Abstract: A device for coupling carriers comprises a housing adapted to be mounted on the carrier and having a face with an opening forming a coupling trap. A flexible cable has one end secured to the housing and an opposite end extending out of the housing which has a plug thereon which is engageable in the coupling trap of an adjacent carrier. The housing also carries a releasable lock which is engageable with the plug to hold it in the trap when it is inserted therein. The device operates electrically under the control of a coin which passes through a coin chute in the housing and actuates an electrical switch which has an actuator portion in the chute. The switch is connected to the lock and it releases the lock and traps the coin in the chute so as to permit release of the plug from the trap and use of the carrier. When the carrier is returned and the plug is again inserted into the trap, the coin is released.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a device for locking and releasing objects intended for public use, such as luggage carts, and comprising a slide constituted by two portions, a first portion, and a second portion separated from the first portion by an intermediate or shim element adapted to be displaced out of its housing by a component such as a magnetic key to allow the first portion to be displaced, by a pulling action exerted thereon, with respect to the second portion to thus unlock the object locked between two adjacent objects.

Abstract: The invention relates to a coin lock device having a housing, a protruding element extending from said housing and an aperture in the housing for the reception of a protruding element of an identical lock device.A key element is secured to one end of a slide piece which slides against the action of a spring, which slide piece is connected at the other end with a cylinder core having movable, transversely disposed tumblers. The cylinder core slides in an aperture in the housing and is movable under the action of the return spring of the slide piece to a rest position. In the rest position the tumblers engage apertures formed in the surface of the aperture receiving the cylinder core, out of which they can be pushed by the introduction of a key element of a second identical device into the cylinder core.

Abstract: A safety device for connecting orderly positioned shopping carts to each other includes a token extractor comprising a control key device which is insertably-releasable from the shopping cart and carries an insert having a token-receiving slot. An encoding ring is positioned on the upper surface of the grip of the cart. A releasing member is resiliently suspended on the cart and serves for connecting one cart to a neighboring cart when the releasing member of one cart is inserted into the encoding ring of the neighboring shopping cart. The releasing element is provided with coding markings and can be inserted into the encoding ring of the neighboring shopping cart in a plurality of various positions corresponding to the markings on the releasing element whereby the shopping carts of one supermarket can be distinguished from the shopping carts of another supermarket located at the same shopping plaza.

Abstract: A luggage cart dispensing machine having a vertically oriented rotatable conveyor assembly which defines a path for the movement of the luggage carts, a series of pivotally attached vanes extending from the conveyor assembly, the vanes forming an interlocking engagement with the luggage carts to lift and hold the luggage carts in consecutive alignment, and a vertically oriented stationary bar which cooperates with the conveyor assembly to prevent the lateral release of the luggage carts. The dispensing machine also utilizes a drive mechanism engaged with the conveyor assembly which may be actuated by a coin-operated control or a switch, and is operable in a reversible manner.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to a device for locking and releasing objects intended for public use, such as luggage carts which can be taken from a common stowage space and returned to the same. The device comprises a locking apparatus allowing each object to be automatically locked to an adjacent object or to a fixed point in compact storage position. A coin or the like is introduced into the locking apparatus to allow unlocking of the same and the concomitant release of the object by exerting a pull thereon. The locking apparatus returns the coin when the object is returned to the stowage space and is locked to an adjacent object or to the fixed point. Unlocking of the object is accomplished by just exerting a pull thereon after the coin has been appropriately inserted into the locking apparatus.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to a device for locking and releasing objects intended for public use, such as luggage carts which can be taken from a common storage space and returned to the same. The device comprises a locking apparatus allowing each object to be automatically locked to an adjacent object or to a fixed point in compact storage position. A coin or the like is introduced into the locking apparatus to allow unlocking of the same and the concomitant release of the object by exerting a pull thereon. The locking apparatus returns the coin when the object is returned to the storage space and is locked to an adjacent object or to the fixed point. Unlocking of the object is accomplished by just exerting a pull thereon after the coin has been appropriately inserted into the locking apparatus.

Abstract: A system for the disposition of shopping carts including at least one storage area for carts, which are intended to be removed and returned from the storage area by users. Each storing area has at least one gate in an outlet passage to permit a cart to pass therethrough only if a deposit is received and a gate in an inlet passage to permit cart to pass therethrough if identified as authorized, in which event the deposit is repayed.

Abstract: A trolley locking device of the type comprising two co-operating parts, one of which is attached to each of two trolleys and whereof one part is a lock unit and the other is a key unit. The key and lock units are adapted to be releasable locked together with a coin or token is introduced into a slot in the side of the lock unit which enables the key to move a plug inside the lock unit axially to free the plug for rotation between two terminal positions thereof. The key engages the coin or token which acts as the medium for creating axial movement of the plug which is biased against such movement. Co-operating formations on the plug and lock unit prevent rotation of the plug unless moved axially against the bias applied to the plug. The coin or token can only be removed while the key and lock unit are engaged and the key can only be removed from the lock unit when a coin or token is present in the latter.

Abstract: A storeroom for transport carts, particularly supermarket shopping carts and the like, having removal and return passage barriers, a money collection point for the opening of the passage barrier and a money return point upon the return of the transport cart into the storeroom, a data support associated with the transport cart and a reader for the data in the region of the removal and return passage barriers. Each cart carries its own data code and the reader of the removal passage barrier is coupled with the reader of the return passage barrier such that the reader of the removal passage barrier transmits the individual code of the cart which it has read to the reader of the return passage barrier. The latter releases the return of the money only upon the passage of that transport cart which is provided with that individual code.