Patent ID: 7419042

Claim:
An automatic coin aligning apparatus, comprising: an array of coin hoppers including at least a first line of coin hoppers and a second line of coin hoppers, each coin hopper for storing a bulk quantity of coins of a predetermined denomination and dispensing coins in a one by one manner; a coin sorting unit operatively connected to each coin hopper to dispense coins individually through a coin dispensing slot, the dispensing slots of the first line of coin hoppers face the dispensing slots of the second line of coin hoppers; an upper chute section having upper chutes connected to each of the dispensing slots to enable a gravity release of dispensed coins, the upper chutes in a perpendicular arrangement and standing side-by-side; a first buffering unit attached to each upper chute section for absorbing kinetic force of the dispensed coin from the dispensing slot for slowing of the dispensed coin, the first buffering unit includes a first buffering body which is plate shaped and extends across a guiding passageway and configured to swing on a first shaft when struck by the dispensed coin to absorb the kinetic force and slightly slants in an idle state under the force of gravity; a lower chute section having lower chutes connected to each upper chute for receiving the dispensed coin as the dispensed coin further descends by gravity, the lower chute section dispensed at an angle of between about 20 degrees to about 40 degrees as measured from a horizontal point of reference, and slants side-by-side, and the width of a lower end of the lower chute section being narrower than the width of an upper end; a second buffering unit attached under the first buffering unit to guide the dispensed coin to slide along the lower chute section and to prevent rolling of the dispensed coin on its edge wherein the dispensed coin is controlled in its further descent, the second buffering unit includes a second buffering body which is plate shaped and is configured to swing on a second shaft when struck by the dispensed coin to absorb a kinetic force, and a coin turning body for causing the dispensed coin to turn over upon striking the coin turning body, the second buffering body slightly slants in a normal condition under the force of gravity; and a removable coin storing unit having a plurality of coin storing sections, each coin storing section for receiving a predetermined quantity of coins from one of the array of coin hoppers.