Abstract: Apparatuses and methods immediately alert a telephone company or other owner/host or operator of a payphone that a vandalizing stuffing has occurred, thereby enabling it or him or her promptly to dispatch a maintenance person to the particular payphone or station to fix it. Stuffing sensing switches are advantageously mounted in a coin return mechanism, and in electromechanical payphones electrically connected to the telephone company central office over one of the existing RING and TIP wires connecting the stuffed or compromised payphone with the central office. Conventional testing techniques periodically employed in the office by the telephone company over the existing wit. installation will then sense whether a payphone has been compromised or stuffed. In electronic payphones, a payphone computer monitors the sensing switches and calls the owner/host or operator to report a problem or gives a local alarm.

Abstract: A security system for use with a coin container and a coin-processing machine having improved tamper-proof features. The system includes key means in a machine housing which engages with lock means associated with the container. Relative rotation of the lock with respect to the key positively locks the container, to protect coins in the container from pilferage. High-strength mounting means join the key stem to the housing so that the key stem is firmly fixed from rotation which would otherwise override the security of the system.

Abstract: A coin carrying locket has a hollow compartment for the storage of at least one coin. A coin-receiving slot and a coin ejection slot are formed in a peripheral wall of the locket at spaced locations. A pair of springs are mounted within the locket. One of the springs biases the coin towards ejection from the ejection slot whereas the other spring prevents ejection of the coins and is pivotally mounted with a tab portion thereof extending through a wall of the locket for manipulation to permit the ejection of the coin.