Coin operated machine including a coin box having a memory device

A coin operated machine having a removably insertable coin box for receiving and storing coins inserted into said coin operated machine, said coin operated machine comprising:

• a coin accepting apparatus, a first memory device and first circuitry for transmitting communication signals from said first memory device, and receiving structure,
• said coin box having a receptacle partially defined by opposed side walls, guiding structure adapted to engage said receiving structure, and a second memory device and second circuitry for transmitting communication signals between said second memory device and said first circuitry,
• wherein said receiving structure includes a cavity having opposed side walls and a floor and a projection having a first inclined lateral wall disposed upon said floor and projecting upwardly from said floor, said guiding structure of said coin box including a bottom panel, a depending wall depending from said bottom panel and having a second inclined wall complementing and closely cooperating with said projection, whereby lowering said coin box onto said floor of said cavity of said receiving structure causes said coin box to attain said predetermined position within said coin operated machine, and
• wherein said first circuitry includes first electrodes mounted within said receiving structure and said second circuitry includes second electrodes mounted one of said side walls of said coin box, and wherein said first electrodes and said second electrodes are adapted to come into operative proximity when said coin box is received within said receiving structure.

A coin operated machine having a removably insertable coin box for receiving and storing coins inserted into said coin operated machine, said coin operated machine comprising:

• a coin accepting apparatus, performing a function responsive to a coin being accepted, a first memory device and first circuitry for transmitting communication signals from said first memory device, and receiving structure for removably receiving a coin box within said coin operated machine,
• said coin box having a receptacle partially defined by opposed side walls for receiving and storing coins inserted into said coin operated machine, guiding structure for guiding said coin box into a predetermined position within said receiving structure of said coin operated machine, and a second memory device and second circuitry for transmitting communication signals between said second memory device and said first circuitry, and
• wherein said receiving structure includes a cavity having opposed side walls and a floor and at least one projection having a first inclined lateral wall projecting outwardly from at least one of said side walls, said guiding structure of said coin box including a side panel, an end wall depending from said side panel and having a second inclined wall complementing and closely cooperating with said projection, whereby inserting said coin box into said cavity of said receiving structure causes said coin box to attain said predetermined position within said coin operated machine.

A coin operated machine having a removably insertable coin box for receiving and storing coins inserted into said coin operated machine, said coin operated machine comprising:

• a coin accepting apparatus, performing a function responsive to a coin being accepted, a first memory device and first circuitry for transmitting communication signals from said first memory device, and receiving structure for removably receiving a coin box having a longitudinal axis within said coin operated machine, and
• said coin box having a receptacle partially defined by opposed side walls for receiving and storing coins inserted into said coin operated machine, guiding structure for guiding said coin box into a predetermined position within said receiving structure of said coin operated machine, and a second memory device and second circuitry for transmitting communication signals between said second memory device and said first circuitry,
• wherein said receiving structure includes a cavity having opposed side walls and a floor and a projection having a first inclined lateral wall disposed upon said floor and projecting upwardly from said floor, said guiding structure of said coin box including a bottom panel, a depending wall depending from said bottom panel and having a second inclined wall complementing and closely cooperating with said projection, whereby lowering said coin box onto said floor of said cavity of said receiving structure causes said coin box to attain said predetermined position within said coin operated machine,
• wherein said first circuitry includes first electrodes mounted within said projection, and said second circuitry includes corresponding, second electrodes mounted within said coin box at said bottom panel, said first electrodes and said second electrodes coming into operative proximity when said coin box attains said predetermined position within said coin operated machine, and
• wherein said first electrodes are disposed to make sliding contact with said second electrodes when said coin box attains said predetermined position within said coin operated machine, said first electrodes and said second electrodes being arranged such that they are normal to the direction of insertion of said coin box into said coin operated machine when said coin box is inserted in a direction parallel to said longitudinal axis, whereby contact between said first electrodes and said second electrodes is preserved regardless of whether said coin box is inserted into said coin operated machine in a first directional orientation or in a second directional orientation.