Coin lifting device

• US 4,902,263 A
• Filed: 06/24/1988
• Issued: 02/20/1990
• Est. Priority Date: 06/26/1987
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Aruze Corp.
• Original Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Universal
• Inventors: Ito, Tsuyoshi, Shirasawa, Masaharu
• Primary Examiner(s): NOT, DEFINED
• Assistant Examiner(s): Ammeen, Edward S.
• Application Number:
  US07/210,787
• Time in Patent Office: 606 Days
• Field of Search: 453/29, 453/30, 453/32, 453/39, 453/40, 453/49, 453/53, 453/54, 453/57, 453/58, 453/61, 453/62, 453/63, 453/18, 453/51, 221/75, 221/164, 221/192, 221/254, 221/167, 221/175, 221/178, 221/179, 221/181, 221/231, 221/237, 221/277, 414/93, 414/94, 198/392, 198/454, 198/467.1, 198/803.16
• US Class Current: 453/49
• CPC Class Codes: G07D 9/00 Counting coins in combination with coin-sorting G07D3/16; Handling of coins not provided for in the other groups of this subclass

Abstract

A rotating disk is rotated about an upright axis to feed coins placed thereon toward a rotating body. The rotating body is formed with a spiral groove in which the periphery of each coin is inserted and a guide barrel is disposed in such a manner as to maintain the rising coins in the groove in the rotating body. The coin, the periphery of which are engaged in the spiral groove, are received by the guide barrel and lifted in a generally horizontal posture by the rotation of the rotating body and then discharged outside from a discharge port formed at an upper portion of the guide barrel. A rubber-surfaced roller is disposed opposite the rotating body. The roller is adapted to press against the periphery of coins thereby to ensure the insertion of the coins into the spiral grooves.

Claims

1. A coin lifting device comprising

a rotating disk which rotates about an upright axis so as to feed coins placed thereon;

a rotating body formed with a spiral groove, in which groove the periphery of the coins fed in a horizontal posture by said rotating disk is inserted, said rotating body being rotatable about an upright axis;

guide means disposed at the outer periphery of said rotating body and adapted to receive the coins inserted in said spiral groove and to prevent the coins from being disengaged from said spiral groove and to prevent the coins from revolving about said rotating body;

a coin discharge port formed in an upper portion of said guide means and adapted to discharge coins lifted by said spiral groove;

a base plate having a circular recess, said rotating disk being rotatably disposed in said circular recess, said base plate having a passageway connected to said recess, said passageway being of a size to pass only a single layer and a single row of coins which have left said rotating disk due to the centrifugal force imparted to the coins by the rotating disk; and

a roller which rotates about an upright axis, said roller being so disposed that said passageway is sandwiched between said roller and said rotating body and coins entering said passageway are further pushed toward said rotating body by said roller.

2. A coin lifting device as claimed in claim 1, which further includes a spring plate, said spring plate being adapted to press yieldably downwardly on coins located between said roller and said rotating body.

3. A coin lifting device as claimed in claim 1, wherein said rotating disk, said rotating body and said roller are driven by one motor.

4. A coin lifting device as claimed in claim 3, wherein said rotating body is connected to said motor through a one-way clutch.

5. A coin lifting device comprising

a rotating disk which rotates about an upright axis so as to feed coins placed thereon;

a rotating body formed with a spiral groove, in which groove only the periphery of the coins fed in a horizontal posture by said rotating disk is inserted, said rotating body being rotatable about an upright axis;

upright guide means disposed at the outer periphery of said rotating body and adapted to constrain the coins inserted in said spiral groove to remain in said spiral groove and to prevent the coins from revolving about said rotating body; and

a laterally-opening coin discharge port formed in an upper portion of said guide means, said guide means terminating upwardly at a lower edge of said discharge port, whereby coins reaching the discharge port lose the constraint of said guide means and are discharged through said discharge port in a direction away from said rotating body.