Powered rail coin sorter

A coin sorter, comprising:

• a track having a surface disposed in a plane inclined from the vertical and having a rail defining a reference edge that extends along a line inclined from the horizontal, said rail including a lip extending upwardly from the reference edge;
• said track including a plurality of openings in the surface and extending upwardly from the rail, each opening being sized to receive a coin of a particular diameter;
• a chute leading from each opening to a collection point for each size of coin;
• a coin feeding mechanism adapted to receive coins of mixed denominations and to provide a single file of a single layer of such coins to an entrance to the track;
• and
• a powered endless belt extending along the track and spaced therefrom to accept coins in the single file between the belt and the track, said belt having a coin engaging surface spaced from the track a distance that is less than the thickness of the thinnest coin to be sorted, said coin engaging surface being defined by a plurality of flexible projections that are oriented upon the belt such that when the projections are distorted by the coins the projections force the coins against the reference edge while the belt slides the coins along the track and the distorted projections impart a component of force to the coins that urges the coins away from the reference edge and over the lip and through a respective opening.