Patent GB-570081-A (GB)
Title: Mechanical corn changer
IPC: G07F5/24
Filed: 1943-03-17
Abstract: 570,081. Coin-freed change-giving apparatus. HOVEY, C. E. March 17, 1943, No. 4332. [Class 27] A coin-changing device for giving change in nickels (say) when either a quarter or a dime is inserted, comprises a hopper 52 wherein the nickels are stored in bulk, a feed chamber 28 communicating with the hopper and adapted to hold nickels in one plane edge-to-edge, and means controlled by the coin to be changed for transferring nickels from the hopper to the feed chamber and for ejecting a number of nickels corresponding to the value of the inserted coin. In the construction shown, a quarter or a dime is inserted in a coin shoot 84, Fig. 5; a dime passes direct to a known cointester 88, whereas a quarter, being larger, passes along rails 222 to another coin-tester 86. If a quarter has been inserted it passes through the tester and drops into registering slots 158, 162, in superposed sliding plates 106, 104, thereby coupling the plates together. A knob 122, coupled to a shaft 110, is now rotated by the operator, and a sector arm 114 on this shaft moves the plate 106 to the left by means of a link 140. The plate 104 is also moved to the left because of the coin coupling and this plate, by means of a link 144 and a lever 148, moves an ejector 50, Fig. 3, to a sufficient extent to force five nickels 34 past a spring- controlled catch 44, the released nickels passing down a shoot 42 to a delivery box 16. When the plate 106 reaches the end of its stroke, the quarter drops through a slot 178 into a till 176, .the knob 122 is then released and the shaft is returned to its normal position by a spring 112. If a dime is inserted, it passes through the cointester 88 and drops into registering slots 160, 164 in the plates 106, 104, these slots being longer than the coin diameter so that the plate 106 can move some distance before the plate 104 begins to move. On the knob 122 being rotated, the plate 106 is moved to the left as before, but due to the lost motion in the slots, the plate 104 moves only sufficiently to cause the ejector 50 to eject two nickels. When the requisite number of nickels have been forced past the catch 44, an ear 184 on the plate 106 abuts against the catch and prevents the latter from releasing any further nickels. The sector arm 114 is formed with teeth 116 engaged by a spring stop which ensures that a full stroke is made. The rotation of the shaft 110 also effects the transfer of nickels from the hopper 52 to the feed chamber 28 ; for this purpose, the shaft arm 114 is connected by a link 134 connected to a slide 60 so that the latter is raised and lowered each time the knob is turned. The slide closes the front of the hopper and its top edge is bevelled at 62 ; it carries an arm 64 pivoted at 66 and moving in a narrow space at the back of the slide just wide enough to receive the coins on edge. The arm 64 is biassed by a spring 76 and, in the top position of the slide, is held in the position shown in Fig. 3 between a fixed stop 78 and an abutment 80 on the slide. As the slide descends and rises again, coins from the hopper fall into the space on top of the arm 64 and roll down the latter into the feed chamber 28 so that this chamber is normally kept full of coins. Change will continue to be given as long as the sloping part 40 of the feed passage is fullof coins, but when there is no coin below a gap 82 in the coin guide 36 the entrance to the coin shoot 84 is blocked by a stop 198 on a gate 194 pivoted at 196 and having a lower projection 200. The gate is spring-biassed so as to remain in either of its end'positions ; normally, the projection 200 lies in the shoot 84 so that when a coin is inserted it moves the projection out of the way and rocks the gate to close the shoot by the stop 198. When the knob 122 is rotated to give change and to lower the slide 60, an arm 72 on a lever 70 carried by the slide passes through the gap 82. If the inclined passage is full of coins, the arm 72 strikes the coin below the gap and the lever is rocked to engage and depress a finger 220 on a wire 212 connected to the gate 194, so that the latter is rocked to withdraw the stop 198 and allow another coin to be inserted. When there is no coin below the gap 82, the gate is left in the position in which the stop 198 blocks the shoot.