Abstract: A coin validator with an improved coin processing rate, performs primary validation testing on coins at a primary validation station as successive coins roll down a coin rundown path. Unacceptable coins pass to a coin reject path but coins found acceptable by the primary validation testing are deflected by a solenoid operated gate to a coin accept path. The acceptable coins pass a further sensor coil. Auxiliary coin testing is carried out by a microprocessor by analyzing the time taken for the coin to reach and move away form the further sensor. The microprocessor performs undertimer and overtimer routines FIGS. 3A, B and if the coin arrives within the under and overtimer ranges t.sub.1, t.sub.2, the coin is accepted. When the coin throughput rate is increased, the undertimer is switched off in order to permit the coin throughput rate for valid coins to be increased, without loss of security.

Abstract: An anti-corruption coin/token chute assembly is provided for use with conventional coin acceptance assemblies. The assembly includes a coin race having first and second side walls and a floor. The floor is provided with a plurality of apertures to facilitate release of foreign substances. An ejection member is movably coupled the coin race. The ejection member includes a coin race insert that, in the rest position, is nested in the coin race. The coin race insert also includes first and second side walls and a floor. The floor of the coin race insert is provided with a plurality of apertures and is advantageously positioned so that the apertures are in substantial alignment with the apertures of the floor of the coin race. Accordingly, unauthorized foreign substances, such as liquids, that are injected into the chute assembly are drained through the apertures before fouling the electronics of the coin acceptance assemblies.

Abstract: A shutter unit 17 of a bill validator comprises a blocking member 18 movable between an interceptive position for closing the through hole 74 of the shutter unit 17 and a release position away from the through hole 74 for allowing passage of the bill through the through hole 74 into a slot 13 of the validating unit 20; a control unit 48 movable between an inactive position for barring movement of the blocking member 18 to the release position and an operative position for allowing movement of the blocking member 18 to the release position; and an actuator 50 for shifting the control unit 48 between the inactive and operative positions. When the blocking member 18 is forcibly moved to the release position in an unauthorized manner, the control unit 48 in the inactive position effectively inhibits and resists movement of the blocking member 18 to the release position.

Abstract: A coin return chute structure adapted to be incorporated in a payphone includes two spaced wall plate and an outer chute member fixed between the two wall plates and defining therein a coin holding space. The coin return chute structure has a front side on which a front opening is formed for access to the coin holding space. The wall plates are each provided with three pivot holes to selectively receive therein a pivot pin for rotatably supporting lids of different sizes on the wall plates for closing the front opening. Cover plates of different sizes selected in accordance with the lid size used may be selectively fixed to the front opening for covering the portion of the opening that is not closed by the lid. An inner chute member is selectively mounted between the two wall plates to bypass the coin holding space by directing the returned coin directly out of the chute structure.

Abstract: A coin sorting apparatus (A) includes a hopper (10) into which a plurality of coins are deposited. A push-button switch (30) is positioned adjacent the hopper (10) and is operable in a one-handed manner by an operator simultaneously with the action of depositing unsorted coins into the hopper. A coin separating mechanism dispenses coins from the hopper onto a ramp (20) upon which the coins roll downward and pass through one of a plurality of apertures (22a-d) formed through the ramp according to their diameter. Coins that pass through each aperture (22a-d) are deposited onto one of a plurality of coin chutes (40a-40d). A plurality of sorted coin wrappers (W) are positioned respectively adjacent lower edges of the chutes (40a-40d), respectively. Coins from each chute (40a-40d) are deposited directly into the appropriate one of the plurality of coin wrappers, without the need for any intermediate or additional sorted coin containers.

Abstract: An apparatus for dispensing disc bodies such as coins or tokens is set forth which includes a fixed substrate and a dispensing disc spaced from said substrate a distance related to the thickness of said disc bodies. The dispensing disc includes a plurality of openings having a diameter adapted to receive a disc body for dispensing thereof. The dispensing disc is attached to a shaft which is axially moveable to adjust the space between the dispensing disc and substrate. The shaft is connected to a motor through an axially aligned planetary gear apparatus. Rotation of the dispensing disc receives coins or tokens in the openings and space whereupon the coins are moved for dispensing. An elevation body engages the dispensing disc and includes a plurality of annular teeth. An adjustment body has teeth to engage the elevation body teeth. Rotation of the adjustment body axially adjusts the elevation body and dispensing disc to adjust the space to accept different thicknesses of coins.

Abstract: A coin lifting mechanism employs a pair of rollers to lift coins reliably to an elevated position. The pair of rollers have spaced rotating surfaces that are resiliently urged toward one another and against opposing faces of the coin to hold the coin therebetween. The rotating surfaces rotate in opposite directions to produce a driving force in a direction to drive the coins one-by-one past the rollers. A coin lifting rail extends from a coin receiving end disposed adjacent the pair of rollers upward to a coin discharging end. The coin lifting rail has a coin passage which receives the coins from the rollers and guides the movement of the coins. The coins in the coin passage are stacked edge-to-edge and slidably move along the passage under the driving force generated by the rollers toward the coin discharging end.

Abstract: An automatic response to a detected jam or other slowing or stoppage in a coin handler, such as a coin counter and/or sorter, is provided. Such automatic dejamming is particularly useful for unattended operation of coin handlers. Preferably the response is substantially flexible, such as by providing different responses depending on the type of jam and/or the history of jamming. In one embodiment, potential responses include initiating a wait period, providing mechanical energy (such as causing vibration by controllably activating transducers, preferably addressable transducers which perform a second function in the apparatus), and/or impact. When the coin handler uses a rail mechanism, reliable, reduced-jam operation is enhanced by a ribbed rail structure that reduces or minimized the amount of surface area in contact with the coin face, consistent with providing the support desired for assuring accurate counting. Preferably the ribs are relatively deep, and have a rounded profile.

Abstract: The invention provides an island transaction terminal having a receiver for requesting purchases of fuel at a specified dispensing fuel pump, a receiver for receiving payments for such fuel purchases in the form of money or money equivalent and a signal emitter for emitting a first payment signal containing information regarding the amount of payment received, the form of payment and the specified dispensing pump for which each fuel purchase is requested. The island transaction terminal has a vertical bore so that the island transaction terminal can be securely affixed to a rigid post by attaching the island transaction terminal around the post, such that the post is disposed within the bore.

Abstract: A coin guiding device (1) is proposed which contains a coin channel (2) as well as a device for steadying coins and containing a swivelling pressing member (4) with wedge-shaped surfaces (9, 10). The pressing member (4) has an intake (6), substantially parallel to one wall (5) of the coin channel (2) and delimited by a lateral guide 7. Moreover, the coin guiding device (1) has a runner (3) disposed after the pressing member (4).

Abstract: A cash register terminal and process for operating a cash register terminal especially for self-service in gaming casinos, with bill-accepting and coin-deposition as well as coin-dispensing structure and with at least one coin box. To design the cash register terminal for high speed of operation and a large storage capacity for coins, the coins (17) are conveyed upward from the bottom from the coin box (2), of which there is at least one, and the coins (17) are dispensed above the at least one coin box (2), to at least one outlet (19, 20, 21).

Abstract: A bin for use in a coin handling device for receiving coins through an opening in the bin is provided with a cover movable from an open position to a closed position. The cover is configured to couple with a key mounted in the coin handling device such that when the bin is inserted into the coin handling device, the key automatically unlocks and opens the cover. When the bin is withdrawn from the coin handling device, the opening is automatically covered and the cover is automatically locked in the closed position.

Abstract: The invention provides a money sorting method and unit that can detect such a counterfeit as foreign money for which material, outer diameter and other features are very similar to a genuine coin, and that can decrease damage caused by the continuous trial of entry of counterfeit money. Sensors detect the material of a coin entered from a coin entry section, and at the same time, the outer diameter of the coin is detected by three sensors with a highly accurate method utilizing time ratio, pattern on the surface of the rolling coin is detected by converting output of the sensors to a basic pattern, and genuineness of the entered coin is judged based on these detection results.

Abstract: A personal watercraft carrier having a watercraft cradle coupled to a support frame wherein the support frame has two vertical leg support members which are pivotally coupled to advance from an essentially horizontal position to an essentially vertical upright position or from an essentially vertical upright position to an essentially horizontal position. When the vertical leg support members are advance to the essentially horizontal position, the cradle is in close proximity to the ground or other horizontal surface which enables the user to easily mount the personal watercraft in the cradle. The pivotal translation of the vertical leg support members from the horizontal position to the vertical upright position lifts the cradle having placed therein the personal watercraft.

Abstract: A skid steer loader has a pair of lift arms pivotally mounted to a main frame of the loader. The lift arms are connected together by a cross member located at the forward ends of the arms. The cross member is spaced ahead of a front wall member of the main frame when the lift arms are in their lowered positions so as to create a gap between the cross member and the cross member and the front wall member of the main frame where the operator enters the loader. A combination step/stop arrangement is carried on the front wall member to provide a skid resistant stepping surface across the gap between the front wall member of the main frame and the cross member of the lift arm assembly and to prevent the lift arm assembly from moving past its lowered position.

Abstract: If the number of returned bills is two or more, the returned bills are identified as abnormally returned bills by an abnormally returned bill detecter, and predetermined abnormal-state processing is accomplished by performing control operations using an abnormality processor. If a bill has jammed in the bill conveying channel, information concerning the direction in which the bill has jammed is stored in the bill jamming direction memory unit of the control unit, and, as a result of control operations performed by the bill reverse-direction conveyance control unit of the control unit, the bill is conveyed in the direction opposite to the bill jamming direction stored in the bill jamming direction memory unit when the bill jammed in the bill conveying channel is to be removed.

Abstract: A coin mechanism for a vender includes a blocking member biased to a rest position retracted from the coin slot, and pivotable between the rest position and a blocking position in which the blocking member substantially covers the coin slot. The blocking member cooperates with a rotatable member which forces the blocking member into the blocking position upon rotation of the handle.

Abstract: A coin diameter measuring circuit uses a pair of coils coupled in the feedback path of an oscillator so that the oscillator frequency depends on the inductances of the coils and the mutual inductance therebetween. The coils are switched between aiding and opposing configurations when the coin passes between them, the oscillator frequency in each configuration is measured, and the difference between the frequencies is determined to provide an indication of the mutual indictance of the coils and, thus, the diameter of the coin. Preferably, the diameter is determined by the difference between the measured mutual inductance with the coin present and the coin absent.

Abstract: An improved method and apparatus for discriminating between currency bills of different denominations uses an optical sensing and correlation technique based on the sensing of bill reflectance characteristics obtained by illuminating and scanning a bill along its narrow dimension. A series of detected reflectance signals are obtained by sampling and digitally processing, under microprocessor control, the reflected light at a plurality of predefined sample points as a currency bill is moved across an illuminated strip with its narrow dimension parallel to the direction of transport of the bill. The sample data is subjected to digital processing, including a formalizing process, whereby the reflectance data represents a characteristic pattern that is unique for a given bill denomination and incorporates sufficient distinguishing features between characteristic patterns for discriminating between different currency denominations.

Abstract: A robot 100 has a pedestal 1, upper and lower arms 5, 12 and a quill 21. A drive train comprises motors in the pedestal 100 coupled to three concentric drive tubes 3, 6, 9. The outer drive tube is coupled to the upper arm 5. Driven tubes 11, 14 extend from the upper arm 5 to the lower arm 14. A twisted belt in the lower arm couples the driven tube 14 to the quill 21. The articulator 400 has three housings 21, 44,45; 61,61a each with an axis of rotation transverse to the its neighbors. Brakes A, B, and C selectively lock two housing together to rotate the third housing.