Patent ID: 7516830

Claim:
A coin distributor for placement at a divergence location of a coin supply shaft into a first coin delivery shaft and a second coin delivery shaft, the coin supply shaft including a coin checker for verifying coins, the coin distributor comprising: a coin deflection member moveable in response to the coin checker between a normal blocking position where the coin deflection member substantially spans the first coin delivery shaft and directs a coin propelled through the coin supply shaft by gravity into the second coin delivery shaft and an activated acceptance position where the coin deflection member permits the coin to be propelled by gravity into the first coin delivery shaft, the coin deflection member preventing removal of the coin from the first coin delivery shaft to the coin supply shaft when in the normal blocking position; and a first detection device including a beam emitter, a beam receiver and a beam deflector, the beam deflector located between a path from the beam emitter to the beam receiver and mounted directly on the coin deflection member for unitary movement of a monolithic body defined by the coin deflection member and the beam deflector between the normal blocking position and the activated acceptance position.