Coin counter

• US 4,638,825 A
• Filed: 07/01/1985
• Issued: 01/27/1987
• Est. Priority Date: 07/01/1985
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Coffman Systems Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Coffman Systems Incorporated
• Inventors: Coffman, James H., Gifford, Michael F.
• Primary Examiner(s): Rolla, Joseph J.
• Assistant Examiner(s): NOT, DEFINED
• Application Number:
  US06/750,026
• Time in Patent Office: 575 Days
• Field of Search: 133/8 R, 133/8 A, 133/8 B, 133/8 C, 133/8 D, 133/8 E, 133/1 R, 133/2, 133/3 R, 133/3 C, 133/3 D, 133/3 H, 193/7, 193/44, 193/DIG. 1, 209/539, 209/934, 194/DIG. 11, 194/215
• US Class Current: 453/32
• CPC Class Codes: G07D 9/04 Hand- or motor-driven devices for counting coins counting mechanisms in general G06M
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 193/01 Coin chute

Abstract

A coin counting device for simultaneously counting a number of coins, all of which are of a selected denomination. The device includes a hopper, an inclined planar member to receive coins from the hopper, members mounted to prevent coins from rolling down the planar member and to prevent coins from sliding down the planar member atop one another. The device also includes an array of pin members to disperse the coins transversely across the surface of the planar member. Gate means are mounted at the bottom edge of the inclined planar member to count coins as they slide passed.

Claims

1. In a coin-activated machine:

a coin-receiving device for accepting coins of a selected denomination;

coin reservoir means mounted within the coin-receiving device for collecting said accepted coins;

a coin-counting device mounted in coin-flow communication with the reservoir means for receiving and counting coins which spill over from the reservoir means, the counting device including;

hopper means in spill over relation to the coin reservoir means to receive said coins spilling over from the reservoir means, the hopper means having an outlet for said coins;

an inclined planar member mounted to receive, at its upper ends, coins at said outlet of the hopper means to provide a face for coins to slide upon;

gate means mounted at spaced-apart locations transversely across the lower end of the inclined planar menber to count coins sliding downward on said face of the inclined planar member;

means mounted to extend across the inclined planar member at a distance thereabove sufficient to prevent two or more coins from sliding one atop the other, into the gate means; and

a plurality of spaced-apart resilient pin members mounted to extend downwardly toward said face of the inclined planar member and terminate less than one coin width distance above said face of the inclined planar member such that coins sliding down said face of the inclined planar member strike said pin members and are dispersed laterally across said face.

2. A coin activated machine according to claim 1, further including:

a plurality of triangular-shaped side deflector members positioned near the side edges of the inclined planar member such that coins sliding down the planar member near the side edges strike the side deflector menbers and are deflected toward the center of the planar member.

3. A coin-activated machine according to claim 1 wherein;

said pin members of said plurality are spaced from one another laterally across the face of the planar inclined member by a distance ranging from about 1.2 to 1.5 times the diameter of said coin to be counted.

4. A coin-counting device according to claim 1 further including:

a cover metber mounted to extend generally parallel to said face of the inclined planar member at a distance thereabove, and said plurality of pin members is fixed to the cover member.

5. A machine for counting coins of a selected denomination comprising:

(a) hopper means to receive a flow of coins;

(b) an inclined planar member mounted to receive, at its upper end, coins at the outlet of the hopper means and to provide a face for said coins to slide upon;

(c) means mounted to extend across said face of the inclined planar member at a distance thereabove sufficient to prevent two or more coins from sliding, one atop the other, down said face of the inclined planar member;

(d) sidewall and cover members to define, in conjunction with the inclined planar member, an enclosed chute for the coins to slide down;

(e) an array of spaced-apart deflector means mounted to said cover member to extend downwardly toward said face of the inclined planar member terminating less than one coin width distance above said face of the inclined planar member, to strike coins sliding down the inclined planar member to laterally disperse said coins across the face of the inclined planar member; and

(f) gate means mounted at spaced-apart locations transversely across the lower end of the inclined planar member to count coins sliding downward on said face of the inclined planar member.

6. A coin-counting device according to claim 5 wherein;

the deflector means are pin members spaced from one another laterally across the face of the planar inclined member by a distance ranging from about 1.2 to 1.5 times the diameter of said coin to be counted.

7. A coin machine according to claim 5, further including;

a plurality of triangular-shaped side deflector members positioned near the side edges of the inclined planar member such that coins sliding down the planar member near the side edges strike the side deflector members and are deflected toward the center of the planar member.

8. A coin-connecting device according to claim 6 further including;

a member mounted to extend transversely above the face of the inclined planar member at a height to strike coins rolling on edge down the face of the inclined planar member.

9. A coin-counting device of the type which counts a number of coins, all of the same denomination, at the same time, comprising:

(a) hopper means to receive a number of coins at the same time;

(b) an inclined planar member mounted to receive, at its upper end, coins at the outlet of the hopper means and to provide a face for said coins to slide upon;

(c) gate means mounted at spaced-apart locations transversely across the lower end of the inclined planar menber to provide a plurality of gates through which coins sliding downward on said face of the inclined planar member are counted;

(d) means mounted to extend across said face of the inclined planar member at a distance thereabove sufficient to prevent two or more coins from sliding, one atop the other, into the gate means; and

(e) an array of spaced-apart deflector means mounted to extend downwardly toward said face of the inclined planar menber terminating less than one coin width distance above said face of the inclined planar member, to strike coins sliding down the inclined planar member to laterally disperse said coins across the face of the inclined planar member.

10. A coin-activated machine according to claim 9 wherein;

the deflector means are pin members which are spaced from one another laterally across the face of the planar inclined member by a distance ranging from about 1.2 to 1.5 times the diameter of said coin to be counted.

11. The device of claim 9, further including;

a plurality of triangular-shaped side deflector members positioned near the side edges of the inclined planar member such that coins sliding down the planar member near the side edges strike the side deflector members and are deflected toward the center of the planar member.

12. A coin-counting device according to claim 10 further including;

a cover member mounted to extend generally parallel to said face of the inclined planar member at a distance thereabove, and said plurality of pin members is fixed to the cover member.

13. A coin-counting device according to claim 9 wherein;

the means to prevent coins from sliding atop one another comprises spaced-apart tab members mounted to extend downwardly toward said face of the inclined planar member.

14. A coin-counting device according to claim 13 wherein;

said tab members range in width from about 0.25 inches to 0.40 inches as measured transverse to said face of the inclined planar member, and each tab member is centered with respect to the entry to each of said gates.

15. A coin-counting device according to claim 14 wherein;

the width of each gate of said plurality exceeds the diameter of the coin to be counted by about 0.1 inches.

16. A coin-counting device according to claim 13 further including;

vibrator means connected to the inclined planar member.

17. A coin-counting device of the type which counts a number of coins, all of the same denomination, at the same time, comprising:

(a) hopper means to receive a number of coins at the same time;

(b) an inclined planar member mounted to receive, at its upper end, coins at the outlet of the hopper means and to provide a face for said coins to slide upon;

(c) gate means mounted at spaced-apart locations transversely across the lower end of the inclined planar member to provide a plurality of gates through which coins sliding downward on said face of the inclined planar member are counted;

(d) means mounted to extend across said face of the inclined member at a distance thereabove sufficient to prevent two or more coins from sliding, one atop the other, into the gate means;

(e) an array of spaced-apart deflector means mounted to extend downwardly toward said face of the inclined planar member to strike coins sliding down the inclinded planar member to disperse said coins across the face of the inclined planar member; and

(f) spaced-apart partitioning members fixedly mounted to extend laterally across said face of the inclined planar member to define the individual gates of said plurality, each partitioning member comprises a member having a stepped portions, and slots are formed in said face of the inclined planar member to receive said stepped portions.

18. A coin-counting device according to claim 17 wherein;

the effective width of said individual gates is adjustable and determined by which step of said stepped partitioning pieces is located flush with said face of the inclined planar member.

19. A coin-counting device of the type which counts a number of coins, all of the same denomination, at the same time, comprising:

(a) hopper means to receive a number of coins at the same time;

(b) an inclined planar member mounted to receive, at its upper ends, coins at the outlet of the hopper means and to provide a face for said coins to slide upon;

(c) gate means mounted at spaced apart locations transversely across the lower end of the inclined planar member to provide a plurality of gates through which coins sliding downward on said face of the inclined planar member are counted;

(d) means mounted to extend across said face of the inclined planar member at a distance thereabove sufficient to prevent two or more coins from sliding, one atop the other, into the gate means;

(e) an array of spaced-apart pin members which are spaced from one another laterally across the face of the inclined planar member by a distance ranging from about 1.2 to 1.5 times the diameter of said coin to be counted, the pin metbers mounted to extend downwardly toward said face of the inclined planar member to strike coins sliding down the inclined planar member to disperse said coins across the face of the inclined planar member;

(f) a cover member mounted to extend generally parallel to said face of the inclined planar member at a distance thereabove, and said plurality of pin members is fixed to the cover merber; and

(g) a telescoping pedestal to adjustably support the inclined planar member.