Debris diverter for coin counting machine and associated method of manufacture and operation

A debris diverter, comprising:

• a hopper positioned to receive coins;
• a coin track positioned to convey the coins from the hopper along the coin track, wherein the coin track includes a first support surface for supporting coin edges and a second support surface for supporting coin faces and generally orthogonal to the first support surface, and wherein the first and second support surfaces are configured to support coins as the coins roll on the edges in a single file manner down the coin track;
• and
• a rotating bobbin having at least one helical vane extending therefrom, wherein the rotating bobbin is spaced apart from the second support surface of the coin track by a predetermined distance to permit coins thinner than the predetermined distance to pass by the rotating bobbin along the coin track and to at least inhibit objects larger than the predetermined distance from passing the rotating bobbin along the coin track.

A debris diverter for a coin sorting assembly, the debris diverter comprising:

• a coin track upon which coins received by the coin sorting assembly are placed, the coin track having a first surface for engaging an edge of the coins and a second surface substantially orthogonal to the first surface for engaging a face of the coins, wherein the coin track is sloped downwardly to permit the coins to move along the coin track in a first direction;
• a cylindrical bobbin having a plurality of vanes mounted relative to the coin track and spaced apart from a portion of the second surface of the coin track by a predetermined distance at least generally equal to a largest expected coin thickness;
• and
• a motor operably coupled to the bobbin, wherein the motor rotates the bobbin and the vanes in a second direction opposite the first direction, and wherein the bobbin and vanes are configured to rotate and strike objects on the coin track larger than the predetermined distance and remove the objects larger than the predetermined distance from the coin track.

A method for diverting debris from a coin track, the method comprising:

• supporting coins with a coin track as the coins roll along coin edges down the coin track, wherein the coin track includes a first support surface for supporting coin edges and a second support surface for supporting coin faces generally orthogonal to the first support surface;
• passing objects along the coin track;
• and
• moving a vane relative to the coin track with the vane passing over the coin track by a predetermined distance to permit coins thinner than the predetermined distance to pass by the vane along the coin track and to contact objects larger than the predetermined distance on the coin track to divert the objects from the coin track.