Coin testing apparatus and method

An apparatus for coin testing, comprising

• a laser source adapted and arranged to direct a laser beam onto a face of a coin,
• a laser detector, and
• a signal-processor adapted and arranged to obtain from an output of the laser detector an indication of a dimensional characteristic of the face of the coin;
• wherein said coin casts a shadow on said laser detector and said laser detector is adapted and arranged to detect where the laser is intercepted by the coin and where the laser is not intercepted by the coin.

Coin testing apparatus comprising:

• a laser source adapted and arranged to direct a laser beam onto a coin;
• a laser detector adapted and arranged to detect where the laser is intercepted by the coin and where the laser is not intercepted by the coin;
• a coin guide arranged to enable the coin to travel along a specified path along which path the coin is able to intercept a portion of a laser beam passing between the laser source and the laser detector;
• and
• a signal-processor adapted and arranged to obtain an output of the laser detector;
• wherein the proportion of the laser beam that is intercepted provides at least one measure of a geometric dimension of the coin, the coin being recognisable by comparing said measure of the coin with corresponding measures of a number of known coins.

Coin testing apparatus comprising:

• a coin guide defining a coin passageway, having a lower boundary, along which a coin can travel through the apparatus whilst supported continuously at its peripheral edge by said lower boundary;
• a laser source being mounted for directing a laser beam from one side to the other of a portion of said passageway substantially perpendicularly to the main plane of a coin in the passageway, so as to be intercepted by upper regions of said coin as it travels through said portion of said passageway;
• and
• laser detector comprising, at said other side of said portion of the passageway a linear array of laser receiving locations, which array extends substantially parallel to said main plane, and transversely with respect to the direction of travel of the coin along said portion of the passageway, and has a lower end spaced at a first distance from said lower boundary, which first distance is less than a minimum diameter of a number of j coins with which the apparatus is to be used, and an upper end spaced at a second distance from said lower boundary, which second distance is greater than a maximum diameter os said number of coins, said laser detecting means being operable to produce an output dependent upon the number of said laser receiving locations from which said laser beam is blocked, at a plurality of successive sampling instants, by a coin travelling along said portion of the passageway, so that said output can be compared with predetermined reference data records to ascertain which of those records corresponds to said output.