Back to results
US 5,176,565 AGranted
Coin sorting apparatus with rotating disc
AssigneeCummins-Allison Corp.
InventorsVictor G. Ristvedt, Mark E. Ristvedt
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A coin sorting apparatus receives coins through an opening in a guide plate onto the resilient surface of a rotating disc. The surface of the guide plate is contoured and includes portions positioned sufficiently close to the surface of the disc to press coins traveling therebetween into the resilient surface of the disc. As the coins are circulated circumferentially between the discs, the contours in the guide plate guide the coins into a single file along a first prescribed path. Coins of at least one selected denomination are displaced to follow a second prescribed path. The coins are discharged along each prescribed path at exit locations at the periphery of the plate.
Claims47
A coin sorting apparatus for sorting mixed coins by denomination, comprising:
- a rotatably mounted coin-carry disc having a resilient top surface onto which coins may be fed;
- means for rotating said disc;
- a guide plate having a central opening and a lower surface positioned over and closely adjacent said disc, and wherein said lower surface includes an inner recess within which the coins are free to move radially, and said inner recess extend outwardly from said central opening;
- a control circuit, responsive to movement of the coins between the guide plate and the disc, which counts coins;
- said guide plate forming a referencing region for receiving the coins from said inner recess, said referencing region including a surface for pressing the coins therein against the resilient top surface of said coin-carrying disc and means including at least one rigid probe-like element, at least a part of which is separate from the guide plate for interacting with the control circuit, for impacting the edges of the coins of at least one denomination and moving said coins radially while the coins are pressed against said resilient surface and as the coins are advanced circumferentially so that the coins of each of said at least one denomination are positioned at a radial location that is unique with respect to coins of other denominations;
- and
- sorting means disposed around the outer periphery of said guide plate for sorting coins of different denominations according to said different radial locations, said sorting means ejecting coins of a unique radial location at a common circumferential location on the periphery of said guide plate.
4 more elements
A coin sorting apparatus for sorting mixed coins by denomination, comprising:
- a rotatably mounted coin-carry disc having a resilient top surface;
- means for rotating said disc;
- a guide plate having a lower surface positioned over and closely adjacent said disc and having means for introducing coins therebetween so that the coins may be pressed therein against the resilient top surface of said coin-carrying disc, wherein the coins are moved, by the rotational movement of said disc pressing the coins against the guide plate, along a curvilinear path;
- and
- at least one rigid probe-like element, having a surface which is substantially parallel to the edges of the coins and having a rounded convex area for engaging the coins, for forcing the edges of the coins of at least one selected denomination from the curvilinear path into a radial location that is unique with respect to coins of other denominations;
- wherefrom said coins of each of said at least one selected denomination are moved to an area at the outer periphery of said guide plate where they are discharged according to the associated unique radial location.
3 more elements
A coin sorting apparatus for sorting mixed coins by denomination, comprising:
- a rotatably mounted coin-carry disc having a resilient top surface;
- means for rotating said disc;
- a guide plate having a lower surface positioned over and closely adjacent said disc and having means for introducing coins therebetween so that the coins may be pressed therein against the resilient top surface of said coin-carrying disc;
- wherein the coins are moved, by the rotational movement of said disc pressing the coins against the guide plate, to a first compression region, being defined by an area having a first distance between said guide plate and said coin-carrying disc, which lines up the edges of the coins of all denominations in single file;
- a rigid element for forcing at least an edge of the coins of at least one selected denomination from the first compression region into a second compression region wherein the coins of each of said at least one selected denomination are positioned at a radial location that is unique with respect to coins of other denominations, the second compression region being defined by a second distance between said guide plate and said coin-carrying disc which is less than said first distance;
- wherein the second compression region provides sufficient friction for the coin-carrying disc to grip the coin edge that is forced into the second compression region so that the coins are moved to an area at the outer periphery of said guide plate where they are discharged according to the associated unique radial location.
3 more elements
A coin sorting apparatus for sorting mixed coins by denomination, comprising:
- a rotatably mounted coin-carry disc having a resilient top surface onto which coins may be fed;
- means for rotating said disc;
- a guide plate having a central opening and a lower surface positioned over and closely adjacent said disc, and wherein said lower surface includes an inner recess within which the coins are free to move radially, and said inner recess extends outwardly from said control opening;
- said guide plate forming a referencing region for receiving the coins from said inner recess, said referencing region including a surface for pressing the coins therein against the resilient top surface of said coin-carrying disc and means for referencing the edge of the coins at a first common radial location;
- wherein the coins are moved, by the rotational movement of said disc pressing the coins against the guide plate, from the first common radial location along a curvilinear path to a first compression region, the first compression region being associated with a plurality of the denominations and defined by a first distance between said guide plate and said coin-carrying disc;
- at least one rigid element, having a surface which is substantially parallel to the edges of the coins and having a rounded convex area for engaging the coins, for forcing at least an edge of the coins of at least one selected denomination from the first compression region into a second compression region wherein the coins of each of said at least one selected denomination are positioned at a radial location that is unique with respect to coins of other denominations, the second compression region being defined by a second distance between said guide plate and said coin-carrying disc which is less than said first distance;
- and
- a guiding edge formed in the guide plate adjacent the first compression region such that the edge of each coin that is forced into the second compression region is aligned to overlap the guiding edge so that the coin may be moved independently of the guiding edge, by the friction provided by the second compression region, to an area at the outer periphery of said guide plate where each forced coin is discharged according to the associated unique radial location.
5 more elements
A coin sorting apparatus for sorting mixed coins by denomination, comprising:
- providing a rotatably mounted coin-carry disc having a resilient top surface;
- providing a guide plate having a lower surface positioned over and closely adjacent said disc and having means for introducing coins therebetween so that the coins may be moved and pressed therein against the resilient top surface of said coin-carrying disc;
- providing a rigid element between the guide plate and the disc at a selected location so that coins of at least one selected denomination moving thereby strike the rigid element;
- rotating the disc;
- introducing coins between the guide plate and the disc so the coins are moved, by the rotational movement of said disc pressing the coins against the guide plate, to a first compression region where the edges of the coins of all denominations are lined up in single file, the first compression region being defined by a first distance between said guide plate and said coin-carrying disc;
- forcing at least an edge of the coins of at least one selected domination from the first compression region into a second compression region wherein the coins of each of said at least one selected denomination are positioned at a radial location that is unique with respect to coins of other denominations, the second compression region being defined by a second distance between said guide plate and said coin-carrying disc which is less than said first distance;
- and
- using the compression provided by the second compression region, gripping the edges of the coins in the second compression region with the rotating disc to move the coins to an area at the outer periphery of the guide plate so that they discharge according to the associated unique radial location.
5 more elements
A coin sorting apparatus for receiving an sorting mixed coins by denomination, said apparatus comprising:
- a rotatable disc have a resilient surface for receiving said coins and imparting rotational movement to said coins;
- a stationary disc having a contoured surface spaced slightly away from and generally parallel to said resilient surface of said rotatable disc, said stationary disc including a recess for guiding said coins on said rotatable disc into a single file of coins, and referencing means for guiding one edge of said coins in said single file along a first prescribed path having a known radial position;
- means for simultaneously guiding coins of at least one selected denomination onto a second prescribed path having a known radial position that is offset from the radial position of said first prescribed path, and counting said coins of said selected denomination from said first prescribed path onto said second prescribed path;
- and
- means for discharging coins of different denominations at different circumferential locations around the periphery of said stationary disc, said circumferential locations being determined by said prescribed paths.
2 more elements
A coin sorting apparatus for receiving and sorting mixed coins by denomination, said apparatus comprising:
- a rotatable disc have a resilient surface for receiving said coins and imparting rotational movement to said coins;
- a stationary disc having a contoured surface spaced slightly away from and generally parallel to said resilient surface of said rotatable disc, said stationary disc including a recess for guiding said coins on said rotatable disc into a single file of coins, and means for referencing one edge of the coins and said single file along a first prescribed path having a first preselected radial position;
- means for re-referencing coins of at least one selected denomination by moving said selected coins radially inwardly from said first prescribed path to a second prescribed path having a second preselected radial position while said selected coins are being pressed between said guide plate and said disc so that said selected coins are rotated by said rotatable disc at said second preselected radial position, and for counting said selected coins in response to said re-referencing;
- and
- means for discharging coins of different denominations at different circumferential locations around the periphery of said stationary disc, said circumferential locations being determined by said preselected radial locations of said coins.
2 more elements
A coin sorting apparatus for receiving and sorting a mixture of coins by denomination, said apparatus comprising:
- a rotatable disc have a resilient surface for receiving said coins and imparting rotational movement to said coins;
- a stationary guide plate having a contoured surface which opposes said resilient surface of said rotatable disc, said guide plate including means for guiding said coins along a first prescribed path;
- means for simultaneously directing coins of at least one selected denomination onto a second prescribed path that is different from said first prescribed path, and for counting said coins of said at least one selected denomination in response to directing said coins of said at least one selected denomination from said first prescribed path onto said second prescribed path;
- and
- means for discharging coins of different denominations at different circumferential locations around the periphery of said guide plate.
2 more elements
A coin sorting apparatus for receiving and sorting mixed coins by denomination, said apparatus comprising:
- a rotatable disc have a resilient surface for receiving said coins and imparting rotational movement to said coins;
- a stationary disc having a contoured surface spaced slightly away from and generally parallel to said resilient surface of said rotatable disc, said stationary guide plate including means for locating the innermost edges of said coins along a first prescribed path where the radially outer portions of said coins extend outwardly beyond the outer periphery of said rotatable disc while the radially inner portions of said coins are pressed into said resilient surface to hold the coins between said guide plate and said rotatable disc;
- means for engaging said radially outer portions of at least one selected denomination of said coins, radially relocating coins of said selected denomination with their innermost edges along a second prescribed path so that the innermost edge of coins of different denominations are located at different radial positions, and for counting coins of said selected denomination in response to engaging said radially outer portions of said coins of said selected denomination;
- and
- means for discharging coins of different denominations at different circumferential locations around the periphery of said guide plate, said circumferential locations being determined by the different radial locations of the coins.
2 more elements
A coin sorting apparatus for receiving and sorting mixed coins by denomination, said apparatus comprising:
- a rotatable disc have a resilient surface for receiving said coins and imparting rotational movement to said coins;
- a stationary disc having a contoured surface spaced slightly away from and generally parallel to said resilient surface of said rotatable disc, said stationary guide plate including means for locating the innermost edges of said coins along a first preselected radial position where the radially outer portions of said coins extend outwardly beyond the outer periphery of said guide plate while the radially inner portions of said coins are pressed into said resilient surface to hold the coins between said guide plate and said rotatable disc;
- means for engaging said radially outer portions of at least one selected denomination of said coins, radially re-locating coins of said selected denomination with their innermost edges at a second preselected radial position so that the innermost edge of coins of different denominations are located at different radial positions, and counting coins of said selected denomination in response to engaging said radially outer portions of said coins of said selected denomination;
- and
- means for discharging coins of different denominations at different circumferential locations around the periphery of said guide plate, said circumferential locations being determined by the radial locations of the innermost edges of the coins.
2 more elements
A coin sorting apparatus for sorting coins of mixed denominations, comprising:
- a rotatable disc having a resilient surface for receiving said coins and imparting rotational movement to said coins;
- a stationary guide plate having a contoured surface spaced slightly away from and generally parallel to said resilient surface of said rotatable disc;
- means for positioning said coins of at least one coin denomination so that it is distinguishable from the other coin denominations while said coins are moved along a prescribed path between the rotatable disc and the stationary guide plate;
- means for counting said coins of said at least one denomination as they are moved along said prescribed path;
- and
- means for sorting and discharging coins of different denominations at different locations around the periphery of said stationary guide plate.
3 more elements
A coin sorting apparatus for sorting coins of mixed denominations, comprising:
- a rotatable disc having a resilient surface for receiving said coins and imparting rotational movement to said coins;
- a stationary guide plate having a contoured surface spaced slightly away from and generally parallel to said resilient surface of said rotatable disc;
- a sensor affixed to said stationary guide plate over the rotatable disc;
- said stationary guide plate including means for moving coins of at least one denomination along a prescribed path so that the sensor can sense the movement of coins of said at least one denomination between the stationary guide plate and the resilient pad;
- and
- means for sorting and discharging coins of different denominations at different circumferential locations around the periphery of said stationary guide plate.
3 more elements
A method for sorting mixed coins by denomination in coin sorting apparatus having a rotatable disc with a resilient surface for receiving said coins and imparting rotational movement to said coins and having a stationary guide plate with a contoured surface spaced slightly away from and generally parallel to said resilient surface of said rotatable disc, said method comprising the steps of:
- counting said coins of at least one coin denomination, and positioning and sorting said coins of at least one coin denomination so that said coins of at least one coin denomination are distinguishable from the other coin denominations while said coins are moved along a prescribed path between the rotatable disc and the stationary guide plate;
- and
- discharging coins of different denominations at different locations around the periphery of said stationary guide plate.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.