Claims
- 1. A self-contained device for attachment to a currency dispensing machine for regulating access to a dispensing slot of the currency dispensing machine, said device comprising:
- a housing mountable to a currency dispensing machine,
- a slot through said housing alignable with the dispensing slot in said currency dispensing machine,
- a first barrier member and a second barrier member mounted within said housing, said first and second barrier members each being generally U-shaped and independently rotatable about an axis between a first position wherein said barrier member obstructs access to a portion of said dispensing slot and a second position wherein said barrier member does not obstruct access to said dispensing slot, said first barrier member being rotatable about a first axis and said second barrier member being rotatable about a second axis,
- first and second actuators within said housing for initiating movement of said first and second barrier members, and
- electrical connections for connecting said device to an operating circuit of said currency dispensing machine.
- 2. A device as described in claim 1 wherein said first barrier member is disposed to obstruct access to one end of said dispensing slot and said second barrier member is disposed to obstruct access to the other end of said dispensing slot.
- 3. A device for regulating access to a money-dispensing slot of a currency dispensing mechanism, said currency dispensing mechanism controlled by electric circuitry, said device comprising:
- an elongated first barrier member having one end pivotally mounted for rotation about a fixed first axis and a free end, said barrier member being movable between a retracted position and an extended position wherein said free end of said first barrier member obstructs access to one side of said slot,
- an elongated second barrier member, separate and independent from said first member, said second barrier member having one end pivotally mounted for rotation about a fixed second axis and a free end, said second axis being non-collinear with said first axis, said barrier member being movable between a retracted position and an extended position wherein said free end of said second barrier member obstructs access to the other end of said slot,
- first actuator means attached to said first barrier member and second actuator means attached to said second barrier member, said first and second actuator means for moving said first barrier member between said retracted position and said extended position independent of said second barrier member, and for moving said second barrier member between said retracted position and said extended position independent of said first barrier member,
- a housing enclosing said barrier members and said actuator means, said housing being attachable to said currency dispensing mechanism, and
- electrical connector means for connecting said actuator means to the circuitry of said currency dispensing mechanism, said actuator means moving said first barrier member and said second barrier member, respectively, in response to electric signals from said circuitry.
- 4. A device as described in claim 3 wherein said device includes a mounting plate attachable to said currency dispensing mechanism, said plate having an elongated slot which aligns with said money-dispensing slot, said first barrier member and said second barrier member being mountable to said mounting plate.
- 5. A device as described in claim 4 wherein said device includes a fascia mounted to said mounting plate, said fascia having an opening which aligns with said elongated slot, said first barrier member and said second barrier member being disposed between said fascia and said mounting plate, said first barrier member and said second barrier member being contained within said opening when in their respective retracted positions, said first barrier member and said second barrier member extending from said opening and obstructing access thereto when in their respective extended positions.
- 6. A device as described in claim 5 wherein said fascia has light-emitting diodes (LEDs) attached thereto, said LEDs connected to said electrical connector means and indicating the position of said barrier members.
- 7. A device as described in claim 3 wherein said actuator means includes a first actuator and a second actuator, said first actuator for moving said first barrier member between said retracted position and said extended position, said second actuator for moving said second barrier member between said retracted position and said extended position.
- 8. A device as described in claim 3 wherein said first barrier member pivots about a first axis and said second barrier member pivots about a second axis, said first axis and said second axis being separate.
- 9. A device for regulating access to a money-dispensing slot of a currency dispensing mechanism, said currency dispensing mechanism controlled by electric circuitry, said money-dispensing slot having a first longitudinal end and a second longitudinal end, said device comprising:
- a generally U-shaped, elongated first barrier member pivotally mounted at one end for rotation about a first fixed axis relative said first longitudinal end of said slot, said first barrier member movable between a retracted position and an extended position wherein it obstructs access to said slot,
- a generally U-shaped, elongated second barrier member, separate from said first barrier member, pivotally mourned at one end for rotation about a second fixed axis relative said second longitudinal end of said slot, said second barrier member movable between a retracted position and an extended position wherein it obstructs access to said slot,
- a first actuator attached to said first barrier member for moving said first barrier member about said first fixed axis between said retracted position and said extended position,
- a second actuator attached to said second barrier member for moving said second barrier member about said second fixed axis between said retracted position and said extended position,
- electrical connector means for connecting said first actuator and said second actuator to the circuitry of the currency dispensing mechanism whereby said first actuator moves said first barrier member and said second actuator moves said second barrier member in response to electrical signals from said circuitry.
- 10. A device as described in claim 9 wherein said device includes a mounting plate attachable to the currency dispensing mechanism, said plate having a slot alignable with said money-dispensing slot.
- 11. A device as described in claim 10 wherein there is a fascia attached to said mounting plate, said fascia having an opening dimensioned to align with said money-dispensing slot wherein said barrier members are disposed between said fascia and said mounting plate, said barrier members being contained within said opening in said fascia when said members are in their respective retracted position, said members extending from said opening when said members are in their respective extended position.
- 12. A device as described in claim 11 wherein said fascia has light-emitting diodes (LEDs) attached thereto, said LEDs connected to said electrical connector means and indicating said positions.
- 13. A device for regulating access to a money-dispensing slot of a currency dispensing machine comprising:
- a mounting plate attachable to the currency dispensing machine, said plate having an elongated slot, said elongated slot having a first longitudinal end and a second longitudinal end,
- a fascia attached to said mounting plate to form a housing having an internal cavity, said fascia having an opening which aligns with said elongated slot,
- a first U-shaped barrier member disposed within said cavity between said mounting plate and said fascia, said first member mounted relative said first longitudinal end of said elongated slot, said first member movable between a retracted position wherein it is contained within the opening in said fascia and an extended position wherein it extends from said opening and obstructs access to said elongated slot,
- a second U-shaped barrier member disposed within said cavity between said mounting plate and said fascia, said second member mounted relative said second longitudinal end of said elongated slot, said second member movable between a retracted position wherein it is contained within the opening in said fascia and an extended position wherein it extends from said opening and obstructs access to said elongated slot,
- a first actuator within said cavity attached to said first barrier member for rotating said first barrier member about a first fixed axis between said retracted position and said extended position,
- a second actuator within said cavity attached to said second barrier member for rotating said second barrier member about a second fixed axis between said retracted position and said extended position,
- a first operating position wherein said first barrier member is retracted and said second barrier member is extended, a second operating position wherein said first barrier member is extended and said second barrier member is retracted, a third operating position whereby said first barrier member and said second barrier member are retracted and a fourth operating position wherein said first barrier member and said second barrier member are extended, and
- electrical connector means extending from said housing for connecting said first actuator and said second actuator to circuitry within the currency dispensing machine whereby the device is movable to either said first, said second, said third or said fourth operating position in response to electric signals from said circuitry.
- 14. A device as described in claim 13 wherein said fascia has light-emitting diodes (LEDs) attached thereto, said LEDs connected to said electrical connector means and indicating said first, said second, said third or said fourth operating positions.
Parent Case Info
This is a continuation of application Ser. No. 08/237,086 filed on May 3, 1994, now abandoned.
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Foreign Referenced Citations (8)
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0034502 |
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EPX |
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Continuations (1)
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Number |
Date |
Country |
Parent |
237086 |
May 1994 |
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