Cash and rotary rolled coin dispensing apparatus

• US 5,984,509 A
• Filed: 11/09/1998
• Issued: 11/16/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 11/12/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Hamilton Safe Company Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Hamilton Safe Company Incorporated
• Inventors: Scott, Lowell
• Primary Examiner(s): Terrell, William E.
• Assistant Examiner(s): MACKEY, PATRICK HEWEY
• Application Number:
  US09/187,736
• Time in Patent Office: 372 Days
• Field of Search: 364/479.07, 364/479.02, 364/479.01, 221/78, 221/79, 221/74, 221/227, 221/9, 221/13, 221/120, 221/121, 221/87, 221/88, 221/123, 221/124, 221/130, 221/131, 221/133, 902/12, 902/14, 902/23, 902/13, 235/379
• US Class Current: 700/237
• CPC Class Codes: G07D 1/00 Coin dispensers devices delivering paper currency G07D11/00
• CPC Class Codes: G07D 1/02 giving change coin-actuated mechanisms in general G07F
• CPC Class Codes: G07D 9/002 Coin holding devices
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 11/52 about horizontal axes

Abstract

The present invention is an automatic banking system including a cash dispenser and a rolled coin dispenser in a single apparatus. The rolled coin dispensing apparatus includes a rotatable dispensing wheel that holds coin rolls, a rotary drive mechanism for rotating the dispensing wheel to a dispense position, and an ejecting mechanism for ejecting a predetermined number of coin rolls from the dispensing wheel. The dispensing wheel has outer and inner wheel structures that support divider members which receive rolled coin cassettes therebetween. The ejecting mechanism includes pusher arms arranged exteriorly of each dispensing wheel and ejector bars, fixed to each arm, that are located interiorly of the outer wheel structure to be pushed into a cassette disposed at the dispense position to obtain coin rolls therefrom. The ejector bars and cassette located at the dispense position are arranged nonradially with respect to the axial center of their cassette wheel.

Claims

1. A system for dispensing cash and rolled coins, said system comprising:

a cash dispensing apparatus;

a coin roll dispensing apparatus housed with said cash dispensing apparatus;

information input means for receiving user authorization information and user requests information;

information output means; and

control means for controlling said cash dispensing apparatus and said coin roll dispensing apparatus in response to user information received at said input means and for communicating responses to received user information by said dispensing system over said output means,

said coin roll dispensing apparatus including a rotatable dispensing wheel for holding coin rolls;

a frame supporting said dispensing wheel, said frame defining a dispensing location;

rotary drive means for rotating said dispensing wheel to a dispense position wherein a coin roll to be dispensed from said dispensing wheel is positioned below said dispensing location; and

ejecting means, positionable below the coin roll to be dispensed for ejecting the coin roll from said dispensing wheel when said wheel is in said dispense position.

2. A system as claimed in claim 1, wherein said coin roll dispensing apparatus includes:

four said rotatable dispensing wheels, each of said wheels corresponding to one coin denomination from the group of quarters, dimes, nickels, and pennies; and

four said rotary drive means, each of said rotary drive means being associated with one of said dispensing wheels,

said control means controlling said four drive means independently.

3. A system as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a depository.

4. A system as claimed in claim 1, wherein

said dispensing wheel is adapted to hold coin cassettes containing coin rolls therein, said dispensing wheel including means for receiving coin cassettes;

said ejecting means includes a pusher arm mechanism disposed adjacent to said dispensing wheel, and linear drive means for reciprocally driving said pusher arm mechanism linearly to eject coin rolls from said selected cassette, said ejecting means ejecting a predetermined number of coin rolls from a selected cassette.

5. A system as claimed in claim 4, wherein said dispensing wheel includes a gear wheel engaged with said rotary drive means, said gear wheel forming a first side of said dispensing wheel, another wheel forming a second side of said dispensing wheel, and connective structure for connecting said gear wheel and said another wheel together in a spaced relationship;

wherein said means for receiving coin cassettes is disposed between said gear wheel and said another wheel to receive cassettes between said wheels; and

wherein said pusher arm mechanism includes a pusher arm that extends externally and in parallel to at least one of said dispensing wheel sides and an ejector bar affixed to said pusher arm so as to be disposed between said dispensing wheel sides.

6. A system as claimed in claim 5,

wherein said ejector bar has a longitudinal axis that is offset from a center of said dispensing wheel, and

wherein said means for receiving cassettes arranges coin cassettes such that one of the cassettes is placed in a dispense position in which said ejector bar longitudinal axis extends longitudinally through the cassette in said dispensing position.

7. A system as claimed in claim 6, wherein said means for receiving coin cassettes includes:

an inner wheel structure fixed between said dispensing wheel sides, said inner wheel structure having teeth for supporting a cassette thereon, and

divider members mounted between said dispensing wheel side, and

wherein said divider members are arranged in pairs with each pair receiving a cassette therebetween, and

wherein said divider members of one pair are in parallel with said longitudinal axis of said ejector bar when said divider members of said one pair are located to dispense a cassette held therebetween at said dispense portion, and

wherein cassettes for the coin rolls have retainer members for retaining the cassette between said divider members, and

wherein said divider members each have a shoulder for engagement by a retaining member of a cassette.

8. A system as claimed in claim 7,

wherein said inner wheel structure includes a first toothed wheel fixed in relatively closer proximity to said gear wheel and a second toothed wheel fixed in relatively closer proximity to said another wheel of said dispensing wheel, said toothed wheels having a same first diameter,

wherein said gear wheel and said another wheel of said dispensing wheel have a second diameter larger than said first diameter, and

wherein said ejector bar has a longitudinal length less than said first diameter whereby when said pusher arm is fully retracted, said ejector bar is located between said toothed wheels and no portion of said ejector bar extends beyond a perimeter of said toothed wheels.

9. An apparatus as claimed in claim 8, wherein said rotary drive means and said linear drive means each include a motor and an encoder which generates pulses in response to rotation of a rotor of said motor.

10. A system as claimed in claim 4, further comprising:

means for sensing a presence or absence of coin rolls in a cassette at said dispense position as said controller causes said linear drive means to drive said pusher arm mechanism into the cassette at said position; and

wherein said control means responds to sensing by said sensing means to provide an inventory of coin rolls in the cassette at said position.

11. A system as claimed in claim 10, wherein said control means controls said dispensing apparatus to inventory all cassettes held by said dispensing wheel in order to provide an inventory report of all coin rolls held by said wheel.

12. A system as claimed in claim 11, wherein said sensing means include:

a coin door located above a cassette disposed at said dispense position, and a switch for detecting opening of said coin door by a coin roll being pushed toward ejection from the cassette located at said position.