Patent ID: 8430224

Claim:
A recycling coin changer device for serving a plurality of users simultaneously comprising: a housing; a first coin inlet on a first surface of the housing; a second coin inlet on a second surface of the housing; a first coin outlet on the first surface of the housing; a second coin outlet on the second surface of the housing; a first coin lift unit connected to the first coin inlet for lifting individual coins upward from the first coin lift unit; a second coin lift unit connected to the second coin inlet for lifting individual coins required for the second coin lift unit; a first coin sorting unit connected to the first coin lift unit for determining the authenticity of a coin and for determining the coin denomination; a second coin sorting unit connected to the second coin lift unit for determining the authenticity of a coin and for determining the coin denomination; a first common plurality of denomination sorted coin holding devices connected to receive coins from both the first coin sorting unit and the second coin sorting unit; a second common plurality of denomination sorted coin holding devices connected to receive coins from both the first coin sorting unit and the second coin sorting unit; a common duct for guiding coins released from the first and second common plurality of denomination sorted coin holding devices; and a common coin-distributing device connected to the common duct including a coin-distributing endless belt and a movable coin distributing plate extending over the endless belt for directing a coin released from the common duct along the coin-discharging endless belt to one of the first coin outlet and the second coin outlet and means for moving the movable coin distributing plate to direct the coin in a predetermined direction along the endless belt.