Abstract: A system is provided for use on large vehicles of the type wherein the vehicle frame (12) is supported on vehicle axle assemblies (14, 20, 22) through air bags (26, 30, 32), and each air bag has a lower end coupled to the lower end of an arm such as a swing arm (112) whose upper end is pivotally mounted on the frame. The height of the air bag is sensed by a pair of tilt sensors (50, 52), one on a tilt arm such as the swing arm (112), that has one end pivotally connected to the vehicle frame and an opposite end at least pivotally connected to the vehicle axle assembly. The other sensor senses tilt of the vehicle frame about an axis parallel to the axes of pivoting of the tilt arm. Each tilt sensor senses tilt of its location with respect to gravity, and the difference in tilt indicates air bag height.

Abstract: A system is provided for use on large vehicles of the type wherein the vehicle frame (12) is supported on vehicle axle assemblies (14, 20, 22) through air bags (26, 30, 32), and each air bag has a lower end coupled to the lower end of an arm such as a swing arm (112) whose upper end is pivotally mounted on the frame. The height of the air bag is sensed by a pair of tilt sensors (50, 52), one on a tilt arm such as the swing arm (112), that has one end pivotally connected to the vehicle frame and an opposite end at least pivotally connected to the vehicle axle assembly. The other sensor senses tilt of the vehicle frame about an axis parallel to the axes of pivoting of the tilt arm. Each tilt sensor senses tilt of its location with respect to gravity, and the difference in tilt indicates air bag height.

Abstract: A system is provided for use on large vehicles of the type wherein the vehicle frame (12) is supported on vehicle axle assemblies (14, 20, 22) through air bags (26, 30, 32), and each air bag has a lower end coupled to the lower end of an arm such as a swing arm (112) whose upper end is pivotally mounted on the frame. The height of the air bag is sensed by a pair of tilt sensors (50, 52), one on a tilt arm such as the swing arm (112), that has one end pivotally connected to the vehicle frame and an opposite end at least pivotally connected to the vehicle axle assembly. The other sensor senses tilt of the vehicle frame about an axis parallel to the axes of pivoting of the tilt arm. Each tilt sensor senses tilt of its location with respect to gravity, and the difference in tilt indicates air bag height.

Abstract: A price-setting control device for a vending machine can be used to set prices for a number of products and to store those prices in a memory. A decimal-type visual display selectively, but simultaneously, displays a "line" number which is assigned to a given product plus the price set for that product. A line-selecting switch, rather than the customer-operated switches of the vending machine, is used to select the desired line number when the price, for the product corresponding to that line number, is to be set. Mode-controlling data for the operation of the vending machine can be stored in selected locations within the memory; and the line-selecting switch plus a price-setting switch can be used to change that data.

Abstract: A control device for a vending machine for setting prices and storing prices in a memory with a price-setting mode, a price verification mode and a product-vending mode. In the product-vending mode, actuation of a selection switch provides a momentary pulse through the vending circuit to enable a price to be loaded into a register for subsequent comparison with accumulated credit. That pulse is so short that a product is not vended; but it is sufficiently large to keep leakage from simulating it. Switches select the locations in memory where prices are stored, and further switches are provided to set the prices in those locations. The control device automatically responds to actuation of any of these switches to shift from the product-vending to the price-setting mode. Coin tube inventory switches are provided which have a dual function, namely, effecting emptying of the coin tubes and also placing the control device in the price verification mode.

Abstract: A detecting magnetic coil is mounted adjacent the authenticity-determining magnetic coil of an electronic slug rejector to distinguish between authentic coins and any copper slugs which might cause the authenticity-determining coil to produce an output which closely simulates the output which that authenticity-determining coil produces in response to authentic coins. The signal from that detecting coil is used to control the accept/reject gate of that electronic slug rejector; and it will effect movement of that gate to "accept" position in the event it detects a non-cupreous object but it will not effect such movement of that gate in the event it detects a copper slug.

Abstract: A data acquisition unit accepts serial bit streams from a control device for a vending machine, and it records the data represented by those serial bit streams. The data in one of those serial bit streams will include the number of vends of each product corresponding to the various selection switches of the vending machine, and the data in the other of those serial bit streams will include the price data. The data acquisition unit will store the price data in a non-resettable location and also in a resettable location. A readout can be actuated to effect the displaying of the selection line number and of the corresponding settable and non-resettable price data.

Abstract: A bill-handling device provides relative movement between a sensor and a U.S. bill or other object to permit that sensor to sense longitudinally-spaced areas on that U.S. bill or other object which correspond to areas, on authentic U.S. bills or counterfeits thereof, where significant data is found. Data which is obtained during the sensing of those areas is stored, and subsequently is analyzed to determine the authenticity and denomination of the U.S. bill--if it is one of a plurality of bills of specifically-different denominations.

Abstract: A piece of scrip is engraved or printed with groups of patterns which can be sensed by a validator for scrip and one of those groups of patterns will define a code which will permit that piece of scrip to be accepted only by a scrip validator or by scrip validators which have that same code stored therein. Two additional groups of patterns define codes which can cause that scrip validator or those scrip validators to automatically respond to the codes stored therein to actuate price-determining relays within a vending machine. Each pattern is formed by a number of spaced parallel lines, and the various patterns on a piece of scrip can be given different identities merely by changing the spacing between the trailing edges of those spaced parallel lines. The patterns in each group of patterns will be sensed in a prescribed sequence, and the sequentially-sensed patterns in any of those groups of patterns can be given various identities.

Abstract: A piece of scrip is engraved or printed with groups of patterns which can be sensed by a validator for scrip and one of those groups of patterns will define a code which will permit that piece of scrip to be accepted only by a scrip validator or by scrip validators which have that same code stored therein. Two additional groups of patterns define codes which can cause that scrip validator or those scrip validators to automatically respond to the codes stored therein to actuate price-determining relays within a vending machine. Each pattern is formed by a number of spaced parallel lines, and the various patterns on a piece of scrip can be given different identities merely by changing the spacing between the trailing edges of those spaced parallel lines. The patterns in each group of patterns will be sensed in a prescribed sequence, and the sequentially sensed patterns in any of those groups of patterns can be given various identities.