Device for dispensing articles of value and magazine therefor

• US 6,196,416 B1
• Filed: 06/30/1999
• Issued: 03/06/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 06/30/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Asahi Seiko USA, Inc. (Asahi Seiko CO., Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Asahi Seiko USA, Inc. (Asahi Seiko CO., Ltd.)
• Inventors: Seagle, Donald Lee
• Primary Examiner(s): Noland, Kenneth W.
• Application Number:
  US09/346,415
• Time in Patent Office: 615 Days
• Field of Search: 221/197, 221/154, 221/198, 221/232, 221/253, 221/259, 221/282, 221/268, 221/231
• US Class Current: 221/197
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 7/08 by coded identity card or credit card or other personal identification means without personal verification means G07F7/02
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 7/0833 Card having specific functional components

Abstract

A device and magazine are set for dispensing articles of value such as pre-paid telephone calling cards. The closed magazine has a gate moveable between a closed to an open position to permit articles to be dispensed therefrom by a dispensing mechanism. A one cycle gate operating mechanism is included which has an actuator moveable from a first position to a second position to secure the magazine to the dispensing mechanism and open the gate. Should the actuator be moved to close the gate, the gate is locked in the closed position and cannot be re-opened. Surreptitious opening of the gate to remove cards and then closing the gate prevents the gate from re-opening and prevents securing the magazine to the dispensing mechanism.

Claims

1. A device for dispensing articles of value comprising:

a dispensing mechanism for dispensing said articles;

a closed magazine for holding a plurality of said articles, said magazine including,

(i) a gate moveable from a closed position to an open position, said gate in said open position permitting an article to be moved by the dispensing mechanism from the magazine for dispensing thereof, said gate when said magazine is initially loaded with articles disposed in the closed position,

(ii) a one-cycle gate operating mechanism including a moveable actuator moveable from a first position to a second position to secure the magazine to the dispensing mechanism and coupled to the gate for moving the gate from the initial closed position to the open position for dispensing of articles by the dispensing mechanism and back to the first position to release the magazine from the dispensing mechanism and close the gate; and

(iii) means for locking the gate in the closed position after one cycle of the actuator from said first to said second and back to said first position.

2. The device of claim 1 including a catch moveable to a latched position to couple said magazine to said dispensing mechanism in response to movement of said actuator from the first to the second position, said gate operating mechanism after said one cycle locking said catch against movement to said latched position.

3. The device of claim 1 wherein said actuator is rotatable and coupled to a catch, rotation of said actuator from the first to the second position rotating the catch to secure the magazine to the dispensing mechanism and moving the gate to the open position, rotation of the actuator from the second back to the first position disengaging the catch and closing the gate.

4. The device of claim 3 wherein the one cycle locking mechanism includes a cam and follower disposed between said gate and said actuator to displace the gate between the first to the open second position in response to rotation of the actuator, means for preventing reverse rotation of said actuator until said gate has reached the second position, reverse rotation of the actuator from the second to the first position engaging said gate locking means to lock the gate in the closed position and secure the actuator against rotation back to said second position.

5. The device of claim 4 wherein said reverse rotation preventing means includes a ratchet surface on said cam and a pawl urged to engage said ratchet surface and permit rotation thereof only in the direction from said first position to said second position and a release adapted to disengage the pawl from the ratchet surface when said actuator is at said second position.

6. The device of claim 5 wherein said gate locking means and said release includes a pin moveable from a first to a second position to lock said gate when said gate is returned from said second position back to said first position.

7. The device of claim 6 wherein said gate includes an bore to receive said pin to lock said gate in the closed position.

8. The device of claim 6 wherein said bore is pear shaped including a major bore and a smaller diameter minor bore and said pin includes a shaft of a size to pass only said major bore, an axially extending finger adapted to pass through said minor and said major bores and a slider, said finger passing through said minor bore when said gate is at the second position, movement of the gate to the first position extending the finger shaft through the major bore to lock the gate in the closed position.

9. A device for dispensing articles of value comprising:

a dispensing mechanism for dispensing said articles;

a closed magazine for holding a plurality of said articles, said magazine including,

(i) a gate moveable from a closed position to an open position, said gate in said open position permitting an article to be moved by the dispensing mechanism from the magazine for dispensing thereof, said gate when said magazine is initially loaded with articles disposed in the closed position,

(ii) a one-cycle gate operating mechanism including a moveable actuator moveable from a first position to a second position to secure the magazine to the dispensing mechanism and coupled to the gate for moving the gate from the initial closed position to the open position for dispensing of articles by the dispensing mechanism and back to the first position to release the magazine from the dispensing mechanism and close the gate and means for locking the gate in the closed position after one cycle of the actuator from said first to said second and back to said first position, said locking means including a cam and follower coupled between said actuator and said gate to move said gate between said open and closed positions in response to movement of the actuator, an axially moveable pin, said gate including a pear shaped bore including a major bore and a smaller diameter minor bore and said pin includes a shaft of a size to pass only said major bore, an axially extending finger adapted to pass through said minor and said major bores and a slider, said finger passing through said minor bore to engage said slider when said gate is at the second position, movement of the gate to the second position passing the finger through the major bore, said pin shaft restrained from insertion into said major bore by said slider and movement of said gate back toward said first position extending the finger through the major bore to lock the gate in the closed position.

10. A magazine for an article dispensing device of the type having a frame, article dispensing means and means for mounting a magazine containing a plurality of articles to be dispensed, said magazine comprising:

a closed housing to retain a plurality of articles to be dispensed, said housing including a gate moveable between a closed position to an open position to pass an article being dispensed from the magazine by the article dispensing means;

a moveable catch for securing the magazine to the dispensing device;

an actuator for manipulating the catch;

a gate mechanism including means for moving the gate from said closed to said open position in response to manipulation of said actuator to secure the magazine to the dispensing device, and for closing the gate in response to manipulation of the actuator to release the catch and magazine from the dispensing device; and

means for locking the gate in a closed position after one cycle of opening the gate and closing the gate.

11. The magazine of claim 10 wherein said locking means includes a pin and means for urging the pin to fix the gate to the magazine in the closed position in response to one cycle of opening and closing the gate.

12. The magazine of claim 11 wherein said urging means includes said pin having a shaft and a smaller diameter axially projecting finger and said gate includes a pear shaped bore defined by a major bor and a smaller diameter minor bore, said minor bore passing said finger when said gate is in the closed position, movement of the gate to the second position passing the finger through the major bore, said pin shaft restrained by restraining means from insertion into said major bore and movement of said gate back toward said first position extending the finger through the major bore to lock the gate in the closed position.