Coin sorting device

A coin sorting device for sorting a plurality of coins as the coins pass through a coin chute, the device comprising:

• a coin flap located in the coin chute, the coin flap being movable between a first position and a second position;
• means for moving the coin flap between the first and the second positions;
• an emitter for passing a beam of light through the coin chute across a path of the coin and through the coin flap;
• wherein the coin flap is movable relative to the beam of light;
• a detector for detecting the light emitted by the emitter after the light has passed through the coin chute and through the coin flap and for producing an output signal representative of the detected light, said output signal corresponding to the passage of the coin along the path and through the beam of light;
• and
• a power supply for intermittently providing power to the means for moving the coin flap and including a control circuit responsive to the detector for inhibiting the power supply from providing power to the means for moving the coin flap as a function of the output signal representative of the light passing through the coin flap,
• whereby the amount of power used by the means for moving the coin flap during operation of the coin sorting device is reduced.

A coin sorting device for sorting a plurality of coins as the coins pass through a coin chute, the device comprising:

• an upper stop;
• an upper coin flap located in the coin chute, the upper coin flap being movable between a first position and a second position;
• wherein the upper coin flap rests in the first position against the upper stop and wherein a space below a point of contact between the upper coin flap in the first position and the upper stop is greater than the thickness of the thickest coin to be sorted by the coin sorting device;
• a lower stop;
• a lower coin flap located in the coin chute downstream from the upper coin flap, the lower coin flap being movable between a first position and a second position;
• wherein the lower coin flap rests in the first position against the lower stop and wherein a space below a point of contact between the lower coin flap in the first position and the lower stop is greater than the thickness of the thickest coin to be sorted by the coin sorting device;
• means for moving the upper coin flap between the first and the second positions;
• means for moving the lower coin flap between the first and the second positions;
• a battery for providing power to said means for moving the upper and lower coin flaps;
• an upper optical element for producing a light barrier through the coin chute and for producing a first output signal as a function of the passage of a coin through said barrier;
• a lower optical element for producing a light barrier through the coin chute and for producing a second output signal as a function of the passage of a coin through said barrier, said lower optical element being located downstream from said upper optical element;
• and
• a control circuit responsive to the upper and lower optical elements for inhibiting the battery from providing power to the means for moving the upper coin flap as a function of the first output signal and for inhibiting the battery from providing power to the means for moving the lower coin flap as a function of the second output signal,
• whereby the amount of power used by said means for moving the upper and lower coin flaps during operation of the coin sorting device is reduced.

A coin sorting device for sorting a plurality of coins as the coins pass through a coin chute, the device comprising:

• an upper coin flap located in the coin chute, the upper coin flap being movable between a first position and a second position;
• means for moving the upper coin flap between the first and the second positions;
• a lower coin flap located in the coin chute downstream from the upper coin flap, the lower coin flap being movable between a first position and a second position;
• means for moving the lower coin flap between the first and the second positions;
• an emitter for passing a beam of light through the coin chute across a path of the coin;
• a detector for detecting the light emitted by the emitter after the light has passed through the coin chute and for producing an output signal representative of the detected light;
• wherein the output signal corresponds to the passage of the coin along the path and through the beam of light and wherein the output signal has a leading edge and a trailing edge;
• a power supply for intermittently providing power to the means for moving the upper coin flap and to the means for moving the lower coin flap;
• wherein the power supply further comprises a control circuit responsive to the detector for inhibiting the power supply from providing power to the means for moving the upper coin flap in response to the leading edge and for inhibiting the power supply from providing power to the means for moving the lower coin flap in response to the trailing edge,
• whereby the amount of power used by the means for moving the upper coin flap and the means for moving the lower coin flap during operation of the coin sorting device is reduced.