US 5,813,510 AGranted

Currency and coin-activated drop safe

AssigneeXCP, Inc.

InventorDarrell G. Rademacher

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Abstract

A point-of-sale drop safe and change making mechanism employs a cash drop drawer that is movable between open and closed positions and receives money, when the cash drop drawer is open. When the cash drop drawer is closed the cash drops into receptacle in drop safe. A currency acceptor accepts and registers paper currency bills and a money dispensing mechanism in the cabinet dispenses coins in a plurality of denominations into receptacle or tray located on the exterior of the cabinet. A money selection arrangement includes a plurality of user-actuable coin select keys or switches that are disposed on the exterior of the cabinet. The keys correspond respectively to coin denominations, e.g., key #1 dispenses dollar coins, key #2 dispenses quarters, etc. A controller board coupled to the currency acceptor, the money select mechanism, and the money dispensing mechanism obtains and stores an escrow amount or money credit amount when paper currency is inserted into the currency acceptor. The user actuates the money dispenser to dispense coins in selected denominations, and the control mechanism decrements the escrow or credit amount. The drop safe can also have a bill-dispensing mechanism. The arrangement can also be configured to change money from the currency and coins of one country to that of another. In that case, the escrow amount is automatically converted from the value in one country's funds into that of the other.

Claims8

Dependent claims

Point-of-sale drop safe and change making mechanism, comprising

a secure lockable cabinet having a lockable door, an interior, and an exterior;
a cash drop that is movable between open and closed positions and includes means for receiving money, when the cash drop is in its open position, for storage in the secure locking cabinet, and for releasing said money, when the cash drop is in its closed position, into a cash drop receptacle in the interior of said secure locking cabinet;
a currency acceptor disposed in the interior of said secure locking cabinet for accepting paper currency bills and having an acceptor slot accessible through a penetration in said secure locking cabinet to accept and register paper currency bills inserted therein;
money dispensing mechanism disposed in the interior of said secure locking cabinet containing a supply of coins of a plurality of denominations, a receptacle for coins dispensed from said supply located on the exterior of said secure locking cabinet, and dispensing means for dispensing coins from said supply through a penetration in said secure locking cabinet to said receptacle for coins;
a money selection mechanism including a plurality of user-actuable coin select switches disposed on the exterior of said secure locking cabinet corresponding respectively to said coin denominations;
and
a control mechanism in the interior of said secure locking cabinet coupled to said currency acceptor, said money select mechanism, and said money dispensing mechanism, for storing a money credit amount in response to insertion of paper currency into said currency acceptor, enabling said coin select switches to cause said money dispenser to dispense said coins in selected denominations, and decrementing said credit amount as said money dispensing mechanism dispenses said coins.

4 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.