B2 to return register 51 to its zero position. Switch C 1  opens ceasing operation of the hopper motor and C 2  opens a circuit to a mechanism which has been blocking further entry of coins into the change giving part of the machine. When a 2/- coin is introduced for change, switch 49 momentarily closes activating relay A/3 and associated contacts, thereby changing switch A3 from contact 10 to contact 8 and activating relay C/3. A further embodiment, Fig. 4, includes two manually operated ganged switches 63 and one having ganged contacts 62a and 62b; 62a closes to operate solenoid 43 and relay C/3 in the normal manner; 62b disconnects register 51 so that all the tokens can be dispensed for counting. Ganged switch 63 adapts the machine to the dispensing of threepenny tokens in one position and an equivalent number of sixpenny tokens in the other position. In a modification, Fig. 5 (not shown), counters (73, 74, 75) are employed to count the number of 3d tokens dispensed and the number of half-crowns and florins inserted. A counter (70) connected to register 57 counts in sixpenny units. An indicator, which may be visual, may be used to show when the difference between the number of tokens recieved and the number of tokens dispensed from the hopper has fallen to a predetermined value