COIN OPERATED FLUID DISPENSER

• US 3,731,777 A
• Filed: 07/26/1971
• Issued: 05/08/1973
• Est. Priority Date: 07/26/1971
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Robert C. Greenwood, Thomas E. Jones, William F. Burke
• Original Assignee: Robert C. Greenwood, Thomas E. Jones, William F. Burke
• Inventors: Burke, William F., Jones, Thomas E., Greenwood, Robert C.
• Primary Examiner(s): Coleman, Samuel F.
• Application Number:
  US05/165,449
• Time in Patent Office: 652 Days
• Field of Search: 222/14,15,16,20,2,144.5,145,23,24,25,26-37 194/13,3
• US Class Current: 194/217
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 15/04 in which the quantity mechanism is set forward automatically by the insertion of a coin

Abstract

A coin operated system for selectively dispensing prenium and regular grades of gasoline utilizing a single coin handling unit, computer and dispensing control. An electronic system for registering payment, controlling the amount of fluid dispensed, and making exact change for unused payment. A dispenser adaptable to various monetary systems and to various coin input ranges and to various coin return ranges.

Claims

1. In a system for selectively dispensing first and second fluids through an outlet line, the combination of:

meter means for measuring flow of the first and second fluids in the outlet line and generating a flow signal varying as a function of fluid dispensed;

first and second valve means for controlling flow of the first and second fluids, respectively, in the outlet line;

price means for generating a unit price signal for each of the first and second fluids;

computer means having a flow signal and a unit price signal as inputs and providing as outputs, a sale price signal and a sale volume signal;

fluid selection means for generating first and second fluid signals for selecting one of the first and second fluids for dispensing;

display means for displaying unit price, sale price, sale volume and fluid selected in response to unit price, sale price, sale volume and fluid signals, respectively, as inputs;

transfer control means having unit price, flow and fluid signals as inputs and providing as outputs to said computer means, selected unit price and flow signals, and as outputs to said display means, selected unit price and fluid signals, and providing a control signal to the corresponding one of said valve means, in response to the selected one of said fluid signals, for dispensing a selected fluid and computing and displaying the unit price, sale price and sale volume of the fluid dispensed; and

means for connecting unit price signals from said price means, flow signals from said meter means and fluid signals from said fluid selection means to said transfer control means, and for connecting selected unit price and flow signals from said transfer control means to said computer means and selected unit price and fluid signals from said transfer control means and sale price and sale volume signals from said computer means to said display means.

2. A system as defined in claim 1 wherein said meter means includes a first flow meter upstream of said first valve means for measuring flow of the first fluid and generating a first flow signal, and a second flow meter upstream of said second valve means for measuring flow of the second fluid and generating a second flow signal, with said first and second flow signals connected as inputs to said transfer control means for providing a selected one of said flow signals to sad computer means.

3. A system as defined in claim 1 wherein said meter means includes a flow meter downstream of said first and second valve means for measuring fluid flow and generating a flow signal for connection as an input to said computer means.

4. A system as defined in claim 1 wherein said display means includes means for displaying simultaneously first and second unit prices in response to first and second unit price signals from said transfer control means, with said transfer control means including means for providing as output to said display means, both of said unit price signals when no fluid is selected for displaying both unit prices, and the selected one of said unit price signals when a fluid is selected for displaying the corresponding unit price.

5. A system as defined in claim 1 wherein said display means includes means for displaying one unit price in response to a unit price signal from said transfer control means, with said transfer control means including means for providing as output to said display means, a selected unit price signal only when a fluid is selected.

6. A system as defined in claim 1 including:

first circuit means for blocking operation of said fluid selection means in generating said first and second fluid signals;

second circuit means for generating a minimum flow signal when a predetermined minimum amount of fluid has been dispensed; and

third circuit means connecting said minimum flow signal to said first circuit means for preventing fluid selection after said minimum amount of fluid has been dispensed.

7. A system as defined in claiM 1 including:

a second display means remote from said one display means and having first and second sale volume registers and first and second sale price registers, and with said price means including at said second display means, manually adjustable means for changing said unit price signals; and

circuit means connecting flow signals for the first and second fluids to the first and second sale volume registers, respectively, and connecting sale price signals for the first and second fluids to said first and second price registers, respectively.

8. In a coin-operated fluid-dispensing system including pump, flow meter, flow control valve, outlet line, a computer producing monetary pulses as a function of fluid dispensed, and a coin dispenser for dispensing coins of various monetary units, the combination of:

a first register for registering sales units, with a sales unit being a predetermined multiple of the monetary pulse;

means for receiving coins and advancing said first register a number of sales units corresponding to the coins received;

a second register for registering monetary pulses, said second register including a plurality of serially connected stages corresponding to monetary units including said sales unit, said first and second registers having count states;

a comparator having the states of said first register and the sales unit stage of said second register as inputs for generating a first stop signal when there is coincidence in sales units registered therein;

said second register including means for advancing the sales unit stage thereof a sales unit with the first monetary pulse of a sales unit, producing said first stop signal when less than one sales unit remains for dispensing, said second register including means for generating a second stop signal when the less than sales unit stages advance to the complete count state;

first means having said first and second stop signals as inputs to provide a no credit signal when both stop signals are generated; and

second means responsive to the no credit signal for closing the flow control valve.

9. A system as defined in claim 8, including:

third means responsive to closure of the flow control valve in the absence of a no credit signal for generating pay pulses; and

fourth means for connecting said pay pulses to successive stages of said second register for advancing each stage to the complete count state when the flow control valve is closed in the absence of a no credit signal, and to the coin dispenser inputs for dispensing coins corresponding to the monetary units of the stages.

10. A system as defined in claim 9 in which said first register includes means for registering in sales units and in a multiple of sales units, and in which said second register includes a stage corresponding to sales units and a succeeding stage corresponding to said multiple of sales units, and in which said comparator includes means for generating said first stop signal when there is coincidence in sales units and multiples of sales units.

11. A system as defined in claim 9 wherein the coin dispenser includes means for dispensing coins of different monetary values, with each value a whole number multiple of the next lower value, and with said second register having a stage for each whole number multiple and with each stage requiring a quantity of input pulses corresponding to its whole number multiple to produce an output pulse to the next stage.

12. A system as defined in claim 11 wherein the whole number multiples of said second register stages may be changed to correspond to coins of different monetary values.

13. A system as defined in claim 9 wherein said fourth means includes means for blocking and unblocking pay pulses in response to a control signal;

and said system includes;

first circuit means for generating a minimum flow signal when a predetermined minimum amount of fluid has been dispensed;

second circuit meanS for generating a nozzle signal when the outlet line nozzle is not in use; and

third circuit means having said minimum flow and nozzle signals as inputs to provide said control signal to said fourth means for unblocking pay pulses after said minimum amount of fluid has been dispensed and the nozzle is not in use.

14. In a coin-operated system for selectively dispensing first and second fluids through an outlet nozzle, and including pump, flow meter, outlet line, and a coin dispenser for dispensing coins of various monetary units, the combination of:

means for generating a flow signal varying as a function of fluid dispensed through the flow meter;

first and second valve means for controlling flow of the first and second fluids, respectively, in the outlet line;

price means for generating a unit price signal for each of the first and second fluids;

computer means having a flow signal and a unit price signal as inputs and providing as outputs, a sale price signal, a sale volume signal, and monetary pulses as a function of fluid dispensed;

fluid selection means for generating first and second fluid signals for selecting one of the first and second fluids for dispensing;

display means for displaying unit price, sale price, sale volume and fluid selected in response to unit price, sale price, sale volume and fluid signals, respectively, as inputs;

transfer control means having unit price, flow and fluid signals as inputs and providing as outputs to said computer means, selected unit price and flow signals, and as outputs to said display means, selected unit price and fluid signals, and providing a control signal to the corresponding one of said valve means, in response to the selected one of said fluid signals, for dispensing a selected fluid and computing and displaying the unit price, sale price and sale volume of the fluid dispensed;

means for connecting unit price signals from said price means, flow signals from said meter means and fluid signals from said fluid selection means to said transfer control means, and for connecting selected unit price and flow signals from said transfer control means to said computer means and selected unit price and fluid signals from said transfer control means and sale price and sale volume signals from said computer means to said display means;

a first register for registering sales units, with a sales unit being a predetermined multiple of the monetary pulses of said computer means;

means for receiving coins and advancing said first register a number of sales units corresponding to the coins received;

a second register for registering monetary pulses from said computer means, said second register including a plurality of serially connected stages corresponding to monetary units including said sales unit, said first and second registers having count states;

a comparator having the states of said first register and the sales unit stage of said second register as inputs for generating a first stop signal when there is coincidence in sales units registered therein;

said second register including means for advancing the sales unit stage thereof a sales unit with the first monetary pulse of a sales unit, producing said first stop signal when less than one sales unit remains for dispensing, said second register including means for generating a second stop signal when the less than sales unit stages advance to the complete count state;

first means having said first and second stop signals as inputs to provide a no credit signal when both stop signals are generated; and

second means responsive to the no credit signal for terminating dispensing through said valve means.

15. A system as defined in claim 14, including:

third means responsive to closure of the flow control valve in the absence of a no credit signal for generating pay pulses; and

fourth means for connecting said pay pulses to successive stages of said second register for advancing each stage tO the complete count state when said valve means are closed in the absence of a no credit signal, and to the coin dispenser inputs for dispensing coins corresponding to the monetary units of the stages.