Abstract: This bill accepting device comprises a bill discrimination section for discriminating whether an inserted bill is true or not, an escrow section capable of retaining a bill accepted by the bill discrimination section as a true bill and returning the retained bill, a stocker section for storing the bill accepted by the bill discrimination section as a true bill, and passage switching means for causing a bill passage in the bill discrimination section to communicate selectively either with the escrow section or with the stocker section. The passage switching section normally communicates the bill discrimination section with the escrow section to enable an inserted bill to be retained in the escrow section in a state in which the bill can be readily returned. When the escrow section has become full, the passage is switched so that the inserted bill is guided from the bill discrimination section to the stocker section.

Abstract: A refillable vender or dispenser for cotton swabs releasably carried cross-wise on an elongated flexible tape wound about itself to form a roll has a plurality of mating components releasably held together to define a chamber receiving the roll for rotation about a horizontal axis. The upper portion of the chamber has a chute receiving the leading end of the roll and discharging through a slot to an external lip supporting the exposed tape from which a swab is easily picked off of the tape. A finger hole overlying the chute provides for the pushing of the stick portions of the swabs to successively advance the tape beyond the discharge slot. The discharge slot has a severing edge to tear off that portion of the tape projecting beyond the discharge outlet.

Abstract: A coin handling apparatus for use with a vending machine with the coin handling apparatus including an especially configured escrow box which is capable of handling relatively large quantities of coins without the coin jamming and incomplete emptying problems of the prior art. The special escrow box includes a coin return gate and a vend gate which cooperatively form a V-shaped escrow box when the gates are closed. The coin return gate is pivotably movable about a pivot point located at the vertex of the V-shaped escrow box and the vend gate is pivotably movable about a pivot point on its uppermost end so as to completely and rapidly open one entire side of the escrow box when the downwardly extending end of the vend gate is swung away from the vertex of the V-shaped escrow box upon opening of the vend gate.

Abstract: An ocular dispensing device for use with fluid eye medicine containers which is characterized by having an upstanding nozzle portion being of at least a first color different from the color of the container and a background flange portion being of at least a second color different from the color of the container. The multicolored aspect of the device creates a target-like effect which permits the patient to accurately focus upon the nozzle and to precisely position it relative to the eye when the medicine is being dispensed into the eye.

Abstract: A dispensing device for a toxic material in tablet form includes a support member for a container for the toxic tablets which has an interior chamber including a dispensing wheel which is rotatable by means of an external handle to bring openings containing a tablet sequentially into registration with a dispensing channel in the container support member; an external handle actuates the dispensing wheel and also an agitation axle which extends through the support member into a container mounted thereon.

Abstract: An elongated trough-like body has inclined sides deeper and wider than the largest coin handled having a grooved bottom with a radius larger than the largest coin handled enabling the unaligned coins to be shaken and formed into an aligned stack where their count is indicated by adjacent scales.

Abstract: A combination of first and second plates adapted to sandwich between them a panel to which they are to be affixed. The first plate has at least one boss projecting from one face thereof, and first threaded structure spaced from the boss. The boss defines a lip spaced from the face, at least part of the lip being directed generally toward the first threaded structure. The second plate defines a first edge adapted to be received under the lip, and a second edge adapted to lie adjacent the first threaded structure. The combination further includes a second threaded structure for engagement with the first threaded structure, the second threaded means having a portion adapted to bear against the second edge of the second plate.

Abstract: An electronic control circuit for carbonated beverage dispensing machines employs the low voltage AC supply for the solenoid dispensing valves as a source of clipped, balanced ac which is applied to one or more water-imersed sensors. One sensor senses ice mass size and the other senses carbonated water supply level. The balanced ac prevents electroplating by the sensors. Peak detector circuits associated with the sensors produce dc control signals whose levels increase and decrease respectively as the control shut-off point is reached. These dc control signals are applied to Schmitt circuits, the output of one of which is used to control the carbonated water supply pump and the other of which inversely controls the refrigerant compressor. In addition, the balanced ac signal is used to clock a counter which is held at full count.

Abstract: A dispenser for flowable substances with an elastically resilient squeeze head arranged on a dispenser housing has a valve nozzle-opening. A suction tube extends from the bottom of the squeeze head down to the bottom of the dispenser housing, the tube having an opening communicating with the interior of the squeeze head, and a non-return valve for closing the opening.

Abstract: A coin sorter apparatus is provided for sorting coins by denomination using coin thickness as the discriminating parameter. The apparatus comprises a rotating disk located proximate a stationary disk. The rotational movement of coins on the rotating disk carries them into the region between the two proximate disks. Wherein a first selected are of ridges and recesses on the stationary disk surface manipulates the radial position of at least one denomination of the coins to a predetermined radial position using thickness as the discriminating parameter. A second selected area of ridges and recesses of the stationary disk receives the rotating coins carried on the rotating disk after the foregoing radial manipulation by the first selected area and radially releases rotating coins located at the predetermined radial position, thus allowing the coins to exit the region between the two disks at a particular location along the periphery of the stationary disk.

Abstract: A newspaper display machine includes a housing, a service access door mounted on the housing and carrying a coin-actuated unlocking device, and a paper access door mounted on the service access door. A locking mechanism includes a first lock for locking the service access door to the housing and a second lock for locking the paper access door to the service access door. A single key-actuated cylinder controls both the first and second locks for selective actuation. A pin which forms a horizontal hinge axis for the paper access door also forms a vertical hinge axis for the service access door. That pin is slidably removable from the housing to facilitate removal of the service access door from the housing. That pin, together with another pin plus two elements of the second lock, serve to support the service access door against forces imposed thereagainst when the paper access door is slammed shut.

Abstract: A modified coin track assembly for known slot machines of the type which is generally operated by a person first inserting a coin of a certain value into the machine which causes the machine to be conditioned for a gaming operation, and by the person then initiating a gaming operation. The modified coin track assembly receives the inserted coin and checks the coin for certain predetermined parameters such as thickness, surface light reflectivity and an attached string, and prevents condition of the machine for a gaming operation if the coin does not have those predetermined parameters or has a string attached.

Abstract: A hopper device has an insulating hopper member. A first electrode is mounted in the inner side of the hopper member in a lowermost portion thereof, and at least one second electrode is mounted in the inner side of the hopper member in a portion thereof at a higher level than the first electrode. When coins having conductivity are collected in the hopper member until their level reaches the second electrode, the first and second electrodes are electrically coupled together by the coins, whereby an electric signal representing the amount of collected coins is generated.

Abstract: A coin operated elapsed time apparatus capable of receiving coins at any time, even while counting down, in order to increase the time remaining and therefore avoid the additional costs required to activate the system again if the service or use of apparatus required that more time be rented or purchased. The apparatus continuously displays the time remaining and gives a warning a predetermined period of time before the time runs out, thereby enabling the purchase of additional time and displaying the sum of the elapsed time remaining and the additional time purchased immediately after the insertion of an additional coin.

Abstract: A chip, token, coin or card dispenser includes an upright storage tube for a stack of tokens of predetermined shape and is mounted upon a base plate, with the lower end of the tube spaced above a depressed token platform in the base plate defining a token slot. An ejector strip extends transversely of the tube and at one end is guidably mounted upon the base plate under the tube and in registry with the token slot. A spring biased actuator is connected to the other end of the ejector strip and upon movement of the ejector strip in one direction dispenses the lowermost token outwardly of the token slot and upon movement of the ejector strip in the opposite direction permits the next lowermost token to drop into the token platform.

Abstract: This bill accepting device comprises a bill discrimination section for discriminating whether an inserted bill is true or not, an escrow section capable of retaining a bill accepted by the bill discrimination section as a true bill and returning the retained bill and a stocker section provided between the bill discrimination section and the escrow section, including a bill conveying passage connecting the bill discrimination section and the escrow section and receiving a bill being present in the bill conveying passage in a predetermined accumulating location by moving the bill in a direction in which the bill crosses the bill conveying passage. The inserted bill is led to a linear passage in the stocker section through the bill discrimination section.

Abstract: The plunger of the pump has a radially extending lug near its upper end which can be inserted down into a notch in the stationary pump collar when the plunger is fully depressed, so that when the plunger is then rotated in a clockwise direction relative to the collar, the lug is brought under an overhanging ledge on the collar to releasably lock the plunger in its fully depressed position. In order to deter unlocking, the lug of the plunger and the interior wall of the collar are provided with mutually interengageable structures that permit the lug to be rotated substantially without significant resistance into a final or fully locked up position against a shoulder beneath the ledge but to be held in such fully locked up position against unlocking movement unless substantial, counterclockwise-directed force is applied.

Abstract: An electronic coin acceptor is described which generally comprises a synthesizer for generating a driving signal having a selectively variable characteristic, a computer for controlling the selectively variable characteristic of the driving signal such that at least one predetermined testing characteristic for each coin denomination to be tested for acceptability is selected for the driving signal in a predetermined sequence, an inductive filter for creating an electromagnetic field in response to the driving signal and for producing an alternating signal which is responsive to an electrically conductive object in the presence of the electromagnetic field, a comparator for detecting when the alternating signal crosses a predetermined threshold level and for producing a level detect signal indicative of the threshold crossing, and the computer including a counter for determining whether a conductive object in the presence of the electromagnetic field is an acceptable coin from the level detect signal.

Abstract: A dispensing mechanism, preferably for handling coins or tokens for amusement or gaming machines comprising a selectably drivable endless loop conveyor whose path of travel includes a bight. A store for the article to be dispensed feeds said articles either onto the interior of the conveyor or the exterior thereof. The conveyor is preferably formed from a plurality of hingedly connected segments, each of which has a pick-up lip thereon provided with an upstanding stirrer. The conveyor forms part of the bottom of the store so that any supply of articles to be dispensed which are held therein are stirred as the conveyor travels through the bight, the conveyor entraining an article and dispensing it to an exit located above the bight.

Abstract: A coin routing gate for accepting coins in a coin handling mechanism requires only a low power electromagnet to hold the gate in an accept position. In the absence of power to the electromagnet, the gate passively rejects coins by gravity alone. The gate is arranged to accomplish minimization of the required holding force to minimize electrical power requirements thereby making the device suitable for low electrical power contexts such as coin operated telephone service.