Patent GB-952908-A (GB)
Title: Coin separators
IPC: G07D/
Filed: 1961-08-03
Abstract: 952,908. Testing coins. NATIONAL REJECTORS Inc. Aug. 3,1961 [Jan. 17, 1961], No. 28210/61. Heading G4V. Means for separating coins having rims from those without rims comprises an element 100, Fig. 5, which is movable relative to the passageway for the coins and has an inclined face arranged to extend into the passageway for engagement with the rims of a coin. The coins 210, Fig. 3, are inserted into a passageway disposed between the front face of a frame plate 20 and the inclined edge 166, Figs. 1 and 4, at the upper left-hand edge of a gate 106 which is mounted on a vertical pivot 196 at the right-hand side of the frame 20 and normally urged by a spring 206 into parallel relation with the latter. A coin of correct size drops on to the two ears 174,176 of a counterweighted cradle 168 which is pivoted at 158 on the gate and, if the coin is of sufficient weight, causes the cradle to rotate clockwise so as to discharge the coin on to a downwardly-inclined runway 146 adjustably mounted on the gate. As the coin runs off the end of the runway it engages the concave edge of a plate 108 whereby it is guided downwardly so that one edge is moved into engagement with the conical ends of two opposed plungers 100, 138, Fig. 5, which are adjustably mounted in sleeve-like housings 94,132 screwthreaded in members 92, 126 adjustably mounted on the frame 20 and gate 106, respectively. The continued movement of the coin 210 results in its rim 212 forcing the plungers apart against springs 102,140 and passing between the ends of the plungers. In this position the axes of the plungers are disposed just inwardly of the rim and their conical end faces engage the inner edge of the rim and so move the coin away from the concave guiding edge of the plate 108 so that the coin, now suspended by its rim between the plungers, is free to move downwardly, as guided by the vertical extension of the concave edge of the plate 108, and to swing in clockwise direction about the plungers until its rim engages the underside of the runway 146. At this point, the weight and momentum of the coin will be great enough to force the plungers sufficiently apart to allow the rim of the coin to pass, with the result that the coin moves leftwards, as shown in Fig. 3, rides over an adjustable guide 68 and falls on to the concave edge of a plate 54 for delivery to the acceptance shoot of the machine. Should a rimless coin be introduced, it cannot be caught by, and swing, on, the plungers; instead, it will drop on to a guide 60 which deflects it to an incline 80 for delivery to a return cup. If a coin introduced into the passageway is too small to be caught by the ears 174, 176 of the cradle 168 it will drop between the ears on to a deflector 70 for guidance to the return cup. An over-size coin is intercepted by the ears 172,174 and an adjustable ear 182 on the gate and is stripped therefrom for similar downward passage when, by depressing a scavenger lever 86, Fig. 4, on the rear of the frame 20 the gate 106 is swung away from the latter so that an ear 202 on a lever 198 is pivoted on the pin 196 is telescoped through an opening 156 in the gate into engagement with the coin. A coin which is underweight will not rotate the cradle 168 and so will not be delivered to the plungers. By suitably selecting the spacing between the plungers 100, 138, it can be arranged for coins whose rims are too thick or too thin to be diverted to the return cup. A feeler wire 190 rotatably mounted on the front of the gate has a portion which, when the cradle 168 rotates clockwise with a coin, is caused by a counterweight 192 to project through the opening 156 into engagement with any holes or surface deformities in a coin and so prevent downward passage of the latter. The above arrangement for detecting normal coins may be modified by arranging for only the plunger 138 to be spring pressed, the plunger 100 being in the form of a fixed pin in the frame 20. In the modification shown in Fig. 8, the frame 240, gate 278 and cradle 340 are constructed generally as described above, and the lever 374, which serves as does the lever 198, Fig. 1, for stripping over-size coins from the cradle, carries a permanent magnet 370 confronting the frame 240 for separating out magnetic coins and those of incorrect electrical resistivity. Coins of correct size discharged by the rocker cradle are, if they are magnetic, held by the magnet 370 for clearance to the cup by a wiper blade 274 upon operation of the scavenger lever. If such coins are non-magnetic they run down past the magnet 370 and strike an anvil 256 from which they rebound in different paths depending upon the extent to which, according to their different electrical resistivities, they have been slowed down by eddy currents from the magnet 370. Coins of correct electrical resistivity are deflected from the anvil on to a runway 316 and thence to the passage between two opposed plungers which act similarly to the plungers 100, 138, Fig. 5, for separating the rimmed and unrimmed coins. Coins of greater and less electrical resistivity than the correct one are not deflected on to the runway 316 but on to one or other of three guides 406, 408, 410 to a runway 412 and return shoot, the former coins being deflected from the anvil to the leading edge of a plate 394 and thence to the appropriate guide and the latter coins reaching the guide sometimes without deflection from the anvil.