GB1577295A

GB1577295A - Coin return device

Info

Publication number: GB1577295A
Application number: GB24494/78A
Authority: GB
Original assignee: Sodeco Saia AG; Societe des Compteurs de Geneve SODECO
Current assignee: Sodeco Saia AG; Societe des Compteurs de Geneve SODECO
Priority date: 1977-10-05
Filing date: 1978-05-30
Publication date: 1980-10-22
Also published as: DK439678A; NO783357L; FR2405525A1; DE2833321A1; CH624782A5; NL7810074A; BE870025A; FR2405525B1

Abstract

The device has the function of preventing fraudulent actions on coin-operated machines, especially the blockage of the coin-rejection channel through the extraction orifice (3). For this purpose, the coin-rejection container, which holds the coin tray (11) is covered by a flap (4). As soon as this flap (4) is pivoted in beyond that position in which its front side (6a) is level with the front limiting edge (11a) of the coin tray (11), the fall-in orifice (16) for the coins is covered by the rear side (7a) of the flap (4). <IMAGE>

Description

(54) A COIN RETURN DEVICE (71) We, SODECO-SAlA A.G., a Swiss company of rue du Grand-Pré, 70-1211 Geneva 16, Switzerland, do hereby declare the invention, for which we pray that a patent may be granted to us, and the method by which it is to be performed, to be particularly described in and by the following statement:: The invention relates to a coin return device for coin-freed machines, particularly coin operated telephones, having a return container with a coin dish which is accessible through a removal opening and is formed by a depression in the inner wall of the container and into which the coins fall through an entry opening, and with a flap pivotally mounted above the removal opening, which flap covers the removal opening in its rest position and is pivotal inwardly into its open position.

With the hitherto known coin return containers it is usually very easy when the flap is open or partially open to insert a flexible or soft article, e.g. a handkerchief or a paper ball or strip, into the insert opening for the coins and thereby with fraudulent intent to block the inlet opening or the coin channel leading into this opening in such a way that after a subsequent use of the machine by another person any coins to be returned cannot fall into the coin dish. In this way the user of a coin operated telephone who has come to the end of his conversation may not be able to recover any overpaid coins which are later collected by the swindler who only needs to unblock the inlet opening again. The same manipulation is possible in the hitherto known coin return devices in vending or change machines in which the user is thus defrauded of the change.

The object of the invention is a provision of a coin return device in which the coin insertion opening of the coin return container cannot be blocked through the removal opening and which therefore renders a fraudulent manipulation of the kind described practically impossible.

In accordance with the invention the object is achieved in that the insertion opening for the coin is covered by the flap as soon as this is pivoted inwardly over that position in which the front side of the flap is at least approximately at the level of the front boundary.

This has the effect that when the flap is pivoted the coin insertion opening is closed by the flap from that moment at which the coin dish is accessible and is possible to reach under the flap, thereby making it impossible to introduce any object to this insertion opening.

Preferably the arrangement is such that the front and rear sides of the flap together define an angle and that the inner wall of the container behind the coin dish has a wall region extending substantially concentrically to the pivot access of the flap, the distance between this pivot access and the wall region being so great that the flap is pivotal at least partially behind the coin dish. For this purpose the flap may advantageously be provided at the front edge of its lower side with a projection which in the open position of the flap abuts the rear boundary edge of the coin dish and in this way overlaps the gap between the lower surface of the flap and the inner wall of the container; in this way the insertion of a thin flexible article into this gap is reliably prevented.In order to achieve even greater reliability against the possible insertion of a thin flexible article through the gap between the flap and the inner wall of the container, the device may advantageously be so constructed that the insertion opening occupies only a portion of the upper surface of the container the rearward section of which is limited by a covering wall which is overlapped by the flap in its open position. In this way the gap between the flap and the inner wall or the covering wall of the container extends approximately at right angles with respect to the insertion opening.

It may also be advantageous to provide a device capable of being mechanically or electrically set into the position in which the flap covers the insertion opening and being arranged to render the machine inoperative or to bar the coin insert slot and/ or actuate a warning sign; a user is thus prevented from inserting coins or at least warned when the flap has locked in the open position or has been clamped in this position as a result of fraudulent manipulation.

Further inventive details are given in the subordinate claims.

The invention will be further described by reference to the drawings which show a diagrammatic embodiment and a further modification. The drawings are.

Fig. 1 is a front elevation of a coin return container with closed flap installed in the lower region of a coin-freed machine, Fig. 2 is a section through the coin return container along the line II-II according to Fig. 1, Fig. 3 is a coin return container in section, as in Fig. 2, in a coin-freed machine with a device which bars the coin insert slot when the flap is opened, and Fig. 4 is part of a corresponding front view.

According to Figs. 1 and 2 the coin return container is formed by an insert 2 made, e.g. of metal or synthetic plastics material and mounted in the front lower region of the housing 1 of a coin-freed machine and accessible through the removal opening 3. Above this removal opening 3 is pivotally mounted on an axle 5 a flap 4 constructed as a hollow body in the form of a segment of a cylinder the narrow upper end of which is traversed by the pivot axis 5 and which has a front wall 6, a rear wall 7, a cylindrically curved lower wall 8 and an inner reinforcing wall 9. The front wall 6 is extended beyond the lower side 8a of the flap and forms a projection 10 extending over the width of the flap.

The inner wall of the container has a depression forming the coin dish 11 and, to the front and rear of this coin dish 11, cylindrical wall regions 12 and 13 running concentrically to the pivot axis 5. The curved length of these wall regions 12 and 13 is approximately the same as the curved length of the lower surface 8a of the flap and their radii are so selected that the flap is movable with only slight play accommo dating its free pivotal movement and is pivotal to a position behind the coin dish 11. The radius of the cylindrical wall region 13 is smaller than that of the wall region 12 to an extent such that in the open position 4' illustrated in dotted line in Fig. 2 the projection 10 abuts the rearward boundary edge 1 lib of the coin dish 11.

This rearward boundary edge 1 lib is formed by the edge of an overhanging wall projection 15 at the rear side of the coin dish opening.

An insertion opening 16 provided in the upper wall of the container occupies only a portion of the upper surface of the container the rearward section of which is limited by a cover wall region 14. In its open position 4' the flap 4 overlaps the region 14 of the top wall.

In its closed position shown in full line in Fig. 2 the flap 4 hangs vertically downwards with the top of the front side 6a thereof abutting a stop 2a of the container wall so that the flap 4 cannot be pivoted outwardly. As soon as the inwardly pivoted flap 4 reaches the position 4" shown in dotted line Fig. 2, in which the front side 6a of the flap is at the level of the front boundary wall lla of the coin dish 11, so that from this moment on the insertion opening 16 is covered. In this manner it is thus rendered impossible to insert anything into the insertion opening 16 through the coin dish and under the flap 4.When the flap 4 is completely opened and has assumed its nearly horizontal position 4', the gap between the flap and the cylindrical wall regions 13 is covered by the projection 10 so that it is impossible to insert a thin flexible article into this gap. Before the projection 10 has reached the rear boundary edge llb of the coin dish 11 the wall projection 15 forming a chicane practically prevents the strip shaped material from sliding along and out of the coin dish wall in the direction towards the insertion opening 16. Moreover, since the flap 4 is longer than the diameter of the inlet opening 16 and overlaps the top wall region 14 in the open position, the gap leading to the inlet opening 16 between the flap 4 and the inner wall of the container or the top wall is so sharply angled that the introduction of a thin flexible strip lengthwise of this gap is reliably prevented.

In the further embodiment according to Figs. 3 and 4 the coin container 2 with its flap 4 is constructed in exactly the same way as in the example according to Figs. 1 and 2 and is therefore not further described. In this case there is provided a device which closes the coin insertion slot 23 of the machine as soon as the flap 4 has been inwardly pivoted through a certain angle. For this purpose the flap pivot axis 5 penetrates one side wall of the container to form a stub shaft 5a outside the container 2. On this stub shaft 5a is fixed a cam 17 with the shape of a segment of a circle and which co-operates with a push rod 18 which is movable along guides (not shown) and extends substantially vertically into the vicinity of the coin insertion slot 23. To the upper end of the push rod 18 is pivoted a lever 19 which is pivotal about an axis 20 and carries a shutter 21 formed at its end remote from the psuh rod 18.

The arrangement is such that in the closed position of the flap 4 the push. rod 18 is lowered and the shutter 21 opens the coin insertion slot 23. In the illustrated example the shutter 21 assumes this position under the action of a return spring 22 engaging the lever 19. On inward pivoting of the flap 4 the push rod 18 is pushed upwardly on the cam surface of the cam 17 whereby the lever 19 is pivoted against the action of the spring 22 and the shutter 21 is thereby moved in front of the coin insertion slot 23 whereby the shutter 21 already prevents coin insertion when the flap 4 covers the coin inlet opening 16 after partial pivoting. In this way a user of the coin-freed machine is prevented from inserting coins when the flap 4 is for any reason stuck in a position covering the inlet opening 16, particularly when it has been jammed with fraudulent intent.

The invention is not limited to the described examples and a large number of modifications are possible particularly in respect of the precise construction of the inner wall of the container and the flap.

Also the flap 4 in its open position may mechanically or electrically actuate a device which renders the coin-freed machine inoperative or actuates a warning signal.

A device for barring the coin slot or slots by means of a switch which is electrically actuatable by the flap 4 may also be provided.

WHAT WE CLAIM IS: -.

1. Coin return device for coin-freed machines, particularly coin operated telephones, with a return container having a coin dish accessible through a removal opening, which coin dish is formed by a depression in the inner wall of the container and into which the coins fall through an inlet opening, and a flap pivotally mounted above the withdrawal opening and which in its rest position covers the withdrawal opening and is inwardly pivotal into its open position, wherein the inlet opening for the coins is covered by the flap as soon as the latter is pivoted inwardly beyond that position in which the front side of the flap is at least approximately at the level of the front boundary edge of the coin dish.

2. Coin return device according to claim 1 wherein the front side and the rear side of the flap together form an angle and the inner wall of the container behind the rearward edge of the coin dish has a wall region running substantially concentrically with respect to the flap pivot access, the spacing of the wall region from the flap pivot access being so selected that the flap is pivotal at least partially behind the coin dish.

3. Coin return device according to claim 2 wherein the lower flap surface has at its front edge a projection extending over the width of the flap and the radius of the wall region concentric with the pivot access behind the coin dish is so much smaller than the space in between pivot access and the wall region of the container inner wall in front of the coin dish that in the open position of the flap the said projection abuts against the rearward boundary edge of the coin dish.

4. Coin return device according to one of claims 1 to 3 wherein the inlet opening for the coins occupies only a part of the upper surface of the return container, which surface is rearwardly limited by a region of the top wall, and the flap in its open position overlaps this top wall region.

5. Coin return device according to claim 4 wherein the flap has at least approximately the form of a segment of a cylinder and is traversed at its narrow upper end by a pivot axis, and the curved lower side of the flap is approximately the same size as the opening of the coin dish and the inner wall of the container in front of and behind the coin dish has cylindrical wall regions concentric to the flap pivot axis the arcuate length of each of which is approximately the same as the lower surface of the flap, whereby the flap in relation to these wall regions has limited play permitting only free pivoting of the flap.

6. Coin return device according to any one of claims 1 to 5 wherein the cylindrical segment shaped flap is a hollow body having a front wall, a rear wall, a curved bottom wall and optionally an inner reinforcing wall and the said projection is formed on the lower surface of the flap preferably by an extension of the front wall of the flap.

7. Coin return device according to one of claims 1 to 3 wherein the coin shell has a chicane which prevents further movement of an inserted flexible strip shaped material lengthwise of and out of the rearward wall of the coin dish.

8. Coin return device according to claim 7 wherein this chicane is an overhanging wall projection provided at the rear side of the coin dish opening and having an edge which forms the rearward boundary wall of the coin dish.

9. Coin return device according to one of claims 1 to 3 wherein a device is provided which in the position of the flap closing the inlet opening for the coins is mechanically or electrically actuatable by the flap and adapted to render the coinfreed machine inoperative or bar the coin insertion slot or the coin insertion slots and/or actuate a warning signal.

10. Coin return device according to claim 9 wherein this device comprises a cam secured to the flap pivot axis outside the return container, a coXoperating push rod extending into the vicinity of the inser

**WARNING** end of DESC field may overlap start of CLMS **.

Claims

**WARNING** start of CLMS field may overlap end of DESC **. insertion slot 23. In the illustrated example the shutter 21 assumes this position under the action of a return spring 22 engaging the lever 19. On inward pivoting of the flap 4 the push rod 18 is pushed upwardly on the cam surface of the cam 17 whereby the lever 19 is pivoted against the action of the spring 22 and the shutter 21 is thereby moved in front of the coin insertion slot 23 whereby the shutter 21 already prevents coin insertion when the flap 4 covers the coin inlet opening 16 after partial pivoting. In this way a user of the coin-freed machine is prevented from inserting coins when the flap 4 is for any reason stuck in a position covering the inlet opening 16, particularly when it has been jammed with fraudulent intent. The invention is not limited to the described examples and a large number of modifications are possible particularly in respect of the precise construction of the inner wall of the container and the flap. Also the flap 4 in its open position may mechanically or electrically actuate a device which renders the coin-freed machine inoperative or actuates a warning signal. A device for barring the coin slot or slots by means of a switch which is electrically actuatable by the flap 4 may also be provided. WHAT WE CLAIM IS: -.

tion slot, and, articulated thereto, a pivotal lever with a shutter secured thereto, which shutter releases the coin insertion slot in the closed position of the flap, optionally under the action of a return spring, and closes it as soon as the flap has pivoted inwardly through a predetermined angle.

11. Coin return device substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to Figs. 1 and 2 or Figs. 3 and 4 of the accompanying drawings.