Coin sorter apparatus and method utilizing coin thickness as a discriminating parameter

A coin sorter apparatus for receiving and sorting mixed coins by denomination using coin thickness as a discriminating parameter, said apparatus comprising:

• a rotating disk having a first surface for receiving said mixed coins and imparting a rotational movement to said mixed coins,
• a stationary disk having its underside parallel with said first surface of said rotating disk,
• a first area on the underside of said stationary disk including means for selectively directing a single layer of the rotating mixed coins into a region between the two disks, with said region allowing continued rotation of the mixed coins on the first surface of said rotating disk,
• a second area on the underside of said stationary disk including means for receiving said rotating coins from said first area and positioning at least one denomination of said coins at a distinct radial position in response to the thickness of that denomination of coin relative to the thickness of the other denominations of coins,
• a third area on the underside of said stationary disk including means for receiving said rotating coins from said second area and allowing rotating coins positioned at predetermined radial positions to exit the region between the two disks at predetermined locations along the periphery of the stationary disk,
• whereby each denomination of coin exits the region between the two disks at the same predetermined location along the periphery of the stationary disk.

A method of sorting mixed coins by denomination using coin thickness as a discriminating parameter and utilizing a rotating disk having a resilient surface, said method comprising the steps of:

• rotating the mixed coins on the resilient surface of said rotating disk,
• pressing into the resilient surface of said rotating disk coins of a thickness greater than a predetermined thickness to prevent radial movement of the coins,
• allowing the rotating coins of a thickness less than a predetermined thickness to freely move radially in response to the centrifugal force imparted on the coins from the rotating disk,
• camming the radial movement of the rotating coins of a thickness less than said predetermined thickness to a radial position different from the radial position of the rotating coins of a thickness greater than said predetermined thickness,
• exiting from the rotating disk at a particular point of coin rotation all the coins which have been pressed into the resilient surface and prevented from moving to a more distant radial position.