TOKEN DISPENSING CONSTRUCTION FOR PARKING METERS

• US 3,565,283 A
• Filed: 12/17/1968
• Issued: 02/23/1971
• Est. Priority Date: 12/17/1968
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Duncan Industries Parking Control Systems Corp.
• Original Assignee: George G. Dominick, Sciacero Rinaldo
• Inventors: SCIACERO RINALDO, Dominick, George G.
• Application Number:
  US04/784,379
• Time in Patent Office: 798 Days
• US Class Current: 221/197
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/242 provided with token dispensing devices

Abstract

A token dispensing construction wherein tokens in the form of tickets are provided in a roll whereby tickets can be dispensed one or more at a time through the use of driving means which direct the tickets through an opening in the meter housing. The driving means for achieving the dispensing action are directly connected to the time-setting mechanisms of the meter whereby the ticket dispensing is dependent upon the time-setting operation. In one form of the invention, the ticket-dispensing drive means are set during the time-setting operation with the actual dispensing movement occurring during return movement of the timesetting elements so that the ticket dispensing-drive is independent of the force and rate of movement applied by an individual manually operating the meter.

Claims

1. In a token-dispensing parking meter wherein tokens are dispensed after the insertion of coins for setting of time on the meter, the improvement wherein said tokens comprise tickets, a cartridge, and means located within the meter for removably supporting the cartridge, a roll comprising a plurality of said tickets, means in said cartridge for supporting said roll within said cartridge, drive means rotatable in response to the setting of time on the meter, an opening in said cartridge through which said tickets are fed, a tangentially formed projection having an interior passage communicating with said opening through which the strip of tickets moves, a friction roller positioned adjacent said projection, and an opening defined in the sidewall of said projection for receiving said friction roller whereby the fir friction roller is adapted to press the strip of tickets against the opposite wall of the projection and to thereby drive the strip outwardly beyond said projectIon, said friction roller being connected to said drive means whereby tickets are dispensed from the cartridge in response to setting of time on the meter, and including passage means defined by the meter housing for delivering tickets to the exterior of the housing.

2. A construction in accordance with claim 1 wherein the drive means for operating a said drive roller are set during operation of the means for setting of time on the meter, and wherein said drive means rotate the friction roller for achieving dispensing movement at the completion of setting of time on the meter.

3. A construction in accordance with claim 2 wherein a pair of friction rollers engage the opposite surfaces of the strip of tickets.

4. In a token-dispensing parking meter construction wherein tokens are dispensed after the insertion of coins for setting of time on the meter, the improvement wherein drive means for achieving dispensing action are set during the time setting operation, the drive means operating to accomplish the dispensing action during return movement, said drive means comprising friction roller means, a drive pinion, clutch mean interposed between the drive pinion and the friction roller means, and a drive gear for rotating said drive pinion, and wherein said drive gear rotates said pinion during the time setting operation with said clutch means preventing rotation of the friction roller means, and wherein said drive gear rotates said pinion in the opposite direction during the return stroke of the time-setting means with said clutch means operating to drive said friction roller means during said return stroke.

5. A construction in accordance with claim 4 wherein said friction roller means engage a strip of tickets for dispensing of the tickets from the construction.

6. In a token-dispensing parking meter construction wherein tokens are dispensed after the insertion of coins for setting of time on the meter, the improvement wherein drive means for achieving dispensing action are set during the time-setting operation, the drive means operating to accomplish the dispensing action during return movement, said drive means including a drive gear, clutch means, and means connected to the clutch means for imparting dispensing movement to the tokens, and wherein said clutch means prevents operation of the dispensing means during movement of the drive gear in one direction during the time-setting operation while said clutch means provides for operation of said dispensing means during the return movement of said drive gear at the completion of the time-setting operation.

7. In a token-dispensing parking meter wherein tokens are dispensed after the insertion of coins for setting of time on the meter, and we wherein a cartridge carrying the tokens is mounted for movement in the meter, the dispensing action occuring as a result of the cartridge movement, the improvement wherein the means for achieving the dispensing action comprise drive means movable in one direction during the time-setting operation, a cartridge engaging pawl means associated with the drive means and movable therewith during the time-setting operation, means for disabling the cartridge engaging pawl during the time setting movement of the drive means, and means for releasing said cartridge engaging pawl upon resetting of the drive means at the completion of the time setting movement whereby said pawl operates to move said cartridge for dispensing tokens.