Claims
- 1. A time-setting indexing mechanism for coin operated machines comprising: coin cycling means for moving a coin through a coin sensing cycle, time-setting indexing means, recess means formed in said indexing means and having a length proportionate to the value of the coin being cycled by said coin cycling means, coin sensing means having a stop member adapted to be received in said recess means and responsive to the size of said coin to move said stop member into alignment with said recess means remote from one end of the recess means, and means for moving said indexing means in a direction that receives said stop member in said recess means and through a distance limited by abutment of said stop member with said one end of said recess means, whereby the limit of movement of said indexing means is determined by the length of said recess means.
- 2. A time-setting indexing mechanism for a parking meter comprising: coin cycling means for moving coins of different denominations through a sensing cycle, time-setting indexing means, a plurality of recesses formed in said indexing means and having different lengths corresponding to different pre-selected denominations of coins to be cycled by said cycling means, coin sensing means for sensing the size of a coin being cycled by said cycling means, a stop member moved by said sensing means into alignment with different pre-selected ones of said recesses remote from terminations of said recesses depending upon the sensed size of the coin when the sensed coin size corresponds to one of said pre-selected denominations and means for moving said indexing means in a direction to receive said stop member in the recess with which it is aligned and through a distance limited by abutment of the stop member with the termination of the recess in which the stop member is received.
- 3. The time-setting indexing mechanism defined in claim 2 in which said indexing means comprises a rotatably mounted member, said recesses being formed in the surface of said rotatably mounted member.
- 4. The time-setting indexing mechanism defined in claim 3 in which said coin sensing means comprises a lever movable to a position corresponding to the size of the coin diameter.
- 5. The time-setting indexing mechanism defined in claim 3 in which said coin sensing means comprises a cam surface with which the edge of said coin is in contact when being cycled by said cycling means, and a pivotable lever having a part adapted to contact the edge of said coin at a point diametrically opposite the point where the edge of said coin is in contact with said cam surface to pivot said lever to a position corresponding to the diameter of said coin as said coin is cycled by said cycling means.
- 6. The time-setting indexing mechanism of claim 4 comprising holding means normally preventing movement of said indexing means from a home position, and reset means adapted to be actuated by the coin being cycled by said cycling means to release said holding means after said coin has actuated said coin sensing means.
- 7. The time-setting indexing mechanism of claim 6 in which said reset means comprises a movable reset lever in the path of movement of the coin being cycled by said cycling means, cam means movable with said reset lever, and release means actuated by said cam means to release said holding means upon movement of said reset lever and cam means as a result of movement of the coin by said cycling means.
- 8. The time-setting indexing mechanism defined in claim 4 wherein said rotatably mounted member and said lever are respectively rotatable about spaced axes, and wherein an arcuate abutment surface is formed on said rotatably mounted member and is contacted by said stop member when the latter aligns with none of said recesses to block movement of said rotatably mounted member in a time-setting direction, said abutment surface being formed along the periphery of a circle which passes in the region of the rotational axis of said rotatably mounted member, the center of said circle coinciding substantially with the axis of rotation of said lever.
- 9. A parking meter comprising a time-expiry indicator, cycling means for advancing a coin through a coin sensing cycle, time-setting indexing means connected to said indicator for setting said indicator to a parking time and comprising a member movable in a pre-selected direction to advance said indicator to a parking time and having a plurality of spaced apart openings each closed at one end, said openings having different lengths corresponding to different pre-selected coin sizes, stop means, sensing means for sensing the size of coins moved through said cycle and controlled by the size of the coin being moved by said cycling means to move said stop means into alignment with the one of said openings which corresponds to the sensed size of the coin when the coin size is one of said pre-selected sizes, and means for imparting movement of said member in said pre-selected direction to receive said stop means in the one of said openings with which it aligns, said movement of said member being limited by abutment of said stop means with the closed end of the one of said openings in which it is received.
- 10. A time-setting indexing mechanism for a parking meter comprising an indexing member mounted for rotation about a first axis, an indexing lever rotatable about a second axis spaced from said first axis, a stop on said lever, said indexing member having an abutment surface adapted to cooperate with said stop to prevent rotation indexing member in one direction, said abutment surface being formed along the arc of a circle which passes close to said first axis, the center of said circle being substantially coincident with said second axis.
- 11. A parking meter for receiving coins having different pre-selected sizes that determine their denomination and comprising means for moving each received coin through a coin sensing station, a time expiry indicator, time-setting means connected to said indicator and comprising an indexing member rotatable in a pre-selected direction to set said indicator to a parking time that is determined by the distance by which said indexing member is rotated in said pre-selected direction, means for rotating said indexing member in said pre-selected direction, sensing means for sensing the size of the coins moved through said station, said sensing means including a rockably mounted sensing member that is rocked about an axis through a distance corresponding to the size of a coin during movement of the coin through said station, and means comprising a plurality of first formations positioned on said indexing member to cooperate with said sensing member for limiting the rotation of said indexing member in said pre-selected direction to a distance corresponding to the denomination of the sensed coin size when the coin size is any one of said pre-selected sizes, said sensing member being engageable with an additional formation on said indexing member to prevent rotation of said indexing member in said pre-selected direction whenever the coin size sensed by said sensing means does not correspond to any one of said pre-selected sizes.
- 12. The parking meter defined in claim 11 wherein said sensing member is pivotally mounted in a position where it is engaged by the coins travelling through said station.
- 13. The parking meter defined in claim 11 wherein said first formations are curved to extend along concentric circles of different diameters, said circles having centers coincident with the rotational axis of said indexing member, and each of said first formations having a length corresponding to the denomination of a different one of said pre-selected coin sizes, said sensing member having stop means which is positioned by the rocking displacement of said sensing member to be engaged by the one of said first formations whose length corresponds to the sensed coin size for limiting rotation of said indexing member in said pre-selected direction.
- 14. The parking meter defined in claim 13 wherein said additional formation transversely intersects said first formations.
- 15. The parking meter defined in claim 14 wherein said first and additional formations are integral with said indexing member.
- 16. The parking meter defined in claim 14 wherein said first formations are grooves which are formed in said indexing member, each of said grooves having one end open at said additional formation and a closed end remote from said one end and engageable with said stop means to limit rotation of said indexing member in said pre-selected direction.
- 17. The parking meter defined in claim 13 wherein said sensing member is formed with first and second intersecting lever arm portions and is pivotal about an axis located at the intersection of said lever arm portions, each of said lever arm portions having a free end remote from the intersection of said arm portions, said stop means being on the free end of said first arm portion, and means positioned on the free end of said second arm portion and located to be engaged by the edge of a coin travelling through said station.
Parent Case Info
This is a continuation of application Ser. No. 616,087 filed Sept. 23, 1975, now abandoned.
US Referenced Citations (2)
Number |
Name |
Date |
Kind |
3126995 |
Kissinger et al. |
Mar 1964 |
|
3977507 |
Kaiser |
Aug 1976 |
|
Continuations (1)
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Number |
Date |
Country |
Parent |
616087 |
Sep 1975 |
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