Patent ID: 8517808

Claim:
A coin hopper for dispensing coins, comprising: a coin pusher, said coin pusher comprising a container having a bottom opening, a coin outlet, a rotating disc mounted in said container and a power drive adapted for rotating said rotating disc to dispense coins out of said bottom opening of said container through said coin outlet; and a track connected to said coin pusher, said track comprising a coin passage, a bottom plate disposed at a bottom side of said coin passage, a cover plate disposed at a top side of said coin passage, two side rails disposed at two opposite lateral sides of said coin passage and sandwiched between said bottom plate and said cover plate, and non-return means arranged in said coin passage to restrict the movement of coins in one direction, said coin passage comprising a bottom sloping segment connected to said coin outlet, a top vertical segment and an intermediate arched segment connected between said bottom sloping segment and said top vertical segment, said non-return means comprising a plurality of floating spaces arranged in series in said coin passage corresponding to said intermediate arched segment and a floating rod floating in each said floating space, each said floating space comprising two first constraint grooves respectively located on said two side rails, and a second constraint groove located on said cover plate corresponding to said first constraint grooves.