US2113797A - Coin separator - Google Patents

Description

April 1938 o. MILLER 2,1139? COIN SEPARATOR Filed Feb. 24, 1936' ATTORNEY.

Patented Apr. 12, 1938 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFl 1 Claim.

This invention relates to a coin separator, and more particularly applicable to a coin and token separator for use in fare boxes of the type used upon street railway and buss systems. The invention relates more particularly to the type of fare box shown in applicants Patent I No. 1,941,707.

The invention is designed as an element of the complete fare box. Spurious and oversize and other undesirable coins and tokens will be eliminated before the separator to which this invention relates is reached. Coin counting and registering devices will receive the coins from. the separator, therefore the coin separator forms but a part of the complete fare box mechanism.

The principal object of the invention is to provide a coin separating mechanism in which all moving parts have been eliminated; and which will accurately separate coins of various sizes from a continuously passing stream. of coins.

Other objects and advantages reside in the detail construction of the invention, which is designed for simplicity, economy, and efiiciency. These will become more apparent from the following description.

In the following detailed description of the invention reference is had to the accompanying drawing which forms a part hereof. Like numerals refer to like parts in all views of the drawing and throughout the description.

In the drawing:

Fig. 1 is a plan view of the improved separator.

Fig. 2 is a side View thereof.

Fig. 3 is a cross section, taken on the line 3-3, Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a longitudinal section taken on the line 2-2 Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 illustrates the coin track cover plate.

In. Figs. 1, 2 and 3 the coin track cover plate has been removed to illustrate the internal track mechanism.

The invention comprises: a coin track inclined in two directions, one incline being designed to cause the coins to travel downwardly along the track and the other incline being designed to cause the coins to rest their weight against a separating plate as they travel. The separating plate against which the coins rest is provided with openings of various heighths which allow coins of various sizes to tilt into the openings. The tilting of the coins turns them from their path and they are then directed into individual receiving chutes.

One method of constructing the improved coin separator is illustrated in the drawing, in which,

' an inclined separating plate is indicated at It]. A bottom guide bar H extends along the lower edge of the separating plate In. The separating plate is inclined, first, rearward to cause the coins to lay'thereagainst as they rest on the guide bar I I; second, downwardly to cause the coins to roll along the guide bar ll.

The coins are fed onto the separating plate ID from a curved coin slot I 2 which in turn. receives the coins from any desired feeding mechanism such as indicated at I3. Each coin as it enters, strikes a pivoted lever 14 actuated by means of a coil spring 15. The spring has just sufiioient tension to allow a dropping coin to pass the lever l4 so that the lever acts to initially force the coins against the guide bar II and also to prevent them from bouncing away from the guide bar. Thus each coin is caused to roll edgewise along the guide bar II.

The separating plate I0 is provided with a series of openings l6 of successively increasing heighth. These openings are shaped as illustrated with their upper edges curving downwardly to form forward edges [8 which extend to the guide bar H. A lower edge or flange l'l extends partially across each of the openings l6 adjacent the guide bar ll. These flanges terminate short of the rear edges 18 of the openings so as to leave an opening or passage l9. Adjacent each of these passages, the flanges I! are tapered or bevelled, to form in an inclined passage. 0

Back of each opening [6 is an angularly positioned tilting plate 2|]. The tilting plates 20 direct the coins against a back plate 2 l. The coins after entering the openings lit and passing to the back plate 2| may be directed to any desirable points through suitable chutes.

In the embodiment illustrated, four of the openings 16 are shown, more or less could be used as desired. This separator is designed to separate 0 five different coins. From three of the openings I 6, guide chutes 22 lead beneath the guide bar II to one side of the device. From the uppermost opening, a guide chute 23 leads through the back plate to the other side of the device, and from the end of the separating plate It, a guide chute 24 leads directly from the end of the device. These guide chutes direct the coins in separate passageways such as indicated at 25 to any desired receiving mechanism, such as to a 50 recording device as shown in applicants said prior Patent 1,941,707.

Let us assume that the smallest size coin is dropped from the mechanism 13 into the receiving slot l2. This coin will be forced against the guide bar II by the spring lever 14. As it passes over the first opening I6, its upper edge will fall back through the first opening I6 against the tilting plate 20. The angle of this plate will tilt the coin from its line of travel and cause it to roll from the guide bar I! through the passage I9 to the back plate 2|. In the device as illustrated,'the back plate at this point is provided with an opening 25 which passes the coin to the chute 23.

The next larger coin will pass the first opening it since its width allows it to rest on the upper edge of the opening. It will,'however tilt into the second opening, and roll through the passage iii to the chute 22. The action will be similar for the next two successively larger coins. The largest coin or token for which the machine is designed will override all of the openings and pass off the end of the separating plate In to the chute 24.

In use, the separating portion of the mechanism is covered by means of a cover plate 26, and the complete separator is enclosed in a face box such as illustrated in applicants Patent 1,9i1,'707, and indicated in proper line at 25, Fig. 2. It is desired to call attention to the fact that the coins do not fall through the openings I8, nor do they tilt into the openings and slide over the guide plate II. Both of these methods were found to be unsatisfactory. In this device, the coins are directed away from their straight path along the guide bar H and are turned so as to travel a side path through the passages l9.

While a specific form of the improvement has been described and illustrated herein, it is desired' to be understood that the same may be varied, within the scope of the appended claim, without departing from the spirit of the invention.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed and desired secured by Letters Patent A coin separator comprising: an inclined separating plate having coin-receiving openings of successively increasing heighth, said separating plate being tilted backwardly along its incline; a guide bar extending along the lower edge of said separating plate; and a supporting flange extending partially across the bottom of a coin receiving opening adjacent said guide bar and terminating before the lower edge of the opening is reached so as to provide a passage for said coin to roll from said guide bar through said openings the lower extremities of said flanges being bevelled rearwardly at each of said passages.

OSCAR MILLER.

Images