Patent ID: 7712597

Claim:
A device for sorting coins in at least four coin tubes of a coin changer that leave a coin testing device, the coin tubes being located in a common plane, the device comprising: a housing ( 14 ) having a substantially vertical wall ( 36 ), a first gate element ( 34 ) including a first runway ( 40 ) inclined relative to a horizontal level and a barrier portion ( 46 ) at the lower end of a first runway ( 40 ), the first gate element ( 34 ) being supported for movement approximately perpendicular to wall ( 36 ) and actuable by a first electro magnet ( 74 ) between two positions, in the first position the first runway ( 40 ) projecting from wall ( 36 ) and the first barrier portion ( 46 ) together with wall ( 36 ) forming a passage whereby a coin may roll along the first runway ( 40 ) through the passage while in the second position the runway ( 40 ) extends into wall ( 36 ) and the first barrier portion ( 46 ) is adjacent to wall ( 36 ) whereby a coin moving to the area of the first runway ( 40 ) is deflected downwardly by the first barrier portion ( 46 ), further comprising; a second gate element ( 38 ) having a second and third inclined runway ( 52 , 54 ) and a second and a third barrier portion ( 64 , 66 ) associated with the ends of the second and third runway and the second gate element ( 38 ) being supported for movement approximately perpendicular to wall ( 36 ) and actuable by a second electro magnet ( 76 ) into two positions, in the first position the second runway ( 52 ) is located below the first runway ( 40 ) and the third runway which is located downstream of the first barrier portion ( 46 ) forming a space relative to wall ( 36 ) and second and third barrier portion ( 64 , 66 ) being adjacent to wall ( 36 ) whereby an approaching coin is deflected downwardly by the second or third barrier portion ( 64 , 66 ), respectively, while in the second position the second and third barrier portion ( 64 , 66 ) are retracted into wall ( 36 ) and second and third runway ( 52 , 54 ) being adjacent to wall ( 36 ) whereby a coin thereupon can roll towards the free end of the second or third runway ( 52 , 54 ) respectively and the first and second gate element ( 34 , 38 ) being designed such that the coins move in a single plane aligned with the plane of the coin tubes (B, C, D, E), characterized in that the first runway ( 40 ) of the first gate element ( 34 ) is oriented towards a fourth runway ( 32 ) which in turn is located in the dropping path of the coins from the coin testing device.