Coin sorting apparatus

• US 6,165,063 A
• Filed: 02/10/1999
• Issued: 12/26/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 03/27/1996
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Mag-Nif
• Original Assignee: Mag-Nif
• Inventors: Perkitny, Jerzy
• Primary Examiner(s): BARTUSKA, FRANCIS JOHN
• Application Number:
  US09/247,453
• Time in Patent Office: 685 Days
• Field of Search: 453/5, 453/7, 453/9, 453/11, 453/12, 453/13, 453/14, 453/15, 453/16, 453/17, 453/61, 453/62, 453/63
• US Class Current: 453/9
• CPC Class Codes: G07D 3/00 Sorting a mixed bulk of coins into denominations
• CPC Class Codes: G07D 3/04 arranged on an inclined rail
• CPC Class Codes: G07D 9/008 Feeding coins from bulk

Abstract

A coin sorting apparatus includes a coin hopper (24) having a coin exit aperture (30) and a ramp (32) located adjacent thereto. The ramp (32) includes an upper end (34) and slopes downward to a lower end (36). A plurality of apertures (38a-38d) are formed through the ramp (32). The apertures (38a-38d) are sized and arranged such that coins of differing diameters sliding down the ramp (32) pass through one of the apertures (38a-38d). A coin container assembly (50) located below the ramp (32) includes first and second sets (54,56) of coin containers (52). Each set (54,56) includes a plurality of coin containers (54a-d,56a-d), respectively. The containers (56a-d) of the second set (56) are positioned adjacent the containers (54a-d) of the first set (54). When one of the containers (54a-d) of the first set (54) is filled with coins, additional coins slide into a corresponding container (56a-d) of the second set (56). A coin separator mechanism (90) dispenses coins from the coin hopper (24) onto the ramp (32). The container assembly (50) moves between an operative position for receiving coins and a container removal position. A safety switch (110) selectively disables the coin separator mechanism (90) when the container assembly (50) is moved out of its operative position. A cam and follower mechanism including a cam (70) and a follower (84) pivots the container assembly (50) between the operative and the container removal positions. The cam (70) includes two dwell points (80,82) for releasably securing the follower (84).

Claims

1. A coin sorting apparatus comprising:

a housing;

a coin hopper connected to said housing for receiving unsorted coins;

a coin ramp connected to said housing and sloping downwardly from an upper end to a lower end and including a plurality of differently sized apertures formed therethrough, said apertures being arranged such that only coins less than a particular size pass through each aperture;

a coin container assembly including at least two coin containers positioned adjacent each aperture in said ramp and adapted for receiving sorted coins which pass through that aperture, said container assembly having an operative position where said at least two containers are positioned adjacent each aperture to receive coins from that aperture, and a coin container removal position allowing for individual separation of said plurality of coin containers from said container assembly; and

,

a coin separator mechanism for dispensing coins from said hopper onto said ramp.

2. A coin sorting apparatus as set forth in claim 1, wherein said coin container assembly is pivotable relative to said housing between said operative position and said container removal position, said apparatus further comprising a rotatable cam connected to said housing and engaged with said coin container assembly such that a rotation of said cam pivots said coin container assembly between its operative and container removal positions.

3. A coin sorting apparatus as set forth in claim 1, wherein said at least two coin containers for receiving sorted coins comprise first and second coin containers positioned closely adjacent each other with said first container being located upstream relative to said second container so that each of said first containers receives coins from an associated one of said apertures until filled to capacity with coins, and so that coins pass over said first one of said containers when said first one of said containers is filled to capacity with coins to enter said second container.

4. A coin sorting apparatus as set forth in claim 2, wherein each of said first containers is separated from each of said second containers by a ramp interconnecting an upper portion of each of said first containers to an upper portion of each of said second containers.

5. A coin sorting apparatus as set forth in claim 1, wherein said coin separator mechanism comprises a motor and a coin separator plate connected to rotate with an output shaft of said motor, said coin separator plate including a plurality of peripheral U-shaped, coin receiving notches formed therein and at least one reinforcement rib to stiffen said plate.

6. A coin sorting apparatus as set forth in claim 3, further comprising a coin chute assembly including a plurality of coin chutes for respectively conveying coins that pass through said plurality of apertures of said ramp to said first coin containers of said container assembly.

7. A coin sorting apparatus comprising:

a housing including a coin receiving area;

an inclined ramp connected to said housing and positioned to receive coins from said coin receiving area and including a plurality of coin sorting openings formed therethrough;

a coin chute assembly connected to said housing and including a plurality of downwardly sloping coin chutes positioned respectively beneath said coin sorting openings of said ramp, said plurality of chutes each defining a coin exit channel wide enough to allow passage of the relevant sorted coin;

a coin container base connected to said housing and adapted for selectively and releasably receiving and supporting a plurality of sorted coin containers in an operative coin-receiving position relative to said chute assembly;

a plurality of first coin containers separate from said housing and releasably supported by said base in respective association with one of said coin chutes, said first coin containers each defining a closed lower end adapted for selective placement in said base and an open upper end adapted to receive sorted coins from said coin chute respectively associated therewith; and

,

a plurality of second coin containers separate from said housing and releasably supported by said base in respective association with said plurality of first coin containers, said second coin containers each defining a closed lower end adapted for selective placement in said base and an open upper end adapted to receive sorted coins that pass over said first coin container respectively associated therewith when said respectively associated first container is filled to said open upper end thereof with coins, wherein said plurality of first and second coin containers, when supported by said base, are movable as a unit with said base between a first position for receipt of coins from said coin chute assembly and a second position in which each of said coin containers can be individually separated from said base.

8. A coin handling device comprising:

a coin receiver area;

an inclined ramp positioned to receive coins from said coin receiver area and including a plurality of coin sorting apertures formed therethrough;

a plurality of downwardly sloping coin chutes positioned respectively beneath said coin sorting apertures of said ramp;

a coin container base for supporting a plurality of coin containers in an operative position to receive and retain coins;

a first set of coin containers removably supported on said base and arranged in a first group respectively beneath said plurality of coin chutes to receive coins and retain the received coins in a stack; and

,

a second set of coin containers removably supported on said base and arranged in a second group located respectively adjacent the first group, whereby each of said coin containers of said second group receives coins which pass over an adjacent coin container of said first group when said adjacent container of said first group is filled with coins, wherein said base is selectively movable between an operative position where said sorted coin containers of said first group are located to receive coins from said coin chutes, and an inoperative position where said sorted coin containers of said first group are spaced from said coin chutes.

9. A coin sorting apparatus comprising:

a coin hopper for receiving a plurality of coins;

a downwardly sloping ramp including an upper end, a lower end, and a plurality of apertures formed therethrough in order of increasing size toward said ramp lower end;

a coin separator mechanism for dispensing coins from said coin hopper onto an upper part of said ramp;

a first set of sorted coin containers, each of said sorted coin containers of said first set being positioned downstream from a respective one of said ramp apertures such that coins are communicated from said ramp apertures into an open upper end of said sorted coin containers, respectively; and

,

a second set of sorted coin containers substantially similar to said first set, each of said sorted coin containers of said second set being positioned adjacent a respective like one of said sorted coin containers of said first set, such that an open upper end of each of said sorted coin containers of said second set receives coins when said adjacent container of said first set is filled to capacity with coins, wherein said sorted coin containers of said first and second sets are tilted relative to a vertical axis to facilitate sliding movement of coins over filled containers of said first set and into adjacent containers of said second set.

10. A coin sorting apparatus as set forth in claim 9 further comprising:

a coin sensor located in said coin hopper and operatively connected with said coin separator mechanism so that said coin separator mechanism is activated when at least one coin is placed in said hopper.

11. A method of sorting coins of different diameters, said method comprising:

(a) conveying unsorted coins of different diameters under force of gravity on a sloped surface;

(b) passing coins of each of said different diameters through respective different diameter apertures formed through said sloped surface;

(c) passing coins into an open upper end of respective different diameter coin containers of a first set of coin containers when said containers of said first set are not filled to capacity with coins;

(d) passing coins into an open upper end of respective different diameter containers of a second set of coin containers when said containers of said first set are filled to capacity with coins, said respective different diameter coin containers of said first and second sets having the same size and shape;

(e) moving said first and second sets of containers together relative to said coin chutes from a first position for receiving coins from said coin chutes to a second position; and

,

(f) separating at least one of said containers of said first and second sets of containers from the remaining containers of said first and second sets of containers and removing coins from said at least one of said containers.

12. The method of sorting coins as set forth in claim 11 wherein step (b) comprises the subsidiary step of:

passing coins of said different diameters through said respective different diameter apertures and onto respective sloped coin chutes for passage of coins on said chutes to said first set of containers.