Patent Publication Number: US-6666317-B2

Title: Multiple coin slot

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates generally to coin accepting mechanisms for use in the vending machine industry, and more particularly, but not by way of limitation, to a coin slide adapted to be secured to a vending machine for authorizing activation of the vending machine upon receipt of a predetermined plurality of smaller denomination coins of predetermined size and value or a larger denomination coin of predetermined size and value in lieu of the plurality of smaller denomination coins. 
     2. Brief Discussion of the Related Art 
     Coin slides have long been utilized in the vending machine industry to accept coins, to check the coins for denomination and authenticity prior to vending, and then to receive and store the coins following vending for later collection by the owner or manager of the establishment. As prices have risen and as vending operations have become more costly, coin slides capable of accepting increased numbers of coins have been manufactured and made available to the public. 
     However, a problem encountered with the use of coin slides is that after they have been set up to accept a specific amount of money, a certain number and denomination of coins is required to operate the coin slide. For example, if the vending machine is set up to require a dollar, the coin slide will typically be set up to accept four quarters to make up this dollar. Thus, if a customer does not have four quarters but does have a dollar coin, the customer must get change for the dollar coin for operating the vending machine. This is not only an inconvenience to a potential customer, but can result in loss sales to the vendor if the customer is not able to quickly and easily obtain the required change or if the customer simply chooses not to attempt to obtain the required change. 
     To this end, a need exists for a coin slide which allows a coin slide user the option of utilizing either a plurality of smaller denomination coins or a single large denomination coin of equal value in lieu of the plurality of smaller denomination coins. It is to such a coin slide that the present invention is directed. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a coin slide constructed in accordance with the present invention shown installed in a vending type pool table. 
     FIG. 2 is an exploded, perspective view of the coin slide of FIG.  1 . 
     FIG. 3 is a bottom plan view of the lever checking mechanism of the coin slide of FIG.  1 . 
     FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a small denomination lever of the lever checking mechanism of FIG.  3 . 
     FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a large denomination lever of the lever checking mechanism of FIG.  3 . 
     FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view of the coin slide in a slide catch position. 
     FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view of the coin slide and a smaller denomination coin with the slide of the coin slide positioned between a coin receiving position and a vending position and in a slide release position. 
     FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view of the coin slide and a larger denomination coin with the slide of the coin slide positioned between the coin receiving position and the vending position and in the slide release position. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     Referring now to the drawings, and more particularly to FIG. 1, a coin slide  10  constructed in accordance with the present invention is shown mounted in a pool table  11 . The coin slide  10  of the present invention is also suitable for initiating the vending cycle in other vending machines that employ a coin slide extending from the vending machine, such as washing machines and dryers. 
     Referring now to FIG. 2, the coin slide  10  generally includes a slide  12 , a body  14 , a bridge  16 , a pair of operating springs  18 , and a lever checking mechanism  20 . The slide  12  has an upper surface  32 , a lower surface  34  and a handle  36 . The slide  12  is further adapted to receive a plurality of interchangeable cores  37  and  38 , each of which is provided with a coin receiving opening or slot  37   a  and  38   a,  respectively, of sizes and configuration to receive a coin of a specified denomination. Each interchangeable core  37  and  38  has a locking edge  37   b  and  38   b,  respectively (FIGS.  6 - 8 ), the function of which will be discussed below. For instance, four smaller denomination coin receiving openings  37   a  can be suitable for accepting quarters and the single large denomination coin receiving opening  38   a  can be suitable for accepting a dollar coin. The slide  12  is dimensioned and configured to be movable longitudinally along a slide passageway  40  in the body  14  of the coin slide  10  between a forward coin accepting position and a rearward vending position. As the slide  12  moves longitudinally along the slide passageway  40 , a portion of the slide  12  traverses beneath the bridge  16  which is secured to the body  14  of the coin slide  10 . The pair of operating springs  18  are biased between a pair of lugs  39  which are rearwardly affixed on the slide  12  and the bridge  16 . The pair of operating springs  18  normally bias the slide  12  to the initial, forward coin accepting position. When the slide  12  is urged rearwardly toward a vending position, the bias of the springs  18  must be overcome by rearwardly directed forces on the handle  36  applied by the hand of the user (not shown) in a well known manner. 
     As mentioned above, the slide passageway  40  of the body  14  is configured and dimensioned to accept the slide  12 . The body  14  also has an integral mounting flange  46  for securing the coin slide  10  to a front panel of a vending machine such as the pool table  11  shown in FIG.  1 . The mounting flange  46  is equipped with a plurality of coin receiving grooves  52  in longitudinal alignment with the central axis of the plurality of small denomination and large denomination coin receiving openings  37   a  and  38   a , respectively, provided in the slide  12 . The coin receiving grooves  52  and the small denomination and large denomination coin receiving openings  37   a  and  38   a  are disposed and aligned such that coins can be inserted into the small denomination and large denomination coin receiving openings  37   a  and  38   a  in the slide  12  and moved through their respective coin receiving grooves  52  in the mounting flange  46  with minimal resistance to rearward movement of the slide  12  toward initiation of the vending cycle. 
     If the coin is appropriately dimensioned (i.e., of appropriate denomination) to fit into the small denomination and large denomination coin receiving openings  37   a  and  38   a  and through the respective coin receiving grooves  52  a first and second shaped interior surface  54  (FIG. 7) and  56  (FIG. 8) of the bridge  16  function to force the coins downwardly at least partially through the small denomination and large denomination coin receiving openings  37   a  and  38   a  of the slide  12  as the slide  12  is pushed to feed the coins rearwardly of the mounting flange  46  through the coin receiving grooves  52  therein. It should be noted that the first shaped interior surface  54  of the bridge  16  is configured and sized such that the small denomination coins will fit underneath and will be forced downwardly through the large denomination coin receiving opening  37   a  and a second shaped interior surface  56  of the bridge  16  is configured and sized such that the large denomination coin will fit beneath and will be forced downwardly through the small denomination coin receiving opening  38   a  as the slide  12  is pushed toward the vending position. 
     Referring now to FIGS. 2,  3  and  6 - 8 , the lever checking mechanism  20  is connected to the body  14  below the bridge  16  and includes a plurality of small denomination coin checking levers  58 , a large denomination coin checking lever  60 , and a pivot pin  62  which fits into a pivot pin recess  64  on the body  14  (FIG. 3) of the coin slide  10 . A leaf spring  66  having a plurality of leaf spring fingers  68  is provided for biasing the small denomination and large denomination coin checking levers  58  and  60  in a slide catching position (FIG. 6) such that the small denomination coin checking levers  58  engage the locking edges  37   b  of the interchangeable cores  37  to selectively prevent the slide  12  from moving to the vending position. The small denomination coin checking levers  58  are configured and positioned to be moved by smaller denomination coins positioned in the small denomination coin receiving openings  37   a  of the slide  12  as the slide  12  is moved from the coin accepting position to the vending position. In the slide catch position, illustrated in FIG. 6, at least one of the small denomination coin checking levers  58  engages locking edges  37   b  of the interchangeable cores  37  of the slide  12  so as to prevent the slide  12  from passing to the vending position. In the slide release position, the small denomination coin checking levers  58  are positioned to permit the slide  12  to pass to the vending position. The lever checking mechanism  20  further includes a stop member  69  which acts as a limit for the small denomination coin checking levers  58 . 
     As best shown in FIG. 4, each of the small denomination coin checking levers  58  includes a main body  70  having a pivot pin opening  72  on the proximal end thereof dimensioned and configured to accept the pivot pin  62  (FIG. 2) and a notch  74  formed on the distal end of the small denomination coin checking lever  58 . Each of the small denomination coin checking levers  58  further has a hook  76  on the distal end of the small denomination coin checking lever  58  designed to selectively engage and disengage the plurality of locking edges  37   b  of the interchangeable cores  37  so as to respectively restrain the slide  12  from progressing to the vending position. Each small denomination coin checking lever  58  also has a leaf spring recess  78  for accepting one of the leaf spring fingers  68 . 
     Referring now to FIG. 5, the large denomination coin checking lever  60  is substantially L shaped and includes a main body  80 , a pivot pin opening  82  on the proximal end of the main body  80  dimensioned and configured to accept the pivot pin  62 , and a bar  84  extending in a perpendicular direction from the distal end of the main body  80 . The bar  84  is positioned to engage each of the small denomination coin checking levers  58 , when the large denomination coin checking lever  60  is moved to the slide release position such that the small denomination coin checking levers  58  are positioned to permit the slide  12  to pass to the vending position as if the correct number of smaller denomination coins had been inserted into the small denomination coin receiving opening  37   a.  The bar  84  is connected to the body  14  and aligned so as to be accepted by the notches  74  (FIG. 4) in the distal ends of the small denomination coin checking levers  58 . The large denomination coin checking lever  60  further has a leaf spring recess  86  for accepting one of the leaf spring fingers  68 . Although the large denomination coin checking lever  60  is shown and described herein as being substantially L shaped and disposed in the right most lever checking position of the lever checking mechanism  20 , those skilled in the art will readily recognize and understand that the shape of the large denomination coin checking lever  60  and the position of the large denomination coin checking lever can vary. For example, the large denomination coin checking lever  60  and large denomination coin checking coin receiving opening  38   a  can be substantially centrally located in the coin slide  10  and the large denomination coin checking lever  60  can be substantially T shaped. 
     Referring now to FIG. 7 shown therein is a smaller denomination coin  90  inserted into the small denomination coin receiving opening  37   a  of the slide  12  and the slide  12  positioned between the coin receiving position and the vending position. By way of example, the coin slide  10  may be set up to operate upon receiving one dollar. As such, the coin slide  10  would require that four quarters be positioned in the small denomination coin receiving openings  37   a  (only one of the small denomination coins  90  being depicted in FIG.  7 ). In operation, the smaller denomination coins  90  pass through the coin receiving grooves  52  in the mounting flange  46  of the body  14  and under the bridge  16  as the slide  12  is moved from the coin receiving position. The downward pressure exerted by each smaller denomination coin  90  acts upon the small denomination coin checking levers  58  against the bias of a leaf spring finger  68  disposed in the leaf spring recess  86  of the small denomination coin checking lever  58  to pivot each small denomination coin checking lever  58  about the pivot pin  62  and depress the hooks  76  on the small denomination coin checking lever  58  downwardly until the hooks  76  of each small denomination coin checking lever  58  are urged downwardly below the plurality of locking edges  37   b  of the interchangeable cores  37  on the lower surface  34  of the slide  12 . When the hooks  76  of the small denomination coin checking levers  58  have been moved free of engagement with the plurality of locking edges  37   b,  the slide  16  can then be pushed further rearwardly toward the vending position. As the slide  12  is moved further toward the vending position, the smaller denomination coins  90  fall through the small denomination coin receiving openings  37   a  into a coin box (not shown) for later collection in a known manner. 
     If a smaller denomination coin  90  is not disposed in each of the small denomination coin receiving openings  37   a,  the leaf spring finger  68  corresponding to the small denomination coin receiving opening  37   a  in which no coin is disposed will bias the small denomination coin checking lever  58  such that the hook  76  on the distal end of the small denomination coin checking lever  58  will engage the corresponding locking edge  37   b  and prevent the slide  12  from being moved into the vending position, as illustrated in FIG.  6 . It should be noted that the distal end of the large denomination coin checking lever  60  is not provided with a hook to prevent the slide  12  from moving into the vending position. Thus, the absence of a large denomination coin in the large denomination coin receiving opening  38   a  will not prevent the slide  12  from being moved toward the vending position. 
     FIG. 8 shows a single larger denomination coin  92 , which is of equal value to the sum of the values of the plurality of smaller denomination coins  90  disposed in the large denomination coin receiving opening  38   a  of the slide  12 . The larger denomination coin  92  is utilized in lieu of a plurality of smaller denomination coins  90 . By way of example, the larger denomination coin  92  may be a dollar coin which would be used in lieu of four quarters if the coin slide  10  is set up to operate upon receiving a dollar. The large denomination coin checking lever  60  is configured and positioned to be moved by the large denomination coin  92  positioned in the large denomination coin receiving opening  38   a  of the slide  12  as the slide  12  is moved toward the vending position from the coin receiving position and thereby moving the large denomination coin checking lever  60  from the slide catch position (FIG. 6) to the slide release position (FIG.  8 ). 
     As previously mentioned, in the slide catch position at least one of the small denomination coin checking levers  58  engage the slide  12  so as to prevent the slide from passing from the coin receiving position to the vending position. When the large denomination coin checking lever  60  is in the slide release position, the large denomination coin checking lever  60  communicates with each of the small denomination coin checking levers  58  and causes each of the small denomination coin checking levers  58  to be positioned so as to permit the slide  12  to pass from the coin receiving position to the vending position as if the appropriate number of smaller denomination coins had been inserted into the small denomination coin receiving opening  37   a.    
     In operation, the single larger denomination coin  92  is inserted into the large denomination coin receiving opening  38   a  to allow movement of the slide  12  toward the vending position as the slide  12  is moved in a direction toward the vending position. The single larger denomination coin  92  passes through the coin receiving grooves  52  in the mounting flange  46  of the body  14  and as the larger denomination coin  92  progresses toward the vending position and passes beneath the second shaped interior surface  56  of the bridge  16  affixed to the body  14  of the coin slide  10 . The downward pressure exerted by the larger denomination coin  92  acts upon the large denomination coin checking lever  60  against the bias of the respective leaf spring finger  68  of the leaf spring  66  positioned in the leaf spring recess  86  of the large denomination coin checking lever  60  to pivot the large denomination coin checking lever  60  about the pivot pin  62 . As the large denomination coin checking lever  60  pivots downward, the bar  84  which extends in a perpendicular direction from the distal end of the main body  80  of the large denomination coin checking lever  60  engages the distal ends of the small denomination coin checking levers  58  and depresses each of the small denomination coin checking levers  58  until the hook  76  of each small denomination coin checking lever  58  is urged downwardly below the locking edges  37   b  of the interchangeable cores  37  of the slide  12 . When each of the small denomination coin checking lever  58  has been moved free of engagement with the locking edges  37   b,  the slide  12  can then be pushed further rearwardly toward the vending position. As the slide  12  is moved further towards the vending position, the larger denomination coin  92  is allowed to fall through the large denomination coin receiving opening  38   a  into a coin box (not shown) for later collection in a known manner and the slide progress to make appropriate contact with the vending machine and thereby authorize activation of the vending machine. 
     Certain features have been designed to render the vertical type coin slides capable of rapid and easy price adjustment, such as set forth in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,350,240, 4,401,202 and 4,499,983, the specifications of which are hereby expressly incorporate herein by reference. These features allow vending machine operators to adjust the coin slides as necessary to either increase the vending price or to lower the vending price, in accordance with day-to-day market place requirements. Interchangeable cores have been designed in the devices of the prior patents for storage of suitable parts directly within the coin slides in a manner which enables an operator to adjust the vending price without requiring major disassembly of the component parts of the coin slide. Those skilled in the art will readily understand that such features can be utilized in combination with the present invention. 
     Furthermore, U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,350,240, 4,401,202 and 4,499,983 additionally have incorporated many construction features which were particularly designed to minimize the acceptance of bad coins and to discourage tampering. Those skilled in the art will readily understand that such features can also be utilized in combination with the present invention. 
     From the above description it is clear that the present invention is well adapted to carry out the objects and to attain the advantages mentioned herein as well as those inherent in the invention. While presently preferred embodiments of the invention have been described for purposes of this disclosure, it will be understood that numerous changes may be made which will readily suggest themselves to those skilled in the art and which are accomplished within the spirit of the invention disclosed and as defined in the appended claims.