Coin sorting apparatus with reciprocating coin pushing member

• US 20020019209A1
• Filed: 02/09/2001
• Published: 02/14/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 02/11/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Mag-Nif
• Original Assignee: Mag-Nif
• Inventors: Brown, Patrick W., Spirk, John W., Nottingham, John R., Knox, William J. Jr.
• Granted Patent: US 6,585,581 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 453/3
• CPC Class Codes: G07D 3/04 arranged on an inclined rail
• CPC Class Codes: G07D 3/16 in combination with coin-counting
• CPC Class Codes: G07D 9/006 Coin wrappers

Abstract

A coin sorting apparatus includes a coin receiving area, a coin sorting ramp, and a coin stripper. The coin stripper includes an inlet and a backing plate located adjacent said inlet to support a stack of associated unsorted coins received from the inlet with a face of a lowermost coin of the stack abutting the backing plate. The coin stripper further includes a pushing member located adjacent said backing plate and adapted for reciprocal sliding movement relative to said backing plate between an extended position and a retracted position. The pushing member, when moving from the retracted position to the extended position, engages the lowermost coin of the stack and moves the lowermost coin onto the coin sorting ramp.

Claims

1. A coin sorting apparatus comprising:

a coin receiving area adapted for receipt of a plurality of associated coins;

a coin sorting ramp;

a coin stripper for moving individual coins from said coin receiving area onto said coin sorting ramp, said coin stripper comprising;

an inlet in communication with said coin receiving area to receive unsorted coins from said coin receiving area;

a backing plate located adjacent said inlet and adapted to support a stack of associated unsorted coins received from said inlet with a face of a lowermost coin of said stack abutting said backing plate; and

,

a pushing member located adjacent said backing plate and adapted for reciprocal sliding movement relative to said backing plate between an extended position and a retracted position, said pushing member, when moving from said retracted position to said extended position, engaging said lowermost coin of said stack and moving said lowermost coin onto said coin sorting ramp.

2. The coin sorting apparatus as set forth in claim 1, wherein said coin sorting ramp comprises a planar member inclined downwardly from an upper end to a lower end and including a plurality of differently sized apertures defined therein and arranged in order of increasing size from said upper end to said lower end, and wherein said backing plate is a planar member located vertically above said coin sorting ramp.

3. The coin sorting apparatus as set forth in claim 1, further comprising:

an electric motor operatively coupled to said pushing member for reciprocating said pushing member between said extended and retracted positions.

4. The coin sorting apparatus as set forth in claim 1, wherein said coin receiving area, said coin sorting ramp and said coin stripper are held within a housing, said coin sorting apparatus further comprising:

a door assembly comprising;

(i) a door member;

(ii) a base connected to said door member; and

, (iii) a plurality of pedestals projecting upwardly from said base and adapted for insertion in open lower ends of a respective plurality of associated coin holders whereby said holders are operatively supported on said base, said door assembly movable relative to said housing between a closed, operative position wherein said associated holders supported on said base are positioned to receive sorted coins from said coin sorting ramp and wherein said door prevents user-access to said holders, and an opened position wherein said door assembly and associated holders supported on said base are spaced from said housing and accessible by a user of said coin sorting apparatus.

5. The coin sorting apparatus as set forth in claim 4, wherein said door member defines a plurality of first open recesses spaced vertically from said plurality of recesses, respectively, said first open recesses adapted for receiving and supporting an upper portion of said respective plurality of associated coin holders supported on said base.

6. The coin sorting apparatus as set forth in claim 5, wherein said plurality of first open recesses defined in said door member are at least partially defined by a respective plurality of walls that project upwardly from said door member, each of said walls conformed and dimensioned so that coins destined for a filled one of said plurality of associated coin holders move past said wall and exit said housing.

7. The coin sorting apparatus as set forth in claim 6, wherein each of said walls defines a coin overflow slot therethrough whereby coins destined for a filled one of said plurality of associated coin holders pass through said slot of said wall supporting said filled one of said associated wrappers.

8. The coin sorting apparatus as set forth in claim 4, wherein said door assembly is pivotably connected to said housing and movable on an arc between said closed and opened positions.

9. The coin sorting apparatus as set forth in claim 8, further comprising:

a lock mounted on one of the door and the housing for selectively securing the door to said housing.

10. The coin sorting apparatus as set forth in claim 1, further comprising:

a plurality of coin chutes connected to said housing, each of said coin chutes located to receive coins of a different select denomination from said coin sorting ramp.

11. The coin sorting apparatus as set forth in claim 10, further comprising a plurality of coin sensors connected respectively adjacent said plurality of coin chutes to sense.

12. The coin sorting apparatus as set forth in claim 5, wherein said housing defines a plurality of second open recesses located in respective opposed facing relation with said plurality of first open recesses of said door assembly when said door assembly is located in said closed position, said first recesses and said opposed second recesses together defining a plurality of collars for respectively retaining and supporting open upper ends of said plurality of coin holders supported on said door assembly.

14. The coin stripping apparatus as set forth in claim 13, wherein said pushing member defines a leading edge that engages and pushes said lowermost coin simultaneously in a first direction and in a direction transverse relative said first direction to orient said lowermost coin.

15. The coin stripping apparatus as set forth in claim 13, wherein said pushing member defines a leading edge that engages and pushes said lowermost coin, said leading edge defining a thickness that is less than a thickness of a thinnest coin in said stacked plurality of coins.

16. The coin stripping apparatus as set forth in claim 15, further comprising a restricted opening defined between said inlet and said coin sorting mechanism, said restricted opening dimensioned to allow passage of a largest diameter and thickest coin in said stacked plurality of coins while preventing passage therethrough of a stack of two of said thinnest coins.

17. The coin stripping apparatus as set forth in claim 16, further comprising:

a motor operatively coupled to said pushing member to move said pushing member reciprocally between said extended and retracted positions.

19. The coin sorting apparatus as set forth in claim 18, wherein said door assembly is connected to said housing by a hinge assembly whereby said door assembly pivots on an arc relative to said housing between said closed and open positions.

20. The coin sorting apparatus as set forth in claim 18, wherein each of said plurality of supports of said base comprises a pedestal adapted for insertion into a lower end of an associated coin holder.

21. The coin sorting apparatus as set forth in claim 20, wherein each of said pedestals defines a different height above said base.

22. The coin sorting apparatus as set forth in claim 18, wherein said door assembly further comprises a door member that defines a plurality of open recesses aligned with and spaced from said plurality of supports, respectively, whereby an open upper end of each of said plurality of associated coin holders is received in one of said open recesses when said associated coin holders are supported on said plurality of supports.

23. The coin sorting apparatus as set forth in claim 22, wherein each open recess defined in said door member includes a coin overflow slot defined therethrough at a select height above said base so that coins traveling from said coin sorting mechanism to a filled one of said associated coin holders exit said coin sorting apparatus through said coin overflow slot of the recesses in which said filled associated coin holder is positioned.

28. The coin stripping apparatus as set forth in claim 27, wherein said leading edge defines a projecting finger that decreases in width moving away from said pushing member.

13. A coin stripping apparatus for moving individual coins from an unsorted coin receiving area to a coin sorting mechanism in a coin sorting apparatus, said coin stripping apparatus comprising:

an inlet for holding a stacked plurality of coins;

a backing plate located beneath said inlet to support said stacked plurality of coins;

a planar pushing member located above said backing plate, said pushing member adapted for reciprocal sliding movement in relation to said backing plate between an extended position and a retracted position, said pushing member, when moving from said retracted position to said extended position, engaging a lowermost coin of said stacked plurality of coins and moving said lowermost coin to the coin sorting mechanism.

18. A coin sorting apparatus comprising:

a housing;

a coin sorting mechanism connected to said housing; and

,

a door assembly mounted on said housing and comprising a base including a plurality of supports for retaining a respective plurality of associated coin holders wherein said door assembly is selectively movable between a closed position, wherein said associated coin holders are operatively positioned to receive sorted coins from said coin sorting mechanism and said door assembly blocks user access to said associated coin holders, and an open position wherein said door assembly including said base is moved relative to said housing for access to said associated coin holders.

24. A coin sorting apparatus comprising:

a housing;

a coin receiving area located in said housing and adapted for receipt of a plurality of associated coins;

a coin sorting ramp located in said housing;

a coin stripper located in said housing for moving individual coins from said coin receiving area onto said coin sorting ramp, said coin stripper comprising;

an inlet in communication with said coin receiving area to receive unsorted coins from said coin receiving area;

a backing plate located adjacent said inlet and adapted to support a stack of associated unsorted coins received from said inlet with a face of a lowermost coin of said stack abutting said backing plate; and

,

a pushing member located adjacent said backing plate and adapted for reciprocal sliding movement relative to said backing plate between an extended position and a retracted position, said pushing member, when moving from said retracted position to said extended position, engaging said lowermost coin of said stack and moving said lowermost coin onto said coin sorting ramp; and

,

a door assembly comprising;

(i) a door member;

(ii) a base connected to said door member; and

, (iii) a plurality of pedestals projecting upwardly from said base and adapted for insertion in open lower ends of a respective plurality of associated coin holders whereby said holders are operatively supported on said base, said door assembly movable relative to said housing between a closed, operative position wherein said associated holders supported on said base are positioned to receive sorted coins from said coin sorting ramp and wherein said door prevents user-access to said holders, and an opened position wherein said door assembly and associated holders supported on said base are spaced from said housing and accessible by a user of said coin sorting apparatus.

25. A coin stripping apparatus for moving individual coins from an unsorted coin receiving area to a coin sorting mechanism in a coin sorting apparatus, said coin stripping apparatus comprising:

an inlet for holding a stacked plurality of coins;

a backing plate located beneath said inlet to support said stacked plurality of coins;

a planar pushing member located above said backing plate, said pushing member adapted for reciprocal sliding movement in relation to said backing plate between an extended position and a retracted position, said pushing member, when moving from said retracted position to said extended position, engaging a lowermost coin of said stacked plurality of coins and moving said lowermost coin to the coin sorting mechanism, said pushing member comprising a leading edge that engages and pushes said lowermost coin, said leading edge defining a thickness that is less than a thickness of a thinnest coin in said stacked plurality of coins.

26. A coin sorting apparatus comprising:

a coin receiving area adapted for receipt of a plurality of associated coins;

a coin sorting ramp;

a coin stripper for moving individual coins from said coin receiving area onto said coin sorting ramp, said coin stripper comprising;

an inlet in communication with said coin receiving area to receive unsorted coins from said coin receiving area;

a backing plate located adjacent said inlet and adapted to support a stack of associated unsorted coins received from said inlet with a face of a lowermost coin of said stack abutting said backing plate, said backing plate located above at least a portion of said coin sorting ramp and defining a space between itself and said ramp that is smaller than a diameter of a smallest-diameter coin being sorted; and

,

a pushing member located adjacent said backing plate and adapted for reciprocal sliding movement relative to said backing plate between an extended position and a retracted position, said pushing member, when moving from said retracted position to said extended position, engaging said lowermost coin of said stack and moving said lowermost coin onto said coin sorting ramp.

27. A coin stripping apparatus for moving individual coins from an unsorted coin receiving area to a coin sorting mechanism in a coin sorting apparatus, said coin stripping apparatus comprising:

an inlet for holding a stacked plurality of coins;

a backing plate located beneath said inlet to support said stacked plurality of coins;

a planar pushing member located above said backing plate, said pushing member adapted for reciprocal sliding movement in relation to said backing plate between an extended position and a retracted position, said pushing member, when moving from said retracted position to said extended position, engaging a lowermost coin of said stacked plurality of coins and moving said lowermost coin to the coin sorting mechanism, said pushing member defines a leading edge that engages and pushes said lowermost coin simultaneously in a first direction and in a direction transverse relative said first direction to orient said lowermost coin relative to a subjacent sorting ramp.

29. A coin stripping apparatus for moving individual coins from an unsorted coin receiving area to a coin sorting mechanism in a coin sorting apparatus, said coin stripping apparatus comprising:

an inlet for holding a stacked plurality of coins;

a backing plate located beneath said inlet to support said stacked plurality of coins;

a planar pushing member located above said backing plate, said pushing member adapted for reciprocal sliding movement in relation to said backing plate between an extended position and a retracted position, said pushing member, when moving from said retracted position to said extended position, engaging a lowermost coin of said stacked plurality of coins and moving said lowermost coin to the coin sorting mechanism, said pushing member defining a member that projects upwardly therefrom and that shifts unsorted coins in said inlet away from said pushing member when said pushing member reciprocates.