Coin reception mechanism

• US 5,829,569 A
• Filed: 12/03/1996
• Issued: 11/03/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 12/03/1996
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Karlin Telecomm Corporation
• Original Assignee: Karlin Telecomm Corporation
• Inventors: Cheng, Li-Te, Lin, Sung-Min
• Primary Examiner(s): BARTUSKA, FRANCIS JOHN
• Application Number:
  US08/759,786
• Time in Patent Office: 700 Days
• Field of Search: 194/321, 194/323, 194/345, 194/347, 194/348, 194/349
• US Class Current: 194/345
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 1/041 with means, other than for testing currency, for dealing with inserted foreign matter, e.g. "stuffing", "stringing" or "salting"

Abstract

A coin reception mechanism includes a base fixed inside for example a pay phone to receive coins for operating the pay phone. The coin reception mechanism includes a chute assembly including a first plate and a second plate which are independent of each other and are both pivoted to the base in such a manner to form a spacing therebetween defining a coin chute leading to a coin collector container. The first plate has a coin slot formed thereon to be substantially in alignment with the coin chute for receiving and guiding a coin into the coin chute. An actuator is pivoted to the base and has two driving arms in contact engagement with the first plate and a link connecting to the second plate so that when the actuator is rotated to drive the first and second plates with respect to the base, the first plate is rotated by the arms of the actuator through a first angular displacement and the second plate is rotated by the link through a second angular displacement which is greater than the first angular displacement so that the first plate is angularly displaced from the second plate to define an opening therebetween for removing an odd matter located in the coin chute out of the chute. A user actuateable lever is provided to rotate the actuator by the user for removal of the odd matter.

Claims

1. A coin reception mechanism comprising a base adapted to fix inside a device using the coin reception mechanism to receive coin for operating the device, a chute assembly comprising a first plate and a second plate which are independent of each other and are both pivoted to the base in such a manner to form a spacing therebetween defining a coin chute, the first plate having a coin slot formed thereon to be substantially in alignment with the coin chute for receiving and guiding a coin into the coin chute and an actuator pivoted to the base and having first driving means in engagement with the first plate, wherein the first driving means of the actuator comprises at least one driving arm having a free end in contact engagement with the first plate, and second driving means in engagement with the second plate so that when the actuator is rotated to drive the first and second plates with respect to the base with the first and second driving means, the first plate is rotated about the pivot thereof with the base through a first angular displacement and the second plate is rotated about the pivot thereof with the base through a second angular displacement, the second angular displacement being different from the first angular displacement so that the first plate is angularly displaced from the second plate to define an opening therebetween for removing an odd matter located in the coin chute out of the chute.

2. The coin reception mechanism as claimed in claim 1, wherein the second driving means of the actuator comprises a link connecting between the at least one driving arm of the actuator and the second plate.

3. The coin reception mechanism as claimed in claim 2, wherein the actuator comprises biasing means to bias the first and second plates toward the driving arm of the actuator so that rotating the actuator in a direction against the biasing means moves the first plate with the contact engagement thereof with the free end of the driving arm.

4. The coin reception mechanism as claimed in claim 3, wherein the biasing means comprises a spring.

5. A coin reception mechanism comprising a base adapted to fix inside a device using the coin reception mechanism to receive coin for operating the device, a chute assembly comprising a first plate and a second plate which are independent of each other and are both pivoted to the base in such a manner to form a spacing therebetween defining a coin chute, the first plate having a coin slot formed thereon to be substantially in alignment with the coin chute for receiving and guiding a coin into the coin chute and an actuator pivoted to the base and having first driving means in engagement with the first plate, and second driving means in engagement with the second plate so that when the actuator is rotated to drive the first and second plates with respect to the base with the first and second driving means, the first plate is rotated about the pivot thereof with the base through a first angular displacement and the second plate is rotated about the pivot thereof with the base through a second angular displacement, the second angular displacement being different from the first angular displacement so that the first plate is angularly displaced from the second plate to define an opening therebetween for removing an odd matter located in the coin chute out of the chute, wherein the base comprises two space and opposite lugs each having a pivot hole, a connector having two arms spaced from and connecting to each other to be fit into and fixed between the lugs of the base, each of the arms of the connector having a pivot hole corresponding to the pivot holes of the lugs of the base, the actuator comprising two spaced arms received between the arms of the connector and each of the arms of the actuator having a pivot hole corresponding to the pivot holes of the connector and the pivot holes of the lugs of the base to allow a pivot pin extending therethrough for pivoting the actuator to the base, each of the arms of the connector comprising a further pivot hole through which a further pivot pin extends to pivot the first and second plates to the connector with the arms of the actuator in contact engagement with the first plate by being acted upon by the biasing means.