Patent ID: 8517163

Claim:
A coin handling system, comprising: a storage and dispensing unit having a series of bins each configured to receive coins and to store coins in bulk; a sorter unit configured to receive coins and to distribute the coins to the bins of the storage and dispensing unit, the sorter unit further comprising: a track module constructed to direct coins along a path to the bins of the storage and dispensing unit, the track module comprising a plurality of straight and parallel tracks, each track defining a substantially horizontal path and having a first end positioned to receive a coin from an ejector module and a second end positioned to deliver the coin into one of the series of bins; and the ejector module mounted to move along the first ends of the tracks into alignment with the first end of one of the tracks based on a denomination of a coin to be delivered to the bins, to receive coins from an acceptor unit and to forcibly propel coins out of the acceptor unit and along one of the substantially horizontal paths in the track module to cause the coins to travel into one of the bins.