A coin chute assembly comprising:
- a housing having a coin receiving opening, a first coin exit opening, a second coin exit opening, and a coin passageway disposed therein and interconnecting the coin receiving opening with the first and second coin exit openings, the coin passageway characterized as having an upper coin path, a coin receiving section and a coin reject section, the upper coin path and the coin receiving section being positionable to permit a coin to fall in a substantially downward direction in a mounted position of the coin chute assembly through the upper coin path and the coin receiving section towards the first coin exit opening, and the upper coin path and the coin reject section being positionable to permit a coin to fall in a substantially downward direction in a mounted position of the coin chute assembly through the upper coin path and the coin reject section towards the second coin exit opening;
- a gate assembly having a first portion movably disposable in a portion of the coin receiving section and a second portion movably disposable in a portion of the coin reject section, the gate assembly blocking movement of the coin through the coin receiving section of the coin path in one position and directing the coin into the coin reject section of the coin passageway and the gate assembly being movable to one other position for permitting movement of the coin into and through the coin receiving section of the coin passageway and blocking movement of the coin through the coin reject section of the coin passageway;
- and
- wherein the housing comprises a coin receiving end, an opposed second end, a first side and an opposed second side, the first and second sides cooperating to define the coin passageway in the housing, the opposed second side having a first elongated opening extending generally transversely to and intersecting the coin receiving section of the coin passageway, and a second elongated opening extending generally transversely to and intersecting the coin reject section of the coin passageway and wherein the gate assembly is movably disposed in the first and the second elongated openings;
- and wherein the gate assembly comprises:
- a body member having a first side and an opposed second side;
- a first gate disposed on the first side of the body member extending from the first side of the body, the first gate being positionable within the first elongated opening in the housing;
- a second gate disposed on the first side of the body member and extending from the first side of the body member, the second gate being positionable within the second elongated opening in the housing;
- and
- means for moving the gate assembly in a direction about perpendicular to the coin passageway, comprising:
- a pin member having a first end and an opposed second end, the first end of the pin member being secured to the body member of the gate assembly and the pin member extending a distance generally perpendicularly from the body member;
- and
- a solenoid operatively connected to the pin member generally near the second end of the pin member for moving the pin member and the gate assembly connected thereto in a direction about perpendicular to the coin passageway to move the first gate and the second gate in the respective first and second elongated openings in the housing.