Abstract: A detector device adapted to be used for detecting coins and other metal objects for various purposes including to distinguish between genuine and non-genuine or counterfeit coins, the subject detector device includes an electric tank circuit having a coil through which, or adjacent to which, an object or coin to be detected moves, apparatus to electrically shock the tank circuit to produce an output representative of the object or coin and represented as a damped wave signal the frequency and shape of which depends on the electrical characteristics associated with the tank circuit and on the physical and electric characteristics of an object or coin being detected, and a detector circuit operatively connected to the tank circuit including circuit elements connected to respond to one or more characteristics of the damped wave output.

Abstract: An apparatus for detecting objects such as coins and the like and for generating signal responses that depend on the metal content or other characteristics of the object or coin, which apparatus includes a detector circuit including an oscillator device having a coil portion for producing a frequency change due to the presence of an object or coin in the field thereof, said detector circuit producing output responses to represent the presence of objects or coins having certain preselected characteristics, and other control circuits including a circuit portion responsive to the output responses of said detector circuit for inhibiting the operation of such control circuits. The present device may also include a coin handling apparatus which prevents return to a customer of an object or coin that has characteristics that are not acceptable for vending, change making, or other functions.

Abstract: A control circuit for a pay phone including a coin unit where money is deposited and validated, an entry circuit having a first input connected to the coin unit for entry of amounts deposited, a second input to the entry circuit for communicating thereto call price information, a control element operable in response to deposits of an amount at least equal to the call price for enabling the customer to dial his call and to enable phone communication with the dialed phone, and apparatus to control payback of excess amounts deposited. The control circuit is preferably powered by a rechargeable energy source that may optionally be connected to the telephone line to derive charging current therefrom to maintain the charge on the energy source. The present control circuit may employ optical or other forms of couplers to establish connections to communicate the dialing mechanism and telephone handset with its associated transmission controls to the telephone line.

Abstract: A control circuit for vending and like machines which includes an electric circuit with circuit elements and connections which enable vending machines to vend different items costing different amounts and in different quantities with and without quantity discount capability and to return change to the customer for any excess amount deposited.

Abstract: The vending control system has first and second motor- and dispensing- assemblies, each assembly including a motor for driving a load and dispensing a product, a motor cam switch connected to the motor, a load cam switch connected to the motor, a motor cam drivingly connected to the motor and operatively actuating the motor cam switch, a load cam operatively actuating the load cam switch, and a torque-limiting clutch interconnecting the cams for driving the load cam and for permitting relative rotational movement of the cams at predetermined torque value. The assemblies are connected in parallel, with the motor and load cam switch of each assembly connected across the power source. The motor cam switch of the first assembly is connected to the power source and to the motor cam switch of the second assembly.

Abstract: A control circuit for vending and other coin controlled devices which have arrangements to payback amounts deposited in excess of the vend price, the vending machine having a plurality of coin tubes for respectively containing coins of different denominations for payback, each tube having a sensor associated therewith to produce a response whenever the quantity of coins contained therein has fallen below a predetermined quantity insufficient to be used for payback, the improvements comprising a control circuit for controlling the operation of the coin tubes during payback and escrow operations of amounts deposited incuding circuit elements for controlling the making of paybacks and escrowing in the highest possible denominations of coins, said circuit elements responsive to responses produced by the sensor on the respective coin tubes including apparatus for shifting a payout operation from paying back of higher denomination coins to paying back of lower denomination coins whenever the quantity of coins in th