Claims
- 1. A coin escrow and changer apparatus, comprising:a frame having a plurality of coin stalls formed therein, each stall having an open upper portion adapted to receive a coin into the stall; and a plurality of gates movable between an open position and a closed position, each gate having an upper portion with a control arm extending therefrom and a lower portion with a cam arm extending therefrom, each one of the gates associated with one of the stalls so that when the gate is disposed in the open position the control arm does not block the corresponding stall upper portion so that the coin can enter the stall and the cam arm extends into the coin stall, and so that when the coin is received in the stall the coin engages the cam arm to move the gate into the closed position wherein the control arm extends into the upper portion of the corresponding coin stall and blocks a next coin from entering the coin stall.
- 2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the gates are disposed in an unbalanced arrangement so that when the cam arm is not engaged by the coin, the gate moves to the open position.
- 3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the gates are pivotally mounted to the frame.
- 4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein each of the stalls has an open lower portion, and further comprising a coin select mechanism having a plurality of movable support arms that are movable between an open position and a closed position, each one of the support arms associated with the lower portion of one of the stalls so that when the support arm is disposed in the closed position it blocks the lower portion of the corresponding stall so that the coin can not exit the stall and when the support arm is disposed in the open position it does not block the lower portion of the corresponding stall so that the coin can exit the stall.
- 5. The apparatus of claim 4, further comprising a coin release mechanism having a movable release member with pins extending therefrom that move between a locked position securing the arms in the closed position and a release position wherein the arms are free to move to the open position.
- 6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the frame has a coin guide slot formed therein that is in communication with the open upper portions of the coin stalls.
- 7. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the coin guide slot is disposed at an angle relative to horizontal.
- 8. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein each of the gates has a paddle extending from the upper portion thereof, each one of the paddles associated with one of the stalls so that when the gate is disposed in the closed position the paddle does not block the coin guide slot and when the gate is disposed in the closed position the paddle extends into and blocks the coin guide slot so that the coin in the coin guide slot does not pass the corresponding stall.
- 9. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the paddle is disposed at a distal side of the gate relative to the approaching coin in the angled coin guide slot.
- 10. A coin escrow and changer apparatus, comprising:a frame having a plurality of coin stalls formed therein, each stall having an open lower portion adapted to permit a coin to exit the stall; a coin select mechanism having a plurality of movable support arms and a coin select member, the support arms movable between an open position and a closed position, each one of the support arms associated with the lower portion of one of the stalls so that when the support arm is disposed in the closed position it blocks the lower portion of the corresponding stall so that the coin can not exit the stall and when the support arm is disposed in the open position it does not block the lower portion of the corresponding stall so that the coin can exit the stall, the coin select member engaging the support arms so that the support arms are prevented from moving to the open position and movable to disengage one or more of the support arms to permit the disengaged support arm to move to the closed position.
- 11. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the support arms are mounted to the frame so that they are free to move independently of each other.
- 12. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the coin select member has a plurality of pins extending therefrom and each of the support arms has a slot defined therein with an opening portion, wherein the pins extend into the slots to secure the support arms in the closed position and, when one of the pins is aligned with one of the openings, the pin can extend into the opening to permit the support arm to move to the open position.
- 13. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the pins are disposed on the coin select member in a staggered arrangement relative to the openings so that only one support arm at a time can move to the open position.
- 14. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the coin select mechanism further comprises an actuator operatively coupled to the coin select member.
- 15. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the coin select mechanism further comprises a barrel cam operatively coupled to the actuator, wherein the barrel cam has a cam surface formed thereon that engages one of the pins of the coin select member.
- 16. The apparatus of claim 10, further comprising a coin release mechanism having a movable release member that moves between a locked position securing the arms in the closed position and a release position wherein the arms are free to move to the open position.
- 17. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein each of the support arms has a lock tab and the release member has pins extending therefrom that engage the lock tabs when the release member is disposed in the locked position and that do not engage the lock tabs when the release member is disposed in the release position.
- 18. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein each stall has an open upper portion adapted to receive a coin into the stall, and further comprising a plurality of gates movable between an open position and a closed position, each gate having an upper portion with a control arm extending therefrom and a lower portion with a cam arm extending therefrom, each one of the gates associated with one of the stalls so that when the gate is disposed in the open position the control arm does not block the corresponding stall upper portion so that the coin can enter the stall and the cam arm extends into the coin stall, and so that when the coin is received in the stall the coin engages the cam arm to move the gate into the closed position wherein the control arm extends into an upper portion of the corresponding coin stall and blocks a next coin from entering the coin stall.
- 19. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein the frame has a coin guide slot formed therein that is in communication with the open upper portions of the coin stalls and that is disposed at an angle relative to horizontal.
- 20. A coin escrow and changer apparatus, comprising:a frame having a plurality of coin stalls formed therein, each stall having an open upper portion adapted to receive a coin into the stall and an open lower portion adapted to permit a coin to exit the stall; a coin guide slot formed in the frame, in communication with the open upper portions of the coin stalls, and disposed at an angle relative to horizontal; a plurality of gates pivotally mounted to the frame and pivotal between an open position and a closed position, each gate having an upper portion with a control arm extending therefrom and a lower portion with a cam arm extending therefrom, each one of the gates associated with one of the stalls so that when the gate is disposed in the open position the control arm does not block the corresponding stall upper portion so that the coin can enter the stall and the cam arm extends into the lower portion of the corresponding coin stall, and so that when the coin is received in the stall the coin engages the cam arm to pivot the gate into the closed position wherein the control arm extends into the upper portion of the corresponding coin stall and blocks a next coin from entering the coin stall, wherein the gates are disposed in an unbalanced arrangement so that when the cam arm is not engaged by the coin, the gate pivots to the open position; a coin select mechanism having a plurality of pivotal support arms and a slidable coin select member, the support arms pivotal between an open position and a closed position, each one of the support arms associated with the lower portion of one of the stalls so that when the support arm is disposed in the closed position it blocks the lower portion of the corresponding stall so that the coin can not exit the stall and when the support arm is disposed in the open position it does not block the lower portion of the corresponding stall so that the coin can exit the stall, the coin select member engaging the support arms so that the support arms are prevented from pivoting to the open position and slidable to disengage one or more of the support arms to permit the disengaged support arm to pivot to the closed position; and a coin release mechanism having a release member with pins extending therefrom that pivot between a locked position engaging lock tabs on the support arms to secure the arms in the closed position and a release position wherein the arms are free to move to the open position.
- 21. The apparatus of claim 20, wherein each of the gates has a paddle extending from the upper portion thereof at a distal end of the gate relative to the approaching coin in the angled coin guide slot, each one of the paddles associated with one of the stalls so that when the gate is disposed in the closed position the paddle does not block the coin guide slot and when the gate is disposed in the open position the paddle extends into and blocks the coin guide slot so that the coin in the coin guide slot does not pass the corresponding stall.
- 22. The apparatus of claim 20 further comprising an actuator operatively coupled to the release member.
- 23. The apparatus of claim 20, wherein the support arms are mounted to the frame so that they are free to pivot independently of each other.
- 24. The apparatus of claim 20, wherein the support arms pivot from the closed position to the open position by the weight of the coin resting on the support arm.
- 25. The apparatus of claim 20, wherein the coin select member has a plurality of pins extending therefrom and each of the support arms has a slot defined therein with an opening portion, wherein the pins extend into the slots to secure the support arms in the closed position and, when one of the pins is aligned with one of the openings, the pin can extend into the opening to permit the support arm to move to the open position.
- 26. The apparatus of claim 25, wherein the pins are disposed on the coin select member in a staggered arrangement relative to the openings so that only one support arm at a time can pivot to the open position.
- 27. The apparatus of claim 20, wherein the coin select mechanism further comprises an actuator operatively coupled to the coin select member.
- 28. The apparatus of claim 27, wherein the coin select mechanism further comprises a barrel cam operatively coupled to the actuator, wherein the barrel cam has an undulated cam surface formed thereon that engages one of the pins of the coin select member.
- 29. The apparatus of claim 28, wherein the barrel cam has teeth formed thereon, and further comprising a lifter arm that is coupled to the actuator and that engages the teeth.
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION
This application claims the priority benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/214,610, filed Jun. 28, 2000, which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety.
US Referenced Citations (17)
Provisional Applications (1)
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Number |
Date |
Country |
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60/214610 |
Jun 2000 |
US |