Apparatus for removing lottery ticket coatings

A removal and collection apparatus for removing a scratch-off release coating from a card, the removal and collection apparatus comprising:

• a base, the base comprising a bottom wall, a pair of lateral walls, and an end wall, the bottom wall extending between the pair of lateral walls, the end wall extending between the pair of lateral walls and upwardly from the bottom wall;
• a platform mounted to the bottom wall of the base, the platform having an upper surface facing away from the bottom wall of the base for supporting the card thereon;
• wherein a chamber for containing removed scratch-off release coating particles is defined between the pair of lateral walls of the base and between the end wall of the base and the platform, the chamber being open at the top side of the base, the base having a pair of guide surfaces, each guide surface of the pair of guide surfaces being coupled to an associated lateral wall of the pair of lateral walls of the base, each guide surface of the pair of guide surfaces being angled to extend inwardly from the associated lateral wall and toward the end wall of the base;
• a removal member slidably mounted to the base, the removal member being slidable across the upper surface of the platform alternately toward and away from the chamber, the removal member extending across a full width of the upper surface of the platform between a pair of lateral edges of the upper surface, the removal member being removable from the base;
• wherein a pair of troughs is defined between the platform and the pair of lateral walls, each trough of the pair of troughs being positioned between an associated lateral wall of the pair of lateral walls and the platform, each trough of the pair of troughs being in fluid communication with the chamber;
• a pair of sweeping members coupled to the removal member, each sweeping member of the pair of sweeping members being positioned in an associated trough of the pair of troughs, the pair of sweeping members being integrally formed with the removal member;
• a slider bar slidably mounting the removal member to the base, the slider bar being coupled to the removal member, the slider bar having a U-shape which extends over the top side of the base and exterior sides of the pair of lateral walls of the base, the slider bar being spaced above the top side of the base when the removal member is at rest atop the platform, the removal member being resiliently compressible, the slider bar comprising a rigid material;
• an access door mounted to the base, the access door being movable between a closed position and an open position with respect to the chamber, the access door covering the chamber at the top side of the base when in the closed position, the access door not covering the chamber at the top side of the base when in the open position, the access door being pivotably mounted to the pair of lateral walls of the base;
• and
• a securement device for securing the card to the platform, the securement device comprising a clip which is biased to clamp shut, the clip being configured to clamp the card onto the upper surface of the platform.