US3752168A — Coin orienting, sorting and dispensing apparatus

Claim 1

Independent Claim 193 words

A coin handling device, comprising: a feed hopper; a housing having side walls and end walls; a plurality of ramps in vertically spaced relation to one another, each of the ramps being connected to the side walls, the lowermost ramp being connected to one of the end walls and extending through an opening in the opposite end wall, alternate ones of the ramps being connected to opposite ones of the end walls and inclined upwardly therefrom at a shallow angle, each ramp except the lowermost terminating short of the end wall adjacent the upper end of the ramp, the uppermost ramp receiving coins from the hopper at a point adjacent the lower end of the ramp, each ramp being covered on its coin receiving surface with a fabric which is resistive to deformation in a first direction and compliant in another direction, the fabric being oriented so as to cause movement of the coins upwardly along the ramps upon vibration of the ramps; a gate member positioned above one of the ramps a distance less than the thickness of two coins and movable to prevent jamming; and a vibrator connected to the housing.

Claim 2

Dependent Claim 193 words

A coin handling device, comprising: a feed hopper; a housing having side walls and end walls; a plurality of ramps in vertically spaced relation to one another, each of the ramps being connected to the side walls, the lowermost ramp being connected to one of the end walls and extending through an opening in the opposite end wall, alternate ones of the ramps being connected to opposite ones of the end walls and inclined upwardly therefrom at a shallow angle, each ramp except the lowermost terminating short of the end wall adjacent the upper end of the ramp, the uppermost ramp receiving coins from the hopper at a point adjacent the lower end of the ramp, each ramp being covered on its coin receiving surface with a fabric which is resistive to deformation in a first direction and compliant in another direction, the fabric being oriented so as to cause movement of the coins upwardly along the ramps upon vibration of the ramps; a gate member positioned above one of the ramps a distance less than the thickness of two coins and movable to prevent jamming; and a vibrator connected to the housing.

Claim 3

Dependent Claim 24 words

The device according to claim 1 wherein said gate member comprises a vertical plate pivotally connected at its upper end to said side walls.

Claim 4

Dependent Claim 54 words

The device according to claim 1 wherein said gate member comprises a horizontal plate extending across one of said ramps parallel to the front wall, said plate being supported by pins extending through said ramp and carrying biasing means to allow said plate to move upwardly as a bent coin passes under said plate.

Claim 5

Dependent Claim 31 words

The device according to claim 1 wherein the end of said third ramp extending through said front wall is bent downwardly, the fabric covering said ramp extending around the bent portion.

Claim 6

Dependent Claim 177 words

A coin orienting device, comprising: a frame; a housing carried by said frame and having side, front and rear walls and a plurality of ramps in vertically spaced relation within said walls, alternate ones of said ramps being inclined upward toward said front and rear walls, respectively, the lowermost of said ramps extending through an opening in said front wall and bent downwardly to provide a rounded end portion short of the front or rear wall adjacent the upper end of the ramp, each of said ramps being covered with a fabric which is resistive to deformation in one direction and ampliant in another, the fabric covering extending around said end portion of said lowermost ramp, the fabric on each ramp being mounted so as to cause movement of an object resting thereon in the upwardly inclined direction of the ramp; a vibrator mounted on said frame and connected to said housing to vibrate said housing in a front-to-rear direction; and a feed hopper mounted above said housing for supplying coins to the uppermost of said ramps.

Claim 7

Dependent Claim 177 words

A coin orienting device, comprising: a frame; a housing carried by said frame and having side, front and rear walls and a plurality of ramps in vertically spaced relation within said walls, alternate ones of said ramps being inclined upward toward said front and rear walls, respectively, the lowermost of said ramps extending through an opening in said front wall and bent downwardly to provide a rounded end portion short of the front or rear wall adjacent the upper end of the ramp, each of said ramps being covered with a fabric which is resistive to deformation in one direction and ampliant in another, the fabric covering extending around said end portion of said lowermost ramp, the fabric on each ramp being mounted so as to cause movement of an object resting thereon in the upwardly inclined direction of the ramp; a vibrator mounted on said frame and connected to said housing to vibrate said housing in a front-to-rear direction; and a feed hopper mounted above said housing for supplying coins to the uppermost of said ramps.

Claim 8

Dependent Claim 49 words

The device according to claim 5 further including a coin receiving chute having a receiving chamber surrounding said end portion of said lowermost ramp, a lower portion extending from said chamber for holding coins in single file vertical relation, and dispensing means for releasing coins from said lower portion.

Claim 9

Dependent Claim 67 words

The device according to claim 6 wherein said dispensing means comprises a plurality of slots in the bottom surface of said lower portion, the one of said slots closest said chamber being of dimensions greater than the thickness and diameter of the smallest coin being handled but less than the thickness and diameter of the next smallest coin, successive ones of said slots accepting successively larger coins.

Claim 10

Dependent Claim 88 words

The device according to claim 6 wherein said dispensing means comprises first and second pins extending into said lower portion to obstruct the passage of a coin therethrough, said pins being separated from one another by a distance equal to the sum of the diameters of a predetermined number of coins, and means for normally holding said first pin in said lower portion and said second pin retracted from said lower portion and for retracting said first pin while simultaneously inserting said second pin into said lower portion.

Claim 11

Dependent Claim 28 words

The device according to claim 8 wherein said means comprises a bar pivotally mounted at its midpoint and mounting said first and second pins at opposite ends thereof.

Claim 12

Dependent Claim 45 words

The device according to claim 9 further including a solenoid for moving said bar from its first to second position upon receipt of a vend signal and biasing means to return said bar to its first position upon termination of the operation of said solenoid.

Claim 13

Dependent Claim 41 words

The device according to claim 8 further including a switch responsive to the number of coins in said lower portion of said chute, said switch interrupting the operation of said vibrator when said chute has received a predetermined number of coins.

Annuity Stage	Window Opens	Payment Deadline	Surcharge Period Until	Estimated Fee	Status
3.5 Years (Year 4)	1976-08-13	1977-02-12	1977-08-14	$2000.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8)	1980-08-13	1981-02-12	1981-08-14	$3760.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12)	1984-08-13	1985-02-12	1985-08-14	$7700.00	Window Closed / Lapsed

Coin orienting, sorting and dispensing apparatus

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