Coin apparatus

For use in a coin-controlled vending machine which has first and second dispensing members manually operable by purchasers to obtain items of a first and second price, respectively, means for locking said dispensing members against operation to obtain any item comprising a first latch and a second latch, each of said latches being movable between a locking position and a retracted position permitting operation of a dispensing member, the first latch normally occupying its locking position and the second normally occupying its retracted position and being movable to its locking position on operation of a second dispensing member,

• coin apparatus for controlling said latches comprising:
• a first latch release member for releasing said first latch;
• a second latch release member for releasing the second latch;
• coin chute means for coins of different denominations;
• logic means for totalizing the value of coins passing through the chute means;
• means for storing data as to said first and second prices at which items are to be vended;
• means controlled by the logic means for operating the first latch release member upon the totalized value reaching the first stored price and operation of a first dispensing member, thereby to effect release of said first latch, and for operating both latch release members upon the totalized value reaching the second stored price and operation of a second dispensing member, thereby to effect release of said first and second latches;
• the chute means comprising first, second and third chutes for coins of a first, a second and a third demination, said chutes being located in side-by-side relation, first means for projecting a first beam of light across the first and third chutes, a first sensor for sensing said first beam, and connected to the logic means, second means for projecting a second beam of light across the first and second chutes, and a second sensor for sensing said second beam and connected to the logic means, a coin of the first denomination passing through the first chute intercepting both beams to cause the first and second sensors to signal the logic means the passage of a coin of the first denomination, a coin of the second denomination passing through the second chute intercepting the second beam to cause the second sensor to signal the logic means the passage of a coin of the second denomination, and a coin of the third denomination passing through the third chute intercepting the first beam to cause the first sensor to signal the logic means the passage of a coin of the third denomination.

For use in a coin-controlled vending machine which has first and second dispensing members manually operable by purchasers to obtain items of a first and a second price, respectively, means for locking said dispensing members against operation to obtain any item comprising a first latch and a second latch, each of said latches being movable between a locking position and a retracted position permitting operation of a dispensing member, the first latch normally occupying its locking position and the second normally occupying its retracted position and being movable to its locking position on operation of a second dispensing member,

• coin apparatus for controlling said latches comprising:
• a first latch release member for releasing said first latch;
• a second latch release member for releasing the second latch;
• coin chute means for coins of different denominations;
• logic means for totalizing the value of coins passing through the chute means;
• means for storing data as to said first and second prices at which items are to be vended;
• means controlled by the logic means for operating the first latch release member upon the totalized value reaching the first stored price and operation of a first dispensing member, thereby to effect release of said first latch, and for operating both latch release members upon the totalized value reaching the second stored price and operation of a second dispensing member, thereby to effect release of said first and second latches;
• escrow means for escrowing coins deposited in the vending machine for return to a customer or for delivery to a money box, said escrow means comprising a first gate and a second gate each having a closed position for holding coins in escrow pending coin return or a vend, coin return means operable by a customer for opening the first gate for dropout of escrowed coins to a coin return passage for return to the customer without opening the second gate, means operable on a vend for opening the second gate for dropout of escrow coins to a money box passage for delivery of the coins to a money box without opening the first gate, said means operable on a vend comprising a control member movable away from and back to a retracted position on a vend, and means for holding the second gate open despite return of said control member to retracted position for a time sufficient for dropout of all escrowed coins and then releasing it for its return to closed position;
• the means for holding the second gate open comprising a solenoid-operated latch means for latching the second gate in open position, the solenoid of said means being energized under control of the logic means upon elapse of a predetermined time interval following the return of said control member for the return of the second gate to its closed position on a time basis independently of said control member;
• and
• the chute means comprising first, second and third chutes for coins of a first, a second and a third denomination, said chutes being located in side-by-side relation, first means for projecting a first beam of light across the first and third chutes, a first sensor for sensing said first means, and a second sensor for sensing said second beam and connected to the logic means, a coin of the first denomination passing through the first chute intercepting both beams to cause the first and second sensors to signal the logic means the passage of a coin of the first denomination, a coin of the second denomination passing through the second chute intercepting the second beam to cause the second sensor to signal the logic means the passage of a coin of the second denomination, and a coin of the third denomination passing through the third chute intercepting the first beam to cause the first sensor to signal the logic means the passage of a coin of the third denomination.