US1926482A - Magnetic coin detector mechanism - Google Patents

Description

Sept. 12, 1933.

P. s. HARPER MAGNETIC CC )IN DETECTOR MECHANISM Filed Dec. 22, 1951 Patented Sept. 12, 1 933 UNITED STATES PATENT o Frcs 1,926,482 MAGNETIC COIN DETECTOR MECHANISM Percy Stephen Harper, Groydon, England Application December 22, 1931, Serial No. 582,583," and in Great Britain December 4, 1931 1 Claim. (Cl. 194101) g The object of the present invention is to employ magnetic means to detect all spurious coins and discs, and not merely to separate out iron, steel, nickel or other highly magnetic'materials.

According to the invention, a magnetic field is arranged across a coin runway and operates by its effect on the velocity of the rolling coins or discs, and thus is adapted'to vary'the trajectory of the latter as they are discharged from the runway, in accordance with-the material acted upon. By this method the properties of, say a silver coin, sul'fice to give it a shorter trajectory than, say, that of a brass disc or token, and thus they can be selectively diverted to appropriate chutes or receptacles. L Various nonmagnetic materials, when moving through a magnetic field, are ofiered moreor less resistance to their passage, according to their. material, and this property is employed for the purpose of the invention. .For examplesomecoins or discs may be retarded in their passage through the runway to drop into a first receptacle, silver coins retarded not so much to'fall into a second or operative receptacle, and brass discs will shoot out with a flatter trajectory to, fall into a third receptacle.

The method, according to the invention, may be carried out in a varietyof ways, of which some will now be described in greater detail withthe aid of the accompanying drawing, wherein:-

Figure 1 is an elevation (partly insection) of one form of the invention;

Figure 2 is a section on A-A of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a perspective view of one of the magnets employed;

Figure 4 is a view of a modified form of coin chute; and V Figure 5 is a section on B-B of Figure 4.

In one embodiment referring to Figures 1, 2 and 3, a brass grooved runway 1 is slightly inclined and provided with any suitable number of magnets 2, preferably horse-shoe shape with the ends of the poles 3 turned at right-angles to take into holes in the side or sides of the runway, the ends being exposed to the coins path. The magnets 2 are preferably in pairs, one on each side of the runway, with unlike poles opposed, or as in Figures 4 and 5 the magnet 2 one side of the runway or coin path 1 and highly magnetic material 4 at the opposite side of the runway or coin path such as steel, iron, etc., so that a magnetic field is created across the coin path. Adjacent magnets along the runway may either have unlike poles next to one another or like poles. For thislatter purpose a staggered arrangement may be adopted as shown in Figure l, i. e., two opposite magnets projecting-upwardly and then turned into the runway by their ends -3, then two oppositemagnets projecting downwardly and then turned into the runway, and

so on.

It. has been found that six or more pairs of magnets 2 arranged in the staggered disposition, and extending over six or seven inches of the length of the 'runwayl, prove efiective on a chute sloping about 5 degrees or more, but these numbers, arrangements and and variable.

dimensions are optional In a variation not illustrated an elongated solmagnets, may

be used.

of the coins.

In the example illustrated three receptacles 5 are shown, of which the outside two may lead to a coin returned cup outside the machine, whilst I the central one (positioned to receive correct silver coins, for mechanism of Iron or other discs of highly magnetic example) leads to a lock-release any suitabletype.

material id magnet at each side, or a seriesof smaller solid are stopped and rejected by known mechanism prior tolreaching the device herein described otherwise they wouldprobably be magnetically retained in the runway l, blocking the same.

I claim:-

Means for the separation of coins or disks having different magnetic properties comprising'an inclined chute down which the coins or disks may be rolled, and a pair of permanent horseshoe magnets disposed one entirely to each side of the chute and in alined relationship transversely of the chute, the negative pole of each magnet being alined transversely of the chute with the positive pole of the other magnet, whereby magnetic fields are established across the path of movement of the coins or disks rolling through the chute, said magnets having legs and terminal pole pieces right angles to 1 the legs so that i when the magnets are operatively positioned relative to the chute the legs of the magnets are disposed in planes parallel to' the sides of the extending at chute.

PERCY STEPHEN HARPER.

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