Apparatus for selectively dispensing discs
AssigneeAsahi Seiko Kabushiki Kaisha
InventorsHiroshi Abe, Minoru Enomoto
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A diverting device for directing discs exiting from a guiding passageway of a disc dispensing mechanism includes a contactor member that is axially movable along an exit opening of the guiding passageway and a diverter member that can be selectively inserted into the exit opening off of the center line of the guiding passageway for varying the direction of the exiting discs. The diverter member can be selectively inserted into the passageway in a direction perpendicular to a plane containing the center line by an activator.
Claims14
A diverting device for discs comprising:
- a guiding passageway (20,220) which guides and aligns the discs D;
- a contactor member (61,261) which is located at an extending passageway from the guiding passageway (20,220) and is positioned away from a center line (CL) of the guiding passageway, the contactor member is biased towards the guiding passageway;
- and
- a diverter (31,231) which is located adjacent the extending passageway and can be selectively located in the extending passageway opposite from the contactor member.
The diverting device for a disc comprising:
- a guiding passageway (20,220) which is structured by a base plate (21,221), a pair of guiding plates (22A, 22B, 222A, 222B) which are fixed on the base plate (21,221) and which are at a predetermined parallel distance from each other;
- and a supporting plate (23,223) which is located at a side of the guiding plates opposite from the base plate (21,221);
- a contactor member (61,261) which is structured by a roller (63,263) rotatable on a supporting shaft (62,262) which is slideable in an elongated hole (64,264) located on the base plate (21,221) along an extending line of the guiding passageway (20,220);
- springs (71A, 71B, 271A, 271B) which are hooked to both ends of the supporting shaft (62,262);
- and
- a diverter (31,231) which is located adjacent the extending passageway and can be selectively located opposite the contactor member.
The diverting device as claimed in claim 7, whereby
- the lever unit (248) includes a first lever (249) which is located parallel to the guiding passageway (220) and a second lever (250) which extends perpendicular to the guiding passageway (220) from an upper section of the first lever (249), and has an inverted L shape, the second lever (250) is pivotal on a shaft (247) and the shaft (247) is positioned away from the first lever (249) to the guiding passageway (220);
- and
- a mover (243) having an actuator (242) linked to the second lever and the linked position is further away than the shaft.
In a coin dispensing mechanism, the improvement of a disc diverting device operatively positioned in a disc guiding passageway comprising:
- a movable contactor member positioned adjacent an exit aperture of the guiding passageway for contacting a disc and directing the disc in a first direction;
- a diverter member that can be selectively inserted adjacent the exit aperture for contacting a disc and directing the disc in a second direction;
- and
- a position changing unit for selectively inserting and extracting the diverter member adjacent the exit aperture.
A method of diverting coins released by a coin dispensing mechanism comprising the steps of:
- forcing a series of coins along a coin guiding passageway with a contactor member moveably mounted adjacent an exit aperture;
- permitting the contactor member to contact and direct a coin in a first direction at the end of the coin guiding passageway;
- and
- inserting a diverter member adjacent the exit aperture and off a center line of the coin guiding passageway to contact a coin and force the coin to contact and move the contactor member as it travels in a second direction.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.